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GERMANYS PANTHER TANK

Panther Ausf A (Fgst Nr 152151 produced by Daimler-Benz on ₀r about 16 December 1943) stiii has a •Letterbox" machmegun port on the giacis piąte It has a T.Z.F.12a monocular gun sight with a smgle sight aperlure under a wide ram guard (BA)

(o every fiftn to soventh track link When Mittelstollen were atlached to the track m order to avoid damage to the sus pension. the Panthers speed was not to exceed 15 kilome-ters per hour on hard surfaces

4 3 5 FRAME FQR TURRET PLATFORM

Startmg with the 65 ist Panther Aust A (November Decem ber 1943) a new tramę (021 St 50282) was fabricated from bent and welded tubes for strengthenmg the turret platform

4 3 6 CENTERED IOW COUPURO AOOPTED FROM BERGEPANTHER

Severai Panthers assembled in November and December 1943 had a towmg couplmg centered Iow on the hull rear below the large engme access hatch Installation of this tow-mg couplmg was quickly discontmued because it reduced ground clearance Most Ausf A assembled from September 1943 through April 1944 had brackets and holes drilled for mounting this towmg couplmg. but were assembled with the rear mounting holes sealed with four bolts

Some of the Ausf A completed m November and December 1943 had a towmg couplmg (Drawmg No 021841850 adopted from the Bergepanther) boited on at the center of the lower hull rear It was discontmued because it lowered the ground clearance beyond that considered acceptable

(498 meters wide at a rangę of 1000 meters) and at 5x the field of view was reduced to 14° (249 meters wide at a rangę of 1000 meters) The 2 5x magmfication was used for target acquisition utilizmg the larger field of view After the target was detected by the gunner. he switched to 5x magmfication that aided exact laying on the enlarged view of the target Until gun mantlets were available that didn't have a sec-ond hole drilled. an armor pług was welded m place to close the second (outer) sight aperture The wider ram channei designed to cover both sight apertures was gradually replaceo with a semi-circular rain channei protecting the single sight aperture.

4 3 8 BALL MOUNT FOR HULL MACHINEGUN

Startmg in late November/early December 1943. the Kugelblende (bali mount) for the hull machinegun with a sphencal armored guard was introduced. At the same time, the forward facmg periscope on the hull roof for the radio operator was deleted This periscope was no longer neces-sary sińce the radio operator was to use the K.Z.F.2 sight provided with the machinę gun mount for direct observation

4.3.7 MONOCULAR GUN SIGHT T.Z,Ę12a

Startmg m late November/early December 1943. the monocular gun sight T.Z.F.12a replaced the bmocular T.Z.F.12 Panther Fgst Nr 120506 produced by M A N in early December 1943 had the third TZ F12a produced with serial number 42003 Leitz. the only manufacturer of these gun sights. stopped delivery of the T.Z.F.12 and started delivering the T.Z.F.12a in November 1943

Magmfication in the T.Z.F.12a telescopic gun sight was selectable at 2 5x and 5x. At 2 5x the field of view was 28°

Opposite and next two pages Panther Ausf A (Fgst Nr 152158 completed by Daimler-Benz on or about 18 December 1943) had a M.G.Kugelblende (machmegun bali mount) and a T.Z.F.l2a monocular gun sight with the second aperlure in the gun mantlet plugged lt was issued to the l Abteilung/Panzer-Regiment 4 (Tactical No 244) and sent to Itaiy The rack for holding a stowage box on the right rear corner of the rear deck is a umque modifica-tion from this unit Pistol ports are no longer present on the turret sides The armor louvre over the right fan on the rear deck has a straight radial pattern mstead of the spiral pattern The Notek taitlight is stiii mounted behmd the lefl track (CHY)

CHARTER 4: PANTHER AU8F.A

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