Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.D German light tank 1/35 Ark Models 35016

Pz.Kpfw II Ausf.D German light tank
1/35 WWII vehicle scale plastic model kit
Ark Models 35016

Manufacturer: Ark Models (Russia)
Scale: 1/35
Material: Plastic
Unpainted, Unassembled, Kit do not contain paints and glue.
Condition: New in Box

The Panzer II is the common name used for a family of German tanksused in World War II. The official German designation wasPanzerkampfwagen II (abbreviated PzKpfw II).

Although the vehicle had originally been designed as a stopgap while larger, more advanced tanks were developed, it nonetheless went on to play an important role in the early years of World War II, during thePolish and French campaigns. The Panzer II was the most numerous tank in the German Panzer divisions beginning with the invasion of France. It was used in both North Africa against the British and on theEastern Front against the Soviet Union.

The Panzer II was supplemented by the Panzer III and IV by 1940/1941. Thereafter, it was used to great effect as a reconnaissance tank. By the end of 1942 it had been largely removed from front line service and it was used for training and on secondary fronts. Production of the tank itself ceased by 1943 but its chassis remained in use as the basis of several other armored vehicles, chiefly self-propelled artillery and tank destroyers such as the Wespe and Marder II.In 1934, delays in the design and production of the Panzer III andPanzer IV medium tanks were becoming apparent. Designs for a stopgap tank were solicited from Krupp, MAN, Henschel, and Daimler-Benz. The final design was based on the Panzer I, but larger, and with aturret mounting a 20 mm anti-tank gun. Production began in 1935, but it took another eighteen months for the first combat-ready tank to be delivered.Most tank versions of the Panzer II were armed with a 2 cm KwK 30 L/55. Some later versions used the similar 2 cm KwK 38 L/55. This cannon was based on the 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun, and was capable of firing at a rate of 600 rounds per minute (280 rounds per minute sustained) from 10-round magazines. A total of 180 shells were carried.

The Panzer II also had a 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 machine gun mounted coaxially with the main gun.

The 2 cm cannon proved to be ineffective against many Allied tanks, and experiments were made towards replacing it with a 37 mm cannon, but nothing came of this. Prototypes were built with a 50 mm tank gun, but by then the Panzer II had outlived its usefulness as a tank regardless of armament. Greater success was had by replacing the standard armor-piercing explosive ammunition with tungsten cored solid ammunition, but due to shortages of tungsten this ammunition was in chronically short supply.

Panzerkampfwagen II
Panzer II at the Belgrade Military Museum
Type	Light tank
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1936–1945
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1934
Produced	1935–1943
Number built	1,856 (excluding conversions)
Specifications
Weight	8.9 tonnes (Ausf. A-C)
Length	4.81 m (15 ft 9 in)
Width	2.22 m (7 ft 3 in)
Height	1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)
Crew	3 (commander/gunner, driver, loader)
Main armament	1 × 2 cm KwK 30 Ausf. a–F 1 × 2 cm KwK 38 Ausf. J–L
Secondary armament	1 × 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
Engine	6-cyl petrol Maybach HL 62TRM 140 PS (138 hp, 103 kW)
Power/weight	15.7 PS/tonne
Suspension	Leaf spring
Operational range	200 km (120 mi)
Speed	40 km/h (25 mph)