Tank T-II - Other modifications. Second time in the light class Description of the tank pz kpfw 2 ausf c

Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C

Main characteristics

Briefly

Details

1.0 / 1.0 / 1.0 BR

3 people Crew

69% Visibility

forehead / side / stern Booking

35 / 15 / 15 housings

30 / 15 / 15 towers

Mobility

9.1 tons Weight

267 l/s 140 l/s Engine power

29 hp/t 15 hp/t specific

48 km/h forward
9 km/h back43 km/h forward
8 km/h back Speed

Armament

180 rounds of ammunition

6.0 / 7.8 sec recharge

10 shells clip size

280 rounds/min rate of fire

9° / 20° UVN

shoulder rest stabilizer

1,800 rounds of ammunition

8.0 / 10.4 sec recharge

150 shells clip size

900 rounds/min rate of fire

Economy

Description

Panzerkampfwagen II (2 cm) Ausführung C or Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C - German light tank, armed with a 20 mm KwK30 cannon and an MG34 machine gun, the crew consisted of three people. This machine combined high driving performance, speed and maneuverability, but had weak armor and weapons. When placing an order for the design of Pz.Kpfw. II, the German military command pursued the goal of closing the gap in the absence of tanks in the Third Reich until they reached mass production more modern Pz.Kpfw tanks. III and Pz.Kpfw. IV, which were then still under development. But, by the beginning of hostilities, due to an acute shortage of medium tanks, Pz.Kpfw. II, it was decided to use it in real combat conditions (before this the tank was used as a training tank), where it proved to be very good. Having entered the war in 1939, the vehicle was effectively used until 1942, when it became obvious that the tank was already outdated and significantly inferior to all its opponents. Individual units of Pz.Kpfw. II went through the entire war and participated in hostilities until the surrender of Germany in 1945.

Modification Ausf. C was the third production version and was produced from July 1938 to March 1940. After graduation civil war in Spain it became clear that the reservation of early Pz.Kpfw. II clearly does not meet modern requirements and can easily be damaged by field anti-tank artillery, therefore tanks of the Ausf modification. C were reinforced with applied armor plates 14.5 and 20 mm thick, and the gun mantlet acquired an armored shield with bends at the top and bottom, which protected the joint of the mantlet and the edge of the embrasure from shell fragments and bullets. The thickness of the armored glass of the viewing devices was also increased from 12 to 50 mm. Instead of a double-leaf hatch on the roof of the turret, a commander's cupola with eight periscope viewing blocks was installed, a new TZF4/38 sight was installed, surveillance devices were modernized, and installation of smoke grenade launchers was provided at the rear of the hull.

Main characteristics

Armor protection and survivability

The inclined section of the armor does not allow the installation of an effective rhombus

For its combat rating, Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C, does not have special armor protection, however, it has thicker frontal armor than most of its rivals; it, of course, will not save you from hits from cannon shells, but tanks armed with heavy machine guns, such as the M2A2 and T-60, can penetrate the frontal armor of the Pz. II they won’t be able to. A special feature of the vehicle's armor are the bevels on the sides of the hull, with viewing slits for the driver, which have good angles of inclination if the tank faces the enemy with its forehead, however, when the tank is positioned in a diamond shape, these areas will be very vulnerable to the enemy, because when the tank turns, they will not have any angle of inclination. The armor of the sides and rear of the hull is quite weak and the tank can even be hit there heavy machine guns. The survivability of the vehicle is also affected by the fact that the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. There are only three crew members and disabling at least one of them significantly increases the gun reload time. It is worth noting the low silhouette of the tank, which will be useful to the player more than once when camouflaging on the ground in the Republic of Belarus and SB.

Mobility

One of the main advantages of the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C is his speed and mobility. In terms of maximum speed, in its combat rating, the tank is inferior only to the Soviet BT light tanks, so it may well be one of the first to occupy advantageous positions or capture points. The maneuverability of the car is simply excellent; it can easily and quickly turn around or make maneuvers both on the move and from a standstill. The reverse speed is also nice - you can always roll back or behind cover in time to reload and repair, unless, of course, the cover is too far away. The downside is the lack of electric drives for turning the turret; it rotates quite slowly, therefore, in case of sudden flank attacks or enemies appearing from the rear, you will have to turn the hull further, since until the turret turns itself in the right direction, Pz. II may already be destroyed. The disadvantage of the tank is that it sways during sudden maneuvers and stops at high speed. As for the vehicle's cross-country ability on rough terrain, the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C shows itself on a very good side - it easily overcomes slopes, hills and small water obstacles, but significantly loses speed when overcoming obstacles such as fences, trees and other objects that are destroyed when they are rammed or run over.

Armament

Main weapon

Location of the crew and modules inside the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C

Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C is armed with a 20 mm KwK 30 gun with 150 rounds of ammunition and is equipped with a shoulder rest (single-plane vertical stabilizer). The 20mm automatic cannon is capable of effectively fighting all enemies in its combat rating. A special feature of the gun is that it is loaded not with one shell at a time, but with a clip of ten shells, which ensures a high rate of fire and continuous fire, however, the clip takes a little longer to reload than a gun that charges one shell at a time. Due to the short barrel of the gun and the reduced armor penetration of shells at long ranges, the gun is poorly suited for firing over long distances.

There are three types of shells available for the tank:

• Standard- the clip set includes shells: armor-piercing incendiary tracer projectile (BZT) and high-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer projectile (OFZT). Standard shell clips for this tank. They have the least effectiveness in battle, because Every second OFZT projectile will not penetrate armored targets; accordingly, every second shot will not cause absolutely no damage to enemy vehicles.

• PzGr- armor-piercing incendiary tracer projectile. It can effectively fight all opponents at its combat rating, and has the best armor protection of all the presented projectiles. Recommended for use at medium and long distances.

• PzGr 40- armor-piercing sub-caliber tracer projectile. It has the highest armor penetration of all the presented shells. It can effectively fight not only with opponents of its combat rating, but also hit some opponents of a rank higher than its own, in the side and stern. Recommended for close combat, as well as for delivering targeted strikes against well-armored opponents.

Machine gun weapons

Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C is armed with a 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun with 1800 rounds of ammunition, coaxial in the turret with the main gun. The machine gun is only capable of fighting truck-based self-propelled guns; it is useless against other opponents.

Use in combat

In terms of its gaming application, the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C is almost universal. You can safely go on the attack on it, the main thing is not in the vanguard of the team. Considering its weak armor protection, as well as the number of crew, going at the forefront of attacks can very quickly lose the vehicle. But a tank can very effectively help the main attacking forces by moving right behind them and supporting teammates with fire or covering them from sudden flank attacks. Thanks to its speed, the Pz.Kpfw. II, can be one of the first to arrive at the capture point and hold it until the main forces arrive or, right during the battle, quickly move around the map capturing points that the enemy left without defense. If opponents roll out towards the player one at a time or if there are several of them, but they have weak armor, then Pz. II can effectively defend capture points or important strategic positions. But where does he show himself at his best? the best side, so this is in attacks from ambushes and shelters. To implement such tactics, city maps or maps with mountainous landscapes or a large number of rocks and shelters are most suitable. It is necessary to find a good shelter or position where the entrances to the capture point from the enemy side or the places where the enemy is most likely to move will be clearly visible. It is necessary to take advantage of the surprise of the attack to destroy the enemy before he notices the player. If the enemy notices a position occupied by a player or there is a threat of entering the rear or flank, it is better to take advantage of the tank’s speed and move to a new position or, if necessary, move to the rear. The only role for which the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C is in no way suitable - this is the role of a sniper, due to the small caliber of the gun, and also because shells at long distances lose their penetrating ability, the tank is of little use for sniping at enemy tanks at long distances.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• Excellent speed and maneuverability
• Rapid fire gun
• Availability of sub-caliber shells
• Good frontal armor
• Good reverse speed
• Single plane stabilizer

Flaws:

• Rocking of the tank during a sudden stop
• Slow rotation of the tower
• Three crew members

Historical reference

Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C

After Germany abrogated the military articles of the Treaty of Versailles in 1935, limiting the number German army and prohibiting it from having its own armored forces, the Third Reich actively began developing tanks of its own production. But the government soon realized that the development of tanks that would meet modern requirements would take considerable time, so the sixth department of the Ministry of Armaments ground forces issued an order to develop a variant of a ten-ton tank, armed with a 20 mm cannon, one machine gun and more powerful armor than the Pz.Kpfw.I, which would become an intermediate option until medium tanks more suitable for future campaigns were developed, as well as for training future crews of German tanks. The Ministry's task was entrusted to three companies: Krupp, Henschel and MAN. After testing, in the summer of 1935, the choice fell on the MAN project, mainly because of the promising chassis that was installed on their tank prototype. The layout of the provided version became classic in the future - the engine compartment was located at the rear, with the transmission located at the front of the tank, the fighting compartment was located in the middle of the hull, and the driver's compartment was in the front.

Pz.Kpfw. II somewhere on the Eastern Front

The tank was put into service under the name LaS 100 (LaS - "Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper" - agricultural tractor) and, after some modifications, its mass production began in 1937 under the designation Pz.Kpfw. II. By the time Germany attacked Poland, it turned out that the medium tanks Pz.Kpfw. III and Pz.Kpfw. There is a catastrophic shortage of IV tanks in the ranks of the Panzerwaffe, so it was decided to use the Pz.Kpfw.I and Pz.Kpfw.II tanks, which were previously used only for training purposes, in combat operations. To the surprise of the Wehrmacht command, the Pz.Kpfw.II proved itself very positively in battle, although in the Polish campaign they played more of a role as infantry support tanks, because The Polish army had very few armored vehicles of its own. The tank was then used in the French campaign, where it accounted for 70% of the entire Wehrmacht tank fleet. And in this campaign, the tank proved itself to be a very effective combat vehicle, thanks to its speed, maneuverability and good armor protection, the tank could easily make flanking moves around the enemy and move very quickly both on roads and over rough terrain; the vehicle was often used for reconnaissance. In the French campaign Pz.Kpfw. II was used not only as an infantry support tank, but also entered into battle against French armored vehicles, however, the Wehrmacht command realized that for head-on collisions with well-armored enemy tanks and anti-tank artillery, the armor of the Pz.Kpfw.II was clearly not enough. The last campaign in which the Pz.Kpfw.II showed its effectiveness was the Balkan Campaign and the initial stage of the North African Campaign. With the invasion of the Third Reich into the territory Soviet Union in 1941, the Wehrmacht realized that the Pz.Kpfw.II was already clearly inferior not only in armor, but in firepower even to light Soviet tanks, this became especially obvious with the advent of the winter of 1941-1942, when the tank brought tankers more problems than benefits, therefore , in 1942, it was decided to abandon further production.

In total, from 1937 to 1942, more than 1,800 Pz.Kpfw.II tanks of all modifications were produced, there were five serial ones in total modifications A-F. The vehicle showed itself effectively in all the initial campaigns of the Wehrmacht, until the summer of 1941, when it became clear that the Pz.II was already outdated and did not meet the armor and firepower requirements. But, despite the cessation of production of this tank in 1942, its chassis was widely used for the production of self-propelled guns, as well as artillery tractors and other modifications, and damaged tanks received for repair from the battlefields were converted into flamethrower vehicles or subjected to the above modifications. There are known cases when a Pz.II with a removed turret was used as an armored vehicle for the commander of a tank unit. Some vehicles were recalled to Germany in 1941-1942 and were used there as training tanks for crew training.

Media

Pz.Kpfw. II (right) overcomes an obstacle



Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C crosses a shallow river



Pz.Kpfw.I (left) and Pz.Kpfw. II (right) overcome a water obstacle



Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C in one of the armored vehicle museums



A column of German armored vehicles, including Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C (in the foreground) in one of the villages of the USSR

From the very beginning, it was clear that even for temporary armament of tank units in anticipation of more powerful combat vehicles, Pz.I tanks were not enough. Therefore, already at the end of 1934, tactical and technical requirements were developed for a tank weighing 10 tons, armed with a 20-mm cannon. For the reasons already mentioned, the tank received the designation LaS 100 and, like the Pz.I, was intended for training purposes. LaS 100 prototypes were developed on a competitive basis by three companies: Krupp, Henschel and MAN. In the spring of 1935, the Krupp company presented the commission with the LKA 2 tank - a version of the LKA tank with an enlarged turret for a 20-mm cannon; Henschel and MAN presented only the chassis.

As a result, the MAN chassis was chosen for mass production, the armored body for which was manufactured by Daimler-Benz. The general contractors for serial production were to be MAN, Daimler-Benz, FAMO, Wegmann and MIAG. By the end of the year, the first 10 tanks were produced, equipped with Maybach HL57TR gasoline engines with a power of 130 hp. The speed reached 40 km/h, the range was 210 km. The thickness of the armor ranged from 5 to 14.5 mm. The armament consisted of a 20-mm KwK 30 cannon (KwK - Kampfwagenkannone - tank gun) and an MG 34 machine gun. According to the already mentioned designation system for combat vehicles, the LaS 100 tank received the index Sd.Kfz 121. The first production tanks were designated Pz.II Ausf. a1, the next 15 cars are Ausf.a2. 75 Ausf.a3 tanks were produced. All these options differed slightly from each other. On a2 and a3, for example, there were no rubber tires on the support rollers. The 25 Ausf.b. tanks differed little from the previous ones. The biggest difference was the installation of a new engine – Maybach HL 62TR.

A column of light tanks Pz.II and Pz.I on the street of one of the Polish cities. September 1939.

Tests of all these tanks revealed significant flaws in the design of the chassis. Therefore, in 1937, a completely new type chassis. It was first used on 200 Pz.II Ausf.c tanks. The chassis consisted of five medium-diameter road wheels suspended on semi-elliptical springs. The number of support rollers has increased to four. The new chassis increased the smoothness of the ride on terrain and the speed of movement on the highway and remained unchanged on all subsequent modifications (except for options D and E, which will be discussed below). The tank's weight increased to 8.9 tons.

Pz.II Ausf.C tanks of the 36th Tank Regiment of the 4th Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht during the battles in Warsaw on September 8–9, 1939.

In 1937, the Henschel plant in Kassel began mass production of the most popular variants of the Pz.II Ausf.A, B and C. Monthly production was 20 vehicles. In March 1938, production at this plant was completed and began at the Alkett plant in Berlin with an assembly rate of 30 tanks per month. Ausf.A tanks were equipped with a synchronized gearbox, a Maybach HL62TRM engine with a power of 140 hp, and a new type of viewing slot for the driver. Modification B had changes that were mainly technological in nature and simplified mass production. Pz.II Ausf.C received an improved engine cooling system and armored glass in viewing devices with a thickness of 50 mm (for A and B - 12 mm).

As for the weapons, their radical strengthening was impossible due to the small size of the turret. The combat capabilities of the Pz.II could only be improved by increasing the thickness of the armor. In the Pz.II Ausf.c, A, B and C tanks, the parts of the armored hull most exposed to enemy fire were strengthened. The front of the turret was reinforced with armor plates 14.5 and 20 mm thick, and the front of the hull was 20 mm thick. The configuration of the entire bow of the hull has also changed. Instead of one bent sheet, two were installed, connected at an angle of 70°. One had a thickness of 14.5 mm, the other - 20 mm. On some tanks, instead of a double-leaf hatch, a turret was installed on the turret. All these changes were made during repairs and therefore were not present on all tanks. It happened that one unit had both modernized and non-modernized vehicles.

Production of the Pz.II Ausf.C was discontinued in the spring of 1940, and at the end it did not exceed 7–9 units per month. However, there is an insufficient number of light tanks 35(t) and 38(t) and medium Pz. III and Pz. IV in the Wehrmacht tank divisions was the reason for the decision on November 27, 1939 to release a modified series of Pz.II Ausf.F tanks.

The tanks of this series received a new hull design, which had a vertical frontal plate across its entire width. A mock-up of the driver's viewing device was installed on its right side, while the real device was on the left. Newly shaped covers for the viewing windows in the gun mantlet enhanced the armor protection of the tank. Some vehicles were equipped with a 20 mm KwK 38 cannon.

Initially, production of the Ausf.F was very slow. In June 1940, only three tanks were produced, in July - two, in August-December - four! Production picked up pace only in 1941, when the annual production amounted to 233 tanks of this brand. The following year, another 291 Pz.IIF left the factory floors. Tanks of this version were produced by the FAMO plant in Breslau (Wroclaw), the United Machine-Building Plants in occupied Warsaw, the MAN and Daimler-Benz plants.

Pz.II Ausf.b of one of the units of the 4th Panzer Division, knocked out on the streets of Warsaw. September 1939.

Tanks of models D and E stand somewhat apart from the Pz.II family of vehicles. In 1938, Daimler-Benz developed a project for the so-called “fast tank”, intended for tank battalions of light divisions. Only the turret was borrowed from the Pz.II Ausf.c tank; the hull and chassis were developed anew. The latter had large diameter road wheels (4 per side), new drive and idler wheels. The hull strongly resembled that of the Pz.III. The crew consisted of three people. The weight of the car reached 10 tons. The Maybach HL62TRM engine allowed it to reach a maximum speed on the highway of up to 55 km/h. The gearbox had seven forward and three reverse speeds. The thickness of the armor ranged from 14.5 to 30 mm. In 1938–1939, the Daimer-Benz and MAN plants produced 143 tanks of both versions and about 150 chassis. Tanks of the E model differed from the D with a reinforced suspension, a new track and a changed type of idler wheel.

Pz.II tanks on the attack. Good interaction between units was largely ensured by the presence of radio stations on all tanks.

After the decision was made on January 21, 1939 to form tank units special purpose, MAN and Wegmann were tasked with designing a flamethrower tank - Flammpanzer.

One of the Pz.IIs of the 3rd company of the 40th special forces battalion. Norway, April 1940.

When creating such a vehicle, MAN used the chassis of the Pz.II Ausf.D/E tanks. They were equipped with turrets of an original design, armed with one MG 34 machine gun. Two Flamm 40 flamethrowers were placed in remote-controlled rotating turrets located in front of the fenders. Armored tanks with fire mixture were installed on the fenders behind the turrets with flamethrowers. The pressure for flamethrowing was created using compressed nitrogen. Nitrogen cylinders were located inside the tank hull. When fired, the fire mixture was ignited with an acetylene torch. Behind the tanks with the fire mixture, mortars for launching smoke grenades were installed on special brackets.

The Pz.II(F) or Flammpanzer II tanks received the index Sd.Kfz.122 and the name Flamingo (the author was unable to find out how official it is). Serial production of flamethrower tanks began in January and ended in October 1940 after the production of 90 vehicles. In August 1941, an order was issued for another 150 tanks of this type, but after the conversion of 65 Pz.II Ausf.D/E units, the order was canceled.

The first combat test, according to some Western sources, of the Pz.II (most likely several vehicles of modification b) took place in Spain. As part of the Condor Legion, these tanks took part in the battles over the Ebro and in Catalonia in 1939.

A year earlier, in March 1938, Pz.II took part in the operation to annex Austria to the Reich, the so-called Anschluss. There were no combat clashes during this operation, but as in the case of the Pz.I, during the march to Vienna, up to 30% of the “twos” failed for technical reasons, mainly due to the low reliability of the chassis.

Pz.II Ausf.C in France. May 1940.

The annexation of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to Germany in October 1938, the result of the Munich Agreement, also passed bloodlessly. Losses in the material part were already significantly less, since the Pz.I and Pz.II tanks were delivered to the concentration areas by truck, which made it possible to preserve the scanty resource of the chassis. By the way, it should be noted that a Faun L900 D567 (6x4) truck and a two-axle Sd.Anh.115 trailer were used to transport the Pz.II tanks.

The Sudetenland was followed by the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia. On March 15, 1939, the Pz.II from the 2nd Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht was the first to enter Prague.

On the eve of the Polish campaign, Pz.II, along with Pz.I, made up the majority of Panzerwaffe combat vehicles. On September 1, 1939, German troops had 1,223 tanks of this type. Each company of light tanks included one platoon (5 units) of Pz.II. In total, the tank regiment had 69 tanks, and the battalion - 33. Only the 1st Tank Division, better equipped than others with Pz.III and Pz.IV tanks, had 39 Pz.IIs. Two-regiment divisions (2nd, 4th and 5th) had up to 140, and single-regiment divisions had 70–85 Pz.II tanks. The 3rd Panzer Division, which included a training battalion (Panzer Lehr Abteilung), had 175 Pz.II tanks. The least number of “twos” were in the light divisions. Vehicles of modifications D and E were in service with the 67th tank battalion of the 3rd light division and the 33rd tank battalion of the 4th light division.

The beginning of Operation Sonnenblume (“Sunflower”) - loading Afrika Korps tanks onto ships for delivery to Tripoli. Naples, spring 1941.

The armor of the “twos” was effortlessly penetrated by shells from 37 mm wz.36 anti-tank guns and 75 mm field guns Polish army, which became clear already on September 1–2 when breaking through the positions of the Volyn cavalry brigade near Mokra. The 1st Panzer Division lost 8 Pz.II vehicles there. Even greater losses - 15 Pz.II - were suffered by the 4th Panzer Division on the approaches to Warsaw. In total, during the Polish campaign until October 10, the Wehrmacht lost 259 Pz.II tanks. However, irretrievable losses amounted to only 83 vehicles.

In April - May 1940, 25 Pz.II tanks, allocated from the 4th Panzer Division and included in the 40th Special Purpose Battalion, took part in the capture of Norway. At the same time, during short battles with the British troops that landed in this country, two Pz.IIs were lost.

By the start of the offensive in the West on May 10, 1940, the Panzerwaffe had 1,110 Pz.II tanks, 955 of which were in combat-ready condition. At the same time, the number of tanks in different formations varied significantly. Thus, the 3rd Panzer Division, operating on the flank, had 110 Pz.II tanks, and the 7th Panzer Division of General E. Rommel, located in the direction of the main attack, had 40 tanks. The Deuces were practically powerless against well-armored French light and medium tanks. They could only hit them at close range on the side or stern. However, there were few tank battles during the French campaign. The main burden of the fight against French tanks fell on the shoulders of aviation and artillery. Nevertheless, the German losses were very significant, in particular, they lost 240 Pz.II tanks.

Pz.II Ausf.F, knocked out in the Libyan desert. 1942

In the summer of 1940, 52 Pz.IIs from the 2nd Tank Division were converted into amphibious ones. Of these, two battalions of the 18th Tank Regiment of the 18th Tank Brigade (later deployed into a division) were formed. It was assumed that they, together with Pz.III and Pz.IV prepared for movement under water, would take part in the operation “ Sea lion" - landing on the coast of England. Crews were trained to move afloat at the training ground in Putlos. Since the landing on the shores of Foggy Albion did not take place, Schwimmpanzer II was transferred to the east. In the first hours of Operation Barbarossa, these tanks crossed the Western Bug by swimming. Later they were used as ordinary combat vehicles.

Pz.II Ausf.F of the 23rd Panzer Division, assigned to guard the airfield. January 1942.

Pz.II tanks of the 5th and 11th tank divisions took part in the fighting in Yugoslavia and Greece. Two tanks were delivered by sea to the island. Crete, where with fire and maneuver they supported the German mountain riflemen and paratroopers who had landed on this Greek island.

In March 1941, the 5th Tank Regiment of the 5th Light Division of the German Afrika Korps, which landed in Tripoli, had 45 Pz.IIs, mainly model C. After the arrival of the 15th Panzer Division by November 1941, the number of "twos" on The African continent reached 70 units. At the beginning of 1942, another batch of Pz.II Ausf arrived. F(Tp) – tropical version. The delivery of Pz.II tanks to Africa can be explained, perhaps, only by their low weight and dimensions compared to medium tanks, which made it possible to transport a larger number of them by sea. The Germans could not help but realize that the “twos” were powerless against most of the tanks of the British 8th Army, and only their high speed helped them get out of the fire. However, despite everything, the Pz.II Ausf.F was used in the African desert until 1943.

Pz.II Ausf.C captured by British troops. North Africa, 1942.

As of June 1, 1941, there were 1,074 combat-ready Pz.II tanks in Hitler's army. Another 45 vehicles were under repair. In the formations intended to participate in Operation Barbarossa and concentrated near the border of the Soviet Union, there were 746 vehicles of this type, which accounted for almost 21% of the total number of tanks. According to the then staff, one platoon in a company was supposed to be armed with Pz.II tanks. But the staff was not always respected: in some divisions there were many “twos”, sometimes in excess of the staff, in others there were none at all. On June 22, 1941, Pz.IIs were part of the 1st (43 units), 3rd (58), 4th (44), 6th (47), 7th (53), 8th th (49), 9th (32), 10th (45), 11th (44), 12th (33), 13th (45), 14th (45), 16th (45), 17th (44), 18th (50) and 19th (35) tank divisions of the Wehrmacht. In addition, there were linear “twos” in the 100th and 101st flamethrower tank battalions.

Pz.II could easily fight Soviet light tanks T-37, T-38 and T-40, armed with machine guns, as well as armored vehicles of all types. Light tanks T-26 and BT, especially latest issues, were hit by “twos” only from relatively close distances. At the same time, German vehicles inevitably had to enter the effective fire zone of Soviet 45-mm tank guns. They confidently penetrated the armor of the Pz.II and Soviet anti-tank guns. By the end of 1941, the German army had lost 424 Pz.II tanks on the Eastern Front.

From Flamingo tanks, the Germans formed three flamethrower battalions, which fought near Smolensk and in Ukraine and everywhere suffered heavy losses due to the unfortunate location of tanks with fire mixture on the tanks.

Pz.II Ausf.C tanks are moving towards the Greek border. Bulgaria, April 1941.

In 1942, the “twos”, gradually removed from combat units, were increasingly involved in patrol duty, guarding headquarters, reconnaissance and counter-guerrilla operations. Over the course of a year, 346 vehicles of this type were lost in all theaters of combat, and in 1943 - 84, which indicates a sharp reduction in their number in the troops. Nevertheless, as of March 1945, the Wehrmacht still had 15 Pz.IIs in the active army and 130 in the reserve army.

By June 22, 1941, Flammpanzer II flamethrower tanks were equipped with the 100th and 101st flamethrower tank battalions.

Pz.II turrets were used in significant quantities to create various long-term firing points. Thus, on various types of fortifications both in the West and in the East there were 100 Pz.II turrets armed with a 37-mm cannon and 536 with a standard 20-mm KwK 30.

Soldiers and commanders of the Red Army inspect a captured enemy flamethrower tank. The installation of smoke grenade launchers on the fender is clearly visible. Western Front, summer 1941.

In addition to the German army, the “two” were in service in Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. At the end of the 1940s, several vehicles of this type (apparently former Romanian) were in Lebanon.

As already mentioned, the Pz.II was considered by the Armament Directorate and the Wehrmacht leadership as a kind of intermediate model between the training Pz.I and the truly combat Pz.III and Pz. IV. However, reality upset the plans of Nazi strategists and forced them to put not only the Pz.II, but also the Pz.I into combat formation.

It is surprising how incapable German industry was in the 1930s of mass production of tanks. This can be judged from the data given in the table.

Even after the start of the war, when the Reich's industry switched to wartime mode, tank production did not increase significantly. There was no time for intermediate models here.

However, at the time of its creation, the Pz.II turned out to be a full-fledged light tank, the main drawback of which was its weak armament. The armor protection of the “deuce” was not inferior to that of most light tanks of those years. After modernization, the Pz.II moved to a leading position in this parameter, second only to the French R35 and H35 tanks. The tank's maneuverability characteristics, optics and communications equipment were at a fairly high level. The “Achilles heel” remained only the armament, since even in the mid-1930s, a 20-mm cannon as the main armament for a light tank was already considered unpromising. Guns of a similar caliber - 25 mm - were installed on only a few dozen French light reconnaissance tanks. True, already on the eve of World War II, light Italian L6/40 vehicles were armed with a 20-mm cannon, but the low level of Italian tank building is well known.

However, it would be interesting to compare the “two” with another “brother” in armament, which appeared even later - in the fall of 1941. We are talking about the Soviet light tank T-60.

COMPARATIVE TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PZ LIGHT TANKS. IIF AND T-60

What can we say by analyzing the comparative data of both tanks. Soviet tank builders managed to achieve almost the same level of security as the German tank, which, with a smaller weight and dimensions, significantly increased the invulnerability of the tank. The dynamic characteristics of both cars were almost identical. Despite the high specific power, the Pz.II was not faster than the sixty. Formally, the armament parameters were also the same: both tanks were equipped with 20-mm I cannons with similar ballistic characteristics. The initial speed of the armor-piercing projectile of the Pz.II cannon was 780 m/s, that of the T-60 was 815 m/s, which theoretically allowed them to hit the same targets. In reality, everything was not so simple: the Soviet TNSh-20 cannon could not fire single shots, but the German KwK 30, as well as the KwK 38, could, which significantly increased the accuracy of fire. The “Dvoyka” was more effective on the battlefield due to its crew of three, who also had a much better view from the tank than the T-60 crew, and the presence of a radio station. As a result, the “two” was significantly superior to the “sixty” as a front-line vehicle. This superiority was felt even more when the tanks were used for reconnaissance, where the stealth, but “blind” and “mute” T-60 was practically useless.

Pz.II tank destroyed by fire Soviet artillery. Western Front, July 1942.

However, on initial stage During the Second World War, armored vehicles coped well with reconnaissance tasks in the interests of tank and motorized units of Hitler's Wehrmacht. Their use in this role was facilitated by an extensive road network Western Europe, and the enemy’s lack of massive and well-organized anti-tank defense.

After Germany attacked the USSR, the situation changed. In Russia, as you know, there are no roads, there are only directions. With the onset of the autumn rains, the German armored reconnaissance vehicle became hopelessly stuck in the Russian mud and could no longer cope with the tasks assigned to it. In addition, the situation was aggravated by the fact that around the same time, anti-tank rifles (ATRs) began to arrive in increasing quantities to the rifle units of the Red Army, which made it possible to give the anti-tank defense a massive character. In any case, the German general von Mellenthin noted in his memoirs: “The Russian infantry has good weapons, especially a lot of anti-tank weapons: sometimes you think that every infantryman has an anti-tank rifle or an anti-tank gun.” An armor-piercing 14.5 mm caliber bullet fired from the PTR easily penetrated the armor of any German armored vehicles, both light and heavy.

Getting to know the trophy. Pz.II Ausf.F, captured at the Sukhanovsky farm. Don Front, December 1942.

In order to somehow improve the situation, half-track armored personnel carriers Sd.Kfz.250 and Sd.Kfz.251 were transferred to reconnaissance battalions, and light tanks Pz.II and Pz.38(t) were also used for this purpose. However, the need for a special reconnaissance tank became obvious. The Wehrmacht Armament Directorate came to the conclusion that its design should take into account the experience of the first years of the war. And this experience required an increase in the number of crew members, a larger engine power reserve, the installation of a radio station with a larger range, etc.

Light tank Pz.II Ausf.L from the 4th reconnaissance battalion of the 4th tank division. Eastern Front, autumn 1943.

In April 1942, MAN produced the first prototype of the VK 1303 tank, weighing 12.9 tons. In June, it was tested at the Kummersdorf test site and was soon adopted by the Panzerwaffe under the designation Pz.II Ausf.L Luchs (Sd.Kfz.123). The production order to MAN amounted to 800 combat vehicles.

Luchs (“Luhs” - lynx) was armored somewhat better than its predecessors, but the maximum armor thickness did not exceed 30 mm, which turned out to be clearly insufficient.

In contrast to all modifications of the Pz.II linear tanks, the turret on the Lukhs was located symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the tank. Its rotation was carried out manually, using a turning mechanism. The tank's armament consisted of a 20 mm KwK 38 cannon and a coaxial 7.92 mm MG 34 (MG 42) machine gun. The ammunition consisted of 330 rounds and 2250 rounds of ammunition. Vertical guidance of the twin installation was possible in the range from –9° to +18°. Three mortars were installed on the sides of the tower to launch 90 mm smoke grenades.

Even during the design of the Lukhs, it became clear that the 20-mm cannon, which was too weak for 1942, could significantly limit the tactical capabilities of the tank. Therefore, from April 1943, it was planned to begin production of combat vehicles armed with a 50-mm KwK 39 cannon with a barrel length of 60 calibers. The same gun was installed on medium tanks Pz.III modifications J, L and M. However, it was not possible to place this gun in the standard Lukhsa turret - it was too small. In addition, this would lead to a sharp reduction in ammunition. As a result, a turret with an open top was installed on the tank. bigger size, into which the 50 mm gun fit perfectly. The prototype with such a turret was designated VK 1303b.

Light tank Pz.II Ausf.L, probably from the 116th Panzer Division, knocked out in France in August 1944.

The tank was equipped with a six-cylinder Maybach HL 66r carburetor engine with a power of 180 hp. at 3200 rpm.

The chassis of the Lukhs tank, in relation to one side, included five rubberized road wheels each, staggered in two rows; front drive wheel and idler wheel with track tensioning mechanism.

All Lukhs were equipped with two radio stations.

Serial production of reconnaissance tanks of this type began in the second half of August 1942. Until January 1944, the MAN company produced 118 units, the Henschel company - 18. All of them were armed with a 20-mm KwK 38 cannon. As for combat vehicles with a 50-mm cannon, it is not possible to indicate their exact number. According to various sources, from four to six tanks left the factory floors.

The first serial "Luhs" began to enter the troops in the fall of 1942. They were supposed to equip one company in the reconnaissance battalions of tank divisions. However, due to the small number of vehicles produced, very few Panzerwaffe formations received new tanks. On the Eastern Front these were the 3rd and 4th tank divisions, in the West - the 2nd, 116th and Training tank divisions. In addition, several vehicles were in service with the SS Totenkopf tank division. Lukhs were used in these formations until the end of 1944. During combat use the weakness of the tank's weapons and armor protection was revealed. In some cases, its frontal armor was reinforced with additional armor plates 20 mm thick. It is reliably known that a similar event was carried out in the 4th reconnaissance battalion of the 4th tank division.

Before the war, these tanks, along with the PzI, formed the basis tank troops Germany. During the fighting in Poland, they most often formed the tip of German tank wedges. Germany had a small number of battle tanks of newer types, so the PzII was at the forefront of the well-functioning German military machine and fought through the short-lived Polish campaign of 1939, and later took part in the defeat of the Anglo-French troops in an equally rapid campaign in the West, leading a successful attack on Paris.

Description

By the beginning of the Wehrmacht's eastern campaign, there were 746 PzII tanks on the Soviet borders. In the summer of 1941, this tank was certainly already outdated; the weak 20mm automatic cannon successfully fought only with the most lightly armored Soviet technology- T-37, T-38 and T-40. Faced with a T-26 or BT-7, a German tank could only count on luck, since in order to defeat these vehicles it was necessary to approach them at a very short distance - less than 300 meters, which is practically impossible in a real battle. Newer Soviet vehicles, such as the T-34, had an even more impressive advantage over the German tank. The weak armor of the PzII dictated the need for its use in the absence of a powerful anti-tank defense by the enemy. The armor of the PzII was easily penetrated by standard 37mm and 75mm guns of the Polish Army in 1939 and by standard 45mm field guns of the Red Army in 1941. Despite numerous attempts to strengthen the armor, the tank was clearly inferior to its Soviet opponents in terms of shell resistance. In addition, due to the small size of the turret, it was impossible to install a more powerful gun on the PzII, which would at least somehow increase the combat value of this outdated vehicle. It is worth noting, however, that tanks of this type, according to the original design, were supposed to become training vehicles for German tank crews, and only the shortage of newer tanks - "PzIII" and "PzIV", their unsatisfactory production and entry into the troops, forced the German command to continue to use these hopelessly outdated tanks in combat operations. By 1942, the PzII was officially withdrawn from German tank units. By the end of the war, approximately 145 vehicles of this type survived in the German army.

Cases when a more advanced tank, accepted for service, was replaced by a modification inferior to it in terms of characteristics are extremely rare. In Soviet tank building, such an example was the KV-1s, which in many ways turned out to be a necessary measure. Less heavy than the KV-1, this vehicle also had less thick armor, but due to the reduction in weight and a more advanced gearbox, its reliability and mobility increased. At the same time, the tank itself underwent a lot of alterations and improvements.

In the case of the Germans, the most striking example of such paradoxical rearmament wasPz. Kpfw. II Ausf. F . Here we were talking about an actual return, with minor modifications, to a less advanced modification of the “two” (Ausf. C) than already adopted (Ausf. D).

Back to the springs

The question that the La.S.100 chassis was far from perfect was raised in the 6th Department of the Armaments Department back in January 1937. Despite the fact that MAN was working on a modernized version of the car with a new chassis, Heinrich Kniemkamp insisted on starting work on a completely different chassis. It should have had a torsion bar suspension and a slightly different arrangement of units. The chassis received the designation La.S.138, its prospects were rated very highly. In correspondence, employees of the 6th Department of the Armaments Department La.S. were called devoid of a future and were looking forward to the launch new version Pz.Kpfw.II.

In reality, the situation turned out to be not at all as rosy as it seemed to German engineers. To begin with, work on La.S.138 was delayed. In addition, on June 18, 1938, in the midst of work to prepare the vehicle for production, the Weapons Office (Waffenamt) authorized the development of a tank codenamed VK 9.01. Such a decision can definitely be considered a sign that a threat looms over La.S.138.

The new commander's cupola became one of the innovations of the PzII Ausf.F. It migrated from the modernization of Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c-C

And the tank itself, designated Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D, turned out to be not as ideal as it seemed to its creators. It turned out that simultaneously with the transition to torsion bar suspension, the combat weight of the vehicle increased by two tons. Of course, the suspension was not the only one to blame for this. The designers strengthened the armor of the frontal part of the hull and the turret box, and the placement of internal components and assemblies was slightly changed. Nevertheless, such an increase in mass did not at all please the 6th Department of the Armaments Department.

Finally, the La.S.100, which was conditionally retired, soon struck back. The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c and the subsequent Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A-C created on this platform turned out to be much more successful vehicles in terms of suspension reliability. It turned out that the designers gave up on springs completely in vain. As a result, 43 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Ds manufactured from October 1938 to April 1939 were simply lost in the much larger volume of Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Cs produced during the same period. As for the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.E, the seven chassis produced in this modification never became “regular” tanks and were used as a basis for the construction of flamethrower vehicles.

The driver's viewing device was transferred from the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D to the new vehicle

Against this background, it is not surprising that already at the beginning of 1939, the order department for tanks and tracked vehicles (Wa J Rü-WuG 6) planned the release of a new series of tanks - 9.Serie/La.S.100. According to the original plan, the first five tanks of the 9th series were supposed to be received in May 1940, the end of production of the batch of 404 9.Serie/La.S.100 was expected in December of the same year. This meant that the production of the “bad” tank would continue.

At secondary production bases

The spring and summer of 1939 were a time of major changes in the German tank building program. MAN, the developer and main production site for the Pz.Kpfw.II, like a number of other enterprises, switched to producing the Pz.Kpfw.III. For this reason, Pz.Kpfw.II production volumes were rapidly declining. From 81 tanks in March 1939, in May they dropped to 14 vehicles, and subsequently the monthly production never exceeded the figure of 10 tanks.

This copy was intended for combat operations in Africa. The front mudguards “went away” quite quickly

In the summer of 1939, the only production site for this tank was the FAMO (Fahrzeug-und Motoren-Werke GmbH) plant in Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland). Just in 1939, FAMO began producing the 18-ton Sd.Kfz.9 half-track tractor. Mastering this very complex vehicle had a significant impact on the timing of the launch of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C series.

The order was small (35 tanks), but production problems meant that FAMO was able to deliver only two tanks in July. In August, their number increased to five, and the same number were completed in September. But after the October increase (eight tanks), only two vehicles were delivered in November. A long pause followed; only in April 1940 were the last nine tanks released.

This picture was associated with the high losses of the PzII in the Polish campaign. With irretrievable losses of 83 tanks, there were much more damaged vehicles. To repair them, it was necessary to use spare parts that were also intended for assembling tanks at FAMO.

The fake viewing device, installed to the right of the real one, was business card this modification of the tank

As of November 11, 1939, FAMO and Alkett facilities were supposed to be used as assemblers of the new 9.Serie/La.S.100. The Weapons Office (Waffenamt) continued to consider May 1940 as the start date for production, but here new factors had already begun to interfere with the military’s plans. The Polish campaign showed that the armor of the Pz.Kpf.II needed to be strengthened. On the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c-C the issue was resolved by installing shielding, but on the new tanks the frontal armor of the hull and turret was strengthened from the very beginning to 30 mm. This required reworking the hull and turret drawings, and as of January 24, 1940, the drawings were still in progress.

Another design change was added on March 7, 1940. Instead of a double hatch, the commander received a turret with viewing devices, which significantly improved his visibility. At the same time, the innovation again shifted the start of production of 9.Serie/La.S.100. The order department for tanks and tracked vehicles moved the start of production to June 1940. However, it later turned out that great optimists worked there.

The May-June 1940 campaign cost the German tank forces 240 Pz.Kpfw.IIs. It's accumulated again a large number of damaged cars. An additional factor slowing down the production was that now FAMO and Alkett were also involved in the production of Pz.Kpw.III. Soon the Alkett plant received its first order for the production of StuG III self-propelled guns. It became increasingly clear that the 9.Serie/La.S.100 would not be produced in Spandau. The final decision on this issue was made on September 19, 1940. The contract was completely transferred to FAMO, but even there they were not ready to fulfill it. Another site was needed for the production of long-suffering light tanks. And it was not found on German territory.

This tank was lost during battles in Africa. A new muffler and smoke exhaust devices, covered with an armored casing, make it easy to distinguish Pz. Kpfw. II Ausf. F from earlier machines

As a result of the Polish campaign, Polish enterprises were at the disposal of the Germans. Among them was the Ursus plant, which was part of PZInż (Państwowe Zakłady Inżynierii). The tanks and armored vehicles produced by PZInż turned out to be of little interest to the Germans from the point of view of continuing their production. Ursus became part of FAMO, changing its name to Famo-Warschau. At the same time, the plant was often still referred to as Ursus in correspondence. It was here that it was decided to create an additional tank production site. So Ursus became the only plant in the territories captured by the Germans during the Second World War that produced German tanks and self-propelled guns.

This tank was produced by the Ursus plant in the summer of 1941. He was part of the 31st Tank Regiment of the 5th Tank Division

The first 10 tanks of the 9th series at the Polish plant were planned to be produced in the same September 1940, and by July 1941 they were going to reach the level of 40 vehicles per month. These plans also turned out to be far from the real picture. On October 1, 1940 they were adjusted before release first three cars in December 1940, but this also turned out to be a pipe dream. In December, plans looked like this: the release of seven tanks in January 1941, the next ten in February. On March 1, realizing that this could no longer continue, Alkett was involved in helping to develop production. Through the joint efforts of Alkett and Ursus, seven tanks were finally delivered in March 1941. As for the FAMO plant, the first tanks of the 9th series left Breslau only in August 1941.

Long-lived temporary worker

By the beginning of 1941, the tank modification 9.Serie/La.S.100, designated Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F in the series, was in a rather delicate situation. In June 1940, the 6th Department of the Armaments Department initiated work on the creation of the VK 9.03, a 10-ton class light tank. The car was developed by MAN designers, and Heinrich Kniepkamp also took an active part in the work. With similar armament and armor to the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, the vehicle should have been much faster. The 9.Serie/La.S.100 was intended to be a temporary replacement for this promising light tank.

Weak armor forced tankers to experiment. In this case, tracks were used as additional armor

In the two years that have passed since the decision to start production of the PzII Ausf.F was made, the vehicle has changed little. Technically, the new tank was identical to the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C. The main changes have been made to the hull and turret. It was decided to abandon the complex frontal part of the hull. Instead, they made a much simpler design, repeating the shape of the additional armor installed on the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.c-C.

The new modification can be easily distinguished by the shape of the frontal part of the turret box. The designers abandoned the bevel on the right side, and the driver received an inspection device similar to that installed on the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D and Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.E. To the right of it they placed a mock-up of a viewing device made of aluminum. According to the authors, this was supposed to confuse enemy soldiers.

The shape of the left side of the engine plate has changed slightly, but the change in the muffler has become much more noticeable. In order to place the smoke exhaust device unit on the stern plate, the muffler had to be made noticeably shorter. The turret also underwent minimal changes, hardly differing from the modernization of the PzII Ausf.C. In short, if not for production problems, there would have been no obstacles to a quick transition to the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C.

The same tank from the other side

The first modifications to the design of the new tank began even before it went into mass production. They were connected with the fact that North Africa The first units of the Afrika Korps departed. In order for the tanks to operate normally in desert conditions, it was necessary to strengthen their ventilation system. Thus, the very first production Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Fs had the ability to quickly be converted into a tropical version. Armor kits were supplied by two factories: Deutsche Edelstahlwerke from Reimscheid, and Eisen und Hüttenwerke AG from Bochum.

Tank with serial number 28329, produced by Ursus in February 1942. The vehicle, which was part of the 5th SS Viking Panzer Division, already has a turret

Production unfolded rather slowly. After the release of seven tanks in March 1941, Ursus delivered no more than 15 vehicles per month during April - June. The plant reached its design capacity of 20 tanks per month only in July. As for FAMO, the situation here turned out to be completely terrible. Throughout 1941, Breslau was never able to surpass the ten tanks per month threshold. As a result, Warsaw was forced to increase the pace so that the monthly shipment of both plants corresponded to the planned one. By the end of 1941, 233 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Fs were delivered.

One of the tanks lost by the Germans in Tunisia in the winter of 1943

The arrival of new tanks to the troops began closer to the summer of 1941. At that time, a lot of questions had accumulated regarding the tanks of the Pz.Kpfw.II family. The fact that the 20-mm automatic cannon clearly does not correspond to the realities of modern warfare was clearly demonstrated by the campaign in France. The Pz.Kpfw.II could not boast of high mobility either. According to this indicator, it did not stand out in any way against the background of medium tanks.

It is not surprising that there was no place in the promising Pz.Kpfw.II rearmament program. This program, dated May 30, 1941, was designed for five years and provided for the supply of 2592 VK 903 to tank units. They were planned to be used as reconnaissance vehicles.

But, as often happens, plans did not always correspond to reality. The result of the VK 903 program was sad: this machine was never built either in series or even in metal. However, even if this tank had been born, it would most likely have shared the fate of its “younger brother,” VK 901, also known as the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.G. To a fault, MAN built 45 of these tanks, which did not take root among the troops.

The VK 13.01 reconnaissance tank turned out to be a more promising direction. This vehicle became the first German light tank to receive a two-man turret. Having evolved into VK 13.03, it eventually turned out to be a German reconnaissance tank with the most successful fate. True, even in 1941 there was still no certainty about this. Work on the tank was delayed, and the Pz.Kpfw.38(t) n.A program was launched as a backup. and Škoda T-15.

One of the captured Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F at the Research Site of the Main Armored Directorate of the Red Army (NIP GABTU KA). Kubinka, 1944

The delay in the creation of “full-fledged” reconnaissance tanks and the experience of battles on the Eastern Front forced the 6th Department of the Armaments Department to look for alternatives. Beginning in November 1941, the Pz.Kpfw.II began to be equipped with mounts for installing additional periscopes. The loss by this time of more than a third of the PzIIs from their original number in June 1941 gave the German military food for thought. More and more often there were reports from units that light tanks poorly corresponded to the realities of combat operations.

Judging by the mark on the front plate, the car was hit at least once

Despite this, the first half of 1942 saw the peak of PzII Ausf.F production. The record was set in May - 56 tanks. At the same time, it was in May 1942 that the ax was laid over the Pz.Kpfw.II production program.

Back in March 1942, the flamethrower Pz.Kpfw.II (F) was decided to be converted into self-propelled artillery mounts. The same thing happened with the Pz.Kpfw.38(t). The final decision to reduce the production of PzII was made in the summer of 1942. On June 7, Field Marshal Keitel proposed a complete transition to the production of self-propelled guns based on them. Hitler agreed to have half of the tanks manufactured in this form. On June 29, the share of self-propelled guns increased to 3/4, and on July 11, it was decided that this month would be the last for the PzII.

The same tank, left view

During 1942, FAMO and Ursus produced 276 Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F. In total, 509 of them were manufactured, that is, significantly more than originally expected. Due to the fact that contracts were renegotiated several times, the numbering of the cars turned out to be a little torn. According to research by Thomas Jentz and Hilary Doyle, the serial numbers were distributed as follows:

• Ursus - 28001–28204;
• FAMO - 28205–28304;
• Ursus - 28305–28489;
• FAMO - 28820–28839.

The cessation of production of Pz.Kpfw.II did not mean at all that these tanks would quickly disappear from units. As of September 1, 1942, the troops had 1,039 tanks of this type. Statistics of losses, which in the second half of 1942 only once exceeded the figure of 40 tanks (43 in November 1942), clearly show that these vehicles were slowly withdrawn from the first line. The surviving Pz.Kpfw.IIs were gradually transferred to other tasks: they were used for reconnaissance, as command vehicles and artillery observer vehicles.

Unlike the Pz.Kpfw.38(t), which were mainly converted into self-propelled guns or tractors, the Pz.Kpfw.II continued to serve. Most often they were used in units that had self-propelled guns on the Pz.Kpfw.II chassis. As of October 1, 1944, the troops still had 386 tanks of this type.

As often happens, the original body kit has completely disappeared from the shelves, in some places along with the fastenings

Periodically, the vehicles were sent to factories, where they underwent major repairs, and then were sent back to the troops. This was the fate, for example, of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, now located in the Patriot Park. Unfortunately, its chassis number has not been preserved, but the number of the turret box (28384) suggests that the tank was produced at the Ursus plant in March 1942. Not earlier than the spring of 1943, the tank underwent a major overhaul, during which the old paint was completely removed from it and repainted in dark yellow Dunkelgelb nach Muster. Judging by the surviving markings, the tank was used as a command vehicle for the second battalion.

Reservation scheme for the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F compiled by Soviet specialists

Captured Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.Fs repeatedly fell into the hands of the Red Army. But they were of almost no interest to Soviet specialists. For Soviet tank building, this tank was yesterday's thing back in 1941. The analogue of the German light tank was the Soviet T-70, against which the Pz.Kpfw.II had very little chance on the battlefield.

Sources and literature:

• NARA materials.
• Materials of TsAMO RF.
• Panzer Tracts No. 2–3 - Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf.D, E, and F development and production from 1937 to 1942, Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle, Darlington Publication, 2010.
• Materials from the author's photo archive.

No, don’t be alarmed, it’s not me who has gone crazy, this is normal American practice, when the naming of equipment took place independently across different departments and branches of the military. So, we're talking about not about a light infantry tank T2, and about " cavalry"car with the same name.

It was built in 1928 and was intended to reinforce and escort cavalry units. An indispensable requirement was cannon armament and speed sufficient to ensure that the cavalry did not run too far away from the tanks. The author of the machine, engineer Cuningham (company " James Cunningham & Sons Company"), did not reinvent the wheel and, based on a series of his light experimental tanks T1 (those still shushi, I must say), built a slightly enlarged version called T2. The car had a classic Cuningham layout, with a front-mounted MTO and rear drive wheels. In fact, according to the layout, it was a truck cabin, armored and topped with a turret.

Since the car had to be nimble, with its own weight of about 13.6 tons, it was equipped with an engine V12 Liberty, power in 312 hp, which allowed it to accelerate to 27 mph (43.5 km/h), almost 2-3 times faster than typical tanks of that period. With such an engine, the car looked very menacing at the training ground, quickly overcoming obstacles. True, at such speeds and a four-speed gearbox, the engine was running wild, so a rev limiter had to be introduced into the design, which slowed the car down to a still very decent 20 mph (32 km/h) at that time.

In general, in 1933, one of Cunningham’s experimental tanks on tracks with rubber-metal joints (?) invented by him (?) accelerated to 50 miles (80 km) per hour. And without any wheeled-tracked perversions.

The vehicle's armament was not formed immediately. No, what d.b. gun - was not discussed, but everything else... The original version of the vehicle was armed with two cannons, 37mm in the hull and 47mm in the turret, but it did not have a machine gun.

During the process of modifications, all sorts of things happened - the gunner of the gun in the hull greatly disturbed those sitting in the turret, the hefty breech literally pushed him under their feet, and it was inconvenient to operate the gun with one hand while loading it - you had already lost the target, so the 37mm gun migrated to turret, and its place (not immediately) was taken by a machine gun. Then, in addition to the machine gun in the hull, a second machine gun appeared, coaxial with the cannon, and also a large-caliber one (classic, M2), and the cannon itself in the turret again increased in caliber from 37mm to 47mm. It should be noted that the BC of the heavy machine gun was (if Heigl is not mistaken) as much as 2000 rounds. By the way, quite good for 1928-31, in the end, I find it difficult to name a more powerful and faster tank right off the bat.

Armor was differentiated, from 22.23mm (7/8 inch) in front and in the turret, to 3.35mm (1/4 inch) on horizontal surfaces.