First up is this K+C model of the French-made Panhard AMD 178 armoured car, pressed into the service of the SS and complete with two crew figures. This model is marked up for the Das Reich division
 | |
| Please forgive the rather amateurish attempt to give the photos some blue sky background. I think it just about works a little better than the magnolia, or beige, walls of the hobbies room |
The AMD 35, or as it was more widely known, the Panhard Type 178, was developed to meet a French Army requirement for a light armoured car. Accepted in October 1933 the first production machines began to appear in 1935 and became generally available in 1936-37. By the time pro-duction ceased in 1940, approximately 1,000 vehicles had been delivered. As a change from the usual method at the time, the frame and armoured body were designed as one unit, instead of sticking an armoured body onto a commercial truck chassis. A rear engine design, provision was made for front and rear steering as well as a gearbox providing four speeds, forward or reverse. Doors were placed on either side of the crew compartment and an APX-3 turret with power traverse was fitted. The turret was armed with a Hotchkiss 25mm automatic cannon and Reibel 7.5 mm machine gun. Considering the limited action seen by the Panhard during the German invasion, the car's performance was considered acceptable, so much so that German forces used 200 plus captured vehicles referred to as the Panzerspähwagen P 204 (f), most seeing service on the Eastern Front
Usage: Used by France and Germany
Manufacturer: S.A.A.E. Panhard et
Levassor
Here are some photos of the 'real steel' version, courtesy of contributors to War Wheels, an information website for all things armoured, with wheels!
The final three pictures show the Panhard being used by the Germans during the war and one that was abandoned in 1940 during the invasion of France
No comments:
Post a Comment