Post-war Panthers

I`ve earlier wrote about the german Panther tank and whiole doing so, I found some interesting facts about the post-war use of the Panther tank, which was bigger than I knew before.

Red Army-Russia:
The Red Army captured many german tanks in the later years of the war, and the Panther was especially "popular" with the russian forces, who used them alongside their own tanks.  The Red Army had several Panthers also after the war ended, but they did not (as far as I have been able to find) se active duty after spring 1945.

Photo showing captured "russian" Panthers, probably 1944


Bulgaria:
Bulgaria received 15 captured Panthers from the Red Army spring 1945, these were used for training purposes. Many of them ended up dug down as pillboxes on the Bulgarian-Turkish border already in the late 1940`s. The exact fate of these are unclear, but they were probably scrapped in the 1950`s.

Romania:
Romania received 13 Panthers from the USSR in 1946, who formed the 1.st Armored Brigade but but in 1947 the equipment was ceded to the Soviet-organized "Tudor V. Division" which was transformed from a volunteer infantry division into an armored one. The Panther tank was officially known as T-5 in the Romanian army. These tanks were in bad shape and remained in service only until about 1950, when the Romanian Army received T34-85 tanks from the USSR. All of the Panther tanks were scrapped by 1954.

Sweden:
Sweden picked up a Panther i France in 1946, this was used in Sweden fopr training and testing until 1961.

France:
France had the largest number of Panthers after the war, and they actually equipped the 503e Régiment de Chars de Combat with fifty-yes 50- Panthers after the war! These remained in service until 1950

Not good quality photo but as far as I have found, this is French Panthers with the 503.th around 1947



Great Britain:
After the war a few (some sources indicate 9 total) Panthers were in fact built- under allied control of course. Two (one PAnther and one Jagdpanther) were sent to Britain for testing and trials. They are now both at the Bovington Tank Museum, Dorset.

Panther at museum

German Panzers in WW2 with numbers

Even if Germany made some of the best tanks in WW2, they (luckily) never stood a chance against the combined production rate of allied tanks and anti-tank weapons. Russia alone produced far more T-34`s than Germany produced tanks all together. I think its interesting to see what tanks Germany had- and maybe even more-how many they had of each type. The list starts with the earliest tank and ends with the last produced

1. Panzer 1 

Produced: 1934-1937

Number built:1493 

In service: 1934-1945

2. Panzer 2

Produced: 1935-1943

Number built: 1856

In service: 1936-1945

3. Panzer 3

Produced: 1939-1943

Number built: 5774

In service: 1939-1945

4. Panzer 4

Produced: 1936-1945

Number built: 8553

In service: 1939-1945 (Germany) up til 1967 other countries

5. Panther

Produced: 1943-1945 (some sources include up till 46- for British forces)

Number built: 6000

In service: 1943-1945 (Germany) also post-war by other countries

6. Tiger

Produced:1942-1944

Number built: 1327

In service: 1942-1945  

7. King Tiger

Produced: 1943-1945

Number built: 493 

In service: 1944-1945

Sturmtiger - the bigger the better?

Sturmtiger or to be more precise - the "Sturmmörserwagen 606/4 mit 38 cm RW 61" was a assault gun built on a Tiger chassis and equipped with a rocket launcher. It was designed to be used as infantry support, especially in urban areas. It looks absolutely insane with that launcher, kinda like a tank that where the cannon is cut of.... The need for such a weapon was clear to the germans after the loss at Stalingrad, the main purpose of it being destroying buildings and fortifications. The gun is actually taken from the Kriegsmarine- and was a depth-charge launcher...the shells are rocket-propelled!

Only 18 was produced, and they was mainly used in the defense of Germany in the late part of the war, being produced from late 1943 until the end of the war.

It was mainly used in three battles- the Warzaw uprising, the Battle of Bulge and the Battle of the Reichswald.


Numbers:
Weight: 68 tons
Length: 6.28 metres
 Width: 3.57 metres
Height: 2.85 metres
Armour: up to 150 mm of steel....
Armament: 380 mm RW 61 rocket launcher L/5.4
Speed: 40 km/h (road)

Surviving units:
There are three Sturmtigers in museums today, located in Kubinka Tank Museum in Russia, Bovington Tank Museum in the UK and one in Germany currently at loan to Deutsches Panzermuseum in Munster.


Sturmtiger firing, I belive this is in the Warzaw uprising.

Captured Sturmtiger

Sturmtiger at museum-look at that insane projectile!!!

Jagdpanther -killer from afar photos and info

Jagdpanther-the "hunting Panther" as it was nicknamed was another one of Germanys big tankdestroyers towards the end of the war.  Its original name in german was ""8.8 cm Pak 43/3 auf Panzerjager Panther" but even though that really rolls of your tongue....Hitler himself changed it to Jagdpanther. The Jagdpanther was based on the Panther chassis and the Tiger gun-a fierce combination indeed....

Production started in february 1944 and lasted pretty much until the end of the war, the total number built being around 415.  It never had any significant impact on the war, but if you were in a tank- that 88mm gun was not something you wanted to see pointing at you...

Survivors:
There are actually three running Jagdpanthers today, two in Germany at Deutsches Panzermuseum in Munster and at Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung (WTS) at Koblenz, the third is in England at the SDKFZ Foundation in the UK-who are currently working on getting a second one running as well!

Besides these four there are at least 7 other surviving Jagdpanthers in the largest tank/war museums around the world like Kubinka in Russia and Bovington.



Numbers:
Weight: 45 tons
Length: 9.87 metres
 Width: 3.42 metres
Height: 2.71 metres
Armour: up to 100 mm of steel....
Armament: 88 mm PaK 43/3 or 43/4 L71
Speed: 46 km/h (road)

Thats just massive isnt it?

Two Jagdpanthers back-to-back  in a street in Normandy 1944

This uniqe photo shows the production of Jagdpanthers next to the Panther whos chassis it used.

Jagdpanthers up to no good....

The crew with umbrellas..thats just bizarre....

Jagdpanthers destroyed, probably at the Battle of Bulge

Jagdpanther today-notice the damage on the side

Video: King Tiger restored

I found these great videoes on youtube of restored King Tiger tanks - what a massive piece of machinery it is! Cudos to the people who take of their time to keep history alive like this!


Photo: King Tigers lined of for the german newsreel 1944

 Video-restaured King Tiger

Video-restaured King Tiger

Panther - the tank that changed the battlefield

The Panther tank-or the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther as its full name is in german ment a crucial change in the design anmd size of tanks. After the invasion of Russia in 1941, the germans were suprised by the resistance from the largest russian tanks, the notorious T-34 in particular. This led to a change in the way the germans designes and built tanks- leading to a necessary change for everyone else as well. The Panther first saw combat in 1943, being rushed inti the largest tank-battle in history- the battle of kursk on the eastern front. Being used to soon it didnt have a big impact on this battle, but the tides of the tanks had changed. Tanks now were getting bigger, stronger and deadlier.

The Panther proved a great success for the germans, even if it was used only after the war had turned on the germans, fighting defensively for the whole career of the Panther. About 6000 units were produced, and it was so well designes and successfull that many captured vehicled were overtaken by allied forces, especially the russians who even had the manual translated into russian. It was even produced for the british army up til 1949...



Numbers:
Weight: 45 tons
Length: 6.87-8.66 metres depending on type
Width: 3.27-3.47metres
Height: 2.99 metres
Armour: up to 80 mm of steel....
Armament: 75 mm KwK
Speed: 34 km/h (road)



Panther in the background, soldiers in the front- probably from 5th SS Panzer "Wiking"

Panthers on the way from factory

Panthers overtaken by russian troops

Panther

Wrecked Panther, battle of Kursk

Panther captured and put into service by British troops

Panther in a museum

Jagdtiger -hunter of the plains

The Jagdtiger-or as the Germans so easily called it "Panzerjäger Tiger Ausf. B" was a tank destroyer that was based on a lengthened King Tiger chassis. It was the heaviest armoured vehicle used in combat in WW2. It had a MASSIVE 128mm gun that could flatten any allied vehicle from a distance of over 3500 metres!  The Jagdtiger was only produced in small numbers-around 80 was built, and many of them was destroyed by one crew due to mechanical failure or loss of fuel supplies.

Due to its enormeous weight, it ha problems with gear, engine and of course-just simply driving forward on most terrain types...

Only two heavy antitank battalions (schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung), numbered 512 and 653 were equipped with Jagdtigers, with the first vehicles reaching the units in September 1944. One Jagdtiger was even destroyed by the handheld Panzerfaust by own Volkssturm (Volkssturm was at the end of the war often involved in battles they werent ready for) , as the Volkssturm have never seen a Jagdtiger before...

The Jagdtiger never saw much of the action it was bulit for- tankbattles where it could take out enemy tanks from a distance, but at one occasion it proved that at least the gun worked properly- During April 1945, s.Pz.Jäg.Abt.512 saw a great deal of action, especially on 9 April, where the 1st company engaged an Allied column of Sherman tanks and trucks from dug-down positions, and took out 11 tanks and over 30 soft-skins,  some of the enemy tanks having been knocked out from a distance of more than 4,000 m. The combat unit only lost one Jagdtiger in this incident as Allied ground attack P-47appeared

 Numbers:
Weight: 72 tons
Length: 10.65 metres including gun
Width: 3.6  metres
Height: 2.8 metres
Armour: up to 250 mm of steel....
Armament: 128 mm PaK
Speed: 34 km/h (road)

Surviving units:
There are 3 Jagdtigers in museums today- these ale located at the museums in England (Bovington Tank Museum), USA (National Armor and Cavalry Museum) and Russia (Kubinka Tank Museum)




That jeep looks like a toy doesnt it...

Massive gun...

Jagdtiger captured by the americans

Another spoil of war (Sorry for  the swastika...)

Jagdtiger today at Bovington Museum 

King Tiger - best of the beasts

 Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B or as most know it- King Tiger (also called Royal Tiger by some allied forces) was the "improved" version of the Tiger-and what a tank it was.... It came in production in 1943 and saw action from summer 44 and til the end of the war. Only 492 was built, and this was of course way to few to have a real impact on the outcome of the war. By summer 44 Germany had already lost all air-controle and was also weakend by supply shortage, low quality in production and not enough time to train crew.

The King Tiger "Königstiger" took the best from the Tiger and the successfull Panther and combined them into an even bigger and better tank. The armour and armament was still bigger and better than any allied tank, and the successfull curves on the Panther was used to some degree on the King Tiger, making it harder to destroy with tank/anti-tank shells. It had two types of turret- the early "Porsche" turret wich was very sloped, and the Henschel-turret. Henschel&Son/Krupp was the producer/manufactorer of the tank, and we should all be glad this tank didnt come int production until late in the war-the kill/death ratio of the King Tiger agains enemy tanks was impressive, even with severe challenges on all fronts from production, training and supplies. For example, the 103d SS Heavy Panzer Battalion in the period january-april 1945 on the eastern front  had about 500 kills with their King Tiger tanks, with a loss of only 45, most destroyd by own crew to avoid the enemy capturing them after they had had damage/mechanical problems.


 Numbers:
Weight: 69 tons
Length: 7.38 metres
Width: 3.75  metres
Height: 3.09 metres
Armour: up to 180 mm of steel....
Armament: 88 mm Kwk
Speed: 41 km/h (road)

Surviving Units:
There are several King Tigers in museums today, in all of the big countries winning the war- Russia, France, USA and England to name some-there is also on i Germany, in Deutches Panzermuseum in Munster. The only operational is in France in Musee des Blindes.

A King Tiger in Budapest 1944 part of 503d Heavy Panzer Battalion

King Tigers lined up for German Newsreel footage

King Tiger in Budapest, I like the way this photo shows how massive the gun really is...

King Tiger in a museum

7.th Panzer- Ghost Division

Photo: Rommel and some of his men in the Battle of France

Fast as the wind
The Invasion has begun
Shaking the ground
With a force of 1000 guns
First in the line of fire
First into hostile land
Tanks leading the way
Leading the way

(From the song "Ghost Division by Sabaton)

7.th Panzer led by the famous Erwin "Desert fox" Rommel got the nickname "Ghost Division" in 1940 in the France campaign. They were given the nickname because they advanced so fast that they appeared were they werent expected, and even German high command didnt always knew were they where.

The beginning:

7.panzer corps took part in the campaign in Poland, and was after that strengtened and became a full panzer division. Erwin Rommel was asked b y Hitler which command he wanted for the battle of france, and Rommel-having no tank experience choose a panzer division, and 15.february 1940 he was given command of the 7.th Panzer division which was part of the 15.Panzer Corps under General Hoth.

Ghost Division in France:

Erwin Rommel lead his division from the front, often from the top of a tank, earning him great respect from his men. This also aloud him to make decisions much faster then commanders who stayed behind the frontline. His results and his relationship to Hitler made him immune to the critism from the High Command who sometimes ment he was to independent in his decisions.

Timeline for Ghost Division in France:

  10 May 1940 - Fall Gelb, the invasion of France, is launched. 7th Panzer advances through the Ardennes.
    12 May 1940 - 7th Panzer Division reaches Dinant on the Meuse.
    13 May 1940 - Crosses River Meuse after heavy fighting.
    15 May 1940 - Reaches Philippeville and continues Westward passing Avesnes and Le Cateau.
    21 May 1940 - Reaches Arras where counterattacked by 2 British Tank Regiments. British tank advance stopped by feared Flak 88 "Tank Killers".
    5 June 1940 - Positioned near Abbeville.
    8 June 1940 - Reaches outskirts of Rouen.
    10 June 1940 - Reaches English Channel West of Dieppe.
    17 June 1940 - Reaches Southern outskirts of Cherbourg.
    19 June 1940 - Garrison of Cherbourg surrenders to Rommel.
    25 June 1940 - Fighting ends for 7th Panzer Division in France.

 7.th Panzer Division since 10th May had captured:
The Admiral of French Navy (North) and 4 other admirals,
1 Corp Commander,
4 Divisional commanders with their staffs,
277 artillery and 64 anti-tank guns,
458 trucks and armored cars,
1,500-2,000 cars,
1,500-2,000 horse- and mule-drawn wagons,
300-400 buses, and
300-400 motorcycles.

About 30 000 prisoners of war were  captured
Apart from this it had brought down 52 aircraft, captured 15 more on the ground, and destroyed
another 12. There was much more booty which could not be counted because the division moved too fast.
 

Its own casualties during the period were: 48 officers killed and 77 wounded; 108 sergeants and
above killed and 317 wounded; 526 other ranks killed and 1252 wounded. While missing included 3
officers, 34 sergeants and above and 229 other ranks

Ghost Divison after France:

From 1941 the Ghost Division-7.th Panzer was mainly in action in Russia, being one of the forced bthat came closest to Moscow. In the end, they surrendered to british troops in Germany.

7.th panzer on their way through the french countryside-possibly near Somme

Erwin Rommel in France 1940

Erwin Rommel and a Pz38t tank on a bridge passing in France 1940

The song "Ghost Division by Sabaton and a fan-made video