Thread by @RivetsAndPins

Today, I want to shine a small spotlight on Nazi Germany's first mass-produced 'tank', the PzKw I.

Most folk tend to ignore this little vehicle in favour of bigger tanks like the PzKw IV, Panther or Tiger.

But for a change, let's look at the little guy.

#TankTuesday

1/

The PzKw I is often considered a mere 'training tank', which ended up in the front line in Poland, France & the Low Countries before the invasion of the USSR in 1941.

Actually, it was much more significant than that.

But first, a question: what *was* the PzKw I?

2/

The PzKw I is traditionally called a 'light tank'. However, I agree with the view that it was actually a tankette.

A tankette can be defined as a small, 2-man lightly armoured vehicle, open or enclosed.

Such vehicles were much in vogue in the 1920s & 30s.

3/

Whilst the mention of a 'tankette' may make you think of a small vehicle with no turret (eg Polish TKS, Italian CV35), several nations produced tankettes with a small turret.

Examples of this include the Japanese Type 94 or Soviet T-37.

4/

The PzKw I was armed with 2 MG13 machine guns in a fully-revolving turret. It had a driver at the front of the hull & a commander/gunner in the turret.

It was powered by a 4-cylinder Krupp petrol engine, with an maximum power output of 60PS.

5/

The initial version, the PzKw I Ausführung A (or 'version A'), entered production in 1934. 1175 examples were built.

But the vehicle was found wanting; the engine was too weak to adequately power it.

Also, the suspension was poor, causing the tank to pitch at speed.

6/

Changes were made resulting in the PzKw I Ausf. B.

The engine was a 6-cylinder Maybach petrol engine, giving 100PS. To fit the larger engine, the hull was lengthened by 40cm.

A 5th roadwheel was added to the suspension which, with other changes, fixed the pitching problem.

7/

The PzKw I Ausf. B was a much improved vehicle. In total, 546 Ausf. Bs were produced.

Which brings us to the point of "Why build so many? They were just little training vehicles".

To which I reply, "No, they weren't".

8/

In 1934, when the PzKw I entered production, tankettes armed with MGs were very common. An armoured vehicle with 2 MGs was still considered viable on the battlefield.

As Jentz said "These were the best tanks the current technology & limited funding could produce at the time"

9/

They were a cheap way to quickly produce large numbers of armoured vehicles. This had 2 *huge* benefits for Germany.

Firstly, it allowed large-scale armoured formations to be formed & tried for the first time, using real AFVs, rather than using cars in a cardboard disguise.

10/

It also allowed German industry to improve its knowledge & gain vital experience in the mass production of tanks & other AFVs.

This was *critical* if it were to try to satisfy the Nazi regime's future requirement for tanks & other armoured vehicles.

11/

By the time of the invasion of Poland, many lessons of the Spanish Civil War had also been learnt.

One of them was 'Thou shalt keep tankettes well away from tanks with cannon'.

But Germany was desperately short of tanks; PzKw III production had been seriously delayed.

12/

Consequently, the PzKw I found itself as a poor substitute for the PzKw III in the tank companies of the Panzer Divisions in the first 2 years of WW2.

And of course when it came up against tanks armed with anything bigger than an MG, it suffered accordingly.

13/

And finally, like many other models that became obsolete - eg the PzKw 38(t) - a good number of PzKw Is went into retirement and ended their days without their superstructure or turret ... finally used as a training vehicle for tank drivers!

14/

And also like most other German tank chassis, it formed the basis for a number of other armoured vehicles.

But that's a story for another day...

End/

SOURCES
• Panzer Tracts 1-1 & 23 - Jentz/Doyle
• WW2db.com
• tankencyclopedia.com
• worldwarphotos.info
• PzKw T34 - 747 - Vollert

Big thanks also to @alextijhuis