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Question on captured French Panhards in Russia


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I June 1943 there were 30 PSW 178 aka 204(f) in service, from a list that I saw on Lexikon der Wehrmacht. I take it that is the Panhard? Quite a rare vehicle it seems. I suppose you can always use a German PSW to simulate it - anything with a light gun should do, not?

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Originally posted by Andreas:

I June 1943 there were 30 PSW 178 aka 204(f) in service, from a list that I saw on Lexikon der Wehrmacht. I take it that is the Panhard? Quite a rare vehicle it seems.

[snips]

That is indeed the Panhard.

It wasn't all that rare, in its time, by German armoured car standards. The old stand-by Chamberlain, Doyle & Jentz says that 190 were issued unmodified to recce companies before Barbarrossa, and that 107 were lost in action in 1941. 190 may not seem like a lot, but only about a hundred each of the Sd Kfz 233, 234/2, 234/3 and 234/4 were produced, and only two hundred of the 234/1.

Not only would I like to see the Panhard in its long and short 25mm incarnations, I'd also like to see the version with the turret replaced by a 5cm KwK L/42, using guns that became availabkle after the up-gunning of the PzKw III.

Mind you, I think the Tetrarch for the Sovs should come first... :D

All the best,

John.

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Originally posted by Hans:

THEN, based on what you fine gentlemen say, it should be added to the German OOB.

Hans

In a perfect world, yes. Since CMBB does not model every vehicle that ever saw combat in the east, I think it is not that great a loss - although I believe it would have made more sense to have this one, than the Sturmtiger. But I am a bit weird in that respect, I guess...

I wonder how many of the remaining 90 or so were actually modified to take the 50L42 gun?

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No - the Panhard had a 25mm cannon, and what's more it was NOT an auto-cannon - each round had to be hand-loaded.

a 47mm armed version was under development in 1940, but wasn't used until after teh war.

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I do believe that the Panhard's were later given to rear area security units for use in anti-partisan duties/operations. Some were modified to ride on railroad tracks by replacing the rubber tires with steel railwheels for railway security.

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