| Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf F (PzKpfw IF)
Originally
given the prototype designation VK1801, the final attempt to design a new Panzer
I tank was the Ausf F, a 21 ton heavily armored infantry assault tank. Strictly
designed to mount the maximum armor protection possible, 80 mm frontal plate was
provided with 50 mm on the side and rear and 25 mm top and bottom, although with
negligible slope. The suspension and powerplant of the Ausf C were used, but with
a simpler transmission with only 4 forward gears plus reverse. Length was increased
to 4.38 m and width to 2.64 m to accommodate wider tracks to lessen ground pressure
while height was only lightly greater at 2.05 m. Performance suffered with speed
reduced to 25 km/h and range to 150 km. A pair of MG34 coaxial machine guns provided
the armament. While invulnerable to most antitank weapons of its time, its low
speed and weak armament limited it to expressly anti-infantry operations. Only
thirty were produced by Krauss-Maffei from April through December 1942, and most
served on the Eastern Front. |
