Combat service of early PzKpfw II versions in WWII ?

More Pz.Kpfw. II and variants

Pz.Kpfw. II



15 cm s.I.G. B Sf.


Marder II

 

Question:

Is it just my imagination or is the tank in the first photo delaying a Roundel marking on the turret and if so why?

 

I don't know what it is exactly. Possibly a '0', but I don't know...

 

For those of you who care, a Luchs is a Lynx, so it is to be taken literally as a small Tiger.

 

There were some Mk II's in Memel, 7 of them I believe that were used to good effect in 1944/1945. I got that from a book about the seige of Memel. The Germans would hide them in buildings until the Russian infantry would attack and then use them as a mobile reserve. The Russians finally got sick of them shooting things up and started sending t-34s with the infantry and they didn't last long. They got some by firebombing the city also.

 

the Flamethrower variants were built on the ausf. D chassis.
PzKpfw II Flammpanzer Ausf A & B, SdKfz 122: 112 built and 43 converted from Ausf Ds & Es from January 1940 to January (March) 1942 (chassis nos. 27001-28000). A contract for 90 was issued by Inspectorate 6 of the Weapons Department to MAN and Wegmann on January 21, 1939. The first 16 were ready on July 19, 1940.
Had MG34 in smaller turret, plus 2 flame-throwers mounted on small turrets on the front track guards. Fuel for flame-throwers was installed in armored tanks behinds small turrets. Traverse was 180° and elevate from 10° to 20°. They could also be fired from a electronic panel in the turret. Range was about 35 yards and could fire approximately 80 2-3 second bursts (carried 84.5 gallons of fuel). Was deployed in Panzerabteilungen in June 1941 as close support vehicles. the short range and light armor made the "Flamingo"s as they were called an unsuccesful design and tthey were converted into SP anti tank guns by adding russian 76mm field guns starting spring 1942.

the 85 remaining vehicles were converted to marder II by Alkett early 1942 Using captured 7.62cm type 96 Russian field guns and captured russian 76mm anti tank guns as well as some variants with Pak 40 75mm guns. The russiabn guns were rechambered to handle German PaK 40 ammunition. Could penetrate 80 mm at 900 meters.

the Pzkw Ausf D-E chassis by the way is unique in that it has tortion bar suspension rather than the matched bogies on leafsprings, 4 large road wheels and no return rollers.. about 250 were made. 1938-39

 

http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?ICM-35241

ICM-35241 1/35 PzKpfw II (F) Flamingo WWII german flame-thrower tank model kit
The flamethrower tank PzKpfw II (Flamm) - Sd Kfz 122 consist in the inventory of German army in an initial stage of the Second World War.
Design of a flamethrower tank started by the corporation MAN in 1939 on the basis of the fast-running tank Pz II Ausf D/E. The machine was intended for destruction of field and long-time strengthening of the opponent. The alteration was encompassing bayed to the installation on fenders of the tank two rotary flame-throwers, each of which had a tank containing 160 liters of an ignition mix on 80 shots. The ignition mix of oil with gasoline was rejected through compres azote. The tankturret Pz II DIE was changed new with a machine gun MG-34. A chassis were produced by the corporation MAN, the final mounting of hulls and armament was executed by the corporation Wegmann. Within 1940 was made 112andwas rebielt from tanks Pz 11D/E 43 flamethrower tanks Pz 11 (Flamm).
The tanks PzKpfw II (Flamm), received a popular nickname Flamingo, have gone into service of 100 and 101 Panzerabteilung (Flamm) - flamethrower tank batalhons. They have shared in combats of an initial stage of war on the Soviet-German front in the summer and autumn of 1941.

Technical and tactical specifications of PzKpfw II (F) Flamingo
Crew - 3 men
Battle weight - 11 t
Length - 4,75 m
Width - 2,14 m
Height - 1,85 m
Speed - 40 km/h
Fuel distance on road - 125 km
Armour - 14,5 - 30 mm
Engine - Maybach HL62TRM, 140 hp
Armament - 2 flame-throwers, 3201 of an ignition mix 1x7,92mm, MG 34 machine gun


http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?MAQ-3547

http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?ALA-011

MAQ-3547 1/35 Marder IID German WW2 Self-Propelled Gun model kit
In the pre-war years, the Pz. Kw II LaS 100 light tank was the backbone of the German armor forces. It was introduced into service in 1935. Later, in 1938, Daimler-Benz introduced the LaS 138 type, which was fielded as the Pz Kw II (Sd Kfz 121) or fast fighting vehicle. While the turret and superstructure resembled the earlier Pz Kw II, this series was the first to use torsion bar suspensions. During 1938-39 nearly 250 of these fast machines were produced. During 1940 some of these vehicles were converted into flame throwing tanks. As these vehicles were not terribly successful they became the first of the series to form the basis for different types of self-propelled gun carriages. By late 1941, it was clear that additional firepower was needed for the Eastern front. On December 20th 1941, the weapons department was ordered to construct a self-propelled anti-tank vehicle using the captured Soviet 7.62 cm gun. These machines were a wartime expedient and were given to Alkett to complete without a development contract. By May 42 a total of 150 of these vehicles had been turned out. An extension contract for a further 60 was issued. The supply of these carriages depended on the supply of repaired Pz Kw II flam chassis. The official designation of this vehicle was the PX Sfl II fur 7.62 cm Pak 36 (Sd Kfz 132) Marder II. The concept was so successful that from 1942 on the earlier standard Pz II chassis were modified to carry the then available 7.5 cm PaK 40/2 as the Marder II. Later still, the excellent Czech Pz 38(t) chassis was also modified to become the Marder III.


http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?MAQ-3546

MAQ-3546 1/35 Pz.II Ausf.D German WW2 Light Tank model kit
The Pz.ll light tanks was the main tank type of German army in the pre-war years. The Pz.ll was introduced into service in 1935 and production continued into 1941. The Pz.lt Ausf.D superstructure and turret resembled other modifications, but the suspension was completely different - it has torsion suspension. 250 some vehicles were built in 1938.
Pz.ll were used by Panzerwaffe in Polish campaign in 1939, in France in 1940 and in the Barbarossa operation against the USSR.

Perfomances
Com bat weight - 10 t
Armour - 15-30 mm
Armament: KWK-30 20-mm cannon, MG-34 7,92-mm machine gun
Max speed - 55 krn/h
Crew - 3 ps

 

theres 2 types of suspensions:
1.is the tortion bar type which is pretty much an axle with an el shaped bracket mounted to the end. the road wheel mounts in the center, the axle at one end and a hydraulic canister the other. this makes for individual springing of each road wheel.
the bogie type suspensions dual road wheels mounted in tandem and sprung by a horizontal leaf spring have better ride but hav emore working parts and increased maintenance.. the larger roadwheels on the tortion types eliminate the need for the return rollers which hold the track up and prevent slack.

 

VERY interesting sidenote here... the tanks were sent back to be refitted as the marder but the crews of pz battalions 100 and 101 went on to form the first Tiger battalions. the crews of the flammpanzers were chosen specifically because they were elite troops, courageous to the point of recklesness. taking a pz2 to with 100 feet of a bunch of ticked off russians who know yer gonna fry em if they dont kill ya isnt exactly a cake job =)

 

k i went back and checked it out.

theres 3 distinct types of Panzer II:

the first type is the LaS 100 series these were the dominant type from Ausf a to Ausf F ( not incl. Ausf D )

the second type was the LaS 138 series - Ausf D.
I include this series as a seperate type because further research and developement was based on it.

the 3rd Series is the Neuer Arste ( new type ) or Special Chassis series.


latewar 1942 -1945 the first run LaS 100 was converted to Wespe 105mm SP guns (sd 124 ) and Ammo carriers almost 1100 all told including the carriers which could be instantly conveted to Wespes.

the second series 138 was used first as flamethrower tanks then latewar as SP AT guns - the marder II series (sd 132 ). ( incl some LaS vehicles here sd 131)

the third type ( neur arste ) - all the VK series designs were based on a faster ground speed, thicker armor and interleaveaved roadwheels .
these tanks were used in fast reconnaisance roles late war until cancelled and replaced by 38ts fitted to the reconnaisance role.

so in answer to your question :
the early LaS vehicles were used primarily as wespes with some Marder II ( sd 131 ) tossed in.


I put together a little page to give an example
http://www.designworx.org/panzerkampfwagen_ii.htm

 

the Pz II's in Memel were part of the 12Pz. Divison - PZkw II na Ausf J ( VK 1601 ) reconnaisance tanks they had 12 of em.

 

ok i fixed an error on the page i had put the ausf H in the K spot. youll notice some of the tanks are similar - thats cus theyre pictures of the same tank.... dont be alarmed.

Russia an N africa showed the need for super fast - well armed and armored recon vehicles.... no one had gotten round to the idea of improving the recon cars yet cept the 233.

Instead they decided to create a new AFV based on the Pz II.. youll note that this is a total redesign.. not a modification. everything from suspension to turret to chassis to engine was totally redesigned... that means old pz II couldnt be upgraded. DIFFERENT TANK! woOtage!

they did the same with PZ I in an attempt to improve its service life and avoid completely retooling the german tank Industry.


the Series was known as Neuer Arste.
each was composed of 1 heavy and 1 light reconnaisance vehicle


http://www.geocities.com/madsin72/rpz1.html
Light units
VK. 601 Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. C "früh"
VK. 602 Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. C "spät"/ Ausf. D
Heavy units
VK. 1801 Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. F
VK. 1802 Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. F mit Vorwählgetriebe VG 15319

http://www.geocities.com/madsin72/rpz2.html


1st series
VK. 901 Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. G
VK. 903 Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. H
light units
VK. 1301 Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. M
VK. 1303 Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. L Aufklärungsfahrzeug "Luchs" (Sd.Kfz. 123)
heavy units
VK. 1601 Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. J
VK. 1602 Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. K Aufklärungsfahrzeug " Leopard" (Sd.Kfz. 123)


hope this clears everythinh up... ive heard rumours the pzkw ausf F was meant as a heavy fortbuster..... ya right germans aint dumb enuff tot ake on bunkers with machine guns.
judging by all the other vehicles in the series its pretty obvious what the intended us was =)

"Diese Projektnummern zeigen an, worum es sich handelt: VK sagt an, daß es sich um ein Vollkettenfahrzeug handelt, die erste Zahl, bzw die ersten beiden Zahlen zeigen an, in welcher Gewichtsklasse das zu entwickelden Projekt liegt, also das VK1801 war mit 18 Tonnen projektiert. Die letzten beiden Ziffern zeigen an, um das wievielte Projekt in der Gewichtsklasse handelt, das VK1303 war also das 3.Projekt in der 13 Tonnen Klasse."