While looking at the Axis History website I saw a photo of a Porshe Tiger1 and a panther with a PZKfW 4 turret sitting on railcars. I have never seen this adaptation of a panther before. Any one have any info on that?
i guess they kept the odd balls together eh? [:p]
missing lynx or the axis history forum where you saw the pic may be your best port of call, if no-one on here can help.
N
That is a Bergepanther Ausf D that was fitted with a turret in the field. The Bergepanther D was used as a tow vehicle for disabled Tigers, Panthers and other tanks, The Berge D came out first and was followed by the D version. Unlike the Bergepanther Ausf A, which had a winch and a spade to remove bogged tanks it could only tow a tank like an armored FAMO.
I have seen another photo of the same Bergepanther from a different angle. I have been told by others that the turret was welded in place and could not rotate. You can shot back atleast and you look like any other tank to an observer, park it near the line and they would think you have another tank and a new type also.
Thanks for posting the picture.
It was assigned to the Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653. I have a few other photos of it as well. As AikinutNY stated, the turret was fixed and could not rotate, but to crews of Panzerjagers, this mattered not, as they were used to aiming the whole vehicle anyway. These guys had some other weird vehicles as well.
Some of there links were great. Ostpanzer was a russian(?) site that had a lot of intresting photos.
Peridexion,
Can you send the photos you have or post them? I have developed a severe case of Patheritis that has been compounded with Shermanholism. And it all started with researching a bergerpanther kit I saw at the local hobby shop.