This is a light tank of many names. Only four have survived. It is a Czech built and designed tank that was seized by the occupying German forces in 1939. It was known as the Lehky tank vzor 35 in Czechoslovakian Army service. This meant Light Tank Model 35. It was often shortened to LT vz. 35 or LT-35. The German designation for the tank was Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) which was shortened to Panzer 35(t) or Pz.Kpfw. 35(t). the letter 't' does not stand for tank. It is an abbreviation for the German word for Czech which is Tschechisch.
Panzer 35(t) - photo taken at US Army Ordnance Depot Aberdeen Proving Ground prior to going to the Czech Republic
The LT vz 35 (Panzerkampfwagen 35(t) ) was powered by a 4-cylinder water cooled Skoda T11/0 petrol engine that produced 120 hp. It had a maximum road speed of 34 km/h (21 mph) and an operational range of around 120 km (120 miles) before the crew needed to find fuel. The tank had a four man crew and they were protected by armour thickness that ranged from 8 mm to 35 km.
Its main gun was a 37 mm KwK 34(t) gun and had two 7.92 mm MG 37(t) machine guns. One machine gun was fitted in the hull and the other next to the main gun in the turret. It was in production between 1936 and 1940: 434 were built.
LT vz 35 in working condition at the Army Technical Museum open day in Lesany, Czech Republic
The is tank was previously displayed at the Aberdeen Ordnance Depot Museum in Aberdeen USA, until mid-2008 as a panzer 35(t). It was restored at Lesany in 2010. The tank's Serial Number is 10112 and was produced by CKD Prague. The original Czechoslovak military registration number was 13.962. The tank was delivered to the CZ Army in 1937, and after the German occupation this vehicle (minus its turret) continued its operational service in the WH as a Mörsezugmittel 35(t).
After some unknown damage, this tank was sent to Skoda Pilsen to be repaired and remained there until the liberation of Czechoslovakia. It was then equipped with a turret and repaired on request of the US HQ, and then shipped to the USA for tests of the pneumatic and steering system
A preserved LT vz. 35 at the Kalemegdan Military Museum, Belgrade, Serbia. It is missing both machine guns.
According to the MBI book on the Panzer 35(t) the Germans 'took over' 244 which is considerably higher than figures given by the likes of Jentz in his book but be that as it may for the Polish campaign they had 106 gun tanks and 8 Pz Fef wg. in the 11th Panzer rgt. during the campaign only one was damaged beyond repair and 10 other damaged but repairable.
At the start of the French campaign the 11 Pz Rgt had 118 gun tanks and 10 Pz Bef Wg -they were part of the formations that came through the Ardenne forest and raced North to the sea. They were probably used because of their small size which allowed them to negotiate forest tracks.
Officially the Panzer 35(t) light tank should have been retired by the beginning of operation Barbarossa in the Summer of 1941 but the 11th Regiment 6th Division still had 149 gun tanks and 11 panzer bef wg. There were still 50 held as a reserve and 6 went to the 3rd SS Division Totenkepf in late 1939 but nothing is known of their use.
The machine gun is missing from the turret and in the hull on this Panzer 35(t). This photo was taken at the US Army Ordnance Depot Aberdeen Proving Ground prior to going to the Czech Republic
During the German attack on Russia the 6th Division was tasked with seizing the Baltic States but met famously with 20 or so KVs near Rasjnija on the Dubisa river. After that the Division advanced as far as Leningrad (St Petersburg) in late August. They were then transported by rail to Vitebsk for the advance to Moscow which they approached on 5th December. However, as with much German equipment the severe cold immobilised them (the complex pneumatic systems no doubt).
Panzer 35(t) preserved at the Bucharest Military Museum in Romania. Photo by Stan Lucian
Before Moscow the 6th Division had only lost 7 tanks destroyed. The Panzer 35(t) light tank was withdrawn from front line service. Ninety nine were eventually converted to the turretless tractors including one built by Skoda from parts of written off Pz 35(t) lying around the facility in 1943 another complete gun tank similarly built from write offs was sold to Romania. The remaining gun tanks were allocated to Vienna for use as anti-partisan vehicles.
Where can I find other preserved Panzer 35(t) LT vz. 35 Light Tanks?
- National Museum of Military History, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Muzeul Militar National, Bucharest Military Museum, Romania
- Army Technical Museum, Lesany, Czech Republic
- Kalemegdan Military Museum, Belgrade, Serbia
- Source - Pierre-Oliver Buan - http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html