Many people think that the Panther was the best German Tank, but I beg to differ. For me it has to be the Panzer IV, and especially the Mark IV Special, it was the better of any Sherman or Comet, and equal on terms with a good crew, against the T34-76. All round it was a winner.
What are your views on this.
Scott

I've heard it said that the loss ratio of the Panther vs the Sherman was 5 to 1, 5 Shermans lost for every Panther. I doubt the Pz IV would have as high a loss ratio. Without digging out the stats it seems the Panther has the edge in every category, except possibly number built.

Jadgpanzer IV.

Shaun

I think that I'll have to say Panther G....

I beg to differ, lads. But the Panzer IV was more than a match for the Sherman, when they first met in the desert, a Panzer IV was equal to the Sherman. Plus don't forget the panzer crews were better trained than the Allied tankers. Even in Russia, the Panzer IV was just about equal to the T34-76. Don't forget though the Sherman was known to Brew Up when hit, hence its nickname of the Ronson. Sure the Panther was a great tank, so was the Tiger, but both Panthers and Tigers had mechanical problems. For as the Panzer IV was mechanically sound.
Scott

I'd Have to say the Panzer III

Tough question. It does say something that so many different variants of the IV were produced for such a wide variety of tasks. Many times we take into account the mass production of shermies as being one of the reasons that many consider them to be the best allied tank, so why not the mass production of the IV.

I'm not really sure your evaluation. The pnzIV was in no ways equal in terms with the T-34. The armor protection was certainly worse. The up-gunned versions did have equality in firepower with the T-34/76, but then again, after the 85mm gun appeared on the T-34, it lost it's edge again.

But you're right. The best German tank of WWII was the pnzIV.

StuG III. Cost wise, about half the price of other German Tanks. Reliable. Good firepower and protection. Smaller crew for better economy of force. Lighter for better manuverability. Smaller, conserving resources.

Yeah, I know it is technically an assault gun...

Well don't forget that SS Hauptsturmfuhrer Michael Whitman started out in a Stugg 111 and he became the greatest tank ace in history.
Scott

Right!

assault guns make super tankcrews,hens a good tool for combat , and for training .

last tanks standing in the Reich were stug III's

and I wonder If the description of tank includes a revolving turret anyway


Tha Pit

Wittman technically wasn't the greatest tank ace -only the best known
(Not that it matters -"tank aces" were good propaganda-material)

If the turret is not requirement, then the Hetzer would be the best German (?) tank...
Sure, a tad small, and not too good when it comes to ergonomics, but hands down the best tank hunter the Germans produced. And it was in use till the '70s... I guess only the T-34 surpasses this record.

The revolving turret is definitely a requirement in my book. The latter Panthers like the late A's and G's would be my bet. They had ironed ot many of the mechanical bugs. But as a tanker hitting power is real important but of equal importance is survivability. Walking away from a severly damaged tank is essential. If it weren't for the fact tat the Tigers were mechaniclly weak and broke down so much they would be my choice as they maxed hitting power out with great survivability, so the one that has above average hitting and survivability and a fairly reliable drive train is one of the later model Panthers. Panzer IV's were great tanks at beginning, but despite upgrade after upgrade, woefully inadequate by late 1944 for survivability and hitting power.

People tend to forget that tanks are not just good because of the armor, speed and firepower. Serviceability, weight, ease of use, cost are factors too, if you're looking for the "best".

The problem with the Panther (and any other Ubertanks) is that they were put together like a delicate Swiss clockwork. The notoriously weak transmission took 3 to 4 days in a repair shop to change in a Panther. The same took 3 hours in a Sherman on the field. Which one do you think spent more time on the battlefield, and less on the road to and from the repairshop?

The Panzer IV was actually an old design(mid 30`s) that did have it`s limitations.Much like the Sherman though it was good at being reliable and cheap to build.once they got the bugs out of the Panther it turned into an excellent design and it was much liked by the crews.Although for me I would take a King Tiger anyday.

That's a two-year-and-change bump, my friends...

Best German Tank?
I think I'd Have to say the Panther

I'd have to say the Hetzer! Great use of the 38t hull, very effective, easy to conceal.

HastyP

Got to be the Panther G, lets not forget the Panther F was just coming off the production line right at the end of WWII it wasn't really a What if so I would go for a Panther F. With every thing sorted out mechanically, the Panther was the king of the Panzers. I don't think that mass produced Pz IV would have worried the T34/85? only the Panther got the Soviet tankers worried. What about 3 upgunned PzIV's against 2 IS 2's no worries for the Russian tankers. 1 Panther G agaist 2 IS 2 the Panther was nearly always the winner. Got to love what the Germans did with the old 38 chassie, the Hetzer was a real winner. Would love to know what the Soviets thought of it. For Me the Panther F as the best German tank. Hetzer tank killer. Cheers Geraint

Hi everyone...!

I will have to go for the Tiger I, they were only above 1200. But how many allied tanks they destroy?, I have got a lot of stories of this ones beating up enemies. If I am not wrong, the Tiger ratio is 10 or 12 to 1.

Also, the major aces were on Tigers, you can say they were on other ones before, but when they ride on Tigers, they score went straight up. Examples, Knispel, Carius, Wittmann.
And do not forget the panic the Tigers (and Panthers) produce on allies crews.

The western allies have to make a special tank to encounter the Tiger, the Sherman Firefly, this is enough to know we are talking about a good tank.
Mechanical breakedowns?, Yes, they where, but this machines were always at the limit every day.

Why would yo go for the workhorse car, when you can chose the sports car?

Best regards
Sebastián

If you had to travel 100 miles or more in a week, over varying terrain, far from supply and resource lines, against enemy forces that outnumber you, what are you going to choose to ride in? One vastly inferior M4A1 took out three Panzer IVsIs and one Tiger in North Africa before being knocked out by another panzer IV. The Tiger wasn't invincible. It operated best on the defensive where it's strengths were maximized. The Panther was just as likely to "brew up" as the Sherman when hit. The ratio of tanks produced in Germany was something like 4 panzer IV to every Panther, 7 to a Tiger, and 10 to a King Tiger. The only thing the heavy German tanks did was expedite the end of the war.

Put yourself in the commander's cupola and decide how long you want to live, and under what circumstances. When the Panther was developed there were many who argued that Germany should simply copy the T-34. German commanders in Italy complained that their tanks could not compete with the Sherman's mobility. If you are trying to move with Panthers, Tigers and King Tigers you have to choose your route carefully to avoid bridges and narrow roads that wouldn't allow the larger, heavier tanks access. The work horse may not be pretty, but in a tough spot dependability goes a lot farther. I would say a late panzer IV or the Jagdpanzer IV would be the best German tank based on reliability and reputation.

scott sorry but your opinion on the panzer IV being better than the comet is dead wrong IMO. the panzer IV was bound to brew up like a sherman if hit, and dont forget the training and doctrine of the american crews werent as good in the begining of the war, but in the end they caught up. the upgunned shermans like the m4a3e2, m4a3 76mm, and the m4a3e8 were more than a match for the panzer IV. after the normandy landings the germans were begining to lose the war and hastily put together 4 new tank brigades with unexperienced crew members, these were sent to the fighting in france against the allies. they had brand new panthers and equipment but the crews hadnt been trainned well, as a result all 4 tank brigades were wiped out in lorraine. the panzer IV had its equal share of problems. there wasnt a best german tank in WWII, each tank had its fair share of issues, the t34, was a beast compared to the panzer. the american crews started out as a unexperienced armoured force but in the end became even better than their german counter parts. dont get me wrong , the panzer IV was a great tank, it served as the backbone of the german armoured force from the begining to the end. to sum it up, there isnt a perfect tank.

Panzer one!

why?

because if i bought one it would fit in my garage!!!

I have to agree the best was the panzer IV. The Panther was too complicated and over-engineered. The Germans, like every country but the USA and the USSR never designed their tanks for mass production. Simple, dependable, soldier proof vehicles are always a better bet than complicated easy to break vehicles.