Book Review of
Jagdpanzer IV
German Army & Waffen-SS Tank Destroyers
Western Front, 1944-1945
Author: Dennis Oliver
Pen & Sword Tank Craft Series
ISBN:9781526771674
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $22.95
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $22.95
HISTORY:
The Jagdpanzer IV, Sd.Kfz. 162, was a German tank destroyer based on the Panzer IV chassis and built in three main variants. As one of the casemate-style turretless Jagdpanzer (tank destroyer, literally "hunting tank") designs, it was developed against the wishes of Heinz Guderian, the inspector general of the Panzertruppen, as a replacement for the Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III). Guderian objected against the needless, in his eyes, diversion of resources from Panzer IV tank production, as the Sturmgeschütz III was still more than adequate for its role.
Officially, only the L/48-armed vehicle was named Jagdpanzer IV. The L/70-armed vehicle was named Panzer IV/70. In this article, both versions are referred to in general as Jagdpanzer IV, except in the variants and surviving vehicles section.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Tank destroyer
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Produced: December 1943 – April 1945
No. built: about 2,000
Jagdpanzer IV/70(V))
Mass: 25.8 tonnes (28.4 short tons; 25.4 long tons)
Length: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Width: 3.17 m (10 ft 5 in)
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Crew: 4 (driver, commander, gunner, loader)
Armor: 10–80 mm (0.39–3.15 in)
Main armament: 1x 7.5 cm Pak 42 L/70 with 55 rounds
Secondary armament: 1x 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 with 600 rounds
Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM of 300 PS (296 hp, 221 kW)
Power/weight: 11.6 PS (8.6 kW) / tonne
Suspension: Leaf springs
Operational range: 210 km (130 mi)
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books Co., Ltd. Is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 64 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a color photo at the top is Tamiya’s 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) built and painted in a splinter camouflage pattern of tan and dark-green, with black no. 322 on its sides outlined in white and the German cross. It was with 3rd Kompanie, Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 655.
The first black and white wartime photo in the center on the left is a Jagdpanzer IV, L/48 Tank Destroyer of 116 Panzer Division, photographed in Normandy.
The second wartime photo is in the center is a very early production Jagdpanzer IV/70(V), probably of Panzer-Brigade 105.
The Jagdpanzer on the right is a Jagdpanzer IV/70(v) of Schwere Panzerjager-Abteilung 655, photographed at the end of the war.
At the bottom there is a color side view of a Jagdpanzer IV Ausf. F L/48 of an uncertain unit on the Western Front, probably early 1945. It is in a wave pattern of sand, dark-green and red-brown, It has a solid black German cross on its side and a white nickname “GIESELA” on its side.
On the back cover there is a black and white wartime photo at the top of a early production Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) tank destroyer photographed after the war.
The next photo, in color, is of Griffon Model’s upgrade set of resin and PE on Dragon’s 1/35th scale model of the Jagdpanzer IV/70(V), modeled by Chinese modeler Penny Shi.
The third photo, in color, is of Tamiya’s 1/35th scale model of the Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) by modeler Lim Kian Guan.
At the bottom there is a color side profile illustration of an early Jagdpanzer IV L/48 tank destroyer, probably from Panzerjäger-Lehr-Abteilung 130, as it appeared during the fighting in Normandy in the summer of 1944. It is in a base of sand with wave pattern of dark green. It has a red hull no. 313 outlined in white.
The book contains a map, 2 data lists and 20 color profiles that include 8 unit insignias.
These profiles are of:
8 Jagdpanzer IV Ausf. F L/48’s.
8 Jagdpanzer IV/70(V)’s
4 Jagdpanzer IV/70(A)’s
In the built up model section there is:
Thirteen color photos of Voyager’s 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV Ausf. L/48 built by modeler Angel Inigo, including Death’s Head collar patch and medal breast eagle with swastika.
Eleven color photos of Dragon 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV built by modeler Penny Shi, including a Death’s head collar patch and metal tanker’s badge.
Eleven color photos of Gunze Sangyo 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV built by modeler Kentaro Takabayashi with tanker’s shoulder insignias and medal tanker’s badge.
Six color photos of Tamiya’s 1/45th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/79(V) tank destroyer built by modeler Kim Kian, with Death’s head medal.
Three color photos of Matchbox’s 1/76th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70(V) built by modeler Theodore Kalamatas.
In the available Jagdpanzer IV products section there is:
Five color photos of Tamiya’s 1/35th scale motorized kit of the Jagdpanzer IV/70(V).
Three color photos of the Dragon 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV box arts of the A-O version, the 1/70(V) version and the L/70(A) version and 7 color photos of them made up, but not yet painted.
Four color photos of Trumpeter/Hobby Boss 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) box art and some parts.
Four color photos of the Italeri 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(V).
Gunze Sangyo 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) built by modeler Kentaro Takabayashi.
Matchbox’s 1/76th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70 B/A.
Revell’s 1/76th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70 B/A.
Three color photos of Hasegawa’s 1/76th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70 B/A built up.
Seven color photos of E.T. Model’s accessory parts on the Dragon 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(A).
Eight color photos of Passion Models 1/35th scale accessories.
Seven color photos of Griffin Model’s 1/35th scale accessories for various Jagdpanzer IV.
Six color photos of Voyager’s 1/35th scale accessories for the Jagdpanzer IV.
Three color photos of Aber’s 1/35th scale accessories for the Jagdpanzer IV.
Three color photos of R.B. Models’ 1/48th scale turned metal gun barrels for the Jagdpanzer IV.
Five color photos of Eduard Models 1/35th scale accessories for the Jagdpanzer IV.
Three color photos showing track links by several companies for Jagdpanzer IV kits in various scales.
THE AUTHOR:
Dennis Oliver is the author of over twenty books on WWII armoured vehicles, including Tiger I & II Tanks, German Army & Waffen SS, Eastern Front 1944; Normandy Campaign 1944; Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer German Army, Western Europe 1944-1945; and Tiger I & Tiger II Tanks German Army & Waffen SS, The Last Battles in the West 1945.
This is one neat book on the Panther tank. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a model of a Jagdpanzer IV and also to armour historians alike.
I sincerely want to thank Casemate Publishers, the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword books for this review sample.
All Pen & Sword book titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The Jagdpanzer IV, Sd.Kfz. 162, was a German tank destroyer based on the Panzer IV chassis and built in three main variants. As one of the casemate-style turretless Jagdpanzer (tank destroyer, literally "hunting tank") designs, it was developed against the wishes of Heinz Guderian, the inspector general of the Panzertruppen, as a replacement for the Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III). Guderian objected against the needless, in his eyes, diversion of resources from Panzer IV tank production, as the Sturmgeschütz III was still more than adequate for its role.
Officially, only the L/48-armed vehicle was named Jagdpanzer IV. The L/70-armed vehicle was named Panzer IV/70. In this article, both versions are referred to in general as Jagdpanzer IV, except in the variants and surviving vehicles section.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Tank destroyer
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
Produced: December 1943 – April 1945
No. built: about 2,000
Jagdpanzer IV/70(V))
Mass: 25.8 tonnes (28.4 short tons; 25.4 long tons)
Length: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Width: 3.17 m (10 ft 5 in)
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Crew: 4 (driver, commander, gunner, loader)
Armor: 10–80 mm (0.39–3.15 in)
Main armament: 1x 7.5 cm Pak 42 L/70 with 55 rounds
Secondary armament: 1x 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 with 600 rounds
Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM of 300 PS (296 hp, 221 kW)
Power/weight: 11.6 PS (8.6 kW) / tonne
Suspension: Leaf springs
Operational range: 210 km (130 mi)
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books Co., Ltd. Is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 64 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a color photo at the top is Tamiya’s 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) built and painted in a splinter camouflage pattern of tan and dark-green, with black no. 322 on its sides outlined in white and the German cross. It was with 3rd Kompanie, Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 655.
The first black and white wartime photo in the center on the left is a Jagdpanzer IV, L/48 Tank Destroyer of 116 Panzer Division, photographed in Normandy.
The second wartime photo is in the center is a very early production Jagdpanzer IV/70(V), probably of Panzer-Brigade 105.
The Jagdpanzer on the right is a Jagdpanzer IV/70(v) of Schwere Panzerjager-Abteilung 655, photographed at the end of the war.
At the bottom there is a color side view of a Jagdpanzer IV Ausf. F L/48 of an uncertain unit on the Western Front, probably early 1945. It is in a wave pattern of sand, dark-green and red-brown, It has a solid black German cross on its side and a white nickname “GIESELA” on its side.
On the back cover there is a black and white wartime photo at the top of a early production Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) tank destroyer photographed after the war.
The next photo, in color, is of Griffon Model’s upgrade set of resin and PE on Dragon’s 1/35th scale model of the Jagdpanzer IV/70(V), modeled by Chinese modeler Penny Shi.
The third photo, in color, is of Tamiya’s 1/35th scale model of the Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) by modeler Lim Kian Guan.
At the bottom there is a color side profile illustration of an early Jagdpanzer IV L/48 tank destroyer, probably from Panzerjäger-Lehr-Abteilung 130, as it appeared during the fighting in Normandy in the summer of 1944. It is in a base of sand with wave pattern of dark green. It has a red hull no. 313 outlined in white.
The book contains a map, 2 data lists and 20 color profiles that include 8 unit insignias.
These profiles are of:
8 Jagdpanzer IV Ausf. F L/48’s.
8 Jagdpanzer IV/70(V)’s
4 Jagdpanzer IV/70(A)’s
In the built up model section there is:
Thirteen color photos of Voyager’s 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV Ausf. L/48 built by modeler Angel Inigo, including Death’s Head collar patch and medal breast eagle with swastika.
Eleven color photos of Dragon 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV built by modeler Penny Shi, including a Death’s head collar patch and metal tanker’s badge.
Eleven color photos of Gunze Sangyo 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV built by modeler Kentaro Takabayashi with tanker’s shoulder insignias and medal tanker’s badge.
Six color photos of Tamiya’s 1/45th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/79(V) tank destroyer built by modeler Kim Kian, with Death’s head medal.
Three color photos of Matchbox’s 1/76th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70(V) built by modeler Theodore Kalamatas.
In the available Jagdpanzer IV products section there is:
Five color photos of Tamiya’s 1/35th scale motorized kit of the Jagdpanzer IV/70(V).
Three color photos of the Dragon 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV box arts of the A-O version, the 1/70(V) version and the L/70(A) version and 7 color photos of them made up, but not yet painted.
Four color photos of Trumpeter/Hobby Boss 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(A) box art and some parts.
Four color photos of the Italeri 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(V).
Gunze Sangyo 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(V) built by modeler Kentaro Takabayashi.
Matchbox’s 1/76th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70 B/A.
Revell’s 1/76th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70 B/A.
Three color photos of Hasegawa’s 1/76th scale Jagdpanzer IV L/70 B/A built up.
Seven color photos of E.T. Model’s accessory parts on the Dragon 1/35th scale Jagdpanzer IV/70(A).
Eight color photos of Passion Models 1/35th scale accessories.
Seven color photos of Griffin Model’s 1/35th scale accessories for various Jagdpanzer IV.
Six color photos of Voyager’s 1/35th scale accessories for the Jagdpanzer IV.
Three color photos of Aber’s 1/35th scale accessories for the Jagdpanzer IV.
Three color photos of R.B. Models’ 1/48th scale turned metal gun barrels for the Jagdpanzer IV.
Five color photos of Eduard Models 1/35th scale accessories for the Jagdpanzer IV.
Three color photos showing track links by several companies for Jagdpanzer IV kits in various scales.
THE AUTHOR:
Dennis Oliver is the author of over twenty books on WWII armoured vehicles, including Tiger I & II Tanks, German Army & Waffen SS, Eastern Front 1944; Normandy Campaign 1944; Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer German Army, Western Europe 1944-1945; and Tiger I & Tiger II Tanks German Army & Waffen SS, The Last Battles in the West 1945.
This is one neat book on the Panther tank. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a model of a Jagdpanzer IV and also to armour historians alike.
I sincerely want to thank Casemate Publishers, the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword books for this review sample.
All Pen & Sword book titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.