Vehicles · Germany · 1943-1945
Luchs (Panzer II Ausf. L)
light reconnaissance tank
The Luchs ("Lynx"), formally Panzer II Ausf. L, was a purpose-built light reconnaissance tank and the only Panzer II variant with interleaved Schachtellaufwerk road wheels to reach series production. Built between September 1943 and January 1944, only 100 were completed against a much larger planned order, with four more converted from the related Ausf. M. It carried a light 2cm KwK 38 gun and coaxial machine gun, was manned by a crew of four, and used its 60km/h top speed and radio equipment to screen and scout ahead of German armoured formations rather than fight head-on.
| armament | 1x 2cm KwK 38 |
|---|---|
| crew | 4 |
| weight | 11.8 tonnes |
| produced | ~104 |