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Posted on 02/17/2004 12:01:15 AM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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Panther  After meeting the Soviet T-34 tank in late 1941 the German army was considerably shaken to find that there was a tank better than its PzKpfw IV. Although work on a successor to the PzKpfw IV had started as early as 1937, which eventually became the Tiger heavy tank, it largely incorporated features from the earlier development prototypes and owed nothing to the T-34 design. After examining captured T-34s during an "on the spot" investigation, the key features of the T-34 design were assessed. The three main characteristics were:
 Wooden model of the Daimler-Benz proposal Having received the commision's report on November 25 1941, the Heereswaffenamt contracted with two armament firms, Daimler-Benz and MAN, to produce designs for a new medium tank in the 30-35 ton class. To be ready for the following spring, the specifications called for a vehicle with 60mm frontal armor and 40mm side armor, a high velocity 75mm gun and the front and sides to be sloped like the T-34.  MAN Panther Ausf. D In April 1942, the two designs were submitted, with an interesting contrast. Daimler-Benz proposal was an almost unashamed copy of the T-34 in layout, with the addition of a few refinements. It had a hull shape similar to the T-34 with turret mounted well forward; the driver sat within the turret cage. A diesel engine was fitted with transmission to the rear sprockets. Paired steel bogies without rubber tyres were suspended by leaf springs. Other features included jettisonable fuel tanks on the hull rear in T-34 fashion.  Panther Ausf. A Hitler was impressed with the Daimler-Benz "T-34 type" proposal, although he suggested that the gun be changed from the 75mm L/48 model to the longer L/70 weapon, and prototypes went into production. Leaf springs were cheaper and easier to produce than torsion bars, and the diesel engine would have been an advantage in later years when petrol supply became restricted. However, the Heereswaffenamt preferred the MAN design, since simply copying the T-34 was unpatriotic and there were mechanical features of the T-34 which made copying an impractical proposition for German manufacturers.  Panther Ausf. G The MAN design displayed original German thinking, sophisticated rather than simple. It had a higher, wider hull than either the Daimler-Benz design or the T-34, with a large turret placed well back to offset as much as possible the overhang of the long 75mm gun. Torsion bar suspension was used with interleaved road wheels, while a Maybach petrol engine was proposed, with drive to the front sprockets. The internal layout followed conventional German practice with stations for the driver and hull gunner/radio-operator in the front compartment.  The crew of a Panther, Eastern Front, April 1944 Militarily, there were two important prerequisites in the comparison of the two models: mass production should start in December 1942, and the weapon should be of superior quality to counter the numerical material superiority of the enemy. Daimler-Benz was not able to produce the turret for the deadline, and needed modifications on the turret as well. The recommendation of the MAN's proposal was presented to Hitler on 13 May 1942, and accepted. At the same time the specifications were restated, increasing the frontal armor thickness to 80mm, a change increasing the weight to 44 tons. By that time much of the design, like wheels and suspension, had been completed and subcontractors at work; throwing additional strain on components designed for the original weight, which lead to problems of unreliability in action. 
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