The development of the medium tank Panzerkampfwagen III began in the mid-1930s, with the intention of making it the backbone of the armoured units of the Wehrmacht. It was a key player in the Blitzkrieg and the early stages of the Second World War. Over time, in its various produced versions, it adopted a more effective main armament.
Starting from the 37mm of the early production series, it was equipped with cannons ranging up to 75mm in calibre, enabling it to counter superior armoured vehicles. Throughout the war, it was also upgraded in armour and often fitted with additional protections to increase its battlefield resilience. However, starting from 1943, the technological gap compared to adversary tanks progressively led to the replacement of the Panzer III with more modern and heavily armed vehicles.