Panthers in French Service

[Alex van de Wetering]

I believe the Saumur tank museum (not in Paris by the way, but along the Loire river) has/had 4 Panthers (not counting the BergePanther), at least two are runners and run regularly at the "caroussel" each year. The third was the one traded with the King of Jordan for two British vehicles and was a non runner as described by Matt.
The fourth example is the one that has been in outside storage next to the museum for years. It's pretty beaten up, but still in French post-war colours.
I believe there is another in Mourmelon-le-Grand....returned to German colours.
I think all 5 were vehicles used by the French army post-war.

By the way, there is a French post-war prototype tank in the Saumur museum, which was fitted with Char B type tracks and a Panther Maybach engine!

Alex

Edit: more info on the surviving panzers website: http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html
The Cadman brothers Panther and the Panther in the Overlord museum at Omaha beach are also ex-Saumur.

[David Dunlop]

Alex.

Is there a connection between Saumur and any French Armoured Regiments? I found a possible reference to the 503rd and 501st Tank Regiments being the two equipped with the Panther. Also an interesting note France had considered sending Panthers to French Indochina in the early 1950's to help deal with the growing rebellion in the colony at that time, but deferred to American supplied Shermans because of the maintenance logistics.


David

[Ryan]

France did send one panther to Indochina for trials. What happened to it I have not read.

Also the amx13 light tank's main armament is based on the Panthers 75mm.

[Alex van de Wetering]

David,

I believe there is, but I am not sure which regiment(s) are based in Saumur. Saumur does house the Cavalry school. Musee des Blindes is the national tank museum and all vehicles and wrecks of interest found in France were moved to Saumur sooner or later. From what I have heard, even some of the vehicles that remained in the Trun scrapyard into the 80's were moved to Saumur.

It seems my description of the number of Panthers in Saumur and their history was not entirely accurate; better to follow the list of surviving panzers

Alex

[Patrice DEBUCQUOY]

Hello,

Some clues and photos here : http://www.chars-francais.net/2015/i...ask=view&id=76

And an inexpensive booklet about the German AFVs in French service during the last months of WW2 :
http://livre.fnac.com/a2614944/Luc-B...-la-Resistance

Hope it helps,
Cheers,
Patrice.