Jagdpanzer MOWAG Cheetah

The Jagdpanzer MOWAG Cheetah is a Jagdpanzer (tank hunter) made by Mowag in Switzerland.

MOWAG Cheetah / Gepard Jagdpanzer
MOWAG Cheetah at Military Museum Full
TypeSelf-propelled anti-tank gun
Place of originSwitzerland
Production history
DesignerMOWAG Motor Car Factory, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
ManufacturerMOWAG
Produced1960
No. built1
VariantsTank destroyer
Specifications
Mass24,800 kg (54,700 lb)
Crew4: driver, commander, gunner, loader

Main
armament
90 mm anti-tank gun (105 mm optional)
Secondary
armament
7.62 MG3 in MOWAG apex mount
EngineMOWAG M 10 DV 13500 TLK displacement cm ³
405 kW
TransmissionMOWAG Mechanical-hydraulic 6 forward 2 Backwartsgear
Suspensiontorsion bar
Fuel capacity400 L (106 US gal; 88 imp gal)
Operational
range
500 km (310 mi)
Maximum speed 70 km/h (43 mph)

History and development

In 1960, the West German Bundeswehr started a development project with the purpose of creating a new casemate tank destroyer armed with the 90mm anti-tank gun from their obsolete M47 Patton tanks. Three different proposals were offered by the companies Henschel, Hanomag and Mowag. Each company completed a single prototype for a comparison test. The Bundeswehr eventually chose the Hanomag prototype and put it into production as the Kanonenjagdpanzer.[1] Built in early 1960, the MOWAG Cheetah has air conditioning, NBC protection, and an automatic fire detection and extinguishing system in the engine compartment. The only prototype is now in the Military Museum Full.[2] [3]

References

  1. Foss, Christopher F., Panzer und andere Kampffahrzeuge von 1916 bis heute (in German), Buch und Zeit Verlagsgesellschaft, p. 134
  2. Militärmuseum Full Switzerland
  3. Marcus Bauer, Nutzfahrzeuge der MOWAG Motorwagenfabrik AG, Fachpresse Goldach, Hudson & Company, 1996 ISBN 9783857380563
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