Panzerjäger I

The Panzerjäger I ( hunter of tanks in German) was the first of the hunters of tanks designed by Germany during the Second world war. It was conceived on a frame converted of Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. B and was armed with the anti-tank gun Skoda of 47 mm PaK L/43. Panzerjäger proved to be an inexpensive and relatively effective solution to counter the Soviet tanks and made it possible to prolong the uses of the tanks Panzer I become obsolete.

As for the majority of the tank destroyers, the crew was very vulnerable, his only protection being due to the frontal shield of the gun; the gun had moreover a weak side rotation.

Into all, 202 tanks Panzer I were converted, 132 by Alkett and 70 by Skoda. The conversions operated by Skoda are recognizable with the shield of the gun which presents seven faces whereas the models of Alkett present only five of them.

They were used for the first time in France and also transfer the combat in North Africa and on the Front of the East. After replacebeing replaced by tank destroyers having a better motorization in 1943, they were used for police operations such as the operations carried out against the partisans in Balkans.

The formal denomination of Panzerjäger was 4,7 cm PaK (T) (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I . (T) meant Tschechoslowakisch (the German term for " tchèque") and the letter (Sf) for Selbstfahrlafette (German term for " frame autopropulsé").

External bonds

AFV Database
OnWar
WWII Vehicles

References

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