Panzerjäger I [SEP] service entry
Panzer I were converted to the Panzerjäger I in 1940 and 1941. They were employed in the Battle of France, in the North Africa Campaign and on the Eastern Front.
Design and production.
The Panzer I turret was removed and a fixed gun shield added to protect the armament and crew. The anti-tank gun was mounted on a pedestal in the fighting compartment with the wheels, axle and trails removed; it retained its original gun shield. It normally carried 74 anti-tank and 10 HE shells.
Panzerjäger I
The "Panzerjäger" I (English: Tank Hunter 1) was the first of the German tank destroyers to see service in the Second World War. It mounted a Czech Škoda cm PaK (t) anti-tank gun on a converted Panzer I "Ausf. B" chassis. It was intended to counter heavy French tanks like the Char B1 that were beyond the capabilities of the 3.7 cm PaK 36 anti-tank gun and served to extend the life of the obsolete Panzer I tank chassis. 202