E-10 – the German tank destroyer

E-series ("Entwicklung" series - project, development) is a program for the development of a series of experimental German tanks of the Second World War. Except for the E100, none of the tanks, designed by the program, made it out of the design stage. Despite the fact, that the situation at the fronts and, most importantly, the severe lack of raw materials, made the mass production of new generation tanks unrealistic, intensive research and design work was carried out, and prototypes were created. Priority was given to the research of new components and mechanisms over mass production, so the "E-series" projects were entrusted to companies, that were not involved in the production of tanks for the front, so as not to distract them. Work on the development of the E-10 began in 1944. It had to be as unified, as possible with the rest of the "E series" tanks, and to be more technologically advanced in production and not require high resource costs. The tank project was developed by the "Kloeker-Humboldt-Deutz" company, which had never developed an armored vehicle before. It was planned to replace them with Pz. 38 (t) and combat vehicles, based on it, as well as the JagdPanzer 38 (t) Hetzer tank destroyer. The design of the E-10 is largely similar to the Hetzer light German tank destroyers. In order to save weight, reduce the number of parts and reduce the overall height of the machine, it was decided not to make a rotating tower. As a result, the relatively simple hull form had a heavily sloped front upper armor plate and mounted the 75mm 7.5cm PaK 39 ruen gun (as in the "Hetzer"). The support wheels were arranged in a checkerboard pattern, four on each side, and their diameter was 1000 mm. The suspension consisted of outboard arms attached to the body using a combination of rubber and metal rings for damping. With the help of a hydraulic drive, it was possible to adjust the height of the ground clearance: it varied within 200 mm. Thus, the total height of the tank was 1400-1600 mm. Due to the small size, the standard arrangement of German tanks and self-propelled guns had to be abandoned - now the hydrodynamic transmission was located at the rear, next to the engine. This simplified its disassembly and maintenance, and also allowed to increase the space of the fighting compartment. The engine bay and rear armor plates were planned to be completely removable to allow the engine and transmission to be removed as a single unit. Maybach HL 100 water-cooled gasoline engines with a capacity of 400 h. p. were planned as the main engine types. Or "Argus" is air-cooled in the fall, the power of which is 350 h. p. The design speed of the E-10 should have been 65-70 km/h on the highway. Work on the E-10 design stopped after a few months. Its expected mass should have been about 15-16 tons, although according to the conditions it should have been ten tons. Due to the absence of a tower, it was impossible to conduct ring fire without turning the entire machine, and the industry was not well versed in the production of a similar suspension and transmission, which would cause obstacles, when the mass production of tanks began. Not a single E-10 light tank prototype was produced.

An uncomplicated, well designed and richly detailed model with no fighting compartment and engine detailing, well-restored chassis and exterior details, the model is designed for modelers of all experience levels. Only beginners and less experienced modelers should work under the supervision of a more experienced colleague and this should not be one of the first, more complex models, You glue. Tracks are given only in band type.