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Panzerkampfwagen I
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The Panzer I was
originally intended as a training tank but saw front line service up until 1942. The
limitations imposed on Germany after the First World War made it necessary
to hide the real purpose of the vehicle so it was called the
Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper (La S) or agricultural tractor until 1938
when the designation Panzer I (PzKpfw 1) was used. The first variant (Ausf
A) weighed only 5.5 tonnes (6.06 US tons), had a two man crew and was
armed with two 7.92 mm (0.31") machine guns in a small turret. The main
production version (Ausf B) had a more powerful engine and was slightly
longer. |
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The Panzer I first saw
action with the German Condor legion during the Spanish Civil War between
1936 and 1938. The Panzer I saw extensive service during the invasion of
Poland in 1939 and France in 1940; but by 1941 the Panzer I was being
withdrawn from the battle tank role. There were numerous variants based on
the Panzer I chassis: command vehicles had a large fixed superstructure in
place of the turret; a self-propelled artillery vehicle was fitted with a
15 cm (5.91") infantry howitzer; a few chassis were converted to flame
throwers; and an anti tank vehicle, the Panzerjäger I, was armed with a 47
mm anti-tank gun. |
Panzerkampfwagen II
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The Panzer II was larger
than the Panzer I, had a three man crew and was armed with a 2 cm (0.79")
cannon. The Panzer II was also intended to be a training tank but, like
the Panzer I, entered service as a battle tank due to delays in delivering
the Panzer III and IV. The first Panzer II's were engaged in action in
the Spanish Civil War. The first model to be produced in numbers was the Ausf D. The
Ausf E, employed an entirely new hull, suspension and armoured layout. The
last model, the Ausf F, was still being produced until 1943.The Panzer II
was fast and ideal for the new concept of Blitzkrieg put into practice
during the German offensives of 1940-42. After the Pz II had become
ineffectual as a battle tank it too was adapted for many other roles
including a flame throwers and bridge layers. The Marder II and Wespe
self-propelled guns were new developments that utilised Pz II technology. |
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The final model of the Pz II series was the Ausf F. The
front hull of the Ausf F was made from one flat 35mm plate instead of the
rounded hull of previous versions. The front of the superstructure was
redesigned with one flat 30mm plate extending across the width of the hull
with a dummy visor fitted on the right-hand side. The suspension
incorporated a new conical design for the idler wheel. The turret front
plates and gun mantlet was increased to 30mm and featured an
eight-periscope cupola for the commander. |
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The Luchs (Lynx) was the result of an order issued on
the 15th of April 1939 that called for a fully-tracked armoured
reconnaissance vehicle. Production began in August 1942 The chassis was
developed by MAN and Daimler-Benz designed the superstructure and turret.
The prototype was completed in April 1942. The initial order was for 800
vehicles, the first 100 being equipped with the 20mm KwK38 and the
remainder (designated Leopard) with the 50mm KwK 39/1 L/60. No Leopards
were ever produced; a decree issued in January 1943 ordered that
production cease after the first 100 Luchs had been completed. The Lynx
had a crew of 4 and, unlike the other versions of the Pz II, used
overlapping road wheels with torsion bar suspension. |
Panzerkampfwagen 35
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The Panzerkampfwagen 35(t)
was a Czech
main battle tank that was taken into service by the German army after the
provinces of Bohemia and Moravia were annexed in March 1939. It remained in service for more then three years. |
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It was a very advanced design
for its time but was technically complex making it prone to mechanical
failure. It utilised a pneumatically operated transmission, rear sprocket drive,
small road wheels and wide tracks; innovations that would feature on
armoured vehicles designed much later in the war. Steering and
transmission were mechanically assisted using compressed air but this
system proved to be very problematic, especially during the freezing
temperatures of the Russian winter. |
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The armour was between
8mm to 50 mm thick and was riveted together rather than welded. The main gun was
a 37 mm KwK 34(t) L/40 operated by the tank commander. Secondary armament
consisted of two 7.92 mm MG34 or MG35/37(t) MG's, one mounted in the hull
and one mounted coaxially in the turret. |
Panzerkampfwagen 38
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The Czech LT Vz38 was
intended as a replacement for the LT-35, which was considered to be
technically too complex. On July 1st 1938 an order was placed for 150 but
none had been delivered before the annexation of Czechoslovakia. After the
annexation the Wehrmacht recognised the T38 as being an excellent tank and
ordered that production continue. The Germans modified the design by
adding an extra crewman to load the gun, reducing the commanders workload
considerably. To make room for the loader 18 rounds of 37mm ammunition
were removed. |
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Experience during the
Polish campaign revealed a need for better protection and the armour was
subsequently increased all round. The frontal armour was increased to 50mm
by the simple expedient of riveting two 25mm plates together. Other
improvements were made including new visors for the driver and radio
operator, an internal ball mount for the hull machine gun and a reduction
in the amount of riveting. |
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A modified Panzer 38(t)
chassis was the basis for a number of self-propelled guns and tank
destroyers, including the very successful Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer
tank-destroyer that mounted the 7.5 cm PaK 39 L/48 gun. |
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Panzerkampfwagen III
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By 1935 a more advanced
vehicle was being planned, based on experience gained from the the
Panzer I and II. The plan that evolved was to produce two tanks: a main
battle tank to engage the enemy tanks and a heavier tank for infantry
close support. The main battle tank eventually became the Pz III; .armed with a 3.7 cm (1.46")
main gun and a co-axial machine gun mounted in a revolving turret
and a single machine gun in the hull that was used by the wireless
operator. It had a crew of five: commander, gunner, loader, driver and a radio
operator. The design was subject to major improvement over time being
equipped with bigger guns and thicker armaments resulting in over 20
versions of the basic design. The original 3.7cm gun was replaced by a
5.0cm gun and then a 7.5cm gun, the same as fitted to the early Pz IV..
During the early parts of the war the Panzer III's formed the
bulk of the Panzer Divisions strength but there was never enough of them
to the extent that the shortfall had to be made up with Czech T35 tanks.
The Pz III was at a serious disadvantage when facing other allied tanks,
especially the Russian T34 and manufacture ceased in 1943. As with other
vehicles the Panzer III chassis was the basis for a number of variants and conversions. |
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Panzerkampfwagen IV
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At the outbreak of World War Two
there were only a small number of Panzer IV's in service. The design was
originally intended to fulfil the heavy close support role, being armed
with a short 7.5cm howitzer, but the Panzer IV eventually swapped
roles with the Panzer III and became the main battle tank of the Panzer Divisions
until the introduction of the Panther later in the war.
The Panzer IV had a five-man crew: Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver and
Radio Operator. The crew communicated using an internal intercom system, an innovation at the
time; and one that was probably a significant factor in the early success of the
Panzer Divisions. |
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From the Ausf F onwards the Panzer IV was
equipped with a long 7.5 cm gun
and thicker armour. Subsequent versions utilised extra skirt armour and
spaced armour to defend against hollow charge anti-tank weapons. The
design continued in production until the end of the war.
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The chassis was used as
the basis for many variants:
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the Jagdpanzer IV was a
tank hunter that mounted a 7.5 cm PaK 39 L/48 anti-tank gun;
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the Stug IV was an
assault vehicle with a Stug III
superstructure sat on top of a Pz IV chassis;
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the Nashorn mounted an 8.8cm anti-tank gun
in an open top box on top of the hull
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the Hummel mounted a 15 cm (5.91")
howitzer;
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several versions of Flakpanzer mounted
anti-aircraft guns: the Möbelwagen mounting a single
3.7 cm FlaK 43 L/89 in a static four sided open box like enclosure on
top of the hull; Wirbelwind mounting quad 2 cm (0.79") FlaK 38
cannons in a nine sided open topped revolving turret; Ostwind mounting a
single 3.7cm(1.46") 3.7 cm FlaK 43 gun in an hexagonal open top turret.
There were also command tanks, observation vehicles, bridging vehicles
and submersible tanks that were developed from the basic battle tank
design.
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Panzerkampfwagen V (Panther)
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The Russian T34 came as a shock to
the German panzer troops: well protected with sloped armour, a
7.62 cm (3") main gun, powerful diesel
engine and wide tracks that enabled it to cross terrain impassable to
the German tanks; the T34 held the cards in most head on tank vs. tank
scenarios against the Pz III and Pz IV.
The German response was the
Panzerkampfwagen V, more commonly known as the Panther tank. Technically
it was impressive but it was rushed into production during the early part
of 1943 and consequently suffered from teething troubles. Armed with an
excellent 7.5cm (2.96") KwK 42 L/70 main gun and fitted with thick sloped
armour it was capable of taking on just about any allied tank at the time.
The overlapping road
wheels reduced the ground pressure significantly but changing one of the
inside wheels necessitated removing up to five other wheels in front of
it. During the battle of Kursk many vehicles broke down before
they entered the action, some vehicles burst into flames due to faulty
fuel lines. Later versions of the vehicle were fitted with infra red
equipment to enable them to fight at night, thus evading the danger of
allied fighter bombers. The Panther evolved into an efficient weapons
system but there simply weren't enough to make any difference to the
outcome of the war. |
Panzerkampfwagen VI (Tiger)
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In 1937
the German Army weapons branch issued a
specification to Henschel for a heavy tank weighing between 30-33 tons. It
was intended to fulfil the role of 'infantry close support' and was to
mount the same short 7.5cm howitzer as the Panzer IV. The specification
was changed several times, the most significant being the decision to use
the a version of the 8.8cm anti-aircraft gun.
A design,
known as the Tiger tank, finally went into production in August 1942
continuing until August 1944
resulting in 1,355 being built. The Tiger was a costly vehicle
to build but it's size, thick armour and 8.8cm gun meant that it could
totally outclass anything that the allies could put onto the field.
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The Tiger was committed to
action before any useful numbers could be produced and before it had been
properly tested. The first engagement was near Leningrad where a platoon
of four Tigers unsuccessfully attempted to break the Russian defences,
breaking down in the process.
Several variants were
produced including a heavy assault mortar, command vehicles and recovery
vehicles.
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Panzerkampfwagen VI (Tiger II)
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The Tiger II was armed with a
long 8.8 cm (3.47") gun and was
fitted with thick sloped armour making it one of the most powerful main
battle tanks of World War II. It was a very heavy tank and consumed huge
quantities of fuel, which seriously limited its battlefield mobility and
performance. Also know as the King Tiger or Royal Tiger the vehicle was
issued to special Panzer units of the Army and SS. Production began in
early 1944 but just less under 500 had been produced by the end of the
war. The Tiger II participated in a few notable actions such as the
Ardennes offensive in 1944, but generally they didn't contribute greatly
to the German war effort. |
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