Pz. Kpfw. I Ausf. F – the German light infantry support tank

Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. F (other name: VK 18.01) - German light infantry support tank of World War II. The first prototypes were manufactured in 1942, and in the same year they began to be produced in small series. The tank was 4.38 m long, 2.64 m wide and 2.05 m high, and weighed about 21 tons. The machine was powered by a single 150 h. p. “Maybach” engine, and the armament consisted of only two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns. The Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. F was created as a deep modernization of the previous versions of the “Panzer I” tanks. The experience of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and the September Campaign (1939) showed, that these combat vehicles were of little use on the battlefield. For this reason, at the turn of the 1939–1940, a completely new version of the “Panzer I” tank was developed, which was de facto supposed to act as an infantry fire support vehicle. For this reason, the thickness of the new tank's armor was significantly increased (up to 80 mm in the frontal part!), the tank was almost 4 times heavier, than the first version of the “Panzer I”, and a completely different chassis was also installed. In fact, an almost completely new tank was created, only slightly similar to the previous “Panzer I”. However, the relatively high production costs, weak armament, and low top speed meant, that only about 30 exemplars of the Pz. Kpfw I Ausf. F was produced, and its production was quickly discontinued.

A well-designed and perfectly detailed tank model without internal equipment for medium-experienced and experienced modelers. However, it is also manageable for less experienced modelers, working under the supervision of a more experienced colleague, but this model should not be one of the first more complex models You glue. The model depicts a tank, used by the German Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front in the winter of 1943/44 in standard gray German camouflage, well "rubbed" in battles and in the mud of Russia. Excellent graphics and quite a lot of text instructions (in Polish and English). There is even a reserve of colors (even for muddy surfaces) and spare parts for the tracks, which are available both: in strips and from separate tracks.