Recorded in CIOS report number XXIV-7, titled “German Infra Red Driving and Fire Control Equipment Fallingbostel”, is the following account regarding the effectiveness of Panther tanks with infrared gear:
“Uhu and Puma in combination were said to have been used by two units on the Eastern Front with immense success; it was claimed that 67 Russian tanks had been knocked out in one night. These two units and the unit captured were said to be the only three German units equipped with I.R. gear. Gear for other units was, however, said to be in existence hidden in various places, which are known to Major von Werthe[r]n.”
It is not recorded how many Pumas (Panther tanks with I.R. gear) were in each unit, however the training unit that was captured by the Allies was made up of 4 Sd.Kfz.251/20 Uhus, 16 Sd.Kfz.251/20 Falkes, and 3 staff cars. Even if the unit in question had 16 Pumas, which seems unlikely, that is still more than 4 kills claimed on average per tank! It is amazing that with such numbers the Germans still lost the war 😉
Sd.Kfz.251/20 “Falke”, a standard Sd.Kfz.251 Ausf.D with F.G. 12/50 (200 watt infrared spotlight and receiver mounted to MG42) and F.G. 12/52 (100 watt infrared wide-angle spotlight and receiver for driving).
Sd.Kfz.251/20 “Uhu” from the rear. The Uhu carried a 60cm infrared searchlight that could rotate 360 degrees.
BMW 321 staff car with F.G. 12/52 infrared driving equipment.