Leopard 1 A1A2 main battle tank
The Leopard was the first tank built in Germany after the war.
It only went into series production with this name and without a number. With the appearance of the Leopard 2, it was first renamed Leopard 1.
When developing the Leopard, the main focus was on making the tank fast and agile. Modern anti-tank weapons were so effective that thicker and thicker armor, as was the case with the large World War II tanks Tiger I and Tiger II, no longer seemed promising. Rather, the Leopard should convince with speed and cross-country mobility in battle.
Between 1965 and 1970, 1845 pieces were made in the basic version. The Leopard 1 has been modernized many times. The Leopard 1 A1 version received many improvements compared to the basic model. A weapon stabilization system, for example, made it possible to fire while driving. The Leopard 1 A1 was constantly being further developed, resulting in the Leopard 1 A1A1 to 1 A5 versions. The Leopard 1 A1A1 received i.a. additional armor on the turret.
The Leopard 1 was used in the Augustdorf tank battalions from 1967 to 1983. The version A1A2 exhibited here was defined by a "passive aiming and observation device (PZB 200)" intended for night combat that amplifies residual light.
Technical specifications
| Development: | 1959 - 1963 |
| Production: | 1965 (Leopard 1) bis 1976 (Leopard 1 A4) |
| Manufacturer: | Krauss - Maffei |
| Country of origin: | Germany |
| Number of pieces: | 2437 Leopard 1 to Leopard 1 A4 for the German Army |
| Crew: | 4 |
| Weight: | 42,2 t (Leopard 1 A1A2) |
| Dimensions L/W/H: | 9,54 m (with tube) / 3,25 m / 2,39 m |
| Engine: | 10-cyl. multi-fuel / - diesel engine, compressor MB838 CaM 500 |
| Displacement: | 37330 ccm |
| Engine power: | 830 PS |
| Speed: | 65 km/h (Road) |
| Fuel Stock: | 985 l |
| Consumption: | 175 l / 100 km (Road) |
| Driving range: | 560 km (Road) | 250-390 km (Terrain) |
| Armament: | Cannon 105 mm L/51 L7 A3 | 2 x 7.62mm machine guns |
| Ammunition: | 60 cartridges 105 mm | 5500 cartridges 7.62mm |