In the fall of 1942, the German Waffenamt issued an order to develop a heavy assault gun to combat the growing menace posed by Russian armored forces all along the eastern front. What resulted was the Sd. Kfz. 173 Jagdpanther tank destroyer, arguably the best long-range tank destroyer of the war. The Jagdpanther mounted a powerful 8.8cm Pak L/71 cannon within a fixed turret, which was situated atop a standard Panther V chassis. Although production of the tank was begun at MIAG in January 1944, it took another ten months before the larger NMH plant could expand the production run in time for the "Wacht am Rhein" counteroffensive. By war's end only 392 vehicles had entered service with the Wehrmacht, but these had a telling effect on the prosecution of the war.

There were two main variants of the Jagdpanther. The earlier G1 1944 model had a small welded main gun mantlet, one-piece Pak 43/3 gun, a modified Panther A engine deck, and two vision openings for the driver. The G2 Jagdpanther used a Panther Ausf. G engine deck, a larger gun mantlet bolted externally, and a two-piece KwK 43/4 L/71 gun. Some later G1 models had 'hybrid' G2 features such as the larger G2 mantlet as changes to the design were implemented. Zimmerit was applied to G1s up to September 1944, then was withdrawn to decrease production time. Early Jagdpanthers had two vision openings for the driver, whereas late versions had only one. The main gun originally had a monobloc gun barrel, but, from May 1944 onwards, it was gradually replaced with an economical two-part barrel after crews determined barrel wear was uneven.

This particular 1:72 scale replica was used by the chwere Panzerjager Abteilung 559 during the autumn months of 1944. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Length: 5-1/2-inches
Width: 2-1/4-inches

Release Date: November 2003

Historical Account: "Comes the Destroyers" - Jagdpanthers were grouped into independent schwere Panzerjager Abteilungens (heavy anti-tank battalions), with three companies of 14 vehicles each and three vehicles attached to the battalion HQ. The first Jagdpanthers were issued to schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 559 and 654, reaching front line units in the west in June 1944. Only the 654th had a full complement of 42 vehicles, while the 559th had, at most, only 10 - 14 vehicles. Most of the Jagdpanthers saw service on the Eastern Front while a lone battalion, schwere Panzerjaeger Abteilung 654, operated in the Normandiefront. The greatest number (some 51 vehicles spread over six battalions) took part in the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944. A small number of Jagdpanthers were used by Waffen-SS formations and only the 2.SS Panzer Division 'Das Reich', 9.SS Panzer Division 'Hohenstaufen', and 10.SS Panzer Division 'Frundsberg' (part of the Sixth PanzerArmee) received a company each during the relief attempt to rescue the encircled garrison of Budapest in January 1945. Out of the original 42 issued to those divisions, only 12 were operational on April 1st, eventually taking part in the defense of Vienna. In 1945, Jagdpanthers were also issued to Panzer Abteilungs of seven panzer divisons, The Fuhrer Grenadier Regiment and a single panzer brigade, using them as substitute tanks.