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Panzerbefehlswagen
Type	Light tank
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1934–1954
Used by	Nazi Germany
Wars	Second World War
Production history
Designed	1938
Manufacturer	Krupp, Daimler-Benz
Produced	1938–1939
No. built	200
Specifications
Mass	5.8 tonnes
Length	4.445 m
Width	2.08 m
Height	1.72 m
Crew	3; Commander, Driver and Radio Operator

Armor	Between 6 and 13 mm
Main armament	One 7.92 mm MG13 machine gun
Engine	Maybach NL38TR four cylinder air cooled gasoline engine. 100 hp
Suspension	Quarter-elliptical leaf spring suspension.
Maximum speed	40 km/h on-road.

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v t e Tanks of the interwar period
Tankettes	AH-IV Carden Loyd L3/33 L3/35 R-1 T-27 T-32 (Š-I-D) Tančík vz. 33 TKS Type 92 Type 94 Type 97 Te-Ke
Light	7TP 38M Toldi I Char D1 Disston Tractor Tank Fiat 3000 H35 L-60 Light tanks Mk I–V Light Tank Mk VI Light Tank Mk VII LT vz. 34 LT vz. 35 LT vz. 38 M1 combat car M2 Light Tank Panzer I Panzer II R35 T-18 T-26 T-37 T-38 Type 95 Ha-Go Vickers 6-Ton Vickers-Carden-Loyd light amphibious tank Vickers T-15
Medium	Char D2 T-24 T-28 Type 89 I-Go Type 97 Chi-Ha Vickers Medium Mk I Vickers Medium Mk II
Cavalry, cruiser, fast	AMC 34 AMC 35 AMR 33 AMR 35 BT tank Cruiser Mk I Cruiser Mk II Cruiser Mk III SOMUA S35
Infantry	FCM 36 Hotchkiss H35 Matilda I T-26
Heavy, super-heavy	Char 2C Char B1 T-35
Prototypes, experimentals	10TP FCM F1 Grosstraktor Kolohousenka Landsverk L-120 Leichttraktor Medium Mark III Medium Mark D Medium Tank A7 Morris-Martel Neubaufahrzeug PZInż 130 Škoda MU-4 SMK Straussler V-4 Stridsvagn m/31 ST vz. 39 T1 Light Tank T2 Medium T7 Combat Car T-19 T-42 T-100 Type 87 Chi-I Type 91 heavy Type 95 heavy Type 97 Chi-Ni Type 98 Chi-Ho Verdeja Vickers A1E1 Independent
Interwar period tanks List of interwar armoured fighting vehicles Background: History of the tank, Tank classification, interwar period

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The SdKfz 265 was the German Army's first purpose-designed command tank, and the primary German command tank in service at the beginning of WWII. Converted from the Panzer IB, the SdKfz 265 was to see considerable action during the early years of the War.

History

The SdKfz 265 was designed to fulfill a growing need within the German Army for a Command Tank, following the realization that the leaders of a massive panzer formation would themselves have to travel in a tank of some type. This vehicle would have to carry extra equipment and personnel to assist the field commander in his duties.

In 1935 Krupp offered a command tank design based on the existing Panzer I Ausf B chassis.

Design

To increase space for a radio operator the rotating turret of the PzKpfw IB was eliminated and replaced with a larger fixed "box" superstructure. This allowed room for map boards, paperwork and more powerful radios. Despite these modifications the vehicle's interior remained small, a factor leading to its rapid replacement by conversions of larger tanks. The cramped quarters also made operation of the vehicle's single defensive machine gun virtually impossible. Because of this, most SdKfz 265 were also equiped with pistol ports.

Because it would be necessairy for a command tank to keep up with the tanks under its command, the original 60 hp Krupp M305 gasoline engine of the Panzer I was replaced by the more powerful 100 hp Maybach NL38TR gasoline engine, resulting in a design that was 3 km/h faster, despite weighing 300 kg more than the Panzer I.

Despite its ungainly appearance, the SdKfz 265 was 1.72m high, exactly the same height as the original Panzer IB.

A large frame antenna was mounted to the hull of many early version SdKfz 265s. The antenna gave the upgraded radio units better range and reception.

Production

About 190 SdKfz 265 Panzerbefehlswagen conversions were produced by Daimler-Benz between 1935 and 1937.

In combat

The SdKfz 265 first saw combat in the Polish Campaign in Sepertember 1939. Afterwards, many were converted to Sanitatskraftwagen I (Sd.Kfz.265) armoured ambulances which served in the French Campaign of 1940. Following an increase in armor protection that was hastly applied to the surface of the superstructure as a result of experiences in Poland, the SdKfz 265 command version continued in use throughout the invasions of France and Holland, and in 1941 many were shipped across the Medeterrian to participate in the North African Campaign. SdKfz 265 also saw considerable action in the Balkans campaigns of 1941 before being replaced by larger command vehicles. Some were also used as radio control vehicles for Minenraeum-Wagen BI/BII (Sd.Kfz.300). A small number were also exported to Hungary. A few were still in service with the German Army when the war ended, though largely deligated to training roles.

Notes

References

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