Hetzer (Jagdpanzer 38t)

The Jagdpanzer 38 (t) , often "hate preachers" called was a slight Jagdpanzer Czech origin of the German Wehrmacht inWorld War II , which was built in 1944 and 1945 as a special vehicle (Sd.Kfz) 138/2.

Jagdpanzer 38 (t)
* Hetzer at Worthington Tank Museum (Ontario, Canada)
Crew	4
Long	6,27 m
Width	2,63 m
Height	2,17 m
Mass	16 t
Plating	8–60 mm
Main armament	7.5-cm-Pak 39 L/48
Secondary armament	1 × 7,92-mm- MG 34 oder 42 mg
Drive	PS 1 Praga EPA AC/258 ( Ottomotor ) 160 PS
Top speed	42 km / h (road), 16 km / h (cross)
Power / weight	11.6 hp / t
Range	180 km (road), 130 km (off-road)

Development

Since the effective 7.5-cm PaK 40 (PaK 40) too heavy for the Mannschaftszug to be immobile on the battlefield, was charged in 1942 on the chassis of the Panzer II and Panzer 38 (t) in three different designs, both the 7.5-cm PaK 40 and captured and modified Russian 7.62-cm-tank guns mounted. The resulting PaK-self-propelled guns were as Panzerjäger Marder I , II and III referred. These successful expedients were replaced in summer 1944 by a similarly effective redesign, the Jagdpanzer 38 (t).
Further produced proven chassis of the tank (t) 38 was chosen as the technical basis for a light tank destroyer. The trough had to be widened in order to make room for the gun. The structure of well-sloped armor plates was on the front page 60 millimeters, 20 millimeters thick at the side. Wider chains and a higher performance engine ensured sufficient mobility of the now 16-ton vehicle.
As a weapon, the 7.5-cm PaK 39 L/48 was with an enhanced brake pipe selected, a muzzle brake was no longer necessary.For short-range defense possessed the Jagdpanzer 38 (t) over a 7.92-mm machine gun (usually MG 34 , but also MG 42 ) on the roof, which the commander could remote control over a periscope and an extended withdrawal. These side armament had a pan range of 360 degrees and served as defense against infantry. Although the gun was fired from the protected interior, but it had only a small drum magazine. The reloading process had to take place without the protection of the tank. Since the Jagdpanzer was 38 (t) a relatively small vehicle, which was 380 mm offset to the right cannon sticking with theirSaukopfblende out considerably over the bow.

"Agitators"

Whether the suggestive name "Hetzer" was used formally or informally during the Second World War seems controversial. Heinz Guderian claimed to Hitler , this is the nickname given to the soldiers for these tanks.

Use

In use, the proven Jagdpanzer 38 (t) Award.  The low silhouette complicated its discovery and management, the form has been exemplary and its firepower equivalent to that of the Panzer IV and the hunting Panzers IV/48 . The sloped armor could bounce off the shells of many calibers easily.
However, the Jagdpanzer was 38 (t) is not particularly popular among the crew because he had a small battle space and also the swivel range of the gun was only 16 degrees. Due to the asymmetric seat's main weapon was the swivel range 11 degrees to the right and 5 degrees to the left. To compensate for this, the entire vehicle had to be turned. The side armor was 20 millimeters with very weak, so many Jagdpanzer 38 (t) were shot down by the side.

Manufacturer

The manufacturer works ( Bohemian-Moravian Machine Factory (BMM) and Škoda ) were in the " Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia"(so that made ​​the Jagdpanzer 38 (t) until the war ended in May 1945, about 2,600 copies Fahrgestell-Nr.: 321001-323000, 323001 - could be). The vehicles were from July 1944 to the units, first at the Army tank destroyer units 731 and 743  delivered.

Versions

Versions of the Wehrmacht

There were several on the Jagdpanzer 38 (t) constructive developments:

• Flame Panzer 38 (t) - (end of 1944, 20 produced, conversion)
• Berge Panzer 38 (t) (Sd.Kfz. 136, 181 produced)
• 15-cm heavy infantry gun 33/2 (Sf) on Jagdpanzer 38 (t) (1944, 1 prototype)
• Full range reconnaissance 38 (t) - reconnaissance tanks (two prototypes)

There were also attempts, the 7.5-cm KwK 42 L/70 the Panthers to integrate into the Jagdpanzer 38 (t) - a few copies were made ​​of it.Because of the extreme heaviness these vehicles were not to be used but.

Other versions

After the war, the Škoda works built on the basis of hunting Panzers 38 (t) additional models for the Czechoslovak army, 156 vehicles were on the Swiss Army delivered where it under the name Panzerjäger G13  and 1973  7 remained in the service.

The differences of the tank hunter G13 for Jagdpanzer 38 (t) were:

• Now the attached muzzle brake
• the remotely-operable MG was replaced by a Rundblickperiskop
• Commander and loader exchanged inside the courts
• The petrol engines were gradually replaced by diesel engines.

Specifications

Technical data of the Jagdpanzer 38 (t)
Mass	16 t
Long	6,27 m
Width	2,63 m
Height	2,17 m
Gauge	212,3 cm
Chain width	35 cm
Ground clearance	38 cm
0 armament
Main armament	7.5-cm-Pak 39 L/48
Secondary armament	1 × MG 34 oder 42 mg
Ammo	PaK: 40 MG: 1200
Kaliberlänge (PAK)	48
Plating
Front	60 mm
Pages	20 mm
Heck	20 mm
Ceiling	8 mm
Ground	10 mm
Mobility
Motor	PS 1 Praga EPA AC/258 6-cylinder gasoline engine, water-cooled
Capacity	7754 cm ³
Performance	160 hp at 2800 rpm
Power to weight	11.6 hp / t
Maximum road	42 km / h
Maximum terrain	16 km / h
Fuel storage	320 l
Driving range	180 km (road) (off-road) 130
Fording	100 cm
Crew	4
Quantity	2584

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
*
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)