Sd.Kfz. 140/1

Sd.Kfz. 140/1

Sd.Kfz. 140/1

Germany

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.7	2.0	2.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Light tank

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Description

The Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) (Sd.Kfz. Index: Sd.Kfz. 140/1) was a reconnaissance vehicle used by the German Army during World War II. Its task was to scout out enemy positions ahead of the main attack column. They would then radio back the number of hostile forces and their location. They might occasionally direct an artillery or airstrike. German half-tracked and wheeled armoured cars were used for armoured reconnaissance but suffered in the tough circumstances of the Eastern Front. The Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) was intended to replace both of these vehicles as a key reconnaissance vehicle. It was outfitted with a 'Hangelafette turret' armed with a 20 mm Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 38 autocannon and a single 7.92 mm MG42 light machine gun capable of anti-aircraft and ground fire.

Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) performs similarly to a Panzer II but with a more resilient overall structure. It retains its mobility, but players should be aware that it lacks the primitive vertical stabilizer present in Panzer IIs. Nonetheless, it is a highly versatile light tank capable of both anti-aircraft and ground tasks. However, due to its low gun depression, this light tank may struggle to perform in rugged terrain.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull50 / 30 / 30

Turret30 / 14 / 14

Crew4 people

Visibility74 %

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
• Structural steel (storage boxes, mudguards)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	15 mm (25°) Upper plate - Top 50 mm (19°) Upper plate - Bottom 15 mm (15°) Upper plate - Cheeks 30 mm (74°) Upper glacis 50 mm (15°) Lower plate 8 mm (66°) Lower glacis	15 mm (6-31°) Top 30 mm Bottom	15 mm (2-10°) Upper plate 30 mm (14°) Lower plate	30 mm (16°) Front glacis 10 mm Crew compartment 15 mm (0-30°) Engine deck
Turret	30 mm (36°) Turret front 10 mm (6°) + 30 mm (36°) Gun mantlet	10 mm (37°)	8 mm (38°)	N/A

Notes:

• Suspension wheels, tracks and bogies are 15 mm thick.
• The belly armour is 8 mm thick.
• Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.

This vehicle is all-around better than the Flakpanzer I at the same BR in the tech tree. It has a 50 mm front plate, a 30 mm sloped turret, and four crew members spaced out nicely.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB65 / 7 km/h

RB and SB59 / 7 km/h

Number of gears5 forward

1 back

Weight11.0 t

Engine power

AB305 hp

RB and SB160 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB27.7 hp/t

RB and SB14.5 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	65	7	11	248	305	22.55	27.73
Realistic	59	7		142	160	12.91	14.55

The speed and power-to-weight ratio of the Sd.Kfz. 140/1 are both superior to the Flakpanzer I, being 58 km/h forward, -6 km/h backwards, and a power-to-weight ratio of 15.45 hp/ton.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB410

RB300

SB299

Crew training450

Experts3 000

Aces45

Research Aces220 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 20 / 20 / 20 %

2 × 100 / 100 / 100 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment	Horizontal Drive 20mm_kwk_30_HE_ammo_pack Adjustment of Fire 20mm_kwk_30_AP_ammo_pack Elevation Mechanism Artillery Support 20mm_kwk_30_APCR_ammo_pack

Armaments

Main armament

20 mm KwK38 cannon

Ammunition300 rounds

Belt capacity10 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

7.8 → 6.0 s

Fire rate450 shots/min

Vertical guidance-4° / 70°

20 mm KwK38						Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	300 (10)	450	-4°/+70°	±180°	-	38.1	52.7	64.0	70.8	75.3	7.80	6.90	6.36	6.00
Realistic						23.8	28.0	34.0	37.6	40.0

The 20 mm KwK38 autocannon is one of the most lethal low-rank guns.

Ammunition

• Default: API-T · HEFI-T* - These rounds work well until the others are researched.
• Sprgr.: HEFI-T* - These are absolutely devastating in the AA role.
• PzGr: API-T - These are suited for the anti-tank role at close range and do good damage to planes.
• PzGr 40: HVAP-T - The best belt for the anti-tank role with the best penetrating shell for this cannon. While the post-penetration damage can be quite poor, the rapid fire from the autocannon can mitigate this problem by following up quickly with another penetrating shot. In close combat, these shells should be used against modules and crew members to make the most of each shell. Against angled armour, however, the HVAP ammo may not be very effective. Unlike the Flakpanzer 1 and Flakpanzer 38, this belt is still 100% HVAP.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
	10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
HEFI-T*	5	4	3	2	2	2
API-T	37	34	23	14	9	6
HVAP-T	48	45	31	20	13	8

Shell details
Ammunition	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
						0%	50%	100%
HEFI-T*	900	0.12	0.1	0.1	10.2	79°	80°	81°
API-T	800	0.15	-	-	-	47°	60°	65°
HVAP-T	1,050	0.1	-	-	-	66°	70°	72°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Sd.Kfz. 140/1

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
30	25 (+5)	19 (+11)	13 (+17)	7 (+23)	1 (+29)	No

Notes:

• Racks disappear after all shells in the rack have been shot or loaded.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG42 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition1 800 rounds

Belt capacity150 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate1 200 shots/min

This tank has a coaxial 7.92 mm MG 42 machine gun that is a sufficient fallback to the FlaK 38. The MG42 is unlikely to be of help against other ground vehicles but is best used between reloads to maintain a semi-constant rate of fire on enemy aircraft.

Considering the prevalence of open-topped/unarmored vehicles such as the GAZ-MM (72-K) around the Sd.Kfz. 140/1's battle rating, the MG42 may be a devastating weapon against certain ground targets as well. However, this is a niche use case and the MG42 is probably best viewed as a secondary weapon/last-ditch resort. It does have significantly better sustained fire capabilities due to not having to reload after every 10 rounds so it can be used liberally when appropriate.

7.92 mm MG42
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	1,800 (150)	1,200	-	-

Usage in battles

The Sd.Kfz. 140/1 is a multirole armoured vehicle which mainly focuses on light/medium armour and air targets. It can be considered a combination between the Pz.II and the Flakpanzer 1.

As a scout:

The Sd.Kfz. 140/1 has a decent speed, low profile and scouting abilities. It is able to move fast to certain advantage points and scout enemy targets for friendlies. When playing as a sneaky scout, it is recommended to only fire if forced to maintain cover and let enemy tanks destroy those spotted. It is able to mark an enemy with fire (either main gun or machine gun) but its not recommended.

As a support vehicle:

Due to its high rate of fire, the 20 mm gun is able to not only damage tracks but all tank modules at its BR. This is particularly helpful when engaging heavier targets which cannot be penetrated by the HVAP belts. The gun barrel, tracks, engine deck or any other module that can disable the tank are the main targets the player must aim to in order to disable the tank and make it an easier prey for friendlies who can take down the heavy armour. It is also able to repair assist, meaning it is able to reduce the repair time of a friendly vehicle in helped. This is not only an RP incomer but also can save your life in a tense situation in which 2 guns are better than a single 20 mm.

As an anti-air:

Despite being a light tank with a relatively slow traverse and gun elevation, the Sd.Kfz. 140/1 can be comparable to the Flakpanzer 1 when engaging aircraft. It has a 70° elevation, more than enough to engage low flying aircraft with ease. It is able to become a formidable anti air not only at its battle rating capable of destroying any aircraft in a small burst. Although the AP-I belts have more crippling power compared to the HVAP, with the amount of shells the gun can put on the aircraft, it is not as crucial although this is up to player's discretion. It works very well against low passing bombers and fighters as it only takes about 4 seconds to completely take out and aircraft (if you hit all shots).

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Armed with a powerful 20 mm cannon with a very high rate of fire
• The 20 mm HVAP magazine has incredible close range penetration and damage potential thanks to all the spalling. Hitting an enemy with all 10 rounds will either kill crew, or leave the vehicle severely damaged
• Can carry almost twice the amount of ammo that the Pz.II C or F can
• The high rate of fire coupled with the 70 degrees of gun elevation makes this vehicle an effective anti-aircraft tank
• The hull has an impressive 50 mm of armour on the front while the turret has 30 mm of angled armour
• Very fast and highly mobile. Can keep up with many of the armoured cars at Rank I
• Many tanks at this BR have exposed crew members. This makes the coaxial MG42 an excellent way of taking out exposed enemy crew without having to waste any 20 mm shells

Cons:

• There's only a 15 mm plate of armour between the turret and chassis making it a massive weak spot
• Only 15 mm of armour on the flat corners of the upper hull and hull sides. Angling is not a good tactic to employ
• A really tall tank with a high centre of gravity. Not only is this tank difficult to hide, but a really sharp turn can cause the tank to flip over
• Only 4 degrees of gun depression. That coupled with this tank's height makes this vehicle ill-suited for cresting ridge lines
• Longer reload time between magazine reloads
• Only performs well at close quarters combat, as both the AP and HVAP penetration drop below 30 mm past 500 m
• The turret crew are exposed to strafing aircraft and artillery, as well as machine gun fire
• Lacks a shoulder stabilizer

History

Development

In 1934, the Czechoslovak tank manufacturer ČKD developed an alternative design for the LT-35 tank. The latter was made by competitor Škoda. The LT-35 was too complex and had many shortcomings; its reliability was poor. ČKD's engineer Alexander Surin decided to use leaf spring suspension and four large wheels for the newly developed tank. The resulting type was reliable and an export success. The new running gear was first used for a light tank, the AH-IV, with only machine gun armament; it was first delivered to Iran, as the RH, of which fifty were bought in 1935; a second version, the R-1, was delivered to Romania in a number of 35 in 1936 and 1937, and a third, the AH-IV-Sv in a number of 48 to Sweden from 1937. In 1935 this enlarged running gear was combined with the hull of the light LT Vz 34 tank previously produced for the Czechoslovak army, which had a real 37 mm gun. The new vehicle was called the TNH. In 1935, Iran ordered fifty vehicles. On April 17, 1936, Switzerland ordered 26 vehicles of the LTH, a modified version with 24 mm gun. In 1938, 24 units of the LTP were ordered by Peru, and 21 LTL vehicles, with a more powerful engine, were ordered by Latvia, which, incidentally, were never delivered due to occupation by the Soviet Union. The United Kingdom also acquired a specimen just before the occupation of the Czech Republic and tested it between 16 and 29 March 1939. The opinion on the type was strongly dismissive: the tank was found to be too tight and the speed through rough terrain too bumpy.

In March 1937, the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Defense asked both country's tank producers to propose a new type to supplement the LT-35, which could be mass-produced as soon as possible. They indicated that they would purchase at least 400 vehicles and guaranteed an initial order of 260. Naturally, ČKD offered the TNH, which was already fully developed. In tests from January 25, 1938, the type proved superior to all counterparts. On July 22, 1938, Czechoslovakia ordered 150 vehicles of the Type Lt Vz.38, for 620,146 crowns each. The intention was to achieve a monthly production of 20. However, when the first tank left the factory in February, the land was already divided; shortly afterwards, the Czech hull state was also occupied: none of the tanks could eventually serve the army before the German occupation began.

In German service

As early as March, the factory management had contacted the Germans to continue production after the occupation. Germany had a great shortage of medium tanks and although the now LTM 38 tank was officially called a light tank, with its 37 mm gun it was no worse armed than the German medium Panzerkampfwagen III and much better than the light Panzerkampfwagen I and Panzerkampfwagen II; it was not only more reliable than the LT-35, but also than the light German tanks. Czech production capacity in the early years allowed Germany to form about a third more armoured divisions and was thus critical to success during that time of the war. The production of the tank continued as Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t) (the name from January 16, 1940) until June 1942 and 1411 were built; monthly production peaked in September 1941 with 76 vehicles. There was also exported to the countries on the German side: Hungary took 102, Slovakia 69, Romania 50 and Bulgaria 10. Due to the rapid technical developments during the war, the type soon became obsolete. She was too small to carry a bigger cannon in a tower; several plans to do so were rejected. From 1942, the LT-38s were replaced or assigned less important tasks.

However, Germany could not afford to leave production capacity idle; the chassis was extremely useful due to its reliability. A modified chassis of the PzKpfw 38 (t) therefore became the basis for various types of mechanized artillery, mechanized artillery and tank hunters, including the successful German Jagdpanzer 38, better known today as the "Hetzer".

Archive of the in-game description

The Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) reconnaissance tank was based on the Pz.38(t) towards the end of 1943, by the BMM construction office in Prague. The order specifications required a 20 mm automatic cannon and a 75 mm regular cannon. A Praga AE engine with 160 hp at 2,600 rpm replaced the Praga AC. This required a change in the exhaust system and the introduction of a longer exhaust pipe, which, together with a muffler, was put on the tank's roof. The tank's hull received a new superstructure, with modified inclination and with riveted joints for its armour plates. The tank's armament consisted of a 20 mm automatic KwK38 L/55 cannon paired with a 7.92 mm MG42 machine gun. The guns could be pointed anywhere between -4 and 70 degrees and so could fire at air targets. The tank's ammunition included 300 shells and 1,500 machine gun rounds. The open-top hexahedral turret, manufactured by the company Appelt, was equipped with a metal mesh to protect against hand grenades. The tank's armour thickness ranged from 8 to 50 mm. Its operational weight reached 9,750 kg. At this weight, its maximum highway speed was 52 km/h, and its maximum highway range was 240 km. The Aufklärungpanzer 38(t) tank was accepted into the Wehrmacht in 1944, but large-scale production of the machine was never successfully introduced. A total of 70 tanks were produced. The tanks were used on both the West and the Eastern Fronts. Its design was successful, reliable, and advanced. However, the rivet joints in its armour plating were a detriment to its survivability.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Sd.Kfz. 140/1 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

Premium Review, Sd.Kfz. 140/1. A Nasty Sealclubber! - Joseph 2000

Aufklärungspanzer 38(t), German Premium Tier-1 Light Tank - Angry Nerd Gaming

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

• LT-38 (Family)

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• T-60
• L6/40

External links

• [Wikipedia] Panzer 38(t)
• [Tanks Encyclopedia] Aufklärungspanzer 38(t)
• [History of War] Aufklarungspanzer 38(t) (Sdkfz 140/1)