Jagdpanzer IV

[Hagen]

In December of 1942 it was decided to build a Jagdpanzer based on the Panzer IV chasis and a 75mm gun to replace the Marders in Panzerjager Battalions.

The JagdpanzerIV went into production in January of 1944 and would continue in production until March of 1945, by which time close to 2000 had been built.

It was manned by a crew of four, Commander, Gunner, Loader and Driver. The command version however had a crew of five with the addition of a Radio Operator.

The Jagdpanzer was originally equipped with the L/43 or L/48 gun, but from August of 1944 onwards it was equipped with the 75mm L/70, the same as the Panther. The gun had a limited traverse of ten degrees to either right or left. And because the main gun stuck out so far forward it had a tendency to be nose heavy which gained them the nick-name Guderians Ente (Guderians Duck) This nose heaviness was hard on rubber rimmed road wheels, this problem was partially rectified by fitting the first two wheel stations on the IV/70 (V) with steel rimmed wheels and the first four on the IV/70 (L) had steel rimmed wheels.

As the war continued they were commonly used as replacements for tanks in Panzer Divisions. With a height of just under two meters the Jagdpanzer was easy to conceal which made it very effective from ambush.


Photo of a captured JagdpanzerIV L/70, note length of gun barrel which at times on rough ground could get stuck in the ground if the driver wasn't careful.

This is a pic of a Jagdpanzer IV of 3rd Co. 116th Panzer Division, for some reason it has it's inspection covers for the final drive open. The 116th Panzer was known as the Windhund (Greyhound) Division and fought exclusivley in the West.

Sources; Panzerkrieg by Peter McCarthy and Mike Syron

Achtung Panzer !

[Geek44]

My favourite armoured vehicle. Thanks for the pics.

[Franz Repper]

Here is some thing for you guys

[MAGNA]

Nice work. An interesting contrast - old and new.

I had only read of around 900 of these being produced. 2000 makes them far more prevalent - maybe I need more to use in games.

Apart from the steel wheels, what other ways are there to tell the difference between the IV 70 (V) and IV 70 (L).

[Geek44]

How cool is that colour pic?! Check out the Stug in the background too.

[Hagen]

Originally Posted by MAGNA

I had only read of around 900 of these being produced. 2000 makes them far more prevalent - maybe I need more to use in game

Production numbers;

Jagdpanzer IV Sd.Kfz.162 = 769

Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) = 930

Jagdpanzer IV/70(L) = 278

[Hagen]

Originally Posted by MAGNA

Apart from the steel wheels, what other ways are there to tell the difference between the IV 70 (V) and IV 70 (L).

Sorry Dave, (and everyone else) but I did a typo and now to late to edit, actually did same mistake twice. It should be IV/70 (A) not an (L).

Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) was manufactured by The Nibelungenwerke of St. Valentin Austria, while the Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) was built by Vomag, (Voglandischefabrik AG of Plauen)

L/70 refers to the main gun the 75mm L/70.

Again so very sorry for any confusion.

Mike

[MAGNA]

Originally Posted by Hagen

Sorry Dave, (and everyone else) but I did a typo and now to late to edit, actually did same mistake twice. It should be IV/70 (A) not an (L).

Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) was manufactured by The Nibelungenwerke of St. Valentin Austria, while the Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) was built by Vomag, (Voglandischefabrik AG of Plauen)

L/70 refers to the main gun the 75mm L/70.

Again so very sorry for any confusion.

Mike

Thanks for that. I take it they were very much the same thing then. Great thread.

[cyberia]

Full frontal Jagdpanzer IV

[MAGNA]

What are the cone shaped things on either side of the upper hull? I haven't seen them before. Were they only on the L/48 model ?