The success of Germany’s new armored warfare doctrine, named Blitzkrieg or “Lightning War” by the Allies (although this term was not used by the Germans), was not due to any inherent technical superiority of German panzers. Instead, Germany’s success in armored warfare was due to the excellent training, flexibility, and superior command and control of its forces, coupled with new combined arms tactics and doctrine that yielded synergistic effects by employing infantry, armor, artillery, and aircraft in close coordination. This combined arms approach was a new innovation by the Germans and in stark contrast to the Allies, who still employed their infantry, armor, and artillery forces as separate units that at best operated in poor coordination on the battlefield. On the other hand, a Panzer Division in 1939 was a self-contained combined arms force under a single commander consisting of tanks from two Panzer regiments, infantry from two regiments with engineer support from an additional Panzerpioniere Bataillon, and an artillery battalion. Additionally, a Luftwaffe ground liaison was usually incorporated within the Panzer Division to coordinate close air support from Stuka bomber squadrons. This new organization and superior command and control was the true secret to the success of Blitzkrieg.

Also unlike Allied tank units in 1939, every German Panzer was equipped with a radio. Consequently, a vital link in the command and control capabilities of the Panzer divisions was the Sd.Kfz. 265 kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen (small armored command vehicle). Based on the Panzer I Ausf. B chassis, the kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen replaced the panzer’s turret with a larger armored superstructure and was equipped with a 20-watt transmitter and a Fu 6 multiple radio receiver, which provided radio coverage of 4–6 km. This provided an unparalleled capability to employ massed armored units while maintaining real-time communication between the regiment, battalion, company, and platoon levels. Consequently, German Panzer units could react much faster to unfolding combat situations than their Allied counterparts, executing cohesive platoon, company, and even regimental maneuvers that overwhelmed their opponents. Additionally, the kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen was also equipped with an MG-34 machine gun in a superstructure ball mount to provide close protection.

John Jenkins Designs kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen represents a command panzer of the famous 35. Panzer Regiment of 4. Panzer-Division (4. Pz.Div.). As part of the XVI. Armeekorps, 4. Pz.Div. was one of the first divisions of Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South) to cross the Polish border. It fought against Polish cavalry at the Battle of Mokra and was the first German unit to reach Warsaw. It suffered heavy casualties in its initial direct assault to take the city and in subsequent attempts to take the city, fighting alongside the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Regiment. Later it fought in the Battle of the Bzura (Battle of Kutno), the largest battle of the Polish campaign.

JJ Designs announces the kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen, which features the large white Balkenkreuz that served as the national symbol of Germany and were the iconic look of Germany’s Panzer force as it was unleashed upon the world. Either used as a standalone piece or combined with the previously released JJD Polish Panzer I and Panzer II from the same division, the JJD kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen works perfectly for collectors’ vignettes or dioramas depicting the 1939 Polish campaign.

As standard for all John Jenkins Designs tank models, the kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen comes with the following features:
Opening commander’s hatch
Antenna can be raised or lowered
Historically accurate paint job and markings
Detailed crew compartment.

Scale: 1/30
Material: Resin and pewter alloy
Released Date: April 2026