Tank PzKpfw 38. Specifications. Photo.

PzKpfw 38(t) is a German tank of the initial period of the Second World War, which was designed and built in Czechoslovakia. In 1938, the Czechoslovak army ordered the production of 150 LTVz 38 light tanks with 37 mm guns, but the Germans annexed Bohemia and Moravia before the military could get even one of the vehicles they ordered. The Germans took over the tank building plant in Prague and took over the order.

The Germans made minor changes to the tank, adding room for the loader, but had to reduce the ammunition capacity by 18 artillery rounds. The first products, many of which took part in the Polish campaign, received the name Ausf (Ausfuhrung - model) A. The following versions of Ausf B, C and D were slightly different from Ausf A in their equipment, but in general they were identical to it.

PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf B and C fought in France. Their mobility allowed the Germans to easily bypass the clumsy armored vehicles of the enemy from the flanks and hit in the most vulnerable places - on the sides and tracks. After the Blitzkriegs of 1939 and 1940, the PzKpfw 38(t) served in its original form on all fronts except North Africa.

On the basis of the PzKpfw 38 (t) chassis, various artillery and anti-aircraft self-propelled installations were built. Some of these machines were sold during the war to Hungary, Romania, Free Slovakia and even Sweden. In general, the PzKpfw 38(t) was an important tank for the German army at the beginning of World War II and played a significant role in many combat operations.

Technical characteristics of the tank PzKpfw 38