page_title: Panzer II variants
section_title: Main production models
hierarchical_section_title: Panzer II variants / Development and limited production models / Main production models
caption_attribution_description: Panzer IIL (Luchs) on display at the Musée des Blindés in Saumur. The picture taken August 8, 2006.
context_page_description: The Panzerkampfwagen II light tank, produced in Germany in the late 1930s and early 1940s had a wide array of variants, both as development of the light tank and for specialised tasks.
context_section_description: Panzer II Ausf. A, B and C
  The first true production model, the Ausf. A, included an armor upgrade to 14.5 mm. / 0.57086614 in. on all sides, as well as a 14.5 mm floor plate, and an improved transmission. It entered production in July 1937 and was superseded by the Ausf. B in December 1937, introducing only minimal changes.
  Few minor changes were made in the Ausf. C version, which became the standard production model from June 1938 through April 1940. A total of 1,113 examples of Ausf. c, A, B, and C tanks were built from March 1937 through April 1940 by Alkett, FAMO, Daimler-Benz, Henschel, MAN, MIAG, and Wegmann. These models were almost identical and were used in service interchangeably. This was the most widespread tank version of the Panzer II and performed the majority of the tank's service in the Panzer units during the war. Earlier versions of Ausf. C have rounded hull front, but many vehicles of Ausf. C were up-armored to fight in France. These have extra armor bolted on the turret front and superstructure front. Also, up-armored versions have angled front hull like that of Ausf.F. Some were also retro-fitted with commander's cupolas.
  Panzer II Ausf. D and E
  With a completely new torsion bar suspension with four road wheels, the Ausf. D was developed as a cavalry tank for use in the pursuit and reconnaissance roles. Only the turret was the same as the Ausf. C model, with a new hull and superstructure design and the use of a Maybach HL62TRM engine driving a seven-gear transmission (plus reverse). The design was shorter (4.65 m) but wider (2.3 m) and taller (2.06 m) than the Ausf. C. Speed was increased to 55 km/h. A total of 143 Ausf. D and Ausf. E tanks were built from May 1938 through August 1939 by MAN, and they served in Poland. They were withdrawn in March 1940 for conversion to other types after proving to have poor off-road performance. The Ausf. E improved some small items of the suspension, but was otherwise similar and served alongside the Ausf. D.
  Panzer II Ausf. F
  Continuing the conventional design of the Ausf. C, the Ausf. F was designed as a reconnaissance tank and served in the same role as the earlier models. The superstructure front was made from a single piece of armor plate with a redesigned visor. Also, a dummy visor was placed next to it to reduce the number of anti-tank rifle bullets hitting the real visor. The hull was redesigned with a flat 35 mm plate on its front, and the armor of the superstructure and turret were built up to 30 mm on the front with 15 mm to the sides and rear. There was some minor alteration of the suspension and a new commander's cupola as well. Weight was increased to 9.5 tonnes. 524 were built from March 1941 to December 1942 as the final major tank version of the Panzer II series.
  Panzer II (Flamm)
  Based on the same suspension as the Ausf. D and Ausf. E tank versions, the Flamm (also known as "Flamingo") used a new turret mounting a single MG34 machine gun, and two remotely controlled flamethrowers mounted in small turrets at each front corner of the vehicle. Each flamethrower could cover the front 180° arc, while the turret traversed 360°.
  The flamethrowers were supplied with 320 litres of fuel and four tanks of compressed nitrogen. The nitrogen tanks were built into armored boxes along each side of the superstructure. Armor was 30 mm to the front and 14.5 mm to the side and rear, although the turret was increased to 20 mm at the sides and rear.
  Total weight was 12 tonnes and dimensions were increased to a length of 4.9 m and width of 2.4 m although it was a bit shorter at 1.85 m tall. A FuG2 radio was carried. Two sub-variants existed: the Ausf. A and Ausf. B which differed only in minor suspension components.
  One hundred and fifty-five Flamm vehicles were built from January 1940 through March 1942. These were mostly on new chassis, but 43 were converted from Panzer II Ausf. D/E. The Flammpanzer II was deployed in the USSR, but was not very successful due to its limited armor, and survivors were soon withdrawn for conversion to Marder II tank destroyers in Decem
caption: Panzer II Ausf. L in the Musée des Blindés, Saumur.
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