Specification Crew : 4 Engine : Maybach HL 120TRM Combat weight : 24 tons Max speed : road . 40 km/h Range : 200 km Length : 6.14 m Width : 2.95 m Height : 2.16 m Main gun : One 105mm StuH42 L/28 : Two 7.92mm MG34 Armour : 11mm to 50mm

From the lessons of combat the Sturmgeschütz units realized the need of a heavier weapon to supplement the 75mm StuK of their StuG.This resulted in an order in 1941 to mount the leFH18 in a trial series of 12 StuG to be produced from January to March 1942.Because of various delays only a single prototype was finished in March 1942 , with 5 StuH on StuG Ausf F and 4 on StuG Ausf F/8 chassis completed in October 1942.Delivery of the first production series of StuH42 started in March 1943 with peak production hitting 119 in September 1944. The StuH42 had the same hull and superstructure as the StuG Ausf F , F/8 and G , upon which it was based.During the production series as improvements were made in the StuG Ausf G , these same improvements were made on the StuH42.The basic difference between the StuH and StuG was the altered gun mount to take the 105mm StuH and altered internal storage for the larger rounds. From 1943 StuH were issued to many of the Sturmgeschütz detachments later renamed Sturmgeschütz brigades.Each detachment equipped with these vehicles received nine StuH42 which they used to support the StuG40 , toi provide heavies destructive fire-power and to supplement anti-tank defence.At the start of the Kursk offensive sixty-eight StuH42 were with Army Groups Center and South at the front in Russia.