BOOK REVIEW:
American Panther Tank
An examination of the five surviving Panzer V tanks including the rare Panther II
Craig Moore
Fonthill, ISBN: 978-1-78155-804-1, 146pp, 213 x 274 mm, 386 photos.
RRP £22.00 (Cheaper at many places)
Like it says on the tin, this book is a detailed study of the German Panther tanks that remain in the United States. Following the end of WW2 some fourteen Panthers were shipped from Europe for evaluation at U.S. Army establishments, four have survived, the rest were used as hard targets or cut up for scrap. One more was imported more recently as a hulk.
Four of the survivors now reside at the U.S, Army Armour and Cavalry Collection based at Fort Benning in Georgia. This includes the Panther II (with a Panther ‘G’ turret), a Panther ‘A’, Panther ‘G’ and Panther ‘G’ Training Tank. These are at various stages of restoration.
The fifth example is the Panther Ausf. ‘A’ at the American Heritage Museum at Hudson, Massachusetts. This Panther was recovered from a river in Poland in 1990, and has been fully restored and is displayed with a T34/85 in a diorama depicting combat on the Eastern Front.
Each of these tanks has its own chapter, with historical notes, walk-around photos and some wartime images. In addition there is a chapter listing and illustrating all the other surviving Panthers in the world (that we know of).
Aside from looking at these specific examples, there is enough information in this book to satisfy even the most ardent Panther aficionado, with vast amounts of technical detail as well as the photographs showing every facet of the tank. Recommended for the armchair historian, wargamer and model-maker.
Currently on offer from Fonthill at £15.40!
https://www.fonthill.media/collections/military-history-books/products/american-panther-tanks
Paul Middleton MAFVA 1528
