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6ERMAIMY S PANTHER TANK

Interior views ot the turrei platform for the Versuchs-Turm mounted on Versuchs-Panther (Fgst.Nr. V2) The hydraulic drive lor traversing the turret was controlied by the lever located beside the gunners seat (TTM)

The dismounted 7 5 cm KwK 42 (L/70) gun from the Versuchs-Turm mounted on Versuchs-Panther (Fgst.Nr. V2) The breech błock is stamped with the Identification “RV1" revealmg that this is the first expenmental gun (TTM)

CHAPTER 2

PANTHER AII8F.D

PANZERKAMPFWAGEN PANTHER (7,5 cm Kw.K. U70) (Sd.Kfz.171) AUSFUEHRUNG D, Fahrgestell-Nummer Serie:

210001 to 210254 for Maschlnenfabrik-Augsburg-Nuernberg

211001 to 211250 for Daimler-Benz 212001 to 212130 for Henschel & Sohn 213001 to 213220 for Maschlnenfabrik Nledersachsen Hannover

2 1 DESCRIPTION

The following concise descnption provides an overview of the Panther’s mam components The Panthers operational characteristics are described in Chapter 9 Those desiring detailed information on the design of the automotive components would be well served by obtammg a copy of "Panther & Its Variants" written by Walter J Spielberger 2.1.1 HULL DESIGN

The hull design consisted of slopmg plates for mcreased pro-tection. The front glacis piąte was 80 mm at 55 degrees. front nose piąte 60 mm at 55 degrees. superstructure side plates 40 mm at 40 degrees. hull side plates 40 mm at 0 degrees vertical. taił piąte 40 mm at 30 degrees. deck plates 16 mm

at 90 degrees honzontal, and front belly piąte 30 mm hori-zontal and rear belly piąte 16 mm honzontal A large rectan-gular cover piąte, flush with the roof m front of the turret. could be lifted to remove the transmission and steering units for mamtenance without havmg to remove the turret In this piąte were two large hatches. one for the driver and one for the radio operator To open these hatches they were raised first and then pivoted to the side There was a large. hmged rect-angular hatch over the motor and the entire rear deck could be removed for mamtenance of the motor, coolmg system and fuel system

2 1 2 PRiV£ TRA1N AND SUSPENSION

The drive tram. consisting of a high performance Maybach HL 210 P30. 12 cylinder motor delivering 650 mętne HP at 3000 rpm, through a 7 speed Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AK 7-200 transmission onto clutch/brake steering gear and finał drives. was designed to provide a maximum speed of 54 8 kilometers per hour. The combat weight of 45 mętne tons was distributed over eight sets of geschachtelte (inter-leaved) 860 mm diameter rubber-tired roadwheels per side suspended by twin torsion bars. The unlubricated Kgs 64/ 660/150 tracks provided an acceptable ground pressure (when the tracks sank to 20 cm) of 0.735 kilograms per centi-meter sguared

One of the first five Ausf D Panthers that was assembled by M A N m Nuernberg m January/February 1943 It has the ongmal stowage arrangement for the tools. no ram guards. and no brackets for mountmg Schuerzen (WJS)

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