German tank t 2 blueprints. Experimental tank T2

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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, 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 sinned with inaccuracies. A full-fledged 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 were German Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A and Italian L3 / 35. In the summer of 1939 on Far East Japanese light tank Ha-Go was captured. The beginning of World War II significantly expanded the list of trophies, among which was the German light tank Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C.

Quietly took out and left - is called "found"

Despite the fact that the Pz.Kpfw.II was absent from the Soviet reference books of 1939, this tank became known even before the start of the war. Here it is worth dwelling 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. In some materials, even the year of the combat debut is called - 1938, despite the fact that the Germans themselves "do not admit" this. There are no Pz.Kpfw.II tanks in the list of tanks supplied to the Francoists.

The answer lies in the notation used in the Soviet Union. In 1939, a “light tank type II” appears in Soviet documents, which, apparently, became the source of the myth. The piquancy of what is happening is that under the "light tank type II" was meant ... Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B. This is 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 Pz.Kpfw.II in Spain.

​A clear demonstration of what exactly in Soviet reference books was referred to as the "German T-II tank"

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

When exactly this tank became known, history is silent, but you can be sure that this 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 particularly hide these vehicles, and they participated in various events.

So Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C arrived at the NIIBT training ground

For the first time, the Red Army encountered the Pz.Kpfw.II in the autumn of 1939. September 17, 1939 began fighting, 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 broke into Lvov. A week earlier, battles began in the Lvov region 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 Lvov, in particular, it took part in the battle with the Polish army for the city of Tomaszow-Lubelsky.

To begin studying the machine, first it was necessary 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 tanks 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 (collection 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.

For the first week, the 24th light tank brigade under the command of Colonel P. S. Fotchenkov, which occupied Lvov, settled in a new base. It is possible that from one of the captured Polish soldiers it became known about a large accumulation of Polish armored vehicles. At that time, the finally new borders between the USSR and Germany were not defined, which the Soviet tankers took advantage of:

“By order of the Military Council of the Ukrainian Front on October 6, a detachment of 152 people was organized with the necessary 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 were no German lighting equipment, domestic-made lights were put on the tank

By the way, this list could also include a third German tank. 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 its 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 machine that, according to some historians, the Red Army captured in the fall of 1939. Naturally, she did not go to any study, but she still managed to get minimal information about her.

A completely different situation developed with another vehicle, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C. This tank, which a detachment of the 24th light tank brigade dragged from SPAM in Tomaszow Lubelski, was not going to be returned to the Germans. He became legal prey and went to study at the training ground of the Research Institute of Armored Vehicles (NIIBT) in Kubinka near Moscow. Also, another tank, Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A., was brought to the USSR.

"Is a modern combat vehicle"

Captured tanks arrived at the training ground in 1940. In the documents Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C received the designation T-IIb. The tank did not end up on SPAM in Poland because of some kind of 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 its course and was probably abandoned by the crew. Wear of the spring attachment points of two road wheels was also found. These damages were the result of the active operation of the tank, released in 1938.

The remaining damage was caused by other factors. Most likely, the car, deprived of a move 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 hull and turret remained from the tank, as well as large components and assemblies that 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 losing its combat capability.

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

In fairness, the vast majority of such victims of vandalism then returned to service, but after they were sent to the factories. For this reason, a more or less real picture of losses German armored vehicles quite hard to get. The tank “privatized” by the Soviet tankers formally had only a hit in the checkpoint, which could be relatively easily changed from serious combat damage. But during the time spent in the ditch and on SPAM, the tank received additional "damage". The homely Germans removed from him part of the electrical equipment and wiring, crew seats, a radio station with an antenna, an instrument panel, an ammunition rack, a coaxial machine gun, tow hooks, spare parts, tools and accessories.

Thrifty German soldiers even removed the antenna from the tank along with the lodgement

With such a large number of malfunctions, full-fledged tests, similar to those that the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A passed, 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 a working condition, the landfill workers used the “buy three shawarma and collect a kitten” method. The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A was used as a spare parts donor: 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, the site employees described the components and assemblies of the tank in parallel, and also made their drawings. The result was a technical description, in some places even more detailed than the original manual for the tank.

It was not possible to fully assemble the restored car from "native" German parts. Headlights, battery, part of the 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-fledged test program for it. The maximum that could be done was to conduct a test run over a distance of 100 kilometers. Its purpose was to determine the performance characteristics of the T-IIb.

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

It was not possible to get any documents for the tank, for this reason some design features of the Pz.Kpfw.II remained outside the field of view of Soviet specialists. This is especially true for very specific elements, which, for example, included the way the radio operator left the tank. The fact that for this at the same time served as an access hatch to the engine compartment, our experts did not know. However, this is not surprising: few people could guess that you can get out of the tank in such an exotic way.

Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C booking scheme

Soviet specialists did not pay much attention to the tank engine, since this engine was already known by the autumn of 1940. In Germany, the USSR quite officially acquired three Sd.Kfz.7 half-track tractors, which also used Maybach HL 62 engines. The ZF SSG 46 gearbox aroused more interest. The testers noted the high level of accuracy in the manufacture of 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, devoid of long rods.

Gearbox ZF SSG 46, which pleasantly surprised by the high level of manufacturing precision

At the same time, the difficulty of removing the gearbox from the tank was indicated, for which it was necessary to remove the turret and turret box. The Pz.Kpfw.I and other German tanks had similar problems. Such was the fee for the layout with the front transmission.

The planetary turning 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 regulate. The general conclusion about the transmission was the following: it is reliable in operation, easy to operate and can be attributed to one of best types mechanical transmissions.

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

The undercarriage of the tank aroused considerable interest among the testers. According to the specialists of the NIIBT test site, despite its low weight, it provided a smooth ride and rapid damping of oscillations. The spring suspension turned out to be compact and light, and the track rollers made of aluminum alloy were also light. The track tensioning mechanism was also praised. Somewhat difficult to manufacture, it proved to be simple and reliable in operation.

However, for Soviet tank building spring suspension was already yesterday. After a series of experiments, it became clear that the future belongs to the torsion bar, which by the time the Pz.Kpfw.II was tested was serially installed on the T-40 reconnaissance amphibious 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 the Soviet specialists. Their design seemed to be a completely logical development of the hull and turret of the Pz.Kpfw.I, which was partly the correct conclusion. The design of the driver's hatch was not liked, as it turned out to be inconvenient to use. However, the testers made the correct conclusion, assuming 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 at the same time, the description of the fighting compartment said that only the commander was there. The fact is that all the seats were removed from the tank, so exactly where the radio operator was located remained a mystery. Moreover, there was no radio with an antenna on the tank either.

Viewing devices of the driver. They were only partially preserved: the German repairmen who passed by the wrecked tank “tried”

Surveillance devices aroused much more interest. On the one hand, according to the principle of placement, viewing devices differed little from those of the Pz.Kpfw.I. At the same time, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C had upgraded viewing 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 was not preserved (cunning German mechanics took it out along with the glass block of the driver's viewing device), but the exact same one was on the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G, which was bought in Germany in 1940. For testing, the device was removed from the Pz.Kpfw.III and placed in a light tank. In general, the visibility of the tank was found to be quite satisfactory.

Tower scheme

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

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

Comparing these tanks, it can be seen that the modernization took place along the line of changing the chassis of the tank.

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

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 chassis of the tank.

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

• a) The turning mechanism of the tower.
• b) Lifting mechanism of twin installation.
• c) Installation and fastening of the machine gun in the tower.
• d) Backup device for monitoring the driver.

2. As the engine on the tank, a serial Maybach automobile engine is installed (the same engine is installed on the Krauss-Maffei half-track tractors). The engine has been worked out well and is quite reliable in operation.

Starting the engine is provided, in addition to the electric starter, by an inertial starter.

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

On the T-2b tank, the suspension is independent 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 in its compactness and damping properties has an advantage over torsion bar suspensions.

The caterpillar is melkozvenchaty, lantern gearing with a 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 turning 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. Access to units subject to frequent inspection and adjustment is good. The dismantling of the tank units is difficult (for example, the removal of the turret is required to remove the gearbox). The latter can be explained by the fact that the quality of the produced tanks is of high quality, which eliminates the need for frequent removal of units from the tank.

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

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 terms of design and production design, the T-2b tank is a modern combat vehicle.

Of no interest

Despite the rather flattering assessment of the training ground specialists, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C did not really impress the Soviet tank builders. In 1939-40, Soviet tank building took a big step forward. An analogue of the Pz.Kpfw.II in the USSR was to be the SP-126 infantry escort tank, which later turned into the T-50. Even at an early stage of design, the German car was inferior to him in everything.

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 scheme Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C

The second tank, Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A, was sent for study to Leningrad, at NII-48. There, the car was included in the program for studying the quality of foreign armor. It's funny, but this car, according to the report, passes as "Polish tank of German production of welded structure" . The car was dismantled, and later the hull with the turret was shot, and a report was made. It was noted that the details of the hull were carefully made, and the welds after the shelling did not have cracks. The armor itself was considered fragile.

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

Dismantled "Polish German-made tank" Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A under study in Leningrad

Already during the war, several Pz.Kpfw.IIs hit Kubinka. After the war, one tank remained here - Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, turret number 28384. Most likely, it was made at the Ursus factory in Warsaw. It should be noted that during the Great Patriotic War no research work to study the Pz.Kpfw.II in the USSR was not carried out. By this time, for our tank building, it was yesterday.

Good day to all and welcome to the site! Friends, today we are focusing on another guest from the sandbox, a German premium light tank of the second level, in front of you is the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D guide.

This unit is a gift and it was issued to everyone in 2014 on New Year's Eve, so you can't buy it. I want to say right away that our guest does not have any pronounced strengths. However, to learn Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D characteristics will not interfere with those who left it in the hangar or like to have fun with the help of war games in the sandbox.

TTX Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D

The first thing you should understand is that by the standards of classmates, we have a really good margin of safety, as well as a very decent base viewing range of 320 meters.

If we talk about Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D performance characteristics of the reservation, then there is nothing to be particularly proud of. The strongest part of the tank is the forehead, which often saves from enemy machine gunners, but is unlikely to be able to withstand the shots of ordinary guns encountered on our way. The consolation will be the preferential level of battles, we fight only against the second and third levels.

As for mobility, the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D WoT is more like a medium tank. No, of course, our maximum speed is very good, we spin on the spot also cheerfully, but the problem is that the engine power is small. Because of this, there is a lack of dynamics, the car seems tight, and we only accelerate to the limit from the hill.

gun

As for weapons, we have a machine gun on board with a magazine for loading 10 shells, each of which deals 11 damage. Of course, this figure does not seem serious, having discharged the entire drum, we can inflict only 110 damage, but the full reload is only four seconds, thanks to which the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D gun is capable of dealing about 1125 damage per minute.

Of course, all this is only in theory, because the armor penetration of the base projectile leaves much to be desired. In order for the German tank Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D World of Tanks gave you the pleasure of the game, it is better to carry more gold ammunition with you.

In terms of accuracy, things are relatively good. The spread of this unit is large, the stabilization is limp, but both of these nuances are compensated by a very good convergence time. In addition, the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. The D cannon goes down 10 degrees and up 20 degrees, allowing you to play comfortably.

Advantages and disadvantages

Since all the most important characteristics we examined the tank and its guns, it's time to take stock, highlighting the strong and weak sides machine to make it easier for you to navigate in this matter.
Pros:
Good top speed and maneuverability;
Large margin of safety by the standards of classmates;
Decent review;
High damage per minute;
Fast reloading of the drum;
Excellent mixing;
Comfortable UVN;
Preferential level of battles;
Minuses:
Bad booking;
Weak dynamics;
Very low penetration rates;
Small damage in the drum;
Poor accuracy and stabilization.

Equipment for Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D

It's time to strengthen our combat vehicle and since the choice additional modules due to the small level, it is not rich, there is one most correct equipment option. Thus, on the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D equipment set the following:
1. - the best module in our case, which will give a boost to several important parameters at once.
2. - we have no other way to increase the accuracy, so we just make the mixing even faster.
3. - although our tank is not very mobile, you will rarely stand still, so this a good option to increase the view.

Crew training

In terms of skill selection, we are again somewhat limited, mainly because we only have three crew members at our disposal. For this reason, we adhere to the already familiar tactics of getting the most out of everything on the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D perks we learn are:
Commander (Gunner) - , , , .
Driver mechanic -, , , .
Loader (radio operator) - , , , .

Equipment for Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D

We have a gold-dependent machine in our hands in the sense that you will have to buy gold shells, and in order not to go into the red even more, it is quite possible to do without, and. However, if you have no problems with silver or gold, and you want to get even more fun from the game, bet on Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D equipment in the form of , , , where the last option can be replaced by , for an even greater increase in performance.

Game tactics on Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D

Frankly speaking, it is difficult to suggest any universal style of behavior in battles for this unit, because it does not have serious armor, excellent mobility or accurate weapons, and chaos is constantly created in the sandbox and all battles are fleeting.

But still, the style of play on this tank should be somewhat measured for the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D combat tactics is to play cautiously. It will not be possible to strongly distance yourself from the enemy, because the machine gunners have a limited firing range, but you should not climb forward either.

You will have to be cunning, use various shelters, holes in buildings, terrain and even defeated equipment on the battlefield. german easy tank Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D World of Tanks must conserve its health margin, so you need to shoot from cover or when the opponent is reloading.

Leave when you are not expected, come in from unexpected directions, quickly unload the drum and roll back to cover while reloading. By the way, the most important thing - never try to resist a superior number of enemies, your Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D WoT tank just fall apart from the focus of two or more guns.

The history of the creation of the PzKpfw II

When it became clear that the arrival of the much anticipated Platoon and Battalion Commander medium tanks - the Zugfubrerswagen and Batailonfubrerswagen - would take much longer than originally thought, the decision was made to immediately begin production of a new light training tank, inexpensive and easy to manufacture. Already in 1934, the Department of Armaments of the Ground Forces developed tactical and technical specifications for a tank weighing 10 tons. armed with a 20mm cannon. The future tank was supposed to have a number of fundamental differences from its predecessor PzKpfw I. The new vehicle needed stronger armor, more powerful weapons, which meant that the future tank would be fundamentally heavier. Initially, the tank, like the PzKpfw I, was intended for training personnel and putting together combat units, but later turned out to be a much more complete vehicle.

In June 1934, three firms at once - Krupp, Henschel and Son AG and MAN - were given the task of developing a new 10-ton light tank. The Krupp project as a whole was an improved modification of the experimental LKA-I model (prototype of the PzKpfw I tank) and was called LKA-II, respectively. The difference was primarily in armament. The new brainchild of Krupp * was equipped with an enlarged turret with a twin automatic 20-mm cannon and machine gun. The Henschel and Son AG * and MAN projects differed from the LKA-II only in suspension.

After a thorough examination of the submitted samples for serial production, a MAN chassis and an armored hull with a Daimler-Benz AG* turret were selected. Until the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were lifted, the project was designated as * Landwirtscbaftlicber Scblepper 100 (La S100) ”(agricultural tractor). MAN became the general contractor for the serial production of the chassis, and Daimler-Benz AG * armored hulls and turrets. Soon several other enterprises joined their production: in 1935 - Kassel "Wegmann", in 1936 - Brauishweig MIAG and FAMO from Breslau.

The first batch of new tanks consisted of only 25 units, which left the assembly line in 1935 and received the name 1 / La S 100. At the end of 1935 they were renamed light tanks 2 cm MG Panzerwagen (Vs. Kfz, 622) - a light tank with 20mm cannon. And since 1938, these vehicles were in service with tank divisions already under the marking PzKpfw II Ausf Al. weighed new tank so far only 7.2 tons, accommodated three crew members: the commander, who simultaneously served as a gunner, loader, also performed the functions of a radio operator, and a driver, and his armament consisted of a 20-mm KwK30 automatic cannon (Kampfwagenkannone - tank gun) and a coaxial with the 7.92 mm MG-34 machine gun, which from now on becomes the standard tank machine gun. The tank was equipped with a six-cylinder Maybach engine of the HL 57 TR type with a power of 130 Horse power, disc clutch and six-speed gearbox. The suspension on one side consisted of a front drive wheel, three pairs of small road wheels on leaf springs connected to each other by a longitudinal external beam, three support rollers in the upper part and a rear guide wheel (sloth).

The next 25 tanks, known as the PzKpfw II Ausf A2, featured a more advanced engine cooling system and better ventilation in the fighting compartment. The 50 tanks of the third batch were named respectively PzKpfw II Ausf A3 and were equipped with improved suspension and tracks. In this model, the power and fighting compartments were separated by a removable fire wall. The tanks of all three batches had a rounded nose made of one sheet and 13 mm frontal armor (with 15 mm gun mantlet armor).

In 1936, the next modification of the new German tank was born - 2 La S 100 (PzKpfw II Ausf B). This model was equipped with a more powerful carburetor engine (Maybach * type HL 62 TR), which led to an increase in combat weight to 7.9 tons. This, in turn, required wider tracks. In total, 100 tanks of the PzKpfw I Ausf B type were built. In 1937, Henschel and Son AG made significant changes and amendments to the design of the tank, the result of these changes was a tank with design number 3 / La S 100 (PzKpfw II Ausf C) . Compared to previous modifications of the tank, in addition to the transmission, the suspension has undergone the most significant changes.

The three pairs of small rollers connected by an external beam were replaced by five medium-diameter rollers, each suspended on a quarter-elliptical spring, and the number of carrier rollers increased from three to four, significantly improving the smoothness of the terrain and the speed of movement on the highway. It was this suspension that became the basis for all subsequently produced PzKpfw II Aust tanks: A, B and C. The Henschel project was immediately put into mass production. So, in 1937, a German tank PzKpfw II Ausf A, created at the MAN factories. In 1938, PzKpfw I appeared! Ausf B and PzKpfw II Ausf C, which differed only slightly from the first modification. Between 1937 and mid-1940, more than 1,100 of these tanks were produced, so by the beginning war PzKpfw II became the most common combat vehicle of the tank divisions. However, during the war in Poland and France, the PzKpfw II tank, like its predecessor PzKpfw I, demonstrated the weakness of its armor and armament.

MODIFICATIONS OF THE PzKpfW II TANK:

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. A1- a total of 10 tanks of this modification were produced. This was the first preliminary serial modification of this machine. The tank had 13 mm vertical armor, 130 hp engine. (model HL 57 TR). The undercarriage consisted of a suspension interlocked in pairs on leaf springs.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. A1

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. A2- tanks of this modification were produced 15 units. In this machine, German designers improved the ventilation of the fighting compartment (degassing after a cannon shot). The engine compartment was also increased in volume.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. A2

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. A3- it was the third preliminary serial modification of the tank, 50 units were produced. It included minor changes to the chassis and engine. Also, the modification was distinguished by the presence of an installed partition between the combat and engine compartments.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. A3

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. b- 25 tanks of this modification were produced. This modification has improved the layout of the engine and fighting compartments. A more powerful 62TR engine with 140 hp was installed. Moreover, in undercarriage introduce a new planetary turning mechanism.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. b

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. FROM- this modification of the tank was the last pre-production modification of the Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II series tanks. It differed primarily in the individual suspension on leaf bearings, which gave the tank a smoother ride. The thickness of the vertical armor of the tank increased to 14.5 mm.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. FROM

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf.A- this was the first modification that went into mass production and, according to various sources, Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II tanks of this modification were assembled from 1113 to 1147 units. The tanks of this modification had almost the same performance characteristics as the previous models, but had minor changes in viewing devices, gearbox and engine.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. A

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. B- this modification of the tank differed little from the Ausf.A, except for the adaptations for their rapid production at manufacturing plants and increased productivity. In the rest, all performance characteristics were identical.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. B

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. C- third tank serial modification It featured a commander's turret mounted on the turret, frontal armor increased to 29-35 mm, and a number of minor design changes.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. C

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. D- this modification of the "two" was usually called "high-speed", since it had a more powerful engine, which allowed it to develop a higher speed compared to previous modifications. Also in the tank has undergone a change in the shape of the hull. The tank received a new undercarriage with an individual torsion bar suspension, the suspension rollers were enlarged. 250 such tanks were produced together with the Ausf.F.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. D

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. E- this modification is also referred to as “high-speed” in many sources, but it differs little from the previous modification.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. E

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. F- tanks of this modification were produced 531 units. Tanks of this serial modification were the last series. Compared to the previous one, it differed in increased armor. A KwK 38 cannon (20 mm) was installed on the tank. Improved crew viewing devices were also installed.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. F

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. G- no data.

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. J- on the basis of the tank (PzKpfW) II, it was decided to create a reconnaissance tank with increased armor. This model of the tank received the designation VK 1601. The tank received serious frontal armor - up to 80 mm, roof and bottom - 25 mm, sides - 50 mm. Due to the increased armor, the tank became heavier up to 18 tons. A relatively "weak" Maybach HL 45P engine was installed on the tank, so the tank's speed did not exceed 30 km/h. The tank was armed with a KwK 38 L/55 cannon. A total of 22 modification tanks (PzKpfW) II Ausf.J were produced between December 1941 and April 1942. 7 tanks in the 12th tank division were sent to Russia.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. J

Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. L "Luchs"- another concept of a German reconnaissance tank. In Russian and foreign literature, the expression "tank Luks" is sometimes found, which corresponds to Luchs. The tank was created on the basis of the Pz II and received the designation Sd.Kfz. 123. This machine was made for two German companies: Henschel and MAN. Between September 1943 and January 1944, 104 PzKpfW II Ausf. L. As part of reconnaissance armored units, this tank fought on the Eastern (for example, the 4th Panzer Division) and Western fronts. Not infrequently, the Luchs tank was found in parts of the SS troops. As additional armor protection on the Eastern Front, additional armor plates were installed on the front of the tanks. Part of the tanks PzKpfW II Ausf. The Germans used L as reconnaissance communication tanks, installing antennas and radio stations on them. For the final batch of 31 PzKpfW II Ausf. L mounted 50 mm KwK 39 L/60 guns. To date, the only surviving tank PzKpfW II Ausf. L can be seen at the British Tank Museum in Bovington.

German light tank Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfW) II Ausf. L

COMBAT USE OF TANKS PzKpfw II

In the initial period of its history, the tanks Pz. Kpfw. II were quite reliable vehicles, comparable in their combat qualities to light armored vehicles of other states. However, the protection of these light tanks, as well as vehicles of the PzKpfw I type, was extremely low. The "twos" were vulnerable to anti-tank artillery and guns of heavier tanks.

Already in the spring of 1936, PzKpfw II entered service with Wehrmacht tank units, and subsequently took part in the attack on Poland and France. According to official sources, in May 1940, the Wehrmacht was armed with 2009 PzKpfw I vehicles (of which 17 Ausf F tanks), and a year later, in May 1941, there were 1024 of them (85 PzKpfw II Ausf F) in January 1942 - 1250 (89 PzKpfw II Ausf F). "Twos" took part in all operations initial period World War II and constituted the main striking force ground forces Wehrmacht until better PzKpfw III and PzKpfw IV.

In 1939-1940. The PzKpfwII were the heaviest vehicles of the light tank companies, with 140 to 160 units in each division. During the reorganization of tank divisions in 1940-1941. "twos" lost the role of combat vehicles and moved into the category of light reconnaissance tanks. In addition, five tanks of the PzKpfw II type were supplied to the headquarters of each company, battalion and regiment in tank units. In practice, this meant a sharp decrease in the number of PzKpfw II in divisions - out of 201 tanks in a tank division, there were now only 65 of them. In 1942, even fewer remained. During this period, due to the disbandment of reconnaissance platoons of tank companies, it was possible to increase the number of combat reconnaissance vehicles in reconnaissance units of tank battalions and regiments from 5 to 7 vehicles. In a tank division, there were now only 28 * twos for 164 tanks. In 1943, the PzKpfw II finally left the stage (So, in the operation - Citadel "on Orlovsko - Kursk Bulge in July 1943 only 70 PzKpfw II light tanks took part. See Baryatinsky M-, Armored vehicles Germany 1939-1945. M.. 1996, p. 4.-L/).).

Retired Colonel Herman Rott recalls the time when he commanded a PzKpfw II tank in the 5th Tank Regiment: “Almost immediately after the invasion of Poland, in September 1939, I took command of a tank platoon squad armed with PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II. I got the PzKpfw II tank. Before starting, I had a very experienced driver and a young corporal-radio operator. As a tank commander, I had to fire the 20mm KwK cannon and machine gun. If my memory serves me, the cannon was loaded with shells from magazines with a capacity of 10 or 20 rounds each ("The tank gun was loaded from a flat magazine with a capacity of 10 rounds. Since the standard 20-round magazine of the 20-mm Flak ZO anti-aircraft gun was too bulky for use in tank.).

Under normal conditions, the cannon was an unsurpassed weapon, but working with it turned into a real torment if the environment was too dusty. I still remember with what terrible curses I loaded it! The machine gun was our main weapon, with its help it was possible to repel massive attacks by infantry, cavalry and light armored vehicles.
..Until now, I still have a chill running through my skin at the mere memory of an unexpected attack by the Polish cavalry! I can see in front of me an endless line of horsemen galloping at us with drawn sabers... This was probably the last major use of cavalry in modern warfare. The regiment commander gave the order to open machine-gun fire on the legs of the horses ... One should have seen with what amazement the captured cavalrymen examined and felt our tanks. Poor fellows! They were sure that the Germans had all plywood equipment and they could easily deal with it with their sabers!
... On my PzKpfw II, I covered more than 2000 km in three weeks without rest. However, I owe this record primarily to my first-class driver, who skillfully looked after our tank.
... It is difficult for me to recall any combat episode in which only "twos" would take part ... The battle for France in 1940 comes to mind. During the months of the French campaign, the 35th tank regiment of the 4th tank division participated in many battles ... I'll tell you about the capture of bridges across the Seine in the Romilly region.

We broke through to the Marne in the area of ​​Monte-Saint-Pierre. They moved slowly, hampered by the fierce resistance of French artillery and heavy rain. The opposite bank of the river was lost in the fog, with every minute the situation became more and more difficult. Our tanks had to tow armored vehicles stuck in the mud.

At dawn on June 13, our regiment finally completed the crossing and continued south. After passing Montmirel, we proceeded to Macluny, where we joined with other regiments of our brigade. At 12.00, with the support of artillery, our regiment prepared for the attack. Our target was Sezani. At the beginning, we moved forward very quickly, but soon the artillery and anti-tank guns of the enemy intervened. Fortunately, our gunners quickly found the target. Soon the first prisoners passed us with their hands held high above their heads. Meanwhile, the 2nd Tank Battalion finished off five anti-tank guns. Two of them were destroyed, the rest hastily retreated. The French infantry was mowed down by fire, the survivors fled. On the radio, we were told to stop to regroup. At 1800, when we were joined by an artillery battalion and a battery of anti-aircraft gunners, we continued our offensive. No signs of the presence of the enemy ... The 2nd battalion broke into the town, followed by staff vehicles and guns of the 1st battalion. In the south, near the railway station, three heavy enemy tanks were found. We had no choice but to open fire, but how could our 20-mm guns cope with such powerful armor! The funny thing is that as soon as we started shooting, these giants turned and retreated. Taking advantage of this, the soldiers of the 2nd battalion opened fire on the retreating enemy and captured many prisoners. In the nearby airfield we got six intact planes. We occupied the railway station and stopped all the trains, shooting the locomotives. After that, the 36th Regiment left us, and we continued to move south.

Along the way, we met columns of retreating French everywhere. We fired on them again and took hundreds of prisoners. The fighters of the light division captured 500 French. Nevertheless, pockets of resistance still remained, so that we had to pour fire on every village. They took Bardonne. At 18.30 we receive an order: "Immediately move to the Seine, take control of the bridge near Markil and form a bridgehead in Romilly."
From that moment on, we stopped paying attention to enemy columns. Catching up with them, we invariably came under fire, but did not even stop. The Seine was waiting for us! We walked for a long time and reached the shore late in the evening. Near Markil we stumbled upon enemy artillery, but as soon as we launched an attack, the French threw down their weapons and fled. At 22.00 they occupied Markil. But as soon as we entered the streets, they began to fire at us from the windows of every house, from every roof, from every attic. Sitting in the tanks, we heard only the slow “knock-knock” of the French machine guns. Our 75 mm guns won some silence, but soon the enemy shelling resumed. Only after a hard struggle did the 2nd Battalion finally manage to break through to the bridge. And then ZhS we were met by machine-gun and massive artillery fire. The situation was critical, especially considering that in the dark we could not see the opposite bank of the river. Our battalion adjutant Oberleutnant Malgut proposed to dismount and, under the fire cover of his tanks, break through to the bridge, Regimental Adjutant Guderian (Heinz Günther Guderian was the eldest son of Colonel General Heinz Guderian Note per.) Warmly supported this idea. Our sappers and scouts cleared the houses overlooking the river from the enemy and occupied convenient

fighting positions, from where the entire river was shot. Suddenly, three sappers, led by Lieutenant Stoff, rushed to the bridge in a suicidal attempt to break through the enemy defenses. The bridge was filled with explosives, and only miraculously the French did not have time to blow it up! Chief Lieutenant Malgut and Guderian burst onto the bridge after the sappers, Guderian jumped straight from the bridge into a trench full of French infantrymen. The case could have ended badly, but a grenade thrown into the trench in time saved our lieutenant. The fierce resistance of the French was short-lived, and they were soon forced to surrender. Then Lieutenant Malgut was the first to lead his tank across the bridge, the rest followed him.
Encountering no resistance, we continued to move towards Romilly. Captured a new bridge layer 28-cm mortar. As it turned out, the lull was deceptive. On a paved road, we suddenly ran into an enemy column.

With furious fire, we managed to push the French back. Safe and sound, our unit finally reached the city and immediately occupied two bridges. They fell like snow on their heads, catching the French by surprise. It would be foolish not to take advantage of the suddenness! The number of prisoners we collected in the market square of the town grew steadily. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Malgut made his way from the city to the neighboring village, shooting another enemy column along the way.

Long after midnight all parts of our regiment reached Romilly. The order was carried out. We have created a bridgehead for crossing the Seine! Despite the fact that the regiment moved without rest for almost 36 hours, it was necessary to be on the alert all the time, expecting a sudden attack by the enemy. At the nearest airfield, 33 aircraft were captured, including 7 heavy bombers. Blocked train traffic railway. The number of prisoners continued to grow, however, when Sunday trains arrived in the city, we freely let the passengers go home.
The next morning we were relieved by the newly arrived units of the division, and we were finally able to rest! On the morning of June 14, the 2nd turnip in early! ie Savas took another bridge across the Seine. The second battalion was thrown in the direction of Châtreuse, where a fierce battle broke out. Light motorized units were ordered to support the 8th tank company. New hundreds of prisoners ... By noon we had completed our task. French resistance choked and dried up. In the afternoon we enjoyed a respite from the comfort of the countryside around Romilly. Everyone dreamed of a good night

June 15 at 14.00 continued to move south. Near Le Belle Etoile, one soldier was killed and two wounded by anti-tank gun fire.

Endless columns of French soldiers crawled past. Most of them simply dropped their weapons and asked for directions to the makeshift POW camp. Some looked depressed, but there were also those who greeted us in a friendly way. Lots of drunks. The civilian population looked calm, some greeted us with smiles.
... We walked and walked as long as there was enough fuel. We got to the outskirts of Chablis. We decided that somewhere at the intersection of roads there should be a gas station. They were just about to search when they came under fire. Lieutenant von Gerdtel, together with sergeant majors Janek and Drew, drove up to the grove, from where they poured fire on us, and persuaded the French to surrender. 40 people came out with their hands up, but then the machine-gun fire from the grove resumed, and our prisoners rushed to their heels. Both sergeants were seriously injured, but, fortunately, Lieutenant Gerdtel managed to get into his tank and save them. It was already at 22.00.

Lieutenant Malgut came to the rescue in his PzKpfw II, accompanied by a PzKpfw I tank. We tried to dissuade our chief lieutenant from going towards the French himself, but he only laughed and moved towards the grove. Having destroyed the machine-gun point, Malgut suggested that the French surrender in order to avoid senseless bloodshed. In the next second, he was wounded in the head... Without regaining consciousness, our lieutenant died in the arms of Lieutenant Konigshtein. This sad news spread through the regiment with lightning speed. Malgut was one of the most experienced and brave tank officers, everyone loved him very much. He didn't deserve such a ridiculous death! The next day we buried our chief lieutenant with honors.
... In the meantime, the offensive continued all night, until they reached Nevers. The number of prisoners was replenished with the crews of the tanks we knocked out and the calculation of the machine-gun pillbox on the outskirts of the city. We entered the city at 0300 and spent the rest of the night in our cars, shaking from the morning cold.”

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

In the case of the Germans, the most striking example of such a paradoxical rearmament waspz. Kpfw. II ausf. F . Here it was about the actual return, with minor modifications, to a less perfect modification of the "two" (ausf. C) than already adopted (ausf. D).

Back to springs

The question that the La.S.100 chassis is far from perfect was raised in the 6th Department of the Department of Armaments as early as January 1937. Despite the fact that MAN was working on a modernized version of the car with a new chassis, Heinrich Knimkamp insisted on starting work on a completely different chassis. It was supposed to have a torsion bar suspension and a slightly different layout of the units. The chassis received the designation La.S.138, its prospects were rated very highly. In correspondence, employees of the 6th department of the Department of Armaments La.S. was called devoid of a future and was looking forward to the launch of a new version of the Pz.Kpfw.II.

In fact, the situation was not at all as rosy as it was seen by German engineers. For starters, work on La.S.138 dragged on. In addition, on June 18, 1938, in the midst of preparations for production, the Ordnance Department (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.

New commander's cupola became one of the innovations of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F. She migrated from the modernization of Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c-C

And the tank itself, which received the designation 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 a torsion bar suspension, the combat weight of the vehicle increased by two tons. Of course, far from one suspension was 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 somewhat changed. Nevertheless, such an increase in mass did not at all please the 6th department of the Department of Armaments.

Finally, soon struck back and conditionally retired La.S.100. The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c built on this platform and the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A-C following it turned out to be much more successful vehicles in terms of suspension reliability. It turned out that the designers gave up on the springs completely in vain. As a result, 43 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Ds, manufactured from October 1938 to April 1939, were simply lost in a much larger volume of Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C. As for the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.E, the seven chassis produced in this modification did not become "ordinary" tanks and were used as a base for the construction of flamethrower vehicles.

From Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D to new car the driver's viewing device migrated

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 the production of a batch of 404 9.Serie / La.S.100 was expected in December of the same year. This meant that the release of the "bad" tank would continue.

On secondary production bases

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

This copy was intended for military operations in Africa. The front mudguards quickly "left"

In the summer of 1939, the FAMO (Fahrzeug-und Motoren-Werke GmbH) plant in Breslau (now Polish Wroclaw) remained the only production site for this tank. Just in 1939, FAMO began to produce an 18-ton Sd.Kfz.9 half-track tractor. The mastery of this very difficult vehicle in terms of design significantly influenced the timing of the launch of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C.

The order was small (35 tanks), but production problems led to the fact that in July FAMO managed to deliver only two tanks. In August, their number increased to five, the same number was handed over in September. But after the October growth (eight tanks), only two vehicles were delivered in November. This was followed by a long pause, only in April 1940 was it possible to release the last nine tanks.

This picture was connected with the high losses of Pz.Kpfw.II 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 intended, among other things, 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 were supposed to be used as assemblers of the new 9.Serie / La.S.100. The Waffenamt continued to consider May 1940 as the start date for production, but here new factors had already begun to interfere with the plans of the military. The Polish campaign showed that the armor of the Pz.Kpf.II needed to be strengthened. On the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c-C, the issue was resolved by installing shielding, while on the new tanks, the frontal armor of the hull and turret was reinforced from the very beginning to 30 mm. This required alteration of the hull and turret blueprints, and as of 24 January 1940 the blueprints were still in progress.

Another design change was added on 7 March 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 date for the release of 9.Serie/La.S.100. The tank and tracked vehicle orders department moved the start of production to June 1940. However, later it turned out that great optimists worked there.

The May-June 1940 campaign cost the German tank forces 240 Pz.Kpfw.II. Got it again a large number of damaged cars. An additional factor hindering the release was the fact that now FAMO and Alkett were also involved in the release of Pz.Kpw.III. Soon the Alkett plant received the first order for the production of StuG III self-propelled guns. It became more and more obvious that 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 platform was needed for the production of long-suffering light tanks. And it was not found in Germany at all.

This tank was lost during the fighting in Africa. The new muffler and flue devices, covered with an armored casing, make it easy to distinguish 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 in terms 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 site for the production of tanks. So Ursus became the only plant in the territories captured by the Germans during the Second World War, which produced German tanks and self-propelled guns.

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

The first 10 tanks of the 9th series at the Polish plant were planned to be released in September 1940, 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 corrected until the release of the first three cars in December 1940, but this also turned out to be an unrealizable dream. In December, the 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 connected to help in mastering 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.

Temporary long-liver

By the beginning of 1941, the 9.Serie/La.S.100 modification tank, designated Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F in the series, was in a rather delicate situation. In June 1940, the 6th Department of the Ordnance Department initiated work on the creation of the VK 9.03, a light tank of the 10-ton class. The MAN designers developed the car, while Heinrich Knipkamp took an active part in the work. With armament and armor similar to the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, the vehicle should have become much faster. The 9.Serie/La.S.100 was supposed 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 was made to start production of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, the vehicle has changed little. Technically, the new tank repeated the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C. The main changes were 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, similar in shape to the additional armor installed on the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c-C.

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 a viewing device similar to that installed on the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D and Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.E. To the right of it was placed a mock-up viewing device made of aluminum. As planned by 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 a block of smoke devices on the aft plate, the muffler had to be made noticeably shorter. The turret also underwent minimal changes, almost no different from the modernization of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C. In a word, if it were not for production problems, there were no obstacles to a quick transition to the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C.

The same tank from the other side

The first alterations to the design of the new tank began even before it was launched into mass production. They were connected with the fact that the first parts of the African Corps went to North Africa. In order for the tanks to work normally in the desert, it was necessary to strengthen their ventilation system. Thus, the very first production Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F had the possibility of a quick conversion to a tropical version. Armor kits were supplied by two factories: Deutsche Edelstahlwerke from Reimscheid, as well as 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 Panzer Division "Viking", already has a turret box

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, here the situation turned out to be absolutely awful. For the whole of 1941, Breslau never managed to overcome the bar of ten tanks per month. As a result, Warsaw was forced to speed up 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.F.

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 about the tanks of the Pz.Kpfw.II family. The fact that the 20-mm automatic gun clearly does not correspond to the realities of modern warfare was clearly shown by the campaign in France. Could not boast of Pz.Kpfw.II and high mobility. According to this indicator, he did not stand out against the background of medium tanks.

It is not surprising that there was no place in the promising rearmament program for the Pz.Kpfw.II. 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, the plans did not always correspond to reality. The result of the VK 903 program turned out to be sad: this car was never built either in the 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", the VK 901, also known as the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.G. With sin in half, MAN built 45 of these tanks, which did not take root in the troops.

The reconnaissance tank VK 13.01 turned out to be a more promising direction. This vehicle was the first German light tank to have 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 in this. Work on the tank was delayed, and the Pz.Kpfw.38(t) n.A. program was launched to secure it. and Škoda T-15.

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

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

Judging by the mark on the front sheet, the car was knocked out at least once

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

Back in March 1942, the flamethrower Pz.Kpfw.II (F) 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 Pz.Kpfw.II was made in the summer of 1942. On June 7, Field Marshal Keitel proposed to completely switch to the production of self-propelled guns based on them. Hitler agreed to the production of half of the tanks 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 Pz.Kpfw.II.

Same tank, left side view

In 1942, FAMO and Ursus produced 276 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F. In total, 509 of them were made, that is, much more than was originally expected. Due to the fact that the contracts were repeatedly renegotiated, the numbering of the cars turned out to be a little torn. According to the research of Thomas Yentz 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 the units. As of September 1, 1942, there were 1039 tanks of this type in the troops. 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 mostly converted to self-propelled units or in tractors, Pz.Kpfw.II continued to serve. Most often they were used in units where there were self-propelled guns on the Pz.Kpfw.II chassis. As of October 1, 1944, the troops still had 386 tanks of this type.

As is often the case, the native "body kit" from the shelves completely disappeared, in some places along with the mounts

Periodically, the cars were sent to the factories, where they underwent major repairs, then again sent to the troops. Such a fate was, for example, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, now located in the Patriot park. Unfortunately, its chassis number has not been preserved, but the turret number (28384) suggests that the tank was produced at the Ursus factory 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, repainted in dark yellow Dunkelgelb nach Muster. Judging by the surviving markings, the tank was used as a command vehicle of the second battalion.

Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F booking scheme compiled by Soviet specialists

Captured Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Fs repeatedly fell into the hands of the Red Army. But they were almost of no interest to Soviet specialists. For Soviet tank building, this tank was yesterday 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 photo archive of the author.

It was improved and modified many times, thanks to which it was very effective against other medium tanks throughout the war.

History of creation

The decision to develop the Pz.Kpfw.IV was made in 1934. The car was primarily made to support infantry and suppress enemy firing points. The Pz.Kpfw.III, developed recently, was taken as the basis for the design. medium tank. When development began, Germany still did not advertise work on prohibited weapons, so the project for the new tank was called the Mittleren Tractor, and later, less conspiratorially, Bataillonfuhrerswagen (BW), that is, “battalion commander's vehicle”. Of all the projects, the VK 2001(K) project presented by AG Krupp was selected.

The project was not accepted immediately - at first the military was not satisfied with the spring suspension, but the development of a new, torsion bar suspension could be very delayed, and Germany was in dire need of a new tank, so it was decided to simply finalize the existing project.

In 1934, the first layout was born, still called Bataillonfuhrerswagen. However, when the Germans introduced a unified tank designation system, he received his last name - the PzKpfw IV tank, which fully sounds like Panzerkampfwagen IV.

The first mock-up was made from plywood, and soon a prototype made from mild welded steel appeared. He was immediately sent for testing in Kummersdorf, which the tank successfully passed. In 1936, mass production of the machine began.

performance characteristics

general information

• Classification - medium tank;
• Combat weight - 25 tons;
• Layout scheme - classic, front transmission;
• Crew - 5 people;
• Years of production - from 1936 to 1945;
• Years of operation - from 1939 to 1970;
• Total released - 8686 pieces.

Dimensions

• Case length - 5890 mm;
• Hull width - 2880 mm;
• Height - 2680 mm.

Booking

• Type of armor - forged steel, rolled with surface hardening;
• Forehead - 80 mm / degree;
• Board - 30 mm / degree;
• Hull feed - 20 m / degree;
• Tower forehead - 50 mm / degree;
• Tower board - 30 mm / degree;
• Cutting feed - 30 mm / degree;
• Tower roof - 18 mm / degree.

Armament

• The caliber and make of the gun are 75 mm KwK 37, KwK 40 L/43, KwK 40 L/48, depending on the modification;
• Barrel length - 24, 43 or 48 calibers;
• Ammunition - 87;
• Machine guns - 2 × 7.92 mm MG-34.

Mobility

• Engine power - 300 horsepower;
• Highway speed - 40 km / h;
• Power reserve on the highway - 300 km;
• Specific power - 13 hp per ton;
• Climbability - 30 degrees;
• Crossable moat - 2.2 meters

Modifications

• Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. A. - with bulletproof armor and poor protection of surveillance devices. In fact, this is a pre-production modification - only 10 of them were produced, and an order for an improved model was immediately received;
• PzKpfw IV Ausf. B - a hull of a different shape, the absence of a course machine gun and improved viewing devices. Frontal armor has been strengthened, a powerful engine has been installed, a new gearbox has been installed. Of course, the mass of the tank increased, but the speed increased to 40 km/h. 42 were produced;
• PzKpfw IV Ausf. C is a truly massive modification. Similar to option B, but with a new engine and some changes. Since 1938, 140 pieces have been made;
• Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. D - model with an external turret mantlet, thicker side armor and some improvements. The last peaceful model, 45 pieces were produced;
• Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. E - a model that took into account the experience of the first war years. Got a new one commander's tower and reinforced armor. The chassis, the design of viewing devices and hatches have improved, as a result, the weight of the machine has increased to 21 tons;
• Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.F2 - with a 75 mm gun. Still had insufficient protection compared to Soviet tanks;
• Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G - a more protected tank, some were equipped with a 75-mm cannon with a length of 48 calibers;
• Ausf.H - machine of 1943, the most massive. Similar to Model G, but with thicker turret roof and new transmission;
• Ausf.J - an attempt to simplify and reduce the cost of tank production in 1944. There was no electric drive for turning the turret; soon after the release, the pistol ports were removed and the design of the hatches was simplified. Tanks of this modification were produced until the end of the war.

Vehicles based on the Pz. IV

Several special vehicles were also built on the basis of the Panzerkampfwagen IV:

• StuG IV - medium self-propelled guns of the assault gun class;
• Nashorn (Hornisse) - medium anti-tank self-propelled guns;
• Möbelwagen 3,7 cm FlaK auf Fgst Pz.Kpfw. IV(sf); Flakpanzer IV "Möbelwagen" - anti-aircraft self-propelled guns;
• Jagdpanzer IV - medium self-propelled gun, tank destroyer;
• Munitionsschlepper - ammunition transporter;
• Sturmpanzer IV (Brummbär) - medium class self-propelled howitzer/assault gun;
• Hummel - self-propelled howitzer;
• Flakpanzer IV (3.7cm FlaK) Ostwind and Flakpanzer IV (2cm Vierling) Wirbelwind are self-propelled anti-aircraft guns.

A PzKpfw IV Hydrostatic machine with a hydrostatic drive was also developed, but it remained experimental and did not enter the series.

Use in combat

The Wehrmacht received the first three tanks Pz. IV in January 1938. A total of 113 cars were produced in 1938. The first operations of these tanks were the Anschluss of Austria and the capture of the Judiciary Region of Czechoslovakia in 1938. And in 1939 they drove through the streets of Prague.

Before the invasion of Poland, the Wehrmacht had 211 Pz. IV A, B and C. All of them were superior to Polish cars, but here anti-tank guns were dangerous for them, so many tanks were lost.

By May 10, 1940, the Panzerwaffe had 290 Pz.Kpfw.IV tanks. They successfully fought the French tanks, winning with fewer losses. However, while the troops still had more light Pz.l and Pz.ll than Pz. IV. In further operations, they practically did not suffer losses.

After 1940

By the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the Germans had 439 Pz.lV. There is evidence that at that time the Germans referred them to heavy tanks, but they were significantly inferior to the Soviet heavy KV in combat qualities. However, Pz.lV was inferior even to our T-34. Because of this, about 348 Pz.Kpfw.IV units were lost in battles in 1941. A similar situation occurred in North Africa.

Even the Germans themselves did not speak very well of the Pz.Kpfw.IV, which was the reason for so many modifications. In Africa, the machines were clearly defeated, and several successful operations involving Pz.lV Ausf.G and Tigers did not help in the end - in North Africa, the Germans had to capitulate.

On the Eastern Front, the Ausf.F2 took part in the attack on the North Caucasus and Stalingrad. When Pz.lll ceased production in 1943, it was the four that became the main German tank. And although after the start of the release of the Panther, the four wanted to stop releasing, this decision was abandoned, and for good reason. As a result, in 1943, Pz.IVs accounted for 60% of all German tanks - most of all there were G and H modifications. They were often confused with Tigers due to armor screens.

It was Pz.lVs that actively participated in Operation Citadel - there were many more "tigers" and "panthers". At the same time, it seems that the Soviet troops just accepted many Pz. IV for the Tigers, since according to reports they knocked out a lot more Tigers than were present from the German side.

In all these battles, a lot of fours were lost - in 1943 this number reached 2402, and only 161 units were repaired.

End of the war

Summer 1944 German troops they constantly lost both in the East and in the West, and the Pz.lV tanks could not withstand the onslaught of enemies. 1139 vehicles were destroyed, but there were still enough of them in the troops.

The last major operations in which Pz.lV participated on the side of Germany were the counteroffensive in the Ardennes and the counterattack on Lake Balaton. They ended in failure, many tanks were knocked out. In general, the fours participated in hostilities until the very end of the war - they could also be found on street fighting in Berlin and in Czechoslovakia.

Of course, the captured Pz. IV was actively used by the Red Army and the allies in various battles.

After World War II

After the surrender of Germany, a fairly large batch of fours was transferred to Czechoslovakia. They were repaired and were in service until the 50s. Pz.lV was also actively exploited in Syria, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Turkey and Spain.

In the Middle East, Pz.Kpfw.IV fought in 1964, in the "water war" over the Jordan River. Then Pz.lV Ausf.H fired on Israeli troops, but were soon destroyed in large numbers. And in 1967, in the "six-day" war, the Israelis captured the remaining cars.

Tank in culture

Tank Pz. The IV was one of the most popular German tanks, so it has a strong presence in modern culture.

In bench modeling, 1:35 scale plastic prefabricated models are produced in China, Japan, Russia and South Korea. On the territory of the Russian Federation, the most common models of the Zvezda company are a late shielded tank and an early short-barreled one, with a 75-mm cannon.

Very often the tank is found in games. Pz. IV A, D and H can be found in the game Word of Tanks, in Battlefield 1942 it is the main German tank. It can also be seen in both parts of Company of Heroes, in Advanced Military Commander, in the games Behind Enemy Lines, Red Orchestra 2, and others. Modifications of the Ausf. C, ausf. E, Ausf. F1, Ausf. F2, Ausf. G, Ausf. H, Ausf. J are presented. On mobile platforms Pz.IV Ausf. F2 can be seen in Armored Aces.

tank memory

The PzKpfw IV was produced in large quantities, so many of its modifications, especially later ones, are presented in various museums around the world:

• Belgium, Brussels - Museum of the Royal Army and Military History, PzKpfw IV Ausf J;
• Bulgaria, Sofia - Museum of Military History, PzKpfw IV Ausf J;
• United Kingdom - Duxford War Museum and Bovington Tank Museum, Ausf. D;
• Germany - Museum of Technology in Sinsheim and Tank Museum in Munster, Ausf G;
• Israel - Israel Defense Forces Museum in Tel Aviv, Ausf. J, and the Israeli Armored Forces Museum in Latrun, Ausf. G;
• Spain, El Goloso - Museum of armored vehicles, Ausf H;
• Russia, Kubinka - Armored Museum, Ausf G;
• Romania, Bucharest - National War Museum, Ausf J;
• Serbia, Belgrade - Military Museum, Ausf H;
• Slovakia - Museum of the Slovak Uprising in Banska Bystrica and Museum of the Carpathian-Dukela Operation in Svidnik, Ausf J;
• USA - Military Vehicle Technology Foundation Museum in Portola Valley, Ausf. H, US Army Ordnance Museum at Fort Lee: Ausf. D, ausf. G, Ausf. H;
• Finland, Parola - Tank Museum, Ausf J;
• France, Saumur - Tank Museum, Ausf J;
• Switzerland, Tuna - Tank Museum, Ausf H.

Photo and video