Beschreibung
Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 28. Chapters: DB Le Mans, ERC 90 Sagaie, Panhard, Panhard & Levassor Dynamic, Panhard 178, Panhard 24, Panhard AML, Panhard Dyna X, Panhard Dyna Z, Panhard EBR, Panhard M3, Panhard PL 17, Panhard VCR, Véhicule Blindé Léger, Véhicule d'Action dans la Profondeur. Excerpt: The Panhard 178 (officially designated as Automitrailleuse de Découverte Panhard modèle 1935, 178 being the internal project number at Panhard) or "Pan-Pan" was an advanced French reconnaissance 4x4 armoured car that was designed for the French Cavalry before World War II. It had a crew of four and was equipped with an effective 25 mm main armament and a 7.5 mm coaxial machine gun. A number of these vehicles were in 1940 taken over by the Germans after the Fall of France and employed as the Panzerspähwagen P204 (f); for some months after the armistice of June production continued for the benefit of Germany. After the war a derived version, the Panhard 178B, was again taken into production by France. In 1931 the French Cavalry conceived a plan for the future production of armoured fighting vehicles. One of the classes foreseen was that of an Automitrailleuse de Découverte or AMD, a specialised long range reconnaissance vehicle. The specifications were formulated on 22 December 1931, changed on 18 November 1932 and approved on 9 December 1932. They called for a weight of four metric tons, a range of 400 km, a speed of 70 km/h, a cruising speed of 40 km/h, a turning circle of twelve metres, 5-8 mm armour, a 20 mm gun and a 7.5 mm machine gun. In 1933 one of the competing companies - the others being Renault, Berliet and Latil - that had put forward proposals, Panhard, was allowed to build a prototype. The vehicle was ready in October and presented to the Commission de Vincennes in January 1934 under the name Panhard voiture spéciale type 178. It carried a Vincennes workshop (Avis) 13.2 mm machine gun turret, as the intended one was not ready yet. After testing between 9 January and 2 February 1934 the type, despite having larger dimensions than prescribed and thus being a lot heavier than four tons, was accepted by the commission on 15 February under the condition some small modifications were carried out. Of all the competing projects it was considered the best. In th
