Panther "Dauphiné"

Panther "Dauphiné"

Panther "Dauphiné"

France

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
6.0	6.0	6.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Medium tank

Purchase:6 090

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Description

The Panther "Dauphiné" is a premium rank IV French medium tank with a battle rating of 6.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision". It is a French-captured example of the Panther G found in the German tree with a few cosmetic differences like missing side skirts and new French markings.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour
• Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	80 mm (55°) Front glacis 50 mm (56°) Lower glacis	50 mm (30°) Top 41.5 mm Bottom	40 mm (24°)	17 mm
Turret	110 mm Turret front 100 mm Gun mantlet	45 mm	45 mm	15 mm
Cupola	80 mm			16 mm

Notes:

• Belly armour front part is 18 mm thick while the back part is 15 mm thick.
• Turret right side is covered in tracks, providing 20 mm extra thickness.

Mobility

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	51	4	44.8	930	1,145	20.76	25.56
Realistic	46	4		531	600	11.85	13.39

Armaments

Main armament

75 mm KwK42					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	82	-8°/+20°	±180°	N/A	19.0	26.3	32.0	35.4	37.6	9.6	8.5	7.9	7.4
Realistic					11.9	14.0	17.0	18.8	20.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
PzGr 39/42	APCBC	192	188	173	156	140	126
Sprgr. 42	HE	11	11	11	11	11	11

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile Mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
PzGr 39/42	APCBC	935	6.8	1.2	14	28.9	48°	63°	71°
Sprgr. 42	HE	700	5.74	0.1	0.5	725	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Panther "Dauphiné"

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty	8th rack empty	9th rack empty	10th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
82	80 (+2)	74 (+8)	62 (+20)	50 (+32)	38 (+44)	26 (+56)	22 (+60)	12 (+70)	4 (+78)	1 (+81)	Yes

Notes:

• Right side empty: 50 (+32) or both sides empty: 22 (+60)

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG34
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	2,700 (150)	900	N/A	N/A

The small calibre of the MG34 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

Usage in battles

As with all other Panther-series medium tanks, it is best played in a supporting role or as a front-line offensive tank due to its agility. The cannon is more than forgiving and powerful enough to destroy any potential target, so use it to an advantage; long-range shooting is effective as the muzzle velocity is extremely high, owing to the long-barreled 75 mm, the penetration values are more than capable of punching through any opposing armour, and the shell weight will, if the shell penetrates, consistently deal decent amounts of crew and module damage, if not immediately make the target on combat ineffective.

This tank, however, owing to its "mailbox" gun mantlet design, is not a good combatant frontally, especially at its BR; many enemy tanks will find the gun mantlet a juicy target. Never engage in extended frontal skirmishes with enemy tanks; instead, use the high mobility as much as possible. Don't stay in one place as much as possible, shoot and scoot before the enemy can react shoot through the mantlet.

Another thing to note: the only difference between this and the German Panther G is the absence of side skirts and the thicker lower part of the mantlet, as well as the French markings on the side of the gun mantlet and the tank's name at the hull rear. This is useful in Simulator battles because if you were to put German markings over the French ones you may just pass as a German tank. Take that as you will and warn the people on your team not to shoot you.

Modules

Tier	Mobility		Protection	Firepower
I	Tracks		Parts	Horizontal Drive
II	Suspension	Brake System	FPE	Adjustment of Fire
III	Filters		Crew Replenishment	Elevation Mechanism	Smoke grenade
IV	Transmission	Engine		Artillery Support
This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent cannon with great stock AP for common targets (eg. Tiger H1, Pz.IV H and M4A3E2) and HE for light vehicles. Great accuracy and velocity allows easy long-range sniping. Plenty of ammo capacity means flexible ammo setups.
• Heavily armoured frontal hull is immune to most guns like the 75 mm Kwk 40, 88 mm L/56 and 76 mm M1.
• Fast top speed and good hull traverse. Can get to positions in time.
• Adequate gun depression of -8° adapts most terrains well.
• Has RP and SL bonus due to it being premium
• Does not face threatening opponents (eg. IS-2) as much as the German one would, increasing survivability

Cons:

• Gun mantlet is only 100 mm, a huge and well-known weakspot to shoot at. 76mm Sherman, Pz.IV G / H / J, Tiger H1 can easily penetrate it.
• Side ammo racks are prone to detonation when hit.
• Terrible reverse speed of only -4 km/h, can get the player killed.
• No access to APCR meaning it struggles to deal with tanks encountered in a uptier like Ho-Ri, Tiger II(H) and Ferdinand.
• Very identical appearance to the German Panthers, and can get hit by friendly fire a lot in simulator mode
• Weak side armour gets penetrated easily by Russian APHEBC (mixed battle). Cannot angle too much.
• Lower glacis often catches fire or brakes transmission when penetrated, leaving the tank immobile and vulnerable.
• High profile for a medium tank makes it harder to hide.
• Weak roof armour is vulnerable to strafers like IL-2 (Germany) or Hs-129 B3
• Although heavily armoured, it can still get frontally penetrated by common British tanks like the Sherman Firefly.

History

The Panther "Dauphiné" was part of a large French program of rehabilitation of Panzers left by the Wehrmacht after D-Day. This program was led by the Captain Besnier who succeeded to form a little tank brigade of almost 20 old panzers: mostly Panzer IVs but also 2 Panthers and even 2 Tigers. The "Commando Besnier" fought during the encirclement of Saint-Nazaire, the last city still under German control on the 11 of May 1945 and then took part in the French Occupation of Germany at the end of the war. Some of the tanks have been attributed to the 3rd Armored Division at the end of 1945 and were kept mobilized for some months before being replaced. Some of the models have been given to museum (the Tiger can be seen in the museum of Saumur in France).

Nicknames after French regions have been given to every Besnier's tanks: Tiger "Colmar", Tiger "Bretagne", Panther "Dauphiné".

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Panther "Dauphiné" from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

French Panthers discusses the Panther "Dauphiné" - War Thunder Official Channel

Should You Buy: Panther "Dauphiné" - ConeOfArc

Panther "Dauphiné" - Tank Review - Napalmratte

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

• Panzer V Panther (Family)

External links

Bibliography

Braeuer, Luc. L'incroyable histoire de la poche Saint-Nazaire, 2000 (French)