After its appearance in mid-1943, the Panther was one of the mainstays of German armor through to the end of WWII. The Ausf.G (type G) variant was available to troops from 1944, and was itself upgraded in the second half of the year: fixes included an alteration to the lower section of the gun shield to stop direct hits from entering the crew space, and it was given more of a jutting design to further improve survivability; damped exhausts improved nighttime stealth; and air intakes were added on the engine grilles to supply the crew with warm air in cold conditions. Mobility, offensive power and survivability - the Panther achieved a remarkable balance of the three that made it a giant among WWII armor.