036

GERMANYS PANTHER TANK

4 3 9 INTERLOCKED HULL ROOP ARMOR PLATĘ

As shown on a Orawmg OateO 1 May 1943 me huli root piąte was cut with straight sides dno was no longer mteriocked with the armor piates lor me nuli sioes Due lo me leao limes for delwermg completeo hulls to me assemDiy firms ano cut ting the armor piates pnor to tinal hardenmg m me turnaces such changes to me basie armor layout took a long time to appear on completeo Pantners leaving the assembly plant The eariiest Panther Aust A identifieo with a straight sideo root piąte is December 1943 This modification was not mtro duceo by aii ot the armor suppiiers Therefore up to the end ot the production senes Panther Ausf As with mteriocked root piates were completeo side by side with others that had straight sided root piates

M A N assembied a Panther Ausf A for testmg that did not ha mteriocked armor for the front and side piates (NA)    ^ave

rear deck of Befems-Panther Ausf A (Fgst Nr 210651 on me assemoiy ime atMAN m January 1944) has a radiai pattern armor fan iouvre on the left side and a spiral pattern fan iouvre on the nght side The armor cylinder for protectmg the antenna base msulator for the FuG 8 radio set was centered at the rear ot the engme deck (CHY)

CHAPTER 4: panther AUSF.A

: *»

■ _t Maybach HL 230 P30 eng.ne w.tn d_uai a.r cieaners motana* j Partner Ausf A compieied aiMAN m January 1944 ^{S a ea} •r„d-ced m tne Ausf A the r.ght haif of the nght _Side radiator -sed for cooimg iuOr.cat.ng o.l .nstead of eng.ne coolant

CHY)

^4^a,^j|₎^P0s"‘⁰ⁿa Panihe, _AuS( A comp,_etea

in January

■ n tenor Of a

. JS»

Panther Ausf A turret completeo m January

■    min ,

"'uwniMfyjM ,

69