By the end of 1943 the command of the Wehrmacht, it became clear that the light tank destroyers of the family “Marder” is not fully meet their tasks. This was due to the emergence of the opponents of Germany new tanks, better armored and armed. In turn, “Margery”, also had quite a powerful armament, were protected by armor in name only. Needed a new, well-armored compact self-propelled gun — a tank destroyer.
At the same time there is a crisis and the issue of the assault artillery. In November 1943 the Anglo-American aircraft has subjected to the powerful and highly successful bombing of the Berlin plant Alkett. The airstrike was severely damaged plant and equipment the largest manufacturer of the basic antitank weapons and assault guns. The production plan of assault weapons in 1944 was in jeopardy. To prevent the issue in December 1943 year joined firm Krupp. Since the latter was the General contractor for the production of medium tanks Pz.IV, it is not surprising that, when starting the manufacture of assault weapons, kruppova bet on “four”. Through the use of cuttings from the StuG III, both ACS were unified almost 20%. But the new assault gun StuG IV, first, were quite expensive, and secondly, their production was used the chassis of the Pz.IV, which the Wehrmacht is also not enough. Needed a different solution, for example, involve the issue of assault weapons other businesses. Experts from the office of arms army (Heereswaffenamt) turned his eye on the Prague plant BMM (before the occupation — CKD). The plant received the instruction to start the production of the assault gun StuG 40. But this 23-ton combat vehicle was obviously “too hard”. It was then that he remembered the developed by VMM in August — September 1943, the conceptual design of the ACS new type StuG PA— “assault gun new model”. Then it is of particular interest in the military is not called, so the factory received a rush order to finish the project in a very short time.
17 Dec 1943 military acquainted with project documentation of the new combat vehicle. The basis of her design was based on units as of serial tank Pz.38(t) and a prototype reconnaissance tank TNHnA. As the weapons were supposed to use the recoilless rifles, however, due to his unavailability on the car mounted anti-tank 75 mm Pak 39 gun. By 24 January 1944 years was made full-size wooden mock-up of the ACS, and soon the Control arms ordered two prototypes, giving the self-propelled traditionally long name “Assault gun new type with 75-mm Pak 39 gun to the chassis of the Pz.38(t)”. As for armored forces, there is the self-propelled gun was given a short name Leichte Panzerjager 38(t) light tank destroyer on the chassis of the Pz.38(t). This mess of names ended in November 1944, by assigning new names-propelled Jagdpanzer 38 (tank, fighter) and the code Sd.Kfz.138/2. Finally, on 4 December 1944 by Hitler’s order the machine was named Hetzer (“Hetzer”). Most often in the literature this name is translated as “hunter”, which generally does not contradict the truth, but to be more precise, the “Hetzer” is the huntsman, the huntsman, because “hetze” that’s bullying, that is hunting with hounds. The first prototype of the new self-propelled guns were manufactured in March 1944. In its layout it represented a crazy machine with the gun in the hull. Body performed fully welded, with large angles armor plates. Thus, the upper front hull plates had a thickness of 60 mm, was tilted at an angle of 60°, 40 mm lower front plate sloped at 40°. The side plates whose thickness does not exceed 20 mm, was located at an angle of 15°. The same thickness of the rear sheet is at an angle of 40°. Unlike all previous fighting vehicles of the Czechoslovak design, the place of the driver ACS “Hetzer” was to the left of the longitudinal axis of the machine. Behind him is the gunner and loader, and the commander of the machine was at the right side of the fighting compartment. For planting crew in the roof, which was performed removable and fastened to the sides and front sheet with the bolts, there were two hatches, zakrivalasj double leaf and single leaf covers. The first was meant for boarding of the driver, gunner and loader, the second — in-command.
Apparently, in order to reduce the “Hetzer” was not too well equipped with surveillance devices. At the disposal of the driver there were two peepholes with glass blocks triplex in the upper front hull. The gunner could observe the landscape in periscope sight Sfl.Zfla., charging — through periscope sight machine gun on the roof. In addition, in the left part of the boarding hatch over the charging location at an angle of 90° to the axis of the housing (9 o’clock) was rigidly fixed periscope observation instrument. One such device was at the disposal of the commander of the machine. It was set in hinged lid of the hatch nadoennogo in the 6 o’clock position, that is allowed to conduct surveillance in the stern. The commander could use the telescope, but only under the open hatch. With hatches closed, the car was almost “blind” to starboard.
As mentioned above, the main armament on the “Hetzer” was used 75-mm antitank gun Pak 39/2 with a barrel length of 48 calibres. It is set in a narrow recess of the front plate of the housing somewhat to the right of the longitudinal axis of the machine. The small size of the fighting compartment is massive enough when the breech of the gun, as well as unbalanced insert it into the fighting compartment led to the fact that the angles pointing guns right and left do not match (5° left and 10° right). Elevation was possible in the range from -6° to +12°.
I must say that for the first time in the German and Czechoslovak tank is a fairly bulky weapon managed to fit in such a small fighting compartment. This was possible thanks to the use of special cardan frame instead of the traditional gun press.
The tank destroyer “Hetzer”:
1 —75-mm gun; 2—machine gun MG 42; 3—surveillance device gunner; 4—rail; 5—a box of ZIP; 6—a steering wheel; 7 — support roller; 8—driving wheel; 9—the recess of the sight; 10—the access hatch to the engine; 11—Luc commander; 12—Luke gunner; 13—periscopic gun sight; 14—surveillance device of the driver; 15 — svetamaksimova headlights; 16—aft surveillance device commander; 17—silencer; 18—antenna input
A frame for your gun Pak 39/Pak 40 was designed in 1942 — 1943 engineer K. Stolberg, but some time it do not inspire confidence in the military. However, after studying captured in the summer — autumn of 1943 the Soviet SU-85 and SU-152 guns which were installed in the framework, the German command believed in the efficiency of such constructions. The Germans used the first frame on the medium tank destroyers Jagdpanzer IV and Panzer IV/70, and later on the “Jagdpanther”. The frame together with the tool Pak 39/2 and moving us borrowed for the “Hetzer” the Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer. Design and ballistics Cancer 39/2 were identical cannons KwK 40 and StuK 40. Armor-piercing shell leaving the barrel of the gun with an initial velocity of 790 m/s, at a distance of 1000 m punched 88-mm armor set at an angle of 30°. Piercing projectiles with an initial velocity of 990 m/s at the same distance, pierced the armor thickness of 97 mm.
Since the bow of “Hetzer” was heavily congested (empty ACS had the trim on the nose, leading to the subsidence of the front part up to 8 — 10 cm relative to the stern), the designers tried to make it easier. For this purpose, in particular, in mass-produced cars of early releases of several cut swinging the booking tools from the bottom and sides, and then another, and strengthened the suspension of the front road wheels.
39/2 gun Pak was fitted with a muzzle brake. However, SAU Jagdpanzer IV in combat units it is usually dismantled. When shooting, due to the small height of the line of fire, the work of the muzzle brake was raised a thick cloud of dust that made it difficult to aim and unmasked self-propelled gun. In combat with enemy tanks and it was very significant. Serial ACS “Hetzer” left the shop without the muzzle brake of the gun — it is simply screwed together, but in the factory.
Defensive machine gun MG 42 was located on the roof of the ACS in front of the left hatch on the installation Rumdumfeuer and was covered by a corner guard. The fire from it led to charging.
Gun ammunition consisted of 40 — 41 shots, machine gun — out of 1200 rounds.
In the power Department “Hetzer” was installed 6-cylinder petrol four-stroke inline liquid-cooled engine Praga AE 160 HP at 2600 Rev/min the Use of this motor has resulted in a change in the exhaust system. In contrast to the Praga EPA engine, which was mounted on tanks Pz.38(t) on this engine the exhaust manifold was bred up through the roof of the power pack, ACS, and not through the aft wall of the hull as the tank. A radiator with a capacity of 50 l was in the power Department behind the engine. The power to the fan located behind the radiator, was carried out from a cranked shaft of the engine. The fuel used is leaded petrol with octane number not below 74. Accepted the use of alcohol-gasoline mixture and dinacola. In the power supply system consisted of two gas tank capacity 220 l (left) and 100 l (right). In the process of operation of the engine fuel from the right tank flowed into the left. Fuel supply was carried out using an electric pump Solex Autopulse. Engine equipped with two Solex carburetors 46 FNVP. The capacity of the fuel tanks provided a range of up to 185 km.
Torque from the engine to the transmission is transmitted using the multi-disc main clutch dry friction, and the propeller shaft. Gear box Praga-Wilson — planetary five-speed, with advanced gear selection. Speed range varied from 4.1 km/h on 1st gear up to 42 km/h on the 5th, reverse gear provided the movement with a speed of 6.1 km/h. Before the transmission was located differential, steering clutches, final drives and brakes. It should be noted that during tests of captured “Hetzer” in the Soviet Union, on a country road with solid ground, the vehicle has a top speed of 46.8 km/h.
The chassis is structurally similar to that in Pz.38(t), applied to one side, consisted of four single rubber-coated rollers with a diameter of 810 mm, borrowed from the tank TNHnA. Road wheels were interlocked in pairs in two tandem suspended on reinforced semi-elliptic leaf springs (the thickness of the sheets was increased from 7 to 9 mm). Cast drive wheel with two removable ring gear 19 teeth in each was found. Guide wheel together with the mechanism of track tension is located on the rear. On each side there was one rubber a single support roller. In each track there were 96 — 98 trucks. Track width — 293 mm. Gauge “Hetzer”, than press the Pz.38(t) was increased from 2140 mm to 2630 mm. the Combat weight of ACS was 16 so
First serial self-propelled Jagdpanzer 38 was rolled out of the factory TIM in April 1944. The initial order in 1944 was 1000 combat vehicles of this type. However, it quickly became clear that the production capacity of the plant to BMM execution is not enough. So in July 1944 the year edition SAU joined the Skoda factories in Pilsen. Respectively, and increased “appetite” of the military: in September, they wanted 400 “hatzerot” — from the VMM 300 and 100 from Skoda! Further plans of growth affect both its scope and unreality. So, in December 1944, the Wehrmacht wanted to get 700, “hatzerot” (400 + 300), and in March 1945, 1000, 500 cars from each manufacturer! In fact, the production gains of the Czechoslovak enterprises were much more modest. In April 1944, he was made the 20 “hatzerot”, in may and 50 in June and 100 in July — 110 (10 of them in the factory Skoda). Until February 1945, both plants gave the Wehrmacht only 2000 self-propelled guns. Its peak production was reached in January 1945 , when it was made 434 “Hetzer” (289 + 145). In March and April, both companies heavily bomb an American aircraft, and the rate of release of combat vehicles began to subside. In April it was possible to make only 117 cars. Within just one year of production the factory shop left 2827-propelled “Hetzer”. Baptism of fire “hatchery” received in the part 731 and 743-th anti-tank battalions of the reserve command (Heeres Panzerjager-Abteilung) in July 1944. Each battalion consisted of 45 machines: three companies of 14 vehicles and three self-propelled guns in the battalion headquarters. In August 1944, the year the company “hatzerot” began to enter service with the infantry, Chasseurs and militia divisions of the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS. In each company there were 14 machines. In addition, before the end of the war was formed a few anti-tank battalions of the reserve command. “Hatchery” actively used on all fronts until the last days of the war. On April 10, 1945 in combat units of the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS, there were 915 self-propelled “Hetzer”, of which 726 — on the East and the 101 on the Western front.
For export “hatchery” was delivered only in Hungary. In December 1944 — January 1945 75 machines of this type entered service with units of self-propelled artillery of the 1st Hungarian armored division. They took part in the fighting near Budapest.
On the basis of ACS “Hetzer” was made 20 flamethrower tanks Flammpanzer 38, 30 SPG Hetzer-Bison with a 150-mm infantry gun sIG 33 and 181 ARV Bergepanzer 38. In addition to these machines “Hetzer” was used as the basis for prototyping or designing a number of prototypes of the reconnaissance tanks, assault howitzers and tank destroyers. The most curious of them can be considered a tank destroyer Hetzer Starr (“Hetzer-Starr”), the German word “star” is translated as “hard” or “fixed”. In this embodiment, the barrel 75-mm cannon were rigidly connected to the front hull, and wheel the device was absent. To provide horizontal and vertical guidance instrument was placed in a ball mount. The first prototype was manufactured in may 1944, three more cars in September. They were all sent to the firm Alkett for further testing. In the winter of 1944/45, the factory TIM produced a pilot batch of ten cars “Hetzer-Starr”. And some of them were equipped with a diesel engine Tatra 103 with 220 HP, with which the speed of the car increased slightly.
The tank destroyer “Hetzer” in “ambush” camouflage. France, November 1944
Commander’s version of this tank destroyer “Hetzer”. 741-th anti-tank battalion. Eastern front, 1944
The tank Buster G-13. Switzerland, 1948
The story of the “Hetzer” would not be complete without mention of the postwar fate of this war machine. November 27, 1945, the headquarters of the armored forces of the Czechoslovak army took the decision to use for the needs of national defence of the former German military vehicles — tank destroyer “Hetzer”, which received a new index, ST-I and Marder, renamed as ST-II. In addition, for the training of personnel of tank troops adopted the post-war Czechoslovak army was adopted by the unarmed version of the “Hetzer”, named ST-II. On the territory of Czechoslovakia was discovered more than 300 “hatzerot”, suitable for recovery and completion.
In February 1946, the firm CKD received an order for the production or repair of 50 ACS ST-I and 50 training machines ST-III. The order was made during 1946 — 1947. When the machine ST-III has retained the same chassis and powertrain, the body has undergone some modifications. On its roof was mounted a rectangular room, place the guns took the turret of the instructor, and opposite the place of the driver in the armor was cut a rectangular access hatch.
In February 1947, followed by an order for another 20 ST-I, placed on the firm Skoda, and at the end of 1949 a further 30 machines. In the end, the army has received 100 new self-propelled guns ST-I and 50 training machines ST-III. All in all, considering the rest of the Wehrmacht and refurbished machines in the Czechoslovak army as of 1 January 1949 there were 246 ACS and three ARV Bergepanzer 38.
All of these fighting vehicles entered service with the 21st and 22nd armored brigades, which were to become the basis for the formation of motorized divisions. However, in 1948 they were converted to the 351 th 352 th regiments self-propelled artillery. In these parts of the tank destroyers ST-I and assault guns StuG III (Czechoslovak designation ShPTK 40/75) were operated until the beginning of 1950-ies. In the future, as income in the Czechoslovak people’s army military equipment of Soviet production, German cars were transferred to the reserve, and then written off.
In February 1949, the firm CKD started to develop a flamethrower tank on chassis ST-I. Total was planned to equip flamethrowers 75 combat vehicles. The prototype of the regular 75-mm gun was removed, and the recess plugged armor plate. On the top, placed a rotating cylindrical tower in which two separate globular units were German flamethrower Flammenwerfer 41 and the Soviet DT machine gun. The prototype, designated RM-1, manufactured by February 1951. However, tests were not very encouraging, with the range of gametangia was insufficient, only 60 meters. The Prague factory Konstrukta engaged in the upgrade of the flamethrower. At the end of may 1953 tank, equipped with a new flamethrower with a range of up to 140 m, was tested on. However, soon the military reported that more are not interested in the military machine of this type.
After the Second world war, interest in the fighter tanks ST-I showed Switzerland, the army which already consisted of the tanks of the Czechoslovak production. 15 Aug 1946 Switzerland ordered eight machines of this type, giving them the designation G-13. The Skoda quickly produced the required machine using the backlog remaining from the Germans. However, it followed in November 1946, another order for 100 vehicles was on the verge of collapse, as it was not the presence of guns Pak 39/2. However, the output was soon found: in the case of ACS it was proposed to establish the gun StuK 40, which during the war were produced by the Skoda factory. After some revision of this weapon managed to place in the fighting compartment self-propelled guns. In addition, at the request of the customer instead of the petrol engine Praga AE, starting with the 65-th machine, began to install diesel Sauer-Arbon with a capacity of 148 HP, To improve the overview of the commander’s hatch in the G-13 was moved from the right side to the left (commander and loader are reversed) and were equipped with rotary periscope. And instead of a defensive machine gun aft of the ACS were installed anti-aircraft turret. All cars were equipped with radios in Switzerland.
ACS is so like the Swiss, in 1947, they ordered another 50 units of G-13. The last 20 cars were handed over to the customer only February 16, 1950. Armed with the Swiss army, the tank destroyers consisted until 1968.
In acquiring ST-I was interested, and Israel. The Ministry of defence of Czechoslovakia was preparing a transmission 65 self-propelled guns and 6000 75-mm rounds. However, the seller and the buyer agree on the price and the deal did not materialize.
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