| Full Name | Sonderkraftfahrzeug 173 8.8 cm Pak 43/3 auf Fahrgestell Panther |
| Class | Heavy Vehicle |
| Movement | 5 |
| Armor Value | 5 |
| Vs Infantry (RNG / FPR) | 5/6 |
| Vs Vehicle (RNG / FPR) | 9/13 |
| Traits | |
| Period | Early 1944-1945 |
| Theaters of Service |
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This highly-effective tank destroyer coupled the long-barreled 8.8 cm KwK 43/3 L/71 gun (similar to the main gun on the Pz. VI Tiger II) with a Pz. V Panther chassis. Its five-person crew and main gun was fixed inside thick, sloped, casemate-style armor. It also carried a 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun in a ball mount. It had a good power-to-weight ratio and a powerful main gun, enabling crews to destroy any type of Allied tank. Based on a later Panther variant, it was also mechanically reliable. Its operational effectiveness suffered from limited production (of only 415 units), shortage of spare parts, and inexperienced crews. It had a top speed of 28 mph. The Jagdpanther (“hunting panther”) saw service primarily on the Eastern front. On the Western front, small numbers (about 12) appeared late during the Battle of Normandy against Commonwealth units, and larger numbers participated in the Ardennes Offensive.