Manufacturer: MIAG, MNH
Chassis no. 300001-300392
392 produced from January 1944 to March 1945
| Crew: | 5 |
Engine: |
Maybach HL230P30 |
| Weight (tons) : | 46 |
Gearbox: |
7 fwd / 1 rev. |
| Length (m) : | 9.9 |
Speed (kph) : |
46 (really?) |
| Width (m) : | 3.42 |
Range (km) : |
140 |
| Height (m) : | 2.72 |
Radio : |
FuG5+FuG2 |
| Armament | 88mm KwK43 L/71 | 7.92mm MG34 |
| Traverse | 13° left/right (hand) | 5° left/right (hand) |
| Elevation | -8° +14° | -10° +15° |
| Sight | SflZF5 | KgZF2 |
| Ammunition | 57 | 600 |
| Armor (mm/angle) | Front | Side | Rear | Top/Bottom |
| Superstucture | 80/55° | 50/30° | 40/35° | 25/83° +16/90° |
| Hull | 60/55° | 40/0° | 40/25° | 25-16/90° |
| Gun Mantlet | 100/Saukopfblende |
History: On 2 October 1942, the order was issued to develop a heavy assault gun by using the long 8.8cm Pak L/71 mounted on the Panther chassis. A wooden mock-up was completed by October 1943, and the prototype was shown to Hitler on 16 December 1943. Production started at MIAG in January 1944, and at MNH in November 1944, and continued until March 1945. Originally, there were two designations listed, the above and 'Sturmgeschutz fur 8.8cm StuK43 auf Fgst Panther I (Sd Kfz 172)', but no further record of this model has been located.
Specific features: The fighting compartment was designed by extending the upper hull and side plates of the normal Panther chassis. The 8.8cm PaK43/3 was installed in a gun mount in this sloping front plate. Earlier production vehicles had the gun mount welded to the superstructure front plate; later production vehicles had a protruding gun mount which was bolted in place. The driver was provided with a periscope in the front superstructure next to the gun mount, while all other crew vision was by periscopes mounted in the superstruc- ture roof. Close defence was provided by a 'Nahverteidigungsgerat' (close-defence weapon) mounted in the superstructure roof, and a machine-gun in a hull mount in the superstructure front. The suspension was unchanged from that installed on the Panther, but the drivetrain was improved by the installation of a heavy-duty transmission.
Combat service: The first Jagdpanthers were issued to the 559th and 654th Panzerjagerabteilungen in June 1944. Only the latter unit only a company strength of from ten to fourteen Japdpanthers. The largest collection of Jagdpanthers built during. the war were assembled in December 1944 to participate in the Ardennes offensive. From January 1945 until the end of the war, they were also issued to the tank detachments of seven different Panzer divisions, to The Fuhrer Grenadier Division and to a Panzer brigade.
EXTRA! Read Official Temporary Guidelines
in employing
Jagdpanther translated by Philip Schatz,
taken with permission from Panzer
Lehr
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