Yuri Pasholok. Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.G. The fruits of protracted project-making

Foundations of creation.

Tanks weighing sixteen to twenty tons were called “full-fledged combat tanks” in German military literature of those years.
After some time, they were implemented in the Pz.Kpfw III and Pz. Kpfw IV. However, design work, finalization of the design and development in production had to take some time. Therefore, in order to speed up the creation of a tank industry, the organization of units of tank troops, as well as the training of tank crews, it was decided to order a light tank weighing five tons and two crew members armed with machine guns. The machine was supposed to have a relatively simple design and be cheaper to operate and produce. The result of the work carried out was the appearance of the Pz.Kpfw I tank. The new combat vehicle was already supplied to tank units in the thirty-fourth year. The tank coped quite well with the role of a training vehicle, and was later used for combat operations.

Meanwhile, the development of the production of tanks of the main type, for a number of reasons, had to be postponed to a later date. To correct the situation, a tank with the best combat characteristics, but at the same time easy to manufacture, was required.

The technical specifications for the new tank were announced on 06.1934. The intermediate type of tank was supposed to have stronger armor protection than the Pz.Kpfw I, but be armed with a 20-mm automatic cannon (according to the German classification - a machine gun) and another rifle-caliber machine gun. , MAH and Krupp took part in the design work. The design deadlines were initially determined to be very strict, and in the spring of 1935, the competitors presented prototypes. To maintain secrecy, the project was called “agricultural tractor” - Las 100.

The samples presented to the commission were nothing more than a chassis without a turret. Both cars used locked suspension and semi-elliptical leaf springs. The Krupp project was externally similar to the Pz.Kpfw I prototype, with an enlarged turret and new weapons.

After considering all the proposed designs, it was decided to launch a project from MAH as a series, as the “2 cm MG Panzerwagen”. Later, upon adoption, the name was changed to “Panzerkampfwagen II”.

Pz. II, just like its predecessor Pz. I, were precisely those machines, with the construction of which the German industry mastered the serial production of tanks, and the tank forces went from training crews to combat coordination of large tank formations. These same vehicles became the basis of the tank fleet while gaining experience from the first tank operations in Poland and Norway.

The first pre-production batch of ten Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.a1 was manufactured by MAH in 1935. The layout of the “two” was practically no different from that of the Pz. I. The new vehicle had a load-bearing armored hull, made by welding with reinforcement from a stamped profile and corners. A characteristic feature of the vehicles in this series was the elliptical frontal part of the armored hull, made using casting. Tank turret with a small (21-22 degrees) rational angle of inclination of the armor plates.

Second time in easy class

Cases when a more advanced tank, accepted for service, was replaced by a modification inferior to it in terms of characteristics are extremely rare. In Soviet tank building, such an example was the KV-1s, which in many ways turned out to be a necessary measure. Less heavy than the KV-1, this vehicle also had less thick armor, but due to the reduction in weight and a more advanced gearbox, its reliability and mobility increased. At the same time, the tank itself underwent a lot of alterations and improvements.

In the case of the Germans, the most striking example of such paradoxical rearmament was
the Pz . Kpfw . II Ausf . F. _ Here we were talking about an actual return, with minor modifications, to a less advanced modification of the “deuce” ( Ausf . C ) than the one already adopted for service ( Ausf . D).

Back to the springs

The question that the La.S.100 chassis was far from perfect was raised in the 6th Department of the Armaments Department back in January 1937. Despite the fact that MAN was working on a modernized version of the car with a new chassis, Heinrich Kniemkamp insisted on starting work on a completely different chassis. It should have had a torsion bar suspension and a slightly different arrangement of units. The chassis received the designation La.S.138, its prospects were rated very highly. In correspondence, employees of the 6th Department of the Armaments Department La.S. they called it without a future and were looking forward to the launch of a new version of the Pz.Kpfw.II.

In reality, the situation turned out to be not at all as rosy as it seemed to German engineers. To begin with, work on La.S.138 was delayed. In addition, on June 18, 1938, in the midst of work to prepare the vehicle for production, the Weapons Office (Waffenamt) authorized the development of a tank codenamed VK 9.01. Such a decision can definitely be considered a sign that a threat looms over La.S.138.

The new commander's cupola became one of the innovations of the PzII Ausf.F. It migrated from the modernization of Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.cC

And the tank itself, designated Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D, turned out to be not as ideal as it seemed to its creators. It turned out that simultaneously with the transition to torsion bar suspension, the combat weight of the vehicle increased by two tons. Of course, the suspension was not the only one to blame for this. The designers strengthened the armor of the frontal part of the hull and the turret box, and the placement of internal components and assemblies was slightly changed. Nevertheless, such an increase in mass did not at all please the 6th Department of the Armaments Department.

Finally, the La.S.100, which was conditionally retired, soon struck back. The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c created on this platform and the subsequent Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.AC turned out to be much more successful vehicles in terms of suspension reliability. It turned out that the designers gave up on springs completely in vain. As a result, 43 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Ds manufactured from October 1938 to April 1939 were simply lost in the much larger volume of Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Cs produced during the same period. As for the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.E, the seven chassis produced in this modification never became “regular” tanks and were used as a basis for the construction of flamethrower vehicles.

The driver's viewing device was transferred from the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D to the new vehicle

Against this background, it is not surprising that already at the beginning of 1939, the order department for tanks and tracked vehicles (Wa J Rü-WuG 6) planned the release of a new series of tanks - 9.Serie/La.S.100. According to the original plan, the first five tanks of the 9th series were supposed to be received in May 1940, the end of production of the batch of 404 9.Serie/La.S.100 was expected in December of the same year. This meant that the production of the “bad” tank would continue.

At secondary production bases

The spring and summer of 1939 were a time of major changes in the German tank building program. MAN, the developer and main production site for the Pz.Kpfw.II, like a number of other enterprises, switched to producing the Pz.Kpfw.III. For this reason, Pz.Kpfw.II production volumes were rapidly declining. From 81 tanks in March 1939, in May they dropped to 14 vehicles, and subsequently the monthly production never exceeded the figure of 10 tanks.

This copy was intended for combat operations in Africa. The front mudguards “went away” quite quickly

In the summer of 1939, the only production site for this tank was the FAMO (Fahrzeug-und Motoren-Werke GmbH) plant in Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland). Just in 1939, FAMO began producing the 18-ton Sd.Kfz.9 half-track tractor. Mastering this very complex vehicle had a significant impact on the timing of the launch of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C series.

The order was small (35 tanks), but production problems meant that FAMO was able to deliver only two tanks in July. In August, their number increased to five, and the same number were completed in September. But after the October increase (eight tanks), only two vehicles were delivered in November. A long pause followed; only in April 1940 were the last nine tanks released.

This picture was associated with the high losses of the PzII in the Polish campaign. With irretrievable losses of 83 tanks, there were much more damaged vehicles. To repair them, it was necessary to use spare parts that were also intended for assembling tanks at FAMO.

A fake viewing device installed to the right of the real one was the hallmark of this modification of the tank.

As of November 11, 1939, FAMO and Alkett facilities were supposed to be used as assemblers of the new 9.Serie/La.S.100. The Weapons Office (Waffenamt) continued to consider May 1940 as the start date for production, but here new factors had already begun to interfere with the military’s plans. The Polish campaign showed that the armor of the Pz.Kpf.II needed to be strengthened. On the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.cC the issue was resolved by installing shielding, but on the new tanks the frontal armor of the hull and turret was strengthened from the very beginning to 30 mm. This required reworking the hull and turret drawings, and as of January 24, 1940, the drawings were still in progress.

Another design change was added on March 7, 1940. Instead of a double hatch, the commander received a turret with viewing devices, which significantly improved his visibility. At the same time, the innovation again shifted the start of production of 9.Serie/La.S.100. The order department for tanks and tracked vehicles moved the start of production to June 1940. However, it later turned out that great optimists worked there.

From some angles, Ausf.F and Ausf.C are practically indistinguishable

The May-June 1940 campaign cost the German tank forces 240 Pz.Kpfw.IIs. Again a large number of damaged cars accumulated. An additional factor slowing down the production was that now FAMO and Alkett were also involved in the production of Pz.Kpw.III. Soon the Alkett plant received its first order for the production of StuG III self-propelled guns. It became increasingly clear that the 9.Serie/La.S.100 would not be produced in Spandau. The final decision on this issue was made on September 19, 1940. The contract was completely transferred to FAMO, but even there they were not ready to fulfill it. Another site was needed for the production of long-suffering light tanks. And it was not found on German territory.

This tank was lost during battles in Africa. A new muffler and smoke exhaust devices, covered with an armored casing, make it easy to distinguish the Pz . Kpfw . II
Ausf . F
from earlier machines

As a result of the Polish campaign, Polish enterprises were at the disposal of the Germans. Among them was the Ursus plant, which was part of PZInż (Państwowe Zakłady Inżynierii). The tanks and armored vehicles produced by PZInż turned out to be of little interest to the Germans from the point of view of continuing their production. Ursus became part of FAMO, changing its name to Famo-Warschau. At the same time, the plant was often still referred to as Ursus in correspondence. It was here that it was decided to create an additional tank production site. So Ursus became the only plant in the territories captured by the Germans during the Second World War that produced German tanks and self-propelled guns.

This tank was produced by the Ursus plant in the summer of 1941. He was part of the 31st Tank Regiment of the 5th Tank Division

The first 10 tanks of the 9th series at the Polish plant were planned to be produced in the same September 1940, and by July 1941 they were going to reach the level of 40 vehicles per month. These plans also turned out to be far from the real picture. On October 1, 1940, they were adjusted until the first three vehicles were released in December 1940, but this also turned out to be a pipe dream. In December, plans looked like this: the release of seven tanks in January 1941, the next ten in February. On March 1, realizing that this could no longer continue, Alkett was involved in helping to develop production. Through the joint efforts of Alkett and Ursus, seven tanks were finally delivered in March 1941. As for the FAMO plant, the first tanks of the 9th series left Breslau only in August 1941.

Long-lived temporary worker

By the beginning of 1941, the tank modification 9.Serie/La.S.100, designated Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F in the series, was in a rather delicate situation. In June 1940, the 6th Department of the Armaments Department initiated work on the creation of the VK 9.03, a 10-ton class light tank. The car was developed by MAN designers, and Heinrich Kniepkamp also took an active part in the work. With similar armament and armor to the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, the vehicle should have been much faster. The 9.Serie/La.S.100 was intended to be a temporary replacement for this promising light tank.

Weak armor forced tankers to experiment. In this case, tracks were used as additional armor

In the two years that have passed since the decision to start production of the PzII Ausf.F was made, the vehicle has changed little. Technically, the new tank was identical to the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C. The main changes have been made to the hull and turret. It was decided to abandon the complex frontal part of the hull. Instead, they made a much simpler design, repeating the shape of the additional armor installed on the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.cC.

The new modification can be easily distinguished by the shape of the frontal part of the turret box. The designers abandoned the bevel on the right side, and the driver received an inspection device similar to that installed on the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D and Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.E. To the right of it they placed a mock-up of a viewing device made of aluminum. According to the authors, this was supposed to confuse enemy soldiers.

The shape of the left side of the engine plate has changed slightly, but the change in the muffler has become much more noticeable. In order to place the smoke exhaust device unit on the stern plate, the muffler had to be made noticeably shorter. The turret also underwent minimal changes, hardly differing from the modernization of the PzII Ausf.C. In short, if not for production problems, there would have been no obstacles to a quick transition to the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C.

The same tank from the other side

The first modifications to the design of the new tank began even before it went into mass production. They were connected with the fact that the first units of the Afrika Korps went to North Africa. In order for the tanks to operate normally in desert conditions, it was necessary to strengthen their ventilation system. Thus, the very first production Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Fs had the ability to quickly be converted into a tropical version. Armor kits were supplied by two factories: Deutsche Edelstahlwerke from Reimscheid, and Eisen und Hüttenwerke AG from Bochum.

Tank with serial number 28329, produced by Ursus in February 1942. The vehicle, which was part of the 5th SS Viking Panzer Division, already has a turret

Production unfolded rather slowly. After the release of seven tanks in March 1941, Ursus delivered no more than 15 vehicles per month during April - June. The plant reached its design capacity of 20 tanks per month only in July. As for FAMO, the situation here turned out to be completely terrible. Throughout 1941, Breslau was never able to surpass the ten tanks per month threshold. As a result, Warsaw was forced to increase the pace so that the monthly shipment of both plants corresponded to the planned one. By the end of 1941, 233 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Fs were delivered.

One of the tanks lost by the Germans in Tunisia in the winter of 1943

The arrival of new tanks to the troops began closer to the summer of 1941. At that time, a lot of questions had accumulated regarding the tanks of the Pz.Kpfw.II family. The fact that the 20-mm automatic cannon clearly does not correspond to the realities of modern warfare was clearly demonstrated by the campaign in France. The Pz.Kpfw.II could not boast of high mobility either. According to this indicator, it did not stand out in any way against the background of medium tanks.

It is not surprising that there was no place in the promising Pz.Kpfw.II rearmament program. This program, dated May 30, 1941, was designed for five years and provided for the supply of 2592 VK 903 to tank units. They were planned to be used as reconnaissance vehicles.

But, as often happens, plans did not always correspond to reality. The result of the VK 903 program was sad: this machine was never built either in series or even in metal. However, even if this tank had been born, it would most likely have shared the fate of its “younger brother,” VK 901, also known as the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.G. To a fault, MAN built 45 of these tanks, which did not take root among the troops.

The VK 13.01 reconnaissance tank turned out to be a more promising direction. This vehicle became the first German light tank to receive a two-man turret. Having evolved into VK 13.03, it eventually turned out to be a German reconnaissance tank with the most successful fate. True, even in 1941 there was still no certainty about this. Work on the tank was delayed, and the Pz.Kpfw.38(t)nA and Škoda T-15 program was launched as a backup.

One of the captured Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F at the Research Site of the Main Armored Directorate of the Red Army (NIP GABTU KA). Kubinka, 1944

The delay in the creation of “full-fledged” reconnaissance tanks and the experience of battles on the Eastern Front forced the 6th Department of the Armaments Department to look for alternatives. Beginning in November 1941, the Pz.Kpfw.II began to be equipped with mounts for installing additional periscopes. The loss by this time of more than a third of the PzIIs from their original number in June 1941 gave the German military food for thought. More and more often there were reports from units that light tanks poorly corresponded to the realities of combat operations.

Judging by the mark on the front plate, the car was hit at least once

Despite this, the first half of 1942 saw the peak of PzII Ausf.F production. The record was set in May - 56 tanks. At the same time, it was in May 1942 that the ax was laid over the Pz.Kpfw.II production program.

Back in March 1942, the flamethrower Pz.Kpfw.II (F) was decided to be converted into self-propelled artillery mounts. The same thing happened with the Pz.Kpfw.38(t). The final decision to reduce the production of PzII was made in the summer of 1942. On June 7, Field Marshal Keitel proposed a complete transition to the production of self-propelled guns based on them. Hitler agreed to have half of the tanks manufactured in this form. On June 29, the share of self-propelled guns increased to 3/4, and on July 11, it was decided that this month would be the last for the PzII.

The same tank, left view

During 1942, FAMO and Ursus produced 276 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F. In total, 509 of them were produced, that is, significantly more than originally expected. Due to the fact that contracts were renegotiated several times, the numbering of the cars turned out to be a little torn. According to research by Thomas Jentz and Hilary Doyle, the serial numbers were distributed as follows:

• Ursus - 28001–28204;
• FAMO - 28205–28304;
• Ursus - 28305–28489;
• FAMO - 28820–28839.

The cessation of production of the Pz.Kpfw.II did not mean at all that these tanks would quickly disappear from units. As of September 1, 1942, the troops had 1,039 tanks of this type. The statistics of losses, which in the second half of 1942 only once exceeded the figure of 40 tanks (43 in November 1942), clearly shows that these vehicles were slowly withdrawn from the first line. The surviving Pz.Kpfw.IIs were gradually transferred to other tasks: they were used for reconnaissance, as command vehicles and artillery observer vehicles.

Unlike the Pz.Kpfw.38(t), which were mainly converted into self-propelled guns or tractors, the Pz.Kpfw.II continued to serve. Most often they were used in units that had self-propelled guns on the Pz.Kpfw.II chassis. As of October 1, 1944, the troops still had 386 tanks of this type.

As often happens, the original body kit has completely disappeared from the shelves, in some places along with the fastenings

Periodically, the vehicles were sent to factories, where they underwent major repairs, and then were sent back to the troops. This was the fate, for example, of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, now located in the Patriot Park. Unfortunately, its chassis number has not been preserved, but the number of the turret box (28384) suggests that the tank was produced at the Ursus plant in March 1942. Not earlier than the spring of 1943, the tank underwent a major overhaul, during which the old paint was completely removed from it and repainted in dark yellow Dunkelgelb nach Muster. Judging by the surviving markings, the tank was used as a command vehicle for the second battalion.

Reservation scheme for the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F compiled by Soviet specialists

Captured Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Fs repeatedly fell into the hands of the Red Army. But they were of almost no interest to Soviet specialists. For Soviet tank building, this tank was yesterday's thing back in 1941. The analogue of the German light tank was the Soviet T-70, against which the Pz.Kpfw.II had very little chance on the battlefield.

Sources and literature:

• NARA materials.
• Materials of TsAMO RF.
• Panzer Tracts No. 2–3 - Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf.D, E, and F development and production from 1937 to 1942, Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle, Darlington Publication, 2010.
• Materials from the author's photo archive.

The first Pz.Kpfw II.

The armament of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.a1 tank is represented by a 2 cm KwK 30 automatic cannon, as well as an MG machine gun. It was mounted similarly to Pz. I, wearing a single mask embedded in the body of the tower. The gun's ammunition consisted of fragmentation and armor-piercing cartridges.

According to German data from 1935, the gun was able to penetrate centimeter-thick armor at a distance of seven hundred meters. Which was supposed to make it possible to penetrate the armor of the Reno FT and NC-31 tanks - the most common vehicles of the French army and supplied to the Polish army.

At first, the tank was equipped with a Dreyse MG machine gun. 13k, but was soon replaced by MG 34.

The tank's engine is a Maybach HL 57 TR with a power of 120 hp. The six-speed gearbox was connected by a driveshaft running at the bottom of the fighting compartment to the engine.

The chassis of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.a1 tank consists of three bogies with two rollers per side. There are three support rollers. Leaf springs. The drive wheels are in the front of the tank, the sloths are raised above the surface.

The second batch of machines, numbering 15 pieces, was manufactured in the same year. The new modification of Ausf.a2 featured some improvements in the chassis and habitability of the fighting compartment due to ventilation.

The next batch of fifty tanks of the Ausf.a3 series was delivered in 1936. The engine and fighting compartments were separated by a partition, and the design and dimensions of the access hatches to the filter and fuel pump in the bottom of the tank were redesigned. The location of the radiator was changed; it was moved towards the stern, which improved its cooling. The springs were strengthened, the drive wheels lost their rubber.

In the same year, thirty-six, MAN delivered the next batch of twenty-five vehicles of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.b version. In this modification, the tank received a new, more powerful Maybach HL 62 TK engine (140 hp). The engine itself, together with the transmission, was moved towards the starboard side. This made it possible to increase the size of the fighting compartment. The exhaust system has undergone some changes. The transmission received a reduction gear, a planetary turning mechanism and a new shaped tracked tank were installed.

The dimensions of the drive wheel have been increased and the support rollers have been reduced. The suspension itself has been strengthened and modified to reduce the risk of the track falling off when turning.

All these events in the life of the Pz.Kpfw II took place against the backdrop of rapid changes in German industry and the army. In the summer of 1935, during German army exercises, a tank division was used for the first time, then consisting of three separate tank regiments. In the autumn of the same year, these three regiments were deployed as tank divisions. A command of tank forces was created.

The creation of a tank industry was taking place. If in the thirty-fifth year four companies were involved in the program for the production of tank components and assemblies, as well as armor plates, then two years later there were already seven.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.b tanks took part in exercises in 1936, during which their design caused a lot of criticism. Most of them concerned the chassis, both its mechanical strength and lack of smoothness. Therefore, it was decided to continue work on improving the design.

The first truly production vehicle was the “two” Ausf.c, the production of which was organized starting from 04.1937. In addition to purely external changes, such as the shape of the turret and the size of the drive hatch, the changes affected the source of the main troubles - the chassis.

Unscheduled tank

Light tank
Pz . Kpfw . II played a fairly important role in the structure of German tank forces. Contrary to popular belief, based on the memoirs of German generals, this tank was not a training tank. Moreover, at the time of creation of Pz . Kpfw . II
was
one of the best light tanks in the world. Appearing almost by accident, it occupied a prominent place in the Wehrmacht battle formations until mid-1942. Produced Pz . Kpfw . II with short breaks for five years. What is the history of the creation of the Pz tank . Kpfw . II and what were its first production versions?

Tractor with automatic cannon

In February 1930, talk was first raised in Germany about a three-ton tank with a 60-horsepower engine and armament consisting of a 20-mm automatic cannon. This project was designated Kleintraktor, that is, “small tractor”. Initially, the tank was supposed to be somewhat reminiscent of the Leichttraktor, that is, it had a front-mounted engine compartment and a rear-mounted fighting compartment.

After testing Leichttraktor Krupp and Leichttraktor Rheinmetall, it became clear that the rear-mounted transmission design was unsuccessful. In 1931, through a front company, the German military purchased three English Carden-Loyd tractors. They became the basis for the development of the new Kleintraktor by the Krupp concern, with a front transmission and a rear engine. On July 1, 1933, the tank received another designation - La.S. (Landwirtschaftliche Schlepper, that is, “farm tractor”).

There was an embarrassment with the weapons for Kleintraktor. The fact is that the tank was intended to be three-seater, and given the existing dimensions and weight limit, the only way to install a 20-mm automatic cannon on it was to install it in a fixed wheelhouse. Krupp engineers developed this design back in 1931. At the same time, another company, Rheinmetall, took on the design of the installation of a 20-mm automatic cannon. However, on October 12, 1932, General Oswald Lutz, who was responsible for the motorization of the Reichswehr, preferred the option with a turret and two machine guns. The military refused the casemate installation for the Kleintraktor. But not for long.

La.S.100 developed by Krupp in its original configuration

In January 1934, the 6th Armament Directorate initiated the development of a new light tank. Initially, this tank was designated as verstaerkter Kleintraktor 6 to, that is, “a reinforced small tractor of the 6-ton class.” This was the third tank with the name Kleintraktor, and, like the first, which later became the Leitchtraktor, it had a design weight of 6 tons. However, already on February 24, 1934, the project changed its name to La.S.100 (agricultural tractor with a 100-horsepower engine).

In fact, work on the La.S.100 began even earlier. The Krupp report, dated December 22, 1933, already featured a tank larger than the La.S., armed with a 20 mm automatic cannon. The report said that this tank was being developed by Daimler-Benz, but this is not entirely true. In fact, Daimler-Benz, as with the La.S, worked on the turret and turret box. As for the chassis, work on it was entrusted to Krupp. According to the original plan, the construction of the first prototype of the tank was expected by the end of 1934.

The monopoly of the weapons giant from Essen, however, did not last long. The Krupp concern presented the concept of a three-seat 6-ton class tank in March 1934. But it seems that the 6th Armaments Directorate decided to play it safe. The fact is that La.S., which had been in development for more than three years, had a number of significant shortcomings. This was especially true of its power plant and some elements of the chassis. As a result, the car had to be seriously redesigned.

The German military did not want a repetition of this situation at all, so in June 1934 the monopoly project turned into a competitive one. Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG (MAN) joined the fight, the work was supervised by Friedrich Rief, one of the leading designers of the company from Nuremberg. MAN looked like quite a serious competitor for Krupp: by that time, Nuremberg had already mastered the production of La.S., and this does not count the production of heavy trucks and diesel engines.

Modified La.S.100 developed by Krupp in testing

To speed up the development process, it was decided to “borrow” the chassis design, with some changes, from La.S. In particular, the tracks turned out to be very similar, the suspension design and road wheels were similar. And even the general concept of the vehicle as a whole resembled a lighter tank.

It was planned to use a 120-horsepower Maybach HL 52 engine with a volume of 5.2 liters as a power plant. As an alternative, a 100-horsepower MAN cargo engine was provided for it. The weight of the chassis should not exceed 6 tons, another 2 tons were reserved for the turret and turret box. Design documentation from MAN was expected by early July 1934.

In July, the company Henschel & Sohn from Kassel joined the work, which also mastered the production of La.S. Like MAN, Henschel produced trucks. Steam locomotives were also built here. Alas, detailed information on the Henschel project has not been preserved, but it is known that the cars of all three competing companies were similar to each other. All had a Maybach HL 52 engine, later replaced by a 130-horsepower HL 57, and a ZF SSG 45 transmission; they all had almost the same body length (4600–4700 mm). The La.S.100 developed by Krupp also had 6 road wheels on board, similar in design to the La.S. body and similar arrangement.

First prototype La.S.100 from MAN

On July 12, 1934, the German military decided to order thousands of La.S. This was directly related to the Nazis' rise to power and changes in foreign policy. At the same time, a command came from above to speed up work on the La.S.100. Now the first prototypes were expected by January 1935.

However, wishes are one thing, reality is another. In fact, by the beginning of autumn 1934, the companies had prepared specifications and wooden models, but they had to wait for the release of prototypes. Krupp engineers were the first to complete the task, reporting that the tests were completed successfully and further work was underway. This statement raises a number of questions. The only photograph of the experimental Krupp vehicle clearly shows that, compared to the original version, it received a reinforcement beam for the chassis.

The second experimental La.S.100 from MAN with an experimental turret and turret box. It is clearly noticeable that the tank is noticeably different from the first vehicle

Closer to summer, two prototypes of La.S.100 from Henschel and MAN were tested. Each of the experimental tanks was quite different from each other. Based on the test results, changes were made to the design of the hull, chassis, and internal elements. The La.S.100 from MAN won, and it was on the second prototype of this company that the turret box and turret, which were developed by Daimler-Benz designers, were tested. Since there is no information on the tank from Henschel, it is difficult to compare it with the MAN vehicle. But the machine from Nuremberg clearly outdid its competitor, created in the depths of Krupp. MAN engineers managed to create the most spacious fighting compartment, where there was room for three crew members. And from the point of view of access to units, their tank turned out to be clearly more successful.

Trial batches

According to initial plans, production of the La.S.100 was supposed to begin in the winter-spring of 1936. In October 1935, a contract was signed for the production of the first 75 tanks, initially called the zero series, but quickly renamed 1.Serie/La.S.100. Production was supposed to begin in April 1936, and the last cars in the series were expected in September.

The designation of the new light tank changed 3 times. At the end of May 1935, it became known as 2 cm MG Panzerwagen (Vs.Kfz.622), that is, “an armored vehicle with a 20-mm machine gun (experimental vehicle 622).” On January 15, 1936, it was renamed 2 cm MG Panzerkampfwagen, and on April 3, the well-known index Panzerkampfwagen II (2 cm) and the end-to-end index Sd.Kfz.121 (“special vehicle 121”) were finally adopted.

The first ten production Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/1s had aluminum slots with rubber bands

It was decided to divide the order for the Pz.Kpfw.II of the first series into three batches of 25 vehicles. The first batch was designated Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/1, the second Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/2, and the third Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/3. There were very good reasons for such caution. The German military remembered well the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A, which, despite its quite successful design, had a lot of minor (and not so minor) shortcomings. Some of them required serious modifications to the tank and led to the appearance of the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B modification. It was quite logical to identify the problems of new tanks in small batches, and not to produce several hundred “raw” vehicles at once and have a headache with them all.

Chassis diagram of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a. You can clearly see how tightly the tank is packed, and at the same time there was room for three crew members.

Despite the fact that the Pz.Kpfw.II was conceptually similar to the Pz.Kpfw.I, the rather non-trivial technical specifications required a number of non-standard solutions. The tank crew included a radio operator who needed a separate seat. In addition, a significant space was required to install a tower with a ring diameter of 1200 mm.

To solve these problems, the designers moved the engine, transmission and the shaft between them to the right. The fuel tank also went there. Of course, a tank in the fighting compartment is not good, but there was nowhere else to put it. The tank filler necks were routed to the right, for which purpose there were two hatches in the turret box. The radiator and its air intake were located to the left of the engine. The exhaust fan no longer fits here, and a separate recess had to be made for it in the rear sheet.

Since there was a transmission to the right of the driver, the radio operator was assigned a corner immediately in front of the radiator air intake. In the event of an accident, he could fold the inclined wall of the air intake and get out through the hatch on the engine plate. Another hatch was located in the bent frontal plate of the hull in front of the driver. Formally, it was intended to service transmission elements, but it was often used to get into and out of the tank. It was not very convenient, but it was easier and faster than waiting for the commander to get out of the tower and clear the passage. Since there wasn’t too much space left in the tank anyway, the designers were unable to install the tank’s armor at rational angles of inclination.

Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/2 differed little from the tanks of the first series

The Pz.Kpfw.II turret was also significantly different from the one Daimler-Benz designed for the Pz.Kpfw.I. This time, the engineers did without the complex rounded shapes inherent in the hull armor. The tanks of the first series had hulls, turrets and turrets welded from steel with a high nickel content. Thanks to this, the thickness of the armor did not exceed 13 mm, while reliably protecting against rifle-caliber bullets. But it turned out to be a bit expensive.

The gun mantlet looked quite similar to that of its lighter predecessor, where a twin 20-mm KwK 30 automatic cannon, created on the basis of the 2 cm Flak 30 anti-aircraft gun, and an MG 34 machine gun were installed. Compared to the Flak 30, the barrel of the KwK 30 was shortened from 65 to 55 calibers, and magazine capacity was reduced from 20 to 10 shells. Reducing the volume of the magazine made it easier to load in the limited volume of the fighting compartment and place ammunition in stowage. On the other hand, a burst of 10 shots is often not enough.

Despite a number of compromises, overall MAN engineers together with Daimler-Benz created a very successful tank. However, it still needed to be brought to mind.

One of the noticeable details that distinguishes the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/3 from earlier vehicles is the cable mounts on the front hull plate

The manufacturer failed to fulfill its production plans. According to documents, by October 1, only 25 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/1 were ready. These tanks received serial numbers from 20001 to 20025, and the first 10 vehicles had rubberized aluminum sloths, just like the experimental tanks. Starting with tank 20011, the sloth was replaced with an all-metal one. From the same vehicle on tanks, access to the cooling system fan was changed.

New changes appeared on the second batch of Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/2 tanks, which had serial numbers 20026–20050. Access hatches to the fuel pumps and oil filter appeared in the bottom. The modifications also affected the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/3, which received serial numbers 20051–20075. The radiator was enlarged on them, and cable mounts appeared in the bow of the hull. Also, by reworking the suspension, the chassis was slightly changed.

Chassis diagram of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b. A slight lengthening of the body significantly improved the situation with the placement of units in the engine compartment

The tanks of the second series received much more significant changes. The 2.Serie/La.S.100 vehicles were discussed at a meeting on June 17, 1936. By that time, it became clear that the Pz.Kpfw.II was expecting a large production volume. The first major series was supposed to be the 2.Serie/La.S.100, aka Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b. A total of 100 of them were ordered.

It was assumed that soon after the launch, the volume of monthly production could be increased to 25–35 machines, for which it was planned to involve other enterprises, including Henschel. However, reality once again made adjustments to the plans: the first Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b (serial numbers 21001–21100) were ready in the spring of 1937, and the order was fully completed by the fall.

The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b is easily distinguished by its newly designed drive wheel. On tanks of subsequent series it did not change.

Tanks of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b modification were assembled from steel that was simpler in composition and less expensive. To compensate for the loss of strength, the armor thickness increased from 13 to 14.5 mm. The combat weight increased from 7.6 to 7.9 tons, but in general this did not particularly affect the tactical and technical characteristics of the tank. The tank's hull was lengthened by 35 cm, thanks to which it was possible to increase the volume of the engine compartment and redesign the cooling system, removing the poorly protected fan from the fire of enemy bullets.

The tank received a new muffler, and its rear plate lost its complex notch. The chassis was also seriously redesigned, receiving new drive wheels, support and support rollers. The width of the tracks has increased from 280 to 300 mm. It was the Ausf.b version, devoid of a number of serious shortcomings of the previous version, that became the first truly combat-ready modification of the Pz.Kpfw.II. However, the alterations did not end there.

A tank with an Achilles heel

Despite the fact that MAN delayed the release of the first Pz.Kpfw.II a little, by the beginning of 1937 tanks of this type began to enter the army. We were looking forward to them. Although it was obvious that these tanks still required improvement, the Wehrmacht simply did not have any other alternatives at that time. Work on the ZW (Zugführerwagen) medium tank, better known as the Pz.Kpfw.III, was delayed, and the first vehicles produced had a lot of problems. Things weren't much better with the BW (Begleitwagen) or Pz.Kpfw.IV support tanks. The contract for the production of 35 tanks of the 1.Serie/BW series was signed only in December 1936.

Meanwhile, alarming news was coming from Spain, where the Germans had sent the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A. It turned out that they were almost helpless against Soviet T-26s; the Wehrmacht urgently needed tanks with at least automatic 20-mm cannons. Thus, the Pz.Kpfw.II turned out to be the only more or less modern German tank in mass production at that time.

Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a, which has undergone modernization. Road wheels and tracks from Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b were installed, a swivel for firing at air targets was installed on the starboard side, and a bomb launcher was installed at the rear

But the German military had no special illusions about the combat capabilities of the Pz.Kpfw.II. At the end of October 1935, that is, even before the launch of the La.S.100 into production, a report was prepared on the effectiveness of the tanks. According to him, the La.S.100's armament allowed it to fight any tanks that had bulletproof armor at distances of up to 700 meters. But not all tanks by that time had exclusively bulletproof armor.

The book “Tanks,” published in Munich in 1935 as an ideological continuation of Heigl’s reference book (Fritz Heigl himself died in 1930), was read not only in the Soviet Union. The German military took the information about the presence of Renault NC-27 and NC-31 tanks in service with the French army quite seriously. The Germans knew that these tanks had thicker armor, which the 20-mm automatic cannon could not penetrate. Only a 37 mm cannon could cope with such a goal.

Despite the fact that the French did not actually have either the NC-27 or NC-31 in service, the general understanding of the current situation among the German military was correct, and their concern seems completely justified. Just at the time the report appeared, the French had the Renault D1 in service, and the production of the Renault R 35 and Renault D2 was also being launched.

The spare trolley lying on the engine plate eloquently indicates that their crews had no illusions about the reliability of the chassis of the early Pz.Kpfw.IIs.

However, the Pz.Kpfw.I tanks had difficulties not only with their weapons. During operation, it became clear that their chassis had serious problems. The situation in the case of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.ab was further aggravated by the fact that their road wheels were smaller in diameter than those of the Pz.Kpfw.I. The service life of the springs used as elastic elements was a little more than 500 kilometers. At the same time, the situation with the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b suspension was a little better, which became the reason for redesigning the tanks of the Ausf.a/1, a/2 and a/3 modifications. They were equipped with improved springs, road wheels and tracks. At the same time, it was quite clear that these were half measures, and something had to be done with the chassis. In addition, in the autumn of 1937, work began on modernizing other elements of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.ab. The hull of these tanks was redone at least twice.

Early Pz.Kpfw.IIs were actively used in training units, with some tanks having their weapons removed (similar things were practiced on later modifications). Despite the problems, the first Pz.Kpfw.II, unlike the 1. Serie/La.S., did not become purely training vehicles. Of course, a mistake with the design of the chassis somewhat reduced the possibilities for their modernization, but these were quite combat-ready tanks that fully met the requirements of the German military. This is eloquently evidenced by the fact that Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.a/1 were, for example, in service with the 66th Tank Regiment of the 2nd Light Division and took an active part in the battles in Poland.

Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b knocked out during battles in Poland

Sometimes Spain is said to be the place where the Pz.Kpfw.II made its combat debut, but in fact this is not true. There is no documentary evidence of this information, and most likely, such statements are talking about Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A, rearmed with Italian 20-mm Breda automatic cannons.

The real debut of the German light tank took place in September 1939 in Poland. The combat effectiveness of early and later Pz.Kpfw.IIs turned out to be approximately similar. The results of the battles with their participation turned out to be very contradictory.

On the one hand, the Poles had practically no tanks that would be protected from 20-mm automatic guns, with the exception of a small number of Renault R 35s, which never really saw action. On the other hand, the Pz.Kpfw.II often had to fight against tanks other than tanks. Fighting infantry for the Pz.Kpfw.II was one of the typical combat missions, and here an automatic small-caliber cannon was often not enough. German tankers demanded tanks with more powerful weapons. They especially often mentioned in a positive way the PzIV Ausf.AC, which turned out to be the most effective German tanks of the Polish campaign.

Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.b from the 7th Panzer Division in the battles for Arras. May 1940

The battles in Poland, however, were only a harbinger of the real troubles that awaited the PzII in France. It quickly became clear that the light German tank here was completely a statistic. The light tanks Renault R 35, FCM 36 and Hotchkiss H 35/H39 were already too tough for the 20 mm gun. At the same time, even the short-barreled 37-mm guns of French tanks pierced the German vehicle in any projection.

The response to such challenges was the development of additional armor for the bow of the hull and turret. Development of it began in the fall of 1939, but not all Pz.Kpfw.IIs received armor by the time of the French campaign. As for the Ausf.ab versions of the vehicles themselves, their chassis was too weak and did not allow the installation of additional armor at all. These tanks did not even receive a commander's cupola. Despite this, individual tanks of the first series took part in hostilities against the USSR in the summer and autumn of 1941.

Sources and literature:

• BAMA
• Panzer Tracts No.2–1 Panzerkampfwagen II (Kleintraktor to Ausf.B), Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle, Darlington Publication, 2002, ISBN 0–9708407–6–4
• Panzer Tracts No.1–2 Panzerkampfwagen 1 (Kl.Pz.Bef.Wg. to VK 18.01), Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle, Darlington Publication, 2002, ISBN 0–9708407–8–0
• Panzer Tracts No.7–1 Panzerjaeger (3.7 Tak to Pz.Sfl.Ic), Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle, Darlington Publication, 2004, ISBN 0–9744862–3-X
• Photo archive of the author

Modifications of Pz.Kpfw II.

The official instruction to complete the development of the Pz.Kpfw II tank and begin its production in a large series was announced on April 1, 1937, three years after the technical specifications for the tank were published. By May of '37, the Wehrmacht had only one hundred and fifteen Pz.Kpfw II tanks. It was necessary to switch to mass production.

Аusf. A.

The first modification, produced in a large batch, entered production in July 1937 and received the index Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. A. The tank used a modernized engine, an improved gearbox, and a new type of driver monitoring devices. In total, during the thirty-fifth - thirty-seventh year, German industry transferred 332 Ausf vehicles to the military. A.

All combat vehicles of this family had a general layout typical of German tanks. The transmission was located in front, while the engine was installed in the rear. The fighting compartment is in the center of the tank, which also contains a turret with installed weapons. The front part of the “two” is given over to the control department; the transmission is mounted in it.

Placing the transmission in the control compartment made it possible not only to reduce the length of the tank, but also the number and length of control rods. The location of the turret in the center of the tank reduced the influence of vehicle vibrations on the shooting results. The location of the transmission and engine in the bow and stern distributed the weight and made the tank oscillate smoother. Repair and maintenance of the “deuce” was simplified due to easier access to both.

The presence of a cardan under the fighting compartment and the greater vulnerability of the drive wheels due to their forward location should be considered a disadvantage. Oil evaporation and combustion products from the transmission worsened the atmosphere in the habitable space of the tank. Armored hull Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. A in its design consisted of two parts:

• the lower part, i.e. the body itself;
• turret box, the front part of which formed a wheelhouse in which the driver of the Pz.Kpfw II was located.

Behind the driver there was a radio operator's workplace. He also performed the functions of a loader, for which he had to climb into the tower. The commander, also known as the gunner, was located directly in the turret.

Tank gun 2 cm KwK 30 - to the left of the tank axis, to the right MG machine gun. The gun mantlet is equipped with two viewing windows, covered with armored covers, controlled from the inside by means of a lever. The automatic cannon originates from the Swiss Solothurn cannons and is related to the anti-aircraft 2 cm Flak 30, with which it had many interchangeable components. The differences were mainly in the length of the barrel, which in the tank version of the gun was shortened for fear of excessively increasing the dimensions of the tank.

The gun barrel is equipped with a universal device that combines the functions of a flame arrester and a muzzle brake. The gun was fed with cartridges through sector-shaped box magazines, which were attached to the left side of the gun. Spare magazines with cartridges were attached to the inside of the walls of the turret and hull. A fire extinguisher was mounted to the right of the gun. Firing from a cannon and machine gun using an electric trigger.

Aiming tank weapons using a two-and-a-half-fold Zeiss TZF4 sight, which ensured firing at a range of up to 1200 meters. Although most often the firing range from a gun did not exceed six hundred meters, and from a machine gun - four hundred meters.

The ammunition load of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. A included shots with armor-piercing and fragmentation projectiles with a total of 180 pieces.

The MG.34 tank machine gun had a rate of fire of 800-900 rounds/min and was equipped with a cartridge case collector. The machine gun is mounted in the gun mantlet without a stock. The machine gun had 1,425 rounds of ammunition stuffed into 19 sector magazines. In the forties, the used machine gun capacity was increased to 2100 rounds.

In addition, the tank crew was armed with MP-38 or MP-40 SMGs, as well as Walter or Parabellum pistols.

Much attention was paid to the review from the “two”. For observation, the driver used a hatch closed with a triplex block, as well as hatches on both sides, also closed with triplex. In addition to observation purposes, the hatches on the sides could be used to fire small arms from the crew. Hatches similar in purpose and design, both equipped with covers with slots and without, were located in the stern and sides of the turret, as well as the rear sheet of the turret box. To replace damaged glasses, the crew had spare ones.

The Pz.Kpfw II commander conducted observation through a periscope installed in the roof in the center of the turret, covered with an armored cap. The design of the periscope allowed it to have a vertical tilt angle from -15 to 25 degrees and all-round visibility. The multiplicity is constant - 2.5X. The device could be used as a sight, although less accurate when aiming, since the telescopic sight was rigidly mounted on the weapon and even at small elevation angles its eyepiece moved and made aiming not entirely convenient.

The armored body of the “two” was made by welding from sheets with a thickness of 5,10 and 15 mm. The turret box was mounted using bolts on the hull. The bottom of the tank is made of three sheets. Rear and front - at an angle, 10 mm thick. The main central sheet of the bottom is 5mm. The rigidity of the bottom was ensured by additional parts - corners and longitudinal stiffeners. Cemented heterogeneous sheets were used to manufacture the tower and hull.

A design feature of the Pz.Kpfw II was that the turret was shifted relative to the tank's axis by eighty-five millimeters to the left. This ensured the balancing of the machine, since the engine, relative to the axis, is shifted to the right. The turret was hexagonal in shape, there was no suspended floor, the tank commander was placed on a suspended seat equipped with a strap and a backrest. The tower stood on a ball chase.

Disembarkation and embarkation through the hatch in the roof; the hatch is equipped with single-leaf doors. The right wing has a hatch for signaling with flags. The turret can only be rotated manually.

The Maybach HL 62 TRM engine was installed in the engine compartment closer to the starboard side. The engine is six-cylinder, water-cooled. To access the tank engine, there was a double-leaf hatch in the roof of the engine compartment. The fuel was synthetic gasoline with an octane rating of -76. The fuel consumption of the “deuce” is about 110 liters on the highway and 170 liters off-road per hundred kilometers. There are two petrol tanks, the rear with a capacity of 68 liters and the front with a capacity of 102 liters. The filler necks are located on the turret box on the right side of the tank.

Regular engine starting using an electric starter, if not possible - manually using a handle, through a hole in the stern.

The designers of the Pz.Kpfw II provided the tank crew with fairly comfortable working conditions. The driver was sitting on a canvas seat, his workplace was equipped with the necessary control instruments assembled on one dashboard (water and oil thermometers, speedometer, tachometer). Control via the turn levers, as well as the reverse, gas, brake, and clutch pedals. The electric starter was started either by a button or by a magneto.

The chassis, in relation to the board, consisted of five rollers with rubber. All rollers have individual suspension. There are four support rollers per side. The lightweight roller was attached to the body using an L-shaped lever, connected to the body by a hinge.

The caterpillar is steel, with a small link. Manganese steel tracks, 108 in number, are skeletal. The caterpillar weighs four hundred kilograms.

All Pz.Kpfw II tanks were equipped with radio communications. Linear tanks had FuG 2 receivers, command vehicles at the company commander level and higher had FuG 5 transceiver radios. The radio stations were mounted on the left side in the turret box.

Radio station FuG 5. simplex, power 10 watts. When working with a two-meter whip antenna, it provided stable communication in telephone mode at 6.4 km, in telegraph mode at 9.4 km.

In addition to FuG 5, the vehicles of battalion commanders and higher were additionally equipped with medium-wave radio stations with a longer signal range for communication with command, aviation, sappers and other units, including repair ones.

In addition to light signals and radio communications, the crew could send signals using a Walter rocket launcher, which, along with a supply of rockets, was stored in the rear of the turret.

• Ausf.B.

  Tanks of this modification were distinguished by minor changes, mainly related to the simplification of production technology.

• Ausf.S.

  Despite the fact that the Pz.Kpfw II did not take part in the Spanish events, they still had a great influence on the fate of the “two”. Experts' assessments agreed that the further saturation of tanks with artillery from army units casts doubt on the future fate of lightly armored tanks, and on the other hand, the use of light tanks armed with rapid-fire guns was considered successful, with some reservations about the need to strengthen armor protection.

  However, the German General Staff extended the contract for the production of the Pz.Kpfw II. This decision could be explained, in addition to difficulties with the production of Pz.Kpfw III and Pz.Kpfw IV, by circumstances of a purely economic nature. It is no coincidence that the production of cheap and less metal-intensive Pz. II lasted until the forty-third year.

  In 1938, another modification appeared - Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.S. Improvements in this modification affected mainly its armor protection. The bent frontal armor plate was additionally reinforced with a pair of armor plates welded at an angle of seventy degrees to each other. Lower -20 mm, upper - 14.5 mm.

  The front of the turret and turret box was strengthened during 1940-41 by installing 20 mm screens. The turret mask screen is a complex-shaped shield with additional bends at the top and bottom to protect the joints of the embrasure and the mask from bullets and shrapnel. However, it was soon abandoned.

  The gap between the turret and the turret frame was protected with a welded side. The thickness of armored glass has changed from twelve millimeters to fifty. The shape of the armored cover of the driver observation device has changed. The driver's side instrument covers may not have slots for observation.

  The increase in armor led to an increase in the tank's weight to nine and a half tons. However, this did not affect the speed qualities of the car; they remained the same.

  To improve visibility from the commander's seat, it was equipped with a commander's turret instead of a periscope. The hatch covers were protected with leather lining, thanks to which the crew members could do without helmets.

  Mortars for shooting smoke grenades could be installed in the rear of the hull, as well as the turret.

  Modified by Ausf.S. cars of previous series were re-equipped as they underwent major overhauls. By the beginning of the company in France, seventy percent of Pz.Kpfw II, previous modifications had been brought to the level of Ausf.C. The remaining part was modernized until the forty-first year; with the beginning of the war, some of the vehicles were never modernized.

• Ausf.D.

  To staff the tank battalions of the Wehrmacht's "light" divisions, tanks with better speed qualities than those available were required. As a result, technical specifications for a “high-speed” tank, with a higher-power engine and armed with a 20-mm TP, were published. A prototype of the new modification has been made. The vehicle was put into service as the Ausf.D and its appearance coincided with the deployment of the first “light” divisions, which took place in 1937–38.

  The Ausf.D modification is equipped with a new 180-horsepower HL 66 P engine, as well as a new type of chassis. The single fuel tank held 200 liters of gasoline, more than previous modifications, but the fuel consumption increased slightly due to the higher consumption. The gearbox is seven-speed, three reverse speeds and seven forward.

  The chassis consisted of 4 double large road wheels, a Christie-type suspension with springs replaced by torsion shafts. The caterpillar chain is fine-linked with well-developed ground hooks.

  In addition to the chassis, the hull of the Pz.Kpfw II also underwent changes. Its design acquired a certain resemblance to the Pz.Kpfw III. In fact, the Ausf.D was only similar to previous modifications in its turret and layout. The speed characteristics of the vehicle have increased, but the increase in weight has led to a decrease in cross-country ability.

• Ausf.E.

  Pz.Kpfw II modification Ausf.E. It was distinguished by reinforced suspension, changes in the design of the drive wheel and idler. A lubricated hinge has been introduced into the track design.

  By and large, the “two” modifications Ausf.D and E turned out to be not particularly in demand. The “light” divisions for which they were worth during 1939-40 were transferred to tank staff and they already required Pz.Kpfw III and IV, and in addition to them, Czechoslovak 38(t) vehicles were supplied for their recruitment.

  The mechanical reliability of the Ausf.D and E tanks was inferior to the “regular” Pz. II and soon they began to be removed from combat units for conversion into self-propelled guns and tanks armed with a flamethrower.

• Ausf.F.

  The combat use of tank troops in the Polish Company accelerated the deployment of new tank formations. Which in turn increased the need for material. In November 1939, it was decided to continue production of Pz. II, subject to changes to the design due to new requirements, which consisted mainly of improving protection. The first three prototypes were ready by 06.1940, two more the following month and four were delivered between August and December, when the final series of “classic” twos was launched into production as the Ausf.F.

  A characteristic feature of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.F was the frontal sheet of the turret box covering the entire width of the hull, 30 mm thick. The armor of the turret's forehead increased to 30 mm, its sides to 15 mm. The thickness of the hull forehead ranged from 35 -25 mm.

  One of the interesting innovations is a fake driver observation device attached to the right side, which, according to the plan, was supposed to mislead enemy shooters. This observation device is an improved type with a large viewing angle and a two-leaf lid adjustable from the tank.

  The 2 cm KwK 30 tank gun was replaced by its modernized version, the 2 cm KwK 38. Its main feature was its lighter weight and increased to 220 rpm. combat rate of fire. The new gun was supposed to replace the 2 cm KwK 30, but in practice both guns continued to be used in parallel.

  A Pz.Gr 40 sub-caliber projectile was developed for the gun, capable of penetrating up to 50 mm of armor at a distance of one hundred meters and up to 20 mm at a distance of half a kilometer. However, the armor effect of such shells was small.

  Small improvements were also made to the chassis; they affected mainly the guide wheel, which became conical. The Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.F widely used used components of previous modifications; the price of the tank was reduced by almost fourteen thousand marks and its price was 35,000 marks.

• Ausf.G.

  This and subsequent modifications belong to the so-called “new type”. Throughout 1938-39, a number of works were carried out on the next generation of light tanks. All of them had standard army designations with the addition of nA - i.e. “new type.”

  10/18/1938 The Army Weapons Directorate ordered the modernization of the Pz.Kpfw II in order to increase the speed characteristics of this tank. Moreover, the weight of the tank should not exceed nine tons. The design of the hull and turret was the responsibility of Damler-Benz, and the chassis was to be developed by MAH. The tank's armament should have remained the same, i.e. Kwk 39 and MG machine gun.

  The design was completed and a prototype was manufactured by mid-December of the following year. Work on the design of the Pz.Kpfw II suspension was carried out under the leadership of V. Knipkapf. The tank has a five-roller chassis, large-diameter rollers, and torsion bar suspension. Engine "Maybach" HL45 150 l/s. The maximum speed of this modification of the “two” is 50 km/h.

  The tests were quite successful, and the so-called “zero series” of seventy-five vehicles was ordered. But in total, in the period from 04.41-02.42, only twelve such machines were produced.

  The difference between the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.G was that, while the general layout remained unchanged, the radio operator was located to the right of the driver, which was associated with the reconnaissance functions of the tank.

• Ausf.J.

  During the work on researching the design of a “new type” tank, on December 22, 1939, Daimler-Benz and MAH ordered a project for a light tank with the highest possible level of armor protection. Obviously, this project took into account the experience of using tanks in Poland, where the Pz.Kpfw II was often used as support tanks for infantry units. This tank was designated as a “new type of reinforced tank” - nAV.

  Just as in the previous case, Daimler-Benz was chosen as the executors - as responsible for the turret and MAH - for the manufacture of the chassis. According to the plan, the chassis and turret will be presented on July 18-19, 1939, and the total need for tanks of this modification was determined at 339 units, but in total only twenty-two Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.J were manufactured.

  With a frontal armor thickness of eighty centimeters and a side armor of fifty, the Ausf.J’s mass was eighteen tons, two tons more than required according to the assignment. The difference from previous models was the hull - the turret box and the hull were one whole. The turret's armor had a noticeable angle of inclination. To increase the armor resistance of the turret, it did not have surveillance devices on the sides. The driver and radio operator got round hatches in the sides.

  Armament from a twin 2 cm KwK 38 m machine gun MG 34 - stabilized in the vertical plane. The speed of movement dropped to thirty kilometers per hour, and low maneuverability made a light tank meaningless, even with such outstanding armor for its class.

  Nevertheless, Ausf.J was produced in a small batch, seven of them were sent to the troops for testing, and some to the police divisions.

• Ausf.H

  An unrealized project of a tank for reconnaissance, which was supposed to have better mobility and armor protection, while remaining within the weight characteristics of the “twos” of previous modifications. According to the April 1941 Tank Forces Development Program, this modification was to be produced in an unprecedentedly large batch - 22,000 vehicles. This was supposed to include both the Pz.Kpfw II in the reconnaissance version and vehicles for forward observers, as well as a chassis for mounting a 50-mm gun for the tank destroyer production program. One of the weapon options was a 20-mm front sight with a conical bore, based on the s.Pz.B 41.

• Ausf. M

  Another unrealized project within the nA concept. According to the plan, the tank was to be armed with a gun similar to that installed in the Pz.Kpfw III Ausf. J, but with a muzzle brake installed. Four experimental vehicles were produced, which were equipped with the usual 2 cm KwK 38.

• Ausf. L "Luchs".

  Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. L became the top of the line of Pz.Kpfw II nA vehicles. The reason for the development of this modification was the insufficient effectiveness of wheeled armored vehicles for the purpose of reconnaissance by tank forces - a conclusion that was reached in Germany by the end of the thirties.

  An order for the design of the tank was also received by Daimler-Benz on April 15, 1939. According to the TTT, the tank was supposed to be a vehicle capable of speeds of up to 50 km/h, have armor up to thirty millimeters and be armed with a 20 or 37 mm caliber gun .

  Traditionally, MAH was responsible for the construction of the chassis, while Daimler-Benz had to provide a turret with a turret box. A similar order was received, then only open in Czechoslovakia, and “VVM”.

  Over time, the requirements for the tank were refined based on newly gained combat experience. In particular, battles on the territory of the USSR showed the need to improve the maneuverability of combat vehicles.

  The first prototype (index VK 1303) was assembled by MAN in April forty-two. During tests held in July at a training ground near Kummersvdorf, the tank covered about two and a half thousand kilometers. In addition to VK 1303, machines and VMMs were also tested. The tests were successful and soon the tank was assigned the index Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. L "Luchs".

  The most significant innovation was the increase in the vehicle's crew to four people. The commander and gunner had a workplace in the turret, the driver and gunner in the control compartment. The developments of Ausf were widely used in the design. M.

  The “Luchs” armored hull has a T-shaped cross-section, the turret box is wider than that of previous vehicles. This measure made it possible to install a turret that was wider and had a larger ring diameter. The turret did not have a commander's cupola; it had to be abandoned due to the increase in the height of the tank; the armor plates were located at an angle.

  Instead of a turret, periscope observation devices are installed in the loader's and commander's hatches. In addition to them, next to the loader, there is a viewing device on board.

  The frontal plate of the hull had observation slits covered with triplexes and movable armored covers; there were also observation slits in the sides of the hull.

  Pz.Kpfw II “Luchs” is equipped with a 180-horsepower Maybach HL 66P engine, six-speed gearbox, plus synchronizer.

  Suspension type Ausf.H, M. Large diameter rollers with rubber, outer suspension units with shock absorbers. The drive wheel is in front. The suspension is typical for German tanks - “checkerboard type”. This type of connection made it possible to connect a large diameter of rollers and a large number of them; this arrangement made it possible to combine high speed and evenly distribute the load. Which in turn had a beneficial effect on cross-country ability. But there was also a significant drawback - the difficulty of maintenance and the possibility of the skating rinks freezing in the winter if they were clogged with dirt or snow.

  Initially, the order size for the Pz.Kpfw II “Luchs” was eight hundred vehicles. Of which only one hundred were to be armed with the 2 cm KwK 38, all subsequent vehicles had to be built with a 5 cm KwK 39/1 L/60-50 mm gun with an aspect ratio of 60 calibers. Although a 20 mm gun was still considered sufficient for a reconnaissance vehicle.

  Part of the internal volume of the “two” was given over to additional ammunition for the cannon and machine gun; the number of shots for the gun was three hundred and thirty, the number of cartridges for the machine gun increased to 2250. 90-mm smoke mortars were attached to the sides of the turret at the rate of three per side.

  Naturally, a vehicle created for reconnaissance could not do without communications. There were two radio stations, one of them, FuG 5, served for communication in the unit, while the other, FuG 12, provided communication with higher headquarters. The superiority of the Pz.Kpfw II "Luchs" over the "regular deuces" was undeniable. Luchs began recruiting army units in September 1943. They were first sent to the reconnaissance battalions of the tank divisions of the Eastern and then Western Fronts.

  The vehicle showed its best performance, good maneuverability, high speed, good communications and sufficient reliability. There are good reasons to consider it the best vehicle for reconnaissance units. But the volume of its production did not allow it to make a significant contribution to the war. The forty-fourth year decisively changed priorities in the construction of tanks, leaving no room for the production of Pz.Kpfw II “Luchs”.

Tested in the USSR. Light tank Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C

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By the beginning of World War II, specialists from the Main Armored Directorate of the Red Army (GABTU KA) had a rather vague idea of ​​what the armored vehicles of a potential enemy were. Approximately the same thing, however, can be said about their colleagues from the allied countries of the USSR in the not yet created anti-Hitler coalition. For quite objective reasons, there was little available information about the tanks of Germany and its allies. Basically, it was limited to reference books, which were prone to inaccuracies. A full study of foreign technology became possible only after the outbreak of hostilities. In this sense, the USSR was almost ahead of the rest. The first trophies began to arrive from Spain; they turned out to be the German Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A and the Italian L3/35. In the summer of 1939, the Japanese light tank Ha-Go was captured in the Far East. The beginning of World War II significantly added to the list of trophies, among which was the German light tank Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C.

He quietly took it out and left - it’s called “found”

Despite the fact that the Pz.Kpfw.II was absent from Soviet reference books in 1939, this tank became known even before the start of the war. Here it is worthwhile to dwell separately on how this vehicle was designated in the USSR - a rather important question, since it explains the legend that the Pz.Kpfw.II was allegedly used in Spain. Some materials even name the year of the combat debut - 1938, despite the fact that the Germans themselves “do not admit” to this. There are no Pz.Kpfw.II tanks on the list of tanks delivered to the Francoists.

The answer lies in the notation system used in the Soviet Union. In 1939, a “light tank type II” appeared in Soviet documents, which, apparently, became the source of the myth. The piquancy of what is happening is that by “light tank type II” they meant... Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B. This is exactly how this tank was designated on information posters issued in October 1939. Moreover, in some reference books of the war period this tank continues to be designated in the same way - despite the fact that at the same time it was also designated as the “German light tank T-Ia”. Such confusion probably gave birth to the myth about the use of the PzII in Spain.

​A clear demonstration of what exactly was designated in Soviet reference books as the “German T-II tank”

Meanwhile, along with the “light tank Type II”, or T-II, even before the start of the war, another vehicle was also known - the “light tank Type IIa”, or T-IIa. The description of this tank clearly indicates that what Soviet experts meant by it was the Pz.Kpfw.II in the Ausf.a or Ausf.b modification. This is evidenced by the description of the chassis: 6 small-diameter road wheels, interlocked into bogies.

When exactly this tank became known, history is silent, but you can be sure that it is not a Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B. It is possible that information about him came from foreign intelligence, especially since the Germans did not hide these vehicles, and they participated in various events.

This is how the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C arrived at the NIIBT training ground

The Red Army encountered Pz.Kpfw.II for the first time in the fall of 1939. On September 17, 1939, hostilities began, which went down in history as the Polish Campaign of the Red Army. By two o'clock in the morning on September 19, 1939, Soviet tanks burst into Lviv. A week earlier, battles began in the Lvov area between the Polish army and German troops, among which was the 2nd Panzer Division under the command of Lieutenant General Rudolf Fayel. The division operated northwest of Lviv, in particular, it took part in the battle with the Polish army for the city of Tomaszow Lubelski.

To start studying the car, we first needed to put it in order

As a result of the battles, the Polish army lost three and a half dozen armored vehicles in this area, including 7TP tanks, Vickers Mk.E and TK-S tankettes. Some of these vehicles belonged to the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade under the command of Stanisław Maczek. A significant part of the brigade managed to escape to the Polish-Hungarian border. However, the Germans also got it here: at the SPAM (assembly point for emergency vehicles), organized in Tomaszow Lubelski, there were not only Polish, but also German tanks.

The same tank after restoration. The large cross on the front of the turret is clearly visible, which was an excellent target for Polish anti-tank gun crews

During the first week, the 24th Light Tank Brigade under the command of Colonel P.S. Fotchenkov, which occupied Lvov, settled into its new location. It is possible that one of the captured Polish soldiers learned about a large accumulation of Polish armored vehicles. At that time, the new borders between the USSR and Germany were not completely defined, which the Soviet tankers took advantage of:

“By order of the Military Council of the Ukrainian Front on 10/6/10, a detachment of 152 people was organized with the required number of combat and transport vehicles to evacuate captured property from the area of ​​Krasnobrod, Uzefov, Tomashov, already occupied by German units.

Working selflessly, the detachment removed a lot of valuable property, including two German tanks, two German anti-tank guns, 9 Polish tanks, 10 tankettes and up to 30 guns; returned without loss."

Since there was no German lighting technology, domestically produced lights were installed on the tank.

By the way, there could also be a third German tank on this list. According to the memoirs of A.V. Egorov, who served in the 24th Light Tank Brigade, Senior Lieutenant Tkachenko stole a Pz.Kpfw.III, but the tank was quickly returned to the owners. Nevertheless, among the vehicles, information about which was prepared in the form of posters with performance characteristics and vulnerabilities, was the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.D. This is the same vehicle that, according to some historians, the Red Army captured in the fall of 1939. Naturally, she did not undergo any study, but we still managed to obtain minimal information about her.

A completely different situation arose with another vehicle, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C. This tank, which a detachment of the 24th Light Tank Brigade stole from SPAM in Tomaszow Lubelski, was not going to be returned to the Germans. He became lawful prey and went for study to the training ground of the Scientific Research Institute of Armored Vehicles (NIIBT) in Kubinka near Moscow. They also managed to bring another tank to the USSR, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A.

"Is a modern fighting machine"

Captured tanks arrived at the training ground in 1940. In the documents Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C received the designation T-IIb. The tank ended up at SPAM in Poland not due to any mechanical failure. According to the inspection report, the car received several hits. In particular, a shell from a Polish anti-tank gun hit one of the hatches in the frontal part of the hull, damaging the gearbox housing. As a result, the tank lost speed and was probably abandoned by the crew. Wear was also found on the spring mounting points on two road wheels. These damages turned out to be the result of active use of the tank, released in 1938.

The remaining damage was caused by other factors. Most likely, the car, deprived of power and abandoned by the crew, was thrown into a ditch, and the troops passing nearby began to slowly dismantle it for spare parts. This was a common occurrence: there are many photographs of cars with similar damage that were “vandalized” by German repairmen. In especially severe cases, the tank's hull and turret, as well as large components and assemblies, were left behind, which could not be removed without heavy crane equipment. At the same time, the tank, standing on stumps (all elements of the chassis had already been removed from it), continued to be listed as temporarily lost combat effectiveness.

From the point of view of attachments, the tank was almost empty

To be fair, the vast majority of such victims of vandalism later returned to duty, but after they were sent to the factories. For this reason, it is quite difficult to obtain a more or less real picture of the losses of German armored vehicles. The tank “privatized” by Soviet tank crews formally suffered only serious battle damage from hitting the checkpoint, which could be replaced relatively easily. But while in the ditch and on SPAM, the tank received additional “damage.” The homely Germans removed from it some of the electrical equipment and wiring, crew seats, radio station with antenna, instrument panel, ammunition rack, coaxial machine gun, tow hooks, spare parts, tools and accessories.

Thrifty German soldiers even removed the antenna and support from the tank

With such a volume of malfunctions, full-fledged tests similar to those that the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A underwent were out of the question. From the testers, the employees of the NIIBT test site had to retrain as restorers. In order to return at least one tank to working condition, the range workers used the “buy three shawarmas and assemble a kitten” method. The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A was used as a donor of spare parts: the gearbox, the hatch on the front plate and a number of other parts were removed from it.

The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C itself was completely dismantled. During the assembly process, test site employees simultaneously described the components and assemblies of the tank, and also produced their drawings. The result was a technical description, in some places even more detailed than the original operating manual for the tank.

It was not possible to completely assemble the restored car from “native” German parts. The headlights, battery, some instruments and tow hooks had to be taken from domestic cars. As a result, the tank was still able to be restored to running condition, but due to the lack of spare parts, there was no full testing program. The maximum that we managed to do was conduct a test run over a distance of 100 kilometers. Its goal was to determine the tactical and technical characteristics of the T-IIb.

View of the engine compartment. One could only guess that there was a radio operator's hatch on the left side here.

It was not possible to obtain any documents for the tank; for this reason, some design features of the Pz.Kpfw.II remained beyond the sight of Soviet specialists. This is especially true for very specific elements, which, for example, included the way the radio operator left the tank. Our specialists did not know that the access hatch to the engine compartment was also used for this purpose. However, this is not surprising: few would have guessed that one could get out of a tank in such an exotic way.

Reservation scheme for Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C

Soviet specialists did not pay much attention to the tank’s engine, since this engine was already known by the fall of 1940. In Germany, the USSR officially acquired three Sd.Kfz.7 half-track tractors, which also used Maybach HL 62 engines. The ZF SSG 46 gearbox aroused more interest. Testers noted the high level of precision in manufacturing the gearbox. Its advantage was the use of helical ground gears: their use increased wear resistance and reduced noise during operation. The experts also liked the use of a synchronizer and the layout of the rocker mechanism, which does not have long rods.

ZF SSG 46 gearbox, which pleasantly surprised with its high level of manufacturing precision

At the same time, the difficulty of removing the gearbox from the tank was indicated, which required removing the turret and turret box. The Pz.Kpfw.I and other German tanks had similar problems. This turned out to be the price for the layout with a front-mounted transmission.

The planetary rotation mechanism, reliable and durable, received a positive assessment. But the Soviet specialists did not like the brakes, since they turned out to be difficult to adjust. The general conclusion about the transmission was the following: it is reliable in operation, easy to operate and can be classified as one of the best types of mechanical transmissions.

Kinematic diagram of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C transmission

The chassis of the tank aroused considerable interest among testers. According to specialists from the NIIBT test site, despite its low weight, it ensured a smooth ride and rapid damping of vibrations. The spring suspension turned out to be compact and lightweight, and the road wheels made of aluminum alloy were also lightweight. The track tensioning mechanism was also praised. Somewhat complex to manufacture, it turned out to be simple and reliable in operation.

However, for Soviet tank building, leaf spring suspension was already a thing of the past. After a series of experiments, it became clear that the future belonged to the torsion bar, which by the time the Pz.Kpfw.II was tested was serially installed on the T-40 amphibious reconnaissance tank.

Chassis diagram. The spring suspension was praised, but torsion bars were already used on Soviet light tanks by that time

The hull and turret of the tank did not surprise Soviet specialists. Their design seemed a completely logical development of the Pz.Kpfw.I hull and turret, which was partly the correct conclusion. The driver did not like the design of the hatch because it turned out to be inconvenient to use. However, the testers made the correct conclusion, suggesting that the crew mainly used the turret hatch to climb into the tank.

The tactical and technical characteristics of the trophy indicated that its crew consisted of three people, but the description of the fighting compartment stated that only the commander was there. The fact is that all the seats were removed from the tank, so where exactly the radio operator was located remained a mystery. Moreover, there was no radio with an antenna on the tank either.

Driver's viewing devices. They were only partially preserved: German repairmen passing by the damaged tank “tried”

Observation devices aroused much more interest. On the one hand, according to the principle of placement, the viewing devices differed little from those of the Pz.Kpfw.I. At the same time, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C had modernized inspection hatches with thicker glass. Our specialists were also interested in the fact that the same binocular viewing device was installed on the tank as on the Pz.Kpfw.III. The device itself has not survived (cunning German mechanics took it out along with the glass block of the driver's viewing device), but exactly the same one was installed on the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G, which was purchased in Germany in 1940. For testing, the device was removed from the Pz.Kpfw.III and placed in a light tank. Overall, the visibility of the tank was considered quite satisfactory.

Tower diagram

Based on the results of studying the captured German car, the following conclusions were made:

“The German captured T-2b tank (conditional name) of 1938 represents the further development and modernization of type IIa tanks.

Comparing these tanks, it is clear that the modernization took place along the lines of changing the chassis of the tank.

1. The armament of the IIa and T-2b tanks is completely identical and consists of a normal-caliber coaxial machine gun, a twenty-millimeter automatic cannon and an automatic pistol.

The armor of both vehicles is 6–15 mm, designed to protect only from rifle-machine-gun-armor-piercing fire of normal caliber.

The external shape of the hull is quite successful and provides a good layout of the tank's chassis.

In terms of weapons and instruments, the following deserves the attention of designers of the domestic industry:

• a) Rotating mechanism of the tower.
• b) Lifting mechanism of a coupled installation.
• c) Installation and fastening of the machine gun in the turret.
• d) Duplicate driver observation device.

2. The engine used in the tank is a serial Maybach automobile engine (the same engine is installed on the Krauss-Maffei half-track tractors). The engine is well-proven and is quite reliable in operation.

Engine starting is ensured, in addition to the electric starter, by an inertia starter.

3. On tanks II-a, the chassis is made of six small-diameter rollers (on each side), connected into 3 carriages.

The T-2b tank has an independent suspension and there are five road wheels of increased diameter on each side. The suspension is original in design, easy to manufacture and ensures constant contact of the rollers with the caterpillar. The suspension has an advantage over torsion bar suspensions in its compactness and damping properties.

The caterpillar is fine-linked, lantern geared with small lateral clearance on the drive wheel, which guarantees the caterpillar from falling off.

4. The transmission scheme of the T-2b tank is similar to the T-2a, and is typical for German tank building. The presence of a six-speed gearbox with synchronizers provides the tank with good maneuverability and ease of control.

The planetary rotation mechanism is large in size and weight, and difficult to manufacture. Its advantage is reliability in operation and the absence of the need for adjustment.

5. Good access to components subject to frequent inspection and adjustment is provided. Dismantling tank components is difficult (for example, removing the gearbox requires removing the turret). The latter can be explained by the fact that the quality of the tanks produced is of high quality, which eliminates the need for frequent removal of units from the tank.

A common feature of the T-2b light tank is that it, like all German tanks, is manufactured according to a single tank design adopted in Germany.

The use of a single scheme and common standard parts in the production of tanks significantly reduces the cost and speeds up the production of tanks, and facilitates the training of combat and repair personnel.

In its design and production design, the T-2b tank is a modern combat vehicle.”

Of no interest

Despite the rather flattering assessment of the test site specialists, in reality the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C did not particularly impress Soviet tank builders. In 1939–40, Soviet tank building made great strides forward. The analogue of the Pz.Kpfw.II in the USSR was supposed to be the SP-126 infantry escort tank, which later turned into the T-50. Even at the early design stage, the German car was inferior to him in everything.

The designers were much more interested not in the light German tank, but in the medium Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G, which really had a noticeable impact on Soviet tank building. This also applies to Soviet light tanks. At the same time, it was decided to bring Soviet light vehicles as close as possible to a medium tank in a number of characteristics.

General visibility diagram of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C

The second tank, Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A, was sent for study to Leningrad, at NII-48. There the vehicle was included in a program to study the quality of foreign armor. It’s funny, but according to the report this vehicle is described as a “Polish tank of German production with a welded structure . The vehicle was dismantled, and later the body and turret were shot, and a report was drawn up. It was noted that the hull parts were carefully made, and the welds did not show any cracks after the shelling. The armor itself was considered fragile.

As of April 1, 1941, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C, restored at the NIIBT test site, was supposed to be placed in a museum at the test site. But after the start of the Great Patriotic War, traces of the tank were lost.

A dismantled “German-made Polish tank” Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A being studied in Leningrad

Already during the war, several Pz.Kpfw.IIs arrived in Kubinka. After the war, there was only one tank left here - Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, turret number 28384. Most likely, it was manufactured at the Ursus plant in Warsaw. It is worth noting that during the Great Patriotic War, no research work on the Pz.Kpfw.II was carried out in the USSR. By this time, it was yesterday for our tank building.

Source – https://warspot.ru/8089-ariets-polskogo-otzhima

COMBAT USE

COMBAT USE

The Pz.II received its baptism of fire in March 1938 during the operation to annex Austria to the Reich, the so-called Anschluss. There were no combat clashes during this operation, but during the march to Vienna, up to 30% of the “twos” failed for technical reasons, mainly due to the low reliability of the chassis. Due to poor organization of the repair and recovery service, most of these tanks were left on the side of the roads. After the Anschluss, General G. Guderian, who then commanded the 2nd Panzer Division, urgently raised the issue of improving the system for the evacuation and repair of combat vehicles.

The annexation of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to Germany in October 1938, as a result of the Munich Agreement, also passed bloodlessly. Losses in the material part were already significantly less, since the Pz.I and Pz.II tanks were delivered to the concentration areas by truck, which made it possible to preserve the scanty resource of the chassis. By the way, it should be noted that Faun L900D567 (6×4) trucks and Sd.Anh.115 two-axle trailers were used to transport the Pz.II.

The Sudetenland was followed by the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia. On March 15, 1939, the Pz.II from the 2nd Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht was the first to enter Prague.

Faun vehicles and two-axle trailers were used to transport the Pz.II.

On the eve of the Polish campaign, Pz.IIs, along with Pz.Is, made up the majority of Panzerwaffe combat vehicles. On September 1, 1939, German troops had 1,223 tanks of this type. Each company of light tanks included one platoon (5 units) of “twos”. In total, the tank regiment had 69 tanks, and the battalion had 33. Only in the ranks of the 1st Tank Division, better equipped than others with Pz.III and Pz.IV tanks, there were 39 Pz.IIs. In two-regiment divisions (2nd, 4th and 5th) there were up to 140, and single-regiment divisions from 70 to 85 Pz.II tanks. The 3rd Panzer Division, which included a training battalion (PanzerLehrAbteilung), had 175 Pz.II tanks. The least number of “twos” were in the light divisions. Vehicles of modifications D and E were in service with the 67th tank battalion of the 3rd light division and the 33rd tank battalion of the 4th light division.

A column of light tanks Pz.II and Pz-I on the street of one of the Polish cities. September 1939.

The armor of the “twos” was effortlessly penetrated by shells from 37-mm wz.36 anti-tank guns and 75-mm field guns of the Polish army, which became clear on September 1–2 when breaking through the positions of the Volyn cavalry brigade near Mokra. The 1st Panzer Division lost eight Pz.II vehicles there. Even greater losses - 15 Pz.II tanks - were suffered by the 4th Panzer Division on the approaches to Warsaw. In total, during the Polish campaign until October 10, the Wehrmacht lost 259 tanks of this type. However, irretrievable losses amounted to only 83 vehicles.

To participate in the capture of Denmark and Norway, the 40th Special Forces Battalion (Panzer Abteilung zb V 40) was formed, consisting of three companies, each of which, unlike the regular Panzerwaffe organization, included only three platoons. The battalion was armed with light tanks Pz.I and Pz.II, as well as Pz.Bef.Wg command vehicles.

The invasion of Denmark began on April 9, 1940. The Danish troops offered virtually no resistance, and the fighting ended before noon. Soon the “ones” and “twos” of the 1st and 2nd companies of the 40th battalion paraded through the streets of Copenhagen.

Pz.II Ausf.b of one of the units of the 4th Panzer Division, knocked out on the streets of Warsaw. September 1939.

Meanwhile, the 3rd Company was heading to Norway. There were losses along the way - on the evening of April 10, the Antaris N transport was torpedoed by a British submarine, and it sank with five tanks on board. Another ship, the Urundi, ran aground and arrived in Oslo only on April 17. As compensation for the losses suffered, two days later the battalion was given a platoon of three heavy three-turreted Nb.Fz tanks. By April 24, two other companies of the battalion arrived on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Now it consisted of 54 tanks: 3 Nb.Fz., 29 Pz.I, 18 Pz.II and 4 command tanks. These combat vehicles were used to support infantry in battles with the British and French troops that landed in Norway after the Germans. During these battles, in which the participation of tanks was, however, very limited, the battalion lost 11 vehicles, of which two Pz.II Ausf.C.

By the start of the offensive in the West on May 10, 1940, the Panzerwaffe had 1,110 Pz.II tanks, 955 of which were in combat-ready condition. At the same time, the number of tanks in different formations varied significantly. Thus, in the 3rd Panzer Division, operating on the flank, there were 110 of them, and in the 7th Panzer Division of General E. Rommel, located in the direction of the main attack, there were 40. Against the well-armored French light and medium tanks, the “twos” were practically powerless. They could only hit enemy vehicles at close range on the side or stern. However, there were few tank battles during the French campaign. The main burden of the fight against French tanks fell on the shoulders of aviation and artillery. However, the Germans suffered quite significant damage, in particular, they lost 240 Pz.II tanks.

Chassis options.

In the summer of 1940, 52 “twos” from the 2nd Panzer Division were converted into amphibious tanks. Of these, two battalions of the 18th Tank Regiment of the 18th Tank Brigade (later deployed into a division) were formed. It was assumed that, together with the Pz.III and Pz.IV prepared for underwater movement, the “twos” would take part in Operation Sea Lion, a landing on the coast of England. Crew training for movement afloat was carried out at the training ground in Putlos. Since the landing on the shores of Foggy Albion did not take place, Schwimmpanzer II was transferred to the east. In the first hours of Operation Barbarossa, these tanks crossed the Western Bug by swimming. Later they were used as ordinary combat vehicles.

Pz.II tanks of the 5th and 11th tank divisions took part in the fighting in Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941. Two tanks were delivered by sea to the island. Crete, where they supported the German paratroopers who landed on this Greek island with fire and maneuver.

One of the Pz.IIs of the 3rd company of the 40th special forces battalion. Norway, April 1940.

In March 1941, the 5th Tank Regiment of the 5th Light Division of the German Afrika Korps, which landed in Tripoli, had 45 Pz.IIs, mainly model S. By November 1941, after the arrival of the 15th Panzer Division, the number of "twos" "on the African continent reached 70 units. At the beginning of 1942, another batch of Pz.II Ausf.F (Tp) was delivered here - in a tropical version. The transfer of these vehicles to Africa can be explained, perhaps, only by their small weight and dimensions compared to medium tanks. The Germans could not help but be aware that the “twos” were powerless against most tanks of the 8th British Army, and only high speed helped them get out from under enemy fire. However, despite everything, the Pz.II Ausf.F was used here until 1943.

Pz.II Ausf.C in France. May 1940.

As of June 1, 1941, there were 1,074 combat-ready Pz.II tanks in Hitler's army. Another 45 vehicles were under repair. In the formations intended to participate in Operation Barbarossa and concentrated near the border of the Soviet Union, there were 746 vehicles of this type, which accounted for almost 21% of the total number of tanks. According to the then staff, one platoon in a company was supposed to be armed with Pz.II tanks. But this provision was not always observed: in some divisions there were many “twos”, sometimes in excess of the staff, in others there were none at all. On June 22, 1941, Pz.IIs were part of the 1st (43 units), 3rd (58), 4th (44), 6th (47), 7th (53), 8th (49), 9th (32), 10th (45), 11th (44), 12th (33), 13th (45), 14th (45), 16th ( 45), 17th (44), 18th (50), 19th (35) and 20th (31) tank divisions of the Wehrmacht. In addition, there were linear “twos” in the 100th and 101st flamethrower tank battalions.

Pz.II could easily fight Soviet light tanks T-37, T-38 and T-40, armed with machine guns, as well as armored vehicles of all types. Light tanks T-26 and BT, especially the latest ones, were hit by “twos” only from relatively close distances. At the same time, German vehicles inevitably had to enter the effective fire zone of Soviet 45-mm tank guns. They confidently penetrated the armor of the Pz.II and Soviet anti-tank guns. By the end of 1941, the German army had lost 424 Pz.II tanks on the Eastern Front.

The beginning of Operation Sonnenblume (“Sunflower”) - loading Afrika Korps tanks onto ships for delivery to Tripoli. Naples, spring 1941.

However, in 1942, a number of vehicles of this type still remained in the combat units of the Wehrmacht and SS troops. True, in some connections their presence was purely symbolic. Thus, on the eve of the German summer offensive on the Eastern Front, Pz.IIs were still in service with the 1st (2 units), 2nd (22), 3rd (25), 4th (13), 5th (26 ), 8th (1), 9th (22), 11th (15), 13th (15), 14th (14), 16th (13), 17th (17) , 18th (11), 19th (6), 20th (8), 22nd (28), 23rd (27) and 24th (32) Panzerwaffe Panzer Divisions. In addition, they were in the combat composition of the 3rd (10), 16th (10), 29th (12) and 60th (17) motorized divisions, Gro? Deutschland (12) and SS Motorized Division Wiking (12). During 1942, the German army lost 346 Pz.IIs in all theaters of combat.

Pz.II Ausf.C hull and turret elements:

1 - observation hatch with viewing slot; 2 — protective sides of the turret shoulder strap; 3 — rubber shock absorber; 4 — periscope sight armor; 5 — hatch for flag signaling; 6 — hatch flap; 7 — fuel tank filler flap; 8 — engine compartment hatch; 9 — blinds for air outlet; 10 — access hatch to the fan; 11 — blinds for air supply; 12 - ventilation hatch.

In 1943, “twos”, gradually squeezed out of combat units, were increasingly used for patrol duty, guarding headquarters, reconnaissance and counter-guerrilla operations. Losses for the year amounted to 84 units, which indicates a sharp reduction in the number of Pz.IIs in the troops. However, as of March 1945, the Germans still had 15 such tanks in the active army and 130 in the reserve army.

Pz.II turrets were used in significant quantities to create various long-term firing points. At various types of fortifications both in the West and in the East there were 100 Pz.II turrets with a 37-mm cannon and 536 with a standard 20-mm KwK 30.

In addition to the German army, “twos” were in service in Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. At the end of the 40s, several vehicles of this type (apparently former Romanian) were in Lebanon.

Currently, Panzer II tanks, mainly F modification vehicles, can be seen in several museums around the world: at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (USA), Bovington (Great Britain) and in Kubinka near Moscow. The military museum in Belgrade (Yugoslavia) preserves the modification S.

Unloading tanks at the port of Tripoli. March 10, 1941.

Pz.II Ausf.F, knocked out in the Libyan desert. 1942

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. WITH

The PzKpfvv II Ausf. C (6 LaS 100) - serial numbers 26001-27000 - the engine cooling system was improved, the inspection slots were covered with armored glass 50 mm thick (12 mm on guns of previous releases).

PzKpfw II tanks (most likely Ausf. A and B) took part in the Spanish Civil War. Combat experience has shown that the German PzKpfw I and II are weakly armed and worse armored compared to the light guns of a potential enemy (Soviet light tanks T-26 and BT-5, French Renault R-35 and Hotchkiss N-35, Polish 7TP and English "Matilda" Mk. I). It was impossible to radically strengthen the armament for structural (small size of the turret) and technical (the more powerful 5 cm KwK39 L/60 cannon of 50 mm caliber was not yet ready) reasons. The combat characteristics of the PzKpfw II could only be improved by strengthening the armor.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.С (Sd.Kfz.121) after modernization

Therefore, the PzKpfw II Ausf. A, B and C, the thickness of the armor in critical areas has been increased. The frontal armor of the turret (cannon mantlet) was 14.5 mm and 20 mm, the frontal armor of the hull was 20 mm. The entire front part of the hull was redone. Instead of an arc-shaped armor plate, they began to use two plates welded to each other at an angle of 70°. Their thickness is 14.5 mm and 20 mm. On some tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. The A-C double-leaf hatch on the roof of the turret was replaced with a commander's cupola, providing all-round visibility. It should be emphasized that the commander’s cupola was not installed on all tanks; most often, tanks sent for repairs were converted this way. It happened that in one part there were both modified and unmodified cars. After the September campaign, the tanks were subject to further improvements.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.С (Sd.Kfz.121) after modernization

The base of the tower was covered with a metal corner riveted to the hull. It protected the turret rotation mechanism from jamming when hit by a projectile. A similar corner was attached to the back of the tower. In November 1938, work began on installing the HWA 1038G diesel engine with a power of 129-147 kW/175-200 hp into the PzKpfw II tank. The tests ended in failure and further work was curtailed. Release of PzKpfw II Ausf tanks. C was discontinued in March (April) 1940, and in the last period the number of tanks produced was very small: in July 1939, nine tanks were produced, in August - seven, in September - five, in October - eight, and in November - more two tanks. Unsatisfactory delivery of light PzKpfw 35 (t) and PzKpfw 38 (t) and medium PzKpfw III and PzKpfw IV tanks led to an order dated November 27, 1939, to build a new modification of the PzKpfw II tank, designated PzKpfw II Ausf. F (7 LaS 100). Tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. F retained all the design features of the previous series.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. F

The PzKpfw II Ausf. F (serial numbers 28001-29400) the housing design was changed. The frontal armor plate became the width of the entire hull. A mock-up of the driver's viewing slit was placed on its right side, while the real slit was located on the left, as on previous tanks. The viewing slots located in the gun mantlet were modified, and the thickness of the armor increased. The turret rotation mechanism has been improved.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.F (Sd.Kfz.121)

For some PzKpfw II Ausf. F installed a 2 cm KvvK38 cannon of 20 mm caliber. Due to the fact that the production of PzKpfw II Ausf. A-C had already been curtailed, the production of new tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. F was fraught with significant difficulties; in April 1940, only three tanks were produced (and these tanks, apparently, were not Ausf. F, but the last PzKpfw II Ausf. C), two Ausf. F was manufactured in July and four in November-December 1940. In 1941, production picked up pace - 233 cars were produced. The following year, 1942, another 291 tanks were produced (530 in total). Tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. F was produced by the FAMO plants in Wroclaw, Vereinigten Maschinenwerken in Warsaw, MAN and Daimler-Benz. Completed production of the PzKpfw II Ausf tanks. F in 1941, and MIAG in 1940. The price of one PzKpfw II Ausf. F (without weapons) was 49,228 Reichsmarks.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. D, E

In 1938, she developed a project for the so-called high-speed tank (Schnellkampfwagen), intended for tank battalions of light divisions. Light divisions were motorized tank divisions, which, however, had fewer tanks than regular tank divisions. Light divisions, as a rule, were created on the basis of disbanded cavalry units.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.D/E (Sd.Kfz.121)

From the PzKpfw II Ausf tank. Only the turret was taken, and the hull and chassis were completely redone. The tank used a Christie-type chassis (four large-diameter road wheels) and new drive and idler wheels. The hull of the high-speed tank resembled that of the PzKpfw III. The crew is three people, the weapons remain the same, like the PzKpfw and Ausf tanks. AF. Machine weight - 10000 kg. The high-speed tanks were planned to be produced in two modifications: PzKpfw II Ausf. D - 8 LaS 100 (serial numbers 27001-27800) and PzKpfw II Ausf. E - 9 LaS 100 (serial numbers 27801-28000). These cars were equipped with a Maybach Variorex VG 102128Н gearbox (seven forward and three reverse gears). The tank was powered by a Maybach HL62 TRM carburetor engine with a power of 103 kW/140 hp, a maximum highway speed of 55 km/h, and armor thickness of 14.5-30 mm. In 1938-1939, MAN produced 143 such tanks and more than 150 chassis.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.D/E (Sd.Kfz.121)

Tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. E differed from Ausf. D with reinforced suspension, lubricated track kingpins and modified drive wheels. Most of the vehicles, after a short period of use at the front (September campaign), were converted into Flammpanzer II flamethrower tanks or Marder self-propelled guns.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. G

In 1938, Daimler-Benz also received an order to produce a modified PzKpfw II tank, which received the designation VK 901. The tank used a new suspension developed by engineer V. Kniepkamp. The chassis of the tank consisted of five road wheels mounted on axles of different lengths, so that the rollers partially overlapped each other. Tank weight - 9200 kg. The tank was driven by a Maybach HL45р liquid-cooled carburetor engine with a power of 109 kW/150 hp. The maximum speed was 50 km/h, the thickness of the frontal armor was 30 mm, and the side armor was 14.5 mm. The tank was armed with a 20-mm KwK38 cannon and an MG-34 machine gun. It was planned to produce 75 of these vehicles (serial numbers 150001-150075), but in two years (1941-1942) only 12 tanks were produced in three versions G1, G3 and G4. The finished towers (27 pieces) were used as elements of long-term fortification.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. J

Combat experience in the use of tanks during the September campaign showed that a well-armored infantry support tank was very much needed at the front. In December 1939, production of the PzKpfw II nA (neue Art - new model) VK 1601 tank began. The thickness of its armor ranged from 50 mm to 80 mm, the maximum speed was 31 km/h. The armament of the new tank was no different from previous modifications. The prototype was ready on June 19, 1940.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.J (VK1601)

A total of 30 tanks were ordered, designated PzKpfw II Ausf. J. From April to December 1942, 22 vehicles were produced (serial numbers 150101-150130). The issued order for the next 100 tanks was cancelled. Tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. J was produced at MAN and Daimler-Benz plants. Seven experimental VK 1601 tanks were tested on the Eastern Front as part of the 12th Panzer Division.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. H and M (VK 903, VK 1301)

In 1940 (Nuremberg) began work on an improved model of the PzKpfw II Ausf tank. G (VK 901) - VK 903. Ha VK 903 installed a Maybach HL66р liquid-cooled carburetor engine with a power of 147 kW/200 hp. (200001-200004). A new ZF Aphon SSG48 gearbox was used (it was planned to equip production tanks with a gearbox that was already used on the PzKpfw 38 (t)). The maximum speed of the tank is 60 km/h. The VK 903 tank was supposed to be used for reconnaissance. In 1941, work began on converting VK 903 into a mobile observation post. On June 1, 1942, Rheinmetall-Borzing, Skoda and Daimler-Benz began producing a modification of the tank with an open turret - VK 1301 (VK 903b). On April 30, 1941, a program for the development of tank forces was adopted - “Panzerprogramm 1941”, which provided for the construction of VK 903 tanks. 10,950 vehicles of this type were planned to be used as reconnaissance tanks, 2,738 to be converted into 50-mm self-propelled guns, 481 vehicles to be armed with 150-caliber guns. mm (sIG), and 3,500 vehicles were to become battlefield reconnaissance tanks - “Gefechtsaufklaerung”. The serial guns VK 903 and VK 1301 were designated PzKpfw II Ausf. N and PzKpfw II Ausf. M accordingly. Tank weight - 10500 kg. The thickness of the armor is 30-10 mm. In 1941, it produced one chassis, and in 1942, due to the standardization of armored vehicles, the production of tanks of this modification was abandoned.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. L "Lux" (VK 1303)

The VK 1303 was a further development of the VK 901, 903 and 1301 tanks. On September 15, 1939, the Ministry of Armaments of the Ground Forces (Heereswaflenamt) issued technical specifications for a tracked reconnaissance vehicle. Received an order for the development of the hull and chassis. It was planned to install a medium-range radio station on the VK 1303 tank, intended for communication in the conditions of the Eastern Front.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.L (Sd.Kfz.123)

Crew - four people (commander, gunner-loader, driver and radio operator). The prototype was ready in April 1942 and turned out to be too heavy for Russian off-road conditions (combat weight - 12900 kg). Only the VK 1303 version, lightened to 11,800 kg, was accepted for serial production as the PzKpfw II Ausf. L "Lux" ("lynx") - Sd Kfz 123. The thickness of its armor was 10-30 mm, in addition, armored screens 12 mm thick could be installed. Armament is a 20-mm KwK-38 cannon and a 7.92-mm MG-34 machine gun. The PzKpfw II Ausf tank is in motion. L "Lux" was driven by a Maybach HL66р liquid-cooled carburetor engine with a power of 147 kW/200 hp. Gearbox - ZF Aphon SSG48.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.L (Sd.Kfz.123)

On the PzKpfw II Ausf. L used a chassis designed by Kniepkamp, ​​which had previously been used on the VK 901-903 tanks. The tank was planned to be produced in two versions, differing from each other in armament. One of them was armed with a KwK38 cannon, and the other with a KwK39 L/60 50 mm caliber (“Luchs” 5 cm). Serial PzKpfw II Ausf. L "Lux" were equipped with a FuG12 radio station with a power of 80W and a range of 25 km (telephone) and 80 km (key) and a short-range radio station F.Spr.f. An open turret was developed for tanks armed with a 50 mm cannon. 115 Lux tanks were produced on Na, and 18 on Na, all of which were armed with a 20-mm cannon. At the beginning of 1944, the release of PzKpfw and Ausf tanks. L "Lux" was discontinued.

VK 1602 ("Leopard")

In 1941, Daimler-Benz also received an order to produce an improved VK 1601 tank, designated VK 1602. This tank was intended for battlefield reconnaissance (“Gefech tsaufklaerung”). The armor thickness was 50-80 mm (turret) and 20-60 mm (hull). Maybach HL157 engine with a power of 404 kW/550 hp. allowed the tank to reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. The tank was supposed to be armed with a 50-mm KwK39 L/60 cannon and a 7.92-mm MG-34 machine gun.

VK 1602 Leopard

The tank was equipped with 350 mm wide tracks, which improved the vehicle's driving performance. The crew of VK 1602 is four people. “Panzerprogramm 1941” envisaged the construction of 339 such vehicles, but the order was soon canceled because VK 1602, called “Leopard”, no longer met the requirements of the time. The turret of the UK 1602 "Leopard" tank was used on the Sd Kfz 234/2 "Puma" heavy armored vehicle.

VK 2801

Having stopped production of the UK 1602 Leopard tank, the Germans still did not abandon the idea of ​​a reconnaissance tank. developed a new model of such a tank - VK 2801. Initially, it was planned to install an air-cooled diesel engine with a power of 385 kWg / 525 hp on the tank, then Daimler-Benz DB819 engines with a power of 330 kWg / 450 hp, MB506 were used as the engine and MB819. The increase in tank weight to 33,000 kg forced the designers to use the Maybach HL 230 carburetor engine with a power of 514 kW/700 hp. On May 8, 1944, the Ministry of Armaments of the Ground Forces (Heereswaffenamt) ordered further work on the UK 2801 tank to be curtailed.

Panzcrkampfwagen II (F) Sd Kfz 122

In 1939, Wegmann also received an order to develop a flamethrower tank - Flammpanzer. MAN converted the chassis of the PzKpfw II Ausf. D and E. Flamethrower tanks built on the basis of these two modifications were called PzKpfw II Ausf. A and B, respectively. One MG-34 machine gun was left in the main turret, and two flamethrowers (usually Flamm 40) were placed in two rotating turrets mounted on the wings of the tank. The flamethrower's firing range was 35 meters. Armored containers for storing incendiary fluid (a mixture of gasoline and oil) were located behind the flamethrower turrets. The total volume of the incendiary mixture transported is 350 liters.

Flammpanzer II Flamingo

The tank could fire about 80 “shots” (2-3 seconds each). The incendiary mixture was fired using a compressed gun, the cylinders with which were located inside the tank hull. Ignition was carried out using two acetylene fuses. The flamethrowers were controlled by an electrical mechanism from inside the tank. Smoke grenade launchers were located behind the turret. The PzKpfw II (F) - Sd Kfz 122 tanks were called “Flamingos”. Machine weight - 11000 kg. Serial production (conversion) began in January 1940. The first series consisted of 90 tanks (87 main and 3 reserve) and was completed in October 1940. In August 1941, production of flamethrower tanks of the second series began; out of 150 vehicles ordered, 65 were manufactured. A total of 155 tanks were converted. "Panzerprogramm 41" provided for the conversion of 259 VK 1601 into flamethrower tanks.

PzKpfw II (Schwimmpanzer II) amphibious tanks

In 1940, work began on amphibious tanks. The medium tanks PzKpfw III and IV were equipped to overcome water obstacles at the bottom, and the lighter PzKpfw II was converted into a classic amphibious tank. The tank was given positive buoyancy by a pontoon attached to the vehicle's hull. The tank with a pontoon installed on it was transported on a tractor. The tank hull was sealed. The tank moved through the water using a propeller, the speed was up to 10 km/h.

Production of Pz.Kpfw tanks. II and special vehicles on their chassis

Production of Pz.Kpfw tanks.
II and special vehicles on their chassis << Back - Forward >>