Panzer I and II - Germany: Books - History, Types and Construction (1/2)

Panzers I and II and Their Variants - From Reichswehr to Wehrmacht (Spielberger)

This book in the Spielberger series described the technical and tactical development of these light tanks - from the Reichswehr years to the World War II campaigns in Poland, France and Russia.

Information

The Panzer I & II - Germany's Light Tanks (Hitler's War Machine)

The first vehicle to be produced in any numbers for the Panzerwaffe was the tiny Panzer I known as the MG Panzerwagen. Almost from the outset the limitations of the design for the Panzer I were obvious. It was essentially a training vehicle which was only pressed into service as a last resort. It was to be succeeded by the Panzer II which could at least engage armoured cars and combat against tanks with approximately the same armour as itself. Together these two tanks formed the bulk of the armour which between 1939 and 1941 conquered half of Europe.

This comprehensive overview of the light Panzers in action was compiled by Emmy Award winning historian Bob Carruthers. It draws heavily on war-time intelligence reports to produce a fascinating insight into the development and combat history of the light Panzers at the tactical and operational level.
Also featured are rare developments such as the Panzer II flame thrower variant alongside unpublished photographs and illustrations which provide an absorbing study, from an array of primary sources, of the world of the light Panzer and their crews.

Information

Hitler's Light Tanks : Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives (Images of War)

Hitler's Wehrmacht led the way in armoured warfare as the successful blitzkriegs in Poland and North West Europe in 1940 so convincingly proved. The contribution of light tanks such as Panzers I, II and 35(t) was critical.
As the war spread to the Balkans, north Africa and the invasion of Russia, German engineers worked tirelessly modifying existing light tanks and developing new models. The growing Soviet armoured threat, in particular, spawned tank destroyers such as the Marder III Panzerjäger, SdKfz 138/1 and 139.

Anti-aircraft variants included the Flakpanzer 38(t) and the SdKfz 140/1 was a reconnaissance tank armed with a 20mm turret-mounted gun, developed from the SdKfz 22 armoured car, whereas the Aufklarungerspanzer 38(t) carried a 7.5cm gun in the support reconnaissance role.
In the final stages of the war light tanks were phased out and the Marder and 38 (t) were up-gunned; the Wespe was adapted from the Panzer II chassis.

This superbly illustrated book gives a comprehensive overview of the multitude of vehicles and variants that came into service. With the text and captions providing technical data, the images show this formidable array of fighting vehicles in action across the theatres of war.

Information

German Light Panzers 1932-1945 (Osprey)

The light tanks of the Panzerwaffe make a fascinating subject for technical and historical study. Operation Barbarossa was the light tanks' swan song: thoroughly experienced and at the peak of self-confidence, the Panzergruppen brought Moscow to almost within Hitler's grasp. However, the effectiveness and popularity of the light panzers was only proven because Hitler's Panzerwaffe (despite their technical excellence) was poorly equipped. The critically short supply of the Panzerkampfwagen III and IV placed an ever-increasing onus on the light tanks that filled out the Panzerwaffe's ranks during the glory years.

In this book, Bryan Perrett examines the evolution of the PzKpfw I and II.

Contents: Design and Development - The Tanks - Organisation - Tactics - Active Service - Specifications.

Information

Panzer I und II - und ihre Abarten (Spielberger)

In fact, they were clearly inferior to most of the enemy tanks in terms of combat power and armor from the start. But the German arms industry could not keep up with the production of the far more powerful Panzerkampfwagen III and IV. As a result, the Wehrmacht had to make extensive use of these light combat vehicles - originally intended as training tanks - in the early years of the Second World War.

Walter Spielberger describes everything related to the Panzerkampfwagen I and II: their development, their variants and meticulous details of the technology, armament and equipment.

Information