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Early Model Jagdpanzer IV at Aberdeen Ordinance Museum

Image Information
Jagdpanzer (Hunting Tank) IV (SdKfz 162) armed with a 75 mm (3 inch) L/48 gun. Also designed as Sturmgeschutz (assault gun) neuer Art (new design) mit (with) 7.5cm PaK L/48 auf Fahrgestell (based on chassis) Panzerkampfwagen IV. This is an early production vehicle because it has four return rollers; later Jagdpanzer IVs only had three. The stopgap Marder I/II/III designs (various captured Soviet, Czech and French guns and tanks welded together to form tank destroyers) were unsatisfactory and in December 1942, the Jagpanzer IV was ordered from manufacturer Vogtlandische Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft (Vomag) in Plauen, Germany in December 1942. After a year of design and testing a prototype was presented to Reichskanzler (Reichchancellor) Adolf HItler and accepted for production. Over 750 vehicles, including the one in this view, were produced between January-November 1944. This “short“ version of the Jagdpanzer IV is missing its muzzle brake, which dampened recoil and gun rising during discharge. The muzzle brake was found to give away the Jagdpanzer IV‘s position, and many crews had already removed them in the field. In May 1944, Jagdpanzer IVs were made without a muzzle brake. An updated version of the Jagdpanzer IV mounted heavier armor and a longer L/70 gun. This example was either captured in Italy or Normandy and shipped to the Ordinance Museum for testing. It was scrapped as part of an unfortunate consolidation during the Korean War. Aberdeen has an L/70 version that survived the cutter‘s torch.
Image Filename wwii0070.jpg
Image Size 170.41 KB
Image Dimensions 500 x 240
Photographer Sohns, Armin
Photographer Title
Caption Author Jason McDonald
Date Photographed January 01, 1948
Location United States Army Ordinance Museum
City Aberdeen
State or Province Maryland
Country United States
Archive Collection of Charles Kliment
Record Number Photos by Armin Sohns
Status Caption ©2007, ©2024 MFA Productions LLC
Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission

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