Knocked out Panther photo, Eastern Front

[photo-war]

Hello! Please help to ID a variant of Panther in this photo,iamge was taken somwwhere around East Prussia. Any chance to find out from what unit is this?

Thanks in advance!

Best regards,
Alexander

[SIS 5]

Hi Alexander,

it is a Panther Ausführung A early production 1943. Here two drawings out of the booklet "Panther", Waffen-Arsenal Band 12 by Bruce Calver. B.t.w. I don´t think that the pic was taken somewhere around East Prussia.

Regards

Bert

[barbarossa28]

Hello Alexander,

Culver is not a good reference. It is without doubt a Panther Ausf. D. The unit it most probably Pz.Abt. 51 (part of Pz.Rgt. 39), photographed during or after operation Citadell (Pz.Abt. 51 had tactical numbers 1xx, 2xx, 3xx, 4xx). A further possibillity is that it is a vehicle of I./Pz.Rgt. 15 of 11. Pz.Div.
After Kursk, Pz.Abt. 51 handed over their remaining Panthers to Pz.Abt. 52 (tactical numbers 5xx, 6xx, 7xx, 8xx). Shortly after that, Pz.Abt. 52 was renamed I./Pz.Rgt. 15 and was re-subordinated under 11. Pz.Div. The panthers were renumberd in the style of a I./Abt. (1xx, 2xx, 3xx, 4xx). So it is a matter when the photo was made.

Pz.Abt. 51 was fully equipped with new Panther D's after they handen over their Panthers to Pz.Abt. 52. These panthers are easiely identifiable by the much smaller black numbers.

Regards, Holger.

[SIS 5]

Hi Holger,

nice to hear from You. Thanks a lot for the interesting information. Here two pics of Panthers of PzRgt 39 during operation "Citadell" out of the book "Die deutsche Panzertruppe" by Thomas L. Jentz

Best regards

[SIS 5]

Hi Alexander,

here another pic of a Panther of this time: number 433, captured by the Russians during "Citadell" and then transported to Britain for examination (source: http://www.panzer-archiv.de).

Regards

Bert