Bergepanther Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 179): the best recovery vehicle The Bergepanther was the best tank recovery vehicle manufactured during World War II. Built by Henschel, MAN and Demag, 339 vehicles were supplied to the Panzerwaffe up until March 1945 ~ when produc- tion ceased - and were generally assigned to the heavy tank battalions. A Bergepanther with 2 ‘rane. The wooden beam strapped to the side can bbe fxed to the front of the hull to push other vehicles. m@: therefore became a priority. The initial plan was to adapt 1a few Tiger Is, but this was detrimental to a brilliant tank, ‘which, at the time, was relatively rare. In the end, it was decided to use the Panther combat tank to serve as the basis of a new recovery vehicle. In May 1943, Generalinspektor der Panzertruppen Heinz Guderian ordered 10 Panthers to be converted to Panzer Bergegerat (tank recovery vehicles), which were finally named Bergepanther Ausf. A (Sd.kfz. 179). They were ready to be delivered in June of the same year. MAN, ‘the firm contracted at the time to build the Panther,This view shows the shield for the 20mm gun with which the early vehicles in the second series were equipped. was responsible for their production. The first vehicles produced were Panther Ausf. Ds with their turret removed {and the opening on the top covered over. ‘The modifications that were decided upon by MAN to convert Panthers into Bergepanthers logically involved removing the turret and fighting compartment and ‘adding an open superstructure on the top, with a floor and walls made of wooden beams reinforced with a steel framework Beneath the superstructure was a very powerful winch with a traction capacity of 40 tonnes (38.2 tons) of direct traction and 80 tonnes (78.4 tons) combined with a tackle block. BERGEPANTHER AUSF. G Numerous vehicles from the second series - called Bergepanther Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. (178) - which were based on the Panther Ausf. A, then later the Ausf. G, were converted with no winch in place. To increase the system's traction capacity, the vehicle was equipped with a large hinged shovel at the rear to anchor it. (Once it was positioned on the ground, it formed a sort of “land” anchor, which prevented the vehicle from moving backwards when the winch was being used to drag an immobilised tank. The design of the shovel were changed when production of the second series of Bergepanthers was transferred to the Demag factory in Berlin. The recovery vehicle also had a light crane with a jib and tackle block, which was used to ex- tract engines or gearboxes from broken- down tanks in the field = {Panzers] For defence, the vehicle had a mass-produced MG 34 mounted on the right-hand front section of the hull on all Panthers. Earlier models had a 20mm KwK gun on the front Of the structure on a mount that allowed it to be used as an anti-aircraft weapon or against targets on the ground. Later, this was replaced by an MG 34 anti-aircraft machine gun (on a simple mount welded to the base used for the radio operator's fixed periscope. The crew consisted of five men, The Bergepanthers played an essential role and were highly prized and sought after. It is not surprising that orders gave priority, according to availability, to the delivery of two Bergepanthers to each recovery unit in each Panther: Abteilung, Tiger-Abteilung and schwere Panzer-Jager- Abteilung, which used the most sought-after tanks: the Panther, Tiger |, Tiger Il and Jagdtiger. A view of the inside of a Bergepanther showing the winch ‘and rol of towing cable.Bergepanther Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 179), sch.Pz.Abt. (Fkl) 301 Frenchen, Germany, November 1944 Crane ‘The Bergepanther has a light crane for loads of up to —__ 2 tonnes (1.96 tons) that could be used to carry out ‘work on the battlefield (such as repairs to engines and gearboxes, etc), without having to tow the damaged ‘tank away. ‘Superstructure The “bridge” isa structure with Hood no roof used to transport loads, There isa large opening on the with a floor and walls made of ‘op of the compartment. It has wooden beams reinforced by a a hood that folds back to steel framework prevent the rain getting in. Machine gun ‘Above the periscope on the right-hand side of the roof, there is a mount for the Fliegerbeschussgerat (anti- aircraft gun support), to which the MG 34 machine ‘gun is fixed ———— ‘Two square plates at the front are used to fix a large wooden beam in a horizontal position across the front of the vehicle. The wooden beam is used for pushing braken- down vehicles. {Panzers] This recovery vehicle is one of the two Bergepanthers that were assigned to the schwere Panzerabteilung (Funklenk) 301 in the final days of November 1944 during the retreat from Hungary. The previous month, the unit had been sent 31 Tiger Is split into three companies, and also had 66 small radio-guided B IV demolition tanks. The camouflage on the two Bergepanthers was applied with a spray gun and consisted of long, narrow, slanting lines of Olivgriin RAL 6003 or Rotbraun RAL 8017. ‘The lines were so close together that they largely masked the factory Dunkelgelb RAL 7028, which was barely visible in the spaces in between. Winch Behind the “bridge” is a winch with a traction capacity of 40 tonnes (39.2 tons); this can be doubled by installing a hoist Steel cable Two horizontal and two Exhaust pipes vertical pulleys in the ‘The exhaust pipes point centre and on the ‘upwards in order not to Upper rear section serve interfere with the large a a guide for the shovel to the rear (on this winch’s steel cable. model, the shovel can be \ dismantled); they are therefore longer than on i Panther combat tanks. i Hook A large hook to the rear is ___ used to attach two strong bars used to tow broken- down tanks.{Panzers] Bergepanther Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 179), unidentified unit France, August 1944 This recovery vehicle has lost its on-board tools. it left the factory painted Dunkelgelb; once it arrived in its unit, it was camouflaged with broad stripes of Clivgrin applied with a spray gun. The only markings it has are the national Balkan crosses painted on both sides of the front section of the hull Bergepanther Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 179), unidentified unit France, September 1944 The camouflage on this model consists of large, iregular patches of Rotbraun and Olivgrin applied with a spray gun over the factory Dunkelgelb. The ‘camouflage colours are very diluted and therefore very pale. Bergepanther Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 179), unidentified unit Hungary, March 1945 The white capital “I” (the Germans painted it so that it looked more like a “J") painted on the sides of the superstructure of this Bergepanther is the initial letter of Instandsetzungs Kompanie (the maintenance ~ or repairs ~ company within a panzer regiment). The vehicle does not have a winch, which is why it has no shovel to the rear. Bergepanther Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 179) CREW: 5 WEIGHT: 44.8 tonnes (43.9 tons) LENGTH: 8.15m (26,69ft) HEIGHT: 2.74m (8.97ft) WIDTH: 3.27m (10.7#t) ENGINE: Maybach HL 230P30, 700hp at 3,000rpm_ FUEL CAPACITY: 720 litres (158.4 gallons) MAXIMUM SPEED (ROAD): 46km/h (28.75mph) Bergepanther Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 179), sch.Pz.Abt. 509 Heiligenkreuz, Germany, March 1945 It was somewhat surprising, but not totally unusual, to find ‘equipment on the front painted Dunkelgelb only, without ‘any patches of camouflage. This was the consequence of problems accessing supplies of paint and the lack of time to camouflage vehicles, given the ongoing pressure from the enemy. MAXIMUM SPEED (OFF ROAD): 24km/h (15mph) RANGE (CRUISING SPEED): 200km (125 miles) SECONDARY WEAPONRY: two 7.92mm MG 34 machine guns MAXIMUM FRONT ARMOUR ON HULL: 80mm (3.14in) SIDE ARMOUR: 40mm (1.57in) ‘TOP ARMOUR: 16mm (0.62in)