An Illustrated History of the Panther Tank

The Panzerkampfwagen Panther, developed to outclass the Soviet T-34, became one of WWII's most effective and versatile tanks.

The origins of the Panzerkampfwagen Panther (sd.kfz. 171) beganwith the experimental series VK20 and VK30, designed by Daimler-Benz starting from September 1939, which continued their development until reaching the first prototype of the Panther, the Versuchs-Panther V1, completed by M.A.N. by the end of 1942.

The design of the Panther had to ensure superiority over the Russian T-34 and KV-1 tanks, this superiority was based on its 75mm gun, boosted by the excellent quality of the German optics and the 80mm inclined front armor, being the first German tank to adopt this design improvement. 

Unlike the Tiger and the King Tiger, which were heavy tanks organised on independent battalions, the Panther was destined to fully equip all Panzer divisions, replacing the pre-war Pz.Kpfw.III and Pz.Kpfw.IV designs. Production capacities, however, were not capable of fulfilling this objective.

The Germans classified the Panther as a medium tank though it was considerably heavier than the T-34 and Sherman tank in the Allied armies. More than 130 small and medium sized companies participated in the production program of the Panther.

Going through several variants from the D, A, and G, the Panther is considered one of the best tanks of WW2, with a combination of armor, speed and armament more than a match for most Allied tanks.