Jagdpanther German tank destroyer
The Sd.Kfz. 173, commonly known as the Jagdpanther, was a German tank destroyer developed during World War II. Based on the chassis of the Panther tank, it was designed to counter the increasingly formidable Allied tanks, especially the Soviet T-34 and the American M4 Sherman. The Jagdpanther was equipped with the powerful 75mm Pak 42 L/70 gun, one of the most effective anti-tank weapons of the war, capable of penetrating the armor of most Allied tanks at long range. It also featured a secondary MG34 machine gun for close defense.
The Jagdpanther’s armor was thick and sloped, with 80mm on the front, providing excellent protection against incoming fire. Its chassis, derived from the Panther, had superior mobility, and it was powered by the Maybach HL230 P30 engine, producing 700 horsepower. This gave the vehicle a top speed of around 46 km/h (29 mph) on roads, with a range of approximately 250 km (155 miles), allowing it to operate effectively in a variety of conditions.
Weighing around 43 tons, the Jagdpanther was highly mobile for its size, combining the firepower of a tank destroyer with the mobility of a medium tank. Approximately 413 units were produced from 1944 to 1945. Its combination of firepower, mobility, and armor made it one of the most formidable German tank destroyers of the war.
