Nashorn (tank destroyer)

The Panzerjäger "Nashorn" (Rhino) (Sd.Kfz. 164) was a German anti-tank gun on self-propelled gun of the Wehrmacht in the Second World War . The tank destroyer was originally in mid-1943 as a 8.8-cm PaK 43/1 (L/71) on Geschützwagen III / IV (Sf) with the nickname " Hornet "in service. In February 1944, Adolf Hitler forbade the use of this name, however, because he found it inappropriate for a combat vehicle. Then it was renamed the "rhino".

Panzerjäger Nashorn
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Main Features
Crew	5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator)
Long	8,44 m
Width	2,95 m
Height	2,94 m
Mass	24 t
Armor and armament
Plating	10–30 mm
Main armament	8.8-cm-Pak 43/1 L/71
Secondary armament	1 × 7.92 mm MG 34
Mobility
Drive	Maybach HL 120 TRM 221 kW (300 PS)
Top speed	40 km / h
Power / weight
Range	250 km (by road)

Development

The high demand of German troops on the Eastern Front of mobile anti-tank led to the Alkett in 1942 the Panzerjäger "Hornet" developed. The series production of 494 vehicles (February 1943-March 1945) took place in the German iron works.

Hornet / Rhino based on the gun carriage III / IV, a modified chassis of the Panzer IV with gearbox and final drive of the Panzer III . The engine room from the stern area was moved to the middle of the chassis, in order to create space for the gun receptacle. This design was later in the howitzer Hummel use.

The vehicle had with the 8.8-cm PaK 43 . although a fire powerful weapon that could put virtually every tank of the Allies out of action, but the armor was very thin and open up and back Especially with artillery as with MG fire at short range, the crew was at risk. In addition, the vehicle was very high, and the Unentdecktbleiben survival difficult in addition to the battlefield.

Ammunition

PaK 43	Tank shell 39/43	Panzergranate 40/43 (hard core)	Explosive shell 43
Weight	10,2 kg	7,3 kg	9,4 kg
Muzzle Velocity	1000 m/s	1130 m/s	750 m/s
Penetration at 30 ° incidence
from 100 meters	203 mm
from 500 meters	182 mm	226 mm
from 1000 m distance	167 mm	192 mm
from 2000 m distance	139 mm	136 mm
Penetration at 60 ° incidence
from 0 m	198 mm	265 mm
from 500 meters	182 mm	226 mm
from 1000 m distance	167 mm	192 mm
from 1500 m	153 mm	162 mm
from 2000 m distance	139 mm	136 mm
from 2500 m	127 mm	114 mm
Penetration at 90 ° incidence
from 0 m	225 mm	311 mm
from 500 meters	207 mm	274 mm
from 1000 m distance	190 mm	241 mm
from 1500 m	174 mm	211 mm
from 2000 m distance	159 mm	184 mm
from 2500 m	145 mm	159 mm

Use

The majority of the Jagdpanzer "Hornet / Rhino" was on the eastern front and - in small numbers - in Italy in the heavy tank destroyer units 88, 93, 519, 525, 560 and 655 are used.
Each division consisted of three companies, each containing 14 tanks and fighter had plus 3 reserve tanks a target inventory of 45 hunting tanks. The first mission took place in the summer of 1943 at the Battle of Kursk instead.
The structure of a tank destroyer company hornet were:

• Company leadership group (1 officer, 7 NCOs, 8 teams):
• Company Commander / tank destroyer leader, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver (Panzer 01)
• Panzerjäger leader, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver (Panzer 02)
• Company troop leader, driver (on middle-terrain car)
• 3 motorcyclist (2 motorcycles and 1 motorcycle with sidecar)

• First Train (1 officer, 13 NCOs, 17 teams):
• Platoon leader, Sergeant observation, drivers (on light-terrain car )
• Motorcyclist (on motorcycle with sidecar)
• Panzerjäger leader, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver (Panzer 11)
• Panzerjäger leader, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver (Panzer 12)
• Panzerjäger leader, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver (Panzer 13)
• Panzerjäger leader, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver (Panzer 14)
• 2 drivers (on 2 2t crawler trucks, open for ammo)
• 1 motorist (on truck 3 tons of ammunition)
• Second Train as above (carapace 21-24)
• Third Train as above (carapace 31-34)

• Repair group (3 sergeants, 15 teams)
• 10 tanks waiting
• 2 armored radio waiting
• 2 Weapons Master
• 1 motorist (on light repair cars, Kfz.2/40)
• 1 motorist (on truck 3 tons of spare parts)
• 1 motorist (on truck 3 tons for workshop equipment, equipment for Kfz.I Group)
• 1 tank warden / drivers (on 2t crawler trucks, open )

• Exchange group (2 sergeants, 5 teams)
• Panzerjäger leader, gunner, loader, radio operator, 2 drivers
• Drivers (in truck 3 tons)

• Battle armada (6 sergeants, 14 teams)
• Sergeant, drivers (on light-terrain car )
• Sergeant, armorer, assistant armorer, 4 student assistant , Sergeant devices, drivers (trucks to 3 tons for equipment)
• 2 drivers (t on 2 Carrier 4.5, for fuel)
• 2 drivers (4.5 t to 2 truck for ammunition)
• Field Kitchen sergeant, field cooking, student assistant , driver (on truck 3 to, for big box cooker)
• Medical orderly, hospital porters / drivers (on motorcycle with sidecar)

• Luggage Albatross (1 sergeant, 3 teams)
• Accounting officer, shoemakers, tailors, drivers (on truck 1.5 tons, for luggage)