Tank Chats #143 | Hetzer | The Tank Museum

4 Hetzers in the bush are better then 1 Jagdtiger broken down on the road

"Czech situation deteriorates in the late 1930s" - lovely bit of British understatement...

At the end of the war German tanks were mostly camouflaged at the factory or in depots instead of leaving the camouflaging up to the crews. Czech factories did this as well, but ran out of German paint, so they used old Czech army colors still in stock. This vehicle has the Czech camouflage scheme painted on it. You see many pictures of wartime "Hetzers" in this very un-German scheme. Mr. Willey mentions that the scheme on the tank is correct but the colors are not and he is correct. The colors should be Czech Army olive green and dark brown with a cream colored paint used in spots between the two main colors.

Jagdtiger lurking in the background: “Little friend, fear not the camera men, I will look after you.”

It always amazes me that a vehicle that small could fit that gun, ammunition, the engine and the fuel tanks as well as four men inside that hull.

30mins on the Hetzer. must know it's one of my favourite tanks

One tiny quibble: in WWI, Germany and The Austro-Hungarian Empire, along with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire, were known as the Central Powers, not the Axis as in WWII.

I adore Mr. Fletcher (International treasure), but I have to admit that I do enjoy and get much more out of Mr. Willey's tank chats. So much more history and historical context above and beyond the specs of the vehicle. Thanks for this, and a happy and safe new year to everyone at Bovington, and everyone here in the comments.

Many years ago I worked for somebody who had driven Churchills (and later Shermans) in Italy, he said his least favourite thing was when they had to take a turn as a bait target for German ambush tank destroyers when it was suspected there was one about..

1938: Allies sold Czechoslovakia to Germany for peace. 1940: Czechoslovakian tanks and arms in 7th panzer division are steamrolling through France. Ironic..

Hetzer gonna Hetz! IDK why, I've always loved these small boi's with their reasonably big guns!

I was lucky enough to take the last tour of the Littlefield museum before the collection was sold off and got to go inside the Hetzer that day. It was actually very roomy inside, not cramped like most tanks. I even too a picture looking through the periscope with the range finder visible. What an amazing experience!

I appreciate whoever it was that found multiple archive images of the different rear idler wheel in use.

Happy New Year to all especially all those at Bovington. Let’s hope covid is less of a problem in 2022 and the best Tank Museum on Earth sees record visitor numbers 👍

Between the Chieftains Videos on the Hetzer having a look inside and going into the technical details and Mr. Willeys video on the history of it I go into the new year as a happy tanknerd.

I think this and the Jagdpanther are the best looking vehicles of the era; something very sci-fi about them.

Really interesting video and a fascinating history lesson. Who would have thought that Hitler came up with sensible military ideas ? He not only got the Stugs upgunned and turned them into very effective tank killers,but I think he also promoted the upgunning of the Panzer lll ,which originally only had a 37mm gun. Fortunately he had far more impractical and stupid ideas than practical ones.

Thank you for this memory of the Czechoslovak production of the ŠKODA and ČKD brands. To this day, many people are wondering if we could stand up to the Hitlers in the fight against Our armaments and the strongholds on the border with Germany. Thanks for this video.

I love the Hetzer! Saw one for the first time 42 years ago in front of the Bastogne Historical Centre near the Mardasson.

The Germans captured the Skoda works, now they own them.