German, Panzer I
From Metapedia
Panzer I is the common name of a light tank that was produced by Germany in the 1930s. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen I (abbreviated PzKpfw I) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 101.
Intended as a training tank to introduce the concept of armored warfare into the German Army, it began design in 1932 and mass production in 1934. Despite the original purpose of the vehicle, the Panzer I saw combat in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, during the Second World War, and even in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Based on experience gathered during the Spanish Civil War the Panzer I and her crews would help shape the German armor corps which invaded Poland in 1939 and France in 1940. By 1941, however, old Panzer I chassis were being reused for production of tank destroyers. Furthermore, there would be various attempts to upgrade the Panzer I throughout its history and would continue to serve in the armed forces of Spain until 1954.
Ultimately, the Panzer I's performance in combat was affected by its relatively poor armor protection and light armament. Although this was to be expected from a tank never designed for a combat role, the Panzer I was not comparable to other light tanks of the era, such as the T-26. Although the Panzer I was an obsolete tank when put into a combat role, the Panzer I formed large portions of Germany's total tank strength in most major campaigns between September 1939 and December 1941. Ultimately, the small light tank would be overshadowed in importance by much more well known German tanks, such as the Panther or Panzer IV, but its important contributions to the early victories of Germany during the Second World War cannot be ignored.
Specifications
- Weight 5.4 tonnes
- Length 4.02 m
- Width 2.06 m
- Height 1.72 m
- Crew 2; Commander and Driver
- Armor Between 7 and 13 mm
- Primary armament Two 7.92 mm MG13 machine guns
- Engine Krupp M 305 four cylinder air cooled gasoline engine.60 PS (59 hp, 44 kW)
- Power/weight 11.1 PS/t
- Suspension Quarter-elliptical leaf spring suspension.
- Operational range 200 km on-road; 175 km off-road.
- Speed 50 km/h on-road; 37 km/h off-road.
