Hetzer – Promenez-vous

Hetzer
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Hetzer Jagdpanzer 38(F)
Photographe	Darren Baker
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Hetzer Jagdpanzer 38(t) Walk Around
Photographe	Bill Maloney
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Jagdpanzer Hetzer Walk Around
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Hetzer Walk Around
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Development and Design

The Jagdpanzer 38 was developed in 1944 to fulfill the urgent need for a cost-effective and easily produced tank destroyer, especially after Allied bombing raids crippled production of the StuG III. Its design prioritized defensive capabilities over comfort or complexity.

• **Chassis:** It was based on a modified version of the reliable Czechoslovakian **Panzer 38(t) light tank chassis**. This lineage allowed for rapid design and deployment.
• **Armor:** It featured heavily **sloped armor**, with the frontal plate being 60 mm thick and angled at 60°. This angle significantly increased its effective protection against many Allied anti-tank guns.
• **Low Profile:** Its most significant tactical feature was its extremely **low silhouette** (only 2.10 m high), making it a formidable weapon when employed in ambush tactics.
• **Main Gun:** It was armed with the powerful **7.5 cm PaK 39 L/48 anti-tank gun** mounted in a fixed casemate structure.
• **Design Flaw:** To fit the large gun, it was mounted far to the right of the center line. This resulted in a very **cramped fighting compartment** and poor visibility for the gunner and commander, particularly to the right and rear.

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Combat History and Legacy

The Hetzer was distributed to tank destroyer detachments and infantry units starting in mid-1944. It proved highly effective in its intended role as an ambush predator on both the Eastern and Western Fronts.

• **Effectiveness:** Its combination of powerful armament and excellent frontal protection allowed it to engage and destroy heavier Allied and Soviet tanks from concealed positions.
• **Production and Deployment:** The simple, efficient design enabled the factories (primarily in Czechoslovakia) to maintain high production, with **over 2,800 units built** by May 1945, ensuring its widespread use in the final year of the war.
• **Post-War Service:** The vehicle’s utility was so high that Czechoslovakia continued to produce a version of it (known as the **G-13**) after the war. This version was widely exported and used by the Swiss Army until the late 1960s.

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Specifications (Jagdpanzer 38)

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