Panzer 38(t)

Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)
Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)
	Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf. S at the German Tank Museum
Type	Light tank
Place of origin	Czechoslovakia
Service history
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;
Production history
Designer	ČKD
Manufacturer	ČKD
Produced	1939–1942
No. built	1,414 (for Germany)
Specifications
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)
Power/weight	13.15 PS/tonne
Transmission	5 + 1 Praga-Wilson Typ CV
Suspension	leaf spring
Ground clearance	0.40 m
Fuel capacity	220 litres (58 US gal)
Operational; range	250 km (160 mi) (road); 160 km (99 mi) (cross-country);
Maximum speed	42 km/h, 26.1 mph (road); 15 km/h, 9.3 mph (off-road);

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.