Unique Features on Surviving Panthers

The three Pilzen on this Panther Ausf.G (Fgst.Nr.124317 from Daimler-Benz in May 1944) were added as a backfit modification. Rigid compliance with the modification instructions resulted in these three Pilzen being welded upside down onto the turret roof. The slot cut for draining each Pilze is on top instead of on the bottom. Refer to the drawings on pages 5-197 and 5-203 in Panzer Tracts 5-3 for correctly mounted Pilzen. At the start production run, a "squared-off" notch was cut out of the top edge of the glacis plate to allow a larger field of vision for the driver's periscope as was present on this Panther Ausf.G (Fgst.Nr.124317 from Daimler-Benz in May 1944). By July 1944, armor manufacturer's had started cutting a curved notch out of the top edge of the glacis plate. These variants are shown in the detailed 1/10th scale drawings on pages 5-156 and 5-194 of Panzer Tracts 5-3. . A large crescent shaped notch was cut out of the back edge of the vent guard on this Panther Ausf.G (Fgst.Nr.124317 from Daimler-Benz in May 1944) to allow clearance for the lowered travel lock head. At the start of the production run the rear edge of this "heart-shaped" vent guard was cut in a straight line. Refer to the 1/10th scale drawings on pages 5-156 and 5-194 in Panzer Tracts 5-3 for the different versions of superstructure vent guards on Panther Ausf.G. One manufacturer cast Kgs 64/660/150 track links with solid guide teeth instead of the lighter version with a hole. The spare track links on Panther Ausf.G (Fgst.Nr.124113 from M.N.H. in April 1945) with the solid guide teeth are marked with the number 44 - revealing that they were cast in 1944 - too early for the change to steel-tired rubber-saving roadwheels that was planned for mid-1945. Panthers assembled by M.A.N. in September 1944 with steel-tired rubber saving roadwheels had normal track links. The reason behind this change has not been found in original documentation. It could have been done merely to simplify the casting process. Refer to the 1/10th scale drawing on pages 5-153 and 5-190 in Panzer Tracts 5-3 for normal and modified track links. Click here for more information on the new PanzerTracts 5.3 Publication ©2004 Panzer Tracts