German Assualt Guns 1939-1945
First, a definition of "assualt gun." An assualt gun is a tank chassis that, instead of having a traversable (movable) turret has a anchored gun jutting out of the front of the vehicle. The advantage of this is that it can mount heavier guns and heavier armor. The disadvantage is that it cannot turn to the sides without turning the entire body, so it is much more vulnerable to flank attacks. Also, it usually mounted only one machine gun (a co-axial) as opposed to the two on a tank.
Ok, so on to the German Assualt Guns.
Nashorn:
A light assualt gun mounting a 8.8cm L/71 main gun, it was vulnerable to enemy tank and mortar fire, so it was best to be used in ambushes against heavy Russian tanks like the K-V line. It had less frontal armor than other assualt guns (in fact having an open front), so it was an easy target once discovered. It mounted one MG-34 machine gun for anti-infantry defense. By the way, a "Nashorn" is a rhinoceros.
Ferdinand:
A heavy assualt gun (it was also known as the "Elefant"), it was mounted on a Tiger chassis. It had a 8.8cm L/71 cannon, like the Nashorn, but unlike the previous vehicle, it had 200mm of frontal armor, enough to withstand any shelling. It was named after Ferdinand Porsche, who developed and built the tank (along with the more famous car). An interesting side note would be provided by General Heinz Guderian, the father of German armored warfare, who in his book Panzer Leader lambasts Porsche for building the original gun without any machine guns, leaving it defenseless against close infantry. Later versions would rectify this situation.
JagdPanzer IV:
Also known as the "Neur Art", this assualt gun was built using a Mark IV chassis and stripping the turret, replacing it with a 7.5cm L/71 cannon, like the one on the Panther. This was a common conversion for the outdated Mark IV, and over 1500 were made.
JagdPanther:
Taking a Panther chassis and turning it into an assualt gun created this beast. It mounted an 8.8cm L/71 cannon, and 200mm of frontal armor. Deadly against any enemy tank, especially those on the Western Front, it became one of the most feared of the war.
JagdTiger:
This assualt gun mounted the largest caliber cannon of any German tank of the war, a 12.8cm L/55. The JagdTiger arrived to late in the war to make any difference, and only 77 were built anyway. Here would be a good time to note that "Jagd" is a variation of the German "Jäger", or "hunter". So "JagdTiger" would translate to "hunting Tiger." Just an interesting side note to make this longer.
StuG III 7.5cm
This was the first German assualt gun and was mass produced in large quantities along with it's later variations, the StuG III 10.5 cm and the StuH '42 (also mounting a 10.5cm gun). Very effective, even later in the war.
This would be a good time to mention that all these pictures, along with the ones from the previous Russian tank post, come from Battletanks.com, which I found to be very useful in researching these articles. Most of the gun information comes from Close Combat III. When the sources conflicted, I went with CC3.
Ok, so on to the German Assualt Guns.
Nashorn:
A light assualt gun mounting a 8.8cm L/71 main gun, it was vulnerable to enemy tank and mortar fire, so it was best to be used in ambushes against heavy Russian tanks like the K-V line. It had less frontal armor than other assualt guns (in fact having an open front), so it was an easy target once discovered. It mounted one MG-34 machine gun for anti-infantry defense. By the way, a "Nashorn" is a rhinoceros.
Ferdinand:
A heavy assualt gun (it was also known as the "Elefant"), it was mounted on a Tiger chassis. It had a 8.8cm L/71 cannon, like the Nashorn, but unlike the previous vehicle, it had 200mm of frontal armor, enough to withstand any shelling. It was named after Ferdinand Porsche, who developed and built the tank (along with the more famous car). An interesting side note would be provided by General Heinz Guderian, the father of German armored warfare, who in his book Panzer Leader lambasts Porsche for building the original gun without any machine guns, leaving it defenseless against close infantry. Later versions would rectify this situation.
JagdPanzer IV:
Also known as the "Neur Art", this assualt gun was built using a Mark IV chassis and stripping the turret, replacing it with a 7.5cm L/71 cannon, like the one on the Panther. This was a common conversion for the outdated Mark IV, and over 1500 were made.
JagdPanther:
Taking a Panther chassis and turning it into an assualt gun created this beast. It mounted an 8.8cm L/71 cannon, and 200mm of frontal armor. Deadly against any enemy tank, especially those on the Western Front, it became one of the most feared of the war.
JagdTiger:
This assualt gun mounted the largest caliber cannon of any German tank of the war, a 12.8cm L/55. The JagdTiger arrived to late in the war to make any difference, and only 77 were built anyway. Here would be a good time to note that "Jagd" is a variation of the German "Jäger", or "hunter". So "JagdTiger" would translate to "hunting Tiger." Just an interesting side note to make this longer.
StuG III 7.5cm
This was the first German assualt gun and was mass produced in large quantities along with it's later variations, the StuG III 10.5 cm and the StuH '42 (also mounting a 10.5cm gun). Very effective, even later in the war.
This would be a good time to mention that all these pictures, along with the ones from the previous Russian tank post, come from Battletanks.com, which I found to be very useful in researching these articles. Most of the gun information comes from Close Combat III. When the sources conflicted, I went with CC3.
posted by Jimmy at 11:33 PM
<< Home