Academy 1:35 Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer “Prague 1945”

Plastic model kit. Requires paints and glue to complete, not included.

The Hetzer was built on the basis of the tank’s chassis Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t), but had a completely new casemate and drive. Its great advantages included a very low silhouette of the vehicle, considerable slope of the armor plates and nice armament. Moreover, the Hetzer could be produced on a large scale at relatively low cost, which was very important for Germany in the last stage of World War II. Production took place especially in the factories of the Skoda company. The downside was the small crew compartment, which made it difficult to operate the gun and reduced its rate of fire. The self-propelled flamethrower Flammpanzer 38 (t) and the technical support vehicle Bergepanzer 38 (t) were built on the basis of the Hetzer vehicle. The Hetzer tank destroyer was used on the western and eastern fronts in the period 1944-1945, e.g. in battles in Poland with the Red Army. After World War II, it was still produced for the Czechoslovak army under the designation ST-1.