Germany Sd.Kfz.179 Bergepanther Ausf.G

The first Bergepanthers were almost completed Panthers of the Ausf. D, in which the manufacturer MAN only omitted the turret. Henschel, Daimler-Benz and DEMAG later took on the production one after the other. The specially produced hull of the Bergepanther was largely similar to that of the Panzerkampfwagen Panther, although the modifications of the Ausf. G were adopted for it at the end of 1944. The crew consisted of at least three soldiers, with the device being operated by two soldiers in the vehicle. Square wooden and metal structures replaced the turret, and a winch with 40 tonnes-force (392 kilonewtons) capacity was installed in the hull of the tank. The Bergepanther also had a simple crane boom with a load capacity of 1.5 tonnes-force. The Bergepanther was quite reliable in its area of responsibility and, thanks to its armour, could also be used under enemy fire. Even the heavy Tiger I and its variants could be recovered without any problems by a Bergepanther with a winch.