Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: Kanonenjagdpanzer, Pt 2. 

He forgot the REALLY MAIN purpose of that floor hatch: To take a pee.

My dad commanded one of these during his time in the army. His unit started with M48s and he hated it because he found it uncomfortable to operate and move in, but the KaJaPa was very well liked by him and his crew because of the space and well designed interior.

There's a suspiciosly "bloody human handprint" looking stain in front of the gunner there...

"I don't see why it's so secure." Zombies, obviously.

Its such a change to see these lovely post-world war vehicles, you can tell they have matured and had lots of experience from things like the mark 4 and the jagdpanzer 38t in how to make the most of a smaller vehicle and had time to design and test it without a mustached gentleman screaming at you to build the damn thing already

You should consider a T-shirt that says some variation of, "...Schtuff."

This eye dominance test trick is brilliant. I never knew I was left eye dominant. Things you learn watching tanks.

It’s so badass they they have both the Kanonen Jadgpanzer and the Raketen Jadgpanzer. They are such cool pieces and I’m sad I missed it in my first watch through

Outstanding video and presentation as always.

I love that I recently saw one of the old videos where the whole comment section was just about how god aweful the background music is and the thought you might have kept it out of pure spite is warming my heart

"I can be seated while I kill the enemies of my country..." I'm sold. The armor, though... dicey.

looking forward to the next film. Love them all

As always, excellent 😁👍🏼

A very nice restoration. Thanks Wargaming for producing this video, thank you Chieftain for the research, travel time and excellent narration. Now that I own WOT and WOT Blitz, I'm going to have to explore other Wargaming games.

It's basically an armored RV with a big antitank gun. Makes you wonder if any of my fellow Bundeswehr mates had a meth lab in one of those back in the day, or at least an illicit distillery. A word on pronunciation though, the 'a' in 'jagd' is basically the same vowel as the 'a' in 'Kanone', only long. Otherwise we would spell it "Jäigdpanzer".

At 18:16 it's a depth gauge behind the commanders position...it's a uboat.

Great video, thank you!

At ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gOnhiGOVcME.html you can see two gauges, a red lever and a black sticker. The left gauge (white) says "Tauchtiefe", and it means "diving depth", and it scales up to 6m (meter). And on the black sticker you can see the manual for the red lever. The arrow pointing to the right, as does the lever, explains it as "Tiefwaten / Tauchen", or "wade deep / diving" in english. Perfect hiding place: 6 meter below the waterline. No one will expect a KanJPz (the official abbreviation, btw) there. Seriously, "deep wading" is a function a few modern german tanks can do, for example the Leopard 2. The idea is to cross a river without the need to build a bridge.

Thank you for your hard work.Always interesting but I would still like to know what type of medical equipment you guys carried & whose responsible for first aid while on tour...

Hi I found you from Ian mcullums channel and just subbed your content is super cool

My college archery club did that eye dominant test too. I was told off for telling a newcomer about it before they took the test themselves.

18:32 What, no the tank is on fire?!

I’d really like to see the Polish TKS armed with a NKM WZ.38 FK20MM auto cannon . The same type commanded by Edmond Roman Orlik . He was the first tank ace of the war with ten confirmed kills. It’s amazing how this tank and man are ignored.

G'day Nicholas, Great pair of videos in this offering. Fantastic to see you in an 'old' tank with plenty of personal room for you and, presumably, large German and Belgian tankers. The manual? You read German? Or just looking at the pictures? Adore your invention of the 'German' word, "Schtuff". Outstanding, just like Shakespeare, if you don't have the right word, invent one! Thanks, mate. Cheers, BH

What a comfy vehicle.

"They left the manual. Awesome!"

Oh, before the alcohol kicks in..... More room inside because of less armor.... Just more room. Claus Kellerman! "I am died!!!"

I'd love an episode on the Sd.Kfz 234/4

Note about the gunners sight: with most modern gunners sights you can absolutely aim with the "wrong eye" I was a CV90 gunner, the sight was designed for shooting with right eye but I preferred using the left, just have to press your head against the head rest differently.

21:39 : What happens when you put a tanker in a tank destroyer? ... Ow Hopefully this won't dissuade The Chieftain from climbing into a JagdPanther at a later date

Amazing!

So the manual says you should load it full premium gold ammo 😂😂

This is literally the roomiest interior I have ever seen.

Theoreticly you can stock up your storage thro the belly hatch.

Nicholas is missing the gunners fighting seat in that tank. That's why the position makes little sense. The gunner was swiveling around with the gun.

“ I can sit and kill the enemies of my country” The chieftain, 2020

The rubber pin are a night mare if you have to exchange them ... it is a lot of really hard work. The hatch was a new solution to avoid injuries from levers hitting a head ... after been hit by a mine or shrapnel or in heavy terrain and movemens inside. Has a reason to make it more complicated but for better safety. Safety had been a reason for the sophisticated german WW2 tanks ... not cheap and easy to repair and replace. Most expensive is a crew you lost and have to train again. 50.000 sherman versus 2000 tiger families equation ... Likelihood to survive after a hit was higher in any german tiger tank. They were lost mostly by self destroyment for abandoning.

That the Belgian had night vision glasses and the Germans didn't have a simple reason: The Russians drive through Germany on the first day. They arrive in Belgium in the evening.

you mentioned the loaders hatch being of an unnecessary twist closure,, just wondered if this was for some snorkel attatchment?

Looks like a hydrostatic transmission, like in a backhoe.

The look like a good candidate to be converted into a tank recovery vehicle.

History ques.: 1) which nation 1st to use 'throat mic 2) when was 'throat mic 1st in wide use, WW-2? 3) Is 'throat mic tech still in use anywhere you know of?

The loaders hatch reminds me of the scuddle hatches on the Navy ships I served on.

It sucks everytime i play my Kanonenjagdpanzer 105 because i end up having to "OMG The Tank is on Fire"

It seems to me since the machine guns are in the main gun housing they would be useless most of the time . If the gun is elevated at all the machine guns are pointed up as well

I swear I've seen this before but I didn't "thumbs up" it like I normally do with Chieftain videos. I bet that bastard Mandella shifted realities on me again.

Et is interesting to me, as the vehicles were clapped together in just 2 years (production run). It is not a bad vehicle apparently. What I think happened with this tin box was they had a lot of 90 mm. ammunition of quite good quality; but not up to tank standards. So all in all it would have been cheap to produce, and the guns and ammunition were free in so far, as they had allready been bought. In this way a reasonable and fast road vehicle could be available to reservists - at a very affordable price! I can't help but surmise that that idea still has a lot going for it. There must be lots of unemployed 105 mm L7 guns out there - and prodigious amounts of ammunition - it is allways the ammunition that costs money - as in: Real money: D-marks at the time. Economical diesels abound. If you can build some of the best trucks - you can build a very good tank destroyer. It is to a large extend the StuG idea: Lose the turret and things get very much easier.

As there's a depth gauge (Tauchtiefe) at the commander's position, could it be that the hatch locking mechanisms are so overdone in order to make it waterproof when fording? (Presumably, completely submerged).

What's the box to the right hand side of the commander's position (left hand from the camera position during that part of the video)?

Killed the "enemies:? Very Claus Kellerman!

I want to share some of my experiences as a tank driver with you: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanonenjagdpanzer I will call it the tank because using Kanonenjagdpanzer all the time gets tedious.... First thing, tanks do NOT feel like cars. Driving them is much more akin to a sledge ride. After all you have two really big skids (as long as the road protectors are mounted). So, driving on a snow covered road is a nightmare. Stepping on the brake means turning your beautiful 20+ tons tank into a really big sledge. Of course, if you get rid of the rubber pads (which are the first things removed in an emergency) the tank gets serious and the road gets demolished. You have nothing comparable to the road feel you have in a car. The vibration from the engine and the massive weight negate any feedback you would have in a standard, 4 wheeled, car. But still, driving it is fun, our tanks (tuned by a very creative maintenance unit) did up to 80 km/h on roads and not much less cross country. Extremely low power to weight ratio, but as you can guess, no armor to speak of. We were fighting from prepared, concealed positions, firing a few shots then going full speed reverse to the next prepared position. Since I was stationed on the Netherlands border, there was not very much room for this kind of fighting. We were hoping for the Leo II to do its job in the Fulda gap, so we would not have to do ours..... The driver’s position can only be compared with that in a small sports car. Very low sitting position, legs stretched, small steering wheel (YES, no brake levers, a real wheel). Generally there are only two types of controls in a tank. The extremely basic brake levers (where you have two long levers, which you pull towards you to brake the corresponding track) and a steering wheel just like in a car. Turning cycle was directly dependent on the chosen gear. In first you could turn on a dime, literally. If you moved the wheel full to left or right one track would move forward, the other backwards, turning you on the spot. You could also get the full speed reverse, which was important to leave a position as fast as possible, but since the drivers vision to the back was exactly nil (I really don’t count the mirrors which vibrated so much that you could only see light or dark), you were totally dependent on the tank commander who would “try” to tell you when to turn in any direction. The higher the gear the lower the turn radius, so that you would always gear down if you have to turn around corners. Especially driving through towns was a nightmare (as in every tank) because cars and trucks are extremely fragile (see video at the end), seen from a tank drivers point of view, not to mention the beloved "throw the curb" game, a track can play... (a tank tread is powerful enough to rip out a curb stone and throw it on anything that follows behind.) When you press the accelerator, at first nothing happens, then you hear a loud clang, when the wading valve of the exhaust is forcefully opened (most tanks are capable of driving through rivers, some can even immerse and cross the river on the floor of the riverbed. A wading valve keeps the water from entering the exhaust system), and then some 20 liters of Mercedes Diesel show you the true meaning of torque. Driving cross country is the purest joy of driving, I ever felt. It is so exhilarating that you have to do it, to understand it. It’s a bit like in a speedboat, only overland. This tank is extremely fast. It throws earth like a snowplough if the consistency is right. The only encounter of the third kind I had, was, when a MAN 7t gl 6x6 truck tried to overtake me cross country - there is a reason why these trucks were driven on the Paris-Dakar rally. The combat aspects are less glaring, after all it’s only an old American anti tank gun (of M26 fame), that was already long in its teeth when the tank was designed, even worse during my days. You could combat the older soviet tanks (T54-5, T-62) against the T-72 onward only a lucky hit could help you. The ammo types were HEAT and HESH, no KE ammo available. So any vehicle with Chobham or reactive armor was safe from our ministrations. Also the low hull was a problem (as it was a boon when hiding), giving only a very low view position for the commander. His position was equipped with a 360 periscope with up to 8x magnification, but it was only 20 cm higher than the tank itself. The gunner had NO gadgets whatsoever available, only a monocular with an ancient targeting system, no laser or similar toys. You had to measure the dimensions of an enemy tank via markings in the lens and calculate the range in your head - this tank was made long before the event of the electronic calculator.... we are talking early 60ies technology. Funny enough my training made me an expert for WW2 tanks, because of the similar systems. Maybe the fact that the training of tank crews in Germany, had not really changed from those "other" days, did help, too. The "Zielansprache" has not changed a bit. "2 o`clock, enemy MBT, range 1.000 meters. 1 shot Quetschkopf (HESH) fire free" "Loaded" "Fire" clang. And then the loud howling noise from the tank commander who did forget to pull his left foot back, because the empty shell had a tendency to land exactly on the spot where the tip of the foot usually was. Inside the tank you do not really hear the gun sound, because the interior is overpressured during firing, so that the fumes are blown out of the barrel, instead of polluting the interior. The only other tank I did drive was the M-113, which was the vessel of choice for training aspiring tank drivers. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M113_armored_personnel_carrier This tank, made from Aluminium alloys is actually capable of swimming. You just have to switch the board on the front 90°, so that it can work like a ships bow (else the water would swamp the drivers hatch) and go ducky. The driving school used the mortar carrier version, because its centre of gravity was much lower. It’s unbelievably easy to topple an M-113 because it is rather high and the engine is mounted in the front above the tracks, so the mortar version with its heavy mounting in the centre of the troop compartment made it a much safer vehicle. Driving the M-113 is worlds apart from the luxurious Jagdpanzer. You have a gas pedal and 2 brakes. That’s it. Each track is braked separately by pulling on the "Lenkbremshebel". When one track runs slower than the other, the tank is going to veer in that direction. This works, after a fashion, but the problem is real braking. Since most people are right handed, the right arm is usually stronger, which means that you will instinctively brake the right track stronger than the left, making the vehicle pull to the right when doing a brake manoeuvre. That’s no real problem cross country, but on a road it is. These civilian cars are so incredibly fragile. This video is in German, the interesting part starts at 2:06 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dvX03xSkt6Q.html

I thought I had watched this a week ago

I agree with you on the 240 vs the 50. With the 240 you can hit what you're shooting at even in indirect fire mode. You can hit targets well beyond the effective range as lobg as you have a spotter. The m2 is only fires vaguely in the enemy's general direction even with a spotter and requiring the target takes longer. They should up grade to a mini gun.

Is it just me, or does that look really roomy for a tank?

@The_Chieftain, there was a white dial behind you in the commander's seat, any idea what it was?

If the hatch wasn't over-engineered, and, needlessly complex, it just wouldn't be German.

These were actually sneaky little bastards at Hohenfels if you ever had the opportunity to cross train with the Germans. They were small and fast. I'm pretty sure the 90mm would fuck an M1A1's day up in the engine deck and a Bradley anywhere!!! Geez, with a 105 and thermals (on an articulated sight of course), they would be scary even to 72's/64's! I really would have like to have known what the tube looking stuff was to your left while in the TC's seat and what the round hatch thingies beside your right knee were.

Any idea what that item was that fell on Nick's head when he tried to open the TC's hatch? I kept thinking periscope because it was all glowey but I know that isn't the case as much as I wish.

What's the blurred/censored bit behind you in the commander's position?

oof, ouchie, too much brown sugar in my rangefinder

So Nick, what do you think of its operational usefulness? It seems to be a very strange vehicle. As a casemate vehicle with a low silhouette it should have been a decent tank destroyer, but the choice of main gun is baffling. The BK90 gun (L/40) was totally new, featuring reduced recoil compared to the 90mm M36 (L/53) with which it was not interchangeable, and it also used proprietary ammo. It also did not carry as much ammo as an M47 which was being replaced with Leopards at the same time this entered service. It later got replaced with ATGM carriers and Leopards. Nobody else made and used something like the KJPz, AFAIK.

The 240 is easier to carry if you need to abandon the tank.

The escape hatch on the floor is also useful if you have to do some business

Well...two decades and not being in an active war.

17:06 why is there a suspicious handprint on the gunner's side?

What no “the tanks on fire” 😢

The M2 is a much better TC weapon than the M240 MG. I was in the 2nd AD on early M1 when the than DiV commander decided to shoot level 1 Gunnery with the M 240 MG, not the M2 . Armor school and training command were less than happy. We had to shoot gunnery all over again.

HANDLE!

Regarding the commander's ranging system. Would you place the hull of the vehicle inside the box or would you also have to account for the length of the gun? It seems that depending on the angle of the enemy it might be inaccurate.

In the commander position section, there are 4 white cylinders to the viewers right, protected by what looks like a brown leather cushion, about the size of beer cans. Anyone know what those are for?

Seems remarkably roomy for an afv.Gunsight let's it down though.

Seems roomy but presumably there'd be a load of ammo, rations, and all sorts of stuff in there too?

It still looks like a hetzer.

You mentioned that you could sleep up to 3 or 4 people in this tank. But what are tanks like generally for damp and condensation with the crew breathing inside them for long periods of time? Is there anything that can lessen this issue?

So is this the Pinnacle of Stug/Jagdpanzer concept or would the swedish S-tank be considered that. Any chance of the T95 GMC for inside the hatch.

20:36 its haunted, HAUNTED!!!!!

I am so confused. Didn't you upload this video like a week ago?

Anybody read the Buildersplaquette? it says Führungspanzer.... A command Tank, now we know, why there is so little distance on the clock. It got only out for the excercises and wasn't even used much then.... COs have better things to do than to pretend to defend... Does this sound sarcastic? I think it does....

20:37 so, is that vehicle haunted?

Strange YT seems to think I have not seen this video or liked it?

The tank was not on fire...

No smoke Rnds ?

Did I miss the loaders position?

what an engineering crime it is to put such a bad design of scope into that tank!

I’m not sure if I like the new Profile picture

I'd rather have a one handed lever to lick or exit the hatch. Keep it simple!

I guess what might have contributed to the interior design was the fact they had time to do it cause the red army wasnt marching on berlin

3:20 West taller than East.....germans i mean... This is horrible - 6.5 and actually comfortable! 6 feet grunt Royal Life Guards 1998-2007 (Denmark)

Ma Duece rules.

Fun on the gun removal: They left the gun mantlet for balance purpose so the big bulge is funny looking

This is what we in Germany call "Gute Deutsche Werksarbeit!"

Almost smart enough to be an Artillery Officer.

My bet is that 3 position dog on the hatches will seal better and not leak as much

Why didn't they make a jagdpanzer out of a leopard 1?

14:26, SocIAl diSTAncIng fOR tANKerS

**blooper reel** let’s see how long it takes me to do this. Prepare to laugh. Toonk. Shoonk. THUNK. Aow. *I laugh in German*

Life is good, but after curry wurst.....hmm......chemical warfare drills!

:)

An interesting cold war relic.

I suppose that the Germans forgot why the Sturmkanone was 75mm and not 20mm. Hence no need for the wagon with a 90mm gun.