Panzer III Ausf N
1/35 Dragon Panzer III Ausf N

The Ausf N was the final production version of the Panzer III, it was the only version to be armed with the 7.5 KwK L/24 gun. This gun was fitted to early versions of the Panzer IV (from Ausf A to F1), and fired a more effective high explosive round when compared to the 5cm gun, and was capable of firing shaped-charge rounds.

700 Ausf N’s were produced on the chassis of earlier versions. Three were based on the Ausf J, 447 on the Ausf L and 213 on the Ausf M while the remaining 37 were produced by converting existing tanks when they were due an overhaul.

With the introduction of the American Bazooka in 1943 the infantry now had a hand held anti-tank weapon firing shaped charges, which was more then capable of taking on tanks and winning. This meant that the German High command had to find a new way of protecting their tanks from these new weapons, they decided on adding armored plates (schurzen) to the sides of there tanks. From March 1943 the Ausf N was fitted with 5mm thick side skirts. If a shaped charge hit these side skirts, it would be triggered. By sacrificing these side skirts the tank now had a way to deal with the bazooka and other hand held anti tank weapons.