Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: Panther. Part 1

[@Jesses001]

That track and suspension system is so very German. Wonderfully engineered and built, smooth as butter, and you are totally screwed if something breaks, ha.

[@Classic_Frog]

These wheels did provide quite good though. Better to be hit in the suspension and immobilised than in the hull and destroyed. :)

[@Jesses001]

I am sure the crew would completely agree with you.

[@duchessskye4072]

Well if your tank is an expensive piece of engineering, I am not too sure you'd want to get hit in the suspension either. It'd mean that you cannot repair it and would have to destroy it anyway

[@WheelsRCool]

The wheel design had a problem of mud freezing in the wheels and thus freezing the tank in its place.

[@WheelsRCool]

@AKUJIRULE It wasn't a problem of being stupid, it happened due to logistics, as the Germans didn't have the fuel they needed and had to stop the tanks at night on the Eastern front, during which the mud would then freeze in the wheels.

[@Vincentschneider007]

My brother supplied the actual tank sight to Littlefield for this Panther. He was suppose to have the chance to drive the tank, but Jacque passed away. Unfortunate for my brother.

[@kevinm3751]

As a heavy equipment operator I can tell you for fact it does not take much mud or snow to cause the tracks to lock up and freeze and become a real nightmare to get freed up. Best policy is to always clean your tracks and running gear prior to leaving it overnight, or spend hours chipping out mud and ice before you can move...;)

[@michaelmuller6890]

they probably did that, since they realized how their lives could depend upon that hard work...

[@SvenTviking]

Michael Müller A job they really did not need as they would already have a lot of heavy work to do, servicing the tank after an exhausting day in combat.

[@michaelmuller6890]

@@SvenTviking Combat? Was rather exception. Most days of war were waiting somewhere. In tank forces even more on the german side, of course.

[@harrypoon3410]

@@michaelmuller6890 true, like cleaning toilets

[@SuperErikRoss]

They built fires under the tank to keep it warm as well as themselves as often times they slept inside the tank.

[@Questknight12]

My grandfather was a paratrooper during the Second World War. Because of him, I became interested in history, notably World War 2. He told me once of an, "encounter" with one of these monsters during the Overload campaign. He told me he believed it was a Panther. It was how his unit the 101st 'I' Company 502nd PIR, killed one of these tanks. An ambush on one of the roads. Divisional arty set up one of their 75mm pack howitzers and waited till it was point blank. Then fired, blowing the roadwheels off and shredding the track. I look at your videos and I can remember him, and here his stories sir. He worked at Aberdeen Proving Ground till the late 70's, and, told me stories after he retired. He hated, and feared German armour, when he was a paratrooper, and, always told me, he would hunker down and pray for help when he saw them. Thank you, for this sir. And thank you for the videos sir.

[@empire-classfirenationbatt2691]

Oh cool lol operation *overload* 😂😂😂

[@blockboygames5956]

Thank you for sharing. These would indeed have been terrifying to have to face on a battlefield.

[@bellypatter1]

"It was how his unit the 101st 'I' Company 502nd PIR, killed one of these tanks." My father was the 101st 502nd PIR "G" Company. They were in the same battalion.

[@blockboygames5956]

@John Cornell Thank you for the detailed answer. Interesting. Blessings.

[@blockboygames5956]

@John Cornell Cheers to you too. :) Haha irrespective of what tank it was, I can only wonder at these men who had the courage to face any German tank during WW2 (And vice versa.)

[@manassurya2019]

I have an exam tomorrow morning, and here I am watching this at 2 AM. Totally better than studying.

[@danielzajic6789]

Exam today at 8 AM, I'm still watching at 4 AM.

[@Canteenboy117]

Daniel Zajíc I'm sure you regretted that. I've done it before

[@matthayward7889]

Manas Surya did you pass?

[@iulian29-67]

Manas Surya I know how it feels And it is true

[@empire-classfirenationbatt2691]

Better than studying until you're taking the same class again next year😂😂😂

[@ironworld9822]

Tank is simply and absolutely gorgeous. 80 years old and it still looks like a fairly modern main battle tank.

[@sirbachelorboredmen1314]

Still look bizarre if it side by side with today's modern tank.

[@b_de_silva]

It doesnt look anything like a modern mbt.

[@dr.sommercamp3435]

No, but the centurion does...

[@petertimowreef9085]

Very satisfying how fate was kind enough to let the one responsible drive his completed project.

[@chitoryu12]

Those front fenders, though. "Herr Schlitz, why do we not use the same fasteners all the way around so we only need to produce one?" "That is not the German way, Karl"

[@SVSky]

As opposed to the Russian way, make one type of fastener and use it on everything from tanks to attack helicopters

[@mannyortiz691]

I totally envy this guy. Imagine reviewing tanks, getting in them, and sometimes having the opportunity to drive'm. Dream job.

[@Agorante]

If you have claustrophobia it's more of a nightmare job. I'm not as tall as The Chieftain (I'm only 6'4") but I'm a lot heavier. I get the heeby-jeebies just thinking about squeezing into those tiny spaces.

[@mannyortiz691]

@@Agorante Totally understand that rationale. There are episodes where I've seen this guy squeezing himself out of tanks (escape hatch test). Doesn't look like a good time.

[@totallyaploy1824]

@@Agorante (laughs in short)

[@miksulder]

Imagine how frightening sight this must been on the battlefield.

[@isharveerdhillon8348]

it was on veterans account they said it was a monster of a tank and were very scared by it

[@1985_Honda_CRX_Si]

**sound of shell ricocheting mixed with crewmembers pooping themselves**

[@nathanielartosilla9110]

ISU-152 crew: Hold my pivo

[@TheNorthie]

If I saw a tank in general my first response is: kill it, kill it before it kills us

[@NorceCodine]

I saw the Panther in the Panzemuseum, this thing is HUGE. Its actually bigger than the King Tiger, just not that heavily armored. The video doesn't show how big the Panther is.

[@johng9431]

Pretty cool that the crews could paint whatever camo scheme they wanted. (Based on supplies available)

[@TheComputerZombie]

So glad I got to see this tank in person. Its a beautiful restoration and a behemoth of a tank wonderfully displayed in Hudson, MA. Hard to believe that it sat at the bottom of a lake for 50 or years.

[@Questknight12]

Chieftain, here is the composition of the Zimmerit anti-magnetic mine paste. 40 % Barium sulfate - BaSO425 % polyvinyl acetate - PVA (similar to wood glue)15 % pigment (ochre)10 % Zinc sulfide - ZnS10 % sawdust

[@WildBillCox13]

Thanks for useful data.

[@hayden-hr8gq]

Saw this beast today in Massachusetts. It’s absolutely awesome, probably my favorite tank in the museum. I may have touched the zimmerit coating too…

[@GrasshopperKelly]

That return roller is to avoid the track falling between the drive sprocket, and first pair of road wheel. However, your also kind of right as it was put in a position to avoid interfering with the tracks mashing with the sprocket, rather than to aid.

[@billwhelpley6825]

Just saw this model in its new home at the American Heritage Museum in Stow, MA. The new museum took ownership of many of the Littlefield Collection's armored vehicles and is well worth a visit!

[@Anlushac11]

Finally. Been waiting patiently for a Panther video. Thank You. Cant wait for the interior video. I watched the Panther restoration video. Really interesting to see interior clearly without turret installed.

[@nubtube7313]

Chieftain, I have been openly critical of some of your other material, which might help explain why I am just viewing this in 2022. But to give credit where credit is due, I really enjoyed this series on the Panther. Thanks!

[@andrewnorgrove6487]

Great presentation and what a beautiful restoration that Panther is

[@jeffreytan2948]

The only thing I noticed lacking from this magnificent restoration are the air filters for the Maybach HL 230 engine. I can see the carburetors fully exposed and open. There should have been a pair of canister like thingys holding the air filters over them. This way whenever the engines are running dirt wont get through to the pistons and abrade them.

[@StratBurst92]

Amazing restoration. They really got this one right. Even the camouflage colors look correct.

[@BlackHearthguard]

Zimmerit was made of Barium Sulfate, PVA, Zinc Sulfate sawdust and pigment. Interestingly they used to set fire to it to burn off the solvent in order to dry it out faster

[@H3llBaron]

Well, other facts that convicted germans to stop the application of Zimmerit was that it delayed the release of many finished tanks for many hours in the factories, and second in September 44 is that the front was the Germany itself: the France was lost, and also Russia.

[@morre666]

I keep wondering if using the zimmerit kept others from starting to produce magnetic mines themselves. Wouldn't make much sense to produce a weapon if the enemy already has protection against it right?

[@mrnihil3221]

The Germans felt their magnetic mines were easy to copy so they made zimmerit in case the soviets started making them too.

[@DrN0rd]

I never noticed how crazy blue his eyes are

[@herbwag6456]

Hitler's?

[@Masada1911]

Be careful or you’ll get lost in them forever

[@Sunkgazelle]

I am making a robot to clean beaches for school and this is where I get my info for running gear... Wonderful.

[@JohnnyCirucci]

Zimmerit was a fire hazard because the chief component in it's non-magnetic properties was wood. There were instances of Soviets using magnetic mines but not enough to warrant the danger...can't have Panzers igniting like Shermans. @3:28 Towing eyelet required removal of the front fender: again, not designed with the crews in mind as a good commander had his tow cables already bolted in place and wrapped around securely for quick employment under fire. Kudos to you for a balanced breakdown on the road wheels and a solid walk-around as a whole. Without access to parts and machining, this tank still eclipses the T-34/85 as the best of the war: with the hiccups ironed out and access to the proper composites (slave labor notwithstanding), this vehicle nails the "Iron Triangle" (firepower, mobility, protection) dead center. It was actually just a few thousand Reichsmarks more expensive than a Mark IV to manufacture!

[@coyote10119]

So this is the same tank that was in the show? Amazing. Those guys on the restoration project really did one hell of a job.

[@Vacgray]

The music on the background is annoying

[@Pimthrow]

so true

[@TheCaptan200]

it's the shortest repeat for a song I've heard.

[@lucascaros5298]

Yeah a little bit

[@patrickmcleod111]

The music is off of Bob Dylan's 1st album. The best thing about it is that it's an instrumental, so you don't actually have to hear Dylan's voice!

[@snowindafunboots4369]

so gentle to say"annoying" cause pratically is so out of place (for me..)

[@McBlitz52]

Yes! Thanks so much for the review on the panther!

[@NoName-ek8mh]

It's an honour to be here. 😀🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪

[@mo45327]

Yes, Nicholas you just made my day.

[@jasonmed2119]

Beautiful looking tank..

[@chazk5376]

I love your narration. Not only great insight, but you have great cadence. That is important when binge watching! It's annoying to watch and listen to someone that suffers through speech. It's a gift not everyone has.

[@Greg-ku7rn]

I feel like if mud was really a problem when it froze overnight then German tankers would learn to scrape the mud off the tank before any stretches of time where the tank isn't going anywhere. It wouldn't take long and if it really was a problem it could be solved pretty easily.

[@markdoldon8852]

This is clearly documented on the Russian front. As I understand it, the problem arose with dramatic temperature swings overnight. Entire companies died beside the roads. There are films of it happening. It wasnt so much a tank issue as a " this country is a frozen hell" problem.

[@IronCow8]

That’s a beautifully restored tank if I’ve ever seen one

[@genericfakename8197]

Hans- We're getting our asses kicked by T-34s Klaus-What makes them so good? Hans- They're cheap and reliable. Klaus- We better copy them then. Hans- Okay, let's make it expensive and overtly complicated. Klaus- PERFECT! Then Germany lost the war.

[@peterson7082]

+GenericFakeName The Panther was by no means a copy, or a direct response. The T-34 wasn't renown for reliability either.

[@KnowledgeBoutique]

You're just not an overly intelligent individual are you?

[@benbauer1257]

>reliable

[@Bumpus07]

Yea they did have really no option but they kinda shot themselves in the foot when developing the Maus and other projects like the P100 Ratte (really Germany)

[@yulusleonard985]

Nathan Peterson Yea but when T-34 suffer breakdown, the crew will get a new tank instead going into vacation or became voluntary infantryman.

[@trashtasticus7714]

What a beautiful machine :)

[@robertmoore1839]

Karyū JDM The most beautiful tank of WW2, in my opinion...

[@charleshax]

Robert Moore the Bob Semple is the most beautiful tank of WWII

[@ChimpFromSpace]

Isn't using regular bolts, along with wing nuts to bolt down the fender make the use of the wing nuts pointless?

[@buttahXD]

12:37 I like how he just gave up with trying to latch the hatch.

[@southwestvirginiarailfan729]

Wow, they did a really good job restoring that tank, I remember watching the tv show he was talking about. (tank overhaul) They literally drug this thing out of a lake or a river, I can't remember which. It looked like the biggest pile of 💩 known to man. Sucks the guy who restored it passed away, but at least he got to enjoy the fruits of his labor by getting to drive it before hand.

[@mixererunio1757]

From Czarna Nida in Poland. Illegally I might add. And then I was transported out of the country illegally as well. Hope it returns to Poland one day.

[@confusedbadger6275]

Why, its not Polish

[@elmacho7087]

@@mixererunio1757 why it’s not polish n polish got wrecked

[@LegendaryElCapitan]

Tiger: I am the King of the Battlefield! Panther: Hold my fuel canisters

[@albib3591]

Oh, Yes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@SlavicCelery]

Except no german tank would surrender it's fuel to anyone, if at all possible.

[@chrisbullock3504]

OMG Chieftain im so glad you finally did this, cant wait for part 2

[@Slayer_Jesse]

Its really interesting that we think of 40mm of side armor as being really thin, and then actually seeing how thick that steel really is. Makes it really easy to understand why Steel armor couldn't keep up with post war HEAT rounds.

[@sirmoke9646]

True, when you see them in real life you think about the forces in play. As far as tanks go 4 cm is almost paper. I wonder why they didn't have more or at least sloped considering that previous designs were peppered by the soviet AT rifles.

[@wolfganggugelweith8760]

12 years ago, an old austrian man told me that he was tankdriver in the German army in WWII. He drove the Panther tank and he said it was the most advanced tank at this time. He did not complain about technical fails or so. He said in the hand of a good tankdriver it was a reliable an very good tank.

[@pantherace1000]

by the time Panther reaches full production (the tail end of 43 and the start of 44) how many "good drivers" are left?

[@wolfganggugelweith8760]

@@pantherace1000 It dependet on each individual and the teacher of the drivingshool very much.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

If you watch the footage from Cologne, you'll see the Panther crew escaping their hit Panther just as quickly as the Sherman crew does, and more Panther crewmen survived. If you are used to getting in and out of your tank every day, you soon find the easiest and quickest ways to do it. It also helps if you aren't 7ft tall 😂.

[@Guardian88]

I actually get to see this exact panther this weekend at the American heritage museum Its really is a nice looking tank

[@fivers1272]

I saw this exact panther with the 501 number and its perfectly restored

[@strikermp]

What you missed about the transmission: the Panthers transmission was able to compensate 50cm of altitude difference. It made driving and shooting way more comfortable. Also, these 50cm have never been topped until the late 60s.

[@davidyang9902]

Yes! Finally!

[@tuckcuttertuck6802]

That is one beauty of a Restoration job.

[@winstonchurchill237]

Probaby the best looking tank of wwll

[@Korn1holio]

Всем привет из России. Спасибо Николасу за отличные, качественные и профессиональные видео!

[@Classic_Frog]

It's a nice little introduction at the beginning. I hope future vids will all get something like that. Also, regarding zimmerit, as far as I know it was suspected to be flammable but never confirmed, and eventually considered safe.

[@arjunmadan318]

Yeah it's true but adding zimmerit increased production times because it had to be dried after application adding 2-3 days to the production schedule.

[@Daehawk]

PLZ stop that background music.!!

[@HavanaSyndrome69]

It's like intro music that should last 30 seconds but goes on the whole time

[@JeddieT]

I couldn’t agree more. Lose the shit sound track!!

[@deshonarnold2253]

I like the background music. It lets me know that this is about The Cheiftain inside the hatch.

[@louiefence6579]

It's real life bro :P

[@Soulessdeeds]

Everyone does great work with detailing WW2 tanks and even trucks. Something all of you do is fail completely with showing people the equipment mechanics had to work with to repair these beasts. I was a Bradley mechanic for 15 yrs in the Army. I was also lucky enough to be assigned to recovery sections and teams in nearly all of my units I served in. So I worked extensively with the HMMT Wreckers. The M88a1s and even the Deuce 1/2 Wreckers and 5 ton Wreckers. The VTRs were pulled from service before I came along so I never for to play with them. The M88a1 and later the M88a2 were hands down the kings of recovery even when recovering wheeled vehicles. I could raise my boom and pay out my cables at the same time and go up on my spade if need to pull out Hummers that went into canals or rolled over. HMMT Wreckers took a few minutes to setup before they could do such work. The M88s incredible lifting and towing capacities made them invaluable to the units that have them. Even if some maintenance teams had guys that were less than great with keeping their own vehicles running smoothly like the M88. The M88 is a often neglected vehicle by maintenance teams. Either from ignorance of how to work on them. Or just plain ol laziness. I have seen it too many times and it always made me angry to see such a great piece of engineering just being abused like that. I always kept my 88s serviced, cleaned, and maintained to ensure I had as little as possible a chance of vehicle failure during a mission. And keeping spare parts and track parts was very much key to quick repairs. I really with you guys would talk about tank recovery vehicles and even speak with guys like me who have thousands of hours operating them and living in them for months at a time.

[@volatilesky]

the mud freezing I can see, regardless of horsepower. it's similar to older tractors that had the front wheels angle in to the ground on each side. it's why you see some older ones with a single angled wheel up front. not a mistake, just makes it easier to deal with in cold conditions.

[@peasant8246]

7:20 T-54/55 tanks also had leading axles on one side and trailing on the other.

[@mu99ins]

@13:15 - "Zimmer" is what the close caption displays, but the term is, "Zimmerit", protection against magnetic mines.

[@veon15]

Finaly! Thank you!

[@TheCarDemotic]

I got to see this Panther in person. It’s an amazing restoration

[@argonianvideo4439]

They even added Zimmerit! How amazing!

[@jobu88]

I had never known about the single return roller shown at 4:44, despite 50 years looking at Panther photos. The excellent photos of the Panther that German authorities removed from the guy's basement in 2015 show the roller. However other wartime photos I've found with the tracks and other wheels removed don't show the return roller. I wonder if it wasn't used in all 3 versions? Cool detail regardless.

[@Psiberzerker]

That's gorgeous! Excellent restoration.

[@robertpayne2717]

A good friend who served in the USA 1st division told me before his death that the German Tanks had gasoline blow torches to thaw out tracks on them...ie adding to the fuel problems that the Germans experienced in winter 44/45.

[@rosscollingwood5189]

As always, an excellent presentation. We actually have a Panther under full restoration for the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum in Cairns, Queensland. When finished it apparently will be only the third fully restored example in the world and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere - I can't wait to go up and see it for myself!!

[@rosscollingwood5189]

That I don't know yet, but the Museum itself will. I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you if you contact them. Look for the reports of the restoration of this classic tank on their website too - very interesting! @John Cornell

[@garynew9637]

I live 20 minutes away from this museum, go at least once a year

[@woprl]

13:55 !! Grenade launcher? Would like some more information about this item.

[@franz_stigler]

the tank looks amazing I can't imagine the effort it takes to restore something like that

[@herringchoker01]

Great piece - thanks! A Panther vulnerability I heard from someone who claimed to have discovered it was that 3+ HE rounds on the turret would brew them up. He did this once in desperation in Italy (no AP left), found it worked and continued doing so. Has anyone else come across this?

[@bencejuhasz6459]

What calibre HE rounds?I can imagine,if one aim under the gun mantlet,that might worked out.

[@herringchoker01]

75 mm - anywhere on the turret sides. This is different from the early mantlet that was a shot trap. (AP shot striking its underside would ricochet down and penetrate the thinner top of the crew compartment).

[@pelontorjunta]

Choosing between Panther and T-34 is like choosing between Audi and Lada. The progress in combat armor during WW2 was fast when comparing some Pzkw II to Panther. What seems to be almost impossible is how Germany managed to cut cost of Panther when it was just 14% more expensive on production than modernized Pzkw IV. In combat ready the price was RM 176,100 while that of Tiger I almost RM 400,000.

[@GyanjoYoutube]

Love these informative rundowns of tanks!

[@johnwayneeverett6263]

SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE CANCER ...THE MAN IS A GREAT MAN TO DO THIS ..SAVE HISTORY

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

the zimmer coating would provide a good sticky place for goopy mines. Mines just made out of plastic. just slap it on and stick the detonator in the goop.

[@charliemorris2338]

Most enjoyable series,thank you very much.

[@carlfreeman6687]

Panther..Probably the best all around tank in WW2.

[@thethirdman225]

Probably not. The problem is that it wasn't an all round tank. It was totally focussed on shooting matches with enemy tanks and had little application as an infantry support weapon or a scout. That's what happens when an industrialist has more say in the design of tanks that the army... No a good thing.

[@sateayyam3192]

There is no best tank in ww2, all nation have tank that they specificly need like japan needed lighter tank so they can move it all 'round their little island, and stuff like that

[@torifin755]

if you notice closely at the beginning, the model looks like the A from the front, note the driver port on the front slope and the Mantlet not having the chin. little details like that makes german tanks hard to tell apart for a simple person

[@largol33t1]

That factoid about the wheels freezing up: I read in the Time LIFE series on the Russian Campaign that the German tank crews were constantly running out of grenades. They finished fighting for the day and went to sleep. When they woke up, they found that their wheels were totally frozen. They couldn't waste precious rifle ammo so they tossed grenades to break up the ice. Must have been tough sleeping inside those things considering they were cold and cramped and you had no pillow....

[@bobthompson4319]

I believe the fine rows of thick looking paint was anti magnetic coating to prevent magnetic grenades from sticking to it.

[@visi4671]

bob thompson Are you having a Homer Simpson moment - Doh! Or just having a laugh. They are iron ferrous longitudinal oxide To Attract Mines!!! Grins Xxx

[@mattmischnick2926]

He addresses this issue @ 12:35

[@reesefobes867]

Dear god Chief, PLEASE tell me you took this one out for a spin in part two! It's a FUNCTIONING PANTHER! Is rare, indeed. Also, if there is anything left of it, please do an episode on the Object 279 at Kubinka. Thanks.

[@MotorStorm]

Did you change up the camera?

[@aaronhinton3446]

Colour is so much better

[@billnye7183]

I knew I couldn't have been the only one-it looks a million times better!!!

[@psychoaztecs]

ikr? color is so sharp and saturated

[@swift7493]

Probably different colour correction settings

[@quizels0695]

7:34 what is that long rod on the front fender?

[@UkrainianPaulie]

Probably a guide rod for the driver to know where his right fender is. Like the very early US Army Humvees. Had them by the right front fender reflector.- Retired US Army.

[@quizels0695]

@@UkrainianPaulie ok thanks

[@CsImre]

I read somewhere that the reason the Germans used interleaving road wheels was to save rubber.

[@Kafkodesu]

While I'm not a big fan of WoT, these videos are really interesting to watch.

[@baduridgeback4926]

Once upon a time all Panthers left the various factories in mandatory paint scheme called ‘Hinterzug tarnung (Ambush Camou)’ between august en october ‘44. This German camou pattern was based on their experiences during battle of Bocage after D-Day. By the time this paint scheme got to the frontline it was outdated....

[@TheCarDemotic]

I am going up to Massachusetts to go see this Panther and all the other tanks up there.

[@jrg7951]

Danville, Virginia has an excellent Tank museum. If you can, make the trip!

[@Mildcat743]

German tankers: Our tanks are being penetrated from the side, anything we can do? German engineers: Scheiße! We must make you a new tank! German tankers: Why don't we put some side skirts on the tank we already have? German engineers: Why didn't we think of that?

[@luvr381]

I think one side had leading arm torsion bars to offset where the torsion bars laid on the floor so there was enough room.

[@Spitsz01]

Great stuff Nicholas! Have you read "Panther in Action" by squadron/signal publications (armor nr. 11)? Great book with every detail of the Panther from D to G! Also a must for model builders ! Can't wait for the next episode, what a beautiful tank and a great restoration...

[@xxgbsxxlegacy9389]

My favorite tank of all time

[@fdmackey3666]

I have often wondered if the committee that designed the road wheel set up for the Panther (family) ever bothered to discuss the maintenance of those self same road wheels with actual tankers, or took a moment to THINK about what would happen when mud froze BETWEEN the road wheels. If I had been a German tanker back then and seen that design, after serving on the Eastern Front for a year or so....I would have been sorely tempted to request a transfer to the Infantry. There is one question about German WWII (and American as well as UK tanks and other AFVs for that matter) that I have never found a coherent answer to. Why, did the allies OR the Germans not follow the lead of the Russians and use diesel fuel rather than highly flamable gasoline/AV gas? Was it just easier for the Allies and Germans to produce gasoline/AV gas or what? One of those things I have always wondered about. Thanks for another great video.

[@Lemard77]

Studies were done about fires in the tanks. The conclusion was that it wasn't the fuel type but rather the ammunition placement which determined the fire rate of the vehicles. The Soviets made some tests in T-34s about fuel fires and saw that even the diesel fuel caught fire easily when the fuel tanks were shot, they didn't had to be full though, some air inside was needed for combustion.

[@fdmackey3666]

Thanks for the kind and informative response Super Etendard. In very few words you provided me with an answer to a question that has, even when I was trundling around in M60A1s and first edition M1 Abrams MBTs for a living, bothered me more than an a little. About the same time the U.S. Army changed hydraulic fluids (used in tank/AFV turret traverse systems) from the infamously flammable "cherry juice" to the (in my day at least) the less flammable "lime aid" some tests were done at Ft. Knox, KY where I was stationed, at the time, concerning the flammability of diesel v MOGAS/AVGAS/JP4-5. We, the soldiers, were rarely if ever consulted as to which we found to be "most healthy", if you know what I mean. "Experts" WERE consulted and it was their recommendations that were followed as a rule. Us tread heads were pretty much ignored despite the fact that it would be us, or those that followed us, that took/would take the tanks and AFVs into real world combat at some point. After firing any number of HEAT and APDS rounds into combat loaded "target" vehicles of various nations, makes, and models we tended to trust diesel over any other POL when it came to vehicle fires. Please understand that this was back in the early 1980s and that I am somewhat aware that advancements have been made in fire suppression and armor protection since my day. It just seemed that there was conflict of sorts between what we saw firsthand back then and what the published records show...And Lord knows there are any number of published opinions on what fuel is the least flammable and best for use in tanks and AFVs. Again thanks for the kind and informative response.

[@Lemard77]

Your welcome :) Very cool to hear you operated with M60A1s and M1s. About the ammo placement a good example are the Shermans, when at first lots of them were lost by fires the gas fuel was suspected, however when later models switched to the wet rack system (and placing the ammo in the hull floor instead of the sides) the fire rate was decreased considerably. The T-34 having the sides of the hull pretty much covered in fuel tanks had a good tendency to catch fire regardless of being diesel fuel, IIRC at Kursk around 70% of the destroyed T-34 got fires.

[@fdmackey3666]

Thanks again for the response and information Super Etendard! NOW I understand, after all these years and conflicting if not confusing written reports (stories?) about the flammability of certain WWII era and even later tanks. It makes sense now. When I was on M60A1s (with some experience on National Guard M48A5s during off post ARTEPs where it was cheaper for the Army to use in place M48s than it was to ship, via rail, our Ft. Knox based M60A1s) many of us did discuss the flammability/explodeabilty (is that a word?) of our M48s and M60s due to the placement of ammo racks and to a lesser extent fuel tanks. Looking back on those days and those down time discussions I realize more than ever that soldiers will discuss just about anything and "solve" any number problems they perceive concerning their assigned equipment, even when they don't have a clue as to what the real solutions might entail. Thanks for your response and information. Have a good one! Ready and Forward, Sir!

[@MrMarinus18]

The biggest problem for the Germans in Russia was not snow or broken tracks but mud. The spring and autumn mud (called Rasputitsa in Russian which the Germans also started calling it.) tremendously slowed down everything. If you would try to drive a Sherman into that it would get stuck right away. It was made with the complaints of the tankers in mind, on mud it worked great and it could crush soviet obstacles with ease which would have stopped Panzer III and IV. The Germans didn't use diesel because they didn't have it. Germany has no oil resources and almost all the oil they could import from Romania was needed for rubber and lubricants. Most fuel was synthetic fuel made from coal. One of the biggest reasons the Germans wanted to conquer to Caucasus and the Baku oil fields in it was not just for their own consumption but to deny it's use to the Russians. Baku supplied close to 90% of soviet oil and cutting that off would have effectively stopped the soviet war machine. By using gasoline the Germans were not dependent on imported oil. The British used gasoline as well for the same reasons as the Germans. Almost all oil they got from Persia was for their warships which had priority over the tanks. The Russians could afford to use diesel because they had oil easily available from Baku. The decision of the Japanese to use diesel made things hard for them when their oil supply from the Dutch east-indies was cut off. The US though is a little less justified as they do have major oil reserves. They mostly did it because gasoline engines were more easily available to them and also because they first tanks were for the British who wanted gasoline engines.

[@keithdavis773]

Very interesting study; re track tension - there is a rather poor photo reproduced in Osprey's T34 v Panther volume of the back of the Panther with the little track tension access plates open. I assume you had to use something like a manual start handle to work the worm gear. Keith

[@lafeelabriel]

Whatever else you can say about the Panther, and it had it's fair (more than it's fair, arguably) share of issues, it is certainly a beautiful example of some of the finest pieces of German (over)engineering to ever see combat. Not to mention one of the better looking tanks ever made.

[@ValentineC137]

Some allied chaps once found a Panther in a barn, drove it around for a year before a fuel pump died. They talked about how it was Superior to the sherman in both weponary and getting through mud and other offroading troubles much easier

[@lafeelabriel]

Major caveat to this: The final drive, something that was never changed throughout the Panther's service life, was known to literally disassemble itself, usually catastrophically, at a random interval from anywhere from 200km up. As long as that held up, and, as I said, it's a issue that was never resolved, not even by the post war users (would have needed a complete redesign of the entire drive train apparently) the Panther was as good as it gets in WW2 though.

[@ValentineC137]

Lafeel Abriel but the fact is that a fuel pump set it out of action, not the final drives :D

[@seoulkidd1]

Beautiful Tank

[@richardsalazar4817]

When I was younger I use to think zimmerit was weld that was applied to thicken the metal.

[@arjunmadan318]

I think that by the way Mr. Chieftan speaks he should be assigned the role of an Imperial pfficer in a star wars movie. IDK but with a few makeup touches he will look exactly like Grand Admiral thrawn Petition for seeing him as thrawn in a canon movie👇

[@Maus5000]

Still an excellent video. Can't wait to see this tank in Boston next month

[@jamesbuckner4791]

wooohooo tank video on birthday.

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

Happy birthday

[@Healthwise.]

+TheChieftainWoT woohoo tank vudeo watching at 4:32am

[@Sammakko7]

Jake Sinden 4:32*

[@leohorse658]

Yessss germans!!! Thank you!!!

[@MrSam1er]

Tank* you

[@raflcamara9073]

+Sam P lol

[@_Spharex]

Rheinmetall1944 you're welcome

[@scottleft3672]

But not good enough.

[@gregorynasrallah1755]

The major difference in armored warfare wasn't as much the tanks as it was the crews, at which the Panzer's units excelled. Over engineering was evident in most of the Wehrmacht's military hardware and resulted in lower production numbers. A higher number of tanks equal to the those of the allies would have been the wiser move.

[@VRichardsn]

_A higher number of tanks equal to the those of the allies would have been the wiser move_ I am not so sure. I mean, the Germans are already having problems with scarcity of rare alloys, petrol and qualified crewmen. More vehicles could have only aggravated the issue.

[@DanBray1991]

"A higher number of tanks equal to the those of the allies would have been the wiser move." Not in the slightest, the german could never match allied... or soviet production. The germans made a rather conscious decision to go for quality>quantity, albeit still recognised, just good enough vehicles were generally the most cost effective.

[@hkhjg1734]

even if germany had enough factories and resources to produce tanks in numbers to compete with the allies, they wouldn’t even have enough tank crews to man them