Jagdpanzer V
The Jagdpanther (in German, reads. Panther of hunting ), or Jagdpanzer V was a Hunter of tanks based on the frame of the tank Panther builds by Germany during the Second world war. He often is regarded as more succeeded of the hunters of German tanks of the Second world war.
Development
The ordering of a heavy hunter of tanks whose design was to be based on the gun PaK 43 of 88 mm and the frame of the Panther tank had passed at the end of 1942 under the name of inventory SdKfz 173. The production began at the beginning of 1944 and it is at this time that Adolf Hitler gave him the name Jagdpanther.
To adapt to the gun, the sides of the Panther were widened in order to provide more interior space while preserving a low silhouette. Such an amount of the Ausf Panther. G which Jagdpanther had a side shielding inclined in order to still increase this effect and to harmonize the production. Jagdpanther presented moreover, with front, a very tilted case and its Casemate was completed to two thirds length what gave him an easily recognizable characteristic line.
Jagdpanther was armed with the same version anti-tank device of the gun to long tube of 88 mm as the Tigre II and of a machine-gun MG34 on the frontal shield for brought closer defense. It had of a weight positive ratio/power and a powerful principal gun which enabled him to destroy any type of allied tank. The low silhouette of Jagdpanther meant that it was easy to camouflage. Moreover, as it was based on the frame already tested of the Panther, the vehicle did not suffer too much from mechanical problems during its development and from its development. It required a crew of five men, a driver, a radio operator operator, a chief of tank, a gunner and a charger.
One distinguishes usually two versions, one with a weld steel band around the coat of the gun and the other with a steel band bolted. The version with the steel band bolted was equipped with the PaK/4 gun. First Jagdpanthers had a tube of cast solid gun with two eyepieces for the driver whereas the later versions in had nothing any more but one.
Production
392 Jagdpanther were built in 1944 and 1945. They were allotted to the battalions of heavy tanks and were useful primarily on the Front of the East. Nevertheless, a significant number of specimens were concentrated in the West for the needs for the offensive of December 1944 in Ardenne. The Allies were confronted with Jagdpanther for the first time at the end of the Bataille of Normandy, although a small number of Jagdpanther was present at this occasion, when the 654e schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung deployed twelve against British units of them.
Survivors
One of Jagdpanther survivors is always in operating condition. It is about a wreck discovered on a field of fire before a four years restoration undertaken by a British historical group, SdKfz association.
There exist moreover nine other survivors who are exposed in various museums like the Imperial War Museum to London, the Deutsches Panzer Museum with Münster, in Lower Saxony, with the Museum of the Armoured tanks with Saumur, in France and in United States Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen with the Maryland.
External bonds
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AFV Database
- Information butt the Jagdpanther At Panzerworld
- Achtung Panzer!
- Jagdpanther manual (In German)
References