Panther vol3 - Walk Around

Panther SdKfz.171
Paese	Germania
Ruolo	Carro medio
In servizio	1943–1945
Costruito	Oltre 6000

Il Panther è un carro armato medio tedesco schierato durante la seconda guerra mondiale sui fronti orientale e occidentale in Europa dalla metà del 1943 fino alla fine della guerra nel 1945. Aveva la designazione di inventario degli ordigni di Sd.Kfz. 171. Fu designato come Panzerkampfwagen V Panther fino al 27 febbraio 1944, quando Hitler ordinò che il numero romano "V" fosse cancellato. I rapporti contemporanei in lingua inglese a volte si riferiscono ad esso come il "Mark V".

fonte: Panther sur Wikipedia

Panther
Fotografo	Inconsapevole
Localizzazione	Inconsapevole
Foto	40

Pantera 01

Pantera 02

Pantera 03

Pantera 04

Pantera 05

Pantera 06

Pantera 07

Pantera 08

Pantera 09

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Aspetta, cercarti Panther...

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V Walk Around
Fotografo	Bill Maloney
Localizzazione	Inconsapevole
Foto	22

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 01

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 02

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 03

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 04

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 05

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 06

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 07

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 08

Panther Panzerkampfwagen Mk V 09

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A Revolutionary Response

Le Panzer V Pantera 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-34’s most effective feature: sloped armor. 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)
Ruolo	Medium Tank (though heavy by Allied standards)
Equipaggio	5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver, Radio Op)
Armamento principale	7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70 (High Velocity)
Frontal Armor	80 mm (Lower) / 100 mm (Mantlet) at steep slopes
Motore	Maybach HL 230 P30 V12 (700 hp)
Peso	Approx. 44.8 tonnes (Combat Loaded)
Velocità massima	46 km/h (29 mph) on road
Production Total	Approx. 6,000 units

Design Engineering: High Tech, High Cost

The Long 75: The Panther’s 75mm gun had a longer barrel ($L/70$) than the Tiger I’s 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 Panther’s front even at point-blank range, while the Panther could snip Shermans from over 2,000 meters away.
The “Glass Jaw” Sides: To keep weight down, the Panther had relatively thin side armor (40–50mm). Experienced Allied and Soviet crews learned that they couldn’t 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.