SdKfz 265 Panzerbefehlswagen Panzer I command version

The Kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen (kl.Pz.Bef.Wg.) was built on the lengthened “La.S.-May.” chassis, which included the Maybach NL 38 Tr engine. These chassis were a modified version of those used for the Panzer I Ausf.B, featuring five road wheels per side and a raised idler wheel.
The idler wheel crank arm was housed in a protruding, bolted housing at the rear of the hull, reinforced by a plate that extended across the hull’s rear. Except for these modifications, the chassis components were identical to those of the Panzer I Ausf.B.

The superstructure of the kl.Pz.Bef.Wg. was specially designed to accommodate a crew of three: driver, radio-operator, and commander/gunner. It also had the necessary space to house both transmitting and receiving radio sets, achieved by raising the height of the superstructure sides compared to the standard Panzer I.
Constructed from high nickel-chromium armor plates, the superstructure was assembled by welding plates together at various angles:
- Front plate: 13 mm thick at 21 degrees.
- Side plates: 13 mm thick at 21 degrees.
- Rear plate: 13 mm thick at 21 degrees.
- Roof plate: 8 mm thick at 90 degrees.
Access for the crew was provided through a hatch on the left side of the superstructure for the driver and radio operator, and a hatch on the roof for the commander. When closed, the hatches restricted vision, with the driver having a double vision port at the front and additional ports to the left and right. The commander had vision ports on the front, right side, and rear of the superstructure.
- The vision ports had widened visors designed to protect the screw heads from direct hits and bullet splash. Additional features included a vision slit in the forward door, a pistol port in the rear door of the left side hatch, and a signal port in the commander’s hatch lid.

The kl.Pz.Bef.Wg. was armed with a single MG 34 machine gun mounted in a ball mount at the upper right corner of the superstructure front. The machine gun could be elevated from -10 to +20 degrees and had a traverse of 20 degrees to either side of center.
The machine gun was aimed using a K.Z.F.1 telescopic sight with 1.8x magnification and an 18-degree field of view. The vehicle carried 900 rounds of ammunition, stored in 12 double-drum magazines, each containing 75 rounds of SmK (armor-piercing) or SmK L’Spur (armor-piercing with tracer) ammunition.

The Fu 6 (SE 20 U and EU) transmitting/receiving radio set was installed in the left rear of the superstructure. This set had a 2-meter-long antenna and provided a voice communication range of 4 to 6 kilometers with its 20-watt power output.
A second radio set, Fu 2 (EU), mounted to the right of the driver, was a receiver-only unit, supporting the vehicle’s communication needs.