Flammpanzer II Flamingo / PzKpfw II(F)(Sd. Kfz. 122)

Flammpanzer II Flamingo / PzKpfw II(F)
(Sd. Kfz. 122) Panzerkampfwagen II Flamm Ausf A und Ausf B

On February 21,1939 German Army HQ ordered the development of Flammpanzer (flame-thrower tank). Both producers of Panzer II, MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nuremberg) and Daimler-Benz were selected to develop that project. Shortly after, July of 1939, soft-steel prototype based on Panzer II Ausf D/E's chassis was built. It was armed with two flame-throwers mounted on trackguards on each side. Flame-throwers were mounted in special turret-like cases (Spitzkopfe) that allowed them to operate at 180 degrees radius. Each flame-thrower had its own fuel tank with 160 liters capacity which was enough to fire 80 "shots" at the maximum range of 25 meters. Flame-thrower's fuel consisted of a mixture of oil and gasoline that was "shot" with help of pressurized nitrogen stored in six pressurized tanks. Flame-thrower was ignited with acetylene "lighter". For additional armament MG34 7.92mm for which 1800 rounds were carried inside. Machine gun was mounted in a small rotating turret (Kugelblende). Its crew consisted of three men (driver, radio operator and commander/flame-thrower operator) and its armor protection ranged from 14.5mm to 30mm thickness. PzKpfw II (F) was powered by 6 cylinder Maybach HL62 TRM engine with total power of 140hp.

PzKpfw II(F) during tests in Germany 1940/41.