identifying a Panther

Trommelfeuer · #1

Please help in identifying this Panther...

Where was the photo taken / when / what unit did the Panther probably belong to ?

With friendly greetings, Sven

Takao · #2

Trommelfeuer

It's not so much as identifying a Panther as it is IDing a turret. It's a Panther D turret with the commander's cupola removed. I have seen a few pictures of this turret taken from different angles. There is no tank there, just a turret.

Trommelfeuer · #3

Thank you very much Takao for the instant answer!

Do you have any idea where this Panther turret was dug in ?

MFG, Sven

Hans N · #4

Well the Pic is taken in 1945 in Berlin

Trommelfeuer · #5

Wow!

Thanks a lot Hans N for the info!

friendly greetings, Sven.

Hans N · #6

Glad to be of help.

Wallace · #7

Well...Germans used Panther turrets in Berlin, like the Soviets at Stalingrad, yes, that's true.But how can u be sure that this one is made in Berlin?

Hans N · #8

I´m not that certain, but according to the site were i saw the pic says that it´s in Berlin. But i can´t remember the URL!!!!!????
Anyone else?

When did the Russians use Panther turrets at Stalingrad

Erik E · #9

It's a Panther D turret with the commander's cupola removed

How can you be sure that it isn`t a turret made for this purpose? The "Bodentürm" were delivered from the factory without the cupolar......

Erik E

Trommelfeuer · #10

Can anyone read the road sign / the other sign on the left corner of the photo ? (the road sign is above the Panther's muzzle break)

I can't, even not when "taking a closer look", but I somehow think it reads "Tempelhof ...km" or something like that ?

(...Berlin-Tempelhof-airport...)

With friendly greetings, Sven

Atencio · #11

Erik E wrote:
It's a Panther D turret with the commander's cupola removed
How can you be sure that it isn`t a turret made for this purpose? The "Bodentürm" were delivered from the factory without the cupolar......

Erik E

I agree. Turrets used for this task were usually shipped sans cupolar. The turret also had thinner armour on top. Interesting website:
http://www.ospreyfortress.com/articles/tank_turrets.htm

edit: the turret was thicker not thinner as mentioned in the below post.

Javichu · #12

I think it is one of the buried Panthers used in some Cities of Germany as fixed Pillbox...
The turret is not one of the purposedly built Pantherturm.Is an Ausf D Turret (look at the pistol port,also doesn´t have Reinforced roof) The lacking cuppola could have been blown up by he Ammo explosion after being hit .I have seen at least another Pantherturm that also lost its cuppola but that didn´t went out the turret ring.
Said that It could be a pantherturm but all these rubble and stone bricks surrounding it makes me suspect that they cover something bigger that the -Relatively- Small box under the turret.I think it could be one of the disabled Panthers sent from the factories -where they were going to be repaired -to be used as fixed fortress in Berlin and other cities.Takao any other pictures could help a lot

I didn´t knew until recently that Panther D of the first series were used this way in Russia due to their mechanical unreliability

Takao · #13

Here is the other one I found

Atencio · #14

From the small amount of material I have been able to find it seems that they liked to place the pill box turrets so that they were not out in the open. In the case of the photos it appears they are in the middle of the street which leads credence along with the fact that we see debris around the turrets in both photos to them being buried tanks.

Takao · #15

Some other I have found, but not of the same turret.