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Panzerjäger Tiger (P) mit 8,8 cm Pak 43/2 (Sd. Kfz. 184)

 

 

Ferdinand_Hoppe

 

 

Because Porsche reckoned with a positive answer for the serial production of the Panzerkampf- wagen Tiger, he had ordered material for 100 armoured hulls for his design, which was delievered by Krupp. So in September 1942 it was decided to use this material to create a heavy assault gun. It should be armed with the 8,8 cm Pak 43 L/71 and should have a frontal armour of 200 mm. The design was made by Alkett. From January to April 1943, a one-off series of 90 Panzerjäger Tiger (P) mit 8,8 cm Pak 43/2 (Sd. Kfz. 184) were made. It became famous under the name Ferdinand.

 

 

 

 

 

Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-313-1004-25,_Italien,_Panzer_'Elefant'

 

 

Despite many mechanical problems, the s.Pz.Jg.Rgt. 656 equipped with 89 Ferdinand could destroy 502 enemy tanks from 5th to 27th July 1943. In this time period, the regiment received two complete Ferdinand hulls for the repair of damaged vehicles. Until 1st August, 39 Ferdinand were lost. In August, the unit was transfered to Dnjepropretovsk for maintenance of the remaining 50 vehicles. At the end of the year, the s.Pz.Jg.Rgt. 656 was transfered to St. Pölten. In February and March 1944, 42 Panzerjäger Tiger (P) were completely overhauled in the Nibelungenwerk. Besides others, the vehicles got a machine gun ball mount in front of the radio operators seat and a commander’s cupola. The name was changed from Ferdinand to Elefant. These modified vehicles were used up in Italy and on the eastern front in the following time. (Photo: German federal archive via Wikimedia Commons; License: Creative Commons BY-SA-3.0-gb)

 

 

 

 

 

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