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German light tank destroyer Jagdpanzer 38(t) Sd.Kfz. 138/2 “Hetzer”
Hetzer was developed in 1943 in BMM plants in Prague, at the request of Heinz Guderian. The new German tank destroyer was supposed to be a simple design, based on elements produced in series tanks, simultaneously fulfilling the requirements of the current battlefield. From April 1944 started mass production of Hetzer. During the conference there were no major design changes, however, many small fixes and modifications were taken into account by the reports from front and the deteriorating economic situation of the Third Reich. The most common element was modified spherical gun carriage called Kugellaffette. Other major modifications were altered shape of the outer casing so as to balance the weight of the vehicle, mounted on the top of the casing three sockets for attaching auxiliary crane with a capacity of 2 tons, a reduction in the number of wheel bolts from 32 to 16, the introduction of new road wheels fastened with rivets, and not as it was previously modified the screws and lifting mechanism works. In January 1945, a new type of side gear with a gear ratio of 1: 6.75 (previously 1: 6,00). The crew devoid of the tower Hetzer, had on the battlefield often make quick and vigorous maneuvers, as the side gears of the first type have proved to be very resistant. The biggest advantages of the vehicle was fast and cheap production, low silhouette and strongly inclined armor plates, which contributed to bounce bullets. The main drawback was cramped interior and placing cannons on the right side, because that was designed to load the right, but the loader in the vehicle was located on the left side. This caused problems for the gunner and loader, which reduced the rate of fire. Germany, despite a seriously tarnished potential of the industry, managed to use the already quite old chassis PzKpfw 38 (t) for inexpensive mass production of the vehicle, which was still effective in the last stages of the war.
Toral production: ~2800
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- German crew and their Hetzer
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- Soldier inspecting destroyed Jagdpanzer 38
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- Knocked-out Hetzer, Germany March 1945
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- Camouflaged Hetzer, Czechoslovakia May 1945
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- Jagdpanzer 38 – Praha May 1945
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- Light tank destroyer Jagdpanzer 38(t), Sd.Kfz. 138/2
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- Light recovery vehicle Bergepanzerwagen 38, 1945
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- Recovery vehicle Bergepanzer 38
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- Top view of Jagdpanzer 38 “Hetzer”
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- Captured Hetzer 1945
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- 29th Infantry Division (United States) soldier by knocked-out Hetzer 1944
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- Destroyed Hetzer, Eastern Front 1945
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- Light tank destroyer Hetzer, Yugoslavia 1944
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- Hetzers production line in BMM, June 1944
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- Captured Hetzer Halloville France 1944
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- Hetzer Panzerjager 38(t) Found at Skoda Works Factory Pilsen Czechoslovakia
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- Hetzer and Panzer IV with Flak 88
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- Hetzer tank destroyer SdKfz 138 2
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- Jagdpanzer 38 t Hetzer
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- Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer
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- Hetzer Jagdpanzer 38(t)
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- Burning Hetzer tank destroyer
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- Hetzer during official presentation before Adolf Hitler – color photo
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- Hetzer tank destroyer, Prague May 1945
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- destroyed Jagdpanzer Hetzer
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- Hetzer tank destroyers 1945 2
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- Hetzer tank destroyers
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- Hetzer tank destroyer
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- Captured Jagdpanzer 38t Hetzer 1945
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- Hetzer tank destroyers 1945
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- Hetzer tank destroyer rear view
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- Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer 2
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- Hetzer Prototype
German light tank destroyer Jagdpanzer 38(t) Sd.Kfz. 138/2 “Hetzer”
Hetzer was developed in 1943 in BMM plants in Prague, at the request of Heinz Guderian. The new German tank destroyer was supposed to be a simple design, based on elements produced in series tanks, simultaneously fulfilling the requirements of the current battlefield. From April 1944 started mass production of Hetzer. During the conference there were no major design changes, however, many small fixes and modifications were taken into account by the reports from front and the deteriorating economic situation of the Third Reich. The most common element was modified spherical gun carriage called Kugellaffette. Other major modifications were altered shape of the outer casing so as to balance the weight of the vehicle, mounted on the top of the casing three sockets for attaching auxiliary crane with a capacity of 2 tons, a reduction in the number of wheel bolts from 32 to 16, the introduction of new road wheels fastened with rivets, and not as it was previously modified the screws and lifting mechanism works. In January 1945, a new type of side gear with a gear ratio of 1: 6.75 (previously 1: 6,00). The crew devoid of the tower Hetzer, had on the battlefield often make quick and vigorous maneuvers, as the side gears of the first type have proved to be very resistant. The biggest advantages of the vehicle was fast and cheap production, low silhouette and strongly inclined armor plates, which contributed to bounce bullets. The main drawback was cramped interior and placing cannons on the right side, because that was designed to load the right, but the loader in the vehicle was located on the left side. This caused problems for the gunner and loader, which reduced the rate of fire. Germany, despite a seriously tarnished potential of the industry, managed to use the already quite old chassis PzKpfw 38 (t) for inexpensive mass production of the vehicle, which was still effective in the last stages of the war.
Toral production: ~2800
Bibliography
- Panzer Tracts No.9 Jagdpanzer Jagdpanzer 38 to Jagdtiger – Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle
- Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer, MBI (Model File) 2006 (Czech / English)
- Horst Scheibert: Hetzer Jagdpanzer 38(t) and G-13, Schiffer Military History Vol. 27
- Gary Edmundson: Modelling the Jagdpanzer 38(t) ‘Hetzer’, Osprey Modelling 10
- Hilary Doyle, Tom Jentz: Jagdpanzer 38 “Hetzer” 1944-1945, Osprey New Vanguard 36
- Mariusz Motyka, Hubert Michalski: Panzerjäger 38 (t): Hetzer & G13, Kagero Photosniper 3D
- Hans-Heiri Stapfer: Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer; Squadron/Signal Walk Around 67027
- Waldemar Trojca: Hetzer and Panzer IV/70 (V) in color
- Walter J Spielberger, Hilary Doyle, Thomas Jentz: Light Jagdpanzer: Development – Production – Operations
- George Parada, Robert Wroblewski: Hetzer & G-13, Kagero Photosniper
- Terry J. Gander: JgdPz IV, V, Vi & Hetzer Jagdpanzers – Tanks in Detail No.9
- Marcin Rainko: Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer: Vol 1 & 2 – AJ-Press