Germany's Panzer I - the worst imported tank of the Spanish Civil War

The Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany from developing tanks. However, by 1926 the German government had contracted with multiple manufacturers to produce experimental heavy tanks, the Grosstraktor. By 1930, they decided to also build a light machine-gun armed tank for training.

This training tank would become the Panzer I. The initial production version had severe limitations with an underpowered 59 horsepower engine prone to overheating. The second production version (Ausf B) would upgrade to a 100 horsepower engine. The lengthened engine deck led to an extra road wheel being added. The fuel economy also improved somewhat, and the Ausf A’s road range of 140 kilometers was improved to 170 kilometers.

In the Spanish Civil War, the Ausf B was provided to Fascist forces. It served to demonstrate that the machine-gun-only tank was undergunned on the battlefield. In effect, it was a scaled-up tankette with no more armor or firepower than the CV 35, which massed half as much. There were experiments with fitting a 2cm gun into the Panzer I turret, but it doesn’t seem to have seen any service during the Spanish Civil War, and only 40 of the Ausf C with the 2 cm EW141 were produced.

As a training vehicle, it was adequate, but it had no business being on a battlefield. Germany would withdraw the Panzer I (except for specialist vehicles built on its hull) in 1941.

Panzer I Ausf B
Fire Control: 0
Armament: 2x MG-13 (turret)

Ammo: 2,250x7.92mm
Fuel Type: G, A
Veh Wt: 5.8 tonnes
Crew: 2 (commander/gunner, driver)
Mnt: 3
Night Vision: None
Tr Mov: 48/34
Com Mov: 19/13
Fuel Cap: 146
Fuel Cons:42
Config: Veh
Susp: T:2
HF: 3
HS: 1
HR: 1
TF: 3
TS: 1

TR: 1