>Type Tank destroyer
>Place of origin Nazi Germany
>Weight 10.8 tonnes (23,809 lb)
>Length 6.36 m (20 ft 10 in)
>Width 2.28 m (7 ft 6 in)
>Height 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
>Crew 3
>Armor 5-35 mm (.19 -1.37 in)
>Main armament 1x 7.5 cm Pak 40 37 rounds
>Engine Maybach HL 62 TRM 140 PS (138 hp, 103 kW)
>Power/weight 12.96 PS/tonne
>Suspension Leaf spring
>range 190 km (118 mi)
>Speed 40 km/h (25 mph)
The Marder II was a German tank destroyer of World War II based on the Panzer II chassis. Only four exist today.
During the very first days of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Germans were shocked to encounter Soviet T-34 medium tanks and KV heavy tanks. Although the Wehrmacht succeeded in most operations due to superior tactics, morale, and supply, it had few anti-tank weapons capable of successfully engaging these vehicles at normal ranges. An urgent need arose for a more mobile and powerful anti-tank weapon than the existing towed anti-tank guns or tank destroyers like the Panzerjäger I.
Among a series of solutions, it was decided to use light tanks like the Panzer II and captured vehicles like the Lorraine Schlepper as the basis for makeshift tank destroyers. The result was the Marder series, which were armed with either the new 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank guns or captured Soviet 7.62 cm F-22 Model 1936 field guns, large numbers of which had been acquired early in the war.
The various Marder IIs fought on all fronts of the war, mainly at the Eastern Front.
The Marder IIs were used by the Panzerjäger Abteilungen of the Panzer divisions of both the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS, as well as several Luftwaffe units.
The Marder's weaknesses were mainly related to survivability. The combination of a high silhouette and open-top fighting compartment made them vulnerable to indirect artillery fire, shrapnel, and grenades. The armor was also quite thin, making them vulnerable to enemy tanks or infantry.
The Marders were not assault vehicles or tank substitutes; the open top meant that operations in urban areas or other close-combat situations were very risky. They were best employed in defensive or overwatch roles. Despite their weaknesses they were much more effective than the towed antitank guns they replaced.
