German, Jagdpanzer IV

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The Jagdpanzer IV, Sd.Kfz 162, was a tank destroyer based on the Panzer IV chassis built in three main variants. It was developed against the wishes of Heinz Guderian, the inspector general of the Panzertruppen, as a replacement for the Stug III. Guderian objected against the needless, in his eyes, diversion of resources from Panzer IV tank production, as the Stug III and Stug IV were still more than adequate for their role.

[edit] Development

In late 1942 the Wehrmacht's arms bureau, the Waffenamt, called for a new tank destroyer design based on the Panzer IV, which would be armed with the same 7.5 cm gun as fitted to the Panther: the Pak 42 L/70.

Unlike previous tank destroyers like the Marder series, this gun was to be mounted directly into the Jagdpanzer's superstructure, keeping its silhouette as low as possible.

The Jagdpanzer IV kept the basis chassis of the Panzer IV tank, but the original vertical front plate was replaced by a sharp edged nose. Internally, the layout was changed to accommodate the new superstructure, moving the fuel tanks and ammunition racks. Because the Jagdpanzer lacked a turret, the engine which originally powered the Panzer IV's turret could be eliminated.

The new superstructure had sloped armour, which gives a much larger armor protection for a given thickness than conventional armor and at the front was a 100 mm thick. To make the manufacturing process as simple as possible, the superstructure was made out of large, interlocking plates which were welded together.

Armament consisted of a 7.5 cm main gun, originally intended to be the PaK 42 L/70, but shortages meant that for the preproduction and the first production run different older guns were used, the 7.5 cm PaK 39 L/48. These were shorter and less powerful than the PaK 42.

[edit] Specifications

  • Weight 24 tonnes
  • Length 6.85 m
  • Width 3.17 m
  • Height 1.85 m
  • Crew 4
  • Armor 10 - 80 mm
  • Primary armament 1x 7.5 cm PaK 39 L/48 - 79 rounds
  • Secondary armament 1x 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 - 600 rounds
  • Engine Maybach HL 120 TRM (300 hp)
  • Power/weight 12.5 hp/tonne
  • Suspension Leaf springs
  • Operational range 210 km
  • Speed 40 km/h


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