Design
The Reichswehr (German Army after World War I) wanted a light tank that would be quickly and cheaply produced that would be primarily used for training. In 1932 the specifications were developed and Daimler-Benz, Henschel, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall were asked to submit designs.
It was expected that the PzKpfw III and PzKpfw IV would be the main tanks used, but these wouldn’t be available until late the late 1930s.
The German Army Weapons Department purchased a British Vickers-Carden-Loyd tankette in 1932 to test a fully revolving turret with a 20 mm gun mounted. However, it was found that the chassis did better when two machine guns were mounted in the turret as opposed to the 20 mm gun. Because of this, the Weapons Department issued specifications to five firms for a 4.9 ton light training tank with two 7.92 mm MG13 machine guns mounted in the turret.
In 1933 orders were given for a 5.3 ton light tank, with two machine guns in the turret, and a crew of two. Daimler-Benz, Henschel, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall Borsig were asked to submit designs.
The engine was mounted in the rear with the drive sprocket in the front.
Crew
The commander was located in the turret and the driver was to the left of the turret.
Turret
The turret was mounted at the center, slightly to the right. The PzKpfw I carried 1,525 rounds of ammunition for the machine guns.
Prototype
The Krupp prototype was influenced by a collaboration with the Swedish Landsverk company. The Rheinmetall-Borsig design was based on their experience with the experimental light tractor VK 31/A2 designed in 1928-29.
The chassis from the Krupp and the turret from the Daimler Benz designs were chosen for development. Henschel/Krupp was contracted to produce three different prototypes.
Initially the prototype was called the LKA I. To conceal it’s real use the Germany Army called it the Landwirtschäftlicher Schlepper (LaS, industrial tractor) as production of this tank violated the Treaty of Versailles. The tank was also just the chassis to help skirt around the Treaty of Versailles restrictsions. The German High Command also gave it an ordnance inventory number Sonderkraftfahrzeug (SdKfz) 101.
The Krupp design was chosen for production.
Production
Krupp delivered the LKA1 tank in February 1934. The Weapons Department put it through trials for four months, and then placed an order for 150 tanks that became the PzKpfw I Ausf A.
Additional orders followed, and the total was now 300 vehicles to be produced. By July 1934, 600 had been ordered.
Three factories were specifically chosen so that they would get experience at tank production.
- L.K.A. I:
- L.K.B. I:
- PzKpfw I Ausf A aufbau: 15
- Production: February 1934 – April 1934
- Manufacturers: Henschel, MAN, Daimler-Benz, Rheinmetall-Borsig, Krupp-Gruson.
- PzKpfw I Ausf B aufbau: 164
- Production: 1936 – November 1938
- Manufacturers: Henschel, MAN, Daimler-Benz, Krupp-Gruson.
- PzKpfw I: 1,493, 1,500
- Production: 1935 – 1939
Variants
- L.K.A. I: Krupp prototype. Four road wheels with trailing idler on each side. Two machine guns mounted in turret. Krupp air cooled four cylinder engine (57 HP).
- L.K.B. I: Prototype that became the production model. Maybach engine.
- IA La S Krupp, LaS IA: The initial vehicle was called the LaS IA. It weighed 5.3 tons, had 6-13 mm armor, had a crew of two, and had four pairs of road wheels. It was powered by the 57 HP, Krupp M305 B 4-cylinder gasoline engine, which propelled it up to 37 kph/23 mph. A short ranged radio was also installed.
Saw action with the Condor Legion in Spain.In February 1938, it was renamed the PzKpfw IA. - IB La S May, LaS IB: This vehicle was based on the second Krupp prototype, the LKA2. It was viewed that the LaS IA was underpowered, so the 100 HP, Maybach NL38TR engine. It’s speed went up to 40 kph/25 mph. With these modifications, it now weighed 5.9 tons. It entered service with three panzer divisions that were formed in 1935.
Saw action with the Condor Legion in Spain.
In February 1938, it was renamed the PzKpfw IB. - Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf A ohne Aufbau: Designed as a training tank.
- Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B ohne Aufbau: Produced to be a maintenance vehicle for each armored company.
- Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf A:
- Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B:
- Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf C:
- Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf D:
- Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf F :
- Panzerkampfwagen I neuer Art verstärk (VK 1801): Designed in December 1939 to be a infantry support tank with heavier armor. Prototype was built in June 1940. Project was abandoned.
- Kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen I (SdKfz 265): Command vehicle.
- PzKpfw I(A) Munitions-Schlepper (SdKfz 111): Converted PzKpfw I Ausf As into ammunition carriers.
- Brückenleger: Bridge layer version that was developed but the suspension wasn’t strong enough.
- Flammenwerfer, Flammpanzer I: Flame thrower Model 40 installed in place of the right MG. Used in North Africa by the 5th Light Division. Had range of about 25 meters and could have 10-12 one second bursts. PzKpfw I Ausf A chassis were converted.
- 15 cm sIG 33(Sf), 15 cm sIG 33 auf Geschützwagen I Ausf B: Forty were converted to carry the 1.5-cm infantry gun. Used as support for motorized infantry in Poland, France, and Russia. The armament was much too heavy for the chassis.
- Panzerjäger I, 4.7 cm Pak(t)(SF): Self-propelled mounting the Czechoslovakian 47 mm anti-tank gun. The turret was removed. 200 Ausf B chassis converted at Alkett of Berlin. Saw action in France and North Africa.
- PzKpfw Ib Ladungswerfer I: (“Explosive Charge Layer I) Had and arm that could place an explosive charge next to an obstacle/fortification. A contract dated May 9, 1940, was given to Waggonfabrik Talbot of Aachen to construct a vehicle that could place an explosive charge of 75 kg. The arm was 2 m long when retracted and could be extended 2.75 m. 10 Ausf Bs of the 3rd Panzer Pioniere Kp of each Pioneer Battalion in the Panzer Divisions were outfitted.
Usage
Spanish Civil War
During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), 120 / 122 LaS tanks were used by Colonel Ritter von Thoma’s armored units. Some of these were modified by putting a 20 mm gun in the turret. If the PzKpfw I got within 165 yards / 150 m of a T-26 it could penetrate its armor with the machine gun. However, the Soviet crews quickly learned to keep their distance as in the autumn of 1936 a BA-10 armored car was able to destroy several PzKpfw Is from a safe distance.
It was clear that the tank was inadequate with a two man crew and its light armament. However, experience in Spain provided the proving grounds of later German combat. Towards the end of the Civil War units were moving 25 miles a day in the Aragon battle and faster in Catalonia.
Anschluss & Sudetenland
Defects were found during the Anschluss and were fixed by the time of the move into the Sudetenland.
Poland
The PzKpfw Is were used in the invasion of Poland.
PzKpfw I Ausf A ohne
| Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf A ohne Aufbau | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 3.5 tons |
| Length | 4.02 m |
| Height | 1.15 m |
| Width | 2.06 m |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | |
| Hull Front, Upper | 13@27° |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 13@0° |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | 13@15° |
| Hull Top | 6@90° |
| Hull Bottom | 6@90° |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Krupp M305 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | |
| Cylinders | |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | 5 forward, 1 reverse |
| Steering | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | |
| Speed – Road | 37 kph |
| Speed – Cross Country | |
| Range – Road | 145 km |
| Range – Cross Country | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | |
| Fording depth | |
| Trench crossing | |
| Vertical obstacle | |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | Coil Spring (front road wheel) Leaf Spring (other wheels) |
| Wheels each side | 4, +1 Idler |
| Return rollers each side | 3 |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread |
PzKpfw I Ausf B ohne
| Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B ohne Aufbau | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 4 tons |
| Length | 4.42 m |
| Height | 1.35 m |
| Width | 2.06 m |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | |
| Hull Front, Upper | 13@27° |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 13@0° |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | 13@19° |
| Hull Top | 6@90° |
| Hull Bottom | 6@90° |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Maybach NL 38TR |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | |
| Cylinders | |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | 5 forward, 1 reverse |
| Steering | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | |
| Speed – Road | 40 kph |
| Speed – Cross Country | |
| Range – Road | 170 km |
| Range – Cross Country | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | |
| Fording depth | |
| Trench crossing | |
| Vertical obstacle | |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | |
| Wheels each side | |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread |
neuer Art
| neuer Art verstärk | |
|---|---|
| Crew | |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 18 tons |
| Length | 14.3′ |
| Height | 6.75′ |
| Width | 8.6′ |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 30 – 80 |
| Hull Front, Upper | |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | |
| Cylinders | |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | |
| Steering | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | |
| Speed – Road | 15 mph |
| Speed – Cross Country | |
| Range – Road | |
| Range – Cross Country | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | |
| Fording depth | |
| Trench crossing | |
| Vertical obstacle | |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | |
| Wheels each side | |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread |
PzKpfw I
| PzKpfw I | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 12,100 lb 5,500 kg |
| Length | 13.2′ 4.02 m |
| Height | 5′ 7″ 1.72 m |
| Width | 6′ 7″ 2.06 m |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 2: 7.92 mm MG13 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 6 – 13 |
| Hull Front, Upper | |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Krupp M305 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | |
| Cylinders | |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 60 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | |
| Steering | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | |
| Speed – Road | 21 mph 37 kph |
| Speed – Cross Country | |
| Range – Road | 81 miles 145 km |
| Range – Cross Country | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | |
| Fording depth | 2′ 10″ 0.85 m |
| Trench crossing | 5′ 9″ 1.75 m |
| Vertical obstacle | 1′ 5″ 0.42 m |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | |
| Wheels each side | |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread |
Sources:
- Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- German Tanks of World War II, Dr. S. Hart & Dr. R. Hart, 1998
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- Panzers At War, Michael and Gladys Green, 2005
- Tanks – Over 250 of the World’s Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles, Chris Chant, 2004
- Airfix Magazine Guide #8 German Tanks of World War 2, Terry Gande and Peter Chamberlain, 1975
- German Tanks and Armoured Vehicles 1914 – 1945, B. T. White, 1966
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Profile, AFV Weapons #55, German Self-Propelled Weapons, Peter Chamberlain, H.L. Doyle, 1973
- AFV #15 Panzerkampfwagen I & II, Major-General N. W. Duncan
- Atlas of Tank Warfare From 1916 to the Present Day, Dr. Stephen Hart, 2012
- Armored Fighting Vehicles, 300 of the World’s Greatest Military Vehicles, Philip Trewhitt, 1999
- World War I and II Tanks, George Forty, 2012