German Tank Destroyers of the Second World War

INTRODUCTION

the German approach to fighting enemy tanks

attack is the best defence – preferably from ambush

tank destroyers tactics and wartime development

PANZERJÄGER I

Germany's first series-produced tank destroyer

based on the chassis of the light Panzer I tank

armed with an ex-Czechoslovak 47 mm gun

PANZERJÄGER R35

based on the chassis of the captured Renault tank

armed with an ex-Czechoslovak 47 mm gun

174 combat and 26 command vehicles produced

MARDER I

three distinct tank destroyer variants

on captured French tank and cargo tractor chassis

armed with the powerful Pak 40 gun, 75 mm calibre

MARDER II

two distinct tank destroyer variants

on Panzer II Ausf. D and Ausf. F chassis

captured 76.2 mm gun or German 75 mm gun

MARDER III

three distinct tank destroyer variants

on a modified version of the Panzer 38(t) chassis

captured 76.2 mm gun or German 75 mm gun

STUG III

versatile assault gun on the Panzer III tank chassis

founder of a new category of fighting vehicle

armed with a short and later a long 75 mm gun

NASHORN

the most powerful of the open-topped Panzerjägers

armed with the feared Pak 43 gun, 88 mm calibre

chassis combining elements of the Panzer III and IV

STUG IV

versatile assault gun on the Panzer IV tank chassis

continuation of the successful Sturmgeschütz concept

armed with a long-barrelled 75 mm gun

JAGDPANZER IV

tank destroyer with a fully enclosed fighting compartment

based on the medium Panzer IV tank chassis

armed with two versions of the 75 mm gun

JAGDPANTHER

tank destroyer with a fully enclosed fighting compartment

based on the medium Panther tank chassis

armed with the feared Pak 43 gun, 88 mm calibre

FERDINAND/ELEFANT

an unplanned by-product of the Tiger tank development

armed with the feared Pak 43 gun, 88 mm calibre

powerful, but an overly complicated machine

JAGDTIGER

Germany's heaviest series-produced armoured vehicle

built on two different chassis variants

armed with a lethal 128 mm gun

HETZER

light tank destroyer from Prague's ČKD factory

based on the proven Panzer 38(t) tank chassis

with sloped armour and a 75 mm gun

DICKER MAX

a bunker-buster that "retrained" as a tank destroyer

built on a modified Panzer IV tank chassis

armed with the K18 gun, 105 mm calibre

STURER EMIL

a concrete-crusher that ended up crushing tanks

built on the prototype VK 30.01 (H) chassis

armed with the K40 gun, 128 mm calibre

7,5cm Pak 40/4 auf RSO

less a tank destroyer, more a mobile gun carrier

on the Raupenschlepper Ost tracked tractor chassis

armed with the Pak 40 gun, 75 mm calibre

7,5cm Pak 97/38 auf T-26

when a captured gun meets a captured tank

ex-French Pak 97/38 gun, 75 mm calibre

on an ex-Soviet T-26 tank chassis

5cm Pak 38 auf VK3.02

tank destroyer on an ammunition carrier chassis

armed with the Pak 38 gun, 50 mm calibre

only two evaluation prototypes built

SEMOVENTE da 75/34

originally an Italian self-propelled anti-tank gun

armed with the Cannone da 75/34 Modello SF

continued in production for the Wehrmacht

5cm Pak 38 auf VK 9.01

tank destroyer armed with the Pak 38, 50 mm calibre

on the prototype VK 9.01 tank chassis

two examples built and deployed on the Eastern Front

7,5cm StuK auf PANZER 38(t)

experimental conversion on the Panzer 38(t) chassis

armed with the StuK 40 gun, 75 mm calibre

only a non-functional technology demonstrator built

7,5cm RFK 43 auf PANZER IV

tank destroyer armed with a pair of recoilless guns

based on the medium Panzer IV tank chassis

only a wooden mock-up was built

RUTSCHER

desperate times call for desperate measures

design for a small, light tank destroyer from 1945

special gun with different pressure in chamber and barrel

PANZERSCHRECK BREN

vehicle for an infantry anti-tank team

on a captured British Bren Carrier chassis

intended for troop transport rather than direct combat

WANZE

remote-controlled vehicle for close-range tank destruction

based on the Ladungsträger B-IV demolition vehicle chassis

armed with a cluster of Panzerschreck rocket launchers

4,7cm Pak 188 auf BREN

improvised tank destroyer built from captured material

on an ex-British Bren Carrier chassis

armed with an ex-Dutch 47 mm gun

3,7cm Pak 36 auf BREN

improvised anti-tank gun carrier

on a captured British Bren Carrier chassis

armed with the Pak 36 gun, 37 mm calibre

3,7cm Pak 36 auf UE(f)

improvised anti-tank gun carrier

on a captured French Renault tractor chassis

armed with the Pak 36 gun, 37 mm calibre

3,7cm Pak 36 auf T-20(r)

improvised anti-tank gun carrier

on a captured Soviet Komsomolec tractor chassis

armed with the Pak 36 gun, 37 mm calibre