Does anyone think the outcome of the war would have been any different had Germany's second-generation tank destroyers(Hetzer, Jagdpanzer IV, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger) had started production in early 1943 as opposed to early 1944?

Personally, I think Germany was going to lose the war anyway the minute they declared war on Russia , but they probably would have lasted a good bit longer. The Hetzer, Jagdpanzer IV, and Jagdpanther were all very reliable and capable machines, plus they had a relatively low cost because of their simple design which would enable them to be produced in numbers needed for Germany at this stage in the war. Plus that would have given them an extra year to fix the issues in the Jagdtiger .

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No not really. Perhaps more tanks kills and death. The outcome would have been the same though. Just may take alittle bit longer. And if introduced earlier the Allies would have also speeded up thier own countermeasures and still outproduced them.

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

I have come to notice that this answer is the answer to all what if's ever thought up by anybody. More Deaths and kills, longer war, but the outcome would be the same.

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Just having better weapons would not have changed the outcome. What was also needed was a change in command structure. Hitler needed to stop his meddling and let the Generals command. Then, there would have been significant changes in the results. As long as Hitler was in charge, then I agree with you Tomcat.......same results just longer timeframe.

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American by birth, TEXAN by the grace of GOD!

Yes. Like others have stated before here. There would have to be major changes to the German Economic,Political,Racial,Military and other policies and views for them to even barely have a chance to win. Having some better weapons just isn't enough to turn the tide.

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.

More tankdestroyers = more Allied tanks then.

Americans would probably just put more pressure on the fabrication of the Sherman.

You can stop one but can you stop them all?

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1n 1942/43 the Germs had more than enough good tank-destroyers then, such as the StuG III and the Marder II / III series, not forgetting the entire 90 (now that is a mind-boggling number!) of the much publicised Ferdinand.

No practical difference between a StuG III and a Jpz IV, no practical difference between a Ferdinand and a JgPther, so?

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The few Tiger and large caliber AT cannon deployed in 1943 failed to get the attention of the US policy makers. Specfically the commander and staff of US Army Ground Forces, who were responsible for the decsions on equipment selection and production priority. They knew the Germns had the new super weapons, but also thought they would continue to be fielded in insignificant numbers. Were many more of the high powered tank killers to be fielded in 1943 then the real situation would have sunk in at AGF HQ and development/production of the next generation of US armor accelerated. Thats not to say the assualt at Normandy would have been entirely equppied with M26 Pehrshings and M36 Jacksons. A few more of those could have been available a few months earlier. Rather improvements to the M4 Sherman series would be much accelerated.

The focus for close air support might change slightly as well.

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No Luftwaffe to protect those things from moving around?! Or fuel a bit later on?! Germany needed badly lots of everything to stay in the war really.

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Amazing how they managed for so long, isn't it? Now THAT says something.

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