Pzkpfw V Panther its variants.

Panther Ausf G with steel-rimmed road-wheels.

Originally, it was planned to manufacture model Ausf G with steel-rimmed road-wheels ( gummisparende) instead of previously used rubber-rimmed road-wheels, the all steel stamped wheels would save manufacturing time, but in 1944 only small series of 24 was produced. This variant is reported as very noisy for obvious reasons.




And one fantastic picture of the all steel wheel G in the front, this Panther had already entered in combat as in noted in the 3 killmark painted near the muzzle of powerful Kwk 42. Note that one of the external roadwheel has been replaced with the standar rubber tired model.



The location seems to be Belgium in the winter of 1944.

Images of the ausf A and ausf G of the Panzer-Lehr near a Farm in France june 1944.
The desission to send one of the best armoured combat trainers ( probably the best in the world at that time) at the front to be slaughtered by Lancaster, Thunderbolts and Typhoon, was not one you might call wise.

Bergepanther.

During the early war years the German army used the 18-tonne SdKfz 9/1
and 9/2 for recovering broken-down or damaged tanks, but with the arrival of
the heavy tanks such as the Tiger and Panther these vehicles were no longer
able to recover the weights involved.



The only way they could be used effectively was in complicated tandem or other arrangements with one vehicle's crane acting in combination with the other, and it was not always possible to get two of these large halftracks to some locations, even supposing two were on hand, The only solution to the
problem of large vehicle recovery was the development of a new heavy recovery vehicle.



Some of the early Tiger units converted their machines to take winches in the turret in place of the main gun for recovery purposes, but this was a waste of a valuable gun tank and Tigers were always in short supply.
In the end it was decided to use the Panther tank as the basis for the new vehicle. The new vehicle became known as the SdKfz 179 Bergepanther, or Bergepanzer Panther. The first of these appeared during 1943, and they were conversions of early models of Panther gun tanks. On the conversion the turret and fighting compartments were completely removed and replaced by an open superstructure housing a large and powerful winch.



To increase the 'pull' of this winch the vehicle had at the rear a large earth spade. In use this spade was lowered to the ground and the vehicle was reversed, the spade thus being dug down into the ground to act as a stable anchor when the winch was in use with the cable running out
over the vehicle rear. The combination of spade and winch enabled the Bergepanther to recover even the heaviest vehicles, and it also carried all manner of other recovery equipment, including a light crane jib on the left-hand side for use when carrying out running repairs.

It was spring 1944 before the first Bergepanthers reached the troops, the conversions being carried out by DEMAG in Berlin. By the time the war ended 297 had been produced, but not all of them were fully equipped, For
supply reasons some vehicles were issued without the rear-mounted spade which reduced them to little more than towing vehicles; they were of such limited utility that many of these incomplete vehicles had their winches removed to enable them to be employed as supply and ammunition carriers.

The full standard Bergepanthers proved to be invaluable and not surprisingly they were concentrated in Panther, Tiger and Königstiger formations. In service they had a crew of five, and most retained their front hull 7.92- mm (0.312-in) machine-gun. Many were also armed with a 2-cm cannon carried just forward of the open superstructure on a mount that allowed it to be used either in the anti-aircraft or ground target role.



When they were first introduced the Bergepanthers were well in advance of other contemporary recovery vehicles. Although it was a conversion of an existing tank, its combination of winch, earth spade and overall layout meant that it was quite simply the best recovery vehicle produced during World
War II.

Bergepanther with 37mm AAA.

A rare bird with shielded a 37mm flak gun on top, the pictures were taken in Poland I believe.

Another good picture of a BergePanther, this time towing a Ferdinand tank hunter.

Defensive emplacements in the Bergepanther, MG 34, 20 mm Solothurn 18-1000 rifle, or Flak 38 2cm gun.

Nice post, CB.

Thank you Matt.

Firing test against the Panther:

U.S. Army Test No.2

Firing Tests conducted 12-30 July 1944 by 1st U.S. Army in Normandy.

REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS OF BOARD OF OFFICERS

Organization: Headquarters, First U.S. Army.
Place: APO 230, U.S. Army.
Proceddings of a board of officers which convened at Headquarters, First U.S. Army, pursuant to Special Order No.196, Headquarters, First U.S. Army, 19 July 1944, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit A1.

The board met pursuant to the foregoing order at Headquarters, First U.S. Army, APO 230, at 1400 on 12 July 1944 and on subsequent dates to conduct the firing tests. The final meeting was held on 30 July 1944.

Present: All Members.
Purpose: To conduct tests to determine the effectiveness of tank and anti-tank weapons in First U.S. Army, against the German Mk V "Panther" and Mk VI "Tiger" tanks.

1a. Firing was conducted on terrain permitting 1500 yards maximum range with zero angle of site. All guns and types of ammunition, suitable for anti-tank purposes, available to First U.S. Army were defeated on targets whose armour plate was slightly burned.

Upon determination of critical ranges, all penetrations were proven against the armor plate of a German Mk V "Panther" Tank with armor undamaged and in excellent condition. All firing was conducted normal2 to the target. No firing was conducted against the German Mk VI "Tiger" Tank as there were none available.

1b. The following normal types of tank and anti-tank weapons and ammunition were tested;
WEAPON/AMMUNITION
Launcher, Rocket, AT, 2.36"Rocket, AT, 2.36", M6A1Launcher, Grenade, M8Grenade, AT, M9A137mm Gun, M6, Mounted on Light Tank, M5A1APC M5140mm Gun, M1, AAAP M5857mm Gun, M1APC M86Sabot 375mm Gun, M3, mounted on Medium Tank, M4APC M61HEAT M66 (Special)3-inch Gun, M5, mounted on Motor Carriage, M10APC M62, w/BDF M66A1AP M7990mm Gun, M1A1, AAAP M77105mm Howitzer, M4, mounted on Medium Tank, M4HEAT M67


1c. The board assumed that the effect of hollow charge ammunition is not dependent on terminal velocity but the effect does vary with the angle at which the projectile strikes. Hits approaching 90º angle of impact give better penetration.

2. Record of firing with Photographs. See Exhibit B1.
Findings: The board having carefully considered the evidence before it, finds that:

1) Launcher, Rocket, AT, 2.36"
Rocket, AT, 2.36", M6A1 will penetrate the side of the turret and the side and rear armor plate of the 'Panther' Tank at 100 yards. On the bassis of the assumption in paragraph 1c it follows that as the range increases, thereby reducing the angle of impact4 against the side of the turret and side armor plate, the possibility of penetration will materially decrease.

2) Launcher, Grenade, M8
Grenade, AT, M9A1, will penetrate the side of the turret and the side and rear plate of the 'Panther' Tank at 60 yards. On the basis of the assumption in paragraph 1c it follows that as the range increases, thereby reducing the angle of impact4 against the side of the turret and side armor plate, the possibility of penetration will materially decrease.

3) 37mm Gun, M6, Mounted on Light Tank, M5A1
APC, M51 will penetrate the sides and rear of the 'Panther' Tank at 600 yards.

4) 40mm Gun, M1, AA
AP, M58 will penetrate the sides and rear of the 'Panther' Tank at 600 yards.

5) 57mm Gun, M1
a) APC, M86 will penetrate the sides and rear of the 'Panther' Tank at 1500 yards.
b) Sabot fails to penetrate front glacis slope plate and gun shield at 200 yards. Due to difficulty experienced in obtaining hits no conclusion as to the effectiveness of this ammunition was reached.
6) 75mm Gun, M3, mounted on Medium Tank, M4
a) APC M61 will penetrate the sides and rear of the 'Panther' Tank up to 1500 yards. APC M61 at 200 yards will not penetrate the front armor of the 'Panther' Tank.

b) HEAT M66 (Special) will not penetrate the front glacis slope plate at 500 yards (see assumption made in paragraph 1c).

7) 3-inch Gun, M5, mounted on Motor Carriage, M10
a) APC M62, w/BDF M66A1 will not penetrate front glacis slope plate at 200 yards. Will penetrate gun mantlet at 200 yards and penetrate sides and rear of the 'Panther' Tank up to 1500 yards.

b) AP M79 will not penetrate the front slope plate or the mantlet at 200 yards. It holds no advantage over APC M62 ammunition w/BDF M66A1.

8 ) 90mm Gun, M1A1, AA
AP M77 will penetrate front glacis slope plate up to 600 yards, the gun mantlet up to 1,000 yards and the turret up to 1,500 yards.

9) 105mm Howitzer, M4, mounted on Medium Tank, M4
HEAT M67 will penetrate front glacis slope plate and gun mantlet at 500 yards (see assumption made in paragraph 1c).
In addition to testing the normal types of tank and anti-tank weapons and ammunition, additional types were tested with the following results:

A) 75mm Gun, M3, mounted on Medium Tank, M4
WP M64 - Three rounds were fired at 500 yards for the purpose of obtaining an incendiary or blinding effect. The results were unsatisfactory.

B) 75mm Gun, M3, mounted on Medium Tank, M4
HE M48 w/fz T105 - Three rounds were fired at the front glacis slope plate at 500 yards to determine its armor penetrative characteristics. The rounds failed to penetrate, ricochetting from the plate and bursting in the air.


U.S. Test No.2

Panther Ausf. G "Ersatz M10"




Probably the only tank variant in ww2 designed to violate any possible Hague convention.

In late 1944, Hitler was planning one last desperate offensive to attempt to obtain a separate peace from the Western Allies. The Wacht am Rhein plan was designed to split the British and American armies as well as capture Antwerp. This battle, of course, became known as the Battle of the Bulge in the West. As a part of the Wacht am Rhein plan was Operation Greif under the command of Otto Skorzeny. English speaking German commandos in American uniforms and using as much American equipment as possible would infiltrate American positions to seize bridges across the Meuse.

This unit, innoculously entitled Panzer Brigade 150 was supposed to consist of 3,300 men, 15 Sherman tanks, 32 armored cars (U.S.), 198 trucks, and 147 jeeps which had been requisition from OB West. Unfortunately for the brigade, the required equipment never materialized. Panzer Brigade 150 went into battle with only about 2,500 men and a dozen tanks and assault guns. Several of the tanks were Panther Ausf. G's extensively modified to look like U.S. M-10 tank destroyers.

Making a Panther look like an M-10 is no mean feat, and the conversion process was extensive to maintain the illusion. The turret was surrounded by sheet metal and made to resemble the M-10 turret. The mantelet was also altered. As the M-10 had an open-topped turret, all protrusions on the top of the Panther turret either had to be covered by the false side-walls or removed. This fact meant that the Panther's cupola was removed and a new split hatch was attached in it's place. The front and rear hull were also extensively modified to resemble the M-10.

While a few of the jeep commando teams easily slipped through American sentries and roamed freely behind American lines, but the rest of the unit languished with Sixth Panzer Armee. When it became apparent that no breakthrough was going to occur, the "Ersatz M-10's" were committed along with the rest of the brigade as a normal combat unit. Ultimately they did not cheat anybody, all of the vehicles faced a stubborn resistance by the US soldiers and were destroyed or disabled in the fighting.

Some photos of the Ersatz M-10 used by the SS Panzerbrigade 150 and destroyed in battle.

Panzerkampfwagen Panther II

With the publication of Thomas Jentz's Germany's Panther Tank: The Quest for Combat Supremacy, a good deal of controversy was created regarding the technical specifications of the Panther II. Many of the previous specifications were challenged by the Jentz work. Rather than taking one side or another in this debate, Technical Virtue will present both views and let the reader make their own decisions.

All sources agree that development of the Panther II started in early 1943. According to Jentz, the only initial difference between the Panther II and the Panther I was armor thickness (and, of course, the mass increase associated with the thicker armor), and It was not until February that plans for standardization of components between the Panther II and Tiger III (later renamed Tiger II) was planned. Spielberger contends that the commonality was seen as a major driving force behind the creation of the Panther II.

The Turret Controversy

Jentz maintains that the schmal Blendenausfuehrung turret to be used on the Panther II was not the Schmalturm of the Panther Ausf. F, much less the upgunned version. This view is based on Drawing No. H-Sk A 88176 from November of 1943 which details the machine gun mount for narrow mantelet turret for the Panther II. It, however, appears that no full drawing of this turret is available at present because the drawings rendered in 1995 for the Jentz book by Hilary Doyle show neither the turret nor the hull top hatches.

Oner thing is true, no complete prototype of the Panther II was ever made but an hybrid vehicle with the heavier armored hull ( 120 mm glacis, 60 mm sides) and a Panther ausf G turret , that was captured and could be seen today in Patton Museum of Fort Knox, USA.

Self Propelled artillery on Panther Chassis, Rheinmetall Borsig proposals.

The first Rheinmetall attemp to fullfill a requeriment for a self propelled howitzers and cannons that could be dismounted come out in July 1942 , time in wich the Panther was merelya prototype.
The WaPrüf 4 showed little interest in the series design because the always short supply of Panther for other than main battle tank use.

However Rheimetall was undeterred and continue to produce design drawings until december 1944, some of them using completely new weapons and components, the most prominent of that was a big multichamber muzzle brake in the main guns.
Some examples :

12,8 cm K43 slf, january 1943. 128mm dual purpose gun in a high elevation mount and dismountable shield.




12,8 cm Skorpion. april 1943, this "poisonous" design was one for a direct support/tank killer 128 mm self propelled gun. The gun had a separated charge projectile with a muzzle speed of 850 mps.




15 cm schweres Feld Haubitze Panther Bauteilen, 150 mm heavy howitzer april 1943. Not really a Panther chassis but a longer vehicle using several components of the Pz V.



This was clearly a "waffenträger", the "casemate" shield and gun was designed to used mostly from the ground, the mechanic elements to dismount the gun ( jacks and winch) was carried in the rear and aft of the vehicle.

All profile drawings by Hillary L. Doyle

Self Propelled artillery on Panther Chassis, Krupp proposals.

The Krupp proposals for a self propelled artillery vehicle on Panther were by far more simple than the RB. A example was this 105mm armed armed vehicle, rejected for series manufacturing by pressure of Guderian, the general was unwilling to gave away standar tanks for special purposes. :

Panther in action is the Baltic states, probably doing its best bussines as a powerful mobile antitank plataform.

extract from: Osprey Vanguard 21, the Panther Medium Tank

Have to say, CB, this is an excellent series so far. Thanks,
Terry.

Thank you very much, I am trying to be as informative as possible.

The death of a Panther.

City of Köln ( Cologne) 3th march 1945, breaking the resistance of the army and Volkssturm militia, the US army 3rd armored Div penetrate in the city, in the streets near the cathedral some combat took place between a Panther and 3 Div tanks, The following images show the destruction of a Panther by a brand new M26 Pershing.

The Panther hits a Sherman with a single shot, the tank is wrecked, 2 of the crew bailed out seriously wounded.




The Pershing advancing by the side street at full trottle and shoot in the move, the Panther is hit in the rear hull.




Given the position of the panzer turret is probably that the german gunner was about to open fire...but the stabilization in the Pershing allowed it to shoot first.

The german tank commander crawls out , in the meanwhile the ammunition cook off....










the MG 34 gunner tries to get out...

The death of a Panther (II)

The driver scapes...






another figure emerges from the turret, maybe the gunner or loader...






The Panther is hit again, the 90 mm AP round penetrates the mantlet, 110 mm of hard german steel are defeated. Unthinkable achivement with a Sherman...but the Pershing is other story

The Death of a Panther (III)

When the combat camera guy get focus again the driver completed its scape, somehow he managed to survive the last 90 mm hit, however one of the crew in the turret did not.





The Panther is hit the third and last time, flames erupted everywhere...the kill is completed.












And this is the final state, the heat softened the internal torsion bars lowering the height of the tank.

What a superb series of frames! Fantastic work, CB. Thanks again!