Save the Panther of Grandmenil!
Sauvez le Panther de Manhay
CROWDFUNDING STARTED
Recently a crowdfunding for our Panther tank has been started by several local people.
As most people know, the Panther tank, belonging to the 2nd SS Das Reich, is in a very bad shape and needs a good restoration. You can find a complete background about Panther tank 214 in this article: Minefield in Grandmenil!
It is estimated that an amount of 125.000 euro is needed to do the job.
Below you can find the translated plans for the restauration and the link to the crowdfunding.
Please consider a donation and save one of the last remaining Panther tanks in the Ardennes.
About this crowdfunding
The main goal of the project is the restoration of the Panther tank located in Grandmenil, in the municipality of Manhay, which was abandoned during the Battle of the Ardennes in 1944-45. The objective of the project is to restore the exterior of the tank in detail and return it to the state in which it was abandoned 80 years ago. Here is a photo taken just after the fighting:
Manhay holds one of the 24 remaining Panthers in the world. This tank is also remarkable because it is one of only three Panthers still located at their original engagement site, adding significant local historical value.
Over the years, many parts of the tank have gone missing. We are missing important elements such as wheels, track links, a towing cable, a pickaxe, a shovel, and even the gun barrel.
Here is a drawing to illustrate some of the missing parts:
How the Funding Will Be Used:
The donated funds will primarily be allocated to four main areas:
– Purchasing missing original parts (a list is available in the posts);
– Paying professionals to replicate parts that are either impossible to find or prohibitively expensive as originals;
– Cleaning and reassembling the tank;
– Applying a new coat of paint and making optical modifications to restore the Panther’s appearance as it was 80 years ago.
– This summary does not cover every detail, and more information will be provided throughout the project. However, these are the main expenses associated with the restoration.
In the video below, you will find a podcast with the background of the Panther tank. The video was made with the guys from The Warrior Next Door, Tony Lupo and Ryan Fairfield.
November 2019:
TV Lux comes with a video, explaining that the plan is getting better and bigger. The Grandmenil Panther tank might be going to be restored by the Bastogne Barracks.
Which, in fact, is excellent news!
You can see the video HERE
October 2019
A short article appeared in the L’Avenir newspaper on october 1 and 2, stating that “the German tank of Grandmenil will be replaced in the area of the museum. A plan was presented last monday.
The plan is the replace it and cover it under a roof, so it will be protected against the weather conditions. They did not spoke yet about replacing the missing parts of the tank, wich is very valuable…..
Beneath is the plan:
