06/22/09

Panzer 1

The Panzer 1 is a light tank that made up most of Germany's armor the first year of the war. The Panzer 1 was used in Poland, France, the Balkans campaign, North Africa and Barbarossa. In Operation Barbarossa the Germans recognized that the Panzer 1 was obsolete and for the rest time in Russia the tank was given drivers behind the lines.

Made 1934 to 1936

Little over 800 were built

Armor thickness  7-13 mm

Weight 5.4 tons

Crew 2

Main gun two MG13 guns  (caliber 7.92mm)

Used Through out the war

Panzer II

The Panzer II is a German light tank. It was used in great numbers early in the war. The Panzer II was the main tank of the invasion of France but after that it was replaced by the Panzer III and Panzer IV. It was used as a reconnaissance tank until 1943. By then it was obsolete, it was no longer being produced or in combat. It did play a role in occupied countries as a patrol tank.

Crew 3

Armor thickness 14mm

Weight 7.2 tons

Made 1935-1943

Use through out war

Main gun 1x2cm cannon

Second gun MG34

Panzer III

The Panzer III is a medium tank. It's role at the beginning of the war was to go against armor. As the war progressed the role changed to an infantry sport tank because it's main gun was not strong enough to destroy the heavier enemy tanks.

Made 1939-1943

Amount made about 6,000

Weighs 22 tons

Armor thickness 5-70

Main gun 1x5mm kwk

Panzer IV

The Panzer IV was the most produced tank of the German army. About 9,000 were made. The Panzer IV was a medium tank and the most common tank in the Panzer divisions. Throughout the war the Panzer was upgraded to meet the requirements to get the job done. It's role was infantry support, but when the Panzer III became out of date the Panzer IV became a tank killer. The Panzer IV design would set the standard for most of the German mobile gun vehicle.

It was used throughout the whole war.

Amount made (about) 9,000

Made1937-1945

Weighs 25 tons

Armor thickness 10-80mm

Crew 5

Main gun 88 mm

Secondary guns 2 mg34

Tiger I

The Tiger 1 (Panzer VI) was a German heavy tank. It was used from 1942 to 1945. the tiger is one of the most feared tanks in the second world war. What made the tank so feared was it's 88mm gun. It could kill any tank at the time. The tiger had very thick armor for it's time (25-110mm). One of the most famous panzer commanders, Michael Whitman, became legendary in the tiger. The tiger did have a weakness. It's heaviness often lead to break downs and it often got stuck in the mud.  Not many tigers were built to win the war.

First used 1942 till 1945

Weight 57 tons

Amount made little less the 1,500

Armor thickness 25mm to 130mm

Main gun 88mm

Secondary gun 2 mg34