The Entwicklung series, more commonly known as the E- series, was a late-World War II attempt by Germany to produce a standardised series of tank designs. There were to be standard designs in six different weight classes, from which several specialised variants were to be developed. This was necessitated by the extremely complex tank designs that had resulted in poor production rates and mechanical unreliability.

The E-series designs were simpler and more efficient than their predecessors, however they did not represent a significant technological leap forward compared to earlier efforts. Nonetheless the Entwicklung series tanks were still ahead of contemporay Allied designs such as the British Comet and Soviet IS-2 tank, esp. when it came to armour and armament, the E-75 & E-100 both being significantly better armed & armoured than any Allied design from the same period.

E-5

The E-5 was supposed to be 5-10 tonnes in weight and form the basis of a family of light tanks, reconnaissance vehicles, tank destroyers and armored personnel carriers.

E-10

The E-10 design was developed as a replacement of the Panzer 38 and the designs based on it. The 38(t) chassis was enlarged and redesigned. This new design was to be called PzKpfw 38 (d), d standing for Deutschland as opposed to (t) for Tschechoslowakei. The designs based on this new chassis would all be in the 10 to 25 tonnes weight class.

The intention was to create several new light tank destroyers as a replacement for the Jagdpanzer 38, as well as a new family of Waffenträger armed with heavy anti-tank guns.

E-25

The E-25 designs, in the 25-50 tonnes weight class, were to be the replacements of all Panzer III and Panzer IV based designs. This family would include medium reconnaissance vehicles, medium Jagdpanzer and heavy Waffenträger.

E-50 Standardpanzer

The E-50 Standardpanzer was intended as a standard medium tank, replacing the Panther andTiger I and the conversions based on these tanks. The weight of these vehicles would fall between 50 and 75 tonnes.

E-75 Standardpanzer

The E-75 Standardpanzer was intended to be the standard heavy tank to be used as a replacement of the Tiger II and Jagdtiger. The design would have been somewhat similar to the Tiger Ausf.B whilst being even heavier at 75 to 85 tonnes in weight. Compared to the Tiger II the E-75 had improved allround hull armour and an even more powerful high velocity 10.5cm gun was to be mounted along with an optical rangefinder for increased long range accuracy.

E-100

The E-100 was to be a superheavy combat tank like the 'Maus', developed from an enlarged Tiger II chassis. It was to be fitted with the same turret as the Maus. Development and building of a prototype E-100 started in 1944 but was largely abandoned after Adolf Hitler ordered an end to the development of the Maus.

Only the chassis was finished. It was taken to the United Kingdom for evaluation purposes and eventually scrapped.

References

• Information about the E-100 at Panzerworld
• German Tanks of World War II: The Complete Illustrated history of German Armoured Fighting Vehicles 1926-1945, F. M. von Senger und Etterlin, translated by J. Lucas, Galahad Books, New York, 1969, ISBN 0-88365-051-7