Nashorn

Nashorn

8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.

Waffenträger

Nashorn

8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.

Waffenträger

Germany

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.3	5.3	5.3

Class:

Tank destroyer

Research:33 000

Purchase:105 000

Show in game

Description

The 88 mm Panzerabwehrkanone 43/1 Ausführung Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen III und IV (Nashorn) is a German heavy self-propelled anti-tank gun. The Nashorn's story began in June 1942, when Hitler ordered the development of a new anti-tank gun based on the 88 mm Flugabwehrkanone 41. Krupp and Rheinmetall, two well-known German weapon manufacturers, were tasked with developing it. The research and production of 300 to 500 anti-guns were expected to be completed by mid-1943. As a result, it was planned to also create various towed carriages and self-propelled designs to speed up the process. It was quickly realised during the design phase that the new Selbstfahrlafette (self-propelled chassis) could not be finished by the time the new 88 mm Pak. 43/1 gun was needed for test trials, necessitating an alternate approach to transporting the new armament. On July 28, 1943, it was determined at the Wa Pruef conference to accelerate the project by taking advantage of already existing production capacities. An order was placed with Alkett-Borsigwalde's manufacturer to create and build a self-propelled chassis consisting of various Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs components. In early October 1942, a soft steel metal prototype was quickly created and demonstrated to Hitler. The new chassis was designed to be used in two separate armaments, one with an 88 mm Pak. 43/1 anti-tank gun and the other with a 150 mm schwere Feldhaubitze 43 long-range artillery gun. Both designs impressed Hitler, who ordered a total of 200 vehicles (100 of each).

Introduced in Update 1.57 "Battle March", the Nashorn was one of the most versatile self-propelled anti-tank guns in the German Army during World War II. Armed with the devastating 88 mm Pak. 43/1 anti-tank gun, it served as the foundation for the armament of World War II's most feared heavy tanks, the Königstigers, also known as Tiger IIs. Nashorn is a long-range self-propelled anti-tank gun capable of engaging adversaries far behind the front lines. It can completely penetrate any opponent it encounters, thanks to the precise and powerful 88 mm Pak. 43/1 anti-tank gun. However, all German self-propelled guns share a common flaw: a lack of armour. Furthermore, given that Nashorn's hull was not its initial design, it has very poor gun depression, making fighting on a mountainous battlefield incredibly difficult.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull30 / 20 / 20

Turret10 / 10 / 10

Crew5 people

Visibility119 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, gun shield, superstructure)
• Structural steel (gun breech, mudguards)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	15 mm (72°) Front glacis 30 mm (27°) Driver port - front 30 mm (21°) Lower glacis 20 mm (21°) Add-on tracks over lower glacis	20 mm 10 mm (33°) Driver port - side	20 mm (10°) 15 mm (9°) Add-on wheels	15 mm (18°) Front glacis from above
Superstructure	15 mm (28°) Conical gun shield 10 mm (35°) Outer panels 10 mm (41°) Inner panels connecting with the gun shield	10 mm (15°)	10 mm (13°)	N/A

Notes:

• Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
• The bottom of the hull is 15 mm thick and mudguards are 4 mm thick.

The Nashorn's armour is paper-thin; it will not protect the crew or internal modules even from heavy-calibre machine gun fire. And, the vehicle can be knocked out with overpressure from high-calibre HE rounds. The Nashorn also lacks roof protection, making it a very desirable target for enemy fighters and attackers. Stay behind cover to avoid strafing runs or rocket attacks. One interesting (and somewhat comical) note on the Nashorn's armour is that being so thin, high-penetration shells may pass through it without detonating at all.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB44 / 9 km/h

RB and SB40 / 8 km/h

Number of gears6 forward

1 back

Weight24.3 t

Engine power

AB572 hp

RB and SB300 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB23.5 hp/t

RB and SB12.3 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	44	9	24.3	426	572	17.53	23.54
Realistic	40	8		265	300	10.91	12.35

Being based on the chassis of the Panzer IV, the Nashorn benefits from the same all-round mobility: the tank accelerates and brakes quickly and is able to reach its max speed of 43 km/h in a dozen of seconds. While there is no neutral steering, turning on the spot is still easily done as it is a light vehicle. The reverse speed is average and won't let you back quickly from a dangerous situation. If you need to quickly turn your hull on the spot towards flanking enemies, privilege the reverse gear as it has more torque. The offroad mobility is good: the Nashorn can reach 12 km/h when climbing uphill from idling and 15 km/h when fording. The "Ostketten" wide tracks for snowy terrain also offer an improved offroad handling. Only big obstacles will hinder your mobility (large trees, concrete blocks, parked vehicles). In short, the Nashorn's mobility is good enough for the role it fulfills.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB1 443 → 1 796

RB1 692 → 2 106

SB2 364 → 2 943

Total cost of modifications29 600

57 700

Talisman cost1 200

Crew training30 000

Experts105 000

Aces470

Research Aces360 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

90 / 140 / 170 %

148 / 148 / 148 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 900 110 Ostketten Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 900 110 Suspension Research: 1 300 Cost: 2 500 95 Brake System Research: 1 300 Cost: 2 500 95 Filters Research: 2 500 Cost: 4 900 180 Transmission Research: 3 200 Cost: 6 300 230 Engine Research: 3 200 Cost: 6 300 230	Improved Parts Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 900 110 Improved FPE Research: 1 300 Cost: 2 500 95 Crew Replenishment Research: 2 500 Cost: 4 900 180	Horizontal Drive Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 900 110 Adjustment of Fire Research: 1 300 Cost: 2 500 95 88mm_kwk_36_43_HEAT_ammo_pack Research: 1 300 Cost: 2 500 95 Elevation Mechanism Research: 2 500 Cost: 4 900 180 88mm_kwk_36_43_APCR_ammo_pack Research: 3 200 Cost: 6 300 230

Armaments

Main armament

88 mm PaK43 cannon

Ammunition40 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

8.7 → 6.7 s

Vertical guidance-5° / 20°

Horizontal guidance-15° / 15°

88 mm PaK43					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	40	-5°/+20°	±15°	N/A	10.6	14.6	17.8	19.6	20.9	8.71	7.70	7.10	6.70
Realistic					7.1	8.4	10.2	11.3	12.0

The 88 mm PaK 43 gun has great penetration characteristics at all ranges and angles with an average reload time. Due to the vehicle's design, the gun should be used to snipe enemy targets from long ranges. Most enemy tanks will be crippled or destroyed if a shot connects.

Ammunition

The available ammunition allows for engaging all types of targets:

• PzGr 39/43: APCBC; an armour-piercing shell with a high penetration power and an explosive filler that will destroy any tank that it penetrates.
• PzGr 40/43: APCR; a composite round with the best penetration but no explosive filler and will only penetrate flat vertical surfaces.
• Hl.Gr 39: HEAT; a shaped charge with average penetration but without penetration loss over distance. Only penetrates flat vertical surfaces but the post-penetration damage is very effective on open and lightly armoured vehicles. Very slow shell travelling at circa half the speed of your fastest projectiles.
• Sprgr.43: HE; useful for destroying aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles. Slow shell travelling at circa 3/4 of the speed of your fastest projectiles.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
PzGr 39/43	APCBC	237	234	222	207	193	180
PzGr 40/43	APCR	279	273	252	227	205	185
Hl.Gr 39	HEAT	110	110	110	110	110	110
Sprgr.43	HE	19	19	17	16	14	14

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
PzGr 39/43	APCBC	1,000	10.16	1.2	14	108.8	48°	63°	71°
PzGr 40/43	APCR	1,130	7.3	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°
Hl.Gr 39	HEAT	600	7.64	0	0.3	1,100	62°	69°	73°
Sprgr.43	HE	820	9.4	0.2	0.1	1,000	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Nashorn

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
40	33 (+7)	25 (+15)	21 (+19)	1 (+39)	No

Notes:

• Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
• To go into battle with the flanks empty of ammo, pack 25 (+15) shells (racks 1 and 2 empty).

Machine guns

2 x 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun

Ammunition5 100 rounds

Belt capacity150 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate900 shots/min

7.92 mm MG34
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle - left side	2,550 (150)	900	-5°/+15°	-125°/-5°
Pintle - right side	2,550 (150)	900	-5°/+15°	+5°/+120°

The Nashorn has two MG34 (7.92 mm) machine guns covering the vehicle's flanks. Since they are secondary weapons, there are no ammunition belt options. Furthermore, they have various blind spots (e.g. the rear and the front of the tank and the area above the vehicle). The machine guns have an elevation of only +15°, rendering them useless against diving fighters or bombers.

Usage in battles

The Nashorn is a classic German tank destroyer, and its greatest selling point is its armament. The 88 mm PaK 43 gun has great penetration an great destructive power. It can destroy most opponents in one shot, and is an all-around great gun. Reload times are average. The best way to use this gun is in a sniping position, firing from behind a ridgeline or from behind cover. However, the Nashorn has bad gun depression, which can make ridgeline firing sometimes dangerous.

At close ranges, the Nashorn loses much of its effectiveness since it lacks a traversable turret and has poor survivability.

Speaking of, this vehicle's armour is very thin. It will not protect internal components from heavy-calibre machine gun fire, and it certainly can't defend against full-calibre tank shells. Sometimes, high-penetration shells will overpenetrate and pass through the vehicle without detonating, but this should not be counted on. Most of the time, any hit that connects will do great damage to the tank. Additionally, this vehicle has a large silhouette and can be destroyed by large-calibre HE rounds. Even worse, the Nashorn is open-topped, which means that artillery is a significant threat. Enemy planes will also see the Nashorn as a highly desirable target, since strafing runs can cripple or destroy the vehicle. The Nashorn has no way of defending against this. It is equipped with machine guns, but they do not have enough elevation to fire at planes. To avoid artillery and fire from planes, stay behind cover: shrubbery and buildings work well for this.

As a sniping-based tank destroyer, the Nashorn's mobility is not its most important feature. Still, it's nice that the vehicle has good mobility all around. The tank accelerates and brakes quickly and is able to reach its max speed of 43 km/h in normal gameplay. While there is no neutral steering, turning on the spot is still easily done as it is a light vehicle. (Even so, the lack of a turret means that flankers are still very deadly. Watch out for them.) The reverse speed is average and won't let you back quickly from a dangerous situation. (This is important to note when peeking out from behind cover to take a shot.) Thanks to its good mobility, the Nashorn is able to reach sniping positions in a reasonable amount of time or to relocate mid-game if necessary.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• The powerful 88 mm PaK 43 cannon can destroy most, if not all, opponents in one shot
• The thin armour may cause some shells to overpenetrate (pass through the tank without detonating)
• Two machine guns to deal with lightly armoured targets
• Reload times are faster than those of the Tiger (Germany) tanks.
• The mobility of a Panzer IV

Cons:

• Has next to no armour and can be penetrated by .50 cal machine guns
• Crew are vulnerable to overpressure (artillery, HE, rockets) and strafing aircraft
• Ammo racks are exposed on the sides of the crew compartment
• Horrible gun depression
• Very tall silhouette

History

Design

In 1942, the German tank destroyers equipped with 75 mm guns (Marder & StuG IIIs) became ineffective following the arrival of uparmoured Soviet KV heavy tanks on the Eastern front. To quickly answer that situation, the German command mandated an interim vehicle to be proposed before the arrival of a properly designed heavy Panzerjäger. The interim solution was to rely upon the newly developed anti-tank cannons whose calibre had proven very effective even against heavily armoured targets.

Development

The firm Alkett in charge of producing Pz.III and StuG III quickly proposed the Nashorn, born of the assembly of an anti-tank gun and a turretless tank chassis. An anti-tank 88 mm PaK 43 cannon was installed on a Panzer IV chassis and a superstructure built around the rear of the vehicle to provide a protected crew compartment. The engine was then moved from the rear to the central section of the chassis: the drive train of a Panzer III was used to achieve the result. The newly created Panzerjäger provided the devastating firepower of an anti-tank gun with the good mobility of a medium tank. The protection was however lacking, as it was a stop-gap vehicle. Parallel to the Nashorn equipped with an AT gun, the firm Alkett proposed the Hummel on the same chassis but equipped with a 150 mm howitzer. The Nashorn was approved by the German command and entered production in 1943. 494 vehicles in total were built from 1943 to 1945.

Combat usage

The Nashorn first saw combat at the battle of Kursk in 1943. It served mainly on the Eastern front in heavy tank destroyer battalions ("Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilungen") and proved deadly in the Eastern flat steppes. It was also used in Italy to a lesser extent but did not achieve the same combat performance due to the relief and lack of visibility.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Nashorn from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

• Pz.IV

External links

• [Devblog] Nashorn: the German 'Rhinoceros'
• [Wikipedia] Nashorn
• [Tanks Encyclopedia] 8.8 cm PaK 43/1 auf Fgst.Pz.Kpfw III und IV (Sf) Sd.Kfz. 164 "Nashorn"