Stridsvagn m/41
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2009) |
Stridsvagn m/41 | |
---|---|
![]() Stridsvagn m/41 S-II at the Pansarmuseet Axvall, Sweden | |
Type | Medium tank |
Place of origin | Sweden |
Service history | |
In service | 1942-1950s |
Used by | Sweden |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Scania-Vabis |
No.built | 220 |
Variants | Strv m/41 SI Strv m/41 SII Sav m/43 Pbv 301 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 11t(12short tons;11long tons)[1] |
Length | 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)[1] |
Width | 2.14 m (7 ft 0 in)[1] |
Height | 2.35 m (7 ft 9 in)[1] |
Crew | 4[1] |
Armor | 8–50 mm (0.31–1.97 in)[1] |
Main armament | 37 mm Bofors m/38 gun |
Secondary armament | 2 x 8 mm m/39 machine guns[1] |
Engine | SI:Scania-Vabis 1664 SII:Scania-Vabis L 603 SI:142 hp[2] SII:160 hp[1] |
Transmission | 5 speed Praga-Wilson preselected gearbox |
Suspension | leaf spring |
Ground clearance | 0.40 m (1 ft 4 in) |
Maximum speed | 42 km/h (26 mph)[1] |
Stridsvagn m/41(Strv m/41) was a Swedish medium tank. A license-built version of the CzechoslovakTNHmedium tank, it served into the 1950s.
History[edit]
Since 1937, the Swedish army had been interested in the Czechoslovakian TNH tank. In March 1940, some 90 tanks were ordered fromČKD.They were never delivered as Germany,which had occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938,took them for its comingcampaign in the East.After negotiations with the German authorities,Scania-Vabiswere allowed to build for Swedish army their own tanks under license, as compensation for the seized TNH tanks.
Production history[edit]
In June 1941, 116 Stridsvagn m/41 SI were ordered. These were delivered from December 1942 - August 1943. The Stridsvagn m/41 was of rivetted construction which made manufacture easier. As with the preceding Strv m/38-Strv m/40, it was armed with a37 mm Bofors m/38 gun,and the first batch had the same engine as the Strv m/40L, the Scania-Vabis type 1664.
In June 1942, a further 122 Stridsvagn m/41 were ordered under the designation Strv m/41 SII. These had thicker frontal armor and Scania's new type L 603 engine. The first SII vehicles were delivered in October 1943. The last 16 of the 122 ordered were rebuilt asassault guns(Sav m/43) and production of SII ceased in March 1944 after 106 vehicles had been delivered.
Service[edit]
The SI tanks were assigned to P3 regiment inSträngnäs,where they equipped the 10th Armored Brigade's light tank companies. The SII tanks were mainly located to the 9th Armored Brigade at P4 regiment inSkövde,while others belonged to the reserve of the P2 and P3 regiments. They were painted in a three-colorcamouflage.
Stridsvagn m/41 were used until the late 1950s, when they were rebuilt toAPCsunder the designationPbv 301.The turrets of these tanks were used on fortifications.
All of the original m/41 were converted to armoured personnel carriers. ASav m/43rebuilt as a m/41 is displayed by the "Sveriges Försvarsfordonsmuseum Arsenalen" in Strängnäs.
Variants[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Pvkv_II%2C_Pvkv_III_och_Pvkv_IV_V%C3%A4rjan.jpg/220px-Pvkv_II%2C_Pvkv_III_och_Pvkv_IV_V%C3%A4rjan.jpg)
Atank gundesignated the57 mm Pvkan m/43was mounted in a large square open-topped turret on the chassis of the Strv m/41 and given the designationPansarvärnskanonvagn III(Armor defense cannon car), orPvkv IIIfor short. The Pvkv III was atank destroyerand the relatedPansarvärnskanonvagn II,orPvkv IIfor short used the same turret and chassis but was armed with alvkan m/37 A75 mm gun.
Notes[edit]
External links[edit]
- Swedish armorArchived2013-07-26 at theWayback Machine– Web page dedicated to the Swedish armor.
- Landsverk- Site about AB Landsverk between 1850 and 1992.