LK I

The Leichter Kampfwagen or "LK I" was a German light tank prototype of the First World War. Designed to be a cheap light tank as opposed to the expensive heavies coming into service at the time, the tank only reached the prototype stage before the end of the war.

History

The LK I was designed by Joseph Vollmer. It was based on a Daimler car chassis, with the sprocket and idler wheels mounted to the existing axles, and, like a car, had the engine in front. The LK I was the first German tank to have a turret, with it being mounted at the rear of the vehicle and armed with a 7.92 mm MG08 machine gun. Armor ranged from 8mm to 14mm thick and it was powered by a 4-cylinder Daimler-Benz Otto Model 1910 engine which gave it a top speed of 14 km/h and a range of 70km.
Only two prototypes were produced in mid 1918, but no vehicles were ordered. Designed as an experimental cavalry tank, it paved the way to the LK II.