Stridsvagn m/42

(Redirected from Infanterikanonvagn 73) Swedish medium tank

Stridsvagn m/42
Stridsvagn m/42 (1943)
Type	Medium tank
Place of origin	Sweden
Service history
Used by	Sweden
Production history
Designer	AB Landsverk
Designed	November 1941
Manufacturer	AB Landsverk, Volvo
Produced	April 1943–January 1945
No. built	282
Variants	Strv m/42 TM (1943–44) Strv m/42 TH (1944) Strv m/42 EH (1944–45) Strv m/42 TV (1948) Infanterikanonvagn 73 (Ikv 73) (1957–60) Strv 74 (1957–60)
Specifications (Strv m/42)
Mass	22.3–22.5 t (24.6–24.8 short tons; 21.9–22.1 long tons)
Length	TH: 6.215 m (20 ft 4.7 in) EH: 6.22 m (20 ft 5 in)
Width	2.34 m (7 ft 8 in)
Height	2.585 m (8 ft 5.8 in)
Crew	4

Armor	9–55 mm (0.35–2.17 in)
Main armament	75 mm m/41 gun L/31
Secondary armament	4 x 8 mm m/39 machine guns
Engine	TM, TH & TV: 2 x Scania-Vabis L/603/1 EH: 1 x Volvo A8B TM, TH & TV: 324 hp EH: 380 hp
Power/weight	TM & TH: 14,5 hp/ton EH: 16,9 hp/ton
Transmission	TM: ZF 6-speed electromagnetic TH: 2x Atlas-Diesel DF-1,0 Atlas-Diesel TER-1/1,81 EH: Atlas-Diesel DF-1,15 S Atlas-Diesel TER-1/1,67 TV: Landsverk S-8082 + Volvo VL 420
Suspension	Torsion bar
Maximum speed	42–45 km/h (26–28 mph)

Stridsvagn m/42 (Strv m/42) was a Swedish medium tank in service in the World War II period. Known by its manufacturer AB Landsverk as Lago II-III-IV, it fielded a 75 mm L/31 gun, the first of its size in a Swedish tank. It entered service with the Swedish Army in April 1943. Modern in design and mobile, a total of 282 were produced.

As a neutral nation in World War II, Sweden did not engage in combat; thus its tanks have no battlefield record.

Design history

The Strv m/42 had its origins on modifications in the Lago (the manufacturer designation) a 16-tonne (16-long-ton) light tank armed with a Hungarian 37M 40 mm cannon and three machine guns produced for the Hungarian Army in late 1930s by the AB Landsverk, itself a development of the Stridsvagn L-60 light tank also made by the AB Landsverk. The Swedish Army specified for a bigger and better tank than the Lago resulting in the Strv m/42 (later known as Strv m/42 TM), a 22-tonne (22-long-ton) tank armed with a 75mm L/31 gun, suited against armored and soft vehicles. The gearbox of the m/42 TM was not working well and these tanks were rebuilt either as m/42 TH, or they got a new mechanical gearbox and became known m/42 TV.

Production history

In November 1941, 100 Strv m/42s were ordered. All the vehicles had an electromagnetic gearbox. (Strv m/42 TM, the T meaning two engines and the M meaning electromagnetic gearbox). In January 1942 another 60 Strv m/42s were ordered. This batch was built under license by Volvo, the first 55 vehicles were fitted with twin Scania-Vabis L/603 engines and the remaining five were equipped with a new engine, the Volvo A8B. All the vehicles had the first batch electromagnetic gearbox replaced by a new hydraulic gearbox, with all these modifications, the single-engine vehicles were now designated as Strv m/42 EH, (the E meaning one engine and the H meaning hydraulic gearbox), the dual-engines tanks but with the new transmission were designated as Strv m/42 TH. In June 1942 another 80 were ordered from Landsverk, they were 70 m/42 TH and 10 m/42 EH.

Between April 1943 to January 1945, 282 Strv m/42s were delivered, of which 180 tanks were made at Landsverk and 102 at Volvo. Most of the vehicles, 225 vehicles, were fitted with Scania engines. The other 57 tanks got Volvo engines. All of the 225 Strv m/42 TH and m/42 TV produced (all strv m/42 with twin Scania-Vabis L/603 engines), were rebuilt between 1957 and 1960 to Stridsvagn 74 tanks and the EH vehicles (strv m/42 with single Volvo engine A8B engines) to Infanterikanonvagn 73 infantry support vehicles. The turrets were reused as static gun pillboxes, along the major coastlines, but mostly defending harbours and more seldom airfields.

Variants

Strv m/42 was originally ordered in four versions in three configurations:

Strv m/42 TM (Lago II) had two Scania-Vabis L/603 engines and a ZF electromagnetic gearbox. Made in 1943-44.
Strv m/42 TH (Lago III), had two Scania-Vabis L/603 engines, each with an Atlas Diesel hydraulic gearbox. Made in 1944.
Strv m/42 EH (Lago IV) had a single Volvo A8B engine and an Atlas Diesel hydraulic gearbox. Made in 1944-45.
Strv m/42 TV had two Scania-Vabis L/603 engines with a Volvo mechanical gearbox. Made in 1948.

Service

The Strv m/42 was issued to the following armored regiments:

P 1/Enköping - Gotland stridsvagnskompani (English: Gotland tank company),
P 2/Helsingborg,
P 3/Strängnäs,
P 4/Skövde: where the tanks were included in the newly formed tank companies.

The Strv m/42s were employed in the heavy tank companies of the armored brigades. They were phased out of active service in the 1950s and replaced by the Stridsvagn 81.

Notes

^ "Stridsvagn Lago II/III/IV m/42". Landsverk. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
^ "Stridsvagn m/42". Beredskapsmuseet. Archived from the original on 2014-11-17. Retrieved 2012-05-16.

References

Chamberlain, Peter and Ellis, Chris. Tanks of the World 1915-1945 (1972/2002), p. 161.
Swedish armor Archived 2013-07-26 at the Wayback Machine
Beredskapsmuseet (Swedish language)
Landsverk (Swedish language)
Ointres Pansar (Swedish language)

External links

Swedish armor Archived 2013-07-26 at the Wayback Machine – Web page dedicated to the Swedish armor.
Beredskapsmuseet - Swedish museum.
Landsverk - Site about AB Landsverk between 1850 and 1992.
Ointres Pansar - Blog on Swedish armour.
Inside the Chieftain's Hatch. Snapshots: Strv m/42 (video)

v t e Swedish armoured fighting vehicles of World War II
Light tanks	Strv m/21-29 Strv m/30-31 Strv m/37 Strv m/38-39-40
Medium tanks	Strv m/41 Strv m/42
Armoured cars	Pbil m/39-40 Pbil m/41
Assault guns	Sav m/43
IFVs	Tgb m/42 KP

Weapons and military equipment designed in Sweden 1914–1945

Firearms

Rifles	Automatgevär Model 1942
Submachine guns	Carl Gustaf Model 1945
Machine guns	Kulsprutegevär Browning Model 1921 Carl Gustaf Model 1942 Kulsprutegevär Carl Gustaf Model 1937 Svenska Automatvapen Model 1940

Artillery

Tank and anti-tank guns	Bofors 37 mm Gun Model 1934 Bofors 57 mm anti-tank gun
Mountain guns	Bofors 75 mm Model 1928 Bofors 75 mm Model 1934
Field, medium and heavy guns	Bofors 105 mm Howitzer Model 1924 Bofors 105 mm Howitzer Model 1935 Bofors 105 mm Howitzer Model 1937 Bofors 75 mm Model 1935 Bofors 105 mm Gun Model 1927 Bofors 105 mm Gun Model 1931 Bofors 105 mm Gun Model 1934 Bofors 120 mm Howitzer Model 1914 Bofors 150 mm Howitzer Model 1931
Anti-aircraft guns	Bofors 20 mm Automatic Gun Model 40 Bofors 25 mm Automatic Gun Model 1932 Bofors 40 mm/60 Model 1936 Bofors 75 mm Gun Model 1929
Coastal guns	Bofors 105 mm Gun Model 1927 Bofors 105 mm Gun Model 1934
Naval guns	Bofors 75 mm m/12 gun Bofors 15.2 cm M/12 gun Bofors 152 mm M/39 gun Bofors 283 mm M/12 gun

Armored
fighting
vehicles

Light tanks	Strv m/21-29 Landsverk L-10 (Strv m/31) Landsverk L-60 Landsverk L-120
Medium tanks	Landsverk Lago (Strv m/42)
Assault guns	Stormartillerivagn m/43
Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns	Landsverk L-62
Armored cars	Pansarbil M/31 Landsverk Lynx Landsverk L-180/L-181/L-182 Landsverk L-185
Infantry fighting vehicles	Terrängbil m/42 KP
Artillery tractors	Landsverk L-131 Landsverk L-132 Landsverk L-135
Prototypes	Landsverk L-5 Landsverk L-100 Landsverk L-101

v t e Swedish armoured fighting vehicles of the Cold War
Light tanks	strv m/39 strv m/40 strv 74
Medium tanks	strv m/41 strv m/42 TM >(strv 71/Lago II) strv m/42 TH (strv 72/Lago III) strv m/42 EH (*strv 73/Lago IV)
Heavy tanks	Projekt 6400 Emil/KRV (prototype)
Main battle tanks	strv 81 (*strv m/53) strv 101 strv 102 strv 103 strv 104 strv 105 (prototype)
Armoured cars	pbil m/39 pbil m/40 pbil m/41
Troop carriers	patgb 180 patgb 203
Infantry fighting vehicles	tgb m/42 KP pbv 301 pbv 302 strf 9040
Self-propelled anti-aircraft	lvkv fm/43 lvkv fm/49 (prototype) VEAK 4062 (prototype) lvrbv 701
Self-propelled artillery	Akv 151 (prototype) 15,5 cm bkan 1
Tank destroyers	pvkv m/43 pvrbv 551
Assault guns	sav m/43 (75 cm) (ikv 71) sav m/43 (105 cm) (ikv 101) ikv 72 (*ikv m/53) ikv 73 ikv 102 ikv 103 ikv 91
Experimental	Landsverk Lansen (export) Landsverk Leo (export) UDES 03 UDES 15/16 UDES XX 20 SAV 20.12.48
Tanks of Sweden

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