How Bad Was The Jagdtiger?

Much like the Jagdpanzer Ferdinand we talked about last month, the Jagdtiger was designed to act as a sort of heavy StuG, using its thick armor and powerful gun to attack both fortifications and tanks directly. The Jagdtiger was based on the chassis of the Tiger II (colloquially known as the King Tiger), and unfortunately inherited its problems. Surely it would at least be better than the Ferdinand, right? Don't get your hopes up.

Check the channel "About" section for the link to the creator of my profile picture.

Sources:
Jagdpanzer 38 to Jagdtiger (Panzer Tracts No.9) - Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle
Germany’s Tiger Tanks: VK45.02 to Tiger II - Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle
Tiger I and Tiger II - Anthony Tucker-Jones
German Tanks of World War II - Michael Green
Encyclopedia Of German Tanks Of WW2 - Peter Chaimberlain, Hilary Louis Doyle
Tiger Tanks at War - Michael Green, James D. Brown
Elefant, Jagdtiger, Sturmtiger - Wolfgang Schneider

Songs used (in order from first to last):
Subnautica - Into the Unknown
Halo 3: ODST - Rain (Deference for Darkness)

Sound mods:
Epic Thunder (Pre-release)

Reddit: /u/spookston
Discord: See my Patreon page.

#warthunder​​​​​​​​​​​​ #tanks​​​​​​​​​​​​ #tankhistory

[calessel]

If you read the operation reports from sPzjr Abt.512 & 653rd, the primary mechanical failure of Jagdtigers was it's final drive, secondary was track breakage. Engine problems proved a comparablely minor cause of mechanical failure or loss. Combat losses were quite low mainly due to the fact most broke down and were abandoned before combat.

The 512 & 653rd sPzJr Abteilung's records show the following losses: (highest to lowest): 20 mechanical failure outside of combat, 17 abandoned and self-destroyed due to lack of fuel, 11 mechanical failure while seting up for combat (mainly track breakage), 9 surrendered to US forces (ie. in good running order at the end of war), 6 lost due to battle damage (mobility kills), 4 unknown loss, 3 mechanical failure during field march, 3 destroyed by enemy tanks or TD, 2 loss due to artillery indirect fire (engine hits/ fire), 1 aircraft rocket attack, 1 infantry (bazooka), 1 bridge collapse.

A couple of interesting lesser known losses -- the 1st Jagdtiger lost was destroyed by a lowly infantryman with a bazooka. Another being a rather spectacular kill by an Allied fighter bomber pilot who actually fired his rockets into a Jagdtiger's open rear hatch while the crew was reloading ammunition into the vehicle!

[Cheezymuffin.]

we like hearing about the bad tanks, because we already know they are bad, yet still get surprised they are even worse than we thought.

[resistivewig]

I remember hearing a story about a jagtiger crew that got themselves killed.

Apparently since the driver was so fresh from recruitment camps he didn't really know what he was doing so after they crest a hill and started getting shot at he tried to turn the tank around to retreat however the second the side was full on to the enemy it got blasted.

Edit wow I did not expect this to get this many replies or likes. Also I would like to point out the first reply gives a source as to where the story came from.

[maley]

Wish the next one of the series could be a British Tank, like the Churchill or the Matilda.

Overall I am a lot interested in the first one with the models I, III, VII and AVRE.

Sorry for my english.

[ComissarYarrick]

To be honest, it wasn't the only one "stupid heavy TD with overkill gun" of WW2. Americans had T28, Brits had Tortoise, Soviets had several prototypes of ISU with long 122, 130 or 152mm guns.

Tho it was the only one put into "mass" production.

[SilentButDudley]

This tank is the epitome of, “But why tho”

[Vulkanprimarch]

These stories remind me of playing RTS games where you have to make a choice between putting a heap of resources into researching and producing a new unit. OR producing more, less powerful units, faster and cheaper. Depending on the tactical and economic situation.

[franklind.roosevelt]

You also forgot to mention that the lack of nickel in the armor plates led to shattered plates. Theres an image out there somewhere of a jagdtiger that was struck by some American 155mm artillery and almost the whole left plate looks like it shattered like glass.

[Demonetised_]

No matter how bad the Jagdtiger was. You can't deny it looks really cool

[bubbasbigblast]

"Hanz, command wants us to escape from the Americans with the tanks, so we can help fight the Russians!"
"Is the Engine on fire, Fred?"
"No..?"
"Are you sure? Check again. The Eastern Front can wait a few more minutes."
"..I think you're right, Hanz, that engine DOES look like it's on fire!"

[KuroNekoKohi]

Having stood next to this monster at Bovington, it is awe inspiring. It makes tigerII and jagdpanther look puny in comparison

[JarOfDirt.]

These tanks were BEASTS, even though they had a bad transmission, bad engine, bad gun traverse and elevation systems…..

[whywouldyoudothat]

Aside from a particularly impressive long-rang (4km at most) engagement against a US armored column in April of '45, where 4 jagdtigers of the 512th Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion engaged from hull-down and scored a 41/1 K/D, with 1 Jagdtiger lost to an American ground attack mission (P-47), the Jagdtiger was just too little too late. Kind of like the Ferdinand it was useful in its original role, bunker busting, and as a static gun faced towards opponents who could not pen its armor except at very close range, if then. The Jagdtiger just was limited due to its immense technical issues and logistic problems, something Otto Carius outlines in his book.

[meomlett]

I never understood why you would take a tank that is in theory far more powerful than anything it fought and just make it bigger, resulting in lower reliability. I can understand that while the 88mm was good enough for anti tank use, the 128mm could have been more effective at killing emplacements, but i think it‘s was sure when the Jagdtiger entered production that Germany wasn‘t going to run into heavily fortified lines in the near future.__.

[DirewolfPS]

'How Bad Was The Jagdpanzer IV?' Considering the Pz.IV's rather troubled suspension I'd love to hear about this.

[-MarcelDavis-]

Ahh yes, the Jagdtiger. My favorite -mobile- bunker

[Zorro]

It probably would have done at least well, if not marvelously, if 1) it had faced primarily heavy tanks like it was designed for and 2) it had been crewed by people at least as experienced as those who crewed the Ferdinands.

[cookiecraze]

'How bad was the Jagdti-'
y e s

[Elian]

Germany: *Makes any tank*
Engine: This is going to be lit 😎

[randomlyentertaining]

I think the engine overheating/fire problem was intended to be rectified via the use of Allied tears from trying to fight the Jagdtiger. Of course, few tears were shred lol