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Panther D: the initial designs were by Daimler-Benz and MAN with the turret being built by Rheinmettall-Borsig. Hitler made the decision to go with the Daimler-Benz Panthers with an initial order of 200. Hitler then backpedaled his decision and went with the MAN design, in the initaial troop trails they were so many defects uncovered that in April 1943, all issues were stopped and the Panthers that were issued were recalled for MAJOR modifications. In May 1943, the 51st and 52nd Panzerabteilungen were issued the Panther D, just in time for the Battle of Kursk. Virtually all Panther Ds went to these two independent battalion as well as the 23rd and 26th Panzer Regiments (Independent) and the panzer regiments of the Das Reich (2nd SS PzGren Div) and Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (1st SS PzGren Division). ID features were the small TC coupula, the direct vision slot for the driver and the so-called "letterbox" hull machinegun port. Roughly 850 were built

Panther A: This was the 2nd series of production model, essentially it was D run with minor modifications. The TCs cupola received a new design (more periscopes), the running gear was strengthed. There were also over a dozen modifications to the drive train, the engine exhaust received its first cooling modification and the hull mg flap was replaced with a ball mount (retrofitted to surviving "D"s, although many "A"s kept the old flap throughout the war). The ammo-loading hatch on the left side opf the turret was deleted and the fire-control was updated. About 2,000 were produced from August 1943-May 1944.

Panther G: This was the 3rd production run and it involved some major redesign work. The hull was modified with thicker armor on the upper hull side and this was now a one-piece casting oinstead of the previous three-piece. The driver's direct vision slot was deleted and his seat was modified to allow him to raise and lower it so that he could drive with his head outside of his hatch. The pivoting hatches were replaced with hinged hatches for the driver and radio operator. Faced with a growing shortage of rubber, the "silent bloc" steel rimmed roadwheels were introduced. Yet more mods to the drive train as well as a gearbox oil cooler. The hull ammo racks were replaced with armored bins. The crew compartment was fitted with a heater system and the flame-trap exhaust muffler were fitted, eliminating the exhaust pipe problem. The turret came in for further modification, with the introduction of the "chin" mantlet which prevented hits on the lower portion of the matlet from being deflected through the thinner armor over the driver/radio operator. Some 3,126 were built in between March 1944-April 1945.

Panther F: This was supposed to be the fourth production run, but all accounts that I've seen state that no production was made and only the prototype turrets were completed. There is notation that one or two of these turrets were fitted to G hulls and used in the fighting in Berlin, but I've seen no photo evidence. The turret was called the "Schmal" (narrow) and was designed to have the smallest possible frontal area (and thicker armor). It would have the same size turret ring as the older turret. It was fitted with an optical rangefinder and it was planned that the Schmal turret could be refitted with the 88mm cannon.

Panzerbefehlswagen Panther: This was the command tank version of the Panther, 329 were converted from May 1943 to April 1945. It was designed to be as inconspicuous as possible when in action, unlike previous designs of command tanks, it retained its main armament, simply adding an additional radio for the company commander. In addition to the normal pole antenna, a second pole and a star antenna were added.

Panzerbeobachtungswagen Panther: This was the forward observor version of the Panther. Some 41 were converted. The main armament was deleted (replaced by a dummy tube) and a ball mount for the former co-axial machine gun. A rangefinder was added and a range plotting table fitted inside the turret. In addition to the normal pole antenna, a second pole and a star antenna were added.

Jagdpanther: This was a heavy tank destroyer that mounted the 88mm PaK L71 gun on a panther chassis. Production srated in January 1944-March 1945 and 392 were built. The turret was deleted and a superstructure was built up from the existing upper hull and side plates of the Panther. The drive train was modified with the installation of a heavy-duty transmission. The jagdpanther was issued to the troops in June 1944 but was never issued in large numbers until the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944. They were assigned to two panzerjagerabteilungen (the 559th and 654th), to the panzer regiments of some seven Panzer divisions, to the Guhrer Grenadier Division and to an independent Panzer brigade.

Panzer Bergegerat (Panther): The armored recovery vehicle version of the panther. Some 232 were built from June 1943 to September 1944 with 6 eing conveted from Pather A and another 107 from Panther G from September 1944 to March 1945. This was the hull of aPanther with a small superstructure built in place of the turret. it was equipped with a 40-ton capacity winch, and 1.5-ton derrick as well as a spade to stablizie the vehicle when using its derrick. Each tank regiment would have from 2-4 Bergepanthers.

Planned versions...

The Flakpanzer 341 was a Panther with its turret replaced by a new turret, mounting twin 37mm FlaK 43 antiaircraft guns. A wooden mockup of the new turret was built, but it never saw production.

Sturmpanther had the 75mm cannon replaced by the 150mm StuH 43/1. Never entered production.

Jagdpanther Starr: a modification of the Jagdpanther with the 88mm cannon being mounted on a rigid mount (similar to that used on the Hetzer tank destroyers).


Panther II: this was a 47-ton version of the Panther with heavier armor. It was delayed to to a design to co-ordinate with the Tiger II, a decision that prevented the Panther II from seeing troop service. Two prototypes were built, one, with a normal Panther turret currently being at the Patton Museum. The turret slated for use with the Panther II would have been the Schmal turret, fitted with the 88mm gun.

source is the "Encyclopedia of German Tanks of WWII"