Panzerkampfwagen I Sd. Kfz. 101 (Light Tank)

Panzerkampfwagen I Sd. Kfz. 101

Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B

In 1931, Major-General Oswald Lutz was appointed the "Inspector of Motor Transport" in the German Army (Reichswehr) with Heinz Guderian as his Chief of Staff. Both realized the need for creation of German Armored Forces and light training tank to train future personnel of Panzer Divisions. In 1932, specifications for light (5-ton) tank were made and issued to Rheinmetall, Krupp, Henschel, MAN and Daimler Benz. The designers work was based on experiences from co-operation with Swedish Landsverk Company and previous "secret" projects.

In 1933, the Heereswaffenamt ordered the development of Kleintraktor - an armored vehicle between 4 and 7 tons in weight. It was designated La.S (Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper / LaS - agricultural tractor) to hide its true purpose from the Treaty of Versailles. Rheinmetall, Krupp, Henschel, MAN and Daimler Benz submitted their prototypes which were very similar to each other but Krupp's design of Krupp-Traktor was selected.

It's design was partially based on British Carden Loyd Mk.IV tankette chassis of which two were secretly purchased from Russia in 1932. In late 1920s and early 1930s, Germans closely co-operated with Russians in the development of armored vehicles at Kama, near Kazan in USSR. Russia purchased two Carden Loyd Mk.IV tankettes from Great Britain in 1929, and based on its design produced T-27 tankette. Krupp's design was then once again modified and in the Summer of 1933, five LaS chassis produced were tested at Kummersdorf. It was then decided to mount Krupp's chassis with Daimler-Benz's superstructure and turret.

After further tests in February of 1934, improved LKA 1 (LaS) designated as PzKpfw I Ausf A entered production in April of 1934. Originally, Ausf A was known as MG Panzerwagen - Versuchkraftfahrzeug 617, before it entered production as Ausf A. In April, 15 PzKpfw I Ausf A were produced and all were presented to Adolf Hitler by Heinz Guderian.

Panzerkampfwagen I was produced in two main very similar variants Ausf A (1934) and Ausf B (1935), which had different suspensions and engines. Ausf A was produced from July of 1934 to June of 1936 , while Ausf B was produced from August of 1935 to June of 1937. Both were produced by Henschel, MAN, Krupp-Gruson and Daimler-Benz. Ausf A proved to be underpowered and its very loud 57hp Krupp engine overheated and Ausf B with its 100hp Maybach engine was an improved version of Ausf A. Both models had identical turret and superstructure but Ausf B was longer (additional roadwheel) and had new modified engine deck (new engine). Both variants were operated by two men crew - a driver and a commander/gunner. The main armament consisted of two 7.92mm MG13 Dreyse (medium) machine guns with rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute.

In 1935/36, Panzer I Ausf A was experimentally mounted with Krupp M601 diesel engine, but it could only produce 45hp of power, and the idea of diesel powered vehicle was rejected.

Krupp's L.K.A.1 (Leichte Kampfwagen Ausland) export light tank.