With its well sloped armor, and potent 75mm cannon the Panther was, without a doubt, the most famous German tank of WWII. Mass production of the first variant, the Pz.Kpfw V Panther Ausf. D, commenced in early 1943.

The Panther Ds received their baptism of fire during "Operation Citadel", against the Kursk salient. They were later widely used on the Eastern Front, in Italy and, after D-Day, on the Western Front. 

Panthers proved to be a most serious threat to Allied armor throughout the rest of the war.