Amusing Hobby | 35A033 | Schwerer Jagdpanzer Elefant Sd.Kfz.184 | 1:35

Plastic model kit, glue and paint are not included. What is included:

• Complete interior
• Zimmerit from DEF Model
• Roof panes made from transparent plastic
• Movable suspension
• Movable individual track links
• PE parts

History

Elefant (German for "elephant") was a heavy tank destroyer used by German Panzerjäger anti-tank units during World War II. Ninety-one units were built in 1943 under the name Ferdinand, after its designer Ferdinand Porsche, using VK 45.01 (P) tank hulls which had been produced for the Tiger I tank before the Henschel design had been selected.

Following their use at the battle of Kursk, in January to April 1944 the surviving Ferdinands received modifications and upgrades and were renamed Elefant in May 1944. The official German designation was Panzerjäger Tiger (P) and the ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 184.

Armament

The Elefant was fitted with an 88 mm Panzerjägerkanone 43/2 gun (early designation 8,8 cm Stu.K. 43/1). This 71 caliber-long gun had originally been developed as a replacement for the well-known 88 mm anti-aircraft gun that had been used against Allied tanks in the Western Desert Campaign and on the Eastern Front. 

It had a much longer barrel than the L/56 guns, which gave it a higher muzzle velocity, and fired a different, longer cartridge. This significantly improved armor penetration of the 88 mm L/71 in comparison to the earlier 88 mm.

Although it lost the competition to the 8.8 cm Flak 41 and never became an anti-aircraft weapon, it was turned into the very successful Pak 43 anti-tank gun.