| Nashorn (left) and Sturmgeschutz III ausf F (right), part of a mechanized column in the Soviet Union. The Nashorn was the last of the interim tank destroyers; 494 were built in 1942-1943 and served throughout the rest of the war. They were built on a hybrid Panzer III/IV chassis. Nashorns (rhinoceros) made their combat debut at the Battle of Kursk. Their 88mm (3.46 inch) gun could defeat Soviet armor at 4,000 meters (2.5 miles), allowing the lightly armored, open-topped Nashorns to engage while remaining out of range of Red Army T-34s. Sturmgeschutz IIIs were originally attached to infantry divisions as assault guns; as their combat flexibility became apparent, they were transferred to panzer divisions in 1943. They could engage either bunkers or tanks. Nicknamed the “StuG“ and mounting a 75 mm (3 inch) gun, they became potent tank killers as well. Distracted by many different tank designs that took up production time and scarce resources, the Germans could not out-produce either the Soviets or the Americans. Still, German tank destroyers accounted for 20,000 Allied tanks through 1944. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0087.jpg |
| Image Size | 148.90 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 500 x 327 |
| Photographer | Unknown |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 01, 1944 |
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| Country | Soviet Union |
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| Status | Caption ©2007, ©2024 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission |
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