The self-propelled heavy anti-tank gun Nashorn packed a formidable punch courtesy of a mammoth 71-caliber 8.8cm Pak43/1 gun which was one of the largest on the battlefield in WWII. The vehicle was developed in all possible haste after the German Army had the unexpected surprise of meeting such overpowering opponents as the T34 and KV-1 upon its invasion of the Soviet Union. The recently-developed III/IV vehicle was used as a base for the Pak43/1 gun, which was capable of destroying enemy tanks from great distance. Top road speed was 42km/h thanks to its relatively light weight of 24 tons. While deployment started in July 1943 under the moniker of Hornisse, it was given the new Nashorn designation from January of the next year, reportedly at the command of Hitler. 439 units were produced up to March 1945, and they served on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, providing heavy firepower for German forces.
This is a highly detailed model of the WWII German tank destroyer Nashorn. The full size vehicle featured an 8.8cm gun also known as a PAK 43 and it was fitted to the upper surface of a light turret less chassis. Even though the vehicle was lightly armoured, the PAK43 weapon was capable of penetrating 190mm of armor at 1,000 meters. The Nashorn saw action with German heavy antitank battalions fighting Soviet and Allied forces during much of the conflict. Due to its relatively low cost and superior mobility compared to heavier tanks it remained in production until the end of the WWII war.