Palm-Top Blitzer The Panzer II Ausf.A/B/C variants were the mainstay tanks of the German Panzer Divisions during the Blitzkreig operations of early-WWII. They were compact (4.8m long, 2.2m wide) tanks equipped with a 140hp gasoline engine, which enabled a maximum speed of 40km/h. Although they were lightly armed with only a 2cm main gun and a 7.92mm machine gun and even their frontal armor was a mere 15mm thick, they provided valiant service during the Polish and French campaigns when the German Army had a shortage of the more capable Pz.Kpfw. III tanks. In particular, many Pz.Kpfw. IIs which saw combat in France were modified with extra frontal armor plating.