View source for Jagdpanzer

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Short description|German armoured self-propelled anti-tank gun designation}}
{{about|German tank destroyers|the American metal band|Jag Panzer}}
{{italic title}}
[[File:Panzermuseum Munster 2010 0449.JPG|thumb|right|Jagdpanzer IV at the Deutsches Panzermuseum]]
'''''Jagdpanzer''''' ("tank destroyer") ('''JgPz''') is the name given in [[German language|German]] to an armored, [[continuous track|tracked]] tank destroyer, although it may also be used for other kinds of [[self-propelled artillery|self-propelled gun]]s. Translated from German, ''Jagdpanzer'' meaning "hunting tank".

It typically refers to anti-tank variants of existing [[tank]] [[chassis]] with a well-armored [[casemate]] superstructure that mount an [[anti-tank gun]] with limited traverse in the front.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roblin |first=Sebastien |date=2018-04-06 |title=Hitler's Monstrous 'Jagdtiger' Tank Destroyers Were a Colossal Failure |url=https://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/hitlers-monstrous-jagdtiger-tank-destroyers-were-colossal-25256 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=The National Interest |language=en}}</ref> These vehicles were classified by the western [[Allies of World War II]] as a [[tank destroyer]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199891580.001.0001/acref-9780199891580 |title=The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military |date=2001-01-01 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-989158-0 |edition=1 |language=en |doi=10.1093/acref/9780199891580.001.0001}}</ref>

==History==
The ''Jagdpanzer'' designs followed on from the more lightly armored ''[[Panzerjäger]]'' ("tank hunter") designs, which took an anti-tank gun and mounted it on top of a tank chassis with supplementary armor fitted around the gun crew. However, the armor typically had an open rear and top, almost never providing the crew with full protection from the elements. In addition, much experience was gained from the [[Sturmgeschütz]] series of [[assault gun]]s for infantry support, which already used heavily armored casemates, completely enclosing the vehicle's crew. Although they were associated with artillery and infantry support, they were often used in the anti-tank role.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tiquet |first=Pierre |title=German Tank Destroyers (Casemate Illustrated Special) |date=2021-08-02 |publisher=Casemate |isbn=9781612009063 |language=en}}</ref>

==Tactical use==
On the battlefield when the Germans had to retreat, their line of retreat would preferably pass the location of their anti-tank units, who would use their superior firepower to stop the enemy, perhaps even open the possibility of a counter-attack. Due to the lack of a turret and the armor being concentrated at the front, the ideal combat situation for ''Jagdpanzer'' units was in the planned ambush, and the skill of the commander of such units lay in correctly choosing and preparing such places long before needed.

==Types==
The list below comprises some of the ''Jagdpanzer''-type tank destroyers made by Germany.
{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align: left;"|Name
! style="text-align: left;"|Production start
! style="text-align: left;"|Country of origin
! style="text-align: left;"|Quantity

|-
| [[Elefant]]/Ferdinand, officially '''Panzerjäger Tiger'' (P)'
| March 1943
| {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
| 91
|-
| [[Mareșal tank destroyer]]
| July 1943
| {{flag|Kingdom of Romania}}
| 6–17
|-
| [[Jagdpanther]]
| January 1944
| {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
| 415
|-
| [[Jagdpanzer IV]]
| December 1943
| {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
| 2,000
|-
| [[Jagdtiger]]
| February 1944
| {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
| 70–88
|-
| [[Hetzer|Jagdpanzer 38(t)]]{{efn|Post-war popularly named "Hetzer"}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Power |first=Shannon |date=2015-03-16 |title=Rare Jagdpanzer 38 tank now on display at Australian Armour and Artillery Museum after delivery by Bruce Crompton |url=https://cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/rare-jagdpanzer-38-tank-now-on-display-at-australian-armour-and-artillery-museum-after-delivery-by-bruce-crompton/news-story/fbdfeccffa684fb58f517b46013b0d23 |access-date=2024-02-01 |work=The Cairns Post}}</ref>
| March 1944
| {{flag|Nazi Germany}}

{{flag|Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia}}
| 2,827
|}

==Post-war usage==
After the war, the name ''Jagdpanzer'' was kept in use in the [[Bundeswehr]] for a number of armored vehicles used for anti-tank duties. This included the ''[[Kanonenjagdpanzer]]'', a casemate vehicle intended for infantry support''.''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Anderson |first=Thomas |title=Tanks of the Second World War |date=2017-01-31 |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=9781473859340 |language=en}}</ref> and the ''[[Raketenjagdpanzer]]'' series.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Huettel |first=Rolf |title=Armor |publisher=U.S. Armor Association |year=1970 |location=Ohio State University |pages=39 |language=en}}</ref> The first ''Raketenjagdpanzer'' was the ''[[Raketenjagdpanzer 1]]'' built on the chassis of the [[Schützenpanzer Lang HS.30|''SPz Lang'' HS.30]] and armed with [[SS.11]] missiles. The ''[[Raketenjagdpanzer 2]]'' was built on the same chassis as the ''Kanonenjagdpanzer'', but was equipped with two SS.11 launch-rails instead of carrying a gun.

Later, the ''Raketenjagdpanzer'' 2 and the ''Kanonenjagdpanzer'' were upgraded to [[Jaguar 1]] and [[Jaguar 2]] tank destroyers, armed with [[Euromissile HOT|HOT]] or [[BGM-71 TOW|TOW]] missiles.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Phillips |first=Russell |title=AFV Alphabet |date=2022-11-28 |publisher=Shilka Publishing |isbn=9781804430163 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Tank destroyer]]
* [[Assault gun]]
* [[Type 3 Ho-Ni III]]
* [[Type 5 Ho-Ru]]
* [[44M Zrínyi I|44M Zrinyi I]]
* [[Semovente da 75/46]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}

[[Category:World War II tank destroyers of Germany]]