Nashorn (German for "rhinoceros"), initially known as Hornisse (German "hornet"), was a German Panzerjager ("tank hunter") of World War II. It was developed as an interim solution in 1942 by equipping a light turretless chassis based on the Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks with the 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun. Though only lightly armored and displaying a high profile, it could penetrate the front armor of any Allied tank at long range, and its relatively low cost and superior mobility to heavier vehicles ensured it remained in production until the war's end.

The Hornisse/Nashorn was issued to the heavy anti-tank battalions (Schwere Panzerjager-Abteilungen); six would eventually be equipped: Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 560, 655, 525, 93, 519 and 88. Each battalion was equipped with 45 Nashorns. Most of the Nashorns in these units fought either on the Eastern Front or in Italy, few having been sent to Western Europe.

The Nashorn's gun was a variant of the Pak 43, closely related to guns used later for the Ferdinand/Elefant, Tiger II and Jagdpanther. Its tungsten carbide-cored round, the Pzgr. 40/43, was capable of penetrating 190 mm of rolled steel armor at a 30 degree angle of impact at a distance of 1 km. The gun's performance enabled Nashorns to penetrate the front armor plating of any Allied combat vehicle and to engage enemy units while staying out of range themselves, thanks to its combination of excellent gunsights, optics, and accuracy.

The Hornisse/Nashorn made its debut during the Battle of Kursk in 1943, where it performed extremely well. The ability to engage the enemy at long distances negated the disadvantages of its light armor, lack of a roof and a large profile, and revealed that the weapon was well suited to the open and flat steppes that made up much of the landscape of the western Soviet Union. In Italy, however, the generally hilly terrain was not as favorable to the harnessing of the Nashorn's full ability at accurate long-range fire against enemy forces as in Russia.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Nashorn self-propelled heavy tank destroyer. Now in stock!

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

Release Date: April 2024

Historical Account: "Sword of Orion" - Panzertruppenschule I (Armoured Troops School No. 1) was the first of two major schools set up by the German Panzerwaffe in World War II to train German armour officers to operate Panzers. It was based in Munster, Germany.

The Panzertruppenschule was a 'branch school', where officer candidates were sent after 12-16 weeks spent in basic training, and having successfully undertaken an 8 week course at a Kriegsschule. Prospective panzer troops, known as Fahnrich undertook a 16 week training course which aimed to familiarize the officer candidates with the nuances and workings of a Panzer, and also with the tactics to be used when commanding panzers in the field.

Upon graduation, the recruit was promoted to Oberfahnrich and sent on field probation. The Instructors were chosen because of their skill, and many had seen action and received decorations.

In June 1943, the only known flame-throwing versions of the StuG III, designated StuG III (Flamm) were delivered to the school, but were shortly thereafter destroyed by a fire started by a faulty flamethrower. In late 1943, the school was stripped of its experienced instructors, who were used to form the elite Panzer-Lehr-Division. The Panzertruppenschule I is still in use today, as the Panzer Museum Munster.