Description
The Pz.Kpfw V Panther II was a German prototype medium tank, sometimes classified as heavy, from the Second World War. The first prototypes of this vehicle appeared in 1943. The drive was provided by a single Maybach HL 230 P 30 engine with 700 HP. The length of the tank, including the gun barrel, was 6.6 meters with a width of 3.4 meters. The armament of the vehicle consisted of a 75mm KwK 42 L / 70 gun and two 7.92mm MG34 machine guns.
The Panther II was a development version of the standard Pz.Kpfw V tank. The main changes, in the first stage of work, consisted in strengthening the frontal armour of the tank while maintaining its considerable angle of inclination. There were also minor production simplifications in the construction of the tower. Shortly after, the concept of unifying the Panther II chassis with the Pz.Kpfw VI Tiger heavy tank appeared. Due to the experience gained from the operation of the Panther I vehicles, it was also planned to use a completely new turret – the so-called Schmallturm. However, in the first half of 1943 it was decided not to put the Panther II into production, but interestingly, further development works on this tank were not abandoned, though never entered mass production.
