Some facts on the Panzer V Panther

Every time I read in a forum that the Panther tank was too heavy ,slow ,expensive and it broke down all the time I lose IQ points.Now I’m close to zero so please take a look at the data and stop burning my brain cells.

Type	Pz IV H-J	Pz V D-G	T-34/76	T-34/85	M4 Medium (75mm)
Combat Weight (tons)	25	44.8-45.5	26.3	30	30.4
Maximum Speed (km/h)	38	55	47	47	40.2
Power (hp)	300	700	500	500	400
Power/Weight (HP/ton)	10.6	15.5	19	17	13.2
Ground Pressure (kg/cm2)	0.89	0.73-0.75	0.64	0.87	0.96
Range on Road (km)	235	200	455	300	193
Range cross country (km)	120	100	260	160

Data is from ‘’Panzertruppen vol 2: 1943-1945’’ by Jentz p292-295

So was the Panther heavy? Compared to the Pz IV and the Allied medium tanks it was.

Was it slow ? Table says no.

Was it too expensive ? Regarding cost : From ‘Kursk 1943: A Statistical Analysis’’ p61 the price of the tanks without a gun and radio : Pz IV – 103.462 RM ,Pz V – 117.100 RM .

From "Waffen und Geheimwaffen des Deutschen Heeres 1933-1945" p41 price of Pz IV F2 – 115.962 RM , p46 Pz V – 117.000 without gun ,however in p52 the price of kwk 42 is given as 12.000 RM.

From ’Panther & Its Variants’’ by Spielberger p144 batch price for period starting 1 June’44 : chassis – 62.000 RM ,superstructure -14.000 RM ,total – 76.000 RM .

Regarding manhours : from ‘’Panther & Its Variants’’ by Spielberger p244 ‘’It took a total of 2.000 working hours to produce a single complete Panther’’.I don’t know if ‘’working hours’’ are different from manhours.

Considering that the Panther had superior frontal protection compared to the Tiger plus its Kwk 42 gun had better armour piercing capability it’s price is very low.

Now the last issue is the most important one. Did it break down all the time? During it’s service it saw a huge number of improvements both by the factories and by units in the field. Just an example :

Source : ‘’Germanys Panther Tank: The Quest for Combat Supremacy’’ by Jentz .

The result :

		Percentage Operational At The Front:
		EASTERN FRONT				WESTERN FRONT
		Pz IV	Panther	Tiger		Pz IV	Panther	Tiger
31-May-44		84	77	79		88	82	87
14-Sep-44		65	72	70		80	74	98
30-Sep-44		65	60	81		50	57	67
31-Oct-44		52	53	54		74	85	88
15-Nov-44		72	66	61		78	71	81
30-Nov-44		78	67	72		76	71	45
15-Dec-44		79	69	79		78	71	64
30-Dec-44		72	61	80		63	53	50
15-Jan-45		71	60	73		56	45	58
15-Mar-45		54	49	53		44	32	36
Average		68	62	70		71	65	65
		Source: Jentz "Tiger I and II combat tactics' (from tanknet forum)

Although in it's first year of service it suffered from mechanical problems it should be kept in mind that it had to operate in the unforgiving environment of the Eastern front ,with mud damaging vehicles of all kinds.From '44 operational rates are very close to the Pz IV and Tiger.Lack of spare parts should also be investigated when looking into the serviceability of vehicles