VK 30.02(M)

History of creation and description of development:
After the first experiences with the new Soviet tanks T-34 and KV-1, an urgent effort was made to develop a new medium tank in the 30-ton weight category. A special Panzerkommission led by Oberst Fichtner (WaPrüf 6) was established. The members of the commission were representatives of WaPrüf 6 (Maj. Ruden, Oberbaurat Kniepkamp), Prof. Dr. Porsche, the director of the Steyr company Dr. Hacker, Dr. Rohland (director of Vereinigte Stahlwerke), Daimler-Benz director Otto Wunderlich, director Dorn (Krupp-Kanonen), Obering. Erwin Aders (Henschel), Ing. Oswald (M.A.N.) and Obering. Zimmer (Rheinmetall-Borsig).
The commission arrived at the front on 18 November 1941, where it remained until 21 November 1941 and took part in inspections of captured Soviet tanks T-34. She listened to the insights and suggestions of German tankers. At a Panzerkommission meeting with Generaloberst Guderian on 18 November 1941, the plight of the German armoured units and the acute need for a new medium tank, which was to have heavier armament, heavier armour and higher manoeuvring capabilities than the existing German and Soviet tanks, was explained to the Panzerkommission.
The contract for the development of the new tank was awarded to Daimler-Benz and M.A.N. The company Rheinmetall was to supply a turret with 7.5 cm Kw.K for the new platform. L/70 originally intended for the VK 45.01 (H) tank (Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf.H2).
On January 23, 1942, Adolf Hitler was presented with two competing projects by Daimler-Benz (VK 30.01(D)) and M.A.N. (M.A.N. (VK 30.02(M)). The presentation included scale models of tanks from both companies.
The cooperation of the companies on the development of the new tank was to be discussed at a meeting on 2 February 1942, but the representatives of M.A.N. were told upon their arrival at the Heereswaffenamt building in Berlin that the representatives of Daimler-Benz would not attend the meeting. The company Daimler-Benz and its proposal VK 30.01(D) had the higher support of the Reich Minister Todt and was confident of winning this competitive battle. Minister Todt approved the building of a prototype VK 30.01(D), which Daimler-Benz undertook to build by 5/1942. However, representatives of M.A.N. presented the final design of their VK 30.02(M) to representatives of WaPrüf 6 and promised to deliver the prototype by the same deadline as the competition.
Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler formed a special commission to select the winner of the competition early in 3/1942. The commission was headed by Oberst Wolfgang Thomale (an OKH tank inspector) and Robert Eberan von Eberhorst (a professor at the Technical University of Dresden). The commission met for four sessions (1.5.1942 and 5.5.1942 - 7.5.1942). The pros and cons of both proposals were evaluated. Despite the higher production time and cost, the commission approved the M.A.N. VK 30.02(M) as the more suitable design for series production. The advantage of this design was that it used an already developed tower design by Rheinmetall-Borsig, whereas Daimler-Benz did not use this design and designed their own tower. However, its production cost the company valuable time and the late delivery threatened the early start of production. The company's M.A.N. design had the turret ring diameter 50 mm larger, which led to a trouble-free fitting on the VK 30.02(M), while the competing VK 30.01(D) would have had to have a redesigned hull structure. One factor in the failure of the VK 30.01(D) was its similarity to the Soviet T-34 tank, and there was a danger that the tanks would be interchangeable in combat. Also, the placement of the turret at the front of the hull extended the overall length of the tank. The M.A.N. design had the turret positioned approximately in the middle of the hull and therefore the gun did not protrude too far forward. The decision of the commission was handed over to Panzerkommission Chairman Dr. Ferdinand Porsche on 11 May 1942 and Adolf Hitler on 13 May 1942. The latter considered the proposals and approved the selection committee's decision on 14.5.1942. However, he requested an increase in frontal armour from 60 mm to 80 mm. The M.A.N. was informed of the victory and the request to increase the thickness of the armouring on 15.5.1942. The company immediately began production preparations.
On 4.6.1942, another meeting was held with Adolf Hitler, who expressed concern that even the 80 mm frontal armour would not be thick enough in the spring of 1943 and demanded that the thickness be increased to 100 mm. However, this could no longer be accepted. The ramp-up of production and the requirement for the rapid delivery of 250 Panther tanks for the planned summer "Zitadelle" offensive would have seriously disrupted supply. In view of this requirement, a design for a Panther II tank was drawn up, but that is another story.


The weakness of the new tank was a request from Paul Wiebik, who insisted on using a new steering mechanism. The originally designed L 600 C was to be replaced from the start of production with the Einradienlenkgetriebe steering mechanism (a combination of a double differential and a steerable differential - a single-radius steering mechanism). In case of problems with the Einradienlenkgetriebe, it was decided that the first 100 tanks would be fitted with the temporary old clutch-brake steering system and would be replaced by the Einradienlenkgetriebe by the end of 4/1943. Likewise, in the case of the proposed Zahnradfabrik AK 7/200 gearbox, 50 Maybach Olvar gearboxes were ordered as part of an effort to eliminate potential development problems. The tank design with this gearbox was designated Panther model B. However, the implementation of such assembly did not take place.
The company M.A.N. received an order to build a pair of prototypes. The first was to be completed in 8/1942, the second prototype completed and with turret was to be delivered by 9/1942. Both prototypes were probably delivered in 9/1942.
On 3/8/1942, Krupp, which was in the process of designing an unrelated assault gun to the VK 30 program, the Panzerselbstfahrlafette IVd, based on their self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Panzerselbstfahrlafette IVc, was informed that the 8.8 cm L/71 gun-armed assault gun would no longer use their own unique chassis, but would be designed on the VK 30.02(M) chassis, which was to be redesigned accordingly. This was actually the design of the later Jagdpanther tank fighter, whose original wooden model used the VK 30.02(M) platform.

Roddy MacDougall, Darren Neely - Nürnberg's Panzer Factory, Panzerwrecks, published 2013, ISBN: 978-1-9080320-6-5
Thomas L. Jentz - Germany's Panther Tank : The Quest for Combat Supremacy, ISBN 10: 0887408125 / 0-88740-812-5, ISBN 13: 9780887408120, year of publication 1995
Walter J. Spielberger - The Panther & Its Variants, year of publication 1993, ISBN-10: 0887403972, ISBN-13: 9780887403972
Roddy MacDougall, Martin Block - Panther External Appearance & Design Chances, Panzer Tracts, publication year 2016, ISBN: 8436535579889
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Prototype V1
The prototype was made of unpanned steel. The hull of the Fgst.Nr.V1 platform was made of plates joined without interlocking, which was charactristic for both prototypes. The platform did not have a turret, the latter was given to the second prototype. Instead of a turret, a simulated ballast was mounted above the orbiter opening, which also served as an observation cabin. Such a cockpit was later used on other test platforms, but these were already out of series production. Only for this prototype, however, a glass observation turret was mounted on the ceiling of this cabin. The suspension of the Fgst.Nr.V1 differed from all other Panthers in that the shock absorbers were mounted on the first and eighth arms of the wheel, unlike the second and sixth arms on the Fgst.Nr.V2 and production tanks. The prototypes bore the standard dunkelgrau RAL 7021 camouflage paint.

NARA
www.bundesarchiv.de
MAN archive
Roddy MacDougall, Darren Neely - Nürnberg's Panzer Factory, Panzerwrecks, year of publication 2013, ISBN: 978-1-9080320-6-5
Thomas L. Jentz - Germany's Panther Tank : The Quest for Combat Supremacy, ISBN 10: 0887408125 / 0-88740-812-5, ISBN 13: 9780887408120, year of publication 1995
Walter J. Spielberger - The Panther & Its Variants, year of publication 1993, ISBN-10: 0887403972, ISBN-13: 9780887403972
Roddy MacDougall, Martin Block - Panther External Appearance & Design Chances, Panzer Tracts, publication year 2016, ISBN: 8436535579889
tanks--encyclopedia-com.translate.goog

Prototype V2
The prototype was made of unpanned steel. The hull of the Fgst.Nr.V2 platform was made of plates joined without interlocking, which was charactristic for both prototypes. The platform was fitted with a unique turret designed by Rheinmetall. Overall, the shapes, dimensions and various details were different from the production tanks. The number "2" was painted on the front hull armour. The prototype already had the 80 mm thick frontal armour required by Hitler.
The prototype lived to the end of the war in 1945 in a dismantled state at M.A.N.. Several modifications were made to the prototype at that time. The hull had a circular hole cut out for the Kugelblende gunnery range, and the opening for the hinged driver's visor was also modified. The turret received a newer gun shield with a hole for a monocular gun sight, and the gun now had a standard two-chamber muzzle brake.

NARA
www.bundesarchiv.de
MAN archive
Roddy MacDougall, Darren Neely - Nürnberg's Panzer Factory, Panzerwrecks, year of publication 2013, ISBN: 978-1-9080320-6-5
Thomas L. Jentz - Germany's Panther Tank : The Quest for Combat Supremacy, ISBN 10: 0887408125 / 0-88740-812-5, ISBN 13: 9780887408120, year of publication 1995
Walter J. Spielberger - The Panther & Its Variants, year of publication 1993, ISBN-10: 0887403972, ISBN-13: 9780887403972
Roddy MacDougall, Martin Block - Panther External Appearance & Design Chances, Panzer Tracts, publication year 2016, ISBN: 8436535579889
tanks--encyclopedia-com.translate.goog