Panthère

Panther SdKfz.171

PaysGermany
RôleRéservoir moyen
En service1943–1945
ConstruitPlus de 6000

Le Panther est un char moyen allemand déployé pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale sur les fronts est et occidental en Europe du milieu de 1943 à la guerre’fin 1945. Il a eu la désignation d’inventaire de nance de Sd.Kfz. 171. Il a été désigné panzerkampfwagen V Panther jusqu’au 27 février 1944, quand Hitler a ordonné que le chiffre romain « C » être supprimé. Les rapports de langue anglaise contemporaine l’appellent parfois « Marque V ».

Source: Panther sur Wikipedia

Panther
PhotographeInconnu
LocalisationInconnu
Photos40
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Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V Walk Around
PhotographeBill Maloney
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Photos22

Voir aussi :

Seconde Guerre mondiale : l’histoire visuelle définitive de la Blitzkrieg à la bombe atomique (DK Definitive Visual Histories) - Amazon Carte par carte de la Seconde Guerre mondiale (carte par carte de l’histoire du Danemark) - Amazon


A Revolutionary Response

Lla Panzer V Panther was born out of shock. When German forces encountered the Soviet T-34 in 1941, they realized their Panzer III and IV tanks were obsolete. The Panther was the « crash program » answer, incorporating the T-34s most effective feature: Blindage incliné. Often cited as the best overall tank of World War II, it struck a legendary balance between speed, protection, and firepower. While the Tiger was a heavy breakthrough brute, the Panther was the refined duelist—faster, sleeker, and equipped with a gun that could punch through almost anything it saw.

Attribute Technical Specification (Ausf. G)
Rôle Medium Tank (though heavy by Allied standards)
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver, Radio Op)
Armement principal 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70 (High Velocity)
Frontal Armor 80 mm (Lower) / 100 mm (Mantlet) at steep slopes
moteur Maybach HL 230 P30 V12 (700 hp)
Weight Approx. 44.8 tonnes (Combat Loaded)
Vitesse maximale 46 km/h (29 mph) on road
Production Total Approx. 6,000 units

Design Engineering: High Tech, High Cost

  • The Long 75: The Panthers 75mm gun had a longer barrel ($L/70$) than the Tiger Is 88mm. This gave the shell a higher muzzle velocity, meaning it had a flatter trajectory and superior armor penetration at long ranges.
  • Torsion Bar Suspension: The Panther featured a complex « interleaved » wheel system (Schachtellaufwerk). While it provided a smooth ride and a stable firing platform, it was a nightmare for mechanics; if an inner wheel broke, several outer wheels had to be removed to reach it.
  • The Sloped Glacis: Unlike the boxy Tiger, the Panther’s front plate was angled at 55 degrees. This effectively doubled the protection, causing Allied shells to ricochet harmlessly away rather than bite into the steel.
  • Infrared Night Vision: Late-war Panthers (Ausf. G) were some of the first tanks in history to be equipped with active infrared « Vampir » scopes, allowing them to hunt in total darkness.

Operational History: Greatness vs. Gremlins

  • The Kursk Disaster: The Panther’s debut at the Battle of Kursk (1943) was a mechanical catastrophe. More Panthers were lost to engine fires and transmission failures than to Soviet fire. The design had been rushed into production before the « bugs » were worked out.
  • The Normandy Shock: By 1944, the « bugs » were largely fixed. Allied tankers in Normandy were horrified to find that their standard M4 Shermans could not penetrate the Panthers front even at point-blank range, while the Panther could snip Shermans from over 2,000 meters away.
  • Lla « Glass Jaw » Sides: To keep weight down, the Panther had relatively thin side armor (40–50mm). Experienced Allied and Soviet crews learned that they couldnt fight a Panther head-on—they had to outmaneuver it and hit it from the side.
  • Post-War French Service: The Panther was so highly regarded that the French Army actually operated a full regiment of captured Panthers (the 503e Régiment de Chars de Combat) for several years after the war ended.

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