PzKpfw II Light
Tank (Panzerkampfwagen)
 |
| Panzer II |
Country: Germany
Crew: 3
Armament:
20mm KwK 30 cannon
Armor-piercing rounds only
Range - 600m (656 yards)
7.92mm MG 34 machine-gun coaxial with main armament
Ammunition:
20mm - 180 rounds
7.92mm - 1,425 rounds
Armor:
Ausf A, B, C
10mm (0.39in) minimum
30mm (1.18in) maximum
Ausf F
14.5mm (0.57in) minimum
35mm (1.38in) maximum
Dimensions:
Length - 4.8m (15ft 9in)
Width - 2.2m (7ft 3in)
Height - 1.98m (6ft 6in)
Weight: 9,500kg
(29,944lb)
Engine: Maybach
HL 62 TR 6 cylinder, water cooled, inline gas engine
130hp @ 2,600 rpm
140hp with bored out cylinders
on later models
Power to weight ratio - 13.3hp/ton
Performance:
Speed:
Road
- 40
km/h (25mph)
Cross-country
- 19 km/h (12mph)
Range:
Road - 149
km (93 miles)
Cross-country - 99 km (62
miles)
Obstacle - 0.43m (1ft 5in)
Trench - 1.72m (5ft 8in)
Fording - 0.91m (3ft)
Gradient - 50 percent
Entered Service:
Ausf A - 1935
Ausf F - 1941
Ausf: Ausführung – design or
execution
 |
| 1940 Battle of France |
Once the decision was made to no longer accept the tank limitations
placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles armored production moved forward
at a rapid pace. Still, the time needed
to develop Germany’s main battle tanks, the Panzer III and Panzer IV, was too
long a wait and the military turned to interim solutions. The first of these was the 2-man Panzer I,
armed only with machine guns. A short
time later, in 1935, production began on the 3-man, more heavily armed, Panzer
II. Both Panzer models were primarily
intended for training purposes but the advent of war in 1939 forced the German
army to rely on them in a significant combat role. The Panzer II formed the backbone of Germany’s
armored divisions in both the invasions of Poland and France. They also had an important role with Erwin
Rommel’s Afrika Korps in the desert warfare of 1941. Limitations in its design made it unsuitable for
use in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, except as a reconnaissance
vehicle.
 |
| Afrika Korps |
The PzKpfw II was best suited for an infantry support role
as its 20mm cannon was unable to penetrate the armor of other tanks. At the same time, its own light armor was
vulnerable to anti-tank weapons of most any kind. The rate of fire of the cannon was reasonable
but vision from within the turret was poor and fire control could be difficult. The maneuverability and agility of the Panzer
II was good but this performance was limited by the engine’s power. Its high-frequency radio enabled coordination
between tanks in combat – an important factor in winning the battlefield.
 |
| Destroyed in North Africa |
The Panzer II did surprisingly well in its initial
engagements in Poland and France because of its mobility. Blitzkrieg tactics emphasize speed and the
Panzer II was competitive in this regard with most any tank available at the
time. Still, its size and limitations in
armor and armament made it unable to survive the battlefield beyond 1941. By then, though, the Panzer III and Panzer IV
were now doing the heavy lifting and the Panzer II had already delivered more
value than anyone would have been expected when it was introduced.
 |
| Panzer II used in reenactment |
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