The one that was fitted to the Panzer IV tank chassis was removed.
It was not given a hull mounted machine gun. This vehicle was seen as a second line support weapon that used its long range to engage enemy targets and stay out of harm’s way. The Dicker Max was based on a Panzer IV tank chassis. The forward glacis plate was 50 mm (2 inch) thick face-hardened armor. The crew were given better protection at the front. This would stop most small arms fire and shell shrapnel. The sides and rear were constructed using 20 millimetres (0.79 in) thick armor. An open topped armored fighting compartment superstructure casement was built around the gun. The armored engine hatches were cut away to leave a large space in the rear of the vehicle. The V-12 Maybach HL120 engine of the Panzer IV was replaced by a lighter Maybach HL 66 Pla 6-cylinder liquid-cooled engine. The solution the designers came up with was to move the engine to the middle of the chassis. The Panzerkampfwagen IV engine was at the rear of the vehicle, but this was a problem. The gun crew needed space to work the weapon. They chose the Panzer IV Ausf.D tank chassis, but it had to be heavily modified. The designers needed a strong vehicle to carry it. The K18 heavy field howitzer was a very large and heavy gun. Realistically, this would not have been possible until the spring of 1942 if the production order was given following successful trials. If combat trials were successful, then production could begin as soon as possible. Hitler witnessed a demonstration of their abilities on 31st March 1941 and gave his approval. In January 1941, the two finished prototype Dicker Max SPGs were driven out of the factory doors. This Dicker Max has 7 kill rings on its gun barrel. The Panzerjäger-Abteilung 521 unit commander, Oberleutnant Kurt Hildebrandt, mentioned in his war diary that this vehicle was given the name ‘Brummbär’. The German term ‘gepanzerte Selbstfahrlafette’ also translates to armored self-propelled gun mount. On 13 August 1941, this SPGs name changed for the last time. ‘Panzer-Selbstfahrlafette’ translates to armored self-propelled gun mount. The letter K stands for the German word ‘Kanone’, which means gun or cannon. Throughout most of its development, it was known as the 10 cm K Panzer-Selbstfahrlafette IVa (Pz.Sfl.IVa). It is also known by a number of other names. It did have a very large profile compared to other self-propelled guns built in 1941. This self-propelled gun is normally known by its modern nickname, ‘Dicker Max’, which means ‘thick’ or ‘fat’ Max but it was never officially called that in any wartime documentation. Two prototypes were built and sent to the Eastern front for battlefield trials. It was then envisaged that this self-propelled artillery gun could be used in the role of a powerful long range tank destroyer. With the quick surrender of France, there was no longer a requirement for such a weapon. The French Maginot Line system of concrete strongpoints, along the border between France and Germany, would have been one of its intended targets. The German armament manufacturer Krupp began development in 1939, but no prototypes were available in time for the invasion of France. It had a long barrelled 10.5cm K 18 cannon, which enabled it to shoot APHE shells over long distances (photographer unknown) The purpose of this weapon was to fire from a long distance at a strongly held enemy fortification without being in danger of coming under return fire from its target. gepanzerte Selbstfahrlafette IVa artillery self-propelled gun was intended to be used as a long range ‘bunker buster’. Self-Propelled Gun – 2 Built Introduction
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