Panhard 178

The Panhard 178 (officially designated as Automitrailleuse de Découverte Panhard modèle 1935. It was the first 4 x 4 armoured car mass-produced for a major country.

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.

Panhard (cars)       
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Panhard 178 (virallisesti nimetty Automitrailleuse de Découverte Panhard modèle 1935.
Joulukuussa 1931 Ranskan ratsuväelle laadittiin suunnitelma tulevan panssaroidu taisteluajoneuvon valmistukselle. 

Valmistajaksi valittiin Automitrailleuse de Découverte tai AMD, joka oli erikoistunut pitkien matkojen panssaroituihin tiedustelu tehtävä ajoneuvojen valmistukseen
Tekniset tavoitteet laadittiin 22. 12. -31, ne muutettiin 18.11. -32. Lopulliset suoritus tavoitteet olivat paino n. 4 tn, toimintamatkaa vähintään 400 km, kääntösäde alle
12 m, panssaroinnin vahvuudet 5-8 mm.

Aseistus vähintään 20 mm tykki sekä vähintään yksi konekivääri. 
Muutokset hyväksyttiin 9.12.-32 ja valmistus aloitettiin.

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In December 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 4 metric tons (4.0 t), a range of 400 kilometres (250 mi), a speed of 70 km/h, a cruising speed of 40 km/h, a turning circle of 12 metres (39 ft), 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 other companies also were ordered to build prototypes: Renault constructed two vehicles of a Renault VZ, including an armoured personnel carrier variant, Berliet constructed a single Berliet VUB and Latil belatedly presented a design in April 1934.
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Panhard 178

Type: Armoured car
Place of origin : France
Service history: In service April 1937 - 1964
Used:  France, Nazi Germany Wars, World War IIFirst Indochina War, Vietnam War
Designer: Panhard
Designed: 1933-1937
Manufacturer: Panhard
Unit cost: ₣ 275,000 hull
Produced: February 1937 - ~October 1940
Number built: 729 "A" versions, 414 B version
Variants: Panhard 178B
Weight: 8.2 metric tonnes
Length: 4.79 m with gun
Width: 2.01 m
Height: 2.31 m
Crew: 4 
Armor: 20 mm
Armament: 25 mm SA 35 cannon + 1x 7.5 mm Reibel mg
Engine: 105 hp Panhard SK
Suspension: Leaf spring
Ground clearance: 35 cm
Range: 300 km
Speed: 72 km/h
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The Panhard vehicle was ready in October 1933 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: the Berliet VUB e.g. was reliable but too heavy and traditional; the Latil version had no all-terrain capacity. In the autumn the improved prototype, now lacking the bottom tracks of the original type, was tested by the Cavalry. In late 1934 the type was accepted under the name AMD Panhard Modèle 1935. The type was now fitted with the APX3B turret.


After complaints about reliability, such as cracking gun sights, and overheating, between 29 June and 2 December 1937 a new test programme took place, resulting in many modifications, including the fitting of a silencer and a ventilator on the turret. The ultimate design was very advanced for its day and still appeared modern in the 1970s.