WW2Tank DestroyerGermany

Panzer IV/70 (V)

In service 1944 - 1945

The Jagdpanzer IV rearmed with the Panther long 7.5 cm gun: lethal at range, nose-heavy and hard on its front suspension.

Built byVomag

Photograph pending. No clearly licensed photograph of this vehicle was found.

Development history

Hitler demanded the long L/70 gun in the Jagdpanzer IV hull, and Vomag delivered it from August 1944. The gun could kill a Sherman or T-34 well beyond a kilometre, but the extra barrel weight overloaded the front road wheels, which had to be given steel rims, and made the vehicle sluggish in mud. Around 930 were built and they served in the Ardennes and on the Eastern Front to the end of the war, respected by opponents and disliked by drivers.

Variants

One canonical record, 2 recorded variants.

  1. Panzer IV/70 (V) Vomag

    1944

    Main production version with the 7.5 cm L/70 gun and steel-rimmed front road wheels.

  2. Panzer IV/70 (A) Alkett

    1944

    Alkett version on an unmodified Panzer IV hull with a taller superstructure.

Notable actions

  • Ardennes Offensive
  • Eastern Front 1945
  • Defence of Germany