Jagdpanzer 38(t) Walk-Around
The Jagdpanzer 38(t) featured a running length of 6.27 meters with a width of 2.63 meters and a height of 2.10 meters. The vehicle weighed in at just 16 to 17 tons. Power was supplied by a Praga 6-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine outputting 150 horsepower at 2,600rpm - approximately the same specifications as the original Czech LT vz 38 / German PzKpfW 38(t). This supplied the vehicle with a top speed of 24.8 miles per hour at a range out to 111.6 miles. Cross country range was decreased to 80.6 miles.
At the beginning, it was envisioned that these new tank killers would form entire units tied to infantry divisions for maximum support. However, production delays and component shortages soon played a major role in limiting the effectiveness of the vehicle as a battlefield piece. The Allied bombing campaign was wreaking general havoc on production facilities and logistics all over Europe. This compounded resource needs all across the Third Reich which was finding itself fighting more and more of a defensive battle on multiple fronts. Examples of the PaK 39 anti-tank gun system were committed elsewhere and Allied ground forces would overrun German production facilities if they had not yet been bombed.
Production Changes
After October of 1944, a new muffler installation was introduced to the series. Similarly, a reinforced track idler wheel was added to the list of subtle changes. Different arrangements of road wheels and track idler systems were used throughout the vehicle's production run. One attempt and speeding up mass production of the Jagdpanzer 38(t) was to remove the internal gun recoil system, relying instead on the vehicle's body to absorb the blow. The tanks utilizing this design (Jagdpanther 38(t) "starr") were identified by their differing gun mounts over those as found on the originals.
Later production forms introduced a lighter gun mantlet - often referred to as "Pig's Head" because of its general shape - and a revised gun mount. Despite these changes, the Jagdpanzer 38(t) maintained the same original shape throughout the rest of her battlefield tenure. A command vehicle version was added to the assembly line mix and these were identified by the antenna vanes at the rear left of the hull superstructure. It was only in later production models that the Jagdpanzer 38(t) was camouflaged at the factory level - initial, these were painted by German soldiers upon reception of their new mounts. The vehicles were painted in an "ambush" woodland scheme to play well into the Jagdpanzer 38(t)'s battlefield role.
The Jagdpanzer 39(t) in Combat
In operational practice, the Jagdpanzer 38(t) performed excellently in her given role - so much so that all subsequent production of base PzKpfW 38(t) light tanks was halted and their chassis diverted to producing more Jagdpanzer 38(t)s. Her low profile made her a harder target to engage - and perhaps more so identify. The German version of the 75mm main gun was a proven tank-killer and was highly effective against all light- and medium-class Allied tanks. Mechanically, Czech ingenuity shown through for the series proved utterly reliable in the worse of battlefield conditions. One major detriment in her design - and this fell to German meddling - was in the cramped fighting compartment of the vehicle, which was less than desirable for a gun breech system needing constant attention. In effect, all actions concerning the operation of the gun became right-handed actions due the internal crew compartment arrangement. The commander's view outside of the vehicle was questionable and the protection afforded by the remote-controlled machine gun was limited at best - Jagdpanzer 38(t)s proved susceptible to infantry attacks via anti-tank guns, anti-tank grenade or rockets, particularly from the weaker side and rear panels. Since the Jagdpanzer 38(t) had no traversing turret, the entire vehicle would need to be positioned facing the target in order to fire with some degree of accuracy - as such, the tank could not realistically "follow" a moving target without some work on the part of the combined crew.
The Jagdpanzer 38(t) itself was evolved into two other distinct production models. One such form became the Flammpanzer 38(t) which saw the 75mm main gun replaced in order to make room for a flame fuel projector. The hull accommodated a fuel store of 154 gallons for the projector and the weapon itself could reach out to targets at over 190 feet. The Bergepanzer 38(t) was nothing more than an armored recovery vehicle (ARV) sans the main gun and applicable ammunition. These vehicles served well in towing damaged or disabled vehicles out of key road ways or away from volatile fronts and back to repair facilities.
Trials utilizing the Jagdpanzer 38(t) base form were conducted to get further use out of the family. One attempt included the fitting of a 150mm field gun to be used as an assault howitzer system. Another sought to simplify the manufacturing process by adapting the original liquid-cooled gasoline engine to an air-cooled diesel - this requiring a revision of the rear engine compartment and assembly line tactics. Such time- and resource-consuming measures were ultimately dropped from consideration for there lay a greater need to get base Jagdpanzer 38(t)s to the front.
A total of 2,584 Jagdpanzer 38(t)s were delivered by May of 1945. Even in the final months of the war, 121 were built and delivered to the Hungarian Army.
Hetzers in the Post-War World
Hetzers were placed back in to production following the end of World War 2 by Skoda, principally to shore up the depleted armored corps of the Czech Army. The type was also purchased by the Swiss Army - who received 158 examples - between 1947 and 1952 and these then served under the designation of G13 until the 1970s.
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