Operation Zitadelle, Battle of Kursk. The Panther's 75 mm gun had more penetrating power than the main gun of the Tiger I heavy tank. the 88mm KwK 36 L/56. the larger 88 mm projectile might inflict more damage if it did penetrate. main gun was 75mm Rheinmetall-Borsig KwK 42 (L/70) with semi-automatic shell ejection and a supply of 79 rounds (82 on Ausf. G). it used APCBC-HE, HE and APCR. cost of a Panther tank 117,100 Reichmarks, 82,500 RM for StuG III, 96,163 RM for Panzer III, 103,462 RM for Panzer IV, and 250,800 RM for Tiger I.