Panzer I Ausf C
Panzer I Ausf C Development Timeline:
- June 1938: Alfred Teves Maschinen u. Armaturen Fabrik G.m.b.H. in Frankfurt a.M. conducted preliminary calculations for the hydraulic brakes.
- July 1938: Development included integrating a Maybach HL 61 engine (130 HP at 2600 rpm) with an 8-speed semiautomatic DSRG 134190 transmission, designed by Maybach Motorenbau in Friedrichshafen. Around the same time, Mauserwerk began work on the main weapon for the turret, converting the M.G.141 into the 7.92 mm E.W.141.
- October 1938: Krauss-Maffei was awarded a contract to produce six Versuchsfahrgestell (trial chassis), indicating progress in the VK 6.01 development.
Further Development:
- January – June 1939: Calculations were made for a new drivetrain capable of achieving a maximum speed of 80 km/hr. This included upgrading to a more powerful Maybach HL 45 engine (150 HP at 3800 rpm) paired with an 8-speed Maybach SRG 15319 semi-automatic transmission.
- December 1939: Krauss-Maffei received another contract to produce eight VG 15319 transmissions with LGR 15319 steering units for the six VK 6.01 trial chassis.
Production and Orders:
- September 1939: Wa.Pruef.6 authorized the production of a 0-Serie of 40 VK 6.01 chassis. Contracts were awarded to Krauss-Maffei for the chassis and to Daimler-Benz for designing and producing the superstructures and turrets.
- February 1940: Further contracts were awarded to Krauss-Maffei for additional transmissions and steering units, and to Daimler-Benz for the superstructures and turrets.
Turret and Armament:
- Turret Design: The turret designed by Daimler-Benz was armed with a 7.92 mm E.W.141 and a 7.92 mm M.G.34. The E.W.141 was semi-automatic, firing one round per trigger pull, and capable of firing SmK H armor-piercing bullets at an initial muzzle velocity of 1170 meters per second.
- Aiming and Traverse: The turret featured a T.Z.F.10 articulated telescope for aiming and could be manually traversed 360 degrees with an elevation arc of -10 to +20 degrees.
- Commander’s Cupola: Provided all-around vision through eight periscopes.
Armor Protection:
- Armor Thickness:
- Front: 30 mm face-hardened plates.
- Sides: 14.5 mm homogeneous hard plates.
- Rear Hull: 20 mm.
- Roof: 10 mm.
- Hull Bottom: 5 mm.
- Protection Level: The armor was designed to withstand 2 cm armor-piercing projectiles on the front and 7.92 mm armor-piercing bullets on the sides.
Mobility and Suspension:
- Steering System: The LGR 15319 steering unit allowed for up to 24 different turning radii, with the ability to turn on the spot.
- Suspension: Utilized a geschachteltes Laufwerk (overlapping suspension) with five twin roadwheels on each side, supported by torsion bars and dampened by Henscheidt HT 50 shock absorbers.
- Track and Drive: The tracks consisted of 52 lubricated Kgw 53/260/160 links per side, driven by a 12-roller drive sprocket.
Dimensions and Capabilities:
- Overall Dimensions: Length – 4.195 m, Width – 1.920 m, Height – 2.010 m, Ground clearance – 290 mm.
- Performance:
- Maximum fording depth: 85 cm.
- Ability to climb 45-degree slopes.
- Trench crossing capability: 1.2 meters.
- Obstacle crossing capability: 30 cm.
- Range: With a full 170-liter fuel tank, the VK 6.01 had a road range of 300 km at up to 65 km/hr and a cross-country range of 190 km at 35 km/h.
Crew and Operational Use:
- The vehicle had a crew of two: a gunner/commander in the turret and a driver/radio operator in the hull, typical of the Panzer I series armed with 7.92 mm caliber weapons.