Panzerkampfwagen Panther (7.5cm Kw.K.44/1 L/70) Ausfeuhrung F Schmalturm
First a little background and clearing of a misconception:
As a replacement for the Panther Ausf.G, the Panther Ausf.F was conceived after the demise of the Panther II project. Both the Panther Ausf.G and Ausf.F were in the same “Panther I” family and shared virtually all of the same automotive components. Even the old Gruppen Nr. (batch of drawing numbers) for the Panther Ausf.G chassis. The main upgrades for the Panther Ausf. F project were an improved “Schamlturm” (narrow front turret) and thicker armor on the hull.
Turrets for all German Panzers were designed by completely separate teams than the chassis design teams. In fact, the only information shared by the design teams designing the turrets with the teams designing the chassis was the clearance dimensions inside the hull needed for the turret to traverse freely without obstruction. Just like the chassis designs, the turret designs evolved over time.
By early 1943, Rheinmetall had designed a turret with a narrower front for the Panther II, but this was a completely separate project from the “Schmalturm” designed in 1944 by Daimler-Benz for the Panther Ausf.F (or indeed the Schmalturm with an 8.8 cm KwK.L/71 being designed in 1945 by Daimler-Benz).
There has been confusion in the identity and evolution of these two Panther projects in post-war histories due in part by the misinterpretation of a single sentence in the original document. A report dated 10 February 1943, stated that experience on the Eastern Front has shown the Panther did not have sufficiently thick armor. Knowing that Panthers hadn’t been in combat on the Eastern Front until July 1943 (Kursk!) Walter Spielberger, thought this document had been misdated and should be from 1944. Not being in possession of several key documents found later, he chronologically positions the Panther II project as still being active much later in early 1945. This eventually led to the erroneous supposition that linked the project for mounting an 8.8cm Kw.K.L71 in a Schmalturm with the Panther II chassis project.
After the new data was found, Walter Spielberger corrected these misconceptions in the 1999 edition of his book “Der Panzerkampfwagen Panther und Seine Arbarten” Band 9 in his great series of “Militaerfahrzeug” histories published by Motorbuch Verlad Stuttgart.
Above:A partially completed production series Schmalturm for a Panther Ausf.F obtained from Daimler-Benz Werk 40 in August 1945 and sent to the use for examination. Unlike the turret sent to England, this Schmalturm still has a hole in the turret front for a telescopic gunsight. Both of these productuon series Schmalturm had 120-mm thick front plates, 60-mm thick side and rear plates and 40-mm thick roof plates.The Schmalturm armor bodies were manufactured by Dortmund Hoerder Hutten Verein (D.H.H.V.)
Above:The Schmalturm picked up at the Daimler-Benz plant in Berlin-Marienfelde and shipped to England for study. The hatch for the commander’s cupola was hinged at teh back instead of being lifted and pivoted on a shaft. Other features included: five rings welded on each side for attaching camouflage, three brackets for fastening Losterkennungstafel (poison gas warning panels) to the turret roof, three Pilze (mounts) for the 2t Kran, a radio base on the turret roof and a MP40 port on the turret rear. Armored components for this turret were manufactured at the D.H.H.V. steel works.
This concludes the Schmalturm part of the Panther Ausf.F saga.
To be continued….