Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf A,
PzKpfw I (MG) (SdKfz 101) Ausf A¹³:

Design

Some early models were fitted with MG 13s. It had many openings and joints which made it vulnerable to shots. The MGs could be fired separately or together.¹¹ There was a 2.5 power optical site located between the MGs.¹¹

The turret had four vision ports that were covered by armored flaps.¹¹

The drive sprocket was located in the front, and the transmission ran along the floor to the differential beside the driver. The fighting compartment was shared by the commander and the driver. They communicated via a voice tube.¹¹ There was a door in the left side of the hull for the driver to enter, and the commander entered through the turret hatch.¹¹ The commander had very limited vision and often stood up, which exposed his upper half of his body. The commander's seat was suspended from the turret.¹¹

The suspension had 4 pairs of bogie wheels with beam and return rollers. Five rubber tired road wheels with the last pair being the idler.¹¹ The front wheels were sprung on coil springs.¹¹ These were secured to the hull by bolts and quarter elliptic springs. There was also a large idler wheel in the rear trailing on the ground. A steel girder was a reinforcing beam between the last four wheels.¹¹

The Ausf A was a fully tracked vehicle with a 2 man crew.¹¹ The main armament was 2 MG 13s mounted in the turret. The air-cooled Krupp M 305 engine, and oil cooler were in the rear of the tank. The drive was through a dry 2-disc main clutch to the ZF Aphon FG 35 5-speed gearbox. A few prototypes were tested with the Krupp M 601 diesel engine but it only produced 45 hp at 2,200 rpm and was insufficient.

Used a FuG2 radio.^3,12 The gun sight was a TZF2.¹²

Inadequacies

In early 1933 an anonymous German officer wrote in a military magazine that the PzKpfw I Ausf. A had many problems that it was unusable in combat, and was only useful in parades.¹¹

Usage

In 1936 the Ausf A was first used in large scale maneuvers that had 160,000 men and 830 tanks.¹¹

In 1936 some were sent to Spain and partook in the Spanish Civil War.¹¹ It was found that the firepower was very weak and the Russian supplied T-26 light tanks outclassed it.¹¹ Some were upgunned to have a 20 mm cannon in the turret.¹¹

It's final use was in Finland in 1941 and in North Africa, as the rest of the vehicles were withdrawn from the main combat areas.

Sources:

1. The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
2. Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
3. Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
4. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
5. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
6. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
7. German Tanks of World War II, Dr. S. Hart & Dr. R. Hart, 1998
8. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
9. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
10. Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
11. Panzers At War, Michael and Gladys Green, 2005
12. AFV Collection No. 1 Panzer I The Beginning of a Dynasty, Lucas Molina Franco, 2005
13. Tanks - Over 250 of the World's Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles, Chris Chant, 2004