Flakpanzer I
Flakpanzer Is on the Eastern Front
TypeSelf-propelled anti-aircraft gun
Place of originNazi Germany
Service history
In service1941–1943
Used byWehrmacht
WarsWorld War II
Production history
DesignerKrupp
Produced1941
No. builtapprox. 24
Specifications
Mass5.5 tons
Crew4
Main
armament
1 × 2 cm Flak 38
EngineKrupp M 305 four-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine
60 PS (59 hp, 44 kW)
Operational
range
145 km (road) or 100 km (off-road)
Maximum speed 37 km/h

The 2 cm Flak 38 auf Panzer I Ausführung A, commonly known as the Flakpanzer I,[1] was a rare self-propelled anti-aircraft gun conversion of the Panzer I in use by the military of Nazi Germany during World War II.[2]

Development

The Flakpanzer I was developed during the Battle of France when it was recognized that the motorised Flak was insufficiently armoured.[2] The German Heereswaffenamt decided to combine light anti-aircraft guns with tank chassis.[2] The chassis of the Panzer I was used for these conversions, simply because it was available. The conversions were done by Stoewer.[2]

In total, 24 of these vehicles were built.[2] During the conversion, parts of the frontal superstructure and the complete cover of the engine compartment were removed to gain more flat space to stand on.[2] To achieve a better centre of gravity the frontal armour of the superstructure was moved about 18mm forward.[2] The flaps on the side were made from simple sheet metal and did not offer real protection.[2] When in action they were folded down and used to stand on.[2] To gain more space (the Panzer I was a very small armoured vehicle) the radio was dismounted; communication was done with hand signals.[2] The vehicles were armed with the Flak 38; additionally, the crew was armed with small arms, like the Karabiner 98k.[2] To make it easier for the driver to enter the vehicle, the main gun was mounted not centrally, but slightly to the right.[2] The ammunition was stored under the driver's seat and behind the loader.[2] Due to insufficient space inside the vehicle, a coupling for the Sonderanhänger 51 trailer was added, with additional ammunition and replacement barrels for the gun transported in the trailer.[2]

Service

Only one unit, the Fla.-Btl.(mot) 614 (Motorized Flak Battalion 614) was equipped with the Flakpanzer I.[2] The unit was assembled in 1941 and in the same year was stationed in Romania.[2] From there they moved into the southern part of the eastern front.[2] In service the vehicles were of limited use against aircraft, but were mostly used against ground targets because the gun could only fire straight forward being in a relatively fixed mount. For proper anti-aircraft fire, a traversable gun mount was preferable, but space was far too limited on the Panzer I chassis for such mounts.[2] Due to the insufficient protection of the crew in this sort of deployment, they suffered high losses.[2] The companies of the battalion were assigned to other units for this.[2] The whole battalion was wiped out in 1943 during the Battle of Stalingrad, even though most of the vehicles had probably been abandoned or destroyed already.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "FlakpanzerI".
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Flakpanzer I, self propelled AA gun". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
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