Panthers in French Service

[David Dunlop]

Ran across a passing comment today that France equipped a tank regiment after the war with surplus German Panthers. The number mentioned was 50 and that they served until sometime in the 1950's. Can anyone verify that information?


David

[Perry Kitson]

I have also read somewhere that France equipped two tank battalions using the Panther until about 1949. They were impressed with the main armament, but found many short comings. If I remember correctly, the French actually employed the Panther longer than the original user.

[David Dunlop]

Thanks for that, Perry. Be interesting to confirm what Regts, where they were based and what was done with them when the French Army was finished with them. Maybe they are still sitting in a warehouse in France gathering dust.

David

[Matt Stephenson]

Interesting thread,

From my interest in the Panther, over the years I have found some (anecdotal) information as to what happened to the Panthers used by the French after the 2nd World War.

There are a number of Panthers still held by the French, as to the exact numbers - that I don't know. The Panther at the Samur museum in Paris is one of those Panthers, having been restored back to something it may have looked like in German service during the war. Also in Samur is a Bergepanther Armored Recovery Vehicle, although the winch and tow gear from the fighting compartment has been removed and is on display on a separate stand . I also believe that there is at least one (possibly more) Panthers still kept in storage away from the general public sporting their markings from their time in French service. A Google search will reveal some contemporary pics of these. I recall that the French inventory for Panther's still held by them in the 1990's was given as 6, ranging from restored and running to empty hulks. I don't believe this number has been independently verified.

I have also found pics of a post war, sold off Panther hull used as the base/platform for a large mobile crane, also used in France. Again, the exact time and location are uncertain, but the pic definitely shows the Panther hull, running gear and tracks.

Finally, only a few years ago there was a lot of talk on the internet, and more than a few articles about how France had come to some arrangement with the King of Jordan, and that a Panther was sent to Jordan, to be part of the King's private collection. Apparently this Panther was reasonably complete and still in French service colors etc, but not running, and that King Hussein was spending some of his massive wealth on a full restoration of the vehicle, including a complete rebuild of the power train. This Panther has been described as being both a ausf A and an ausf G. As both types of ausfuhrungs were used by the French post war, it is difficult to tell which type went to Jordan as no pictures from there of the tank have come to the surface as far as I know.

Ahhh, to be the insanely wealthy king of an oil rich nation, and to be make to make deals with other nations regarding rare and highly desirable pieces of vintage military hardware......

Hope this sheds some light on the topic.

Matt.

[Alex van de Wetering]

I believe the Saumur tank museum (not in Paris by the way, but along the Loire river) has/had 4 Panthers (not counting the BergePanther), at least two are runners and run regularly at the "caroussel" each year. The third was the one traded with the King of Jordan for two British vehicles and was a non runner as described by Matt.
The fourth example is the one that has been in outside storage next to the museum for years. It's pretty beaten up, but still in French post-war colours.
I believe there is another in Mourmelon-le-Grand....returned to German colours.
I think all 5 were vehicles used by the French army post-war.

By the way, there is a French post-war prototype tank in the Saumur museum, which was fitted with Char B type tracks and a Panther Maybach engine!

Alex

Edit: more info on the surviving panzers website: http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html
The Cadman brothers Panther and the Panther in the Overlord museum at Omaha beach are also ex-Saumur.

[David Dunlop]

Alex.

Is there a connection between Saumur and any French Armoured Regiments? I found a possible reference to the 503rd and 501st Tank Regiments being the two equipped with the Panther. Also an interesting note France had considered sending Panthers to French Indochina in the early 1950's to help deal with the growing rebellion in the colony at that time, but deferred to American supplied Shermans because of the maintenance logistics.


David

[Ryan]

France did send one panther to Indochina for trials. What happened to it I have not read.

Also the amx13 light tank's main armament is based on the Panthers 75mm.

[Alex van de Wetering]

David,

I believe there is, but I am not sure which regiment(s) are based in Saumur. Saumur does house the Cavalry school. Musee des Blindes is the national tank museum and all vehicles and wrecks of interest found in France were moved to Saumur sooner or later. From what I have heard, even some of the vehicles that remained in the Trun scrapyard into the 80's were moved to Saumur.

It seems my description of the number of Panthers in Saumur and their history was not entirely accurate; better to follow the list of surviving panzers

Alex

[Patrice DEBUCQUOY]

Hello,

Some clues and photos here : http://www.chars-francais.net/2015/i...ask=view&id=76

And an inexpensive booklet about the German AFVs in French service during the last months of WW2 :
http://livre.fnac.com/a2614944/Luc-B...-la-Resistance

Hope it helps,
Cheers,
Patrice.