This is a limited-edition series build and will not restock after its initial production run.

About the Panzerjager I – German WWII SPG:

World War II was the “first” large-scale conflict that pitted armored units against each other. Tanks—like fighters and aircraft carriers—revolutionized how warfare was fought. They proved to be deadly in assault and their mobility gave to the rise of tactics such as Blitzkrieg. Militaries began to develop weapons to counter tanks, with early ones being no more than large-caliber shoulder fired rifles. These proved to be rather inept and unwieldly. Cannons of various types were then used. These guns—especially the famed French 75 of the Great War—worked much better, but they weren’t mobile. They operated from fixed positions and required large crews to operate and to defend them from enemy infantry units. So, a new solution was needed. Early in the War, nations toyed with the idea of mounting antitank guns onto a tracked chassis, essentially making the gun mobile. While self-propelled guns (SPG) weren’t uncommon, the newly minted tank destroyers had several key differences. SPGs were generally slow and relied on working from the rear rather than at the line. Tank destroyers, on the other hand, were lightly armored giving them greater speed. Many had guns mounted with little or no traverse. These vehicles relied on speed and skill to overcome tanks. Generally, the guns on tank destroyers were larger than their nemesis. Though as the war progressed, an arms race occurred, which unveiled some of the war’s mightiest machines. Germany and the Axis powers in general, were at the forefront of tank destroyer strategy. Early models used captured enemy tanks or guns and retrofitted them to suit the tasks at hand, this is what happened with Germany’s first dedicated tank destroyer: the Panzerjäger I.

The Panzerjäger I utilized the chassis of Panzer I tanks and combined them with captured 4.7cm Czech guns. Czechoslovakia (well the Sudetenland that is, the rest fell the following March) fell to the Third Reich on September 30, 1938, through a peace treaty thought to curb Hitler’s ambitions. With the nation now under German control, all Czech weapons became the property of the Reich. Through German engineering, just over 200 Panzer I Ausf B tanks were converted to Panzerjägers. These were used to fight off the heavier French tanks whose armor was too strong for the German 3.7cm anti-tank gun. An added benefit to the project was the utilization of the obsolete, yet prevalent, Panzer I, which were mainly used for training by 1939. The tank destroyer utilized a crew of three, whose jobs included multiple roles. The tank destroyer carried 86 rounds inside the vehicle while stowage boxes sometimes adorned the side fenders and rear of the destroyer filled with spent casings and other supplies. The Panzerjäger I was successful in its mission early in the war. Most tanks of France, Britain, and the Soviet Union could not hold up against the 4.7mm gun. But as the war prolonged, tanks grew bigger. The Panzerjäger I proved ineffective against the Soviet T-34 and British Matilda tanks. Eventually, the Panzerjäger I was phased for bigger tank destroyers. But early in the war, the Panzerjäger I proved that the tank destroyer strategy worked.

Additional information about this Brickmania® custom building kit:

Complete with a posable main gun, all printed details, functional hatch, and 1x custom crewman minifig, this build is sturdy, accurate, and makes and excellent addition to any WWII German armor collection!

Model Statistics:

Designed by Andrea Boninsegna
441 LEGO® & BrickArms® elements
1x custom minifig
Custom printed elements
Full-color printed building instructions
1/35th scale to match other Brickmania kits
Intermediate Skill Level (4-6 years building experience recommended)

All Brickmania® model kits are made of new-condition LEGO® bricks. This model comes disassembled and includes complete printed building instructions. This is a limited-edition kit and production may be discontinued at any time.

This is not a LEGO® Product. LEGO and the LEGO minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group, which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse this product. The LEGO Group is not liable for any loss, injury or damage arising from the use or misuse of this product.

Designer Studio Video: