Panzerkampfwagen II Flamm Ausf A

Designed in 1939 on the orders of the German Army HQ, a Flammpanzer vehicle was based on the Panzer II chassis. In April and September of 1939 the current manufacturers of the Panzer II (MAN and Daimler-Benz) produced 46 Panzer II chassis that were modified by Wegmann & Co to become the Flammpanzer II in 1940. Followed by another 30 Panzer II vehicles from various units were converted to the Flammpanzer role in late 1940, early 1941. Almost all of the Flammpanzer II vehicles were directed to the Russian front for operation Barbarossa, where they served until late 1941. The Flammpanzer II included a new smaller turret that was equipped with a machine gun and the controls to work two small mini-turrets on the front of the vehicle that contained the flame projectors. As the Flammpanzer II vehicles were retired from front line service the chassis were modified again to become the Marder II while the turrets were used in various German fortifications.

Mini-Turrets: Mounted on the front of the vehicle over the track guards are two small turrets that mount the Flammenwerfer-Anlagen projector. These turrets are traversed (traverse at “hand” speed) with small motors controlled from the commander’s position in the main turret. These mini-turrets can traverse 120-degrees. To aim the projectors the commander must be able to see them from his turret.