64 years ago this week

[zundappuk]

Forum Members,

Today I visited the Panther Ausf G at Grandmenil in the Belgian Ardennes. It was 64 years ago the week that this Panther of the 2nd SS was engaged in battle near here.

[Justin P]

Thanks for posting these great photos!

[Greg]

I echo that; nice pictures of a famous tank!

Best,
Greg

[sdkfz181]

Same area Celles 2007 "Panzer forrest"



This is a picture in the same area Celles. Made it a year ago.
Here is where some battles started. Foggy and dangerous... back then



Here you can see what a dangerous mission it was way back. Fog and darkness. Same area. Sunset and fog..


Dangerous roads ...


Same Panther V



This Panther is in a bad shape. Sitting in the rain and snow.. (Summer 2003)

[Bullitt]

Panther relic

Hi Dave,

Just a pity the town never did any in depth actions to restore the beast properly. Back in the late seventies a local historian had arranged with the Saumur management to have the Panther restored cosmetically. Saumur would have brought the missing parts and a team to do the job.
The towns council wasn't interested in this arrangement so they didn't allow this resto-job to be executed.

Apart from some paintjob that started at the 40th anniverary of the BoTB nothing much has been done ....only parts got ripped off by militaria vandals ever since and the rubber wheelrims cracked due to rust.

I would love to see that the Brussels tank museum could lay a hand on this one and restore it properly ....this Panther is a very good candidate for a restoration project.
It lacks 9 roadwheels , one complete track and the harder to find parts could be taken from the two other Panther wrecks in the ardennes (Houffalize and Celles) (engine deck parts , muzzlebrake....)

It deserves to be restored and not to become another "flower pot"

ciao
Rudi

[sdkfz181]

Hi Dave,

Just a pity the town never did any in depth actions to restore the beast properly. Back in the late seventies a local historian had arranged with the Saumur management to have the Panther restored cosmetically. Saumur would have brought the missing parts and a team to do the job.
The towns council wasn't interested in this arrangement so they didn't allow this resto-job to be executed.

Apart from some paintjob that started at the 40th anniverary of the BoTB nothing much has been done ....only parts got ripped off by militaria vandals ever since and the rubber wheelrims cracked due to rust.

I would love to see that the Brussels tank museum could lay a hand on this one and restore it properly ....this Panther is a very good candidate for a restoration project.
It lacks 9 roadwheels , one complete track and the harder to find parts could be taken from the two other Panther wrecks in the ardennes (Houffalize and Celles) (engine deck parts , muzzlebrake....)

It deserves to be restored and not to become another "flower pot"

ciao
Rudi

I hope they will save this panther one day.... the one in Houffalize is also in a really bad shape...

[juoneen]

Nice das reich div. tank. If you ever get to the colonies, youll have tro drop in to see the tanks at marylands aberdeen proving grounds. If i lived in belgium id be out metal detecting all the time. Lets hope someday they realize the significance of the history they have there. If they ever sold it , they could get more than 50Gs for it as is id say. Those britts have a great tank rebuilding shop i saw on cable also , if your rich. I also own an M4 high speed thats been demilled, and i drive it occasionally all over our hundred acres. Man its fun to ride on tracks. thanks for showing this tank, as most of us here will never own a tank, but there may be a few that have one here and there. Anybody here got a tank?

[besslein]

yep i agree this one need to be restored,but still a very nice one

[Dufleuve]

Hello,

I heard same story for the Panther in Celles. One guy was ready to spend time and money to improve the looks and stop the rust, but locals were not interested. The wreck was almost sold to some german collector.

Cheers

[sdkfz181]

Hello,

I heard same story for the Panther in Celles. One guy was ready to spend time and money to improve the looks and stop the rust, but locals were not interested. The wreck was almost sold to some german collector.

Cheers

Do sombody know why the locals are not interested ? Now it is rotten away.
I dont think this panther will be there in a other 60 years. I think they must put all the panzers inside a museum. So they will still be there after the next generation...

[Bullitt]

relic in small towns

Hi SdKfz 181

I think the reason the local politicians aren't interested in a proper restoration of their relics, is merely because it still is material of the former enemy.
they don't want to be associated in any way.

if it were an allied vehicle then it would surely get proper attention because they were the "saviors" back then.

Even now, after 64 years, restored and running German vehicles aren't welcomed much on larger vehicle events here on the continent ( Tanks in Town , Bethune ...) if those vehicles do participate at such an event they all have to bear Allied stars as if they were captured vehicles ( e.g. Famo, Demag, Hetzer, kübelwagens etc... )
In the UK its completely the opposite !...possibly because they were never occupied by the Germans and thus have other feelings towards their former enemy?

We can only hope future town councils will be broader minded to the preservation of such artifacts before they will all crumble.
In APG they finally realized this too and started a major restoration program for their exhibits


ciao
Bullitt