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Description
Breda (the Netherlands), February 16th 2019

A Panzerkampfwagen V Panther D - the last of her kind, as most other surviving Panthers are Panther A's or G's - stands at the corner of the Generaal Maczekstraat and the Paul Windhausenweg in Breda, the Netherlands.

Presented to the city of Breda by General Stanisław Władysław Maczek (1892-1994) on October 29th 1945, the first anniversary of the liberation of Breda by the 1st Polish Armored Division, the tank has always been known as 'The Polish Tank', even though it's a German Panther D. Numbered '534' when she was captured, this Panther D was built in 1943 but unlike most of its brethren never seems to have served in Kursk; instead it appears (although this remains unconfirmed) that she served in Italy, before ending up at the testing grounds of Krupp near Meppen, where she was captured by the 1st Polish Armored Division towards the end of the War.

The Panther D of Breda remained in her 'as gifted' state - minus bits and pieces stolen by souvenir hunters - until 2003, when she was removed from her plinth for a cosmetic restoration. During this restoration the decision was taken to strip the tank of her interior, as the condition of her suspension and running gear precluded restoring her to running condition, for the restoration to running condition of another Panther tank; the pieces went to Kevin Wheatcroft who partly funded the restoration of the 'Polish Tank'. Also removed during the restoration were some of the heavily-corroded exterior light panels such as the mudguards and equipment racks, giving the Panther an oddly 'bare' look.

Description
Breda (the Netherlands), February 16th 2019

A Panzerkampfwagen V Panther D - the last of her kind, as most other surviving Panthers are Panther A's or G's - stands at the corner of the Generaal Maczekstraat and the Paul Windhausenweg in Breda, the Netherlands.

Presented to the city of Breda by General Stanisław Władysław Maczek (1892-1994) on October 29th 1945, the first anniversary of the liberation of Breda by the 1st Polish Armored Division, the tank has always been known as 'The Polish Tank', even though it's a German Panther D. Numbered '534' when she was captured, this Panther D was built in 1943 but unlike most of its brethren never seems to have served in Kursk; instead it appears (although this remains unconfirmed) that she served in Italy, before ending up at the testing grounds of Krupp near Meppen, where she was captured by the 1st Polish Armored Division towards the end of the War.

The Panther D of Breda remained in her 'as gifted' state - minus bits and pieces stolen by souvenir hunters - until 2003, when she was removed from her plinth for a cosmetic restoration. During this restoration the decision was taken to strip the tank of her interior, as the condition of her suspension and running gear precluded restoring her to running condition, for the restoration to running condition of another Panther tank; the pieces went to Kevin Wheatcroft who partly funded the restoration of the 'Polish Tank'. Also removed during the restoration were some of the heavily-corroded exterior light panels such as the mudguards and equipment racks, giving the Panther an oddly 'bare' look.