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6ERNIANYS PANTHER TANK

One of me smali senes of Panther Ausf Gs (Fgst Nr 121052 compieted byMAN on or about 22 September 1944) outfitted with sieel tyred roadwheels These roadwheels were the same type used on ihe Tiger l and Tiger ll but were mounted m the normal Panther pattern runnmg on normal Panther tracks By the time this Panther was compieted Z.mmerit anti-magnetic coatmg was no longer bemg appiied A ram guard has been fitted over the dnver'$ visor The fan tower on th8 rear deck was backfitted to this Panther (NA)

CHAPTER 5: PANTHER AUSF.G

Aoove ana nght The F.G.1250 mfrared searchiight and scope mounted on the commander s cupola of an Panther Ausf G The Steel Dana was fed through a hole m the turret roof at the base of me cupola This Steel band. connected mternally to an mdicator anowed me gunner to recognize when the eievation of the gun *asontarget (WJS)

Startmg m September 1944. a limited number of Panthers were to be outfitted with an mfrared searchiight and scope mounted on the commander s cupola The 200 watt screened hght m combmation with the mfrared receiver/gun sight had a rangę of up to 600 meters m elear weather at mght A Steel band connected the mfrared sight to an mternal control for gun elevation

The foliowmg changes were madę to a normal Ausf G to prepare it for mountmg the FG 1250 mfrared searchiight and scope A mount was welded on the mner ring for the 12-Uhr-Zeiger that stiil aiiowed the free rotation of this ring A hole for the Steel band connectmg the mfrared scope to the mternal eievation control was bored in the turret roof m front of tne commander s cupola An armored guard for this hole was welded to the turret roof Four base plates for mountmg an armored bm were welded on the nght side of the hull rear. repiacmg the Gepaeckkasten (021 St 48399) stowage bm The stand for the battery and GG 400 electrical generator was mounted mside m the nght rear corner of the fightmg compartment. repiacmg the three-round ammunition bm, a section of floor ptate and the cover for the rear shock absorber

Each Panther with an FG 1250 was identified by the let-ter F stamped behmd the Fahrgestell Nummer on the serial number piąte (not to be confused with the Panther Au$f F j On 7 August 1944. MNH was sent a model of the FG 1250 that was to be mstalled m the Panther Ausf G with Fgst Nr 128520 F Since it was determmed on 8 August 1944 that mstailation was to be expedited. the model of the FG 1250 was to be mounted in Panther Ausf G with Fgst Nr 128495 On 4 September 1944 MNH reported that. the model of the FG 1250 couldn t be mounted m Fgst Nr 128495 due to shippmg delays. but MNH intended to mount it m Fgst Nr 128557 (compieted on 5 September 1944)

Also. on 7 August 1944. MNH had received directions to mstall the FG 1250 mfrared sightmg equipment m accordance with the foliowmg schedule 50 m September 70 in October 80 in November and 100 m December 1944 MNH coun-tered with a proposal to complete all 120 Panther Ausf G with FG 1250 m October. mstead of 50 m September and 70 m October On 8 August 1944, due to the military situation. OKH rejected the counterproposal and ordered MNH to mount the FG 1250 on the last 50 Panther Ausf G compieted by MNH in September

On 5 October 1944. MNH reported that due to the de-layed arnval of acceptance specifications. only 20 Panthers were produced mountmg the FG 1250 m September How-ever the shortage of 30 from September were to be com-pleted m October MNH was then scheduled to complete a total of 80 Panthers with FG 1250 m October

On 18 November 1944 MNH noted that based on the latest orders from OKH FG 1250 were not to be mounted on

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