Jagdpanzer

by Thomas Anderson

This highly illustrated title details the history of the Jagdpanzer , the self-propelled German tank destroyers introduced in the second half of World War II.

Throughout World War II all sides grappled with how to deal with the threat of enemy armour. The German Army had adopted the 3.7cm anti-tank gun in the inter-war years. However, it was already apparent that the towed weapons lacked firepower and more powerful weapons were introduced in 1942 and 1943.

By 1942, hard-pressed Panzerjäger (anti-tank) units equipped with towed anti-tank weapons fighting on the Eastern Front increasingly sought assistance from StuG-equipped assault artillery units. By late 1943 the StuG was being issued to new tank destroyer units and at the same time a dedicated Jagdpanzer (hunting tank) was ordered, based on the chassis and running gear of the PzKpfw IV.

This highly illustrated study by German armour expert Thomas Anderson uses archival material and after-action reports to describe the development of the Jagdpanzer, and the many variants built on other German tank chassis. It also covers in detail how Jagdpanzer units were organized as well as their operational experience on the battlefield.

272 pages, Hardcover

Published March 12, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Up to page 129 so far; it seems like the stug iii/iv, jagdpanzer iv aren't exactly the best, as their final drives and tyres etc, are not really up to the task, especially when used on steep winding roads in Italy. So many break downs, it's not funny ! And couldn't be towed unpowered, so had to blown up.... grim ! The stug / Jagdpanzer only goes as far as page 249, then we have chapter 9 allied and soviet types p.250 to p.267then index. Looks interesting but ?. Anyway this book is a great read, very informative, impressive photo's, well worth getting despite the excessive price, nz$110. / uk £ 55 ! My first Thomas Anderson book, "Tiger" only cost nz$50. / uk £ 25. . Strongly recommended anyway ! Also check out : Panzer Gunner by Bruno Friesen 2019, for more detail on drivng and fighting the Jagdpanzer iv; another fantastic read.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

When WWII began in Europe, armour on most Armoured Fighting Vehicles was thin enough that a .50 Caliber bullet was a legit AntiTank Weapon. Most Anti-Tank weapons were considered artillery, albeit direct fire artillery, and guns were almost all towed. As is so often the case with wars, European Armies were totally ready for a WWI style war with solid frontlines and combat carried out at a horse's pace. What the Nazis gave them, of course, was soon to labeled blitzkrieg by those who suffered its wrath. It's hard to set up and break down guns under fire, let alone hook them up to prime movers or unhook them to fire. The solution was to make them self-propelled, even as they grew in size, and most of all weight. In Jagpanzer, Thomas Anderson continues his in depth look at Nazi vehicles, this time investigating "Tank Hunters"- the Wehrmacht anti tank guns and the dedicated vehicles they created or improvised to fight WWII. He's again using the Nazi military documents to speak for themselves as they struggle with the classic Gun/Armour/Mobility matrix that all AFV encounter. It is a very well illustrated work in the classic Osprey Publishing style, although it's coffee table sized.

The Germans started with compromises, when they began to encounter the Russian T-34 and KV-1 tanks that were more numerous and better armed than their Pz IIs, IIIs and IVs. 75mm AT guns were stuck on light tank chassis and the Marder Series arrived. At the same time the Sturmgeschutz, the direct fire infantry support cannon on Pz III bodies were upgraded with long 75mm guns to replace the short ones that were so effective against pillboxes and trench lines. As the Germans began to lose the war, and their command of resources, the cheaper turretless vehicles appealed, so the Jagpanzer IV on a Pz IV body, the Jagdpanther on a Pz V/Panther body, and the Elefantand Jagdtiger on the body of the Pz VI/Tiger came into being, each one larger and less mechanically reliable. Grasping for a perfect weapon that can stem or even turn the tide, the Nazis multiple projects squander some of their real advantages in flawed weapon systems. Even their success in creating the JagdPz38, the "Hetzer", a cheap and largely effective Jagdpanzer featuring an accurate 75 mm gun on a light Pz 38T chassis was not enough. It is an interesting story, well told, as Anderson likes to get out of the way and let the documents speak. Even the general audience reader will follow the Nazi AT story and understand the history better.

There are some adult themes, mostly political and industrial, but little or no graphic injury discussion. For the Gamer/ Modeler/ Military Enthusiast, this book is a fascinating but uneven resource. For the Gamer this is really more about understanding doctrine and the development of Nazi self propelled AT guns, rather than any information to inform scenarios or even campaigns. For the Modeler, lots of photos for build and diorama development, but you will need a colour source as these are all b/w. The Military Enthusiast gets a whole area of Nazi Anti Tank doctrine, weaponry and vehicle development explained in some detail . The general audience gets some interesting vehicle development information, as well a the whole sector's role in the greater war as the last chapter discusses how the Allies handled the same military challenges. I thought it was a good package for the reader.