194 1 In June, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, and the German armored forces soon encountered the Soviet KV series heavy tanks and T-34/76 tanks. At that time, these two tanks were superior to all types of tanks in Germany in firepower and armor protection. So Germany decided to develop more powerful medium-sized tanks and put them into production quickly according to the report on the Eastern Front.
194 1 year165438+1On October 25th, Hitler ordered Daimler-Benz and Mann to design a new tank capable of dealing with the Soviet T-34, and Rheinmetall was responsible for the turret of the new tank.
1in March, 942, Daimler-Benz manufactured a prototype for the first time, which was based on the previously rejected VK300 1 prototype and named VK3002(DB). The suspension devices of VK300 1 are different, one is spring suspension device and the other is torsion bar suspension device. The VK3002 prototype of Daimler-Benz adopts a large number of T-34/76 tank designs, which is simply the German version of the T-34 tank. MAN Company completed their prototype design of VK3002(MAN) in early February of 1942. The turret of VK3002(DB) prototype is installed at the front of the car body, just like T-34/76 tank. Hitler inspected the prototype and ordered the production of 200 vehicles if possible. In May 1942, 1 1, the VK3002 prototype was named "Panther".
1may, 942 14, when the extensive tests of the two prototypes were completely completed, Hitler decided to adopt the design of MAN company. However, the prototype of Daimler-Benz was considered to have many problems, and the Soviet army seized the prototype at 1945. Although the development time of Man's Panther tank was very short, the German military thought it was a relatively successful tank, so it was officially put into manufacture. Hitler ordered manufacturing to start from 1942 to 12. He insisted on using the 75 mmwk 42 l/ 100 gun himself, but because he was not ready, he finally adopted the 75 mmwk 42 l/70 gun with a shorter barrel, which can penetrate 65433 at the shooting distance of1000 m. In this way, the armor-piercing power of the Panther tank can be comparable to that of the Tiger 88mm gun. In the design of VK3002(MAN), the turret is located in the center of the car body, and the overall performance is better. Its design idea is greatly influenced by T-34, and its own characteristics are similar, such as 660mm wide crawler (for better traction, increasing its off-road ability), powerful engine, 75mm barrel, and better oblique armor ("Panther" tank is the first in Germany to adopt oblique armor plate. Although there are many similarities with T-34/76, the Panther tank is larger in size and different in other technologies. "Panther" tank adopts staggered overlapping load wheels, and the independent suspension device with double torsion bars improves its high-speed driving ability in bad terrain.
1942 In July, MAN Company manufactured two prototype cars, only one of which was equipped with a turret. Extensive tests show that there are still many technical problems. 1942 made 20 "pre-production" models (series 0), all of which were only equipped with light armor. The thickness of the front armor plate is 60mm, and the weapon installed on the turret is the early 75 mmwk 42 l/70 gun (the muzzle brake is taken from 75 mmwk 40 l/43 gun). The engine is HL2 10P45 from marbach Company. These 20 tanks were named PzKpfwV "Panther" /A tanks, which were technically different from the later "Panther" tanks. Interestingly, the turret of PZPWIV/H tank was installed on its variant D 1, and 1944, the 653rd heavy tank destroyer battalion on the East Line in the early and middle period, was also equipped with some tanks as command. This unit also used early Panthers to repair tanks and T-34 tanks modified with 20mm anti-aircraft guns.
1942,65438+February, the improved Panther D tank appeared. 1in February 1943, 20 original A-type vehicles were renamed as D 1. D 1 (the earliest type A) was used as a test vehicle, and later it was only used as a training tank. Soon the order was given. Before May 1943 and 12, 250 Panther tanks must be manufactured. These Panther tanks were prepared by Germany for the "Fortress" operation. In addition, 750 Panther tanks should be rebuilt as soon as possible. 1February, 942, Type D entered production, 19431October, 1 1, and the first Panther D tank left the factory. Compared with the D 1 model, the D-model has increased armor protection, and the new 75 mmwk 42 l/70 gun is installed on the hydraulic turret. The first batch of 250 Panther D tanks all use the same marbach HL2 10P30 engine as D 1.
Panther D-tank, Ferdinand tank destroyer and other new equipment all made their debut in the fortress operation in July 1943. Panther D-tank is equipped with 5 1 and 52 armored battalions. However, due to mechanical failure (especially gearbox, transmission device, suspension device and engine), many Panther tanks were damaged before the war or during the battle. Hindes guderian, then director of the German Armored Forces, commented afterwards: "They were too easy to catch fire, and the fuel system lacked adequate protection. Due to lack of experience, some passengers were lost. "
From the initial 250 Panther D tanks to August 1943, only 43 were left, and the rest were later converted into command tanks. After the production of 600 Panther D tanks (also known as D2), the engine was replaced by the more powerful HL230P30 V 12 cylinder water-cooled gasoline engine, which became the standard engine of Panther tanks in the later period. The shape of the car body is T-34 tank, and the front armor plate and side armor plate are inclined greatly. The driver is located on the left side of the front of the car body, above 1 door, with two periscopes in front, an electromechanical engineer on the right, above 1 access door and two periscopes in front. A barrel-shaped command tower is installed at the left rear of the top of the turret. There is no periscope on the control tower, only one periscope. Its artillery is equipped with explosive charge armor-piercing projectile and steel core warhead armor-piercing projectile, in which the initial velocity of explosive charge armor-piercing projectile is 925m/s, and the armor-piercing thickness is 133mm at a distance of 900m and an impact angle of 90 degrees. The initial velocity of steel-core armor-piercing projectile is 1 120m/s, and the armor-piercing thickness is 170mm at 900m distance and 90-degree impact angle. The gun sight is TZF 12 binocular sight. The car can carry 79 shells and 2500 machine guns. The mobile device adopts double torsion bar independent suspension device and hydraulic shock absorber. There are 8 load-bearing wheels on each side of the car body. The load-bearing wheels are staggered in two rows, with the driving wheels in front and the inducing wheels in the back. The crawler belt is articulated, with anti-skid teeth, and its width is 660 mm In addition, its transmission device is mechanical, and the gearbox is AK7-200 of ZF company, with forward gear 7 and reverse gear 1 gear.
From 1943,65438+10 to1943, together with the first batch of D tanks, Mann, Daimler-Benz, MNH and henschel produced 850 PzKpfwV "Panther" D tanks with chassis number 21.
1August, 943, after improvement (such as gearbox), a new model-Panther A tank was manufactured. Leopard tank is a powerful weapon. Compared with the D tank, the firepower and protection have been enhanced. The front armor thickness of the turret reaches 1 10mm, which is adopted by the commander control tower. In addition, the structure of the load-bearing wheel has been strengthened and the exhaust device has been improved. In the battle of Normandy, the Panther tank most used by the Germans was Type A. In this battle, the Germans lost 400 Panthers of various models. From August 1943 to May 1944, Mann, Daimler-Benz, Demag and MNH produced a total of 2,000 (2,200) cars with chassis number151001-/kloc.
The improvement of the "Panther" tank has been going on. 1in March, 944, Germany made the first Panther G tank. The G model has the largest output among all models. It has many new functions, such as canceling the driver's front hatch cover, installing periscope and improving the driver's seat so that he can stick his head out of the hatch cover when driving. On the basis of the A-type tank, the car mainly strengthened its protection. The thickness of the armor plate on the top of the carriage is increased to 40 mm, and three-proof ventilation devices are installed in the carriage, which can supply clean air to the fighting room when passing through the polluted area, and passengers do not need to wear gas masks in the fighting room. The G-type adopts a newly designed hatch on the top of the car body, and the side of the car body is more vertical, and its gun shield is also newly designed (the early G-type is different from the later G-type, and the lower edge of the latter G-type gun shield is no longer bent), and the exhaust system layout and engine floor are also improved. 1944, 10 months later, the G type also installed a heating system in the battle room. G-type load-bearing wheels are also steel rims, which are used in the later G-type. In 1944, about 24 cars were manufactured. Model G was manufactured from March 1944 to April 1945. Man, Daimler-Benz and MNH have made 3 126 vehicles, with chassis numbers of120301-13000 and 18.
1May, 1944, Germany developed Panther F tank, increased the armor thickness, installed a new turret designed by Daimler-Benz, and installed a 75 mmwk 42/ 1 or Skoda 75 mmwk 44/ 1L/70 gun (even preparing to install a longer barrel). Its load-bearing wheels are steel rings. 1944 10, Germany plans to start manufacturing the F-type at Daimler-Benz in Berlin in March. By the end of the war, only a few new turret prototypes and eight chassis had been made. In addition to the F-type, in April 1943, Mann and henschel also developed Panther II tanks, and they wanted to standardize Panther and Tiger tanks. A total of two prototypes were built, one of which tested the turret of Panther G tank. Now you can see this panther at Barton Armored Vehicle Museum in Kentucky, USA.
The total combat weight is 45500kg.
The car is 9.09 meters long.
Car width is 3.27/3.42m.
The car is 3.00 meters high.
Engine MaybachHL230P30
Maximum speed on road/off-road: 46-55/30km/h.
Maximum road/off-road travel: 250/ 100km.
Five crew members
Firepower equipment 75 mmkwk 42 l/70；; 2x7.92mm G34
Ammunition 75mm: 79 rounds; 7.92mm G34:4200-4800 rounds
Armor16-110mm
The climbing degree is 30 degrees.
Through the vertical wall is 0.9m high.
The crossing width of the trench is 2.45m.
The wading depth is1.9m.