In September 1939, Germany Army lacked any dedicated tank destroyer. First tank destroyer to enter service in 1940, was a lightly armed Panzerjager I, followed Stug III assault gun (not a dedicated tank destroyer, but used as one). Following the growing need for tank destroyers as the war with the Soviet Union progressed, Marder series of tank destroyers entered service as well as Stug III tank destroyer. Both Stug III and Marder series were armed with 75mm guns, which were adequate anti-tank weapons, but German designers wanted to utilize 88mm gun with its penetrating power and long range. In the winter of 1941, German designers decided to utilize either Panzer III‘s or Panzer IV‘s chassis for anti-tank gun carrier. Since Panzer III and IV’s chassis was not suited to be a self-propelled mount, the idea of using them was rejected. Instead Alkett’s newly developed special chassis by Alkett – Geschutzwagen (gun carriage) III/IV was used. It combined components of both PzKpfw III (mainly Ausf J – engine, fuel pump, driving and steering mechanism) and PzKpfw IV (mainly Ausf F – suspension).
The new chassis utilized many components readily available and made it easy for experience maintenance crews to repair vehicles as needed. In February of 1942, Alkett designed new Panzerjager "Hornisse" (Hornet) armed with 88mm Pak 43/1 L/71 gun based on Geschutzwagen III/IV. The main gun was identical to the towed version of 88mm Pak 43/41 anti-tank gun, but adapted to be mounted in an armored fighting vehicle. The excellent gun had an maximum effective range of 4000 meters and was able to deal with any enemy tank on the battlefields of World War II. In late 1942, Nashorn’s chassis and hull was used in the development of Hummel (Sd.Kfz.165). The engine was moved to the center and the hull was lengthened to allow adequate room and weight distribution for the long-barreled 88mm gun. As a result of the gun’s great weight and the limited capacity of the chassis components, only light armor protection for the crew of 4(5) was provided in an open top compartment. In October of 1942, soft steel model was presented to Adolf Hitler, who accepted it and expected production to start by May of 1943.
In the early 1944, the arrangement of the driver front plate was changed during production, creating two different models. The main gun remained the powerful 88mm Pak 43/1 L/71. On February 24th (or 27th) of 1944, by Hitler’s order, second never model was named Nashorn (Rhinoceros). Hornisse and Nashorn were almost identical with the only difference being the driver front plate and gun version (unnoticeable). Despite their inadequate armor protection, they both provided the much needed mobility for the long-barreled 88mm anti-tank gun. Limited space provided in the fighting compartment allowed storage space for only 24 to 40 rounds, additional ammunition was carried by various vehicles attached to the unit. Hornisse and Nashorn’s crew traveled in an open-top fighting compartment with all its weather-related disadvantages. Protection against the weather could be provided by canvas covers. The heavy armor protection was not required and vehicle’s high profile was not an issue, as the Hornisse and Nashorn were to be used as a "long distance" tank destroyer, operating away from enemy tanks and infantry.
Both Hornisse and Nashorn lacked a machine gun mounted in the hull, so single MG34 or MG42 was carried inside the fighting compartment for local defense. From February of 1943 to March of 1945, only 474 Nashorns and 20 Hornisses were produced. Both models were designed by Alkett and produced by Deutsche Eisenwerke in Tieplitz-Schonau. Both models were issued to the schwere Panzerjager Abteilungens and had their debut during the Kursk Offensive with 560 sPzJagAbt and 655th sPzJagAbt and with 525 sPzJagAbt in Italy. Even with their light armor protection and high silhoutte but powerful armament, they proved to be successful tank destroyers. Six schwere Panzerjager Abteilungens (560, 655, 525, 93, 519 and 88), each equipped with 30 Nashorns, were created and saw service on all fronts (e.g. 525th schwere Panzerjaeger Abteilung in Italy, 1944). Each Abteilung was composed of command company and 2 to 3 companies with 4 platoons each. Each company had 14 to 17 Nashorn and each platoon had 4 to 5 Nashorns.
Eventually, Nashorns were replaced by the new generation of more powerful and better armored Panzerjagers like Jagdpanzer IV and Panzerjager V Jagdpanther, but remained in service to the end of the war. The most notable Nashorn ace was platoon commander of 1st company of sPzJagAbt 519, Junior Lieutenant Albert Ernst. He later commanded the 1st company of sPzJagAbt 512 (equipped with Jagdtigers). On December 23rd of 1943, he destroyed some 14 Soviet tanks in a single day using only 21 round of ammunition. The engagement took place near Vitebsk and Albert Ernst received a nickname "Tiger of Vitebsk". In December of 1943, Ernst destroyed total of 19 enemy tanks and on January 22nd of 1944, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross. It is reported that in early March of 1945, Lieutenant Beckmann from sPzJagAbt 88 destroyed Soviet IS-2 at the range of 4600 meters near Marzdorf. Some Nashorn crews reported that they were able to knock out Soviet T-34 tanks at distance as great as 4000 meters (maximum effective range of the gun).
Nashorn crews also reported numerous kills of KV and IS-2 tanks as well as SU-152, ISU-122 and ISU-152 assault guns. Nashorn from 2nd Company of schwere Heeres Panzer Jaeger Abteilung 93 was also responsible for the destruction of the only M26 Pershing, destroyed in Europe. Pershing from the 3rd Armored Division was knocked out at the distance of 250 meters with a single shot. This engagement took place in the town of Niehl, north of Cologne on March 6th of 1945. Nashorn – Interior with 88mm Pak 43/1 L/71 gun.Sign in with Facebook A verification email was sent to Please check your email and click on the verification link to proceed. Enter your email used in your BrickLink profile. A password reset link will be sent to your inbox. We emailed a code to reset your password. Please enter that code: If you haven't received the email, check your junk, spam, or other folders. Enter your new password to sign in: Reset and Sign In Mouse over "" for more information
Actual values in ] The FV215b (183) is a British tier 10 turreted tank destroyer. Project for a heavy SPG based on the Conqueror Mk II tank with a 183 mm gun and rear placement of the traversable turret and fighting compartment. The vehicle was designed to counter Soviet heavy tanks at long range (up to 1,829 m) and should have been able to withstand return fire from 122 mm guns at a distance of up to 500 m. After the development of 193 mm Malkara anti-tank rockets—which were a cheaper and more efficient choice for countering the IS-series tanks—the vehicle lost its relevance. The project was canceled shortly after a dummy vehicle was built.Assault tank based on the Conqueror chassis with a 183mm gun mounted on it. The project was cancelled in the 1950s and it never saw military service. Known as the "Death Star," this tank destroyer is well-known for its apocalyptic gun. Especially when loaded with premium shells, this monster is a death sentence to any tank and you must avoid frontal combat with this tank at all costs unless it's reloading.
As a downside, the FV215b (183) can only turn its turret 45 degrees either direction. The gun has a horrific load time and low ammo capacity, comparable to SPGs, and is not very accurate. So as long as you can outmaneuver its gun range you will be able to destroy it. The FV215b (183) marks the end of its British tank destroyer line. Light Tanks Cruiser Mk. I M2 Cruiser Mk. III Light Mk. VIC Stuart I-IV Cruiser Mk. IV Cruiser Mk. II Valentine Covenanter Crusader Medium Tanks IVickers Medium Mk. I Vickers Medium Mk. II Vickers Medium Mk. III Matilda Grant AC 1 Sentinel Sherman III Matilda Black Prince Sherman Firefly Cromwell AC 4 Experimental Cromwell B Comet Centurion Mk. I FV4202 (P) Chieftain/T95 Centurion Mk. 7/1 Centurion Action X Heavy Tanks VChurchill I Excelsior Churchill VII TOG II* Black Prince FV201 (A45) Caernarvon Conqueror FV215b Tank Destroyers Universal Carrier 2-pdr Valentine AT Alecto Archer AT 2 Churchill Gun Carrier Achilles AT 8 Challenger AT 15A AT 7 AT 15 Charioteer Tortoise FV4004 Conway FV215b (183) FV4005 Stage II Self-Propelled Artillery Loyd Gun Carriage Sexton II Sexton I Birch Gun Bishop FV304 Crusader 5.5-in.
SP FV207 FV3805 Conqueror Gun Carriage USA T3 HMC T56 GMC M8A1 T40 M10 Wolverine T67 M18 Hellcat M36 Jackson M56 Scorpion T28 Concept T25/2 T25 AT T28 T28 Prototype T30 T95 T110E3 T110E4 UK Universal Carrier 2-pdr Valentine AT Alecto Archer AT 2 Churchill Gun Carrier Achilles AT 8 Challenger AT 15A AT 7 AT 15 Charioteer Tortoise FV4004 Conway FV215b (183) FV4005 Stage II Germany Panzerjäger I Marder II StuG III Ausf. B Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer Marder 38T StuG IV Pz.Sfl. IVc StuG III Ausf. G Dicker Max Jagdpanzer IV Nashorn E 25 Krupp-Steyr Waffenträger Jagdpanther Sturer Emil Ferdinand Kanonenjagdpanzer Rheinmetall Skorpion G Jagdpanther II 8,8 cm Pak 43 Jagdtiger Rhm.-Borsig Waffenträger Jagdtiger Waffenträger auf Pz. IV Grille 15 Jagdpanzer E 100 Waffenträger auf E 100 France Renault FT AC FCM 36 Pak 40 Renault UE 57 Somua SAu 40 S35 CA ARL V39 AMX AC mle. 46 AMX AC mle. 48 AMX 50 Foch AMX 50 Foch (155) USSR AT-1 SU-76M SU-76I SU-85B SU-85 SU-85I SU-100 SU-100Y ISU-122S SU-152 SU-100M1 SU-122-44 ISU-152 ISU-130 SU-101 Object 704 SU-122-54 Object 263 Object 268 China Japan Czechoslovakia Sweden Pvlvv fm/42 Ikv 72 Sav m/43 Ikv 103 Ikv 65 Alt II Ikv 90 Typ B UDES 03 Strv 103-0 Strv 103B