Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf A

Initialy designed as a training vechile the Panzerkampfwagen I was put into combat service as a stop gap measure until the Panzer III was ready. To conceal its real purpose the vehicle was code named the Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper (LaS, industrial tractor), with prototype designs submitted by MAN, Krupp, Daimler Benz, and Rheinmetall-Borsig with the Krupp prototype being influenced by collaboration with the Swedish Landsverk company.

The Krupp design won the trials and was put into production in 1934, with Henschel as the primary manufacturer. The Panzer I cut its teeth in combat during the Spanish civil war with Colonel Ritter von Thoma - a small number of the machines sent to Spain were modified to mount a 20mm cannon in the turret. The Panzer I saw action next with the invasion of Poland in 1939 that saw over 1400 Panzer I vehicles take part.

Unfortunately the vehicle was weakly armored and the firepower from the two machine guns did not provide enough of a punch. Thus when the invasion of France was underway only a little over 500 vehicles were involved (the invasion included various Ausf models). Slowly the Panzer I was withdrawn from front line service and refitted as Munitions-Schleppers or tank hunters with a Czech 47mm anti-tank gun mounted in a special superstructure. The one role the vehicle did remain in front line service as was a specialized command vehicle with extra radio sets installed.

The Ausf A or Model A Panzer I was primarly a training vehicle that was pressed into combat service to fill the gap until the Panzer II and Panzer III were in plentaful supply. The Panzer I Ausf A was found lacking in the area of armor protection, as the armour could be penetrated easly by anti-tank rifles. The Ausf A was withdrawn from combat in 1941 and saw its last combat missions in Finland and North Africa.

Of special note, a small number of Panzer I Ausf A were sold to China, but these vehicles were later captured by the Japanese.