Growl of the Panther Tank

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by lufttiger

Ok i have another ? for you guys what is the difference
in those rear deck fans, A & D models were flat, then G had this much
bigger fan on top? anyone know why?

I was looking for rear deck shots and found a cupola.

Too nice a shot not to post!

There's still a fan in there though, so I'm still on topic.

[lufttiger]

Thanks McCoy, i had no idea they needed a heater, i always whought they used the engine for heat?

Nice pic Cy, very cool

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by lufttiger

Nice pic Cy, very cool

All nice pics Cyberia, thanks for sharing!


Here's some more Panther trivia:

The Panzer V Ausf F (Sd Kfz 171) never went into production. 8 Hulls were made and only prototype turrets existed.

This info and a great picture of one, is from "The Encylopedia of German Tanks of WWII". It's one of my favorite books, although some people claim the data is not all that accurate. I haven't seen too many errors, but perhaps a few. In any case, it has a LOT of great pictures!

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Pirate-Drakk

All nice pics Cyberia, thanks for sharing!


Here's some more Panther trivia:

The Panzer V Ausf F (Sd Kfz 171) never went into production. 8 Hulls were made and only prototype turrets existed.

This info and a great picture of one, is from "The Encylopedia of German Tanks of WWII". It's one of my favorite books, although some people claim the data is not all that accurate. I haven't seen too many errors, but perhaps a few. In any case, it has a LOT of great pictures!

You know, I had that book. I had it for all of two weeks and lent to a friend in New York. He had a pipe burst in the apartment above his and it was ruined. He offered to pay me for it, but he lost so mush of his own stuff I didn't have heart to take his money.

I never reordered it either. I'll have to do that. From the little I saw of it, it was an exceptional book.

I just scanned in a load of new pics. I'll be posting them tonight.

[cyberia]

And here they are...

A train load of new Panther D's about to head to the front

A Panther of the Waffen SS "Wiking" divison in action
Note the sniper perched behind the turret

The buddy system
A Column of Panther D's in Italy with a remote controlled demolition vehicle leading the way

An early production Panther D in action in Russia
Note the drum shaped commander's cupola

[Pirate-Drakk]

Here you go, a Panther Ausf F.

The last two pics are in the Encyclopedia mentioned above.

Note the funky Tiger II like turret front....

[cyberia]

Dragon produced a 2 in 1 kit of the Panther F featuring two different gun lengths, but that same funky turret. These were steel wheel versions and neither gun had a mussel break.

[Commander Waffle]

I've notices that visually, the Panther and Tiger II look different but the same...anyone want to point out what I'm not seein'?

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Commander Waffle

I've notices that visually, the Panther and Tiger II look different but the same...anyone want to point out what I'm not seein'?

OK, let's start with the obvious.

The Panther's weight came in at around 45.5 tons.
The Tiger II weighed in at about 69.7 tons.

The Panther

The Panther's main gun was a 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70.
The Tiger II Ausf. B. packed an 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71.

The Tiger II

The Panther featured rubber rimmed road wheels.
The Tiger II was outfitted with all steel road wheels.

The two do look somewhat similar. Especially when compared to other German tanks of the time; slopped armor, interleaved road wheels and depending on the version of Panther, similar duel exhaust system.

There are of course other differences, if anyone else would care to go into greater detail.

[Pirate-Drakk]

The front glacis plate on the Panther has a 55 degree slope with the side hull being 30 degree. On the King Tiger is the glasis plate is angled at 50 degrees and the side hull at 25 degrees. This similarity in angles is one reason why the two tanks look similar.