Ardennes,Houfflaize Panther Tank Ausf. G,

[The Devil's Bank]

Great pictures, just a pity they couldn't do the same with the Vimoutiers Tiger..

[HistoryMan]

Question is, should they be restored ? or should they just grow old gracefully as it were ? These are essentially battlefield relics in the environment they saw battle.
As we saw on Combat Dealers, how much is a restored Panther or Tiger worth ? are they just going to leave it in the street afterwards ?
I visited many of these battle scarred beasts in the Ardennes on my recent trip, the real attraction was seeing them in their natural surroundings
Museums do not do justice to these relics

I think PRESERVATION is better than RESTORATION for these relics

[Larry C]

Great pics ..this is a military modelers dream to see so much detail.

Thankyou for sharing these photos and this Panther tank.

Regards Larry

[carpediem]

Thanks for sharing! I am torn on the preservation/restoration issue. Both have good points and negative points.

[The Devil's Bank]

"I think PRESERVATION is better than RESTORATION for these relics"


I agree that they do look better in situ, but once they are gone, they're gone for ever.

We have a chance to save them for future generations, not just for us.

They need to be preserved and displayed.

How many souvenir hunters have taken all the external parts from these once mighty beasts?

Stripped them down to basic shells?

The Vimoutier Tiger is in a terrible state now, and needs our help.

Restore her now, and put her back (during the summer months, CCTV as security) on her plinth in Normandy.

I agree that Museums are not the perfect place for these Panzers, but future generations might not be able to see them at all.

Winter months, she should be in a Museum. Or in my back garden.

[Anderson]

Very interesting. Do we know what regiment the Panther served with? The 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" was at Houffalize and nearby during the Ardennes battle. Notice the relatively modern look of the town's buildings. That was because on the nights of 5-6th January 1944 ninety RAF Lancaster bombers flattened the town, situated as it was on a crossroad supply line for the Germans. The road was impassable for three days. General Patton was even moved to pen the following;

"O little town of Houffalize,
How still we see thee lie,
Above thy steep and battered streets,
The aeroplanes sail by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth,
Not any Goddamned light,
The hopes and fears of all thy years,
Were blown to hell last night."

[HistoryMan]

Very interesting. Do we know what regiment the Panther served with? The 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" was at Houffalize and nearby during the Ardennes battle. Notice the relatively modern look of the town's buildings. That was because on the nights of 5-6th January 1944 ninety RAF Lancaster bombers flattened the town, situated as it was on a crossroad supply line for the Germans. The road was impassable for three days. General Patton was even moved to pen the following;

"O little town of Houffalize,
How still we see thee lie,
Above thy steep and battered streets,
The aeroplanes sail by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth,
Not any Goddamned light,
The hopes and fears of all thy years,
Were blown to hell last night."

Here you go Anderson

Surviving German Panther Tank in Houffalize Belgium Ardennes

[HistoryMan]

Interesting image on 60s/70s post card i just picked up

[Srdj]

Came across that Panther as well a few years ago.

[BlackCat1982]

Hope this old war horse is allowed to grace her place in Houffalize again once she's been spruced up. It should be allowed to stand there as a reminder of the cost of liberation as well as the soldiers who fought here back in '44/'45.