
World War II German Panther Ausf. A Restoration.
#1
Posted 02 March 2014 - 07:24 AM
Pictures of the Jacques Littlefield Panther and other vehicles in the collection can be found at:
http://etanks.ws/Lit...-collection.htm
More pictures of the Jacques Littlefield Panther can be found at:
http://www.toadmanst...m/panther_6.htm
The article reports:
"The Panther Ausf A of Jacques Littlefield began it's post war life in a Eastern European scrap yard. It was one of several Panthers that lay forgotten at this location, but it had been spared the cutters torch.The Panther Ausf A of Jacques Littlefield began it's post war life in a Eastern European scrap yard. It was one of several Panthers that lay forgotten at this location, but it had been spared the cutters torch.There does appear to be several versions of this Panther's history.
Roy Hamilton, of the Littlefield restoration team recounts thus: 'When the Panther first arrived (in USA), it was in a very sad shape as would be expected from spending the better part of 40 years under water and suffering from the effects from the demolition charge set off in its interior when abandoned. The turret was pieced together from parts of the original turret.' (The turret was in fact so badly damaged that much has been rebuilt by the guys in USA).'Other damage caused by this explosion included blowing the bulkhead between the fighting compartment and the engine about 5 inches into the rear! This also broke most of the torsion bars, tearing loose and moving the upper deck support forward, breaking and blowing down part of the bottom of the left sponson. Many of the seam welds also failed; blowing up the deck itself, plus lots of other damage.
The first job was to completely disassemble the tank and all of its componets to ascertain what was salvageable and what had to be found or made from new. New metric steel was ordered and a new top deck and all its components was made along with new bulkheads, sponson bottom, deck support, engine compartment etc. After all this had been re-fitted the entire hull was sandblasted and all of the rust pits were filled in. At about the same time a "new, old stock" turret ring was located and brought from France.
Hamilton continues; 'New torsion bars were ordered from the original company in Germany and then installed. The swing arm bushings for the torsion bars had to be made new and were duling manufactured out of original phenolic material. Road wheels were found and fitted. The Panthers transmission was in surprisingly good condition and only needed some bearings to be replaced! The final drives were not as easy, and new gears had to be cut. The gear box under the turret basket which drives the hydraulic pumps for the steering assist, had the top blown out and was pretty sad. However, it was pieced back together with some new pieces added and rebuilt.
Much of the interior had to be made afresh, including heat ducting, shell racks, lubrication tubing etc. Zimmerit has been applied behind the road wheels and will shortly be applied to the whole hull. As for the turret (as noted earlier), the original was in such a poor state that after salvaging the mantlet, the gun mount, commanders cupola and other pieces a completely new turret is being made."
(Below are before pictures of the Littlefield Panther setting in a scrap yard with other old junked civilian and military vehicles, and the restored vehicle complete with Zimmerit and 3 color camouflage paint scheme.)
- SS commander, Sharks06, pvt madison and 1 other like this
ICH BIN EIN BERLINER!!! ("I am a jelly doughnut!")President John F. Kennedy, June 26, 1963 speech, Berlin, Germany. MOTTO OF THE NINJA CARNIVORES (TNC)!
#3
Posted 02 March 2014 - 09:23 AM
If I was living near that junkyard at any time, that Panther would not have been left there. I would have taken it home somehow. I don't know how, but I would have found a way.
Yes, I would've made sure too, it found it's way to a loving and caring home with me! The article said "it was one of several Panthers" at this location! I can't get imagine 1, but "several!!!" Wow, German Panther overload!!!

ICH BIN EIN BERLINER!!! ("I am a jelly doughnut!")President John F. Kennedy, June 26, 1963 speech, Berlin, Germany. MOTTO OF THE NINJA CARNIVORES (TNC)!
#4
Posted 02 March 2014 - 09:26 AM
( we fight for our allies we never give up friendship is the best weapon)- sharks06
( always fearsome never gives up fights for more fights for victory and fights for allies that make a prefect sharks kill for there team to survive not only themselves that the basic way of survival it's always better to hunt in packs then alone ) sharks06
#7
Posted 02 March 2014 - 10:26 AM
Did you know Germans mostly used the panzer and tiger tank
And panther
Definitely!

ICH BIN EIN BERLINER!!! ("I am a jelly doughnut!")President John F. Kennedy, June 26, 1963 speech, Berlin, Germany. MOTTO OF THE NINJA CARNIVORES (TNC)!
#9
Posted 02 March 2014 - 04:55 PM
You are brought down, will you stand up an.fight once more.will you fall helplessly for fate to come. As long as that handgun stick to your fingers... as long as you got your bullets armed...one can never surrender for what he trusts, a goal, a dream, a passion on what he knows belongs for the greater good. So ill ask you again, will you get up or fall?
#11
Posted 02 March 2014 - 09:17 PM
Yes! I believe it was the best tank to come out of WWII.
it is! The second is the Tiger I then its the T-34 then the M4 sherman then last but not least the churchill tank
You are brought down, will you stand up an.fight once more.will you fall helplessly for fate to come. As long as that handgun stick to your fingers... as long as you got your bullets armed...one can never surrender for what he trusts, a goal, a dream, a passion on what he knows belongs for the greater good. So ill ask you again, will you get up or fall?
#13
Posted 05 March 2014 - 01:19 PM
Panther tanks are the best tanks Germany had in WWII when ease of production (this is relative, nothing that came from my country was simple and easy to produce), speed, and numbers came to play.
The Tigers were good, but slow and costly. They were very chary with Tigers because not a lot were produced, and not a lot could be produced.
- cmerry65 likes this
#15
Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:58 PM
Right panzer,Panther was the best tank in WWII..:)Good cannon and he was fast..A perfect tank
the panther is a beauty aint she? And the tiger I have the largest fear factor to the allies
You are brought down, will you stand up an.fight once more.will you fall helplessly for fate to come. As long as that handgun stick to your fingers... as long as you got your bullets armed...one can never surrender for what he trusts, a goal, a dream, a passion on what he knows belongs for the greater good. So ill ask you again, will you get up or fall?
#18
Posted 06 March 2014 - 10:15 AM
ICH BIN EIN BERLINER!!! ("I am a jelly doughnut!")President John F. Kennedy, June 26, 1963 speech, Berlin, Germany. MOTTO OF THE NINJA CARNIVORES (TNC)!
#19
Posted 06 March 2014 - 04:12 PM
You are brought down, will you stand up an.fight once more.will you fall helplessly for fate to come. As long as that handgun stick to your fingers... as long as you got your bullets armed...one can never surrender for what he trusts, a goal, a dream, a passion on what he knows belongs for the greater good. So ill ask you again, will you get up or fall?
#20
Posted 06 March 2014 - 07:44 PM
Micheal wittman was one of the best tiger commanders of all time
Yes, Michael Wittmann (138 kills) was one of the greatest definitely. Having looked into the German tank aces, the greatest of all was Kurt Knispel, who is my current profile picture. He destroyed a confirmed 168 tanks, and possibly as many as a total of 195. Other great tank aces includes Otto Carius (100-110 kills), Ernst Barkmann (82+ tank kills with 136 miscellaneous AFV's, and 43 anti-tank guns [from Flames of War]); Johannes Boetler (139 up to 144 kills); Balthasar "Bobby" Woll, Wittmann's former gunner (82 kills); Paul Egger (113 kills), who started off as a Luftwaffe pilot, fought in the Battle of Britain, flew 112 combat missions and was shot down 3 times, and then went to the Waffen SS and became a tank ace; as well as others. Fascinating history!

ICH BIN EIN BERLINER!!! ("I am a jelly doughnut!")President John F. Kennedy, June 26, 1963 speech, Berlin, Germany. MOTTO OF THE NINJA CARNIVORES (TNC)!
Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: Panther, World War II, German, armor, tank, restoration, panzer, Jaques Littlefield, collection
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