×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024)
HOME
ARMOR INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
ARMOR BY COUNTRY
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE VEHICLES
VEHICLES BY CONFLICT
VEHICLES BY TYPE
VEHICLES BY DECADE
WWI VEHICLES & ARTILLERY
Land Systems / Battlefield

Panzerzug II (PzZug II)


Armored Train [ 1915 ]



One of the more successful Austro-Hungarian ventures into the realm of Armored Trains was their Panzerzug II concept of which 10 were fielded heading into 1916.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/17/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
The armored train concept was not a new one by the time of World War 1 (1914-1918) for the American Union Army made use of such systems in the Civil War against the Confederates to help protect vital railways and key bridges from destruction. However, by the time of The Great War, the concept had evolved considerably through initially crude developments and, later, more standardized approaches. Armored trains were just that, trains clad in armor protection and fielding artillery-level firepower while defensed by machine guns. Some systems incorporated special infantry cars for foot soldier support. In this way, the mobile firing platforms could be brought to bear in a nearby engagement while the foot element went ahead to tackle enemy infantry as found or scout out positional ambush positions. Still other doctrines incorporated cavalry forces which could be unleashed alongside the infantry all while under the protective fire of the armored train.

Despite its slow modernization during the Industrial Revolution, it was the Russians that led the charge in unique and standardized armored trains. Other world powers followed suit however, including Austro-Hungary, the German Empire and the British. The Austro-Hungarians developed their Panzerzug I (PzZug I) as a solution in 1914. Its construction was undertaken by Hungarian railways producer Magyar Allamvasutag (MAV) who used one of its own locomotives for the drive. Its manufacture occurred from 1914 into 1915 and included a specially-designed gun car, the locomotive and several infantry cars.

However, it was not until the succeeding model - the Panzerzug II (PzZug II) that a viable form was achieved. Construction moved swiftly amidst the bogged down nature of the war now reduced to trench networks. By 1916, MAV had completed ten units for operational service and these went on to fight across the Russian Front as well as those in Italy and Romania.©MilitaryFactory.com
PzZug II was of note for the Austro-Hungarian Army for it laid the ground work for subsequent designs that followed by supplying the general approach to their armored train designs. While the train system could be of any length depending on the mission, it was typical to see it in a three-car arrangement with a gun car at front, the locomotive at center and an infantry machine gun car at rear. The forward gun car showcased a turreted 70mm gun to content with enemy artillery concentrations and fortifications. A high cupola with vision slits capped the armored superstructure aft of the turret emplacement. Defensive-minded machine guns managed the sides of the cars. A simple four-wheeled design was used across all gun cars in the line. The locomotive was of a conventional arrangement for the period with its front-mounted smoke funnel. The wheel house as aft and fully protected in plate armoring with vision slits for situational awareness and access doors that could be closed when under fire. The locomotive proved a six-wheeled unit. At the end was the infantry car fielding portholes along its sides for machine guns. This car was principally used to protect the train from infantry attack through machine gun suppression.

In practice, such developments were used to support infantry forces as far as the train's artillery systems could reach. They additionally proved useful in defense of key areas including bridges and forward bases and could be uses in patrolling and reconnaissance actions where rail lines provided the access. Not inherently fast, these trains were still mobile firing platforms akin to a tank or warship - and a single armored train could very well change the direction of a fight in seconds. Many commanders of the period certainly held armored trains in high regard for their ferociousness in-the-field and imposing design appearance.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



Service Year
1915

Origin
Austria-Hungary national flag graphic
Austria-Hungary

Crew
20
CREWMEN
Production
0
UNITS


Magyar Allamvasutag (MAV) - Hungary
(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of Austria National flag of the Austro-Hungarian Empire National flag of Hungary Austria-Hungary
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Fire Support / Assault / Breaching
Support allied forces through direct / in-direct fire, assault forward positions, and / or breach fortified areas of the battlefield.
Special Purpose
Special purpose design developed to accomplish an equally-special battlefield role or roles.


Length
738.2 ft
225 m
Width
9.8 ft
3 m
Height
14.4 ft
4.4 m
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Panzerzug II (PzZug II) production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
1 x 70mm main gun in turret at forward gun car.
2 x 7.92mm machine guns in forward gun car.
4 x 7.92mm machine guns in aft gun car.


Supported Types


Graphical image of a tank cannon armament
Graphical image of a tank medium machine gun


(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
Not Available.


Panzerzug II (PzZug II) - Base Series Designation; model of 1915.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery



1 / 1
Image of the Panzerzug II (PzZug II)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)