Bergepanzer 38(t) Sd.Kfz. 136
The Bergepanzer 38 was developed for units equipped with the Hetzer tank destroyer. When a Hetzer broke down on the battlefield, it needed to be recovered as quickly as possible — and that required a vehicle capable of navigating the same terrain. From October 1944, a total of 106 newly built and 64 converted Bergepanzer 38 were assigned to Hetzer battalions. This particular vehicle rolled off the production line of Böhmisch-Mährische Maschinenfabrik (BMM) in German-occupied Czechoslovakia in 1944. Its 7.8-litre six-cylinder Praga Ps 1 EPA AC/258 engine, rated at 160 hp, gives the vehicle a top speed of 42 km/h. Restored and reconstructed down to the last screw in strict accordance with original factory specifications and manuals, this Bergepanzer 38 is believed to be the only road-worthy example in existence worldwide.
