Nashorn, initially known as Hornisse, was a German tank destroyer of World War
II. It was developed as an interim solution in 1942 by equipping a light
turretless chassis with the Pak 43 heavy anti-tank gun. Though only lightly
armoured and displaying a high profile, it could frontally penetrate 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 After the first German experiences with
the newer Soviet tanks like the T-34 or the Kliment Voroshilov tank during
Operation Barbarossa, the need for a Panzerjäger capable of destroying these
more heavily armoured tanks became clear.
In February 1942, the Alkett arms firm of Berlin designed a tank destroyer
using their recently developed Geschützwagen III/IV which as its name
indicated used components of both the Panzer III and Panzer IV tank. The 8,8
cm Panzerabwehrkanone 43/1 L/71, a long-barreled anti-tank gun more known
as the main armament of the Tiger II, was mounted on the rear of the chassis
complete with its gun 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° to +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 the Marder series weapons, the
vehicle was not intended to engage in tank fights, but to provide mobility to
an excellent anti-tank gun. This model was presented for approval to
Adolf Hitler in October 1942 and entered production in early 1943. It had
numerous official designations, such as 8,8 cm Pak 43 auf Fahrgestell
Panzerkampfwagen III/IV or 8,8cm Pak43 auf Geschützwagen III/IV, though it was
also known as the Panzerjäger Hornisse During the first half of 1943, a new
model of the Hornisse was 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 renamed Nashorn by Hitler in 1944.
Total production of the Nashorn amounted to some 494 vehicles, most of which were
built in 1943. In January 1944 Hitler favored production of a newer tank
destroyer, the Jagdpanzer IV, which had a much lower silhouette, thicker frontal
armor, 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 the Nashorn did continue into 1945, though at a slow
pace. There are two Nashorns on display in
military museums: at the United States Army Ordnance Museum and at the Kubinka
Tank Museum. Combat service
The Hornisse/Nashorn was issued to the heavy antitank battalions, with which
six would eventually be equipped: schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 560, 655,
525, 93, 519 and 88. Each battalion was equipped with 45 Nashorns.
Nashorn's gun was a variant of Pak 43, one of the most effective anti-tank guns
deployed during the war and closely related to guns used later for
Ferdinand/Elefant, Tiger II, and Jagdpanther. Its tungsten carbide–cored
round, Pzgr. 40/43, was capable of penetrating 190 mm of rolled steel
armour at a 30° angle of impact at a distance of 1,000 m. The gun's
tremendous performance enabled Nashorn to penetrate the front plating of any
Allied armoured vehicle and to engage enemy units while staying out of range
themselves. The Hornisse/Nashorn made its debut
during the Battle of Kursk, where they performed well. The ability to engage
the enemy at long distances negated the disadvantages of light armour and a high
profile and revealed the weapon was suited to the open, flat landscape of
much of Russia. Armor
Technical data Manufacturer: Deutsche-Eisenwerke AG, in
Teplitz-Schönau Crew: 4 or 5
Combat weight: 24 metric tons Dimensions
Length: 8.44 m Length: 7.26 m
Width: 2.95 m, 3.176 m with 'Ostketten' tracks
Height: 2.65 m Ground clearance: 0.4 m
Road speed: 42 km/h Road range: 235 km
Tracks: 61120 kg Type: single pin
Width: 400 mm Ground contact length: 3.80 m
Shoes(links)/track: 104 Ground pressure: 0.85 kg/cm²
Suspension: leaf spring Shock absorbers: no
Vertical obstacle: 0.6 m Trench: 2.3 m
Fording: 0.8 m Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM Ausf. A
Type: V-12 60 deg Horsepower: 300 PS @ 3000 rpm
Displacement: 11,867 l Compression ratio: 6.2-6.5:1
Fuel: gasoline Fuel consumption: 2 l/km
Fuel capacity: 470 l Transmission: ZF SSG 77 Aphon
Type: synchromesh manual Gears: 6/1
Steering: Daimler-Benz/Wilson clutch/brake
Clutch: Fichtel & Sachs La 120 HDA dry, triple disc
Armament Main gun: 88 mm Pak 43/1
Type: Anti-tank gun Caliber: 88 mm
Barrel length: 71 calibers Breech: semiautomatic, horizontal
sliding block Traverse: manual, +/-15°
Elevation: manual, +20/-5° Rounds carried: 24 to 40
one 7.92 x 57 mm MG-34 or MG-42 machine-gun carried inside the vehicle
appr. 600 rounds Primary gun sight: Sfl. Z. F. 1a
Magnification: 5x Field of view: 8°
Indirect fire sight: Aushilfsrichtmittel 38
Magnification: 3x Field of view: 10°
Radio: FuG Spr. f Notes
^ 15mm after May 1943 External links
Achtung Panzer!-Nashorn Page World War II Vehicles
Hornisse manual Armour penetration table of 8.8 cm Pak
43 Surviving Panzer IV variants - A PDF
file presenting the Panzer IV variants still existing in the world