Gas- and diesel-powered AFVs in the Allied armed forces

Originally posted by John McGillivray
The German Panther tank was just as prone to catching fire, if not more so, than the Sherman. Its ammo storage was similar to the Sherman with the rounds carried in the sponsons. Its petrol tanks were in vulnerable positions and would catch fire if the tank was hit in the engine compartment. There was also a problem with the hydraulic fluid in the steering system and in the power traverse.

Possibly so, but to hit it and penetrate was a problem. However, the Panther did have an intrinsic fire problem caused by exhaust design and reputedly caused a substantial loss until either modifications or technique were applied.

Owing to an exhaust leak, shutting the engine off as "normal" with the ignition would regularly cause a huge backfire since the engine momentum will fill the system with a quantity of ignitable fuel/air mixture, with a very hot exhaust system and probably some glowing carbon deposits therein, a backfire will have flame pass through at least one cylinder to the inlet manifoldand cause a carb fire. The received wisdon was to stall it at idle and then switch the ignition off.

The design of the Stalwart system does this also but the nature of the sealed carb and intake with oil bath air cleaners seems to preclude carb fires; plus with only 8 pots the chances of a cylinder resting on the valve overlap period is reduced.

I have had it do a very passable imitation of a 25pdr some considerable time after shut down, having clambered out of the cab and walked some distance away from the vehicle. In sensitive locations I also choose to stall it at idle in a high gear. Its a well known trait amongst operators.

R.