More info here.
Posted by10 months ago
Archived
I'm going to try to explain how it works :
From 1st to 14th September, you can get a free T 25 in a special way :
First, activate this code.
Then, you need to play 75 battles (or 38 for returning players) from tier 4 to 10 placed among the top 10 of your team by base XP earned (each battle with the condition completed will give you 1 token).
And IF 25 million tokens are obtained among the entire EU server, you will get this tank for free, either :
- after the 75th (or 38th) battle if 25 million tokens have already been gathered before this battle.
- after a battle played if you gather 75 tokens before 25 million tokens have been gathered.
Also, other rewards are available for less token received and/or less global millions of tokens received.
74 comments
The Panzerkampfwagen 35(t), commonly shortened to Panzer 35(t) or abbreviated as Pz.Kpfw. 35(t), was a Czechoslovak-designed light tank used mainly by Nazi Germany during World War II. The letter (t) stood for tschechisch (German: 'Czech'). In Czechoslovak service, it had the formal designation Lehký tank vzor 35 (Light Tank Model 35), but was commonly referred to as the LT vz. 35 or LT-35.
A total of 434 were built; of these, the Germans seized 244 when they occupied Bohemia-Moravia in March 1939 and the Slovaks acquired 52 when they declared independence from Czechoslovakia at the same time. Others were exported to Bulgaria and Romania. In German service, it saw combat during the early years of World War II, notably the invasion of Poland, the Battle of France and the invasion of the Soviet Union before being retired or sold off in 1942. It was used for the remainder of the war by other countries and as a training tank in Bulgaria into the 1950s.
Description[edit]
The Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) was assembled from a framework of steel 'angle iron' beams to which the armour plates were riveted. A 4 mm (0.16 in) firewall separated the engine compartment from the crew. It had several mesh-covered openings to allow access to the engine and improve ventilation by drawing air in through the commander's hatch. This had the advantage of rapidly dispersing gun combustion gases when firing,[nb 1] but several disadvantages. The constant draft generated by the engine greatly affected the crew during cold weather, the danger of an engine fire reaching the crew compartment was increased and the engine noise and heat increased crew fatigue.[3]
The driver sat on the right side of the tank using a 390 by 90 millimetres (15.4 in à 3.5 in) observation port protected by 50 millimetres (2.0 in) of bulletproof glass and an armoured shutter 28 millimetres (1.1 in) thick. To his right was a vision slit 120 by 3 millimetres (4.72 in à 0.12 in) with a similar thickness of bulletproof glass.[4] The Germans replaced the original three colored lights used by the Czechs to communicate with the driver with an intercom system.[5] The radio operator sat on the left and had his own 150 by 75 millimetres (5.9 in à 3.0 in) observation port with the same protection as the driver's. His radios were mounted on the left wall of the hull. The hull machine gun was between the driver and radio operator in a ball mount capable of 30° of traverse, 25° of elevation and depressing up to 10°. Most of the machine gun's barrel protruded from the mount and was protected by an armoured trough. The mount had a spotting telescope, but open sights could be used if the plug at the top of the ball mount was removed. If necessary, the driver could lock the mount into position and fire it himself using a Bowden cable. The driver's hatch was exposed to direct fire and could be damaged from the front.[6]
The turret ring had a diameter of 1.267 metres (49.9 in). The turret had a flat face in the center of which was mounted the 3.72 centimetres (1.46 in) main armament. On the right side was another 7.92 millimetres (0.312 in) machine gun in a ball mount. The commander had four episcopes in his cupola and a monocular mirror, 1.3 x 30° periscope which he could extend, once he had removed its armoured cover in his hatch, to give vision while 'buttoned-up'.[6] As the sole occupant of the turret, the commander was responsible for loading, aiming and firing the main gun and the turret machine gun while simultaneously commanding the tank. The Germans added an extra crewman on the right side of the turret to load the main gun and to operate the turret machine gun. Some ammunition had to be removed to accommodate him.[7]
The 8.62-litre (526 cu in) Å koda T-11/0 four-cylinder, water-cooled engine produced 120 horsepower (89 kW) at 1,800 rpm. Two fuel tanks were fitted, the main tank with a capacity of 124 litres (33 US gal) was on the left side of the engine and the 29 litres (7.7 US gal) auxiliary tank was on the other side. The engine could run on gasoline, an alcohol-gasoline mixture, and 'Dynalkohol' (an alcohol-benzole mixture). It was mounted in the rear along with the six-speed transmission which drove rear-mounted drive sprockets. The suspension was derived from the Vickers 6-Ton tank; eight small pairs of road wheels on four bogies per side, each pair of bogies sprung by a single leaf spring, a front idler wheel, and four track return wheels. An unsprung road wheel was located directly underneath the idler wheel to improve obstacle crossing. The transmission, brakes and steering were mechanically assisted with compressed air, reducing driver fatigue. This last feature proved problematic in the extreme conditions of the Eastern Front.[8]
Pz.Kpfw. 35(t) of 6th Panzer Division Russian front, 1941
The main armament was a Å koda ÃV vz. 34 (German designation 'KwK 34(t)') gun with a pepperpot muzzle brake and a prominent armoured recoil cylinder above the barrel. Å koda called it the A3. It fired a .815 kilograms (1.80 lb) armour-piercing shell at 690 metres per second (2,300 ft/s). It was credited with penetrating a plate inclined at 30° from the vertical 37 millimetres (1.5 in) thick at 100 metres (110 yd), 31 millimetres (1.2 in) thick at 500 metres (550 yd), 26 millimetres (1.0 in) thick at 1,000 metres (1,100 yd), and 22 millimetres (0.87 in) thick at 1,500 metres (1,600 yd).[9] Kliment and Francev quote penetration of a vertical plate 45 millimetres (1.8 in) thick at 500 metres (550 yd). The machine gun's ball mount could be coupled to the main gun or used independently. Both weapons could elevate 25° and depress 10°. They both used 2.6x power sights with a 25° field of view.[10] Initially the tank used Zbrojovka BrnoZB vz. 35 machine guns, but these were exchanged for ZB vz. 37s during 1938. This was adopted by the Germans as the MG 37(t).[11]
In German use, 72 rounds of 37 mm ammunition were carried. These were stored in 6-round boxes: three on the hull side wall, eight in the turret overhang and one ready box above the gun on the turret roof. For the machine gun, 1,800 rounds of belted 7.92 mm ammunition were carried. The machine gun ammunition was in 100 round belts, stored three to a box. In Czech service, the LT vz. 35 carried 78 rounds (24 AP, 54 HE) and 2,700 rounds of machine gun ammunition, the difference being removed to make room for the fourth crewmember in German service. The German command tank version (Panzerbefehlswagen 35(t)) exchanged some ammunition - exactly how much isn't known - for another radio set and a gyrocompass.[7] It could be recognized by the prominent 'clothesline' radio antenna mounted on the rear deck.[citation needed]
Armour[edit]
The gun mantlet was 25 mm (0.98 in) thick. The rest of the armour was as follows:[2]
Development[edit]
The Czech Army formulated a requirement in the II-a category of light cavalry tanks by the end of 1934. Äeskomoravská Kolben-DanÄk proposed an improved version of its P-II light tank already in service as the LT vz. 34, but Å koda offered a new design that used the pneumatic system and engine earlier proved by its unsuccessful SU or S-II light tank prototype. One prototype was ordered from each company for delivery during the summer of 1935.[12] Both tanks had the same armament and three-man crew, but ÄKD's P-II-a was much smaller at 8.5 tonnes (8.4 long tons; 9.4 short tons) and had only a maximum 16 millimetres (0.63 in) of armour while Å koda's S-II-a weighed 10.5 tonnes (10.3 long tons; 11.6 short tons) and had 25 millimetres (0.98 in) of armour.[13] The army thought that P-II-a was at the limit of its development while the S-II-a could be improved as needed.[14]
The first production order for 160 LT vz. 35s, as the S-II-a was designated in Army service, was placed on 30 October 1935 and deliveries began in December 1936. An additional order for 35 was made on 12 May 1936 and a follow-on order placed for 103 more a month later.[15] The total order for 298 tanks was split equally by Å koda Works and ÄKD according to their cartel agreement.[3]
Development was rushed and there were many defects in the LT vz. 35s. Many tanks had to be returned to the factories to be repaired. Most of these repairs involved the electrical system, not the complicated pneumatic system.[15]
Foreign interest[edit]
In August 1936, Romania placed an order for 126; the bulk of these were delivered from the end of 1938 by Å koda. Afghanistan ordered ten in 1940; but, these were sold instead to Bulgaria. Total production was 434, including 298 for the Czechoslovak Army, 126 for Romania (under the designation Å koda R-2) and ten for Bulgaria. The Wehrmacht used 218 vehicles captured from the Czechoslovak Army in March 1939. Britain's Alvis-Staussler negotiated for a production license from September 1938 until March 1939 when the Nazi occupation made an agreement impossible. The Soviets were also interested so Å koda shipped the S-II-a prototype and one production LT vz. 35 to the proving grounds at Kubinka for evaluation. The Soviets were interested only in buying the prototype, but Å koda refused to sell unless a license was purchased as well, believing that the Soviets would simply copy the design and build it without paying any royalties.[16]
Variants[edit]
Romanian TACAM R-2 tank destroyer
The chassis was used for both a command tank (Panzerbefehlswagen 35(t))[19] which featured extra radios (20 built) and also as an artillery tractor (Artillerie Schlepper 35(t))[20] by removing the turret and upper hull and covering the gap with canvas (49 converted from March 42 onwards).[21]
The T-11 was built to an Afghan order placed in 1940 and differed mainly in that it used an improved Å koda A-7 gun (as used on LT vz. 38). Ten were built, but were sold to Bulgaria and delivered in the third quarter of 1940.[22]
The TACAM R-2 was a tank destroyer built by removing the turret and substituting a captured Soviet 76.2mm divisional gun ZiS-3 in its place. The gun and crew were protected by a thin, fixed, three-sided, partially roofed casemate that used armour plate salvaged from captured Soviet tanks. The prototype was completed by September 1943, although it used the older 76.2 mm M-1936 F-22 field gun, and proved reasonably successful. Conversion of an additional twenty was completed by the end of June 1944 when the project was stopped because of concerns that its gun was inadequate against the heavily armoured Soviet Iosif Stalin tanks. The vehicles were sent to front line cavalry and infantry units and saw action in Romania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Proposals were made to up-gun the vehicle with either the Romanian-built 75 mm (3.0 in) ReÅiÅ£a Model 1943anti-tank gun or the German 88 mm (3.5 in) gun, but nothing was done before Romania changed sides in August 1944.[23]
Operational history[edit]Czechoslovakia[edit]
The 298 LT vz. 35 tanks were assigned to the armoured regiments belonging to the four Mobile (Rychlá) Divisions between 1936â39. Each regiment was supposed to detach three-tank platoons to support the infantry divisions and border areas in times of crisis. These platoons were heavily used suppressing the protests and violence instigated by Konrad Henlein's Sudeten German Party (Sudetendeutsche Partei - SdP) and the Sudetendeutsche Freikorps (paramilitary groups trained in Germany by SS-instructors) between May and October 1938.[24]
After the Munich Agreement, two tank battalions were sent to reinforce the 3rd Mobile Division in Slovakia. They were used to repel Hungarian and Polish border-crossers, sometimes up to a battalion in strength. They screened the infantry when they had to evacuate southern Slovakia after the First Vienna Award on 2 November 1938.[25]
The S-II-a prototype and one LT vz. 35 tank were returning from testing in the Soviet Union when the fighting began. They detrained in Sevljus and participated in a counterattack at FanÄÃkovo, but the LT vz. 35 was damaged and captured by the Hungarians. The prototype was forced to retreat into Romania by 17 March, along with most of the other Czech troops in eastern Ruthenia. The Romanians returned the prototype to Å koda six months later.[26]
Germany[edit]
Panzer 35(t) in France, 1940
In 1939, following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, 244 vehicles of the Czechoslovak Army were seized by the Germans[27] where they were known as the L.T.M.35 until January 1940.[28] In German service, they were used as substitutes for the Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank. They were assigned to the Panzer Battalion (Panzerabteilung) 65 (39) of the 1st Light (leichte) Division and the independent Panzer-Regiment 11 (81) where they participated in the invasion of Poland.[29] 77 of these were lost during the campaign, mostly due to mechanical breakdowns, but only 7 of these were irreparable.[30] From 1940 on, there had not been any spare parts available and tanks had to be completely rebuilt to remain operational.[citation needed]
The 1st Light Division absorbed the 11th Panzer Regiment and was redesignated as the 6th Panzer Division on 18 October 1939.[31] It took 132 Pz.Kpfw. 35(t)s into the Battle of France where it was assigned to XXXXI Corps (mot.) for Panzergruppe von Kleist's attack through the Ardennes.[32] 44 of these had been lost by the end of May. 35 replacements were issued on 3 June in preparation for Fall Rot, the attack on the remnants of the French Army that began the following day.[33] A total of 62 Pz.Kpfw. 35(t)s were either total write-offs or were damaged beyond the ability of the field maintenance workshops to repair during the campaign.[34]
PzKpfw 35(t) in the USSR
For the invasion of the Soviet Union, 6th Panzer Division had 160 Pz.Kpfw. 35(t)s. to support 4th Panzer Group's drive on Leningrad.[35] By 10 September 1941, the division had only 102 operational Pz.Kpfw. 35(t), despite having received two replacements from Germany. Eight tanks were repairable, but 47 were total losses.[36] By 31 October, only 34 were operational with another 41 requiring repair. On 30 November, all Pz.Kpfw. 35(t)s were reported non-operational.[37]
The average distance driven is 12,500 kilometres (7,800 mi) for the Pz.Kpfw. 35(t). The special situation in regard to repair the Pz.Kpfw. 35(t) is well known. It is indeed deemed necessary to point out that repairs can only be accomplished by cannibalizing other Panzers because there are no longer any spare parts for the Pz.Kpfw. 35(t). This means that after retrieval of the Panzers that are scattered around the terrain, a maximum of 10 can actually be repaired out of the 41 Pz.Kpfw. 35(t) reported as needing repair. The Pz.Kpfw. 35(t) can no longer be rebuilt. All of the components are worn out. To be practical, maybe the armored hulls are still useable.
ââCommander, 6th Panzer Division, 31 October 1941[37]
Due to the cessation of production of these tanks, and the absence of spare parts being made, it was decided that the summer campaign of 1941 was to be their last. The fighting in Russia exposed the vehicle's unsuitability for cold weather operations and general unreliability. This weakness, in addition to their thin armour and inadequate firepower, resulted in the 6th Panzer Division being reequipped with German tanks on its withdrawal from Russia in April 1942.[38] All 26 remaining Pz.Kpfw. 35(t)s still in working condition in 1942 were sold to Romania. Some vehicles had their turrets and hull machine guns removed so that the chassis could serve as a munition carrier or an artillery tractor, the Artillerie Schlepper and the Mörserzugmittel 35(t). These had a towing capacity of 12 tonnes (12 long tons; 13 short tons).[39]
Romania[edit]
R-2 tanks in February 1939, before being delivered to Romania by Å koda Works
Romania ordered 126 of the tanks on 14 August 1936 as the R-2 and received the first 15, which had been diverted from the Czech order, in AprilâMay 1937 to display in a parade. They suffered from numerous teething problems and the Romanians put a hold on production until these issues were resolved. The constantly changing Romanian demands didn't help the situation, but they refused to accept any vehicles until trials were conducted in Romania. Three R-2s were shipped to Romania on 12 July 1938 for the trials, but Skoda knew which one would be chosen and prepared the vehicle well and it passed all tests. After disassembly and checks of the trial tank were completed, the Romanian commission approved the design on 23 August. In the meantime, the initial batch was returned to Skoda to be upgraded to current standards on 28 July. Shipments to Romania began on 1 September with 27 shipped before the Munich Crisis forced the Czechs to hold all remaining tanks in case they were needed. 5 finished tanks and six almost-finished tanks were appropriated and shipped to Slovakia although they were quickly returned after the Munich Agreement was signed. The last shipment departed on 22 February 1939.[40]
The R-2s were assigned to the 1st Armoured Regiment of the 1st Armoured Division where they participated in Operation Barbarossa. The division was withdrawn from combat after the Battle of Odessa in 1941. At the start of 1942, 40 tanks were sent to Pilsen for overhaul while 50 more were repaired in PloieÈti.[41] The division returned to the front on 29 August 1942 with 109 R-2s. By the eve of the Soviet Stalingrad Counter-offensive on 19 November the division could only muster 84 serviceable R-2s with as many as 37 unserviceable tanks stationed in the rear.[42] The division was on the outer edges of the Stalingrad Pocket, but managed to break through the western wing of the encirclement, although 77 R-2s were lost in the process. Only about a third of these were destroyed by the Soviets, the rest were either abandoned or broke down and couldn't be recovered. One R-2 arrived from Romania during December as a reinforcement. The 1st Armored Division was ordered home in early January 1943.[43]
Despite the delivery of 26 Pz.Kpfw. 35(t)s during 1942, Romania could only muster 59 R-2/Pz.Kpfw. 35(t)s on 1 April and 30 August 1943, but raised this to 63 by 25 March 1944. There were 44 on hand on 19 July 1944. By this time they were relegated to training duties with the 1st Training Armoured Division.[44] A company of R-2s was sent to Transnistria with the ad-hoc Cantemir Mixed Tank Group on 24 February 1944, but it did not see combat before being withdrawn on 28 March 1944.[45]
A company of R-2s was assigned to the Popescu Armoured Detachment after King Michael's Coup and Romanian's defection from the Axis at the end of August 1944. The Detachment was tasked with preventing the German units stationed around PloieÈti from breaking out to the north and finding refuge in Hungary. They accomplished their task and the R-2s were withdrawn from combat operations until the following year.[46] Romania had concentrated all of its remaining tanks and armoured fighting vehicles in the 2nd Armoured Regiment in early 1945 as the unofficial Soviet arms embargo began to have effect. It had five R-2s on hand in early February 1945 when it was sent to the front, but the Soviets confiscated most of them when it arrived. Both R-2s were serviceable when the regiment entered Bratislava on 4 April 1945, but these were probably destroyed when the regiment was nearly surrounded in Austria on 10 April because they are no longer listed among the regiment's vehicles afterwards.[47]
Twenty-one tanks were rebuilt as TACAM R-2 tank destroyers with an ex-Soviet 76.2 mm gun in 1943â44.[citation needed]
Slovakia[edit]
The Slovak Army seized 52 LT vz. 35 tanks when they declared their independence from Czechoslovakia in March 1939. They were organized into a battalion that was later incorporated into the Armoured Regiment.[48] Three of these tanks participated in the Slovak-Hungarian War of March 1939.[49] One tank company participated in the invasion of Poland, but didn't see any fighting.[50] The Army upgraded the internal communications system of its tanks with German intercoms in 1941, but it is unknown if they added a fourth crewman as did the Germans. When Slovakia joined the German invasion of the Soviet Union it sent a Mobile Group that included thirty LT vz. 35. The Mobile Group was reinforced and reorganized in early July 1941 as the Mobile Brigade, also known as Brigade Pilfousek after its commander, and it mustered only twenty seven tanks despite seven reinforcements because breakdowns had caused ten to be evacuated back to Slovakia. This was due to a conspiracy among the Slovak tankers that the tanks would be needed to overthrow the regime at some point and couldn't be wasted in combat against the Soviets. This caused a high incidence of crew sabotage to which the officers and maintainers turned a blind eye, which caused the tanks to be withdrawn to Slovakia at the beginning of August 1941.[51] On 1 January 1942, the Slovaks had 49 LT vz. 35 on hand because three had been destroyed in the battle for Lipovec earlier in the summer. However, of these 49 only seven were operational as part of the conspiracy to keep the tanks in Slovakia [52] The LT vz. 35s were relegated to the training/reserve role by 1943 when the Germans began to supply more modern tanks to Slovakia. At least eight LT vz. 35s were used by the insurgents during the Slovak National Uprising in 1944.[53]
Bulgaria[edit]
Bulgarian T-11 with A-3 gun
in Sofia, December 1944
Bulgaria used 26 tanks, delivered by Germany from used war reserve stock in early 1940, with the normal A-3 gun and 10 New T-11 tanks with the more powerful A-7 gun from the confiscated Afghan order were delivered between August and October 1940. They equipped the 1st and 2nd companies of the Bulgarian armored regiment in June 1941.[54] They were supposedly relegated to training duties once the Germans began to deliver Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tanks in 1944, but apparently remained in service into the Fifties.[22] But Kliment and Francev claim that the T-11s participated in the fighting in Yugoslavia and ended the war south of Vienna as part of the 1st Tank Brigade.[55]
Hungary[edit]
LT vz. 35 captured in Carpatho-Ukraine by Hungarian army
Hungary captured one LT vz. 34 in Carpatho-Ukraine on 15 March 1939, when it conquered that country, and also a LT vz. 35 in fighting with the Czech demonstration detachment returning from Kubinka in med-March 1939. They were impressed and asked Škoda for a quote to repair them. The Hungarians did not accept the price, but Škoda fixed them for free once the Hungarians had bought a license to build the medium 40M Turán I tank in August 1940. The tanks were returned to Hungary in March 1941 and were used for training through 1943.[56]
See also[edit]Footnotes[edit]
References[edit]Notes[edit]
Bibliography[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Panzer_35(t)&oldid=893855794'
T25 Tank Destroyer
The Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) was originally a Czechoslovak tank of pre-World War II design. After Czechoslovakia was taken over by Germany, it was adopted by the German Army, seeing service in the invasions of Poland, France and the USSR. Production ended in 1942, when its main armament was deemed inadequate. In all, over 1,400 Pz. 38(t)s were manufactured. The chassis of the Pz. 38(t) continued to be produced for the Marder III (1942â1944) with some of its components used in the later Jagdpanzer 38 (1944â1945) tank destroyers and its derivative vehicles.
The (t) stands for tschechisch, the German word for Czech; the Czechoslovak military designation was LT vz. 38 (Lehký tank vzor 38, Light Tank model 38). Manufacturer's designations included TNH series, TNHPS, LTP and LTH. The special vehicle designation for the tank in Germany was Sd. Iobit advanced systemcare 10-key. Kfz. 140.
Description[edit]
The Panzer 38(t) was a conventional inter-war tank design, with riveted armour. The armour varied in thickness from 10 mm to 25 mm in most versions. Later models (Ausf. E on) increased this to 50 mm by bolting on an additional 25 mm armour plate to the front portion of the hull. The sides received an additional 15 mm increase of armour from Ausf. E production runs onward.
The two-man turret was centrally located, and housed the tank's main armament, a 37 mm Skoda A7 gun with 90 rounds of ammunition. In addition, a 7.92 mm machine gun was in a ball mount to the right of the main gun. This machine gun could be trained on targets independently of the main gun, or coupled to the main gun for use as a conventional coaxial machine gun. The driver was in the front right of the hull, with the radio operator seated to the driver's left. The radio operator manned the hull-mounted 7.92 mm machine gun in front in addition to operating the radio on his left.
Minor adjustments, such as adjustable seats for the driver and firmer footing for the commander/gunner and loader, were provided in German service. A total of 2,550 rounds were carried for the bow and turret machine guns. The driver could also fire the hull machine gun with a trigger fitted on the left tiller bar.
In German service, a loader position was added to the turret by reducing the ammunition capacity by 18 rounds. All future Panzer 38(t) tanks were rebuilt according to this specification and those already in service were modified accordingly. The commander had to aim and fire the main gun in addition to his role as commander.
The engine was mounted in the rear of the hull and powered the tank through a transmission at the front of the hull with five forward gears and one reverse gear. The track ran under four rubber-tired road wheels and back over a rear idler and two track return rollers. The wheels were mounted on a leaf-spring double-bogie mounted on two axles.
Development[edit]
In 1935, the Czechoslovak tank manufacturer ÄKD was looking for a replacement for the LT-35 tank they were jointly producing with Å koda Works. The LT-35 was complex and had shortcomings, and ÄKD felt there would be orders both from the expanding Czechoslovak army and for export.
ÄKD decided to use a leaf-spring suspension with four large wheels for their new tank with an export success under the name 'TNH'. With small variations for each customer, 50 were exported to Iran (TNHP), 24 each to Peru (LTP) and Switzerland (LTH). Lithuania also ordered some (LTL).[1] The British Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) had one trial model delivered on 23 March 1939 to Gunnery School at Lulworth. A report stated that 'the (bow) gunner could not sit back comfortably as the wireless set was in the way of his left shoulder'. The report also stated that, due to the shudder while the vehicle was on the move, it was impossible to lay the gun. Even at the speed of 8.05 km/h (5 mph), accuracy was poor. As a result, the British did not purchase the Panzer 38(t) and the trial model was returned.[citation needed]
LT vz. 38 in Czechoslovak army camouflage
In the fall of 1937, the Czechoslovak Armed Forces launched a contest for a new medium tank; Å koda, ÄKD and Tatra competed. Å koda Praga submitted the existing joint production export model mentioned above. ÄKD also entered a prototype separate from the above, the interesting V-8-H (later called the ST vz. 39), which proved to have numerous mechanical problems. Tatra, known mostly for its smaller, wheeled armoured cars, submitted a paper entry that was a very novel concept that completely changed the layout of a tank, which concept they patented in 1938. On 1 July 1938, Czechoslovakia ordered 150 of the TNHPS model, although none had entered service by the time of the German occupation (March 1939).
German production[edit]
After the takeover of Czechoslovakia, Germany ordered continued production of the model as it was considered an excellent tank, especially compared to the Panzer I and Panzer II that were the Panzerwaffe's main tanks during the outset of WWII. It was first introduced into German service under the name LTM 38; this was changed on 16 January 1940 to Panzerkampfwagen 38(t).
The relatively small turret of the Panzer 38(t) was incapable of mounting a cannon powerful enough to defeat more heavily armoured tanks such as the T-34, so production of the Pz. 38(t) halted in June 1942 when more than 1,400 had been built. Other examples of the Pz. 38(t) were also sold to a number of other Axis nations, including Hungary (102), Slovakia (69), Romania (50), and Bulgaria (10, known as Praga).[2]
The main advantages of the Panzer 38(t), compared to other tanks of the day, were a high reliability and sustained mobility. In one documented case, a regiment was supplied with tanks driven straight from the factory in 2.5 days instead of the anticipated week, without any mechanical breakdowns.[3] In the opinion of the crews, the drive components of the Pz. 38(t) - engine, gear, steering, suspension, wheels and tracks - were perfectly in tune with each other. The Pz. 38(t) was also considered to be very easy to maintain and repair.[4]
After production of the Pz. 38(t) ceased, the chassis was used for tank destroyer designs, which were produced in greater numbers than the original Pz. 38(t). In 1942â1944, about 1,500 examples of the Marder III model were produced. It was replaced by the Jagdpanzer 38(t), based on a modified Panzer 38(t) chassis, of which approximately 2,800 were produced. The Panzer 38(t) chassis was also the basis for an anti-aircraft gun carrier, the Flakpanzer 38(t), of which about 140 were produced. The Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) (designation Sd.Kfz.140/1) was a reconnaissance vehicle based on a 38(t) tank fitted with a 'Hängelafette' turret (20 mm KwK 38 L/55 gun and a coaxial MG 42 - adapted from the Sd. Kfz. 222 armoured car); a support version armed with a 75 mm KwK 37 L/24 (and MG 42) gun mounted in the modified superstructure was also designed. Seventy Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) with a 20 mm gun were built in February and March 1944; just two Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) with a 75 mm gun were built in 1944.
Swedish production[edit]
Stridsvagn m/41 SII
Since the 90 PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf. S built for Sweden to be delivered in March 1940 were confiscated with the invasion of Czechoslovakia, negotiations with Böhmisch-Mährische-Maschinenfabrik for the blue-prints needed for license production commenced and an agreement was reached at the end of 1940, which included the upgrades for the TNHP-S. The riveted construction was seen as a drawback, but since redrawing the blueprints for a welded construction was estimated to delay production by almost a year,[5] no changes were made to the 116 m/41 ordered from Scania-Vabis in June 1941. Deliveries started in December 1942 and were completed in August 1943, no less than three years behind the original plan.
While clearly outdated, the need for a 10-ton light tank was so pressing that another order was placed in mid 1942. Since Scania-Vabis had reached the production ceiling, the 122 tanks had to be complemented by some 80 strv m/40. The second batch had the frontal armour upgraded to 50 mm bringing the weight to 11 tonnes, and to deal with the increased weight the 145 hp Scania-Vabis typ 1664 was replaced by a more powerful 160 hp Scania-Vabis typ 603. Due to the larger size, the hull had to be made 65 mm longer causing a wider gap between the second and third roadwheel. This enabled the fueltanks to be upgraded from 190 litres to 230 litres. Only 104 got delivered when production ended in March 1944; the last 18 chassis were built as the assault gun sav m/43 instead. Another 18 sav m/43 were purpose built.
At the end of the 1950s, 220 SI & SII were converted to Pansarbandvagn 301 armoured personnel carriers and the turrets[6] used for airbase defences.[7]
Operational history[edit]Germany[edit]
Panzer 38(t), France, June 1940
Pz V Iv
The Panzer 38(t) performed well in the Polish Campaign in 1939 and the Battle of France in 1940. It was better armed than the Panzer I and Panzer II tanks. It was on a par with most light tank designs of the era, although it was unable to effectively engage the frontal armour of medium, heavy and infantry tank designs.
It was also used in the German invasion of the Soviet Union from 1941 onwards in German and Hungarian units, but was outclassed by Soviet tanks such as the T-34. Some ex-German units were issued to the Romanians in 1943, after the loss of many of the Romanian R-2 tanks. By then, it had become largely obsolete, though the chassis was adapted to a variety of different roles with success. Notable variations include the Sd.Kfz. 138 Marder III mobile anti-tank gun, the Sd.Kfz. 138/1 Grille mobile howitzer, Flakpanzer 38(t) and the Jagdpanzer 38(t) 'Hetzer' tank destroyer. Small numbers were also used for reconnaissance, training and security duties, such as deployment on armoured trains.
Panzer 38(t), Soviet Union, June 1941
The German tank commander Otto Carius, who was credited with over 150 'kills', described an action in a 38(t) in 8 July 1941:
It happened like greased lightning. A hit against our tank, a metallic crack, the scream of a comrade, and that was all there was! A large piece of armour plating had been penetrated next to the radio operator's seat. No one had to tell us to get out. Not until I had run my hand across my face while crawling in the ditch next to the road did I discover that they had also got me. Our radio operator had lost his left arm. We cursed the brittle and inelastic Czech steel that gave the Russian 47mm anti-tank gun so little trouble. The pieces of our own armour plating and assembly bolts caused considerably more damage than the shrapnel of the round itself.[8]
In contrast, speaking about the armour on German tanks:
Again and again, we admired the quality of the steel on our tanks. It was hard without being brittle. Despite its hardness, it was also elastic. If an anti-tank round didn't hit the armour dead on, it slid off on its side and left behind a gouge as if you had run your finger over a soft piece of butter.[citation needed]
The above report highlights the reason why the 38(t) was pulled out of front lines in favour of heavier Panzer III, IV and StuG IIIs.[citation needed] Panzer 38(t) continued to serve after 1941 as a reconnaissance vehicle and in anti-partisan units for some time. Several captured examples were refitted with Soviet DTM machineguns and employed by the Red Army.
At the start of Operation Barbarossa, the Germans found Soviet T-34 tanks to be superior, as the German 37 mm Pak36 anti-tank gun proved incapable of penetrating the T-34's armour. To neutralize the T-34, the Germans mounted a captured Soviet 76.2mm gun on the chassis of the 38(t) model as a stop-gap measure and called it the 'Marder III'. Crews of early Marder III models fought exposed on top of the engine deck. Efforts to provide Marder III crews with more protection eventually lead to the Hetzer tank destroyer.
Peru[edit]
Preserved LTP
A Peruvian mission went to Europe in 1935 and looked at tanks from several major manufacturers before settling on the Czech LTL. Peru bought 24 of them. They were delivered in 1938-1939 and designated Tanque 38 (then Tanque 39).[10] This small armoured force of two tank companies was complemented by truck-mounted infantry and artillery pulled by tractors (the Czech ÄKD). Peruvian doctrine was influenced by the French military mission operating in Peru at the time, and emphasized the use of tanks to support infantry attacks rather than in independent mobile columns (as in the German Blitzkrieg).[11][unreliable source?]
The Peruvian tank battalion played an important role in the 1941 Ecuadorian-Peruvian War, spearheading the attack across the Zarumilla River and at Arenillas.[10] This was helped by the fact that the Ecuadorian Army had no modern anti-tank guns and their artillery was horse-drawn. 'The LTL tanks performed extremely well in the 1941 war and remained in front-line service for more than 50 years.'[12][unreliable source?]
The tank were also used for counter-insurgencyoperations against the Shining Path.[10][13]
Romania[edit]
The T-38 was the local designation for the wartime deliveries of Panzer 38(t)s from Germany in 1943. T-38 served with the forces operating in Kuban. within 2nd Tank Regiment and later the 54th Company attached to the HQ and the cavalry corps in Kuban and Crimea. T-38 tanks were still in action with the 10th Infantry Division and Cavalry Divisions in 1944.[14]
Slovakia[edit]
Because the first series of the LT-38 was not finished in March 1939 and was seized by Nazi Germany, the army of the Slovak state, a German ally in the Polish and Soviet campaigns, initially had only the LT-35 tanks. The first 37 tanks designed as LT-38 were delivered in 1940 and used in the Operation Barbarossa. Another 37 tanks were sold to Slovakia by Germany in 1943-1944, when the Wehrmacht considered them obsolete. These tanks were used by the insurgents during the Slovak National Uprising in 1944. Several of them are on display in the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in Banská Bystrica.[15][16]
Sweden[edit]
All strv m/41 SI were sent to P 3 in Strängnäs, who were the only regiment who painted the road-wheels in the same camouflage pattern as the hull against regulations prescribing field-grey to be used.[1] Most of the m/41 SII went to P 4 in Skövde, with a small number allocated to P 2 in Hässleholm and the material reserve of P 3.[7]
All tanks had been retired from active service in the mid 1950s and later rebuilt into Pansarbandvagn 301 armoured personnel carriers (APCs).[citation needed]
Technical Data[edit]TNHP-S[edit]
Panzer 38(t) Aus. A-C[edit]
Variants[edit]
An LTH
Other designs based on 38(t) chassis[edit]
![]() See also[edit]References[edit]Notes[edit]
Bibliography[edit]
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Panzer_38(t)&oldid=902462716'
Posted by2 years ago
Archived
I ended up buying the German Mega Bundle, because
Here we go!
Supposedly the Panzerkampfwagen T 25 is really the Å koda T 25 and will be in the Czech tech tree. So you can drive this to get a preview of the Czech tanks! This begins and ends the reasons you might bother driving the German tier V prem version around. And you don't even get to use the autoloader version of the gun.
Ok so maybe it's not that bad but I must admit I did struggle to catch any glimmer of what this tank is for, or if there's anything about it that makes it worth driving. It's not that it's bad, it just is pretty meh. I guess you could say it's somewhat like the Hydro but without the nimbleness. It IS fast once it gets going but the turning sucks. Also the aim time sucks, the dispersion sucks balls, and the accuracy is worse.
So actually not much like the Hydro. It's more of a get into a spot and sit there type of tank, because if you move around too much, then when shot opportunities appear, the target will realize he's spotted, then the target will enjoy a quick cup of tea, and then the target will pull behind cover, and then civilizations will collapse, and then the heat death of the universe will complete, and then you will have finished aiming in your shot. Oh yeah and did I mention that the turret traverse is also hella slow? so add a decade or two at the beginning of that sequence of events just to bring the gun to bear in the first place.
And while it really seems like it's intended to snipe with, the accuracy is really pushing the limits of what you can reasonably be expected to work with at long range. So I guess it's probably more of a medium range support, but then it can't block anything with armor so it has to rely on HP to soak up shots.
It does actually have a very good health pool. The one glimmer of potential i saw was a 1v1 with a Sherman from like 20 meters away where we just traded shots. We both started with full health, neither one of us bounced a shot, and when I took him out I still had nearly 250hp remaining. notbad.jpg
But then while its good to know that I can come out on top after going toe to toe with same tier med, It's not like I could do that to tier VI med or tier V heavy. And guess what, I have to face tier VIIs in this thing. Obviously trading my 610 HP away is just a quick route back to the garage more than a viable tactic.
I'm maybe being a little harder on this machine than it deserves; It's not like I didn't have fun or didn't have good games. It's just that it doesn't seem particularly good at anything and is bad at several things. I read somewhere about it that the playstyle is like the American turreted TDs. fucking LOL. It is embarassingly worse than the M10 in literally every respect, excepting armor, which isn't good enough to block anything anyway.
Fallout 4 change special stats console. Well I dunno what else to say. You can drive it around and have good games because hey, tier V amiright? But yeah I'm gonna definitely agree with the 'Is it worth the gold' guide when they say n0.. wait, wat? they said yes?? Ok I feel like I'm taking crazy pills right now. Someone needs to help me understand how this thing is better than the Hydro, for me it's definitely worse in absolute terms and doesn't get PMM like the Hydro which makes it massively worse considering the battlefield situations. I'm going to assume until I hear otherwise that the guide is based on wrong facts because of buffs/nerfs or just differences from console to PC.
Basic Facts
Fun Factor: 2/5
So I don't actually hate driving this tank I just have a hard time understanding what's good about it (if anything). I'll keep playing it as a crew trainer but just not an exciting tank for me. I am definitely open to any tips on using it or just anything about the tank that I seem to have missed.
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