The Panzerkampfwagen IV was the most numerous of the German medium tanks that saw service during the Second World War. The Ausführung H was one of the last variants of this tank and was fitted with heavier armor and the long and powerful KwK 40 L/43 gun for combat against the Soviet T-34 tanks.
Fast Facts
- The Panzerkampfwagen IV was made in variants A-J beginning in 1937.
- This was the most numerous of the German medium tanks with 8,553 being made.
- The Panzer IV Ausführung H was perhaps the most refined version of the Panzer IV and was armed with the long and powerful KwK 40 L/43 gun.
- One of these tanks, which are a rare find, is coming up for sale by Rock Island Auction at time of publication.
It’s not often that one gets the opportunity to own a tank: and it’s even more rare if the tank in question is a German Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung H, and one that has lived a colorful life not only in the hands of the German Army during the Second World War, but after that in the hands of the Czechoslovakian Army during the Cold War, and then the Syrian Army fighting against the Israeli Defense Force in the Six Day War.
The Panzer IV was originally designed to the specifications laid down by the father of Blitzkrieg: General Heinz Guderian, who created his Blitzkrieg package of tactics inspired by the work of Australian General Sir John Monash during the First World War.
The Panzer IV was a key component in Blitzkrieg which required the coordinated use of both aircraft and armored vehicles. 8,553 Panzer IV were made and the tank was created in versions beginning at Ausführung A beginning in 1937 through to the last variant Ausführung J in 1944-1945, each adapted to the demands of the battlefield conditions it was serving in.
The Ausführung H entered production in June 1943. It was improved by having its 80 mm glacis armor made as a single plate and it was given a reinforced final drive which incorporated higher gears. Other improvements included thicker armor for the turret roof and the addition of 5mm hull skirts and 8mm turret skirts.
The Ausführung H inherited the KwK 40 L/43 gun as used in the Ausführung F and G. This having been done in response to the firepower of the Soviet T-34 tanks that the Panzers were encountering on the Eastern Front.
The German Army were rather concerned about the danger of magnetic mines that they feared the Allies would deploy in significant numbers. To mitigate against this the Ausführung H Panzers were given a coating of an anti-magnetic compound called Zimmerit on all flat vertical surfaces.
The Panzer IV Ausführung H tank that is coming up for sale is one of only a couple that is known to exist in the United States, and one of few left in the world. It most likely owes its survival to the fact that it was captured by the Soviet Red Army during the Second World War.
After the war the tank was allocated to Czechoslovakia, (now the Czech Republic). Czechoslovakia was at that time one of the states incorporated into the Soviet Bloc of communist countries. It was sent to the CKD Praha and rebuilt/refurbished there before entering service with the 1st Czechoslovak Tank Regiment in 1949.
The work done by CKD Praha included the fitting of an anti-aircraft DshK gun.
The Panzer did not remain long with the Czechoslovak Tank Regiment however and in 1950 it was sold to Syria who were building up their mechanized warfare equipment.
The Panzer was not to enjoy a peaceful retirement however and it was taken into action in the attempted invasion of Israel of the Six Day War of June 5-10, 1967. This being the last time Panzer IV tanks are known to have been used in action.
The tank was used for training by the Israel Defense Force prior to being placed in the Israeli Armor Museum in Latrun, where it finally enjoyed a bit of a retirement.
In 1993 the tank was purchased by William Gasser and brought in to the United States and placed on loan at his American Armoured Foundation (AAF) tank museum in Danville, Virginia, where it was displayed and stored indoors.
This Panzer IV Ausführung H is now being offered for sale by Rock Island Auction in their Premier Sale on August 21st, 2026, at Bedford, Texas.
You can find the sale page for this tank if you click here.
Rock Island Auction describe the condition of this tank as follows:- “Fine overall as a surviving Panzerkampfwagen IV with a very fresh appearance, retains most of the period gray and white painted finishes on the exterior and interior, showing areas of general oxidation expected from an issued tank. The turret is able to be rotated utilizing the hand controls. The engine and all other devices are mechanically untested. The metal tracks are fine and solid. The interior optics are cloudy but mostly viewable. The main gun is deactivated and is not limited under ATF restrictions. A monumental item for the most advanced military collection: a World War II German Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. H medium tank!“
This is a potentially once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a Panzer IV Ausführung H, ideal for a tank collector or museum display.
Picture Credits: All pictures courtesy Rock Island Auction.
Jon Branch is the founder and senior editor of Revivaler and has written a significant number of articles for various publications including official Buying Guides for eBay, classic car articles for Hagerty, magazine articles for both the Australian Shooters Journal and the Australian Shooter, and he’s a long time contributor to Silodrome.
Jon has done radio, television, magazine and newspaper interviews on various issues, and has traveled extensively, having lived in Britain, Australia, China and Hong Kong. His travels have taken him to Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan and a number of other countries. He has studied the Japanese sword arts and has a long history of involvement in the shooting sports, which has included authoring submissions to government on various firearms related issues and assisting in the design and establishment of shooting ranges.
