Hitler’s Tank Destroyers

165 Pages·2017·13.73 MB·English

by  Paul Thomas

IMAGES OF WAR
HITLER’S TANK DESTROYERS
1940-45
RARE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM WARTIME
ARCHIVES
Paul Thomas
Contents
Introduction
Chapter One
Panzerjager I, Marder and Sturmpanzer I (1940–1942)
Chapter Two
Wespe, Hummel, Nashorn, Elefant and Sturmgeschütz III
(1943)
Chapter Three
Jagdpanzer IV, Jagdtiger and Hetzer (1944)
Chapter Four
Destruction (1945)
Appendix
Panzerjäger Vehicles
Introduction
T
his book of rare and unpublished photographs is
dedicated to German anti-tank and mobile artillery
vehicles of the Second World War. With detailed captions
and text the book describes how these assault and self-
propelled guns made their first major appearance on the
battlefield. Some were little more than stopgap solutions,
mounting an artillery or anti-tank gun on a tracked vehicle to
give mobility, while others were more sophisticated designs.
The book shows the development and technology throughout
the war that led to self-propelled artillery and tank destroyers
like the Panzerjäger I, Marder, Wespe, Nashorn, Hetzer,
Jagdpanzer, Elefant, Jagdtiger IV and Jagdpanther vehicles
being developed. At the beginning of the war some of these
tanks were basically an anti-tank gun on tracks, but as the war
progressed their fire power became more lethal to defend the
ever increasing threat against Soviet armour. Larger and more
powerful tank destroyers entered the battlefield, but due to the
overwhelming enemy opposition the tank destroyers were
compelled not only to attack armour, but to support ground
troops too. This led to massive losses where the tank
destroyers were never to recover.
The history of Hitler’s tank destroyers is a compelling account
of the men and machines that fought and defended its way
across Europe and Russia. The book is undoubtedly a good
addition to war gamers, model makers, and all interested in
armour of the Second World War.
Chapter One
Panzerjager I, Marder and Sturmpanzer
I (1940–1942)
F
or the invasion of Poland the need for any type of antitank
vehicle was unnecessary due to the overwhelming
superiority of German armour and the lack of enemy tank
power. However, it was realized during the Polish campaign
that the towed sIG 33 guns assigned to the infantry gun
companies of the motorized infantry regiments had reported
difficulties keeping up with the tanks during combat. This left
some infantry exposed on the battlefield so to remedy this the
Germans decided to modify a spare tank chassis to carry it into
battle instead. A sIG 33 was mounted on the chassis of the
Panzer I Ausf. B, complete with carriage and wheels, in place of
the turret and superstructure. A thick tall, open-topped fighting
compartment on the forward part of the hull was bolted in place.
Thirty-six of these artillery vehicles were organized into
independent schwere Infanteriegeschütz-Kompanie (self-
propelled heavy infantry gun companies) and were assigned to
the Panzer divisions in France in 1940. The vehicles were
known as the 15cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf.
B or better known as the Sturmpanzer I or Bison.
Alongside these self-propelled heavy infantry guns, a new