In January 1938 the order for 223 6th Series BW was issued to Krupp-Gruson and this total was completed.The main improvements introduced with the Ausf E were a new cupola design , modifications to the turret and increased armour protection.The turret now had a single bent plate for the turret rear and an exhaust gun fumes.While all Ausf E had a 50mm hull front and 20mm plate bolted to the hull and superstructure sides , several of the early Ausf E were minus the extra 30mm plate on the superstructure front.Minor modifications included a simplified sprocket design , glacis hatches countersunk level with surface of glacis , new design of driver's visor (pivoting) , single signal post on the turret roof and a armored cover for the smoke-candle rack. With the continued production of the Ausf D and completion of the Ausf E sufficient Pz Kpfw IV became available to furnish each medium tank company with ten Pz Kpfw IV for the campaigns in the Balkans , North Africa and Russia.Forty Ausf D and E were taken to North Africa with the 5th and 8th Panzer Regiments , and 438 Ausf B-F were with the seventeen Panzer divisions which attacked the Russians in June 1941.The last Ausf E were phased out by attrition early 1944. |