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Waffenträger Panther Ausf. A

21.9k Zero0Two2  14 hours ago

Main description

In early 1942 Wa.Prüf 4, the German organization in charge of field artillery, put forward a design requirement for a vehicle to move heavy artillery. The main stipulation was that it should use parts from the new Panther medium tank. A similar competition was already underway for a vehicle to move lighter field artillery, such as 10.5 cm guns, using the Geschützwagen III/IV chassis. This had inspired Wa.Prüf 4 to do the same for a vehicle to move heavier 12.8 cm and 15 cm artillery pieces, as the Geschützwagen III/IV was too small to handle them. The guns in question were the 12.8 cm K 43 and 15 cm sFH 43. The sFH 43 (schwerer Feld Haubitze, heavy field howitzer) was a projected improvement on the 15 cm sFH 18, the new gun was to use bagged propellant and had a screw-type breech. The 12.8 cm Kanone 43 is unknown in most literature but is presumably a predecessor to the 12.8 cm K 44 L/55. Neither of these cannons were ever built.

In order to keep weight down, the designs were to be open-topped. Prototypes were to be built using Panther parts, but it was projected that any serial production vehicles would be made using the Panther II chassis. This idea was discarded when the Panther II was cancelled in June of 1943. Both Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig took part in this design competition. All designs were able to be transported by rail with a few adjustments, and all could carry at least 30 rounds, however, Rheinmetall’s design had trouble with this.

Despite these vehicles being colloquially known as waffenträgers, very few designs carried the name waffenträger in their designation. Despite “waffenträger” literally meaning “weapon carrier”, most German weapon carriers were called Selbstfahrlafette, meaning “self-propelled gun carriage”.

Krupp’s Cricket – (Sfl.) Krupp I and II

Credits

WCAC for hull chassis
KAIST for waffentrager component (turret and gun)

Notes

Semi-fictional, waffentrager panther does exist, but this version is fictional

Spotlights

General Characteristics

  • Created On Android
  • Wingspan 11.0ft (3.4m)
  • Length 33.2ft (10.1m)
  • Height 14.3ft (4.4m)
  • Empty Weight 31,132lbs (14,121kg)
  • Loaded Weight 32,408lbs (14,700kg)

Performance

  • Wing Loading N/A
  • Wing Area 0.0ft2 (0.0m2)
  • Drag Points 2144

Parts

  • Number of Parts 355
  • Control Surfaces 0
  • Performance Cost 1,649
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  • Profile image

    Bro had nice haircut

    +1 13 hours ago
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    28.5k KPLBall

    @Zero0Two2 alright I'm doing the 17tp one tho

    14 hours ago
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    21.9k Zero0Two2

    @KPLBall If the situation resolves, I will plan to do your request, but for now maybe

    14 hours ago
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    28.5k KPLBall

    @UnsuspectingTraveller77 but funnier

    +1 14 hours ago
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    28.5k KPLBall

    @WritersCrusadersAirCo2 Take typical German tonk
    (Tbh I might make a waffentrager that is so unfathomably stupid, and it is on the 7tp hull XD)

    +1 14 hours ago
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    @KPLBall Typical German Engineering, am I right?

    +1 14 hours ago
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    also nice tank you posted here! Glad the situation is being solved about

    +1 14 hours ago
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    @KPLBall So basically a wt pz iv?

    +1 14 hours ago
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    28.5k KPLBall

    Looks very nice :D
    Idea! Build a Panzer 3, with a 88mm Pak 43/41 with Grille 10 style mount, you know for GERMAN 🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪 funnies.

    +2 14 hours ago
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    Uber Panther

    +1 14 hours ago