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6ERMAAIYS PANTHER TANK

On 11 May 1942. after review ot ihe Daimler-Benz and MA N proposais for a Panzerkampfwagen Panther the speciai commission s report was given to the chairman ot the Panzerkommisslon The unammous decision was m favor of M A N s proposal tor a Panther with mterleaved eight-roadwheel suspension cushioned with twm torsion bars. the Zahnradfabrik AK 7 200 transmission and the clutch-brake steermg gear It was recommended that the troops be eauipped with the MAN Panther The speciai commission report based their choice on the followmg facts The tur ret design proposed by Daimler-Benz for their Panther was m-complete and would not be ready for production by Decem-ber 1942 Its free turret ring diameter was 50 mm narrower than the MAN design which had been fitted for the Rhemmetall turret The Rhemmetall turret couldnt be fitted to the Daimler-Benz chassis. Ieaving the Daimler-Benz Panther without an availabie turret. In other comparisons. the

MAN Panther suspension provided a better gun platform. Versuchs-Panther (Fgst.Nr. V1 compieted by MAN by Sepie its isolated motor compartment allowed submersion without ber 1942) did not have a turret but was tested with a    ^rr"

lengthy preparation. and it had a longer cruising rangę    Belastlgungsgewlcht (test weight) The design of the drive

On 13 May 1942. Hitler was thoroughly briefed on the sprocket wheels is umque to the two Versuchs-Panthers (WjS) companson of the MAN and Daimler-Benz Panther m the

report by the speciai commission. Armor protection appeared dnve our vehicle required a new turret design It was admu to be too weak The motor mounted in the rear appeared to ted that the rear dnve possessed advantages. him to be correct However. as recommended in the report. We are completmg only tvro experimental vehicle$. that he recogmzed that the decisive factor was the possibility of positively will make a good impression. The two expenmen quickly gettmg a tank into production and that in no case were tal vehicles are to be compieted in June/July 1943 The en two types to be produced side by side He also stated that he tire tank should be compieted sińce we can finally obtam the would study the report overmght and give his decision to Major turret ourseNes. We still have the contract to build these two Engel the next day. Major Engel called on 14 May and stated prototypes and therefore we also want to demonstrate these that Hitler was in agreement with the recommendations of as compieted tanks the report Therefore. the M.A.N -Panther was to be produced

On 15 May 1942. Oberst Fichtnertelephoned M A N. and At the conference on 4 June 1942. Hitler was not yet mformed them that Hitler had decided in favor of the MAN.    surę that increasmg the frontal armor of the Panther to 80

Panther and that senes production has been ordered The    mm would be sufficient by the Spring of 1943 An increaseto

glacis piąte was to be strengthened to 80 mm.    100 mm should be attempted. He demanded that. in the teast

On 20 May 1942. Speer decided that development work    all frontal vertical surfaces of the tank were to have 100 mm

on the Daimler-Benz Panther was to cease Both experimen- thick armor protection

tal vehicles currently bemg assembled with diesel motors A meeting. also held on 4 June 1942. was attended by could be compieted for the purpose of studies    representatives from M A N. Daimler-Benz. Henschel. and

Their loss to M.A.N was discussed at the board of direc- MNH. the four firms selected to produce the VK 30.02 (Pan-tors meeting at Daimler-Benz on 3 June 1942 Our proposal ther) The finał model of the steering gear had not been de-for the new tank was not accepted by the speciai commis- termined. but it was assumed that the simple Kupplungs* sion established by Hitler Instead they selected the M A N lenkgetriebe would first be installed. At the end of the meet-design for large scalę production. after the mitial proposal mg the wooden model of the VK 30.02 (Panther) was dis-from M A N. apparently was improved. Durmg a meeting. played.

MAN had the opportumty to learn all the advantages of our    After bemg informed of the decision to produce their Pan-

proposal which they then took into consideration in their own ther design. M.A.N received contracts to rapidly produce one design    experimental chassis by August and a complete experimen-

At first. the majority ofthe experts were impressed by our tal tank with turret by September 1942 proposal. Even Hitler had expressed his approval. But then. M A N. compieted these two Versuchs-Panther (Fgst.Nr. the commission consistmg of Thomale and Eberan, decided V1 and V2) m the Fali of 1943. Fgst.Nr. V1 was only an ex-agamst us for the followmg reasons    perimental chassis without a turret Fgst.Nr. V2 was fmished

1    The double torsion bar suspension from Porsche was as a complete tank mounting a hexagonal turret with the char-

chosen over our proposed leaf spnngs.    acteristic bulge below the commander s cupola Demonstra-

2    The MB 507 motor proposed by us can not be pro- tions for Speer and Wa Pruef 6 as well as dnvmg trials were

duced m the number required.    conducted at Berka near Eisenach from 8 through 14 No-

3    Our design requires a new turret The turret for the vember 1942 The delegation from M A N. stated that they MAN design was alreadydesigned TheMAN vehiclehad were satisfied with the automotive performance of their front dnve, our vehicle had rear drive Because of the rear Versuchs-Panther

CHAPTER 1: DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

Versuchs-Panther (Fgst.Nr. V2 compieted by M A N in the Fali of 1942) was outfitted with a turret. The 7,5 cm Kw K 42 l_/70 still had the bali muzzle brake mvented for the 7.5 cm Kw.K 40 L/43 in the Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F2 (WJS)

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