Begleitwagen: A Specialist of All Trades

The mittlerer Traktor (m.Tr., medium tractor), given the more widely known index Neubau Fahrzeug (Nb.Fz., newly designed vehicle) on October 3rd, 1933, began trials in 1933. The tank, an evolution of the Grosstraktor concept (Gr.Tr., large tractor) was supposed to become Germany's medium tank.

However, even as the tank began its trials, it was clear that the German military missed its mark. While the Grosstraktor was overcomplicated over its five years of development by three companies (it's enough to say that it was also amphibious), the Nb.Fz. was in an even bigger hole. The initial project, designed by Rheinmetall (chassis and turret) and Krupp (second turret variant) was supposed to fit into the 15 ton class. As a result, the appetite of the 6th Waffenprüfamt led to a complex and expensive 23 ton tank.

Rheinmetall's Fighting Tractor

German tanks of the first half of the 20th century are commonly associated with Tigers and Panthers, light and medium "Panzers" designed in the 1930s, and the first German tank, the A7V. Meanwhile, the work of German tank designers in the 1920s remains in obscurity, although many interesting designs were developed during that time. For various reasons, German designers were forced to work abroad. Nevertheless, secret work on domestic tanks began in Germany in the late 1920s. One of those tanks was the Leichttraktor.

Small and Smaller

According to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forbidden from developing and producing armament and military vehicles, including tanks. Engineers in that field left Germany and began working in other countries. This explains why German tank design skipped over the various cadavers that were built in other countries. German engineers worked on these dead end designs while foreign money paid for it. Nevertheless, this could not continue forever, and sooner or later, work had to start in Germany.

Weak Spots and Hit Zones

All of you have already read the great deal of penetration tests I have posted. However, what practical use do they have? Getting a copy of those tests to every soldier is just not possible (especially since all of those were classified), and it's not like they will remember them anyway. The solution is in the form of easily printable and distributable diagrams. These often also include characteristics of the tank itself.

This diagram is from the Partisan's Companion. Since the PzI was hopelessly obsolete, the only thing it could fight were partisans without anti-tank weapons. The diagram instructs the reader to throw grenades at the roof and tracks, throw incendiary bottles on the engine deck and shoot at the gun and observation ports.

The PzII gets similar treatment. The reader is instructed to damage the gun, tracks, and gas tanks. 

The PzIII is next. The crosshair with 3 circles indicates where to throw incendiary bottles (at the engine deck and observation ports). The crosshair with one circle and a shell indicates where to hit with guns, AT rifles, grenades (side, turret, gas tank, gun, machine gun port, tracks). It also lists how far you can shoot from.

1. 45 mm gun: 200 meters.
2. 57 mm and 76 mm guns: all effective combat distances.
3. AT rifle: 150-200 meters.
4. Large caliber machine gun: all effective combat distances when aiming at the sides and rear.
5. Incendiary bottles at 15-20 meters.
6. AT grenades from 15-20 meters.

PzIV. Gun, engine deck, and gas tanks are indicated. This time, there are no penetration ranges given. 

"Weak points of a German tank with a 75 mm gun". The picture clearly shows a StuG. The format of the diagram and all of the data is the same as the PzIII. The only difference is "destroy the enemy crew with a large caliber machine gun" pointed at the rear of the crew compartment. 

Now we get to the more detailed series. The small bullets represent AT rifles. The large pipe-like shell represents AP and HE from all guns. Red shells with white insides represent AP-HE shells, while completely red shells represent AP. The number on the shell indicates the caliber. The APCR shaped shell indicates APCR from the 45 mm gun.

The image tells you to fire at the front with the 85 mm gun from 1000 meters. The 57 mm gun can take the Panther from 500 meters frontally, 1000 meters from the side, or 1500 meters at the side of the turret. APCR from the 45 mm gun can be fired at the side from 500 meters. The rear of the turret can be shot with the 76 mm gun from 1000 meters. Any shells should be fired at the cupola, the gun, the tracks, the wheels, and the front of the turret. Additionally, grenades should be thrown at any flat surface and hatches. 

Sadly, I don't have a very detailed diagram for a Tiger. This one is very basic. The straight arrow represents all weapons. The curved arrow represents incendiary bottles. The grenade icon represents AT grenades. The  shell icon represents guns of all calibers. The diagram is pretty straight forward. Shoot the gun, machine gun port, tracks, commander's cupola, gas tanks (indicated by the dotted line). 

This image basically says the same thing as above. Throw grenades at the side of the tank, throw incendiary bottles at the back. The title bravely states "If your aim is precise, the enemy tank will not remain intact!" (this rhymes in Russian).  

It's the Ferdinand's turn. The red APCR shell is 45 mm, the black APCR shell is 76 mm. A large AP shell has its caliber written on it. A large tube-like shell is AP and HE of any caliber. A red tube-like shell is HE from any caliber.

The diagram instructs you to shoot 85 mm shells from the side and rear at 1000 meters. Shoot the undertrack hull with 45 mm APCR at 500 meters. Shoot the gun with 45 mm AP or APCR. Shoot the sides with 76 mm APCR and AP at 300 meters. Shoot the sides with 57 mm shells at 500 meters, or the rear at 1000 meters. Shoot any caliber AP or HE at the tracks, or HE from any caliber at the front. Throw grenades and incendiary bottles at the engine grille and hatches. Looks like nobody the creators of this chart about 152 or 122 mm guns.

Another Ferdinand guide shows the location of the crew, engine, ammo rack, and electric motor. 

Last but not least, if you run into a Rheinmetall Neubaufahrzeug, here's how to take it out! From 0-10 meters, the tank crew cannot see you. From 10-35 meters, throw various kinds of grenades. From 35-40 meters, use portable flamethrowers. At 40-60 meters, use rifle grenades. Use armour piercing bullets from 60-80 meters (rifle) or 80-100 meters (machine gun). From 100-150 meters, use an AT rifle. From 150-200 meters, use a large caliber machine gun. 

World of Tanks History Section: Rheinmetall Leichttraktor

At the end of WWI, Germany ended up on the losing side, tied by harsh sanctions. Reichswehr was heavily limited, losing 90% of its heavy armament, but never lost all of it. In 1919-21, Germany was engulfed in a revolutionary spirit. In order to prevent the fall of the Wiemar Republic, a commission of allied countries allowed Germany to have a small amount of armoured cars, up to 150 in total. The situation with tanks was more difficult. After quelling the Berlin uprising, Germany was forced to destroy its A7V and captures MkIV tanks, as well as prototypes of the K-Wagen "Kolossal" and light LK-I and LK-II.

In early 1919, Germany made an agreement with Hungary, in which they built 14 LK-II tanks. Another batch of LK-II tanks was build for Sweden. The deal was made by the Steffen & Heyman company. Sweden also received German specialists to help with assembly. The LK-IIs were accepted into service under the name Stridsvagn m/21. In the early 1930s, they underwent modernization, and remained in service until 1941. With this, tank building in Germany stopped for some time. However, the Germans not only retained their experience, but managed to obtain some novelties from their former adversaries.

Work on a light tank, designated VK 31 (called Kleintraktor, or small tractor, for secrecy), started two years after the heavy Grosstraktor. This project was launched by the Reichswehr, on March 28, 1928, by announcing a request for tender for a tracked combat vehicle up to 12 tons in weight. Prototypes were to be constructed by 1930 and cost less than 50 000 Reichsmarks. The winner would receive an order for at least 17 tanks.

The request was delivered to three companies: Daimler-Benz, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig in May of 1928. By that time, the weight requirement was lowered to 7.5 tons. Additional requirements included 14 mm of front and side armour and a crew of 4. The armament of the Light Tractor was to be a 37 mm semi-auto gun and a 7.92 mm Dreyse machine gun. The tank also had to have a radio to provide voice communication with a range of 2-3 km and a telegraph for 7 km. Chemical protection was also required, in case of a gas attack. Maximum highway speed was 25-30 kph (40 kph by some sources), and 20 kph off-road.

Daimler-Benz refused to participate, leaving Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig in the competition. Both companies developed a "Kleintraktor" (renamed "Leichttraktor", or light tractor) together, and their results were very similar. Not having much experience with tank suspensions, Rheinmetall engineers used the tracks from a tow tractor. Each side had 12 road wheels, two wheels per bogey, one tension idler, and two support idlers, a front directing, and a rear leading wheel. In order to protect this system, a side screen was retained, with three openings to clean the mud out of the suspension. The hull was a combination of welded and bolted, from armoured steel 4-10 mm thick. The layout was inherited from a tractor. The front, which had the transmission, also housed a Daimler-Benz M36 carburator engine, 36 hp in power. The middle part had the control compartment (the driver sat on the left side). The driver had a small rectangular turret with vision ports above his head.

Krupp engineers did not trust tractors, and built their own chassis. Krupp's vehicle was slightly longer and taller, which allowed two hatches on the side for entrance and evacuation. The Krupp tank had 6 small diameter road wheels per side, with a vertical spring suspension, grouped in two groups of three, with the front-most and rear-most wheels slightly larger than the others. There were also two idlers, a front directing, and a rear leading wheel. Rheinmetall was responsible for both turrets. All VK 31s had radio stations.

The Soviet Union took a large part in creating Germany's tank army. A treaty on the creation of a Soviet-German tank school in Kazan was signed in Moscow, in 1926. It was headed by the Reichswehr colonel Malbrandt, whose name led to the project being codenamed KaMa (Kazan-Malbrandt). All four light tank prototypes were shipped here, numbered 37 and 38 (Krupp), 39 and 40 (Rheinmetall). The Special Technical Commission (TEKO), created to exchange experience in the area of tank building, began its work.

By 1933, each prototype traveled from 1660 to 1865 km. Soviet specialists agreed that these vehicles are not of any interest to the RKKA. However, Soviet engineers were interested in the suspension and the turret layout (namely the coaxial machine gun), as well as the tanks' radios. German specialists were not in awe of their vehicle either. Further modernization and up-armouring was not possible without increasing weight, and reducing the already unimpressive mobility of the tanks.

All four Leichttraktors were shipped back to Germany in 1933, when KaMa was closed down. In 1934, the tanks were moved to Munster for the winter. From 1935 to the start of WWII, they were used as training vehicles in Pultos.

Original article available here.