With its sloped armor and powerful 75mm antitank gun, the Panther was a highly effective combat vehicle. The Panther saw many modifications in its lifetime, and its last evolution was the Ausf.F. Design of the Panther Ausf.F was accepted in May 1944 and development work began. The Panther F did not reach series production because of the end of WWII, although eight hulls and three turrets were completed in 1945. It featured a new Schmalturm (“narrow”) turret produced by Daimler-Benz – this turret had increased armor protection, narrower frontal profile, installation of a stereoscopic rangefinder, and provision for infrared sight equipment. The turret mounted a 75mm KwK44/1 L/70 gun and coaxial MG42. One prototype tank was fully completed in January 1945, and while some sources indicate Daimler-Benz completed several Ausf.F tanks in April 1945, there has been no confirmation that this advanced Panther was ever used in combat.
Although Germany’s defeat in WWII prevented the Panther F from going into production, Dragon allows modelers to create what never was! Based on Dragon’s 1/35 scale Panther G Late Production masterpiece, this is an accurate rendition of a late-war design. As the Ausf.F was to be based exclusively on a chassis with steel-rimmed road wheels, this aspect is reflected in the kit. The turret has been completely retooled with the correct shape and profile. Using typically advanced molding technology and multimedia materials, this is a unique kit of a novel tank. A combination of the steel-wheel chassis and new turret results in a lethal weapon in the hands of modelers!
