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

Germany's PzKpfw I Germany's PzKpfw I    

Design

Suspension

The road wheels of the PzKpfw I Ausf A were smaller than the prototypes.14

The drive sprocket was located in the front, and the transmission ran along the floor to the differential beside the driver.

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.11,14

Engine

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.

Main Armament

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 main armament was two MG 13s mounted in the turret. The gun sight was a TZF2.12

Crew

The Ausf A was a fully tracked vehicle with a 2 man crew.11 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 crew had a FuG2 radio.3,12

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

Prototype

 

Production

Variants

Usage

The first PzKpfw I Ausf As were received in 1935.14

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.

 

 Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf A
Crew Commander, driver11
22,3,4,7,11,12
Physical Characteristics  
Weight 11,900 lb
5.4 tons2,3,4,7,12,14, 5.9 tons11
5,400 kg
Length w/gun 13' 2"4,7, 13' 2.5"
4 m, 4.02 m2,3,7,12
Length w/o gun 13' 2"7
4.02 m7
Height 5.6'4, 5' 8"7
1.72 m2,3,7,12
Width 6' 7", 6.8'4, 6' 9"7
2 m12, 2.06 m2,3,7
Width over tracks  
Ground clearance 9.75"
0.29 m, 0.3 m2
Ground contact length 2.47 m
Ground pressure 5.71 psi
0.4 (kg/cm2), 0.39 (kg/cm2)2
Turret ring diameter  
Armament  
Main 2: 7.92 mm MG 133 or MG 34
2: MGs2,4
2: 7.92 mm MG 137,12
2: 7.92 mm MG14
Secondary  
MG  
Side arms  
Quantity  
Main 1,5257, 2,2502
2,250 Patr SmK3,12
Secondary  
MG  
Side arms  
Armor Thickness (mm) 7 - 134,12, 0.52"11, 1311,14
Hull Front, Upper 132, 13@22°3, 13@63°7
Hull Front, Lower 13@27°3, 13@68°7
Hull Sides, Upper 132, 13@22°3, 13@73°
Hull Sides, Lower 13@0°3
Hull Rear 132, 13@17°3 & 13@15°3, 13@50-75°7
Hull Top 52, 6@82-90°3
Hull Bottom 52, 6@90°3
Turret Front 152, 13@10°3, 13@80°7
Mantlet: 13 round3
Turret Sides 132, 13@22°3, 13@68°7
Turret Rear 132, 13@22°3, 13@68°7
Turret Top 82, 8@82-90°3, 8@0-18°7
Engine (Make / Model) Krupp M 3052,3,5,7,12,13
Krupp6,8,11
Bore / stroke  
Cooling Air6,8,11,12
Cylinders 47,12
Capacity  
Net HP 577,12, 606,11,14
57@2,500 rpm12
Power to weight ratio  
Compression ratio  
Transmission (Type) ZF Aphon FG 35
5 forward, 1 reverse2,3,12
Steering  
Steering ratio  
Starter  
Electrical system  
Ignition  
Fuel (Type) Gasoline7,12,13,14
Octane  
Quantity 32 gallons7
140 liters2, 144 liters (2 tanks)12, 145 liters7
Road consumption 100 liters per 100 km of road
Cross country consumption  
Performance  
Traverse 360°, hand3,11,12
Max speed 23 mph7,11, 25 mph4
37 kph2,3,7,11, 40 kph, 50 kph12
Cross country speed 6-8 mph
37 kph12
Road radius 90 miles7,11, 125 miles
140 km2, 145 km3,7,11, 200 km12
Cross country radius 60 miles7
93 km2, 97 km7, 145 km12
Turning radius 2.1 m
Elevation limits +18° to -12°3,12
Fording depth 1' 11"
0.58 m, 0.6 m2, 0.7 m12
Trench crossing 4' 7"
1.4 m
Vertical obstacle 1' 2"
0.36 m
Climbing ability  
Suspension (Type) Leaf/Coil Spring2
Front pair of road wheels sprung on coil springs.11
Other wheels connected in parallel with springs.11
Wheels each side 42
4 + 1 idler11
Return rollers each side 311
Tracks (Type)  
Length  
Width 280 mm2
Number of links  
Pitch  
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread 1.67 m

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
  14. Airfix Magazine Guide #8 German Tanks of World War 2, Terry Gande and Peter Chamberlain, 1975
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