Since 1943, during World War II, thee appeared an unusually fast tank on the European Front that silhouetted among its German Mechanized Division. This was the "Panther" medium tank, with its formidable power of attack and fast maneuverability, that soon became an object of terror to men of the Allied Forces.

If put to a question, "Which was the best German tank during the war?" The majority of the people, without hesitation, will answer the name "Panther". It is known that the PZKW-IV and the Tiger-II tanks were also produced by German technology and were both outstanding tanks. But the PZKW-IV was meant to be replaced by the Panther, and the Panther, showing improved attacking and defensive powers and accurate maneuverability on the field, soon became the German's main strength tank.

The Tiger I with its 88mm gun would seem at first to be superior to the Panther's 75mm gun in attacking power. But when viewed from the point of armor-piercing power of the shell, the Panther, with its 70 caliber KWK 42 anti-tank gun and sloping side armor provided much stronger in actual fighting than the Tiger I's 56 caliber KWK 36 anti-tank gun with vertical side armor.

The Tiger II tank, which should be called the "improved Panther" was much stronger in attacking and defensive power than the Panther. However, considering the number of Panthers produced and used during this time, the Panther tank was still number 1.

The main strength German tanks at the start of the war were all unique in the sense that their designs were completely based on German plans and ideas. But the Panther was influenced by the Soviet masterpiece tank T-34 which was seen for the first time on the east European Front.

In the beginning of 1942, in order to fight against the T-34, the German military ordered a new tank from Dymler-Benz and M.A.N. companies with the following specifications:

• Weight- 35 tons
• Speed- 60 km/h
• Armament 75mm long gun and armor - 60mm thick in front hull, 35mm thick in the rear and 100 mm at the front of the gun turret.

Lastly, it was specified that the tank is equipped with a Maibach HL210, water-cooled, V-type 12 cylinder engine. In May of the same year, M.A.N.'s model was chosen without waiting for the completion of a prototype tank. However, there were 2 important modifications. First, in order to meet the military's demand, considerably more than the original 35-ton weight was needed. Second, the military ordered a change in the thickness of the frontal armor from 60mm to 80mm.

Because of these changes, the engine type had to be changed from HL210 to HL230. Then, in order to accommodate this engine, a much better gear was needed, but mass production began without this last change, which resulted in frequent gear malfunctions and related trouble. This became the Panther's greatest defect. In the same year, Dymler-Benz and Henschel were ordered to produce the Panther. Therefore, production was greatly increased and a total of 6283 Panther Tanks were produced, second only to P2KW-4 in number.
The first mass-produced Panther type D was not equipped with a machine gun but after the experience of a close battle. A 7.92mm MG 34 was added to the Panther's right front hull armament beginning with its type A. The special feature of the Panther was the left and right driving mechanism. This created interchangeability of movements, using the torsion bar system. By 1944, the Panther was further improved from Type A to Type G with a change in its side shape.

The Panther continued its activities against the Allied Forces throughout the latter half of the war. One of the famed battles it waged during this latter period probably is the one against the new Soviet JS II heavy tank on the eastern front.
The Panther at that time, was the main strength tank of the Gross Deutschland, the strongest German Mechanized Division, under the command of General Hasso Von Manteuffel. The Panther reportedly destroyed 350 JS II tanks and 20 other armored vehicles in the battle. It was a complete one-sided victory for the Panther and one for the book of military history. The Panther, therefore, was an extremely balanced tactical tank and should be called a masterpiece destined to bear the last glory of German war technology. Its glorious name will forever remain in the records of the 2nd World War.

Shipping:

We ship via USPS, UPS or FedEx. At this time, we do not offer shipping to addresses with an APO/FPO or outside the continental United States.

Shipping Time:
Orders are normally shipped from our warehouse within 24 - 48 business hours of order placement. Please allow 7 - 10 business days for delivery after your order has shipped. Delivery times are estimated and we do not provide money-back guarantee for any shipping option other than FedEx Express or UPS Next Day.

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Returns & Replacements 

We accept returns within 30 days of the date of purchase unless otherwise stated on the item's page. In order to return an item, please contact us for a Return Authorization Number.  Once the Return Authorization Number is acquired, you have 30 days to return the item(s). All returned items must be unused and in new condition in their original packaging including all hardware and instructional components. Items are also subject to a 20% restocking fee. Although if you are a repeat customer who purchased from our website before, we are happy to waive the restocking fee.

Any returned item deemed not to fall within the preceding criteria will be returned with no credit issued at the customer's expense. Once your return has been inspected please allow 15 days for the credit to be applied to the credit card used for purchase. The initial cost of shipping is not eligible for a refund. Buyer pays for return shipping. To request your Return Authorization Number, please follow these steps:

1. Read and agree to the Returns Policy and Procedure above.

2. Email us at cs@phenomstores.com. We will need your order number and the Item ID number of the product you wish to return.

Refused Orders - Should you decide that you wish to refuse receipt of an item when delivered by UPS, USPS or any other common carrier and legitimately ordered from us, credit will be issued for the item, minus shipping and a restocking charge of 20%.

Exchanges - In order for us to do the exchange we would need to refund your payment, then you would need to make another purchase transaction with us for the item that you like within 7 days of your exchange request. We're asking that you return the item you bought from us within 30 days along with a tracking number so we both know that your return reached us. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items. All returned items must be unused and in new condition in their original packaging including all hardware and instructional components. Any returned item deemed not to fall within the preceding criteria will be returned with no credit issued at the customer's expense. You are responsible for the return shipping cost. We also charge a 10% restocking fee for exchanges. Once we received and inspected the item we will credit** your payment. Please take note, our inventory changes constantly so the item may not be available at the time of your request. 

**A store credit will be issued on orders returned totaling less than $5.   

Damaged, Defective and Wrong Item(s) - It is your responsibility that the item(s) you received are undamaged and the correct item(s). Please examine the shipping box and all contents immediately upon receipt for any signs of damage, defect or wrong item(s). All claims must be initiated within 7 days of delivery and send us an email so we can further assist you.

Still have questions? Please don't hesitate to contact us by sending us an email to cs@phenomstores.com or by phone at 608-571-7033.

FAQ

When do I expect my order to ship out?

Our normal shipping lead times can take up to 72 hours after your order is received. However, due to unprecedented demand brought on by COVID-19 our shipping times have been extended. This is due to logistical issues that our shipping carriers are experiencing that is outside our control. Rest assured, we're doing everything we can to ship your order as soon as it's received.

How will I know my order has shipped?

As soon as your order is packed and labeled, we will email you a shipment confirmation with the tracking number so that you're able to track your order. You can look up the status of your order by entering the tracking number found on the bottom of our web page under "Track Order Status". You can also look up the shipment status of your order by entering your shipment tracking number at USPS.com, UPS.com or FedEx.com.   

How much does shipping cost?

Our shipping costs vary depending on the item you're purchasing. Most items are eligible for our FREE shipping if your purchase totals $59 and over.  And for items that are excluded from FREE shipping like bulk or oversized items, we offer FIXED shipping rate or prevailing market prices. 

Some of the items I ordered are missing. What should I do?

Please reach out to us when you have items that are missing when you originally placed your order. This happens either because,

1. The missing items are on backorder or

2. The missing items are still on its way but due to service delays from our shipping carrier (ie UPS, FedEx) your package may take longer than expected.

How soon after can I cancel my order?

Unfortunately, we cannot cancel an order once an order is placed. This is because your order is automatically placed in queue to ship out once an order is received.  

What is the best way to reach you when I have a question? 

Our customer service phone and chat lines are normally open from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm CST. However, there are times when we can't be reached because all our customer service agents are helping other customers. If this happens, please leave us a voicemail at 608-571-7033 or write us a message on our "Contact Us" page and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

What happens when I "Pre-Order" an item?

When you "Pre-Order" an item that is out of stock, you will be notified when we have the item in stock again. Our "Pre-Order" (or Wait-List) doesn't guarantee that your order will be fulfilled but we will do our best to make that happen.

You're also under NO obligation to purchase when you sign up for "Pre-Order".