Nashorn: Self-Propelled Tank Destroyer

German Army Eastern Front 1943-1945

The Nashorn (German for “rhinoceros”), originally designated Hornisse, was a German tank destroyer used during World War II, built on the chassis of the Panzer IV and armed with the powerful 88mm Pak 43 anti-tank gun. Introduced in 1943, it was designed to provide long-range fire support capable of knocking out even the heaviest Allied tanks, such as the Soviet KV-1 and the American M4 Sherman. Despite its excellent firepower, the Nashorn had thin armor and an open-topped fighting compartment, leaving its crew vulnerable to artillery, air attack, and close combat. Around 494 units were produced, and while it was never intended for frontline brawling, it proved effective in defensive and ambush roles, particularly on the Eastern Front.

Pen and Sword’s Nashorn Tank Destroyer offers a compact yet informative look at one of Germany’s lesser-known but highly effective World War II tank destroyers. The book is part of their “TankCraft” series blending historical background with visual appeal. The book follows the standard format of providing a brief introduction into the historical realm of the Nashorn with development, deployment, and operational/production modifications discussed and illustrated through diagrams and period photos. The book focuses on the deployment to the Eastern Front and provides brief summary's of unit allocation and operational history. 

The mid section of the book is dedicated to the modeller. There are 12 pages in full color depicting 24 different vehicles and their paint scheme/markings.  There are also two complete 1/35 scale builds (Dragon and Tamiya) and a 1/72 scale build (Revell) provided for illustration. Additional detailed references are made discussing all model companies currently producing kits of, or accessories for the Nashorn. This includes a reference to Box Studios which provides 1/48 and 1/72 paper kits. The files are free to download if you can navigate the website,  which is only in Japanese. 

In conclusion, this is an excellent addition to the Tankcraft range. It provides a great starting point reference for building and detailing a Nashorn self-propelled tank destroyer in large or small scale. The color plates especially are helpful in building a not often seen vehicle.

Highly Recommended 

Thanks goes out to Casemate Publishing for this review book.

Reviewed by Matthew Schaefer

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