Sturer Emil – Φώτο &; Βίντεο

The 12.8 cm Selbstfahrlafette auf VK 30.01(H) “Στούρερ Εμίλ” (German for “Stubborn Emil”) was an experimental World War II German self-propelled anti-tank gun. It was based on the Henschel VK30.01 chassis and armed with a Rheinmetall 12.8 cm K40 L/61 gun (based on the 12.8 cm FlaK 40). This gun could traverse 7° to each side, elevate 10° and depress -15°. It carried 15 rounds for the main gun.

Πηγή: Ο Στούρερ Εμίλ στη Βικιπαίδεια

The Sturer Emil was a German self-propelled gun developed during World War II. It was based on the chassis of the Henschel VK 30.01 (H) heavy tank and armed with a 12.8 cm K 40 L/61 anti-tank gun. Only two prototypes were built, which saw combat on the Eastern Front in 1942. The name Sturer Emil means “stubborn Emil” in English, and was derived from a nickname given to the gun by its crew.
The Sturer Emil was designed as a stop-gap measure to counter the Soviet KV-1 and T-34 tanks, which were superior to the German Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks at the time. The 12.8 cm K 40 gun was capable of penetrating 140 mm of armor at 1000 m, making it one of the most powerful anti-tank weapons of the war. However, the gun was also very heavy and bulky, requiring a large and modified chassis to mount it. The Sturer Emil had a limited traverse of only 7 degrees, and a very high profile that made it vulnerable to enemy fire.
The two prototypes were completed in early 1942 and sent to the Eastern Front for testing. They were assigned to the 521st Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion and participated in the Battle of Stalingrad. One of them was destroyed by Soviet artillery in December 1942, while the other was captured by the Red Army in January 1943. The captured vehicle was later displayed at the Kubinka Tank Museum near Moscow. The Sturer Emil was never mass-produced, as the German Army decided to focus on developing more versatile and mobile tank destroyers, such as the Nashorn and the Jagdpanther.