Specification Crew : 4 Engine power : 160 hp Combat weight :15,750 kg (34,728 lb) Max speed : road 42 km/h (26.08 mph) Length : 6.38 m (20.93 ft) Range : 177 km (109.92 miles) Width : 2.63 M (8.63 ft) Main gun : 75 mm(2.96 in) Height : 2.17 m (7.12 ft) Armour : 8 mm (0.32 in) to 60 mm (2.36 in)

Despite its small size and moderate armament the Jagdpanzer 38 or Hetzer(Baiter)was considered one of the best of the German tank-hunters.Production began in early 1944 at the Skoda works in Pilsen.Using the well-tried suspension and widened chassis of the PzKpfw 38 and an up-rated engine the Hetzer had a low well-sloped upper hull and was armed with a 75 mm(2.96 in)anti-tank gun with limited traverse a machine gun was mounted on the roof in a mounting which could be controlled from within the hull.The interior was somewhat cramped for the four man crew but the Hetzer was low,fast and hard-hitting. Over 2,500 had been produced by 1945.Difficult to spot until it was too late they were very dangerous opponents for Allied Tank crew.Like most German tanks the Hetzer was converted into all manner of specialist vehicles.Variants included a flame-thrower and an armored recovery vehicle both created by re-building Hetzers that had been damaged in action.Planned self-propelled artillery and air defence versions did not progress beyond paper designs,although one project that did reach the hardware stage featured a 75 mm gun with no recoil mechanism.The ridig mounting directly onto the front hull was supposed to absorb all recoil.After the war ended production continued at Pilsen.The Czech Army adopted the Hetzer and some were later sold to Switzerland.The idea of a small but well-armed tank destroyer lived on after the war,with new German designs following the Hetzer layout.