History JagdPanther:
JagdPanther 213 of the 654th Heavy antitank battalion in Normandie, 30 July 1944:
Around 392 Jagdpanthers were produced in 1944 and 1945. They equipped heavy antitank battalions and served mainly on the Eastern Front, although significant numbers were concentrated in the West for the Ardennes Offensive. They were first encountered in the west in very small numbers late in the Battle of Normandy, where the German 654th Heavy Antitank Battalion (schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung) deployed about 12 Jagdpanthers against British units.
Historical Context:
Operation Bluecoat was an attack by British Second Army at the Battle of Normandy during World War II, from 30 July 1944 to 7 August 1944. The geographical objectives of the attack were to secure the key road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pinçon. Strategically, the attack was made to support the American exploitation of their breakout on the western flank of the Normandy beachhead.
The company became famous on the 30th of July when it stopped the leading elements of the 6th tank brigade close to height 309.
During the British attack close to Caumont three Jagdpanthers fought against Churchills of the 6th Guards tank brigade. Although two Jagdpanther had to be given up because of track damage, the Jagdpanthers destroyed 14 of the 6th Guards tank within only 2 minutes.
The Diorama:
This diorama shows the JagdPanther 213 moving at speed through a bocage occupied by recce troops of the British 2nd Army only minutes before the encounter with the 6th Guards tank brigade.
Pantherschreck! by Jonas Dahlberg
