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Horst Scheibert
Book Details
ISBN 0887406785
Size 11 x 8 1/2
Illustrations b/w photographs, line drawings
Pages 48
Availability Now Available
Binding Soft Cover
Book Description
This book covers the use and development of the Panzer 35(t) armored fighting vehicle.
LT vz.35 / S-IIa / T-11 / Skoda R-2 / Skoda 35(t)
Between the wars the new Czech nation maintained an advanced defence industry with a production capability extending to light and medium tanks. In 1935/36, Skoda's LT(Light Tank) vz.(model) 35 entered service in small numbers and by 1937 it was the main tank of the Czech Army. LT-35 was comparable to other European tanks in service at the time, such as Polish 7TP, British Vickers 6 ton, Soviet T-26, Italian Carro Armato M 11/39 and M13/40 and German PzKpfw III tanks. LT-35 equipped four fast divisions of the Czech Army as of 1938. During its service with the Czech Army, LT-35 gained the reputation of an unreliable vehicle and considered it to be a interim solution before LT-38 - PzKpfw 38(t) will be fully developed and ready for production. LT-35's reputation of being unreliable was due to its untested advanced technical design, but in 1938, its problems were solved and overall LT-35 proved to be a good tank. LT-35s were produced in different variants and were also known under different designations such as R-2 and T-11. Before the war LT-35 was also sold to Romania (126 tanks were sold in 1936 and were designated by Romanian Army as R-2).
The 1938/39, German take-over of the Czechoslovak state resulted that in March of 1939, 219 (to 244) of LT-35s were confiscated from the Czech Army and incorporated into the German Army. Some 79 remained in service with the Slovak Army's 3rd Fast Division, which saw service alongside the Germans on the Eastern Front. In German service, LT vz.35s were designated as Panzerkampfwagen 35(t)(t for Tschechisch - Czech). LT-35 taken over by the Germans were fitted with FuG 5 (10-watt transmitter/receiver) and FuG 2 (receiver) radio equipment. Germans also added fourth crew member to act as a loader, increasing the rate of fire. LT-35 was comparable to German PzKpfw III and was an important addition to the Panzerwaffe. Despite a Czech decision to phase the LT-35 out of production after 1938, it was extended until 1939, under the German supervision at the CKD (Ceskomoravska Kolben Danek) Works in Prague and Skoda Works in Pilsen (after 1938 both became part of Reichswerke Hermann Goring). Overall 424 were produced between 1935 and 1939 by Skoda (approx. 340) and CKD (approx. 84).PzKpfw 35(t) formed the bulk of the 1st Leichte (Light) Division during the Polish Campaign and then of 6th Panzer Division (former 1st Leichte Division) during the French Campaign and the Invasion of Russia.
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