January 27, 1934 - Grafenwohr
The vehicles and turrets competing for the Heer's medium panzer contract have lined up and begun their trials. Vehicles were submitted by Krupp, Daimler-Benz, MAN, and Rheinmetall-Borsig. The turrets on all the vehicles are mockups of the real thing, with dummy weapons as the specified weapons don't, yet, exist. Several different suspension systems are in evidence, with large road wheels and Christie-type springs on the Rheinmetall-Borsig design, a torsion bar system with smaller road wheels on the Daimler-Benz design, a leaf-spring and bogie design from Krupp, and an interesting interleaved design from MAN. Testing is expected to continue through the spring into the summer.
February 6, 1934 - Berlin
The Heere has put out a request for proposals for anti-tank guns for the infantry. Such weapons would supplement the anti-tank rifles already on order or in service, and must be light, handy, and easily manuevered in action by the crew themselves, without need of horses or motor vehicles. Rheinmetall, which already has produced some guns of this type for export in 37mm, is expected to win the contract.