Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. B – 1/100

The Panzerkampfwagen I, whose Heer identification number was Sd.Kfz.101, was the first armored combat vehicle produced by the Third Reich. The idea of ​​this vehicle, however, dates back to the Reichswehr period, when Major General Lutz and his adjutant Guderian decided that a light vehicle was needed for the training of the units of future Panzer divisions. A notice was issued to various manufacturing factories and ultimately the Krupp design for the chassis and Daimler-Benz for the turret were chosen. Production of the first version, the Ausf A., began in 1934. The tests and the first field operations during the Spanish Civil War revealed all the limitations of the tank, including insufficient armor, too light armament and low engine power (only 33.6 kW). It was decided to remedy this last flaw with the B version, which fitted a 74.6 kW engine: the size of the new engine also forced a structural modification, lengthening the frame by over 40 cm and adding a wheel in the rolling train. With this configuration the Panzer I Ausf. B was used in considerable numbers in the Panzer divisions during the first phases of the war and although it was absolutely unsuitable for the clash with the enemy armored vehicles, first Polish and then French-British, it was a protagonist of the surprising German victories of the 1939-40 years.

The model is designed in 1/100 scale (or 15 mm), so it suits perfectly for wargames like Flames of War. It’s complete in every detail and is made by two pieces: the hull with tracks and wheels, and the turret.