Grossdeutschland Panther Question

[StarLord1918]

Greetings all!
Newbie here, main interest is Imperial militaria but I was curious if anyone could shed some light on a research/modeling problem. Recently got a Panther kit and I'd like to do one from Grossdeutschland. (I've done one for the Rgt. CO Langkeit an I'd love a companion piece with an ID) I've found some information on a Rudolf Larsen from the 2nd company of the 1st battalion who was a knight's cross recipient and was wondering if anyone knew anything else about him or his tank; I'd love to find out what the number of his tank was.
Thanks!

[hucks216]

Page 99 of Die Ritterkreuzträger des Panzerkorps Großdeutschland by Ralph Tegethoff shows him standing in the turret of Panther 213.

[luypaert t]

Panther Grossdeutschland

Hello,
I have been interested in GD for over fourty years and all that time I made plastic models of the unit.
For a large part of the war, at least till October 1944, Larsen and Langkeit did not fight together.
Larsens unit, I.Abt./Pz.Rgt.GD left for France to refit with Panthers and did not rejoin Langkeits Pz.Rgt.GD till October/November 1944.
You rather should focus on I./Pz.Rgt.26 if you want to depict a Panther fighting under Langkeits command. I.Abt./Pz.Rgt.26 acted as GD's Panther unit from late January 1944 till October 1944. This is almost the entire time that Langkeit was in commaand of Pz.Rgt.GD.
You can find many images of I./Pz.Rgt.26 on the net. Most of these photos were taken in late sommer 1944 in Lituania/Latvia. Some of its tank commanders earned the RK during this time.

[StarLord1918]

Thank you hucks216 for the Larsen's Panther number! Thanks luypaert t for the info on GD Panthers. From my very limited knowledge it does seem that Grossdeutschland sort of had a game of musical panthers going on! Thanks for the tip on I/Panzer Rgt. 26; I will definitely look into that unit for modeling. Having an attached unit proviing most of the panthers does explain why the only picture I've been able to find of a panther with the GD division insignia is that of Langkeit. What drew me to Larsen was that he seemed to be a full member of GD rather than an attached unit, even if he only fought with GD itself for a brief period. I did hear that Jung in his book on Panzer Regiment GD alleges that in addition to Langkeit there were staff panthers in Pz Rgt. GD which were GD panthers rather than ones from I/Pz. Rgt. 26 which provided the bulk of the panthers before I/Pz. Rgt. GD returned to its parent unit. Do you know if there is any validity to this?
Thank you very much!