World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe German Army embarked on the exploration of multi-turreted heavy tanks in the 1930s, with the project hidden under the covername of Großtraktor, or "heavy tractor", due to Treaty of Versailles restrictions. Ultimately, two contenders, Panzerkampfwagen Neubaufahrzeug V and Panzerkampfwagen Neubaufahrzeug VI ("armored fighting vehicle, new construction, V" and "armored fighting vehicle, new construction, VI"), designed by Rheinmetall and Krupp respectively, competed for the contract. In 1934, Rheinmetall built two prototypes of PzKpfw NbFz V design. In 1935 and 1936, three more prototypes were built using the Krupp turret pattern found in the PzKpfw NbFz VI design. In 1939, one of the Neubaufahrzeug tanks were placed on display at the International Automobile Exposition in Berlin, Germany. Development of German armor tactics, which focused on speed, thus these slow heavy tanks played a little importance, and in turn the design would not enter production status. Nevertheless, Neubaufahrzeug tanks still saw action in Norway; while they did not fit into the fast-advancing strategy, the three Krupp-patterned tanks deployed were of intimidation and propaganda value. One of them was lost in the battle for Norway after having mired in a swamp near Åndalsnes, Norway and was destroyed by German engineers to prevent capture (one of the Rheinmetall-pattern tanks was deployed to replace the lost tank). In 1941, the Neubaufahrzeug project was canceled, and an order was given to scrap all four surviving tanks.

PzKpfw NbFz V/VI Timeline

SPECIFICATIONS

PzKpfw NbFz V/VI

Machinery	One BMW Va engine (290hp) or Maybach HL 108 TR engine (300hp)
Armament	1x75mm KwK L/24 gun, 1x37mm KwK L/45 gun, 2x7.92mm MG 13 or MG 34 machine guns
Crew	6
Length	6.60 m
Width	2.19 m
Height	2.98 m
Weight	23.4 t
Speed	25 km/h
Range	120 km

Photographs

Visitor Submitted Comments

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1.  Bill says:
29 Mar 2014 02:00:09 PM

HEAVY METAL:

File photograph upper left shows three NbFz V.
Neubaufahrzeug or(New Construction Vehicles) arriving in Norway 1940. Vehicles were assigned to Pz.Abt.zb V.40 Panzer Abteilung besonderer Vervendung 40, don't you just like those German compound words.

The five built, were prototype designs, that were never put into production. Vehicles were built by Krupp,Rheinmentall-Borsig three were field tested during the invasion of Norway in 1940, One got stuck in swamps, and was blown up by German engineers.

IMPRESSIVE BUT:

Vehicles were multi-turret designs the main turret
was armed with 1 x 75mm main gun, Secondary armament was 1 x 37mm gun, and 1 x 7.92mm machine gun, with 2 x turrets armed with 1 x 7.92mm machine guns each, a 105mm Howitzer version was also built.
The NbFz V. was found to be too slow & heavy, and didn't fit into fast moving Blitzkrieg tactics. The four surviving tanks were shipped back to Germany and later scrapped in 1941. One NbFz V.
was captured in 1945, at wars end by the British
what became of the vehicle is unknown.

TANKS A LOT:

The NbFz V. were camouflaged in panzer-gray and
brown, with white balkenkreuze on the turret and vehicle number within the platoon. Both the USSR
and Nazi Germany developed the Cristie patent for large multi-wheeled suspension system.

2.  Bill says:
29 Mar 2014 09:04:58 PM

MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL: HISTORY'S MYSTERY

SERVICE RECORD:

Some sources list that the NbFz V's were shipped back to the Fatherland other sources list that some were stationed in Norway until wars end in 1945 and captured by British forces.
Two of the NbFz V's were reported to have taken part in the invasion of the USSR on June 22, 1941 and operated in Western Ukraine.

NOT A SERIOUS PLAYER:

The NbFz V. is mostly a forgotten warrior in the history of armored warfare, to the Wehrmacht it was a disappointment However, the NbFz V. carried heavy armament, the main 75mm gun, had 80 rounds the secondary 37mm gun had 50 rounds, and a coaxial mounted 7.92mm MG34 mounted in the main turret, I would assume, would also be supplied with 3,000 rounds of ammo, but I'm guessing here.
Crew Commander, Driver, Loader and Three Gunners.
Range 75miles/120km, speed 16mph/25kph, powered by 1 x 300hp Maybach gasoline engine.

The NbFz V. paved the way for newer designs such as the Tiger and Panther tanks. So what was that multi-turret tank design named again.
PzKpfw-NbFz V. "Panzerkampfwagen-Neubaufahrzeug"


SIMILAR MULTI-TURRET TANK DESIGNS:

Russian T-28 and T-35 & the British Vickers A1E1

I thank the editor/ww2db for allowing me to leave
more interesting facts about World War II