Panzer IV

Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Germany and used extensively in World War II. It was initially designed as an infantry-support medium tank, to work in conjunction with the Panzer III which was intended to engage enemy armor. Later in the war it was up-gunned and up-armored and took over the tank-fighting role while Panzer IIIs were either put into infantry support duties or converted into other vehicles. The Panzer IV was the most common German tank of World War II, and was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, such as tank destroyers and self-propelled anti-aircraft guns. The Panzer IV has the distinction of being the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout all of World War II, with over 9,000 produced from 1939 to 1945.