Infantry, assault: about German tanks Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. F and Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. J
In 1942, in Nazi Germany, mass production began, so to speak. tanks Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. F. These are 21-ton infantry tanks, which are also classified as assault tanks. The original designation of this as one of the modifications of another German armored vehicle - Pz.Kpfw. I, the serial production of which was started even before the war. However, calling the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf. F is hardly a modification of this tank in full. "Efka" is a tank that was actually created as a separate, independent line.
Sometimes the Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. F is called "small" or "pocket" "Tiger". The purpose of this armored vehicle was to carry out assault operations against fortified enemy positions, including on the Eastern Front.
One of the main bets that were made in the development of the tank was associated with the implementation of the high maneuverability and mobility of the armored vehicle. After analyzing the practice of combat on the western fronts of World War II, the Germans came to the conclusion that a thorough booking of tanks is not always capable of playing a key role. Weighting the structure definitely leads to a loss of dynamics, and for assault armored vehicles this is a serious disadvantage.
The Starina channel provides an overview of the German Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. F and Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. J. Evaluations of the effectiveness of the use of these Wehrmacht combat vehicles, the limits of this applicability are given.
- Shivva Rudra - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27748082
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