File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-H26258,_Panzer_V_"Panther".jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Panther
Sign in to saveAlso known as Panzerkampfwagen V Panther, PzKpfw V, SdKfz 171, Pz.V, Pz V
German medium tank
Key facts
- Type
- Medium tank
- Place of origin
- Nazi Germany
- In service
- 1943–1945 (Nazi Germany) 1944–1945 (Kingdom of Hungary) 1944–1952 (France)
- Used by
- Nazi Germany France Hungary Limited use by other militaries (see Postwar and foreign use )
- Wars
- World War II
- Designer
- MAN AG
- Manufacturer
- MAN, Daimler-Benz , MNH [ de ]
- Unit cost
- 117,100 ℛ ︁ ℳ ︁ (without weapons, optics, or radio), 143,912 ℛ ︁ ℳ ︁ (combat ready) , 2,000 Man hours
- Produced
- 1943–1945 (1946–49 postwar for the British Army)
- Number span no built
- ~6,000
- Variants
- Befehlspanzer (command tank), Bergepanther (armoured recovery vehicle), Jagdpanther
- Mass
- 44.8 tonnes (44.1 long tons ; 49.4 short tons )
- Length
- 6.87 m (22 ft 6 in) 8.66 m (28 ft 5 in) (with gun forward)
- Width
- 3.27 m (10 ft 9 in) 3.42 m (11 ft 3 in) (with skirts)
- Height
- 2.99 m (9 ft 10 in)
- Crew
- 5 (driver, radio operator/hull machine gunner, commander, gunner, loader)
- Armour
- 16–100 mm (0.63–3.94 in)
- Main armament
- 1 × 75 mm KwK 42 L/70 tank gun with 79 rounds
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H26258, Panzer V "Panther".jpg
- Height
- 2.99
- Width
- 3.27
Show 6 more facts
- service retirement
- 1945-01-01
- total produced
- 6000
- Commons gallery
- Panzerkampfwagen V
- Commons category
- Panzerkampfwagen V
- service entry
- 1943-01-01
- native label
- Panzerkampfwagen V Panther
via Wikidata · CC0
~40 min read
Article
The Panther tank, officially Panzerkampfwagen V Panther (abbreviated Pz.Kpfw. V) with ordnance inventory designation: Sd.Kfz. 171, is a German medium tank of World War II. It was used in most European theatres of World War II from mid-1943 to the end of the war in May 1945.
The Panther was intended to counter the Soviet T-34 medium tank and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV. Nevertheless, it served alongside the Panzer IV and the heavier Tiger I until the end of the war. While having essentially the same Maybach V12 petrol (690 hp) engine as the Tiger I, the Panther had better gun penetration, was lighter and faster, and could traverse rough terrain better than the Tiger I. The trade-off was weaker side armour, which made it vulnerable to flanking fire, and a weaker high explosive shell. The Panther proved to be effective in open country and long-range engagements. The Panther had excellent firepower, protection and mobility, though early variants suffered from reliability issues. The Panther was far cheaper to produce than the Tiger I. Key elements of the Panther design, such as its armour, transmission, and final drive, were simplifications made to improve production rates and address raw material shortages.