The prototypes and the first 20 production Panthers built were armed with 75mm gun with a single baffle muzzle break (the same gun used on the Pz.Kpfw.
V Sd.Kfz 171 Panther Ausf D (‘Ausf’ is short for Ausführung which literally means ‘execution’ but generally means the make, model or version) and serial production began in January 1943. The new panzer was designated the Pz.Kpfw. Research and prototypes was done throughout the summer and fall, and at the end of 1942 MAN delivered their prototype for acceptance trials. This is a wooden model of the Daimler-Benz design proposal which look like a T-34 with “wings.” The MAN design was favored and selected for production. On May 13, 1942, Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG (MAN) and Daimler-Benz submitted their design proposals to the Ministry of Armaments and War Production. On 25 November 1941, German manufacturers received design guidelines to develop a new medium panzer which would be a response to the Soviet KV-1 and T-34 tanks and to replace the Pz.Kpfw. With its sloped armor it proved to be superior to the German panzers armor at the time. Its combat debut during Operation Zitadelle (AKA the Battle of Kursk) in 1943 became an ignominious disaster.ĭuring Operation Barbarossa in 1941, the Germans invaded the Soviet Union and encountered the Soviets new T-34 tank. The Germans (Hilter) made the mistake of rushing the new Panther in service before numerous teething problems were resolved and the crews were properly prepared. The Panzerkampfwagen (Pz.Kpfw.) V Sd.Kfz 171 Panther armed with a 75mm KwK 42 L/70 gun was considered one of the best German medium tanks of WWII.
0 kommentar(er)
