German light tank PzKpfw II Ausf. B (Sd.Kfz. 121) COBI 2596 - Limited Edition WW II 1:28

You know that:

• The Panzerkampfwagen II was developed in 1934 as a training and reconnaissance tank, the task of which was to fill a gap in the armament arsenal of Germany until the arrival of the more modern and powerful Pz III and Pz IV machines.
• The first functional prototype was already completed in February 1935.
• Lieutenant Colonel Heinz Guderian, responsible for arming the German tank units, and General Lutz realized that the industry did not have experience in the production of heavier armored vehicles, and it was the PZ II that served well to gather experience with their production and deployment.
• The companies Krupp, MAN and Henschel participated in the competition for the supply of light tanks. In subsequent army tests, the MAN prototype was the most successful, which was subsequently fitted with an armored cabin and turret supplied by Daimler-Benz.
• After further tests, MAN's light tank was approved for serial production.
• Between 1935 and 1943, a total of 1,856 units were produced in 9 versions.
• The interior of the tank was quite cramped, which made it difficult for the crew to load both the cannon and the machine gun.
• The peculiarity was the placement of the engine at the back and the gearbox at the front. The transmission of engine power was provided by a shaft that ran along the right inner wall of the crew compartment.
• Communication between the crew was ensured by a tube opening at the place of the driver and commander of the tank.
• The main advantage of the tank was not supposed to be firepower or armor, but speed. The cannon, which did not have a stabilizer, was adapted to this, so it was necessary to stop before each shot.
• A significant modification of the Panzer II was the Wespe and Marder self-propelled gun.
• In 1939, the purchase price of the tank was 52,640 Reichsmarks, which today corresponds to about 220 000 €.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: length 4.81 m, width 2.22 m, height 1.99 m
• weight 8,900 kg
• armor 5 - 14.5 mm
• drive unit gasoline engine Maybach HL 62 TR with a power of 103 kW
• maximum road speed 40 km/h
• maximum speed in the field 12-15 km/h
• number of speeds 6 forward + 1 reverse
• range of 190 km on the road, or 126 km off-road
• volume of fuel tanks 170 l
• wading depth 0.92 m
• crew of 3
• main gun KwK 30 L/55 caliber 20mm
• secondary weapon MG 34 machine gun caliber 7.92 mm

From the memoirs of tank ace Otto Carius:

,,In 1939 our unit re-equipped from outdated Panzer I tanks to twins. The first thing that struck me was the commander's pipeline communicator with the driver and gunner. Until then, instructions to change direction were given to the driver by the commander kicking the driver in the right or left shoulder, depending on where he needed to turn."