025

GERMANY'S PANTHER TANK

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Befehls-Panther Ausf D. Tactical Nr 155. possessed the last changes madę to Ausf Ds during production It had Zlmmerlt anii-magnetic coatmg. 24 bolt remforced roadwheels. and a ram guard over gun sight apertures m the gun mantlet Replacement antenna ro<js for the Befehls-Panther were stowed in tubes mounted on the left side below the canister for the gun cleanmg rods (BA)

Kgs 64/660/150 track links with six chevroned cleats and Mittelstollen (ice sprags) mounted

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r oiaiimy »' iw»w..wr apply Zinunsiii anti-mag-netic coatmg to Panthers that did not already have the coatmg applied at the assembly plant

g On 27 November 1943. the units were ordered to im-mediately rgduge tb9_pi9Mnuni spęę^f of the Maybach 230

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m addition to the major rebuild projects at e_ollł M_uernt>erg Erlangen. the Waffenamt authon2«^K?^{See and} t0 ,mpiement a senes of improvements on th^r o ^{,eld un,ts} ter issue Among others were    ^{r Pan}thers af-

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^camoUqTarting^m April 1943. weld brackets to the underside t tne f^nmers for mountmg Schuerzfln protective skirts along

_lhehulis>^des _{M 1943 |nsta}„ Maybgęh HL 23Q P3Q ^C c as replacements for the Maybach HL 210 P30.

^mol7<Srtinfl m August 1943. mount feiniorced (24 m bolt) ° hfiels as replacements for the 16 rim bolt roadwheels.

^ Martina m August 1943. weld a riflfllatłfaft aPH-airęran ⁶ onun m(M3l onto the rim of the commander's cupola.

Gl^g^^nr^yember 1943. apply Zlmmgrtt anti-mag-coatmg to Panthers that did not alreadu ha»o **.....

motors The motor was to be governed at about 2500 rpm under fuli load

h Startmg m June 1944 weld three Pllze for Behelfakran 2i on the turret roof.

i Startmg m June 1944. weld a handle to the outside of the rear turret hatch

j Startmg m August 1944. weld a debns guard to the front of the turret roof to shield the gap behmd the gun mantlet

k Startmg in November 1944. install a wiper to remotely clean the front protective glass on the gun sight

I Starting in December 1944. fabncate protectiye covers

from pieces of Schuerzen and install the covers for the lou-vers on the rear deck

The troops themselves had implemented several unau-thorized modifications including

•    Hanging track links on the turret sides

•    Hanging spare roadwheels on the turret or hull sides

•    Weldmg a handle onto the outside of the access hatch

on the rear of the turret

•    Mounting sheet metal boxes on the rear deck

•    Removmg the gun cleaning rod Container from the left

side and mounting it across the end of the rear deck

Opposite below. Starting in September 1943, six chevroned cleats were added to the face of each track link for mcreased traction. Following introduction of cleated track. the original track design was infrequently used as a substitute. Both types of track were still designated as Kgs 64 660/150 and cast with drawing number 021 B 48380-1. The Mittelstollen (ice sprags) were attached to the center of a track link for increased traction on roads covered with ,ce or packed snów. Mittelstollen were issued to units as part of their winter gear.