Year | December 1944 |
Vehicle Type | Light Flame-Thrower Tank |
Origin & Designer | Germany/BMM |
Numbers Produced | 20 |
Crew | 4 (Commander, Gunner, Radio Operator & Driver) |
Main Armament | 1 x 14mm Flammwerfer 41 |
Main Armament | [@sponson_traverse] |
Elevation | -6° to +12° |
Turret Traverse | [@turret_traverse] |
Gun Traverse | 5° Left & 11° Right |
Gun Mount | [@gun_mounts] |
Maximum Range | [@maximum_range] |
Armour Penetration | [@armour_penetration] |
Gun Sight | SflZF1a |
Secondary Armament | 1 x 7.92mm MG34 or MG42 (Roof) |
Smoke Discharger | [@smoke_discharger] |
Ammunition Carried | 700 Litres + 1.200 x 7.92mm |
Height | 2.17m |
Width | 2.63m |
Length | 4.87m |
Combat Weight | 15.500 kg |
Ground Clearance | 0.41m |
Fording Depth | 0.89m |
Trench Crossing | 1.31m |
Obstacle Clearance | 0.65m |
Climbing Ability | 29° |
Radio | FuG-5 |
Armour | Lower Hull Front: 60mm Lower Hull Sides: 20mm Lower Hull Rear: 20mm Lower Hull Top: 10mm Hull Bottom: 8mm Gun Mantle: 60mm Upper Hull Front: 60mm Upper Hull Sides: 20mm Upper Hull Rear: 20mm Upper Hull Top: 10mm
|
Engine | Praga EPA AC/2 (Petrol) |
Transmission | 5 Forward & 1 Reverse |
Maximum Road Range | 177m |
Maximum Cross Country Range | 97 km |
Maximum Water Range | [@maximum_water_range] |
Maximum Road Speed | 42 kph |
Maximum Cross Country Speed | 16 kph |
Maximum Water Speed | [@maximum_water_speed] |
Variants | [@variants] |
Notes | In late 1944, twenty Hetzer’s had their main gun replaced by a single flame-thrower. These were converted by orders to equip units with a flame-thrower tank to take part in the new offensive code named “Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein”. The flame-thrower itself had a tubular cover added to make it look like a standard Hetzer. The vehicles were first used in action during “Operation Nordwind” and were used along with assault pioneers to take out enemy bunkers. Apart from the flame-thrower the vehicles had no main weapon and as a result they were vulnerable to attack from enemy armoured vehicles. The idea was to integrate them with other tanks to provide protection, but many were lost to enemy action. |