Panzer 38(t)
Sign in to saveAlso known as Panzerkampfwagen 38(t), Pz 38(t), PZ38T, LT vz. 38, VZ38, TNHPS
1939 light tank family by ČKD
Key facts
- Type
- Light tank
- Place of origin
- Czechoslovakia
- In service
- 1939–1945 (Nazi Germany), 1938–1970 (Peru)
- Used by
- Nazi Germany Kingdom of Romania Kingdom of Bulgaria Hungary Slovak Republic Sweden Switzerland Peru Iran
- Wars
- World War II Ecuadorian–Peruvian War Internal conflict in Peru
- Designer
- ČKD
- Manufacturer
- ČKD
- Produced
- 1939–1942
- Number span no built
- 1,414 (for Germany)
- Mass
- 9.725–9.85 tonnes (9.571–9.694 long tons; 10.720–10.858 short tons)
- Length
- 4.61 m (15 ft 1 in)
- Width
- 2.14 m (7 ft 0 in)
- Height
- 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) (overall)
- Crew
- 4 (in German service) / 3 (as originally designed)
- Armor
- 8–30 mm (Ausf. A–D) 8–50 mm (Ausf. E–G)
- Main armament
- 37 mm KwK 38(t) L/47.8
- Secondary armament
- 2× 7.92 mm ZB-53 (MG 37(t)) machine guns
- Engine
- Praga Typ TNHPS/II, water-cooled, 6-cylinder gasoline engine , 123.3 hp (125.0 PS; 91.9 kW)
via Wikipedia infobox
~24 min read
Encyclopedic overview
The Panzerkampfwagen 38(t), originally known as the Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk (ČKD) LT vz. 38, was a tank designed during the 1930s, which saw extensive service during World War II. Developed in Czechoslovakia by ČKD, the type was adopted by Nazi Germany following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. With the German Army and other Axis forces, the type saw 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 (1942–1944) with some of its components used in the later Hetzer (Jagdpanzer 38, 1944–1945) tank destroyer 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 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug) designation for the tank in Germany was Sd. Kfz. 140.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Panzer 38(t)” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.