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6ERMANY S PANTHER TANK

S«^SVICW« oune Panther Ausf G (Fgst Nr 120790 compieted DyMANonor about 30 July 1944) preser^ed at the Musee Blmdes m Saumur France Adebns guard has been weided over the gap between the gun mantlet and ihe turret front A handle was welded to tne access hatch on the turret rear to aid open.ng and ciosmg the hatch Start.ng m May 1944. cast armor guards for the exhaust pipes were gradually replaced by welded armor guards Start.ng .n June 1944 sheet metal covers were .ntroduced to h.de the glow at n.ght

from heated exhaust p.pes (HLD)

CHAPTER 5: PANTHER AU8F.G

ZlMMlPJlAMTI-MAgN^lC COATINę

' September 1944. the Generalinspekteur der rtruDpen decided to end the application of Zimmerit ’ Aanet.c coatmg based on rumors that hits on the Arit nad caused vehicle fires. On 9 September 1944. ^Zr' ece»ved a message from Wa Pruef 6 that the assem-' ,_1S were to immediately stop applymg Zimmerit MNH pri vith the directive with the followmg Panther Ausf G. J 128562 to 128565. 128568 to 128569. 128572 to •₉ ,20581 128583 to 128593 and all after 128595 (com-_: on 14 September)

On 31 October 1944. MNH received supplementary m-structions from the local Waffenamt mspector Effective im-mediately. Panthers were no longer to be pamted on the m-side The rest of the hull and components were to remam coated with red oxide prrnner in the condition in which they were delivered from the armor manufacturers The outside of the Panthers was to be spanngly pamted with patterns di-rectly applied to the red oxide primer utilizmg Rotbraun R AL 8017, Olivgruen RAL 6003 and Dunkełgelb RAL 7028 pastę If Dunkełgelb wasnt available Dunkelgrau RAL 7021 could be used m an extreme emergency otherwise Dunkelgrau was to be conserved

CAMOUFLAGE PAlJjT APPLIED IN PATCHŁS TIM6R

,_n mid September 1944. directly after Zimmerit was ■c the Panthers left the assembly plants without the \t of Dunkełgelb RAL 7028 camouflage pamt At the _v plant camouflage patterns were spanngly applied • es ieavmg much of the vehicle surlace covered only red oxide primer

5 3 14 RAIN GUARD OVER GUN SIGHT APERTURE

Even though a ram guard had been welded to the gun mantlet starting m June 1943. driving ram still entered the gun sight aperture Starting in September 1944. alengthened ram guard over the sight aperture was welded to the gun mantlet

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