Following the re-integration of West Germany into NATO in the mid-1950s, the Bundeswehr was equipped with American tanks under the Military Aid Program.
Quickly realising they were not suitable, Germany began the design of their own main battle tank in 1956.
The Leopard 1 family of vehicles became the first fully-German developed series of armoured combat vehicles to be built after the Second World War, and it owes much to the design concepts developed through combat experience du.
Haynes Publishing Uk Leopard 1 main battle tank owners' workshop manual: 1965 to present (all models and variants) - an insight into the design, construction, operation an, hardcover/michael shackleton
