Panzer Tracts No.5-2

Pz.Kpfw. Panther

Ausführung A 

If you’re a serious student or modeler of WWII German armor, you very probably have several copies of various Panzer Tract books in your reference library. The Panzer Tracts series of books have long been known as a trusted, authoritative source of rock solid information on German fighting vehicles of WWII. 

The folks at Panzer Tracts seem to be methodically updating older titles, as AMPS has also very recently received an updated version of their book on the Pz.Kpfw. Panther Ausf. D. for review. That revised volume was very well regarded and was seen to be a quite worthy update to the original publication.

This book is a new (2025) revision to the original 2003 volume on the Panther Ausf. A. To say it’s merely a revision is a significant understatement, as this new volume has quite a considerable amount of content added, including 60 more pages and 70+ more higher resolution photographs. In addition, the text has been rewritten with the latest information available as well. Quite a complete upgrade!

Vital Statistics

Format - hardcover, portrait format

Page Count - 128 heavyweight pages

Size - 9” x 11.5”

Photos - 108  high resolution period B/W images

Tables / drawings / diagrams - 50 pages of scale drawings of overview and detail views, several data tables

All text and captions are in English.

What's between the Covers?

Above - the volumes table of contents shows the orderly layout of the book, making navigation to areas of interest simple.

This volume concerning the “middle variant” of the Panther ( Ausf D, then A, and then finally the G version) begins its detailed examination of the Ausf. A variant with looks at the design and development of the Panther A, including good photographs of the factories, including the above views of the MAN plant in Nürnberg.

The photos in this volume are FAR brighter and crisper than my photography of the pages show. 

Above - An interesting table provides data on Panther A production numbers, dates, and factory output. Interestingly, production of this middle variant of the Panther was only produced by four factories for just less than a year, from August of 1943 until July of 1944.

Very crisp and sharp photographs illustrate very clearly all areas of the Panther A, interior as well as exterior, including rarely viewed areas like the hull bottom torsion bar suspension seen above lower left side.

Very clear photographic images of components making up the Panther A are included in this volume. Above left can be seen the gearbox and to the right, a full page image of the Panther’s teeth, the main gun as seen inside the turret.

The majority of the photographs in this volume are half page or larger, with quite a few images being full page size. These generously sized images are large, bright and clear, enabling good study of photo details.

As with any of the Panzer Tracts titles, the undisputed highlight of these books are the drawings of the vehicles and components that they’re comprised of. These crystal clear CAD drawings are based on the original factory plans and blueprints from the factories that manufactured the vehicles. You cannot get more accurate drawings than that.

The CAD drawings are quite clearly done, and are found in 1/10, 1/15, and in 1/35 scale, from various useful angles.

These CAD drawings include most if not all individual components that made up the Panther Ausf A. If you want to verify accuracy of the components used in the manufacture of this vehicle, you simply cannot do better than these drawings.

Even in as short a production run as the Panther Ausf. A had, Germanic engineering attention to detail dictated many changes to the vehicle as a result of operational experience with it. The changes are very well documented, including the reasons that they were made.

Above - Quite a few interesting factory / proving ground type images are provided.

Captioning of the images found throughout this volume are clearly written, providing a good amount of information concerning what’s pictured. These captions do a very nice job of describing the what’s, where’s and when’s. 

This volume closes with a chapter full of well chosen images of the Panther Ausf. A in service on the various fronts. Some images are of wrecked Panther A’s being examined by Allied troops, in staging areas awaiting an engagement, rear areas, etc. All are well chosen for interest and clarity. Just a very few may be a wee bit dark, but given the conditions that may have existed when the images were made, this is completely acceptable.

The above full page images of a captured Panther A which eventually found its way to the Aberdeen proving grounds for evaluation after capture in Italy typify the quality of the images. The above images show unit added racks for stowage boxes. Very nice to see!

Above - a very complete general data table provides easy reference on the Panther Ausf. A.

The absolute desire on the part of the writers / publishers to provide the maximum amount of valuable information in this volume extends to the use of the volume’s back cover to give the reader the above table which provides an easy one page table full of great information on the Panther Ausf. A. There is NO “fluff” or under-utilized space whatsoever in this volume.

Conclusions 

I have to confess to previously having a very high opinion of the Panzer Tracts line of books, but the new revised editions that I’ve had the privilege of examining have honestly increased my already high regard for usefulness of the series. 

The text and photo captions are uniformly well done, the images are (more…) and more crisply reproduced than ever, and the drawings are just superb. All good stuff between the covers, and MORE of it. What’s not to like?

This new edition is well deserving of a place in your reference bookcase, even if you own the 2003 edition.

Highly Recommended (A Must Have for Panther aficionados) !

Thanks to David Doyle Books / Panzerwrecks for the review copy

Reviewed by Chuck Aleshire, AMPS Chicagoland

AMPS 2nd Vice President, Midwest Region

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