Panzer 38(t) Ausf. F Light Tank

This surviving preserved Panzer 38(t) Ausf. F Light Tank can be found at the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War Museum 1941 - 1945, Park Pobedy, Moscow, Russia. The PzKpfw 38(t) was used by the German Army during operation Barbarossa, the Invasion of Russia during 1941.

Surviving German Panzer PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf. F Light Tank

WW2 German Panzer 38(t) Ausf. F Light Tank. The tracks and drive sprockets are not original and are believed to come from a modern Soviet PT-76 light amphibious tank.

Location

To get to the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War 1941 - 1945, Park Pobedy in Moscow you will find it in the road called Kutuzovsky Ave in the west of the city. The nearest metro station is Park Pobedy. The tanks are kept in an outdoor section to the left of the main museum building, as you look at the entrance. Follow the signs to the 'War Weaponary and Fortification' exhibit. There are no tanks in the main museum.

Specifications

The Panzer 38(t) Ausf. F was powered by a Praga Typ TNHPS/II water-cooled 6-cylinder petrol engine that produced 123.3 hp. It had a top road speed of 24 km/h (26 mph) and an off road speed of 15 km/h (9.3 mph). It had an operational range of around 250 km (160 miles) on the road and 100 km (62 miles) off road before the crew needed to refuel. It had a four man crew and they were protected by armour that ranged in thickness from 8 mm to 50 mm. The Ausf E, F and G versions had improved armour from the original 30mm maximum. The tank was armed with a 3.7 cm KwK 38(t) L/47.8 gun and two 7.92 mm ZB-53 (MG 37(t)) machine guns: one in the hull and the other next to the main gun in the turret.

Surviving German Panzer PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf. F Light Tank

This German Panzer 38(t) Ausf. F Light Tank can be found at the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War 1941 - 1945

Who made the Panzer 38(t) light tank?

The LT vs 35 Pz 35 (T) light tank was made by the Czech company Skoda. The LT vs 38 tank, the LT vs 40 tank and the LT vs 34 tank were all made by CKD Ceskomoravska-Kolben-Danek which was a post WW1 merger of Ceskomoravska (Czech Moraviian Machine Company) which made agricultural sugar and distillery equipment plus Kolben who were an electrical manufacturer and Breifeld-Danek another machine manufacturer.

They surprisingly won the contract for the first 'large scale produced' Czech tank the LT vs 34 tank. Not to be out done Skoda offered their own design, which was fairly similar to the LT vs 34 tank but with more complex steering and systems. Having accepted a good number of LT vs 35 tanks into service the Czech Army was not impressed of its performance and gave a subsequent contract to CKD for a version of their new somewhat revolutionary TNH tank which was being built for Iran's army.

Thus the LT vs 38 light tank was born and became the Panzer 38(t) after the Germans took over the Czech lands on 14th- 15th March 1939. Captured LT vs 35 tanks were given the designation Panzer 35(t) in the German Army.

The (t) does not stand for 'tank'. It is an abbreviation for the german word 'tschechisch', which is German for Czech. The Czechoslovak military designation was LT vz. 38 was short for Lehky tank vzor 38 which translated meant Light Tank model 38.

Surviving German Panzer PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf. F Light Tank

The tank was armed with a 3.7 cm KwK 38(t) L/47.8 gun and two 7.92 mm ZB-53 (MG 37(t)) machine guns: one in the hull and the other next to the main gun in the turret.

Where can I find other preserved Panzer 38(t) Tanks?

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