SdKfz 164 Hornisse / Nashorn

Tank Destroyer (TD)

Nazi Germany | 1943

"Though mobility was a constant issue for the powerful Nashorn design, her crews experienced a great level of success in taking on enemy tanks from long range."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/20/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

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The SdKfz 164 came about from the existing weapon carrier vehicle designed to lug the sFH 18 artillery gun. This vehicle was itself a combination of Panzer III tank parts and the chassis of the Panzer IV tank, making it an efficient vehicle to produce from available stores. This system was designated as the Geschutzwagen III/IV and was selected as the chassis to field the powerful PaK 43 anti-tank gun in a new SdKfz 164 Panzerjager design - in essence an improvised design to fulfill a growing battlefield requirement.

The mammoth SdKfz 164 was an imposing tank destroying platform for Germany in the Second World War. With the obsolete Panzer III and Panzer IV chassis still in inventory or on production lines, it was decided to put them to better use by modifying them to become self-propelled guns mounting the powerful 88mm PaK 43 series. To accomplish this, the hull was lengthened to accommodate the new gun and the engine relocated while armor was removed in an effort to keep the vehicles weight at a respectable level.

The main gun was fitted into a high superstructure which provided the vehicle with a tall profile and its turretless design meant that the entire vehicle would have to be turned in order to engage the enemy. The turret also offered no protection to the firing crew and commander from above or to the rear as it was an open-top design. As such, crews had to resort to battlefield modifications to keep the elements or shrapnel out and were issued small arms and a machine gun for self-defense work. Power was derived from a Maybach HL 12-cylinder engine producing some 300 horsepower and a crew of five personnel could man the system with the driver being the only one to benefit from any type of armor protection.

In its initial form, the SdKfz 164 appeared with the designation of "Hornisse" (meaning "Hornet") though this was later changed at Hitler's request with the name of "Nashorn" (meaning "Rhinoceros") as he required a more imposing name attached to the vehicle. Early Hornisse models were fitted with the standard PaK 43 L/71 main gun while later Nashorn models sported the new and improved PaK 43/1 L/71 occurring from 1944 onward. Both vehicles were similarly designed and constructed apart from their main armament.

Once in combat, the SdKfz 164 proved its worth against Soviet armor of all classifications, engaging and defeating them some 2,000 to 4,000 meters away. After action reports dictated how the sheer velocity of the 88mm round could simply tear apart the Soviet T-34s like paper with a single direct hit. Mobility of the system did play a part in its usefulness however and the tank destroyer most always performed better when dug into a prepared position. The Hornisse/Nashorn series would later be superseded by the purpose-built Jagdpanther and Jagdpanzer tank-killing designs.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the 8.8-cm PaK 43/1 (L/71) auf Geschutzwagen III und IV (Sf) Tank Destroyer (TD).

1 x Maybach HL 120 TRM V-12 water-cooled gasoline-fueled engine developing 300 horsepower to track-and-wheel arrangement.
Installed Power

26 mph
42 kph
Road Speed

162 miles
260 km
Range

Structure
The physical qualities of the 8.8-cm PaK 43/1 (L/71) auf Geschutzwagen III und IV (Sf) Tank Destroyer (TD).

4 or 5
(MANNED)
Crew

27.7 ft
8.44 meters
O/A Length

9.4 ft
2.86 meters
O/A Width

8.7 ft
2.65 meters
O/A Height

53,793 lb
24,400 kg | 26.9 tons
Weight

Armament & Ammunition
Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the SdKfz 164 Hornisse / Nashorn Tank Destroyer (TD).

Hornisse:
1 x 88mm PaK 43 L/71 main gun
1 x 7.92mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun

Nashorn:
1 x 88mm PaK43/1 L/71 main gun
1 x 7.92mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun

AMMUNITION:
24 x 88mm projectiles (Hornisse)
40 x 88mm projectiles (Nashorn)
600 x 7.92mm ammunition

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Nightvision - NONE.
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Protection (CBRN) - NONE.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the SdKfz 164 Hornisse / Nashorn family line.

Panzerjager Hornisse (Hornet) - Fitted with 88mm PaK 43 L/71 main gun; based on the Geschutzwagen III/IV system.

Panzerjager Nashorn (Rhinoceros) - Fitted with newer 88mm PaK 43/1 L/71 main gun; overall model design very similar in many respects to the original Hornisse model.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the SdKfz 164 Hornisse / Nashorn. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.

Total Production: 473 Units
Contractor(s): Alkett / Deutsche Eisenwerke - Nazi Germany