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After WWI, the Treaty of Versailles prevented Germany from manufacturing tanks or similar armoured fighting vehicles. To skirt the treaty, an order to design of tank hull without superstructures, turrets and armament under official designation LaS, or "Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper" (agricultural tractor) was given to MAN, Krupp, Daimler Benz, and Rheinmetall-Borsig companies. The Krupp design was chosen, and in the Spring of 1934, 15 training turretless vehicles were issued to the first two Panzer regiments to give the troops their first experience of driving a fully-tracked combat vehicle.
Soon an order for mass-production of armoured and Machine Gun armed vehicles was given to Krupp, Henschel, MAN and Daimler-Benz.
The first complete Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf A, originallyknown as MG Panzerwagen - Versuchkraftfahrzeug 617, was issued in September 1934, and by July 1935, the Kraftfahrlehrkommando had received 475. Despite that in 1935 the production was changed to Pz.Kpfw. Ausf B, by the beginning of WWII, the Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf A was scattered throughout all Panzer units. Pz.Kpfw. I was extensively used in pre-war maneuvers and propaganda events (e.g. Nuremberg Rallies).
The debut (combat test) of Pz.Kpfw. I was in 1936, during Spanish Civil War. Only 106 tanks, (102 Ausf A, Ausf B and 4 Kleiner Panzer Befehlswagen I( LEADWARRIOR kit LW35008 )) saw service with "Legion Condor" and General Franco's "Nationalists". Major Ritter von Thoma's Panzer Abteilung 88 (also known as Abteilung Drohne) with its 3 companies was based at Cubas near Toledo, where German instructors trained future Spanish crews, while the unit was used for training duties and combat. Pz.Kpfw. I tanks proved to be outclassed by Soviet T-26 and BT-5 provided to "The Republicans", so some Pz.Kpfw. I were rearmed with anti-tank guns mounted in a modified turret (PzKpfw I Ausf. A mit 20mm Flak L/65 Breda Model 1935, LEADWARRIOR kit LW35005c ). Pz.Kpfw. Is equipped two Nationalist tank battalions (Agrupacion de Carros) - 1st and 2nd Tank Battalion. German High Command used the opportunity of the Spanish Civil War to test their new weapons and tactics of Blitzkrieg. Its very thin armor offered only protection against small firearms and its twin MGs were no match for anything other than infantry units and proved completly useless in combat.
Still, Pz.Kpfw. I saw action in Poland, France, Denmark, Norway, Finland and North Africa. 1,445 were available for invasion of Poland, and only 523 participated in the invasion of France.
During African campaign, small number of Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf As was converted in the field by Africa Korps (5 Leichte Division) during Battle of Tobruk in 1941 into Flammenwerfer auf Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf A. It was armed with light portable infantry Flammenwerfer (flamethrower model) 40 and MG (in place of right hand machine gun). Some 10 to 12 bursts could be fired with a range of 25m.
As of July 1, 1941, there were still 843 active in units, however, by the end of 1941 nearly all were sent to training establishments, Police and Anti-partisan units, or converted into Munition carriers ( LEADWARRIOR kit LW35007c ), or even into Flakpanzer I Anti-Aircraft tanks ( LEADWARRIOR kit LW35006c ). 511 of PzKpfw I turrets were used in fortifications of Atlantic Wall, Pomeranian Wall and in the Kostrzyn area.
Pz.Kpfw. I was designed as light training tank for the pre-war Panzer Divisions never intended to be be used in combat conditions but was used as a light combat tank until 1942. It was cheap, fast and maneuverable but its armor and armament were both very weak, because of its original design capabilities. Although, it proved to be an excellent training tank and most of the panzer crews were trained on Panzer I until the end of the war or operated it in combat as their first armoured vehicle.
Pz.Kpfw.I. View of driver's compartment.
Pz.Kpfw.I. Visors hatches.
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