GA-12B
John Jenkins Designs
Not yet released - expected in June.
On 10 May 1940, Germany launched its long-prepared western offensive against the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. The campaign marked the second demonstration of Germany’s revolutionary doctrine, dubbed Blitzkrieg or “Lightning War” by the Allies, that combined concentrated armoured assaults, mobile infantry, close air support, and rapid operational manoeuvre to achieve decisive breakthroughs. While the Allied powers expected a replay of the static trench warfare of the First World War, German commanders instead emphasized speed, initiative, and surprise. Panzer divisions spearheaded deep penetrations into enemy territory, bypassing fortified positions and created chaos in Allied rear areas before coordinated resistance could be organized.
Central to the design of Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), the German plan, was to lure Allied armies northward into Belgium while the decisive German thrust advanced farther south through the Ardennes Forest. Once German armoured formations crossed the Meuse River near Sedan, they drove rapidly toward the English Channel, cutting off the British Expeditionary Force and large portions of the French Army. Simultaneously, powerful Panzer formations operating farther north in Belgium shattered Allied defenses through aggressive manoeuvre warfare. Among the most famous of these formations was the 7. Panzer-Division.
The JJ Designs Panzer I Ausf. B #104 represents a vehicle of the famed 7. Panzer-Division during the 1940 Blitzkrieg campaign and captures the appearance of early-war German armour at the height of its dramatic operational successes. Although designed as an interim solution during German rearmament, the Panzer I was still one of the most numerous panzers employed during Fall Gelb. Developed as an improved version of the earlier Ausf. A, the Panzer I Ausf. B incorporated a more powerful Maybach engine that required a slightly lengthened chassis and the addition of a fifth road wheel. While this redesign improved mobility and operational range, the vehicle remained lightly protected and vulnerable to virtually all anti-tank weapons of the period while being armed only with twin 7.92 mm MG-13 machine guns. Nevertheless, large numbers of Panzer I tanks participated effectively when employed in concentrated armoured formations supported by artillery and close air support. Their battlefield success reflected the effectiveness of German operational doctrine far more than any technical superiority.
Whether displayed individually or alongside other German armoured vehicles of the 1940 campaign, this model is ideal for collectors seeking to recreate scenes from the lightning offensives that transformed modern warfare.
As standard for all JJ D tank models, the Panzer I Ausf. B #104 comes with the following features:
• Opening commander’s hatch
• Antenna can be raised or lowered
• Detailed crew compartment