So I was talking to my mother in law’s “friend”…[*-)], and he said when he was in germany in '44, that he saw a Panther with the barrel blown off. Basically, he said it looked like there was an explosion as the shell left the breech and entered the barrel. My question is, is this possible ?? This gives me lots of ideas, and If it is possible, does anyone have any good reference for wrecks ?? (google only helps so much) As always, thanks.
A friend of mine who is quite knowledgable about German armor said that it was common to place thermite scuttling charges in the gun barrel in the event of the tank becoming disabled and un-recoverable. Thermite burns at a high enough temperature to melt even the hardest steel. There are some pictures of tanks with the muzzle ends of the gun destroyed so I’m guessing the scuttling charges might have been put in from that end as well. Hope that helps!