SdKfz 173 Jagdpanther (Panzerjager V Jagdpanther)

The Jagdpanther was a superb purpose-built tank destroyer built on speed and firepower.

Designation: SdKfz 173 Jagdpanther (Panzerjager V Jagdpanther)
Classification Type: Tank Destroyer
Contractor: MIAG / Brandenburg Eisenwerk - Germany
Country of Origin: Nazi Germany
Initial Year of Service: 1944
Number Built: 382

The Jagdpanther was the missing link to complete battlefield domination for the Germany Army. Already having the well-established Tiger II and Panther series of tanks, the Jagdpanther tank destroyer would have been a formidable addition to any tank group if estimated production totals during the war were ever met. As it was, the Jagdpanther was a formidable vehicle and quite possibly the best tank design of the war, done in only by the constant Allied bombardment of crucial assembly plants.

Well noted for its 8.8 centimeter main gun fixed into the hull, the Jagdpanther looked the part. The sloping front armor gave the appearance of a slow and stout machine, though this was far from the truth. The Jagdpanther was actually one of those creations where all the vital components of a successful killing machine come together - for it fielded a package of speed, mobility, firepower and protection unlike any other vehicle of the war. The main gun alone was powerful enough to remove any Allied armor from the playing field.

The Jagdpanther came about at a time when most tank destroyers were built upon existing chassis, featuring make-shift combinations of main guns and hulls. What made this new German creation unique was that the Jagdpanther was a purpose-built tank-killer so specifications for such a system were full met. The system was displayed for Adolph Hitler in 1943 - and much impressed the dictator that the prototype name of "Panzerjager Panther" was soon changed to the more recognizable "Jagdpanther". The vehicle would appear on frontlines in early 1944, with Hitler himself a having personal involvement in its development.

On the battlefield, the Jagdpanther earned its keep, appearing in limited quantities but changing the tide of engagements nonetheless. Allied armor was an issue already with the M4 Shermans, Matildas, Valentines and Cromwells and the major punch of the 8.8 centimeter main gun of the Jagdpanther would only exacerbate the problem. On the East Front, the Russians could contend with the Jagdpanther up to a point with their mighty IS-2 systems. Jagdpanthers could engage an armored target some 500 yards away and penetrate with lethal efficiency.

By 1945, only some 382 Jagdpanthers had been produced. As the Allies progressed, closing more and more of the German production facilities, the terror of the Jagdpanther became less and less. In any case, the Jagdpanther was a system to be reckoned with and - had it seen higher production totals - would have certainly continued to give the Allied commanders something more to think about.

Specifications: SdKfz 173 Jagdpanther (Panzerjager V Jagdpanther)
Dimensions:
Length: 32.48ft (9.90m)
Width: 10.73ft (3.27m)
Height: 8.86ft (2.70m)
Performance:
Speed: 34mph (55km/h)
Range: 99miles (160km)

Structure:
Accommodation: 5
Weight: 50.7 US Short Tons (46,000kg)
Systems:
NBC Protection: None
Nightvision: None
Power:
Engine(s): 1 x Maybach HL 230 petrol engine generating 600hp to 700hp.

Armament & Ammunition:
1 x 88mm PaK 43/3 L/71 main gun
1 x 7.92mm MG34 OR MG 42 machine gun

Ammunition:
60 x 88mm projectiles
3,000 x 7.92mm ammunition