In 1943, the need for a tank destroyer with a low silhouette and enclosed fighting compartment
became apparent. The current tank destroyers, the Marder series, though fairly successful,
were losing favor because of their open tops and high combat profiles. The fact is that they
were basically a combination of high powered anti tank guns and obsolete tank chassis, and were
always considered an interim solution. The Hetzer employed a new wider hull, and made
extensive use of angled armor, which offered good ballistic protection. It had a crew of four,
and weighed almost 16 tons, and was produced by BMM and Skoda, with 2,584 units being delivered
between April 1944 and May 1945.
This vehicle is from the 2nd Panzer Division out of Illinois.
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