Description
Book SynopsisThe German Panther is arguably the finest medium tank of the Second World War and one of the greatest ever built. Combining unmatched firepower, armour protection and mobility it was the primary nemesis of the Russian T-34 tank on the Eastern Front., Author Mark Healy looks at the development, construction and fighting qualities of the Panther, as well as including insights into what it was like to operate and maintain. He focuses on the surviving Panther Ausf A at the German Armour Museum, Munster, and the UK Tank Museum's Panther Ausf G., Author: Mark Healy is the author of the Haynes T-34 Tank Manual as well as Midway 1942, The Tiger Tank Story and Zitadelle: The German Offensive against the Kursk Salient 14-17 July 1943. He also produced the best-selling video series Die Deutschen Panzer. He lives in Dorset.
Table of ContentsCONTENTS 1 THE PANTHER STORY Dealing with Russia – a lesser affair than France! Flawed German assumptions about the Red Army’s tank force The KV-1 and T-34 shock The Panzer Commission to Russia There can be only one The essentials of the MAN Panther 2 PRODUCTION OF THE PANTHER AND ITS VARIANTS Production of the Panther Panther variants: part one The production status of the Panther and the Emergency Panzer Programme of January 1945 Panther variants: part two Panther variants: part three 3 ANATOMY OF THE PANTHER Introduction Part one: the hull exterior Part two: the hull interior Part three: the turret and main armament 4 PANTHER WALK-AROUND 5 PANTHER AT WAR ‘Our problem child’ Into combat – the Panther at Kursk The Panther in Italy Panthers in action on the eastern border of Poland, late summer 1944 Preparing for the invasion in the West Panthers in Normandy Reflections APPENDIX Panther Ausf G specifications Select bibliography Index
