A completely worthless light tank (8 photos). Second time in the light class Description of the tank pz kpfw 2 ausf c

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.

The M1921 medium tank, which was born in 1921, undoubtedly 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. The exposed suspension elements 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 location was Fort Benning, where American congressmen periodically visited, on whose opinions the future fate of many combat vehicles depended. 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

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By the beginning of World War II, specialists from the Main Armored Directorate of the Red Army (GABTU KA) had a rather vague idea of ​​what the armored vehicles of a potential enemy were. Approximately the same thing, however, can be said about their colleagues from the allied countries of the USSR in the not yet created anti-Hitler coalition. For quite objective reasons, there was little available information about the tanks of Germany and its allies. Basically, it was limited to reference books, which were prone to inaccuracies. A full study of foreign technology became possible only after the outbreak of hostilities. In this sense, the USSR was almost ahead of the rest. The first trophies began to arrive from Spain; they turned out to be the German Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A and the Italian L3/35. In the summer of 1939, the Japanese light tank Ha-Go was captured in the Far East. The beginning of World War II significantly added to the list of trophies, among which was the German light tank Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C.

He quietly took it out and left - it’s called “found”

Despite the fact that the Pz.Kpfw.II was absent from Soviet reference books in 1939, this tank became known even before the start of the war. Here it is worthwhile to dwell separately on how this vehicle was designated in the USSR - a rather important question, since it explains the legend that the Pz.Kpfw.II was allegedly used in Spain. Some materials even name the year of the combat debut - 1938, despite the fact that the Germans themselves “do not admit” to this. There are no Pz.Kpfw.II tanks on the list of tanks delivered to the Francoists.

The answer lies in the notation system used in the Soviet Union. In 1939, a “light tank type II” appeared in Soviet documents, which, apparently, became the source of the myth. The piquancy of what is happening is that by “light tank type II” they meant... Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B. This is exactly how this tank was designated on information posters issued in October 1939. Moreover, in some reference books of the war period this tank continues to be designated in the same way - despite the fact that at the same time it was also designated as the “German light tank T-Ia”. Such confusion probably gave birth to the myth about the use of the PzII in Spain.

​A clear demonstration of what exactly was designated in Soviet reference books as the “German T-II tank”

Meanwhile, along with the “light tank Type II”, or T-II, even before the start of the war, another vehicle was also known - the “light tank Type IIa”, or T-IIa. The description of this tank clearly indicates that what Soviet experts meant by it was the Pz.Kpfw.II in the Ausf.a or Ausf.b modification. This is evidenced by the description of the chassis: 6 small-diameter road wheels, interlocked into bogies.

When exactly this tank became known, history is silent, but you can be sure that it is not a Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B. It is possible that information about him came from foreign intelligence, especially since the Germans did not hide these vehicles, and they participated in various events.

This is how the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C arrived at the NIIBT training ground

The Red Army encountered Pz.Kpfw.II for the first time in the fall of 1939. On September 17, 1939, hostilities began, which went down in history as the Polish Campaign of the Red Army. By two o'clock in the morning on September 19, 1939, Soviet tanks burst into Lviv. A week earlier, battles began in the Lvov area between the Polish army and German troops, among which was the 2nd Panzer Division under the command of Lieutenant General Rudolf Fayel. The division operated northwest of Lviv, in particular, it took part in the battle with the Polish army for the city of Tomaszow Lubelski.

To start studying the car, we first needed to put it in order

As a result of the battles, the Polish army lost three and a half dozen armored vehicles in this area, including 7TP tanks, Vickers Mk.E and TK-S tankettes. Some of these vehicles belonged to the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade under the command of Stanisław Maczek. A significant part of the brigade managed to escape to the Polish-Hungarian border. However, the Germans also got it here: at the SPAM (assembly point for emergency vehicles), organized in Tomaszow Lubelski, there were not only Polish, but also German tanks.

The same tank after restoration. The large cross on the front of the turret is clearly visible, which was an excellent target for Polish anti-tank gun crews

During the first week, the 24th Light Tank Brigade under the command of Colonel P.S. Fotchenkov, which occupied Lvov, settled into its new location. It is possible that one of the captured Polish soldiers learned about a large accumulation of Polish armored vehicles. At that time, the new borders between the USSR and Germany were not completely defined, which the Soviet tankers took advantage of:

“By order of the Military Council of the Ukrainian Front on 10/6/10, a detachment of 152 people was organized with the required number of combat and transport vehicles to evacuate captured property from the area of ​​Krasnobrod, Uzefov, Tomashov, already occupied by German units.

Working selflessly, the detachment removed a lot of valuable property, including two German tanks, two German anti-tank guns, 9 Polish tanks, 10 tankettes and up to 30 guns; returned without loss."

Since there was no German lighting technology, domestically produced lights were installed on the tank.

By the way, there could also be a third German tank on this list. According to the memoirs of A.V. Egorov, who served in the 24th Light Tank Brigade, Senior Lieutenant Tkachenko stole a Pz.Kpfw.III, but the tank was quickly returned to the owners. Nevertheless, among the vehicles, information about which was prepared in the form of posters with performance characteristics and vulnerabilities, was the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.D. This is the same vehicle that, according to some historians, the Red Army captured in the fall of 1939. Naturally, she did not undergo any study, but we still managed to obtain minimal information about her.

A completely different situation arose with another vehicle, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C. This tank, which a detachment of the 24th Light Tank Brigade stole from SPAM in Tomaszow Lubelski, was not going to be returned to the Germans. He became lawful prey and went for study to the training ground of the Scientific Research Institute of Armored Vehicles (NIIBT) in Kubinka near Moscow. They also managed to bring another tank to the USSR, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A.

"Is a modern fighting machine"

Captured tanks arrived at the training ground in 1940. In the documents Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C received the designation T-IIb. The tank ended up at SPAM in Poland not due to any mechanical failure. According to the inspection report, the car received several hits. In particular, a shell from a Polish anti-tank gun hit one of the hatches in the frontal part of the hull, damaging the gearbox housing. As a result, the tank lost speed and was probably abandoned by the crew. Wear was also found on the spring mounting points on two road wheels. These damages turned out to be the result of active use of the tank, released in 1938.

The remaining damage was caused by other factors. Most likely, the car, deprived of power and abandoned by the crew, was thrown into a ditch, and the troops passing nearby began to slowly dismantle it for spare parts. This was a common occurrence: there are many photographs of cars with similar damage that were “vandalized” by German repairmen. In especially severe cases, the tank's hull and turret, as well as large components and assemblies, were left behind, which could not be removed without heavy crane equipment. At the same time, the tank, standing on stumps (all elements of the chassis had already been removed from it), continued to be listed as temporarily lost combat effectiveness.

From the point of view of attachments, the tank was almost empty

To be fair, the vast majority of such victims of vandalism later returned to duty, but after they were sent to the factories. For this reason, it is quite difficult to obtain a more or less real picture of the losses of German armored vehicles. The tank “privatized” by Soviet tank crews formally suffered only serious battle damage from hitting the checkpoint, which could be replaced relatively easily. But while in the ditch and on SPAM, the tank received additional “damage.” The homely Germans removed from it some of the electrical equipment and wiring, crew seats, radio station with antenna, instrument panel, ammunition rack, coaxial machine gun, tow hooks, spare parts, tools and accessories.

Thrifty German soldiers even removed the antenna and support from the tank

With such a volume of malfunctions, full-fledged tests similar to those that the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A underwent were out of the question. From the testers, the employees of the NIIBT test site had to retrain as restorers. In order to return at least one tank to working condition, the range workers used the “buy three shawarmas and assemble a kitten” method. The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A was used as a donor of spare parts: the gearbox, the hatch on the front plate and a number of other parts were removed from it.

The Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C itself was completely dismantled. During the assembly process, test site employees simultaneously described the components and assemblies of the tank, and also produced their drawings. The result was a technical description, in some places even more detailed than the original operating manual for the tank.

It was not possible to completely assemble the restored car from “native” German parts. The headlights, battery, some instruments and tow hooks had to be taken from domestic cars. As a result, the tank was still able to be restored to running condition, but due to the lack of spare parts, there was no full testing program. The maximum that we managed to do was conduct a test run over a distance of 100 kilometers. Its goal was to determine the tactical and technical characteristics of the T-IIb.

View of the engine compartment. One could only guess that there was a radio operator's hatch on the left side here.

It was not possible to obtain any documents for the tank; for this reason, some design features of the Pz.Kpfw.II remained beyond the sight of Soviet specialists. This is especially true for very specific elements, which, for example, included the way the radio operator left the tank. Our specialists did not know that the access hatch to the engine compartment was also used for this purpose. However, this is not surprising: few would have guessed that one could get out of a tank in such an exotic way.

Reservation scheme for Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C

Soviet specialists did not pay much attention to the tank’s engine, since this engine was already known by the fall of 1940. In Germany, the USSR officially acquired three Sd.Kfz.7 half-track tractors, which also used Maybach HL 62 engines. The ZF SSG 46 gearbox aroused more interest. Testers noted the high level of precision in manufacturing the gearbox. Its advantage was the use of helical ground gears: their use increased wear resistance and reduced noise during operation. The experts also liked the use of a synchronizer and the layout of the rocker mechanism, which does not have long rods.

ZF SSG 46 gearbox, which pleasantly surprised with its high level of manufacturing precision

At the same time, the difficulty of removing the gearbox from the tank was indicated, which required removing the turret and turret box. The Pz.Kpfw.I and other German tanks had similar problems. This turned out to be the price for the layout with a front-mounted transmission.

The planetary rotation mechanism, reliable and durable, received a positive assessment. But the Soviet specialists did not like the brakes, since they turned out to be difficult to adjust. The general conclusion about the transmission was the following: it is reliable in operation, easy to operate and can be classified as one of the best types of mechanical transmissions.

Kinematic diagram of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C transmission

The chassis of the tank aroused considerable interest among testers. According to specialists from the NIIBT test site, despite its low weight, it ensured a smooth ride and rapid damping of vibrations. The spring suspension turned out to be compact and lightweight, and the road wheels made of aluminum alloy were also lightweight. The track tensioning mechanism was also praised. Somewhat complex to manufacture, it turned out to be simple and reliable in operation.

However, for Soviet tank building, leaf spring suspension was already a thing of the past. After a series of experiments, it became clear that the future belonged to the torsion bar, which by the time the Pz.Kpfw.II was tested was serially installed on the T-40 amphibious reconnaissance tank.

Chassis diagram. The spring suspension was praised, but torsion bars were already used on Soviet light tanks by that time

The hull and turret of the tank did not surprise Soviet specialists. Their design seemed a completely logical development of the Pz.Kpfw.I hull and turret, which was partly the correct conclusion. The driver did not like the design of the hatch because it turned out to be inconvenient to use. However, the testers made the correct conclusion, suggesting that the crew mainly used the turret hatch to climb into the tank.

The tactical and technical characteristics of the trophy indicated that its crew consisted of three people, but the description of the fighting compartment stated that only the commander was there. The fact is that all the seats were removed from the tank, so where exactly the radio operator was located remained a mystery. Moreover, there was no radio with an antenna on the tank either.

Driver's viewing devices. They were only partially preserved: German repairmen passing by the damaged tank “tried”

Observation devices aroused much more interest. On the one hand, according to the principle of placement, the viewing devices differed little from those of the Pz.Kpfw.I. At the same time, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C had modernized inspection hatches with thicker glass. Our specialists were also interested in the fact that the same binocular viewing device was installed on the tank as on the Pz.Kpfw.III. The device itself has not survived (cunning German mechanics took it out along with the glass block of the driver's viewing device), but exactly the same one was installed on the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G, which was purchased in Germany in 1940. For testing, the device was removed from the Pz.Kpfw.III and placed in a light tank. Overall, the visibility of the tank was considered quite satisfactory.

Tower diagram

Based on the results of studying the captured German car, the following conclusions were drawn:

“The German captured T-2b tank (conditional name) of 1938 represents the further development and modernization of type IIa tanks.

Comparing these tanks, it is clear that the modernization took place along the lines of changing the chassis of the tank.

1. The armament of the IIa and T-2b tanks is completely identical and consists of a normal-caliber coaxial machine gun, a twenty-millimeter automatic cannon and an automatic pistol.

The armor of both vehicles is 6-15 mm, designed to protect only from rifle-machine-gun-armor-piercing fire of normal caliber.

The external shape of the hull is quite successful and provides a good layout of the tank's chassis.

In terms of weapons and instruments, the following deserves the attention of designers of the domestic industry:

• a) Rotating mechanism of the tower.
• b) Lifting mechanism of a coupled installation.
• c) Installation and fastening of the machine gun in the turret.
• d) Duplicate driver observation device.

2. The engine used in the tank is a serial Maybach automobile engine (the same engine is installed on the Krauss-Maffei half-track tractors). The engine is well-proven and is quite reliable in operation.

Engine starting is ensured, in addition to the electric starter, by an inertia starter.

3. On tanks II-a, the chassis is made of six small-diameter rollers (on each side), connected into 3 carriages.

The T-2b tank has an independent suspension and there are five road wheels of increased diameter on each side. The suspension is original in design, easy to manufacture and ensures constant contact of the rollers with the caterpillar. The suspension has an advantage over torsion bar suspensions in its compactness and damping properties.

The caterpillar is fine-linked, lantern geared with small lateral clearance on the drive wheel, which guarantees the caterpillar from falling off.

4. The transmission scheme of the T-2b tank is similar to the T-2a, and is typical for German tank building. The presence of a six-speed gearbox with synchronizers provides the tank with good maneuverability and ease of control.

The planetary rotation mechanism is large in size and weight, and difficult to manufacture. Its advantage is reliability in operation and the absence of the need for adjustment.

5. Good access to components subject to frequent inspection and adjustment is provided. Dismantling tank components is difficult (for example, removing the gearbox requires removing the turret). The latter can be explained by the fact that the quality of the tanks produced is of high quality, which eliminates the need for frequent removal of units from the tank.

A common feature of the T-2b light tank is that it, like all German tanks, is manufactured according to a single tank design adopted in Germany.

The use of a single scheme and common standard parts in the production of tanks significantly reduces the cost and speeds up the production of tanks, and facilitates the training of combat and repair personnel.

In its design and production design, the T-2b tank is a modern combat vehicle.”

Of no interest

Despite the rather flattering assessment of the test site specialists, in reality the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C did not particularly impress Soviet tank builders. In 1939-40, Soviet tank building stepped far forward. The analogue of the Pz.Kpfw.II in the USSR was supposed to be the SP-126 infantry escort tank, which later turned into the T-50. Even at the early design stage, the German car was inferior to him in everything.

The designers were much more interested not in the light German tank, but in the medium Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G, which really had a noticeable impact on Soviet tank building. This also applies to Soviet light tanks. At the same time, it was decided to bring Soviet light vehicles as close as possible to a medium tank in a number of characteristics.

General visibility diagram of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C

The second tank, Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A, was sent for study to Leningrad, at NII-48. There the vehicle was included in a program to study the quality of foreign armor. It's funny, but according to the report this car passes as “Polish tank of German production of welded construction” . The vehicle was dismantled, and later the body and turret were shot, and a report was drawn up. It was noted that the hull parts were carefully made, and the welds did not show any cracks after the shelling. The armor itself was considered fragile.

As of April 1, 1941, the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.C, restored at the NIIBT test site, was supposed to be placed in a museum at the test site. But after the start of the Great Patriotic War, traces of the tank were lost.

A dismantled “German-made Polish tank” Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.A being studied in Leningrad

Already during the war, several Pz.Kpfw.IIs arrived in Kubinka. After the war, there was only one tank left here - Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.F, turret number 28384. Most likely, it was manufactured at the Ursus plant in Warsaw. It is worth noting that during the Great Patriotic War, no research work on the Pz.Kpfw.II was carried out in the USSR. By this time, it was yesterday for our tank building.

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 tests 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, the factories of occupied Poland produced self-propelled artillery units, which were 150-mm howitzers mounted on the chassis of a T-2 / Pz.II light tank.

Most likely, the Pz Kpfw II owes its appearance to Guderian. It was he who wanted to see a relatively light tank with anti-tank weapons in the tank divisions. In July 1934, such a machine weighing 10 tons was ordered to MAN, Henschel and Krupp-Gruson. The tank with a 20 mm cannon was intended for use as a reconnaissance vehicle and was intended to replace the machine gun Pz Kpfw I. Until the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were lifted, this tank was officially created as the LaS 100 agricultural tractor.

In October 1935, the first prototypes, made of non-armored steel, were ready. Not a single project was completely satisfactory to the customer, and a combined vehicle was put into production: a chassis developed by MAN, a turret and a hull by Daimler-Benz. Between May '36 and February '37, 75 were produced. The chassis of all vehicles consisted of six small-diameter road wheels, which were grouped into three bogies on one side. The combat weight of the tank is 7.6 tons.

German tanks in the Rzhev area, 1941. On the left is the PzKpfw II light tank, on the right are the PzKpfw III medium tanks

German tank PzKpfw II on the road somewhere in the USSR

In turn, this batch of armored vehicles was divided into three submodifications a/1, a/2 and a/3, each of which consisted of 25 vehicles. In general terms, the submodifications differed insignificantly from each other, but at the same time they served as a test bench for testing individual techniques. decisions. For example, the Pz Kpfw II Ausf a/2 received a welded one instead of a cast sloth, as well as fire walls in the engine compartment. Pz Kpfw II Ausf a/3 had reinforced suspension springs and an enlarged radiator in the cooling system.

In the spring of 1937, 25 Pz Kpfw II Ausf b were produced with an improved transmission and chassis (wide support rollers, road wheels and a new idler wheel). Along the way, a more powerful engine was installed, which was much better cooled and ventilated. The weight of the tank increased to 7.9 tons.

The chassis, which later became classic for this type of tank, consisting of five medium-diameter road wheels mounted on an individual suspension and made in the form of quarter-elliptical springs, was tested on the 25 Pz Kpfw II Ausf of the Henschel company.

Serial production of tanks began in March 1937. Until April 1940, 1088 tanks of modifications A, B and C were produced. All modifications had the same design, with a rounded nose part of the hull. The difference was only in the size and location of the viewing slits, as well as the sights used. As the campaign in Poland showed, the armor protection of tanks is quite weak. Even the frontal armor was easily penetrated by the Polish-made Ur anti-tank rifle. The armor protection was hastily reinforced by shielding - the application of 20-mm additional plates.

A German armored personnel carrier Sd.Kfz.251 of the 14th Motorized Corps drives past a column of Pz.Kpfw II tanks and a burning truck in the Serbian city of Nis, Yugoslavia

A damaged and burnt-out German light tank Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf.C

From May '38 to August '39, MAN and Daimler-Benz produced 143 Schnellkampfwagen (fast vehicles) for tank battalions of light divisions. In fact, the tanks were the following modifications - D and E. These vehicles differed significantly from previous modifications in the Christie chassis, which had four large road wheels, in which there were no support rollers. The rollers have individual torsion bar suspension. The hull was significantly reconfigured. The turret and armament remained unchanged. Maybach HL62TRM engine with 140 hp power. allowed to reach speeds of up to 55 km/h. The combat weight was 10 tons, the cruising range was 200 kilometers. Reservations: hull forehead 30 mm thick, turret and hull sides - 14.5 mm.

In an effort to expand the capabilities of this type of vehicle, in 1940 they decided to create flamethrower tanks based on the manufactured chassis. Until the summer of 1942, 112 vehicles were created, another 43 flamethrower vehicles were converted from linear ones during the overhaul. A 7.92 mm machine gun was mounted in the reduced turret. A pair of flamethrowers in armored heads were installed on the front corners of the hull. Flamethrowers in the horizontal plane were aimed in a 180° sector and produced 80 flamethrowers at a distance of 35 meters lasting 2-3 seconds.

The combat weight of the Pz Kpfw II Flamm Ausf A and E (Sd Kfz 122), also known as Flamingo, was 12 tons. Power reserve – 250 km. The number of crew members did not change and was three people. The thickness of the armor has increased slightly: in the frontal parts of the hull and turret up to 30 mm, on the sides up to 20-25 mm. however, this was not enough: the short flamethrowing range forced the flamethrower tanks to get too close to the enemy’s combat positions and they suffered significant losses. Having received a baptism of fire on the Soviet-German front in June 1941, these vehicles were eventually converted into self-propelled guns.

Destroyed German light tank PzKpfw II

The German light tank Pz.Kpfw destroyed by Soviet artillery. II Ausf. C

The Pz Kpfw II Ausf F tank is practically the last mass modification of the “twos”. From March '41 to December '42, 524 vehicles were produced (later on, only self-propelled guns on the base chassis were produced). The main difference (as well as the main advantage) from previous models was the enhanced armor protection. Now the bow of the hull was made of 35 mm thick sheet, the inclination to the vertical was 13°. The top sheet, 30 mm thick, had an inclination of 70°. The shape of the sloth and the design of the turret box were changed. In the frontal sheet of the turret box, which was installed at an angle of 10°, a groove on the right imitated an inspection slot.

The commander's cupola had eight periscopes.

At the beginning of World War II, light tanks Pz Kpfw II accounted for about 38% of the entire Wehrmacht tank fleet. In battles, they turned out to be weaker in armor and armament than almost all vehicles of a similar class: French H35 and R35, Polish 7TR, Soviet BT and T-26. But at the same time, the production of Pz Kpfw II tanks, which decreased significantly in 1940, increased sharply in the next couple of years. Until the accumulation of the required number of Pz Kpfw III and Pz Kpfw VI, light vehicles remained the main equipment in tank units and units. Only in 1942 were they withdrawn from tank regiments; they were partially used in assault artillery brigades and in secondary sectors of the front. After repairs, the tank chassis of these vehicles were handed over in increasing quantities for the installation of self-propelled guns.

On a few experimental machines (twenty-two VK1601, twelve VK901, four VK1301) original technical specifications were tested. solutions. For example, in preparation for the invasion of England, German designers developed mounted pontoons with propellers for the Pz Kpfw II. The experimental vehicles afloat reached a speed of 10 km/h, and the sea state was 3-4. Attempts to radically strengthen the reservation and increase speed did not end in anything.

Combat and technical characteristics of German light tanks Pz Kpfw II (Ausf A/Ausf F):
Year of manufacture 1937/1941;
Combat weight - 8900/9500 kg;
Crew – 3 people;
Body length – 4810 mm;
Width – 2220/2280 mm;
Height – 1990/2150 mm;
The thickness of the armor plates of the frontal part of the hull (angle of inclination to the vertical) is 14.5 mm (cyl.)/35 mm (13 degrees);
The thickness of the armor plates on the sides of the hull is 14.5 mm (0 degrees)/15 mm (0 degrees);
The thickness of the armor plates of the front part of the turret is 14.5 mm (cyl.)/30 mm (cyl.);
The thickness of the armor plates of the roof and bottom of the hull is 15 and 15/15 and 5 mm;
Gun - KwK30/KwK38;
Gun caliber - 20 mm (55 klb.);
Ammunition - 180 rounds;
Number of machine guns – 1;
Machine gun caliber - 7.92 mm;
Ammunition - 2250/2700 rounds;
Engine type and brand - Maybach HL62TR;
Engine power – 140 l. With.;
Maximum speed on the highway is 40 km/h;
Fuel capacity – 200/175 l;
Cruising range on the highway – 200 km;
Average ground pressure is 0.76/0.66 kg/cm2.