SdKfz 265 Panzerbefehlswagen The SdKfz 265 Panzerbefehlswagen was the German Army ' s first purpose - designed command tank , and the primary German command tank in service at the beginning of World War II . Converted from the Panzer I Ausf B , the SdKfz 265 was to see considerable action during the early years of the War . History . The SdKfz 265 was designed to fulfill a growing need within the German Army for a Command Tank , following the realization that the leaders of a massive panzer formation would themselves have to travel in a tank of some type . This vehicle would have to carry extra equipment and personnel to assist the field commander in his duties . In 1935 Krupp offered a command tank design based on the existing Panzer I Ausf B training tank chassis . The Ausf B was a turretless chassis version of the Panzer I designed solely to train tank drivers , and lent itself easily to conversion into a command vehicle . Design . To increase space for a radio operator the rotating turret of the PzKpfw IB was eliminated and replaced with a larger fixed " box " superstructure . This allowed room for map boards , paperwork and a more powerful FuG6 radio transmitter in addition to the earlier FuG2 radio ( Panzer I ' s had only FuG2 radio receivers ) . Despite these modifications the vehicle ' s interior remained small , a factor leading to its rapid replacement by conversions of larger tanks . The cramped quarters also made operation of the vehicle ' s single ball - mounted MG13 or MG34 machine gun virtually impossible . Because of this , most SdKfz 265 were also equipped with pistol ports , and many had their machine guns removed entirely . A large frame antenna was mounted to the hull of many early version SdKfz 265s . The antenna gave the upgraded radio transmitter units better range and reception . Because it would be necessary for a command tank to keep up with the tanks under its command , the original 60 hp Krupp M305 gasoline engine of the Panzer I was replaced by the more powerful 100 hp Maybach NL38TR gasoline engine , resulting in a design that was 3 km / h faster , despite weighing 300 kg more than the Panzer I . Increased fuel capacity also gave the SdKfz 265 a range of 180 miles , nearly 100 miles further than the Panzer I . Despite its ungainly appearance , the SdKfz 265 was 1 . 97m high , only 25 cm taller than the original Panzer IB . Production . About 190 SdKfz 265 Panzerbefehlswagen conversions were produced by Daimler - Benz between 1935 and 1937 , and were produced at the same time as the Ausf B . In combat . Between 1935 and 1940 the SdKfz 265 Panzerbefehlswagen was the standard command tank of the German Panzer divisions . Each Panzer division contained sixteen tank companies , grouped into four battalions , two regiments or one brigade , for a total of twenty - three headquarters . Each headquarters would be issued at least one command tank . In 1940 the SdKfz 265 was also issued to the signals and observation battalions of the Panzer artillery regiments . The SdKfz 265 first saw combat in the Polish Campaign of September 1939 . Afterwards , many were converted to Sanitatskraftwagen I ( Sd . Kfz . 265 ) armoured ambulances which served in the French Campaign of 1940 . Of the 190 produced , 96 were still in used in May 1940 at the start of the invasion of France and the Low Countries . Following a 15 mm increase in armor protection ( to a total of 28 mm ) that was hastily applied to the surfaces of the superstructure as a result of combat experiences in Poland , the SdKfz 265 command tank continued in use throughout the invasions of France and Holland , and in 1941 many were shipped across the Mediterranean to participate in the North African Campaign . SdKfz 265 also saw considerable action in the Balkans Campaign s of 1941 before being replaced by larger command vehicles . Though replaced at the company level , many would continue to see service at higher levels of command through 1942 . Some were also used as radio control vehicles for Minenraeum - Wagen BI / BII ( Sd . Kfz . 300 ) . A small number were also exported to Hungary . A few were still in service with the German Army when the war ended , though largely delegated to training roles .