When the German Panzer IV met the Russian T-34 in June 1941, they were humiliated by being outclassed by the T-34, so a group of weapons specialists were sent to the Russian front to analyze the T-34’s design. With these results, Daimler- Benz (DB) and Maschinenfabrik Augsburg (MAN) were both tasked with providing designs for a 30-ton medium tank by April 1942. The MAN design was accepted in May 1942, mainly because it was able to use an existing turret designed by Rheinmetall-Borsig, saving valuable time needed to design a new turret required with the DB design. The Panther design adapted many of its successful design characteristics from the T-34. These were mainly the sloped armor, and the wide tracks (to make maneuvering in snow conditions of the Eastern front easier).
