German armoured fighting vehicles of WWII
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the armoured spearhead of the German Blitzkrieg
INTRODUCTION
the birth of the first German tanks at the end of WWI
interwar development and the Treaty of Versailles
evolution of German tank design throughout World War II
NEUBAUFAHRZEUG
an interwar project for a "heavy" tank
an outdated concept featuring three turrets
weighing 23 tons, armed with 75 mm and 37 mm guns
PANZER I
the first of the modern German tank family
to provide experience in mass production and field use
main production variants and experimental versions
PANZER II
the second light tank in the German armoured arsenal
armed with a 20 mm autocannon and a machine gun
all production variants and derived vehicles covered
PANZER III
the backbone tank intended to destroy enemy armour
armed first with a 37 mm gun, later upgraded to 50 mm
PANZER IV
the most numerous and longest-produced German tank
short-barrelled, later long-barrelled 75 mm gun
PANTHER
developed in response to the Soviet medium tank T-34
armed with a high-velocity long-barrelled 75 mm gun
TIGER
a true king of the battlefield when it first appeared
with 100 mm of armour and a powerful 88 mm gun
the tank on which the greatest tank aces made their name
KÖNIGSTIGER
the heaviest and most powerful German production tank
armed with a highly accurate and lethal 88 mm gun
but also a very complex and costly piece of hardware
PANZER 35(t)
originally a Czechoslovak tank captured without a fight
weighing 10.5 tons, armed with a 37 mm gun
an underrated tank that reached the gates of Moscow
PANZER 38(t)
subsequently produced for the German Army
a design that continued to hold its own for years to come
PANZER 38(t) VARIANTS COMPARED
a detailed look at individual production variants of the tank
differences, key recognition features, and detailed drawings
the only article by a guest author on Panzernet
MAUS
Professor Porsche's super-heavy tank project
weighing 188 tons, armed with 128 mm and 75 mm guns
powered by Porsche's complex petrol-electric drive system
GROSSTRAKTOR
a secret interwar project for a medium tank
competing designs from three German manufacturers
evaluation prototypes secretly tested in the Soviet Union
LEICHTTRAKTOR
a secret interwar project for a light tank
competing designs from Krupp and Rheinmetall
L.K.A 1 & L.K.A. 2
a purely private commercial venture by Krupp
light tanks developed for export sales
commercially unsuccessful, only prototypes were built
M.K.A.
a medium tank developed for export sales
commercially unsuccessful, only a single prototype built
DURCHBRUCHSWAGEN
a tank designed "to break through enemy lines"
an abandoned project in the 30-ton weight class
only evaluation prototypes were ever completed
BEGLEITWAGEN II
a tank chassis prototype developed by Krupp
an alternative design for the Panzer IV tank
used as a test vehicle for various Panzer IV modifications
VK 30.01
a tank design in the 30-ton weight class
one of the forerunners of the Tiger tank
cancelled in favour of further Panzer IV development
T-15
project of a new reconnaissance tank
designed and prototyped by the Škoda works in Plzeň
beaten by the Panzer II Ausf. L from MAN
EINHEITSPANZER
a universal tank concept intended to streamline production
a hull combining the best features of the Panzer III and IV
a project that never made it off the drawing board
PORSCHE 245-010
Porsche's tank to fight both ground and air targets
armed with a rapid-fire 55 mm cannon
PORSCHE 245-011
Porsche's design for a new reconnaissance "tank"
turretless, armed with a rapid-fire 55 mm cannon
SCHWERER KLEINER PANZER
Porsche's design for a tank resistant to air attack
different layouts with alternative armament options
MEHRZWECKFAHRZEUG
a universal chassis concept for multiple applications
Guderian's push for standardisation and consolidation
VK 65.01 (H)
a heavy tank in the 65-ton weight class
intended "to break through enemy lines"
an unrealised project by Henschel
LÖWE
a tank project in the 70 to 90-ton weight class
various designs with different layouts and armament options
programme cancelled in favour of the heavier Maus
LEOPARD
an unrealised project for a modern reconnaissance tank
sharing selected components with the Panther
proposed in both a light and a heavy variant
P.1000
a megalomaniacal project by engineer Eduard Grotte
a super-heavy "tank" in the over-1,000-ton weight class
only (fortunately) scale models were ever built
CAPTURED TANKS
enemy tanks captured by German forces
that the German Army took into its own service
for combat, guard duties or training purposes
the birth of the first German tanks
secret interwar development projects
evolution during World War II
interwar heavy tank project
outdated concept with three turrets
armed with 75 mm and 37 mm guns
first of the modern German tanks
mass-produced and mass-deployed
standard and experimental variants
second light tank of the German Army
armed with a 20 mm autocannon
production variants and derived vehicles
intended as the backbone tank
armed with 37 mm, later 50 mm gun
most numerous German tank of the war
various versions of its 75 mm gun
Germany's answer to the Soviet T-34
armed with a 75 mm gun
king of the battlefield when it appeared
with a powerful 88 mm gun
complex and costly piece of hardware
heaviest of the German production tanks
originally a Czechoslovak light tank
captured by the German Army
armed with a 37 mm gun
continued in production for the Germans
built on a highly capable chassis
individual production variants
details, differences, recognition features
the only guest author article on Panzernet
super-heavy tank project
armed with 128 mm and 75 mm guns
Porsche's petrol-electric drive
secret project from the interwar period
competing designs from three manufacturers
prototypes tested in the Soviet Union
competing designs by two manufacturers
purely commercial venture by Krupp
light tanks designed for export
only demonstration prototypes built
medium tank designed for export
only a single prototype was built
designed "to break through enemy lines"
a 30-ton class vehicle project
only evaluation prototypes were built
chassis prototype developed by Krupp
a competing design for the Panzer IV
later used as an evaluation vehicle
a tank design in the 30-ton class
between the Durchbruchswagen and Tiger
cancelled in favour of the Panzer IV
a reconnaissance tank project
prepared by the Škoda works in Plzeň
rejected in favour of the Luchs
a universal tank design concept
somewhere between the Panzer III and IV
a project that remained on paper only
tank against ground and air targets
with a rapid-fire 55 mm cannon
Porsche's reconnaissance "tank" design
air-attack resistant tank design
a creation of the famous Prof. Porsche
universal chassis for multiple purposes
an effort to standardise and consolidate
Guderian's unrealised proposal
tank in the 65-ton weight class
intended "to break through the front"
tank project in the 70 to 90-ton class
various layouts and armament options
had to give way to the heavier Maus
project for a new reconnaissance tank
using components from the Panther
proposed in a light and a heavy variant
megalomaniacal project by Eduard Grotte
super-heavy "tank" weighing 1,000 tons
only scale models were ever built
enemy tanks seized by German forces
taken into German Army service
for combat, guard duty or training
QUICKNAVIGATION:
PANZER 38(t) VARIANTS
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