Conceived as a direct response to the Soviet T-34, the German Panzer V Panther (right) was designed by Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG. Featuring a high-velocity 75 mm gun, the Panther entered service in mid-1943, and soon proved more than a match for most Allied tanks. After overcoming initial engine problems, the Panther's performance forced the Soviets to improve and adapt the T-34. The Western Allies first encountered the Panther at Anzio in early 1944. Believing it to be another heavy German tank, they did not think it would be produced in large numbers. As a result, it came as a surprise when nearly half the German tanks in Normandy proved to be Panthers. Fighting in the confined bocage country, Panthers inflicted heavy casualties on Allied tanks. Used until the end of the war, the Panther, with its blend of speed, armor, and firepower, proved to be one of the greatest tanks of World War II. Its design strongly influenced the generations of tanks that followed.

Photograph Source: Public Domain