- Yes
- No
I would like to suggest the Panther A “Früh” (Early) variant, cince in game, the peak of designe is no longer there. The current Ausf.A is of a mid/late variant, with a couple of differences. Basically a Panther A turret on Panther D hull.
In game it would offer simply a slightly better variant, as the most noticable differences are:
- Old hull designe, the hull Mg ball mount was not yet ready, as such it has the same letterbox opening, in game no difference, except not having a weakpoint there, but pretty much continued flat plate.
2.Ungoverned engine of 700Ps at 3000 RPM, which has 2 advantages:
55 km/h instead of 46 km/h top speed.
24°/sec turret traverse instead of 20°/sec.
3.(Doesnt really affect in game performance) Has the earlyer 2 lense biscope.
Further D to A differece:(Click to show)
Why would i like to see that in game? As mentioned above the A isnt anymore the peek anymore as it was, now in some aspects (except turret traverse speed) the Ausf.D is actually the best (650 Ps instead of 600 Ps) and a top speed of 55 km/h.
It would further show the development of the Panther from the Vk.30.02(M) to the Ausf.F with Schmalturm.
History:
The Panzer V Panther was a developmental step in the german army for tank designe. It was reshaped to what we all know and love today, by the fighting and what the german army encountered. It was a reaction to the T-34 (not a copy).
Developed from the Vk 30.02 (M) (which stands fro MAN) the development took shape over a couple of models, from the Vk 30.01 which still had flat armor, as such was seen as sufficient for the required protection levels, beeing 10° 50mm armor (while the whole vehicle would be angled, that is even written in the Tigerfiebel). To 80mm 10° to the Vk 30.02 which was already sporting the required sloped armor as well as the intended more powerfull L/70 gun.
Overall with the invasion of the USSR in Juli 1941, germany was mainly equipped with Pz III, IV and 38(t). The main role of the Pz III was in Tank attack, which it was quite good in, already equipped with the 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 (which unlike popular believe was not useless and could with Pzgr.39 penetrate the T-34 and KW tanks with Pzgr.40 (which was per tank in numbers available of ~25). However overall at the start the T-34 and KW tanks were even the minority, with the vast amounts still beeing T-26 and BT tanks, which where even easy targets for far more guns and even MG fire (especially S.m.K.H. ammo, which is HVAP Tungsten Core for the 7,92mm Rifles and MGs)
As reference here the “Richtlinien für die Panzerabwehr aller Waffen” (Reference for the Tank defence for all guns) from 02.05.1936, which is pre war, and my snipped mainly shows the Action against the T-26, with 3,7 cm Pak, 2 cm KwK (also intended as Überschweres MG (Superheavy MG)) and normal MG/Rifle in this case an Mg 13 with normal S.m.K. ammo as found in game.
Click to show, including a Picture
However, after time the T-34 and KW tanks became more and more, the popular “T-34 Shock” didnt actually exist, while Pz III and IV were not the most suited to fight them (tho not impossible with 5 cm Pzgr.40 and 7,5 cm Gr.38 HL/A (81mm/0°), they also werent the most common foe for these tanks, as field guns and artillery such as 8,8 cm Flak, 10,5 cm LeFH 18 could also deal with them.
However that the Pz III and IV were starting to loose strength compared to the enemy tanks, resulted in 2 things. First the Pz III and IV were with time upgunned, with long 5 and 7,5 cm guns, as well as the development for a new tank with the new L/70 gun was started, which was the Panther.
Trails of the prototypes started in June 1942, with representatives of MAN, Daimler Benz, Henschel and MNH. These companies would later start the production of the Panther D, which was intended to be late 1942 with January 1943 they already delivered 4 Tanks. 18 in February, 59 in March, 78 in april. While this was at the beginning rather slow, it would later on surppass the Production of Pz III and IV, intended to replace them as the main tank, Pz III to be used as StuG III untill some day the Pz III and IV (and hulls) could be taken to rest. (Which never came).
As such as it was starting to become outdated, the Panzer IV was intended to be replaced by the Panzer V Panther, incooperating all the learned lessions of the Pz III and IV as well as new developments which formed the Panzer V, beeing Sloped armor all around, the L/70 gun, Tortion bar suspetion, with large interleaved roadwheels, wide tracks, back hatch and hull hatches. Production standpoint was also seen as important, with simplefied designe pieces compared to the Pz IV.
Overall the Panzer V was as mentioned above a reaction to the T-34. Intended to replace the Pz IV, however production was never enove, there was even a greater production of turrets than hulls, as such they were also used in emplacements. While produced together with the Panzer IV till the end of the war, it joined the war in 1943 with around 6000 produced in the different Versions/Ausführungen from D to G and some prototypes as well as the hull was used to produce also different vehicles such as the Jagdpanzer V and Bergepanzer V. It saw service on both the western and eastern front.
Its new L/70 gun, also shared with the Pz IV/70, prooved to be very powerfull and precise with a high velocity and good (unchanged) HE power like the L/24 gun. Its armor was mainly placed at the front, to offer great protection, the wide gun mantled was heavily rounded, which showed to be rather a weakpoint and was later changed to have a chin and even intended to be removed later on overall. The somewhat complex shape, required further development in casting parts, as both the turret front and gunmantlet are casted. While the frontal armor is the thickest, allround the armor is angled and of average thickness (compared to M4 and T-34) offering adequat protection against smaller guns. While rather on the heavyer side with 45 ton, a powerfull intended engine (tho later with governer) gave it greater mobility than the Panzer IV. Combined with the big interleaved roadwheels and tortion bar suspention with great travel distance, it offered a very smooth ride even over uneven ground.
Duo to great haste in development to get it to the troops it heavily suffered from unreliability in the beginning, which was only relatively solved over time, war situation and missing alloys did not help the situation.
The Gun:
7,5 cm KwK 42 L/70
The 7,5 cm KwK and Pak 42 L/70 was a further development upon the 7,5 cm Flak L/60, which was developed into the legendary 8,8 cm Flak 18 L/56. The 7,5 cm Flak L/60 as is was seen as not powerfull enove for the Flakrole and it was decided to increase the diameter to 88mm, however with a velocity of 860m/s it was allready seen as powerfull in a different category, for anti tank. As such it was late or planned to mount it into the Tiger I H2, however with even further improved performance by lengthening the barrle to L/70. It was used on the Panther, Panzer IV/70 (A) and (V) as well as on a Prototype for 360° Fire on a Sd.Kfz.251 Ausf.B Teilgepanzert. It was an incedibly powerfull gun for its calliber and used as basis for 75/76mm guns after the war for example the french SA 50.
Caliber: 75mm
Ammo: 75x640mmR
Fire Rate: 15 rpm
Single Shot, Vertical Breechblock
Muzzle velocity: 700 - 1120m/s
Weight: 1000 kg
Mounting: Main Tank gun
Ammo Types: Apcbc, Apcr, He
Ap:
Pzgr.39/42 (Apcbc) 6,8 kg 17g Np.10 (28,9g) 935m/s 192mm/10m
Pzgr.40/42 (Apcr) 4,75 kg 28x121mm 1,12kg Core 1120m/s 258mm/10m
He:
Sprgr.42 (He (No Tracer)) 5,74 kg 725g Fp.02 und Np.10 (928g TnTa) 700m/s
Historic Penetration 72/10m and 61mm/500m
(Couldnt find the correct picture, however its simply a Sprgr. 34 with a 2nd driving band)
The Vehicle:
Armour:
front / side / back
Hull
80 / 40 / 40 mm
Turret
100 / 45 / 45 mm
Visibility:
125 %
Crew:
5 persons
Mobility:
Max speed:
Forward: 55 km/h
Backward: 4 km/h
Engine power: 700 hp
Weight: 45.3 t
Source:
Panzer V Panther Manual
Panzer Tracts No.5-2
Geschossringbuch I