Knocked-out Panther tanks inspected by NIIBT testing ground comission from 20th to 28th July, part. 2




   Reports goes into detail about the knocked-out Panthers, caliber of guns that hit them and whether they burned. The list is as follows:

1. Turret no. 312, tank broke down and was later blown up by retreating germans.
2. Turret no. 633, rear armor penetrated by a single 76.2 mm shell, engine destroyed, tank burned.
3. Turret no. 613. rear armor penetrated by a single 76.2 mm shell, engine destroyed, tank burned.
4. Turret no. 434, sloped side armor penetrate by a single 76.2 mm shell, lower side armor penetrated by two 76.2 mm shells and turret rear penetrated by three 45 mm shells.
5. Turret no. 634, turret side penetrated by three 45 mm shells, mantlet penetrated from the side by a single 76.2 mm shell, mantlet penetrated frontally by 45 mm APCR shell,  lower side armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell and sloped side armor penetrated by a single 76.2 mm shell, ricochet off the glacis plate.
6. Turret no. 535, two penetrations of the sloped side armor by 76,2 mm shells, and two penetrations of turret sides by 45 mm shells.
7. Turret no. 142, rear armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shells and gun barrel penetrated by a 45 mm shell.
8. Turret no. 521, ricochet off the glacis and sloped side armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell.
9. Turret no. ???, tank completely destroyed by a direct hit of a 100 kg bomb.
10. Turret no.122, sloped side armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell, 2 penetrations of the lower side armor by 76,2 mm shells, ricochet off the glacis, tank burned.
11. Turret no.123, hit a mine, suspension destroyed, tank burned.
12. Turret no. 315, lower side armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell, sloped side armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell, one ricochet off the glacis plate. Tank destroyed by retreating Germans.
13. Turret no. 401, Ricochet off the glacis plate and a single ricochet of the lower frontal plate. Tank broke down.
14. Turret no. 381*, tank broke down and was abandoned.
15. Turret no. 124, rear armor penetrated by a single 85 mm shell, tank burned. Two ricochets off the glacis plate.
16. Turret no. 95*, rear armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell, tank burned.
17. Turret no. 170*, sloped side armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell.
18. Turret no. 551, tank got stuck inside a trench, it was later blown-up by retreating germans.
19. Turret no. 615, sloped side armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell, tank burned. Ricochet off the glacis plate.
20. Turret no.714, upper side armor penetrated by two 76,2 mm shells, one scoop on the mantlet from a 76,2 mm shell.
21. Turret no.741, turret front penetrated by a single 85 mm shell and a single ricochet off the glacis plate.
22. Turret no.441, suspension damaged by a 76 mm shell, upper side armor penetrated once by a 76,2 mm shell.
23. Turret no.440*, tank was penetrated twice by 76,2 mm shells on the upper side armor and burned.
24. Turret no. 445, tank hit a mine, suspension and drive sprocket damaged.
25. Turret no. 101, ricochet off the glacis plate, tank hit a mine, suspension and drive sprocket damaged.
26. Turret no. 512, upper side armor penetrated once by a 76,2 mm shell, lower side armor penetrated once by the same caliber.
27. Turret no. 711, tank broke down and was abandoned.
28. Turret no. 824, mantlet penetrated from the side by two 45 mm shells.
29. Turret no. 281*, lower side armor penetrated by a single 85 mm shell, turret side penetrated by a single 85 mm shell, tank burned.
30. Turret no. ???, upper side armor penetrated by a single 85 mm shell.
31 Turret no. ???, lower side armor penetrated by a single 76,2 mm shell, tank burned.

* Given numbers do not correspond to the designation system in 39th panzer regiment and are presumed to be incorrect.


Panther, turret no. 634 penetrated by 45 mm APCR shell.

   Information taken from The Panther encyclopedia by Maxim Kolomiets, pages 185-187.

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