A completely worthless light tank (8 photos). Experimental T2 tank. But not that T2, which is just T2, but the cavalry T2 Tank shell 2

German pre-war theory viewed tank forces as the main instrument for waging maneuver warfare. This situation made it necessary to build independent tank divisions as the main offensive weapon of the coming war. The core of the tank fleet was supposed to consist of a medium-class vehicle armed with an anti-tank gun and 2 machine guns and a heavy-class support vehicle, with a larger-caliber gun, not inferior in mobility to the first vehicle.

Foundations of creation.

Tanks weighing sixteen to twenty tons were called “full-fledged combat tanks” in German military literature of those years. After some time, they were implemented in the Pz.Kpfw III and Pz. Kpfw IV. However, design work, design refinement and production development should have taken certain time. Therefore, in order to speed up the creation of a tank industry, the organization of units of tank troops, as well as the training of tank crews, it was decided to order a light tank weighing five tons and two crew members armed with machine guns.

The machine was supposed to have a relatively simple design and be cheaper to operate and produce. The result of the work carried out was the appearance of the Pz.Kpfw I tank. The new combat vehicle was already supplied to tank units in the thirty-fourth year. The tank coped quite well with the role of a training vehicle, and was later used for combat operations.

Meanwhile, the development of the production of tanks of the main type, for a number of reasons, had to be postponed to a later date. To correct the situation, a tank with the best combat characteristics, but at the same time easy to manufacture, was required.

The technical specifications for the new tank were announced on 06.1934. The intermediate type of tank was supposed to have stronger armor protection than the Pz.Kpfw I, but be armed with a 20-mm automatic cannon (according to the German classification - a machine gun) and another rifle-caliber machine gun. The companies Henschel, MAH and Krupp took part in the design work. The design deadlines were initially determined to be very strict, and in the spring of 1935, the competitors presented prototypes. To maintain secrecy, the project was called “agricultural tractor” - Las 100.

The samples from MAH and Henschel presented to the commission were nothing more than a chassis without a turret. Both cars used locked suspension and semi-elliptical leaf springs. The Krupp project was externally similar to the Pz.Kpfw I prototype, with an enlarged turret and new weapons.

After considering all the proposed designs, it was decided to launch a project from "MAH" into series as the "2 cm MG Panzerwagen". Later, upon adoption, the name was changed to "Panzerkampfwagen II".

Pz. II, just like its predecessor Pz. I, were precisely those machines, with the construction of which the German industry mastered the serial production of tanks, and the tank forces went from training crews to combat coordination of large tank formations. These same vehicles became the basis of the tank fleet while gaining experience from the first tank operations in Poland and Norway.

The first pre-production batch of ten Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.a1 was manufactured by MAH in 1935. The layout of the “two” was practically no different from that of the Pz. I. The new vehicle had a load-bearing armored hull, made by welding with reinforcement from a stamped profile and corners. Characteristic difference The main feature of this series of vehicles was the elliptical frontal part of the armored hull, made using casting. Tank turret with a small (21-22 degrees) rational angle of inclination of the armor plates.

The first Pz.Kpfw II.

The armament of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.a1 tank is represented by a 2 cm KwK 30 automatic cannon, as well as an MG machine gun. It was mounted similarly to Pz. I, wearing a single mask embedded in the body of the tower. The gun's ammunition consisted of fragmentation and armor-piercing cartridges.

According to German data from 1935, the gun was able to penetrate centimeter-thick armor at a distance of seven hundred meters. Which was supposed to make it possible to penetrate the armor of the Reno FT and NC-31 tanks - the most common vehicles of the French army and supplied to the Polish army.

At first, the tank was equipped with a Dreyse MG machine gun. 13k, but was soon replaced by MG 34.

The tank's engine is a Maybach HL 57 TR with a power of 120 hp. The six-speed gearbox was connected by a driveshaft running at the bottom of the fighting compartment to the engine.

The chassis of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.a1 tank is three bogies with two rollers per side. There are three support rollers. Leaf springs. The drive wheels are in the front of the tank, the sloths are raised above the surface.

The second batch of machines, numbering 15 pieces, was manufactured in the same year. The new modification of Ausf.a2 featured some improvements in the chassis and habitability of the fighting compartment due to ventilation.

The next batch of fifty tanks of the Ausf.a3 series was delivered in 1936. The engine and fighting compartments were separated by a partition, and the design and dimensions of the access hatches to the filter and fuel pump in the bottom of the tank were redesigned. The location of the radiator was changed; it was moved towards the stern, which improved its cooling. The springs were strengthened, the drive wheels lost their rubber.

In the same year, thirty-six, MAN delivered the next batch of twenty-five vehicles of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.b version. In this modification, the tank received a new, more powerful Maybach HL 62 TK engine (140 hp). The engine itself, together with the transmission, was moved towards the starboard side. This made it possible to increase the size of the fighting compartment. The exhaust system has undergone some changes. The transmission received a reduction gear, a planetary turning mechanism and a new shaped tracked tank were installed.

The dimensions of the drive wheel have been increased and the support rollers have been reduced. The suspension itself has been strengthened and modified to reduce the risk of the track falling off when turning.

All these events in the life of the Pz.Kpfw II took place against the backdrop of rapid changes in German industry and the army. In the summer of '35, during exercises German army For the first time, a tank division was used, then still consisting of three separate tank regiments. In the autumn of the same year, these three regiments were deployed as tank divisions. A command of tank forces was created.

The creation of a tank industry was taking place. If in the thirty-fifth year four companies were involved in the program for the production of tank components and assemblies, as well as armor plates, then two years later there were already seven.

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.b tanks took part in exercises in 1936, during which their design caused a lot of criticism. Most of them concerned the chassis, both its mechanical strength and lack of smoothness.
Therefore, it was decided to continue work on improving the design.

The first truly production vehicle was the “two” Ausf.c, the production of which was organized starting from 04.1937. In addition to purely external changes, such as the shape of the turret and the size of the drive hatch, the changes affected the source of the main troubles - the chassis.

Modifications of Pz.Kpfw II.

The official instruction to complete the development of the Pz.Kpfw II tank and begin its production in a large series was announced on April 1, 1937, three years after the technical specifications for the tank were published. By May of '37, the Wehrmacht had only one hundred and fifteen Pz.Kpfw II tanks. It was necessary to switch to mass production.

Аusf. A.

The first modification, produced in a large batch, entered production in July 1937 and received the index Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. A. The tank used a modernized engine, an improved gearbox, and a new type of driver monitoring devices. In total, during the thirty-fifth - thirty-seventh year, German industry transferred 332 Ausf vehicles to the military. A.

All combat vehicles This family had a typical general layout of German tanks. The transmission was located in front, while the engine was installed in the rear. The fighting compartment is in the center of the tank, which also contains a turret with installed weapons. The front part of the “two” is given over to the control department; the transmission is mounted in it.

Placing the transmission in the control compartment made it possible not only to reduce the length of the tank, but also the number and length of control rods. The location of the turret in the center of the tank reduced the influence of vehicle vibrations on the shooting results. The location of the transmission and engine in the bow and stern distributed the weight and made the tank oscillate smoother. Repair and maintenance of the “two” were simplified due to easier access to both.

The presence of a cardan under the fighting compartment and the greater vulnerability of the drive wheels due to their forward location should be considered a disadvantage. Oil evaporation and combustion products from the transmission worsened the atmosphere in the habitable space of the tank.
Armored hull Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. A in its design consisted of two parts:

• the lower part, i.e. the body itself;
• turret box, the front part of which formed a wheelhouse in which the driver of the Pz.Kpfw II was located.

Behind the driver was workplace radio operator He also performed the functions of a loader, for which he had to climb into the tower. The commander, also known as the gunner, was located directly in the turret.

Tank gun 2 cm KwK 30 - to the left of the tank axis, to the right MG machine gun. The gun mantlet is equipped with two viewing windows, covered with armored covers, controlled from the inside by means of a lever. The automatic cannon originates from the Swiss Solothurn cannons and is related to the anti-aircraft 2 cm Flak 30, with which it had many interchangeable components. The differences were mainly in the length of the barrel, which in the tank version of the gun was shortened for fear of excessively increasing the dimensions of the tank.

The gun barrel is equipped with a universal device that combines the functions of a flame arrester and a muzzle brake. The gun was fed with cartridges through sector-shaped box magazines, which were attached to the left side of the gun. Spare magazines with cartridges were attached to the inside of the walls of the turret and hull. A fire extinguisher was mounted to the right of the gun. Firing from a cannon and machine gun using an electric trigger.

Aiming tank weapons using a two-and-a-half-fold Zeiss TZF4 sight, which ensured firing at a range of up to 1200 meters. Although most often the firing range from a gun did not exceed six hundred meters, and from a machine gun - four hundred meters.

The ammunition load of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. A included shots with armor-piercing and fragmentation projectiles with a total of 180 pieces.

The MG.34 tank machine gun had a rate of fire of 800-900 rounds/min and was equipped with a cartridge case collector. The machine gun is mounted in the gun mantlet without a stock. The machine gun had 1,425 rounds of ammunition stuffed into 19 sector magazines. In the forties, the used machine gun capacity was increased to 2100 rounds.

In addition, the tank crew was armed with MP-38 or MP-40 SMGs, as well as Walter or Parabellum pistols.

Much attention was paid to the review from the “two”. For observation, the driver used a hatch covered with a triplex block, as well as hatches on both sides, also closed with triplex. In addition to observation purposes, the hatches on the sides could serve for firing from small arms crew. Hatches similar in purpose and design, both equipped with covers with slots and without, were located in the stern and sides of the turret, as well as the rear sheet of the turret box. To replace damaged glasses, the crew had spare ones.

The Pz.Kpfw II commander conducted observation through a periscope installed in the roof in the center of the turret, covered with an armored cap. The design of the periscope allowed it to have a vertical tilt angle from -15 to 25 degrees and all-round visibility. The multiplicity is constant - 2.5X. The device could be used as a sight, although less accurate when aiming, since the telescopic sight was rigidly mounted on the weapon and even at small elevation angles its eyepiece moved and made aiming not entirely convenient.

The armored body of the "deuce" was made by welding from a sheet with a thickness of 5,10 and 15 mm. The turret box was mounted using bolts on the hull. The bottom of the tank is made of three sheets. Rear and front - at an angle, 10 mm thick. The main central sheet of the bottom is 5mm. The rigidity of the bottom was ensured by additional parts - corners and longitudinal stiffeners. Cemented heterogeneous sheets were used to manufacture the tower and hull.

A design feature of the Pz.Kpfw II was that the turret was shifted relative to the tank's axis by eighty-five millimeters to the left. This ensured the balancing of the machine, since the engine, relative to the axis, is shifted to the right. The turret was hexagonal in shape, there was no suspended floor, the tank commander was placed on a suspended seat equipped with a strap and a backrest. The tower stood on a ball chase.

Disembarkation and embarkation through the hatch in the roof; the hatch is equipped with single-leaf doors. The right wing has a hatch for signaling with flags. The turret can only be rotated manually.

The Maybach HL 62 TRM engine was installed in the engine compartment closer to the starboard side. The engine is six-cylinder, water-cooled. To access the tank engine, there was a double-leaf hatch in the roof of the engine compartment.
The fuel was synthetic gasoline with an octane rating of -76. The fuel consumption of the “deuce” is about 110 liters on the highway and 170 liters off-road per hundred kilometers. There are two petrol tanks, the rear with a capacity of 68 liters and the front with a capacity of 102 liters. The filler necks are located on the turret box on the right side of the tank.

Regular engine starting using an electric starter, if not possible - manually using a handle, through a hole in the stern.

The designers of the Pz.Kpfw II provided the tank crew with fairly comfortable working conditions. The driver was sitting on a canvas seat, his workplace was equipped with the necessary control instruments assembled on one dashboard (water and oil thermometers, speedometer, tachometer). Control via the turn levers, as well as the reverse, gas, brake, and clutch pedals. The electric starter was started either by a button or by a magneto.

The chassis, in relation to the board, consisted of five rollers with rubber. All rollers have individual suspension. There are four support rollers per side. The lightweight roller was attached to the body using an L-shaped lever, connected to the body by a hinge.

The caterpillar is steel, with a small link. Manganese steel tracks, 108 in number, are skeletal. The caterpillar weighs four hundred kilograms.

All Pz.Kpfw II tanks were equipped with radio communications. Linear tanks had FuG 2 receivers, command vehicles at the company commander level and higher had FuG 5 transceiver radios. The radio stations were mounted on the left side in the turret box.

Radio station FuG 5. simplex, power 10 watts. When working with a two-meter whip antenna, it provided stable communication in telephone mode at 6.4 km, in telegraph mode at 9.4 km.

In addition to FuG 5, the vehicles of battalion commanders and higher were additionally equipped with medium-wave radio stations with a longer signal range for communication with command, aviation, sappers and other units, including repair ones.

In addition to light signals and radio communications, the crew could send signals using a Walter rocket launcher, which, along with a supply of rockets, was stored in the rear of the turret.

• Ausf.B.

  Tanks of this modification were distinguished by minor changes, mainly related to the simplification of production technology.

• Ausf.S.

  Despite the fact that the Pz.Kpfw II did not take part in the Spanish events, they still had a great influence on the fate of the "two". Experts' assessments agreed that the further saturation of tanks with artillery from army units casts doubt on the future fate of lightly armored tanks, and on the other hand, the use of light tanks armed with rapid-fire guns was considered successful, with some reservations about the need to strengthen armor protection.
  

  However, the German General Staff extended the contract for the production of the Pz.Kpfw II. This decision could be explained, in addition to difficulties with the production of Pz.Kpfw III and Pz.Kpfw IV, by circumstances of a purely economic nature. It is no coincidence that the production of cheap and less metal-intensive Pz. II lasted until the forty-third year.

  In 1938, another modification appeared - Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.S. Improvements in this modification affected mainly its armor protection.
  The bent frontal armor plate was additionally reinforced with a pair of armor plates welded at an angle of seventy degrees to each other. Lower -20 mm, upper - 14.5 mm.

  The front of the turret and turret box was strengthened during 1940-41 by installing 20 mm screens. The turret mask screen is a complex-shaped shield with additional bends at the top and bottom to protect the joints of the embrasure and the mask from bullets and shrapnel. However, it was soon abandoned.
  

  The gap between the turret and the turret frame was protected with a welded side. The thickness of armored glass has changed from twelve millimeters to fifty. The shape of the armored cover of the driver observation device has changed. The driver's side instrument covers may not have slots for observation.

  The increase in armor led to an increase in the tank's weight to nine and a half tons. However, this did not affect the speed qualities of the car; they remained the same.
  

  To improve visibility from the commander's seat, it was equipped with a commander's turret instead of a periscope. The hatch covers were protected with leather lining, thanks to which the crew members could do without helmets.

  Mortars for shooting smoke grenades could be installed in the rear of the hull, as well as the turret.

  Modified by Ausf.S. cars of previous series were re-equipped as they underwent major overhauls. By the beginning of the company in France, seventy percent of Pz.Kpfw II, previous modifications had been brought to the level of Ausf.C. The remaining part was modernized until the forty-first year; with the beginning of the war, some of the vehicles were never modernized.

• Ausf.D.

  To staff the tank battalions of the Wehrmacht's "light" divisions, tanks with better speed qualities than those available were required. As a result, technical specifications for a “high-speed” tank, with a higher-power engine and armed with a 20-mm TP, were published. The prototype of the new modification was manufactured by Daimler-Benz. The vehicle was put into service as the Ausf.D and its appearance coincided with the deployment of the first “light” divisions, which took place in 1937–38.
  

  The Ausf.D modification is equipped with a new 180-horsepower HL 66 P engine, as well as a new type of chassis. The single fuel tank held 200 liters of gasoline, more than previous modifications, but the fuel consumption increased slightly due to the higher consumption. The gearbox is seven-speed, three reverse speeds and seven forward.

  The chassis consisted of 4 double large road wheels, a Christie-type suspension with springs replaced by torsion shafts. The caterpillar chain is fine-linked with well-developed ground hooks.

  In addition to the chassis, the hull of the Pz.Kpfw II also underwent changes. Its design acquired a certain resemblance to the Pz.Kpfw III. In fact, the Ausf.D was only similar to previous modifications in its turret and layout. The speed characteristics of the vehicle have increased, but the increase in weight has led to a decrease in cross-country ability.

• Ausf.E.

  Pz.Kpfw II modification Ausf.E. It was distinguished by reinforced suspension, changes in the design of the drive wheel and idler. A lubricated hinge has been introduced into the track design.

  By and large, the “two” modifications Ausf.D and E turned out to be not particularly in demand. The “light” divisions for which they were worth during 1939-40 were transferred to tank staff and they already required Pz.Kpfw III and IV, and in addition to them, Czechoslovak 38(t) vehicles were supplied for their recruitment.

  The mechanical reliability of the Ausf.D and E tanks was inferior to the “regular” Pz. II and soon they began to be removed from combat units for conversion into self-propelled guns and tanks armed with a flamethrower.

• Ausf.F.

  The combat use of tank troops in the Polish Company accelerated the deployment of new tank formations. Which in turn increased the need for material. In November 1939, it was decided to continue production of Pz. II, subject to changes to the design due to new requirements, which consisted mainly of improving protection.
  The first three prototypes were ready by 06.1940, two more the following month and four were delivered between August and December, when the final series of “classic” twos was launched into production as the Ausf.F.
  

  A characteristic feature of the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.F was the frontal sheet of the turret box covering the entire width of the hull, 30 mm thick. The armor of the turret's forehead increased to 30 mm, its sides to 15 mm. The thickness of the hull forehead ranged from 35 -25 mm.
  

  One of the interesting innovations is a fake driver observation device attached to the right side, which, according to the plan, was supposed to mislead enemy shooters. This observation device is an improved type with a large viewing angle and a two-leaf adjustable lid from the tank.

  The 2 cm KwK 30 tank gun was replaced by its modernized version, the 2 cm KwK 38. Its main feature was its lighter weight and increased to 220 rpm. combat rate of fire. The new gun was supposed to replace the 2 cm KwK 30, but in practice both guns continued to be used in parallel.

  A Pz.Gr 40 sub-caliber projectile was developed for the gun, capable of penetrating up to 50 mm of armor at a distance of one hundred meters and up to 20 mm at a distance of half a kilometer. However, the armor effect of such shells was small.

  Small improvements were also made to the chassis; they affected mainly the guide wheel, which became conical. The Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.F widely used used components of previous modifications; the price of the tank was reduced by almost fourteen thousand marks and its price was 35,000 marks.

• Ausf.G.

  This and subsequent modifications belong to the so-called “new type”. Throughout 1938-39, a number of works were carried out on the next generation of light tanks. All of them had standard army designations with the addition of nA - i.e. "new type."
  

  10/18/1938 The Army Weapons Directorate ordered MAH and Daimler-Benz to modernize the Pz.Kpfw II in order to increase the speed characteristics of this tank. Moreover, the weight of the tank should not exceed nine tons. The design of the hull and turret was the responsibility of Damler-Benz, and the chassis was to be developed by MAH. The tank's armament should have remained the same, i.e. Kwk 39 and MG machine gun.

  The design was completed and a prototype was manufactured by mid-December of the following year. Work on the design of the Pz.Kpfw II suspension was carried out under the leadership of V. Knipkapf. The tank has a five-roller chassis, large-diameter rollers, and torsion bar suspension. Engine "Maybach" HL45 150 l/s. The maximum speed of this modification of the “two” is 50 km/h.

  The tests were quite successful, and the so-called “zero series” of seventy-five vehicles was ordered. But in total, in the period from 04.41-02.42, only twelve such machines were produced.

  The difference between the Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.G was that, while the general layout remained unchanged, the radio operator was located to the right of the driver, which was associated with the reconnaissance functions of the tank.

• Ausf.J.

  In the course of work on researching the design of a “new type” tank
  12/22/39 Daimler-Benz and MAH ordered a project for a light tank with the highest possible level of armor protection. Obviously, this project took into account the experience of using tanks in Poland, where the Pz.Kpfw II was often used as support tanks for infantry units. This tank was designated as a “new type of reinforced tank” - nAV.
  

  As well as in previous case, Daimler-Benz was chosen as the executors - as responsible for the turret and MAH - for the manufacture of the chassis. According to the plan, the chassis and turret will be presented on July 18-19, 1939, and the total need for tanks of this modification was determined at 339 units, but in total only twenty-two Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.J were manufactured.

  With a frontal armor thickness of eighty centimeters and a side armor of fifty, the Ausf.J’s mass was eighteen tons, two tons more than required according to the assignment. The difference from previous models was the hull - the turret box and the hull were one whole. The turret's armor had a noticeable angle of inclination. To increase the armor resistance of the turret, it did not have surveillance devices on the sides. The driver and radio operator got round hatches in the sides.

  Armament from a twin 2 cm KwK 38 m machine gun MG 34 - stabilized in the vertical plane.
  The speed dropped to thirty kilometers per hour, and low maneuverability deprived meaning easy tank, even with such outstanding armor for its class.

  Nevertheless, Ausf.J was produced in a small batch, seven of them were sent to the troops for testing, and some to the police divisions.

• Ausf.H

  An unrealized project of a tank for reconnaissance, which was supposed to have better mobility and armor protection, while remaining within the weight characteristics of the “twos” of previous modifications. According to the April 1941 Tank Forces Development Program, this modification was to be produced in an unprecedentedly large batch - 22,000 vehicles. This was supposed to include both the Pz.Kpfw II in the reconnaissance version and vehicles for forward observers, as well as a chassis for mounting a 50-mm gun for the tank destroyer production program. One of the weapon options was a 20-mm front sight with conical channel barrel, created on the basis of s.Pz.B 41.
  

• Ausf. M

  Another unrealized project within the nA concept. According to the plan, the tank was to be armed with a gun similar to that installed in the Pz.Kpfw III Ausf. J, but with a muzzle brake installed. Four experimental vehicles were produced, which were equipped with the usual 2 cm KwK 38.
  

• Ausf. L "Luchs".

  Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. L became the top of the line of Pz.Kpfw II nA vehicles.
  The reason for the development of this modification was the insufficient efficiency of wheeled armored vehicles for reconnaissance purposes tank troops- a conclusion that was reached in Germany by the end of the thirties.
  

  The order to design the tank was received by MAH and Daimler-Benz on April 15, 1939. According to the TTT, the tank was supposed to be a vehicle capable of speeds of up to 50 km/h, have armor up to thirty millimeters and be armed with a 20-caliber gun or 37 mm.

  Traditionally, MAH was responsible for the construction of the chassis, while Daimler-Benz had to provide the turret with the turret box. A similar order was received by the companies Skoda and VVM, which were then only opened in Czechoslovakia.

  Over time, the requirements for the tank were refined based on newly gained combat experience. In particular, battles on the territory of the USSR showed the need to improve the maneuverability of combat vehicles.

  The first prototype (index VK 1303) was assembled by MAN in April forty-two. During tests held in July at the test site near Kummersvdorf
  the tank traveled about two and a half thousand kilometers. In addition to the VK 1303, vehicles from Skoda and VMM were tested. The tests were successful and soon the tank was assigned the index Pz.Kpfw II Ausf. L "Luchs".
  

  The most significant innovation was the increase in the vehicle's crew to four people. The commander and gunner had a workplace in the turret, the driver and gunner in the control compartment. The developments of Ausf were widely used in the design. M.

  The "Luchs" armored hull has a T-shaped cross-section, the turret box is wider than that of previous vehicles. This measure made it possible to install a turret that was wider and had a larger ring diameter. The turret did not have a commander's cupola; it had to be abandoned due to the increase in the height of the tank; the armor plates were located at an angle.

  Instead of a turret, periscope observation devices are installed in the loader's and commander's hatches. In addition to them, next to the loader, there is a viewing device on board.

  The frontal plate of the hull had observation slits covered with triplexes and movable armored covers; there were also observation slits in the sides of the hull.

  Pz.Kpfw II "Luchs" is equipped with a 180-horsepower Maybach HL 66P engine, six-speed gearbox, plus synchronizer.

  Suspension type Ausf.H, M. Large diameter rollers with rubber, outer suspension units with shock absorbers. The drive wheel is in front. The suspension is typical for German tanks - “checkerboard type”. This type of connection made it possible to connect a large diameter of rollers and a large number of them; this arrangement made it possible to combine high speed and evenly distribute the load.
  Which in turn had a beneficial effect on cross-country ability. But there was also a significant drawback - the difficulty of maintenance and the possibility of the skating rinks freezing in the winter if they were clogged with dirt or snow.

  Initially, the order size for Pz.Kpfw II "Luchs" was eight hundred vehicles. Of which only one hundred were to be armed with the 2 cm KwK 38, all subsequent vehicles had to be built with a 5 cm KwK 39/1 L/60-50 mm gun with an aspect ratio of 60 calibers. Although a 20 mm gun was still considered sufficient for a reconnaissance vehicle.

  Part of the internal volume of the “deuce” was given over to additional ammunition for the cannon and machine gun; the number of shots for the gun was three hundred and thirty, the number of rifle cartridges for the machine gun increased to 2250. 90-mm smoke mortars were attached to the sides of the turret at the rate of three per side.

  Naturally, a vehicle created for reconnaissance could not do without communications. There were two radio stations, one of them, FuG 5, served for communication in the unit, while the other, FuG 12, provided communication with higher headquarters.
  The superiority of the Pz.Kpfw II "Luchs" over the "regular deuces" was undeniable. The Luchs began recruiting army units in September 1943. They were first sent to the reconnaissance battalions of the tank divisions of the Eastern and then Western Fronts.

Official designation: Medium Tank T2
Alternative designation: Cunningham T2
Start of design: 1929
Date of construction of the first prototype: 1930
Completion stage: one prototype has been built.

Born in 1921 medium tank The M1921, without a doubt, became, if not a breakthrough, then at least a landmark vehicle in the history of American tank building, which was only gaining momentum in those years.

In addition to the “classic” layout, this tank had good protection and armament, but a number of technical problems did not allow its mass production to be organized in a timely manner, and even after standardization in 1928 as the Medium Tank T1, it still did not go into mass production. In parallel, since March 1926, work was carried out on the M1924 tank, but this vehicle could not get beyond the stage of sketches and scale models.

However, it is also impossible to say that American tank builders are fixated only on improving the M1921. The main “engine of progress” was engineer Harry Nox, who, thanks to his irrepressible energy, was able to literally push through several rather controversial (from a design point of view) designs and bring them to the stage of full-fledged prototypes.

When it became clear that it would not be possible to “squeeze” anything more out of the M1921, Knox presented a project for a completely new medium tank, the prototype for which was the already built Light Tank T1 prototype. In turn, the layout of the light tank was clearly borrowed from the British Medium Tank Mk.I.

Design of a medium tank, later designated Medium Tank T2, was started in 1929. The lead designer was the already mentioned Harry Knox, and the team of engineers was provided by James Cunningham Son & Co. In fact, the construction and modification of the prototype was subsequently carried out at its facilities.

Structurally, the American “medium” was indeed very close to the British “medium”. The bow of the hull housed the power plant, which was based on a very powerful 12-cylinder aircraft air-cooled Liberty L-12 engine, derated from 400 to 338 hp to reduce the load on the transmission. The engine was installed offset to the right, since the driver’s seat was located to the left of it.

To improve the living conditions of this crew member, a box-shaped superstructure was introduced with three hatches that opened upward on hinges: a front one with an inspection slot and two side hatches. The engine compartment contained a lubrication and cooling system, and the exhaust pipe was located on the starboard side. The fuel tanks were taken outside the hull and placed in side boxes. At the same time, for ease of maintenance, air filters were installed in the fighting compartment.

Behind the partition, in the rear part of the hull, there were combat and transmission compartments, which were combined. For boarding and disembarking from the tank, there was only one double-leaf door in the vertical rear armor plate of the hull. Thanks to the large volume, the layout of the workplaces of the remaining crew members (commander/gunner, loader and second gunner) turned out to be quite spacious.

The armor of the T2 tank could hardly be called impressive, but the frontal armor with a thickness of 19-22 mm reliably protected against small arms fire (including heavy machine guns) and small fragments. The situation on board was a little worse, but even in this case, the protection of the crew and vital components was considered sufficient.

The composition of the weapons was very powerful. A cylindrical turret mounted on the roof of the fighting compartment contained a 5-round 47 mm gun and a 12.7 mm Browning M2HB machine gun. On the roof of the tower there was a commander's cupola with a single-leaf hatch.

In addition, in the frontal plate of the hull, to the right of the driver, there was a T3E1 ball mount with a 37-mm semi-automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun. It is worth noting that this gun fired 1.91-pound projectiles with an initial speed of 777 m/s. In theory, such a combination of barrels was lethal for any armored vehicle of a potential enemy, but in practice problems emerged with the maintenance of such installations.

The chassis deserves special mention. It would not be very correct to draw analogies with the chassis of the Medium Tank Mk.I\Mk.II, since the British tank used a slightly different suspension system.

On the American T2, 12 road wheels were used per side, assembled into 6 bogies with suspension on spring springs, 4 support rollers, a front guide wheel and a rear drive wheel. The caterpillar track consisted of 80 metal tracks with a width of 381 mm. Open elements the suspensions were protected by a bulwark with hinged folding sections.

Tests of the prototype T2 medium tank, which arrived at the Aberdeen Proving Ground at the end of December 1930, were initially very successful. With a combat weight of 14,125 kg, the tank had a specific power of about 20 hp. per ton, which even in our time is considered a more than acceptable indicator.

The maximum speed was 25 mph (40 km/h) when traveling on paved roads, but it was later limited to 20 mph (32 km/h) to preserve the life of the chassis. With a fuel reserve of 94 gallons (356 liters), the range was 145 km. In general, reviews of the T2 were favorable and the matter could well have reached mass production if not for two difficult circumstances.

The Great Depression that began in 1929 led to such a significant reduction in military orders that subsequently manufacturing companies were forced to purchase the necessary equipment at their own expense with a very slim hope of recoupment.

Accordingly, money for the Medium Tank T2 modernization program was allocated on a very modest scale. But that was not all that was so bad - the real problem was the fast M1928 and M1931 tanks designed by engineer G.W. Christie, which truly represented a revolutionary breakthrough. Despite weaker armor and modest armament, these vehicles developed simply fantastic speed and had a then promising “candle” suspension.

Despite this, testing of T2 continued. During practical firing, it became clear that the 47-mm automatic cannon was unbalanced. They tried to eliminate this drawback by installing counterweights in front of the gun mantlet, which was done in May 1931.

Next, the T3E1 installation was dismantled (more for economic reasons), in its place a T1 installation with an old short-barreled M1916 37-mm cannon appeared. However, this option was also considered unsatisfactory, so in the summer of the same year the cannon was replaced by a 7.62 mm machine gun. The number of external fuel tanks was also increased to two on the left side.

Having completed the first part of the test cycle, the tank was sent for revision. New track tracks were installed, as well as an anti-aircraft machine gun turret, although the T2's design was otherwise unchanged. When the tank was transferred again to the Aberdeen Proving Ground in January 1932, the weapons in the turret were removed. However, it was all in vain. The American “medium” developed by Harry Knox looked clearly unpresentable against the background of Christie’s tanks, and it was in this situation that the Armament Directorate decided to hold “demonstration performances” with the participation of all competitors.

Somewhat earlier, medium tanks T2 and T3, as well as light tanks T1E1 and T1E2, were transferred for military testing to the 2nd tank company, which in October 1932 was reorganized into the 67th infantry company. Its place of deployment was Fort Benning, where American congressmen periodically came, on whose opinions it depended further fate many combat vehicles. Having seen the potential capabilities of Christie's tanks, it immediately became clear to them what they should spend their already meager funds on - thus, by the beginning of 1932, the fate of the T2 was finally decided.

The only prototype built in the late 1930s. sent to the Aberdeen Proving Ground, where it became a museum exhibit. It remained there for many decades, and only recently was the question of moving the Medium Tank T2 to the exhibition of the new tank museum in Fort Lee raised. In the meantime, the tank is in Anniston (Alabama) awaiting restoration.

Sources:
Sources:
R.P. Hunnicutt “Sherman: A History of American Medium Tank.” Part I". Echo Point Books & Media. ISBN-10:1626548617. 2015
George F.Hofmann, Donn Albert Starry "Camp Colt to Desert Storm"
Warspot: Scaling Method (Yuri Pasholok)
WW2Vehicles: United States T2 medium tank
Surviving rare US pre-1945 Tanks

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MEDIUM TANK T2 Medium Tank model 1932

The tank was developed by MAN in collaboration with Daimler-Benz. Serial production of the tank began in 1937 and ended in 1942. The tank was produced in five modifications (A-F), differing from each other in chassis, armament and armor, but the general layout remained unchanged: the power plant is located at the rear, the fighting compartment and control compartment are in the middle, and the power transmission and drive wheels are in the front . The armament of most modifications consisted of a 20-mm automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun, installed in a single turret.

A telescopic sight was used to control fire from this weapon. The tank's hull was welded from rolled armor plates, which were placed without rational inclination. The experience of using the tank in the battles of the initial period of the Second World War showed that its armament and armor were insufficient. Production of the tank was discontinued after more than 1,800 tanks of all modifications had been produced. Some of the tanks were converted into flamethrowers with the installation of two flamethrowers on each tank with a flamethrowing range of 50 meters. Self-propelled artillery mounts, artillery tractors and ammunition transporters were also created on the basis of the tank.

Work on new types of medium and heavy tanks in mid-1934 "Panzerkampfwagen" III and IV progressed relatively slowly and the 6th Department of the Ministry of Armaments of the Ground Forces issued technical specifications for the development of a tank weighing 10,000 kg, armed with a 20-mm cannon.
The new vehicle received the designation LaS 100 (LaS - "Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper" - agricultural tractor). From the very beginning, it was planned to use the LaS 100 tank only for training personnel of tank units. In the future, these tanks were supposed to give way to the new PzKpfw III and IV. Prototypes of the LaS 100 were ordered from the following companies: Friedrich Krupp AG, Henschel and Son AG and MAN (Machinenfabrik Augsburg-Nuremberg). In the spring of 1935, prototypes were shown to the military commission.
A further development of the LKA tank - the LKA 2 tank - was developed by Krupp. The enlarged turret of the LKA 2 made it possible to accommodate a 20 mm cannon. Henschel and MAN developed only the chassis. The chassis of the tank, made by Henschel, consisted (for one side) of six road wheels, grouped into three bogies. The MAN design was based on a chassis created by Carden-Loyd. The road wheels, grouped into three bogies, were cushioned by elliptic springs, which were attached to a common supporting frame. The upper section of the track was supported by three small rollers.

Prototype of the Krupp LaS 100 tank - LKA 2

The MAN chassis was accepted for serial production, and the body was developed by Daimler-Benz AG (Berlin-Marienfelde). The LaS 100 tanks were to be produced by the MAN, Daimler-Benz, Farzeug und Motorenwerke (FAMO) plants in Breslau (Wroclaw), Wegmann & Co. in Kassel and Mühlenbau und Industry AG Amme-Werk ( MIAG) in Braunschweig.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. al, a2, a3

At the end of 1935, the MAN company in Nuremberg produced the first ten LaS 100 tanks, which by this time received the new designation 2 cm MG-3 (In Germany, guns with a caliber of up to 20 mm were considered machine guns (Maschinengewehr - MG), and not cannons (Maschinenkanone - MK) Panzerwagen (VsKfz 622 - VsKfz - Versuchkraftfahrzeuge - prototype ). The tanks were driven by a Maybach HL57TR liquid-cooled carburetor engine with a power of 95 kW/130 hp. and a working volume of 5698 cm3. The tanks used a ZF Aphon SSG45 gearbox (six forward gears and one reverse), maximum speed - 40 km/h, range - 210 km (on the highway) and 160 km (over rough terrain). Armor thickness from 8 mm to 14.5 mm. The tank was armed with a 20-mm KwK30 cannon (180 rounds of ammunition - 10 magazines) and a 7.92-mm Rheinmetall-Borzing MG-34 machine gun (1,425 rounds of ammunition).

In 1936 a new naming system was introduced military equipment- "Kraftfahrzeuge Nummern System der Wehrmacht". Each car received a number and name Sd.Kfz("Sonderkraftfahrzeug" - a special military vehicle).

• So the LaS 100 tank became the Sd.Kfz.121.
  Modifications (Ausfuehrung - Ausf.) were designated by a letter. The first LaS 100 tanks received the designation Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. a1. Serial numbers 20001-20010. The crew was three people: a commander, who was also a gunner, a loader, who also served as a radio operator, and a driver. Length of the PzKpfw II Ausf tank. a1 - 4382 mm, width - 2140 mm, and height - 1945 mm.
• On the following tanks (serial numbers 20011-20025), the cooling system of the Bosch RKC 130 12-825LS44 generator was changed and the ventilation of the fighting compartment was improved. The vehicles of this series received the designation PzKpfw II Ausf. a2.
• In the design of tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. a3 further improvements have been made. The power and fighting compartments were separated by a removable partition. A wide hatch appeared at the bottom of the hull, making access to the fuel pump and oil filter easier. 25 tanks of this series were manufactured (serial numbers 20026-20050).

The PzKpfw Ausf. and I and a2 there was no rubber band on the road wheels. The next 50 PzKpfw II Ausf. aZ (serial numbers 20050-20100) the radiator was moved 158 mm to the stern. Fuel tanks (front capacity 102 l, rear - 68 l) were equipped with pin-type fuel level meters.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. b

In 1936-1937, a series of 25 tanks 2 LaS 100 - PzKpfw II Ausf. b, the design of which has been further modified. These changes affected primarily the chassis - the diameter of the support rollers was reduced and the drive wheels were modified - they became wider. The length of the tank is 4760 mm, the range is 190 km on the highway and 125 km on rough terrain. Tanks of this series were equipped with Maybach HL62TR engines.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. c

Testing of PzKpfw II Ausf tanks. a and b showed that the chassis of the vehicle is subject to frequent breakdowns and the depreciation of the tank is insufficient. In 1937 it was fundamentally developed new type pendants. For the first time, the new suspension was used on tanks 3 LaS 100 - PzKpfw II Ausf. s (serial numbers 21101 - 22000 and 22001 - 23000). It consisted of five large diameter road wheels. Each roller was independently suspended on a semi-elliptical spring. The number of support rollers was increased from three to four. On tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. drive and guide wheels of larger diameter were used.

The new suspension has significantly improved the tank's performance both on the highway and on rough terrain. Length of the PzKpfw II Ausf tank. c was 4810 mm, width - 2223 mm, height - 1990 mm. In some places, the thickness of the armor was increased (although the maximum thickness remained the same - 14.5 mm). The brake system has also undergone changes. All these design innovations entailed an increase in the tank's weight from 7900 to 8900 kg. On tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. with numbers 22020-22044 the armor was made of molybdenum steel.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. A (4 LaS 100)

In mid-1937, the Ministry of Armaments of the Ground Forces (Heereswaffenamt) decided to complete the modification of the PzKpfw II and begin large-scale production of tanks of this type. In 1937 (most likely in March 1937), the Henschel company in Kassel was involved in the production of the Panzerkampfwagen II. The monthly production amounted to 20 tanks. In March 1938, Henschel stopped producing tanks, but production of the PzKpfw II was launched at the Almerkischen Kettenfabrik GmbH (Alkett) - Berlin-Spandau. The Alquette company was supposed to produce up to 30 tanks per month, but in 1939 it switched to producing PzKpfw III tanks. The design of the PzKpfw II Ausf. And (serial numbers 23001-24000) several further changes were made: a new ZF Aphon SSG46 gearbox was used, a modified Maybach HL62TRM engine with a power of 103 kW / 140 hp. at 2600 min and a working volume of 6234 cm3 (the Maybach HL62TR engine was used on tanks of previous production), the driver’s position was equipped with new viewing slots, and instead of a short-wave radio station, an ultra-short wave was installed.

Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. V (5 LaS 100)

Tanks PzKpfw II Ausf. B (serial numbers 24001-26000) differed little from the machines of the previous modification. The changes were mainly technological in nature, simplifying and speeding up serial production. PzKpiw II Ausf. B is the most numerous of the early modifications of the tank.

An old German tank was recently restored in the open area of ​​the Lenino-Snegirevsky Military History Museum

People from the “Leibstandarte Workshop” (as it was written on the minibus) worked at the tank - they pulled up the tracks. I myself can’t stand it when someone watches my work, that’s why I didn’t start very annoyingly flickering in front of their noses.

Light tank T-2 / Pz.II / Pz.Kpfw.II

In 1934, the German military command decided to quickly develop an intermediate model of a light tank in order to temporarily fill the troops with armored vehicles until the planned T-3 / Pz.III and T-4 / Pz.IV tanks entered service. This is how the light tank T-2 / Pz.II / Pz.Kpfw.II appeared, which was initially called Tractor 100 or LaS 100 in the chains of secrecy. The development contract was awarded to Henschel, Krupp and MAN. After comparative tests of the presented samples, the model from MAN, which was tasked with improving the chassis, seemed the most promising. The rest of the work was entrusted to Daimler-Benz, as well as MIAG, Wegmann and Famo.

Light tanks T-2 / Pz.II / Pz.Kpfw.II were the main striking force of the German tank divisions during the invasion of France. More than 1,000 of these tanks took part in the operation, most of them in frontline units. In 1941, T-2/Pz.II tanks took part in the attack on the USSR, although on the Eastern Front it quickly became clear that their firepower and armor protection were insufficient. The T-2 / Pz.II tank was created primarily as a combat training vehicle. The first production T-2A / Pz.II Ausf A tanks were produced in 1935. Military trials showed insufficient engine power of 130 hp. ((97 kW)). The next modification of the T-2B / Pz.II Ausf B tanks had thicker frontal armor and a more powerful engine of 140 hp. (104 kW), and its weight reached 8 tons.

In 1937, a new light tank model was introduced - the T-2Ts / Pz.II Ausf C. It had reinforced armor and a new chassis with five road wheels, which became standard for all subsequent modifications. In 1938, modifications of the T-2D / Pz.II Ausf D and T-2E / Pz.II Ausf E light tanks using torsion bar suspension were created. This made it possible to increase the maximum speed on paved roads, but slightly worsen the cross-country performance.

The last modification in the T-II series of light tanks was the T-2F / Pz.II Ausf F model, produced in 1941-1942. The thickness of the frontal armor of these vehicles was 35 mm, and the side armor - 20 mm. The weight of the tank increased to 10 tons. Experts believed that this vehicle achieved a good balance between speed and armor protection.

The hull and turret of the light tank T-2F / Pz.II Ausf F are welded. The driver's seat was located in the front part of the hull, the seats of the other two crew members were in a circular rotation turret, armed with a 20-mm cannon with 180 rounds of ammunition and to the right of it - a 7.92-mm machine gun with 1,425 rounds of ammunition.

A reconnaissance vehicle was developed on the basis of the T-2 / Pz.II light tank, but its production was carried out in very small batches.

In the early 1940s, a model of an amphibious light tank was created in Germany. The engine, through a special drive, rotated a propeller fixed to the shaft, which ensured that the vehicle moved afloat at speeds of up to 10 km/h. Later, a model with two screws appeared. About 100 of these vehicles entered service by 1942 under the designation T-2 / Pz.II amphibious tank.

These vehicles were later withdrawn from combat service and converted into tank destroyers, with effective 76.2mm anti-tank guns captured from Soviet forces in battle. Such vehicles were designated Marder, and were soon replaced by Marder II with 75 mm German anti-tank guns. In total, approximately 1,200 tanks were converted. Until 1944, factories in occupied Poland produced self-propelled artillery units, which were 150-mm howitzers mounted on the chassis of a T-2 / Pz.II light tank.