fmethorst
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2008
- Messages
- 2,442
Lovely looking models. However, I wish CS had done their research properly, for they would have discovered that the Jagdpanther never served with the 9th SS Pz Div "Hohenstauffen" whose divisional marking the model carries.
In Normandy the few Jagdpanthers available were assigned to Schwere Panzer Jager Abteilung 654. In preparation for Ardennes offensive Panzer divisions (both SS and Heer) were augmented by separate Panzer or Panzer Jaeger Abteilungs to make up the reduced numbers in the Panzer regiments of certain units resulting from their severe combat losses during the summer and autumn. That's why the 1st SS Pz division "Leibstandarte" got a Tiger II battalion. Both 12 SS Pz and Panzer Lehr had their panzer regiments augmented by Jagdpanthers from Sch Pz Jaeger units. The only record I have seen of Jagdpanthers serving with an SS Pz division is in the memoirs of the German author Gunter Grass "Peeling the Onion", who served in the Waffen SS at the very end of the war. He specifically mentions the Jagdpanther serving in his division, 10 SS Pz Div "Frundsberg".
Apparently in January 1945 the situation was so desperate that Jagdpanthers were sent as replacement "panzers" to the nearest front line units. The 1945 allocation looks like this:
Shipped.......Quantity.......Unit
Jan 22........14............I./Pz.Rgt.29
Feb 10........14............I./Pz.Rgt.130
Feb 14........10............2.SS-Panzer-Division
Feb 14.........8.............4.Panzer-Division
Feb 14........10............9.SS-Panzer-Division
Feb 15........10............Führer-Grenadier-Division
Feb 24........6..............s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.654
Feb 28........10............10.SS-Panzer-Division
Mar 13..........5..............s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.559
Mar 27........11.............s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.560
Mar 30.........4..............25.Panzer-Division
Apr 7..........35..............2.Panzer-Division
Apr 8..........10.............s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.655
Apr 17.........10.............s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.559
Apr 21.........9...............s.H.Pz.Jg.Abt.559