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The T-34 of course. Panther does not count. It was a 'heavy'. Also the Panther was made to counter the T-34 threat based on research done on captured T-34's and KV's during Operation Barbarossa.

The T-34 was on the scene first. (Before the war) Even Guderian admits in his book that the T-34 was superior to all German armor during Barbarossa. If the author of Achtung! Panzer admits it, then it must be true. Sloped armor, good gun, diesel powered, great mobility and mass production. It was impressive then and is still impressive now. It was upgraded many times and had the ability to take on the 85mm in later years.
The pzIV(also prewar) was not on par with the T-34 until upgunned in mid-42 with the F2 series armed with the 75/43mm. The pzIV also never had sloped armor, so that any applique armor had to be non-sloped also. It did however have a very good chassis design and the ability to upgun due to a large turret ring. It was quite a bit lighter than the other tanks in the poll however. It also used gas....it burned better than the T-34.
The Sherman and the Cromwell are latecomers into the arena, At least the Sherman started with a 75mm gun, whereas the Cromwell started life with a 57mm. The Sherman had sloped armor, the Cromwell did not. the Cromwell was also much lighter. The Sherman did have a gun stabilisor mounted on it but I am not sure if this was origional issue.
The T-34 shows off all of a medium tanks attributes, firepower, mobility and protection. And it did so first.

RalphZ,
I still do not agree with your theory, that the Panther was a medium tank. You now put the Pershing in the same category as the Panther but it is not in the poll. If it is in the poll, then I would take the Pershing. Bigger gun for the HE effect and can stand up to the heavier German armor.
But with the Pershing in the poll, everyone knows that the Sherman does not even compare.

To make the Panther into a 'medium' tank because of its purpose is misleading. Remember that an SUV is a passenger car not a truck. But to compare an SUV to a Honda Accord is ludicrous.
The main reason that the Panther was built, was to stand up to and destroy T-34's. To compare the two is exactly why the Germans made it in the first place. There is no comparision. The panther was made as a dedicated T-34 killer.

Originally posted by RalphZ:
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From the perspective of other countries, the fact that the German definition of a medium tank in 1944 was the Panther did matter.
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What other countries listed the Panther as a medium tank?
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Yes, then the Tiger would be compared to the T-34. The issue is not statistical, it is tactical.
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I would be very interesting then to put the Tiger in the poll then.
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. Hence, a vehicle considered an infantry support tank in the early war was converted to a medium tank in mid-war and it too was compared to the T-34. The replacement for the Panzer IV was the Panther. Hence, it too was compared to the T-34.
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Yet the T-34/85 is not in the poll.

You are including in your poll a vehicle which is much heavier than all the other contenders, which was purpose made by the Germans based on studies of the T-34, to destroy medium tanks.
I still take the Panther in your poll, but the T-34/85 is a much better medium tank.(In my opinion of course)