Hello,
I am fresh here so Greetings to everybody! I am looking for info concerning Panther G tank with side number 201. I wonder what type of Zimmerit had been used on this tank, what kind of camouflage it displays and what is the meaning of three balkenkreuz, including two of them obscured? I do not know how to add a picture or link so must describe it better. This Panther is portrayed in Warsaw, probably september or october. Place is called Płac Wilsona (Wilson Square). Tank is said to be fro 19 Panzer Division. Thanks in advance.

Hello and welcome,

intersting topic, the Polish panthers:

http://ftr.wot-news.com/2013/10/06/polish-panthers/

The pic seems to show a classic three tone camouflage. That is also the route which Dragon chose to replicate the vehicle:

http://www.dragon-models.com/d-m-item.asp?pid=DRR60126

As to the Zimmerit used: I have no idea, maybe others can help.

Did you notice it's an early Panther G version? Early style chin on the gun mantlet and early version of the heater on the engine deck.

In fact this is not one of "Polish Panthers". It just had been photographed in Warsaw with some more Panthers, Stugs and Sturmpanzers. I know it is early G.

I guess it's the one you're talking about :



(found here )

H.P.

Yes! This is it. Thanks for posting this picture.

Janusz, I'm not sure if this info will help, but I checked up in my "big Panther book" (Tom Jentz, Germany's Panther Tank) and have the following observations:

The hatch in the back of the turret has a handle welded on, which started to appear from June 44.

The exhausts aren't of the flammvernichter type, which makes it likely to be pre-October 44.

Zimmerit ceased being applied quite abruptly, with no more Panthers produced with it after 14 Sept 44.

I find it hard to tell if this Panther really has Zimmerit or not, the rear does look like a rough texture, but the photo is quite blurry. Photos of Panther Gs with Zimmerit seem to have a vertical ridged pattern, with horizontal and vertical lines dividing it into squares. You can see what does look like an angled line across the rear pannier with the balkenkreuz on it, which is a Zimmerit pattern seen to have been used on this part; then again, that cross on the turret - has it been covered over with mud, and is that what is providing the texture? The turret does look textured, but not like Zimmerit, more like mud?

The practice of delivering Panthers in Dunkelgelb to be camouflaged in the field ended during August 44, after which camo was applied at the factory, with Olivgruen and Rotbraun sprayed over Dunkelgelb. It seems possible that this has been applied here, as the skirts definitely appear to be sprayed in three colours - maybe that is obscured on the turret by mud...

Finally, this seems to have the normal curved mantlet, not a chin mantlet, which although started to be fitted from Sept 44, the chinless mantlet continued to be seen on new Panthers through to the end of production.