Jagdpanzer
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Jagdpanzer (JgPz), German: "Hunting tank", is a name for German tank destroyers.
It typically refers to designs based upon existing tank chassis with a well-armoured fixed superstructure, mounting an anti-tank gun with limited traverse in the front. The Jagdpanzer designs followed on from the more lightly armoured Panzerjäger designs which took an anti-tank gun and mounted it on top of a tank chassis with supplementary armour fitted around the gun crew. Without the complexity of the rotating turret, Jagdpanzer designs could be quickly produced which was important in supplying fighting vehicles to the Russian front. However in lacking a turret the Jagdpanzers were more limited in use. Generally they were used as a second line or reserve in the attack or to form a defensive line.
In 1945 the Panzerjäger term was applied to all the Jagdpanzers and the earlier Panzerjägers were reclassified as self-propelled guns.
Notable tank destroyers of World War II in the Jagdpanzer classification were :
- Jagdpanzer 38(t) also known as "Hetzer"
- Jagdpanzer IV - based on the Panzer IV
- Jagdpanther - based on the Panther tank
- Jagdtiger - based on the Tiger II
[edit] Post War use
After the war the Jagdpanzer name was kept in use.
[edit] See also
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