Panther tank | |
|---|---|
| Country | Nazi Germany |
| Role | Medium tank |
| In service | 1943–1945 |
| Built | 6000+ |
The Panther is a German medium tank deployed during World War II on the Eastern and Western Fronts in Europe from mid-1943 to the war’s end in 1945. It had the ordnance inventory designation of Sd.Kfz. 171. It was designated as the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther until 27 February 1944, when Hitler ordered that the Roman numeral “V” be deleted. Contemporary English language reports sometimes refer to it as the “Mark V”.
Source: Panther on Wikipedia
| Panther | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Unknow |
| Localisation | Unknow |
| Photos | 40 |
| PzKpfw V Panther Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | John Heck |
| Localisation | Jacques Littlefield Collection |
| Photos | 44 |
See also:
This German ordnance designation refers to the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther, often simply called the Panther tank. It was a medium tank developed by Nazi Germany and used on the Eastern and Western Fronts of World War II from mid-1943 until the end of the war in May 1945.
The Panther is widely regarded by historians as one of the best German tanks of the war, and an influential design due to its sloped armor, powerful main gun, and good mobility.
Sd.Kfz. 171: The Panther Medium Tank
| Feature | Specification (General/Typical) |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Panzerkampfwagen V Panther (Pz.Kpfw. V) |
| Type | Medium Tank |
| In Service | 1943–1945 (Nazi Germany) |
| Crew | 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver, Radio Operator/Hull Machine Gunner) |
| Weight (Mass) | Approx. 44.8 tonnes (49.4 short tons) |
| Length (Gun forward) | 8.66 m to 8.86 m (depending on variant) |
| Width | 3.27 m to 3.42 m |
| Height | 2.99 m |
| Main Armament | 1 x 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70 tank gun |
| Secondary Armament | 2 x 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns |
| Engine | Maybach HL230 P30 V12 petrol engine |
| Engine Power | 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW) |
| Max Speed (Road) | 46 km/h to 55 km/h (depending on model/conditions) |
| Operational Range | Approx. 200 km (Road) / 100 km (Cross-country) |
Key Design Features
- Sloped Armor: The Panther’s most notable feature, inspired by the Soviet T-34, was its heavily sloped frontal armor (up to 80 mm at 55 degrees on the glacis plate, equivalent to a much thicker vertical plate). This significantly increased its protection against enemy fire.
- Powerful Gun: The 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70 was a high-velocity gun that could penetrate the armor of nearly any Allied tank it faced.
- Interleaved Road Wheels: The use of large, overlapping, interleaved road wheels provided excellent weight distribution and a very smooth ride, crucial for cross-country performance. However, this design was also complex and time-consuming to maintain and repair, particularly in muddy or icy conditions.
Major Variants
- Ausf. D: The initial production model, first seeing combat at the Battle of Kursk in 1943. It suffered from numerous mechanical issues initially.
- Ausf. A: Corrected many of the mechanical faults of the Ausf. D, featured a new, better-protected cast commander’s cupola, and often included a hull machine gun ball mount.
- Ausf. G: The most common and final major production variant. It featured changes to the hull side armor (thicker and simpler), the removal of the driver’s vision port (relying solely on a periscope), and further mechanical refinements.
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