Jagdpanzer 5 "Jagdpanther" axis
Production 1944-1945
Number Built: 384
Crew: 5
Weight: 45.5 t
Engine Ouput: 700 hp
Speed on Roads: 46 km/h (quite a number for a beast like this!)
Armament: 88 mm PaK 43/3 L/71 gun
7.92 mm machine gun
The Jagdpanther is regarded as one of the most efficient tank destroyers of World War 2!
The Wehrmacht wanted to incorporate its effective 88 mm antitank gun in a casemate tank destroyer. The decision was made to use the chassis of the Panther for this, which is where the name Jagdpanther was derived from. Compared to the original Panther tank, which was equipped with a 75 mm gun, the firepower was once more conciderably increased.
The Panther's hull had already been exceptionally large and high. Now, aditionally equipped with a large gun, it made the Jagdpanther an extremely large vehicle. And since tank destroyers were often used in defence operations where they had to use any cover offered by the terrain, their size often was a problem.
(Not gonna penetrate this time, mate)
But the Jagdpanther's design had other advantages to compensate for this weakness: First of all, it had excellent armour. Moreover, its armour was sloped in a way which made it extremely hard to penetrate. Its gun was very accurate and powerful, the engine and transmission provided outstanding off-road mobility. That is why, despite its large silhouette, the Jagdpanther continues to be considered as one of the best designed tank destroyers ever.
But as with many late German armoured vehicles: The overall number of manufactured vehicles was far too small to have any lasting impact on the outcome of the war.