France's Panhard Et Levassor P 178, Panhard AMD 35 , Panhard 178, Automitrailleuse Panhard et Levassor Type 178, Panhard Modèle 1935, armored car

Photos

Panhard 178 armored car: Aberdeen Tank Museum	Panhard 178 armored car with a dispatch rider delivering a message in 1940:
German Usage
4.7cm Pak(f) auf Panzerspähwagen P 204(f) armored car: Bundesarchiv, Koblenz

Design

The Panhard Type 178 was to be an armored car that was to be used in French North Africa.³ Initially the Panhard Type 178 was to carry a 37 mm gun in the turret.³

Command version had gun removed and added larger radios.³

Armament

Armament for the Panhard Type 178 varied between two 7.5 mm machine guns to a single 25 mm gun.³

The 25 mm gun fired a 0.7 lb AP shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,953'/sec.⁵

Drive

The Panhard Type 178 had 4 wheel drive with dual steering that allowed for driving in the reverse direction.^3,5

Prototype

Production

• Panhard 178: 218 (by September 1939)⁴, 529
  • Production: 1935 - ?^3,5
  • Manufacturer: Panhard^2,5
• Panhard 178B:
  • Production: August 1944 - ?³

Variants

• Panhard 178:
• Panhard 178B: Were put into production with a larger turret that contained a 47 mm gun.³

Usage

Panhards were distributed to infantry and cavalry reconnaissance units.³

The three Division Legere Mecanique had 40 of the Panhard 178s.⁴ There were twelve Panhard 178s in each of the seven GRDIs.⁴

French Resistance

Forty five Panhard 178s were hidden from the Germans after the French surrender in 1940.³ They didn't have turrets but they were fitted with 25 mm, 47 mm, or machine guns.³ These were distributed to different areas in France, but most were taken over when German forces occupied the areas in November 1942.³

German use

• Panzerspähwagen Panhard 178-P204(f): In June 1941 190 were issued unmodified to German units. Forty-three were converted to railway protection vehicles with rail wheels installed.³ Some were converted in 1943 by having the turret removed an a 50 mm KwK L/42 installed. Had FuG Spr Ger 'a' radio installed.² Some had a 37 mm anti tank gun installed.³ Many were kept in France but some were used for anti-partisan and behind the lines duties in the Soviet Union.³

Specifications

	Panhard Et Levassor P 178 Armored Car
Crew	34, 41,2,3,5
Radio	ER 264
OR	ER294
Physical Characteristics
Weight	19,040 lb, 18,739 lb 8.07 tons1, 8.3 tons5, 8.5 tons2,3,4 8,200 kg1
Length w/gun	15' 6"5, 15' 8"4, 15' 8.5"3, 15' 8.6"1, 15' 11.5" 4.79 m1,2,3,4
Length w/o gun
Height	7' 6"5, 7' 7"3,4, 7' 8.5", 7' 8", 7' 9.4"1 2.15 m1, 2.31 m2,3,4
Width	6' 6"5, 6' 7"1,4, 6' 7.25"3, 6' 8" 2.01 m1,2,3,4
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	14"5
Ground contact length
Ground pressure
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	1: 25 mm1,4,5 25 mm L/732
Secondary
MG	1 or 2: 7.5 mm MG1 7.5 mm MG312 7.5 mm M31 MG5
MG - coaxial	1: 7.5 mm MG4
Side arms
Quantity
Main	1502,5
Secondary
MG	3,1505, 3,7502
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	131
Hull Front, Upper	0.6"@0°5, 20@21°2
Hull Front, Lower	20@0°2
Hull Sides, Upper	0.5"@0°5, 15@0°2
Hull Sides, Lower	15@0°2
Hull Rear	0.5"@0°5, 15@3°2 & 15@41°2
Hull Top	7@87°2
Hull Bottom	7@90°2
Turret Front	0.6"@0°5, 26@24°2 Mantlet: 26 round2
Turret Sides	0.6"@0°5, 15@26°2
Turret Rear	15@30°2
Turret Top	7@82°2
Engine (Make / Model)	Panhard1, Panhard SK2,4, Panhard SS5
Bore / stroke
Cooling	Water3,5
Cylinders	44,5
Net HP	1053,4,5
Capacity	6.33 liter3
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	4 forward, 4 reverse2,5
Steering	Front or all 4 wheels5
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline3,4,5
Octane
Quantity
Road consumption
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°2,5 Hand.2
Speed - Road	45 mph3,4, 44.7 mph1, 50 mph5 72 kph1,2,3,4
Speed - Cross Country
Range - Road	187 miles, 186 miles1,3,4, 250 miles5 300 km1,2,3,4
Range - Cross Country
Turning radius
Elevation limits	-12° to +14°2
Fording depth	1' 8"5, 1' 11.5"3 0.6 m3
Trench crossing	11.75"3 0.6 m3
Vertical obstacle	11.75"3 0.3 m3
Climbing ability	40° slope5
Suspension (Type)
Wheels each side	2