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Driven to desperate measures in the last year of the war, the Germans used 268 Panther tank turrets to create 'Pantherturm', fearsome steel and concrete bunkers able to knock out most Allied tanks. They came as a nasty surprise to the Western Allies in Italy and on the Siegfried Line.
I knew about the French turrets being used in such a way but not Panther turrets.
I liked the Type 1 "Panther turret in a steel box" design. Give those things a proper field of fire on high ground and they could be quite effective till overrun or destroyed by artillery.Fascinating, thank you!
Who called it a tank?The 20th century definition of a "tank" is a mobile armored vehicle. A tank that sits in a hole in the ground is called a coffin.
No offence but you did.Who called it a tank?
The 20th century definition of a "tank" is a mobile armored vehicle. A tank that sits in a hole in the ground is called a coffin.
The Germans actually produced a variant of the Panther turret for the Pantherturms. It only had manual traverse, no cupola, n9o telescopic sight and no ammo storage. All the ammo was kept below ground in the bunker base.The idea is that they would be used as pillboxes. And they were devastatingly effective in the defense of Berlin. And it is largely same reasoning that the Japanese did the exact same thing with their tanks at Iwo Jima. In Berlin they knew mobility would be questionable, but strong defensive points were needed. So taking otherwise non-functioning tanks and turning them into pillboxes made good sense. The same with the Japanese, there Iwo would not be a battlefield where mobility was very important, but armored pillboxes would be a huge advantage.
And both the US and USSR found out how hard it was to take those out. With only the turrets above ground level, most tanks could barely traverse their guns low enough to engage them and most infantry had nothing that could take them out other than flamethrowers or satchel charges.
The Germans actually produced a variant of the Panther turret for the Pantherturms. It only had manual traverse, no cupola, n9o telescopic sight and no ammo storage. All the ammo was kept below ground in the bunker base.
Some were recycled tank turrets, some were new production. I should have been more clear.Some had a cupola, some didn't.
The Brits came up with that term.Who called it a tank?
It was a code name.The Brits came up with that term.
