Panhard 178 Schienenpanzer conversion scouts ahead of a BP-42 Panzerzug on the Eastern Front in 1943

The Panhard 178 (officially designated as Automitrailleuse de Découverte Panhard modèle 1935, 178 being the internal project number at Panhard) was an advanced French reconnaissance 4x4 armored car that was designed for the French Army Cavalry units before World War II. It had a crew of four and was equipped with a 25mm main gun and a 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 1941 the Germans modified 43 cars as railway-protection vehicles (Schienenpanzer) that could drive on the tracks themselves by means of special wheels and were fitted with large radio frame aerials. If you would like to support the channel consider visiting