The Panzerjager Panther Sd.Kfz. 173, or Jagdpanther, was a heavy tank destroyer based on the chassis of the Panzer V Panther and was armed with the same long-barreled 8.8 cm gun as the Tiger II or ‘King Tiger’, and a single 7.92 mm MG-34 machine gun in the front glacis plate for local defense. The Jagdpanther had a good power-to-weight ratio and a powerful main gun, which enabled it to destroy any Allied tank. Based on the existing Panther chassis, the vehicle did not suffer too many mechanical problems, and had an upgraded transmission and final drive to counter the Panther's main weakness. The Jagdpanther was powered by the 700hp Maybach HL230 P30 V-12 petrol engine and a 7 speed forward, 1-speed reverse transmission system with a maximum speed of 46 km/h and a range of about 200 kilometers. It was manned by a crew of five: a driver, radio-operator, commander, gunner and a loader.
