Czech Panzers & Variants

[cyberia]

Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) on the move near the French Channel coast at Veulette, 1940

The Panzer 38(t) was a Czechoslovakian pre-World War II tank design by the Czechoslovak tank manufacturer ČKD as a replacement for the LT-35 tank they were jointly producing with Škoda Works.
The Pz. 38 had riveted armor and rear mounted gasoline Praga EPA 6-cylinder engine. The riveted armor was not sloped, and varied in thickness from 10 mm to 25 mm in most versions. Later models (Ausf. E on) increased this to 50 mm.

A Panzer 38 (t) being off loaded from a rail transport

The two-man turret was centrally located, and housed the tank's main armament, a 37 mm Skoda A7 gun with 90 rounds stored on board. It was equipped with a 7.92 mm ZB53 (Model 37) machine gun to the right of the main ordnance with a second placed in the bow with as much as 2,550 rounds of ammo carried on board.
The Pz. 38(t) weighed in at 9.5 tonnes with a total length of 4.61 m.

Panzer 38(t)s in action in Russia, 1941

Following the German takeover of Czechoslovakia, the Wehrmacht ordered continued production of the model, as it was considered an excellent tank for the time especially when compared to the Panzer I and Panzer II currently in service as the Panzerwaffe's main battle tanks.

Panzer 38(t), date and location unknown

More than 1,400 were produced for German service until 1942 and even when as a battle tank the Pz. 38 (t) became hopelessly outclassed, turret less versions continued to see service as assault guns, anti-tank guns and anti-aircraft guns. In fact, the Pz. 38 (t) chassis proved so mechanically reliable, a Swedish variant, the Sav m/43, remained in use until 1970.

An impressive longevity record for a pre-WW2 tank.

[McCoy]

The Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) was in fact the best tank the Wehrmacht had durin' the Polish campaign. Allthough the PzKpfw IV Ausf. B/C/D were better against soft targets.

[cyberia]

Panzerkampfwagen 35(t)

The Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) was another Czechoslovak-designed light tank used mainly by Germany during the Second World War, although it was more commonly referred to as the Panzer 35(t) or as its crews preferred, the Škoda.

Panzer 35(t)s in a column during the Polish campaign, 1939

Produced by Škoda with riveted armor, the Panzer 35(t) weighed in at 11 tonnes with a total length of 4.90 m. Fitted with a two-man turret and rear-mounted gasoline Škoda T11 120 hp engine.
Requiring a four-man crew, the Pz. 35(t) had a Škoda vz 34 37.2 mm gun as main armament supported by two 7.92 mm machine gun.

View from the turret of a Pz. 35(t) as a column moves up on the Weygand-Line, France

The turret crew consisted of a commander/gunner and a loader. In the hull the driver was on the right with the radio operator to his left who doubled on a ball-mounted 7.92 mm machine gun. A total of 72, 37 mm rounds and 1,800 rounds of belted 7.92 mm ammunition were carried on board.

A Pz.35(t) leads the way near the Marne River, 1940

In all the Škoda Works produced 434 Panzer 35(t)s of which the Wehrmacht placed 219 into service on both the Western and Eastern fronts.

[Kurttis Thomas]

I have to say that the PZ.35 is one of the most interestingt anks of the seconed world war I am delighted that somone started a thread about it. sorry my comment didn't have any real value Really I know very little about this tank and Am going to be delighted to read more.

[cyberia]

There were some interesting variants of the 38(t), they alone should make this an interesting thread.

[cyberia]

Panzer 38(t) moving along a Russian road in 1942

[cyberia]

A pair of photographs of the AusfKlarungPanzer 38(t)...

[cyberia]

Panzer 38(t) on the road on the Eastern Front, date unknown

[cyberia]

A Panzer 38 (t) pulls out of its "cover pit" on the Eastern Front, 1942

[cyberia]

Hetzer, Pazerjager variant of the Pz. 38(t)
This is the first photo of a Hetzer I have ever seen with a muzzle break

Can anyone expand on this gun?