Panzerkampfwagen IV with 8.8cm Pak 43

Drawing from Panzerkampfwagen IV and Its Variants

As allied armor (especially Soviet) became more resistant to armor piercing ammunition, and as the war was becoming increasingly a defensive one for the Germans, tank destroyers with more powerful armaments were sought. Towards this end, Krupp attempted to mount the 8.8cm Pak 43/3 L/71 on a Panzer IV Ausf. J chassis. This gun was essentially the same as the one found on the Jagdpanther and Tiger II, and represented one of the best anti-tank guns produced during World War II. Calculations apparently showed that the vehicle's weight exceeded the tolerance of the suspension, and the "Panzerjaeger IV mit 8.8cm Pak 43/3 L/71" remained a paper project.

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