Panzerjäger I
Encyclopedia
The Panzerjäger I was the first of the German
tank destroyer
s to see service in the Second World War. It mounted a Czech Skoda
4.7 cm (1.9 in) cm PaK (t) anti-tank gun on a converted Panzer I
Ausf. B chassis
. It was intended to counter heavy French tanks like the Char B1
that were beyond the capabilities of the 3.7 cm PaK 36 anti-tank gun then in service and served to extend the usable lifetime of otherwise obsolete Panzer I tanks. Over 200 were converted in 1940—41. They were employed in the Battle of France
, in the North Africa Campaign and on the Eastern Front
.
. It normally carried 74 anti-tank and 10 HE shells.
Total production was 202 vehicles. Alkett produced the first series of 132 in 1940. Ten of the second series of 70 were assembled by Alkett while the remainder were assembled by Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz in 1940 and 1941. Vehicles in the second series are recognizable by their seven-sided gun shield while the first series had a five-sided shield.
The vehicle's formal name was 4.7 cm PaK(t) (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I ohne Turm, translating as "4.7 cm anti-tank gun (Czech) on turretless Pz.Kpfw. I".
and another to Panzerjäger-Abteilung 900 of Lehr-Brigade (mot.) 900
("900th Motorized Demonstration Brigade") in preparation for Operation Barbarossa
.
. Only Anti-tank Battalion 521 participated in the campaign from the beginning as the other three were still training until a few days after the campaign began, but they were sent to the front as they finished their training.
Twenty-seven Panzerjäger Is equipped Anti-tank Battalion 605 in North Africa. It arrived in Tripoli, Libya between 18 and 21 March 1941. Five replacements were sent in September 1941, but only three arrived on 2 October as the others had been sunk on board the freighter Castellon. At the start of the British Operation Crusader
the battalion was at full strength, but lost thirteen vehicles during the battles. Four more replacements were sent in January 1942 so that it mustered seventeen at the beginning of the Battle of Gazala
. Despite the shipment of another three vehicles in September/October 1942 the battalion only had eleven by the beginning of the Second Battle of El Alamein
. The last two replacements received by the battalion were in November 1942.
Anti-tank Battalions 521, 529, 616, 643 and 670 were equipped with one hundred thirty-five Panzerjäger Is for Operation Barbarossa
. They were assigned as given below for the opening stages of the battle:
By 27 July 1941 Anti-tank Battalion 529 had lost four Panzerjäger Is. On 23 November 1941 it reported that it still had sixteen vehicles, although two were not operational. Most do not appear to have survived the Winter of 1941/42 as Anti-tank Battalion 521 reported only five on hand on 5 May 1942. Anti-tank Battalion 529 had only two on strength when it was disbanded on 30 June 1942. Anti-tank Battalion 616 seems to have been an exception as it reported all three companies had Panzerjäger Is through at least the Autumn of 1942.
Anti-tank Battalion 643 25 July 1940
Anti-tank Battalion 521 July 1941
Anti-tank Battalion 605 July 1942
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
tank destroyer
Tank destroyer
A tank destroyer is a type of armored fighting vehicle armed with a gun or missile launcher, and is designed specifically to engage enemy armored vehicles...
s to see service in the Second World War. It mounted a Czech Skoda
Škoda Works
Škoda Works was the largest industrial enterprise in Austro-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia, one of its successor states. It was also one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Europe in the 20th century...
4.7 cm (1.9 in) cm PaK (t) anti-tank gun on a converted Panzer I
Panzer I
The Panzer I was a light tank produced in Germany in the 1930s. The name is short for the German ' , abbreviated . The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was SdKfz 101 .Design of the Panzer I began in 1932 and mass production in 1934...
Ausf. B chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
. It was intended to counter heavy French tanks like the Char B1
Char B1
The Char B1 was a French heavy tank manufactured before World War II.The Char B1 was a specialised heavy break-through vehicle, originally conceived as a self-propelled gun with a 75 mm howitzer in the hull; later a 47 mm gun in a turret was added, to allow it to function also as a Char...
that were beyond the capabilities of the 3.7 cm PaK 36 anti-tank gun then in service and served to extend the usable lifetime of otherwise obsolete Panzer I tanks. Over 200 were converted in 1940—41. They were employed in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, in the North Africa Campaign and on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
.
Design and production
The Panzer I's turret was removed and a fixed gun shield added to protect the armament and crew. The anti-tank gun was mounted on a pedestal in the fighting compartment with the wheels, axle and trails removed; it retained its original gun shieldGun shield
thumb|A [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine]] manning an [[M240 machine gun]] equipped with a gun shieldA gun shield is a flat piece or section of armor designed to be mounted on a crew-served weapon such as a machine gun or artillery piece, or, more rarely, to be used with an assault rifle...
. It normally carried 74 anti-tank and 10 HE shells.
Total production was 202 vehicles. Alkett produced the first series of 132 in 1940. Ten of the second series of 70 were assembled by Alkett while the remainder were assembled by Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz in 1940 and 1941. Vehicles in the second series are recognizable by their seven-sided gun shield while the first series had a five-sided shield.
The vehicle's formal name was 4.7 cm PaK(t) (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I ohne Turm, translating as "4.7 cm anti-tank gun (Czech) on turretless Pz.Kpfw. I".
| Front | Side | Rear | Top/Bottom | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun Shield | 14.5 mm (0.570866141732284 in)/27° | 14.5 mm (0.570866141732284 in)/27° | none | none |
| Superstructure | 13 mm (0.511811023622047 in)/22° | 13 mm (0.511811023622047 in)/12° | 13 mm (0.511811023622047 in)/0° | 6 mm (0.236220472440945 in) |
| Hull | 13 mm (0.511811023622047 in)/27° | 13 mm (0.511811023622047 in)/0° | 13 mm (0.511811023622047 in)/17° | 6 mm (0.236220472440945 in) |
Organization
The Panzerjäger Is were generally organized into nine-vehicle companies, with three companies per battalion. For the French Campaign (only) Anti-tank Battalion (Panzerjäger-Abteilung) 521 had only six vehicles per company. With two exceptions they were only used by independent anti-tank battalions during the war. However, after the Balkan Campaign, one company was assigned to the SS-Brigade Leibstandarte der SS Adolf Hitler1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
and another to Panzerjäger-Abteilung 900 of Lehr-Brigade (mot.) 900
Lehr-Brigade (mot.) 900
Lehr-Brigade 900 was formed 17 June 1941 by the Army Heer from school units in preparation for Operation Barbarossa. As such it was considered an elite as many of its personnel were instructors in tactics from various branch schools...
("900th Motorized Demonstration Brigade") in preparation for Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
.
Combat history
Ninety-nine vehicles equipped Anti-tank Battalions 521, 616, 643 and 670 in the battle for FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. Only Anti-tank Battalion 521 participated in the campaign from the beginning as the other three were still training until a few days after the campaign began, but they were sent to the front as they finished their training.
Twenty-seven Panzerjäger Is equipped Anti-tank Battalion 605 in North Africa. It arrived in Tripoli, Libya between 18 and 21 March 1941. Five replacements were sent in September 1941, but only three arrived on 2 October as the others had been sunk on board the freighter Castellon. At the start of the British Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941. The operation successfully relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk....
the battalion was at full strength, but lost thirteen vehicles during the battles. Four more replacements were sent in January 1942 so that it mustered seventeen at the beginning of the Battle of Gazala
Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...
. Despite the shipment of another three vehicles in September/October 1942 the battalion only had eleven by the beginning of the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
. The last two replacements received by the battalion were in November 1942.
Anti-tank Battalions 521, 529, 616, 643 and 670 were equipped with one hundred thirty-five Panzerjäger Is for Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. They were assigned as given below for the opening stages of the battle:
| Abteilung | Corps | Army | Army Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 521 | XXIV Corps | 2nd Panzer Group | Army Group Center |
| 529 | VII Corps | 4th Army | Army Group Center |
| 616 | 4th Panzer Group | Army Group North Army Group North Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North... |
|
| 643 | XXXXIX Corps (mot.) | 3rd Panzer Group | Army Group Center |
| 670 | 1st Panzer Group | Army Group South Army Group South Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South... |
By 27 July 1941 Anti-tank Battalion 529 had lost four Panzerjäger Is. On 23 November 1941 it reported that it still had sixteen vehicles, although two were not operational. Most do not appear to have survived the Winter of 1941/42 as Anti-tank Battalion 521 reported only five on hand on 5 May 1942. Anti-tank Battalion 529 had only two on strength when it was disbanded on 30 June 1942. Anti-tank Battalion 616 seems to have been an exception as it reported all three companies had Panzerjäger Is through at least the Autumn of 1942.
Combat assessments
"The 4.7 cm armor-piercing shells (Panzergranaten) are very good against 45 to 50 mm (1.8 to 2 in) thick armor at ranges up to 500 metres (546.8 yd) - sufficient to 600 metres (656.2 yd). Observation is very bad. You have to look over the shield to observe to the front, resulting in head shots (Kopfschüsse)! In effect the crew are blind when attacking in villages or against street barricades, M.G. nests and individual tanks".
Anti-tank Battalion 521 July 1941
"The effective range of the 4.7 cm Pak(t) is 1000 to 1200 m (1,093.6 to 1,312.3 yd) with a maximum range of 1500 metres (1,640.4 yd). When attacking an enemy position equipped with anti-tank guns and artillery, as occurred near Mogilev
MogilevMogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
and Rogachev, because of its high superstructure that presents a good target for artillery and anti-tank guns, the Panzerjäger is destroyed before it can get into action."
"When large shells explode close-by, fragments penetrate the thin armor, as occurred near Rogachev. Russian 4.5 cm (1.8 in) anti-tank guns already penetrate at 1200 metres (1,312.3 yd) range. The 1. Kompanie lost 5 out of the 10 vehicles (Kampffahrzeuge) in such actions, of which only two could be repaired."
Anti-tank Battalion 605 July 1942
"The good accuracy of this weapon was especially commented on. Usually a hit is obtained with the first shot at ranges up to 1000 metres (1,093.6 yd). Penetration ability is too low for the necessary combat ranges in the desert. The chassis is too weak. The engine is overtaxed. Springs in the suspension are continuously breaking."
"In one case, three Mk II (Matilda II infantry tanksMatilda tankThe Infantry Tank Mark II known as the Matilda II was a British infantry tank of the Second World War. It was also identified from its General Staff Specification A12....
) were penetrated at a range of 400 metres (437.4 yd) by 4.7 cm tungsten-core armor-piercing shell (Pz.Gr. 40). It usually penetrates 60 millimetres (2.4 in) of armor. Therefore, a small percentage of these rounds are desired. The 4.7 cm armor-piercing shell (Pz.Gr. 36(t)) will not penetrate a Mk.II at 600 to 800 m (656.2 to 874.9 yd). But the crew will abandon the tank because fragments spallSpallSpall are flakes of a material that are broken off a larger solid body and can be produced by a variety of mechanisms, including as a result of projectile impact, corrosion, weathering, cavitation, or excessive rolling pressure...
off the armor on the inside."
External links
- AFV Database
- OnWar
- WWII Vehicles
- Surviving Panzer I tanks - A PDF file presenting the Panzer I tanks (PzKpfw. I, VK1801, Panzerbefehlswagen, Panzerjäger I tanks) still existing in the world