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Nashorn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, seeNashorn (disambiguation).
Sd.Kfz.164Nashorn
A Nashorn on display atPatriot Parkmilitary museum in Moscow, Russia
TypeTank destroyer
Place of originNazi Germany
Production history
DesignerAlkett
ManufacturerAlkett, Deutsche Eisenwerke (Teplitz-Schönau)
No.built494
Specifications
Mass24 tonnes (52,900 lb)
Length8.44 m (27 ft 8 in) with gun
6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) excluding gun
Width2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)[1]
Height2.65 m (8 ft 8 in)
Crew5
Armorhull:20–30 mm (0.78–1.18 in)
superstructure:10 mm (0.39 in)
Main
armament
88 mm (3.46 in)8.8 cm Pak 43/1 gun with 40-60 rounds
Secondary
armament
7.92 mmMG34orMG42machine gun (carried inside) with 600 rounds
EngineMaybach HL120 TRM11.9-litre V-12 gasoline engine
296 hp (300 PS, 221 kW)
Power/weight12.3 hp/tonne
TransmissionZFSSG 77 Aphon
Suspensionleaf spring
Ground clearance0.4 m (1 ft 4 in)
Fuel capacity470 L (100 imp gal; 120 US gal) in two fuel tanks
Operational
range
260 km (146 mi)[2]
Maximum speed42 km/h (26 mph)
Steering
system
Daimler-Benz/Wilson clutch/brake

Nashorn(German:[ˈnaːsˌhɔɐ̯n],German for "rhinoceros"), initially known asHornisse(German"hornet"), was aGermanPanzerjäger( "tank hunter" ) ofWorld 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 the8.8 cm Pak 43anti-tank gun.Though only lightly armoured and displaying a high profile, it could penetrate the front armour 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.

Development

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Nashorn tank destroyers on theEastern Frontin 1944

After the first German experiences with the newerSoviettanks like theT-34medium tank or theKliment Voroshilov heavy tankduringOperation Barbarossa,the need for aPanzerjägercapable of destroying these more heavily armoured tanks became clear.

In February 1942, theAlkett(Altmärkische Kettenwerke GmbH) arms firm of Berlin designed a tank destroyer using their recently developedGeschützwagenIII/IV chassis which, as its name indicated, used components of both thePanzer IIIandPanzer IVmedium tanks. The8.8 cmPanzerjägerkanone43/1 L/71(PaK 43/1)[3][4]a long-barreled anti-tank gun (also used, as the 8.8 cm KwK 43, for the main armament of theTiger IItank) was mounted on the rear of the chassis complete with itsgun shield,and an open-topped superstructure was built up around the gun to give the crew some protection. The gun had the same traverse and elevation as if it had been on its carriage: 15° to either side and between -5° and +15° elevation. To accommodate the long and heavy gun, the hull had to be lengthened and the engine moved from the rear to the centre of the chassis. The amount of armour provided for the crew compartment was limited. The shielding provided was adequate to protect the crew from blast and small arms, but not armour-piercing rounds. Thus, like theMarderseries, the vehicle was not intended to engage in tank fights, but to provide mobility to a powerful anti-tank gun.

This model was presented for approval toAdolf Hitlerin October 1942 and entered production in early 1943. It had numerous official designations, such as 8.8 cm Pak 43 (L/71)auf Fahrgestell PanzerkampfwagenIII/IV (Sf) or 8.8 cm Pak 43 (L/71)auf GeschützwagenIII/IV (Sd. Kfz. 164), though it was also known as thePanzerjäger Hornisse(in English "tank-hunter Hornet" )

During the first half of 1943, a new model of theHornissewas introduced into production. This model altered the driver's front armour plate, along with other minor differences. This model and its predecessor, the few early production vehicles, were almost indistinguishable. It was renamedNashornby Hitler in 1944.[citation needed]

Total production of theNashornamounted to some 494 vehicles, most of which were built in 1943. In January 1944, Hitler favored production of a newer, fully-casematedtank destroyer, theJagdpanzer IV,which had a much lower silhouette, thicker frontal armor (60 mm frontal plate), and an effective though less powerful 7.5 cm gun. Though still primarily an ambush weapon, this vehicle was better built for armoured engagements. Production of theNashorncontinued into 1945, although at a slow pace.

Combat service

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A Nashorn somewhere in Italy in April or May 1944

TheHornisse/Nashornwas issued to the heavy anti-tankbattalions(Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilungen); six would eventually be equipped:Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung560, 655, 525, 93, 519 and 88. Each battalion was equipped with 45Nashorns.Most of theNashornsin these units fought either on theEastern Frontorin Italy,few having been sent toWestern Europe.[citation needed]

TheNashorn'sgun was a variant of thePak 43,closely related to guns used later for theFerdinand/Elefant,Tiger IIandJagdpanther.Itstungsten carbide–cored round, thePzgr. 40/43,was capable of penetrating 190 mm ofrolled steel armourat a 30° angle of impact at a distance of 1 km.[citation needed]The gun's performance enabledNashornsto penetrate the front armour 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.[citation needed]

TheHornisse/Nashornmade its debut during theBattle of Kurskin 1943, where it performed extremely well. The ability to engage the enemy at long distances negated the disadvantages of its light armour, lack of a roof and a large profile, and revealed that the weapon was well suited to the open and flatsteppesthat made up much of the landscape of the western Soviet Union. In Italy, however, the generally hilly terrain was not as favourable to the harnessing of the Nashorn's full ability at accurate long-range fire against enemy forces as in Russia.[citation needed]

On 6 March 1945, a US ArmyM26 Pershingheavy tank was knocked out by aNashornin the town of Niehl nearCologne,at a close range of under 300 yd (270 m).[5]

Survivors

[edit]

There are twoNashornson display in military museums: one in theU.S. Army Armor & Cavalry Collectionand at the new Patriot Park military museum in Moscow, Russia (it was formerly on display inKubinka Tank Museum).

A third privately ownedNashornwith the hull serial number 310163 has been restored to running condition in the Netherlands.[6]The hull and a number of the parts came from Kaliningrad.[6]In 2019, this third surviving vehicle had reached the stage where it was driveable when it suffered severe damage after being caught in an accidental garage fire.[6]The restoration has made thisNashornoperational again.[6]The engine and steering system are not original due to cost.[6]The engine is a Deutz FL12814 V12 while the steering system was taken from anFV432.[6]The tracks were originally of World War II vintage but they proved too brittle and have been replaced with newly manufactured tracks.[6]

Armor

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Thickness and slope of armour[citation needed]
Front Side Rear Top/bottom
Thickness
mm (in)) 		Slope Thickness
mm (in)) 		Slope Thickness
mm (in)) 		Slope Thickness
mm (in))
Turret/gun shield 10–15 (0.39–0.59)[a] 30° open
Superstructure 15 (0.59) 30° 10 (0.39) 15° 10 (0.39) 10° 10 (0.39)
Hull 30 (1.2) 12° 20 (0.79) 0° 20 (0.79) 21° 15 (0.59)
  1. ^15mm after May 1943

Technical data

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  • Tracks: single pin, 400 mm wide
    • Ground contact length: 3.80 m
    • Shoes(links)/track: 104
    • Ground pressure: 0.85 kg/cm2
  • Obstacle performance
    • Vertical obstacle: 0.6 m
    • Trench: 2.3 m
    • Fording: 0.8 m
  • Gearbox: synchromesh manual with six forward and one reverse gear
  • Clutch: Fichtel & Sachs La 120 HDA dry, triple disc
  • Primary gun sight:Selbstfahrlafetten-Zielfernrohr1a, 5× magnification and 8° field of view
  • Indirect fire sight:Aushilfsrichtmittel38, 3x magnification and 10° field of view
  • Radio: FuG Spr. f

References

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  1. ^3.176 m withOstkettentracks
  2. ^Spielberger, Walter J.Panzer IV Its Variants.p. 160.
  3. ^D 2030 – 8,8 cm Panzerjägerkanone 43/2 (L/71), Beschreibung, 28.1.1944. Berlin.
  4. ^D97/1+ Gerätliste, Oberkommando des Heeres Heereswaffenamt, s.45, Berlin 1.7.43
  5. ^YouTube video by Mark Felton Productions -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRDnJ-_Kbk8
  6. ^abcdefgTankfest Souvenir Special.The Tank Museum. 2023. pp. 46–49.ISBN9781739354725.
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