[COMMISSIONED] Sd.Kfz 417 Hornisse
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Includes:
– x1 Hornisse with a 15cm gun and an MG42 mount.
– x1 Hornisse with some foliage.
– x1 Hornisse with no camo.
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As of 1933 onwards, General Oberst Manstein requested that the Panzerwaffe adjust to the needs of the troops and create a fast moving platform based on the armoured vehicles of the time, its main purpose was to quickly and efficiently transport artillery guns. Experiences from the first world war demonstrated that troops often broke through enemy troops and advanced too far for the friendly artillery to efficiently provide fire support. This led to the creation of the Sturmgeschütz 3, Sturmpanzer 1, and many more self propelled artillery weapons. As the war continued germany created many vehicles to fill the role, tough most where deemed inadequate or too unreliable to fulfill the role of immediate close support of advancing infantry units with the use of a wide variety of howitzers, and even modified mortars. The result of many years of design failures and improvements was the sdkfz 417, it was a heavy spg making use of the mass produced german sig 33 150 mm infantry gun which was widely distributed under the infantry and armored divisions.
Alongside the heavy and reliable weapon, the vehicle was based of of the late war german medium tank Leopard which boasted a sturdy and well armoured chassis open to the many modifications a such spg would bring with it. The result was the heavy spg sdkfz 417 which was widely used among panzer divisions for direct, yet also indirect fire. Apart from the panzer divisions some 300 units also saw organic service alongside the Heer Panzergrenadier squads and sapper units to whom it provided much needed close fire support. HEAT shells where also issued, yet in very limited numbers. Under the designation HL/BC44 these munitions were capable of penetrating up to 300mm of armour which often led to the use of the vehicle in an ambush role with foliage being attached to strike and destroy allied heavy armour. The exceptional effectivity of such implementations often led to the vehicle being favored by the Panzerjäger Truppen.
– Written by client
