Difference between revisions of "Sd.Kfz. 140/1"

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(Pros and cons)
(Pros and cons: Edits)
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=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->
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<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
* 50 mm of frontal armour is quite good when angled against some expected opponents like [[M3A1 Stuart|M3A1]] and [[BT-7]]
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* 50 mm of frontal armour is quite good when angled against some expected opponents like the [[M3A1 Stuart|M3A1]] and [[BT-7]]
* 20 mm has a great rate of fire
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* 20 mm cannon has a great rate of fire
* 20 mm HVAP rounds have incredible close range penetration values (useful against a [[B1 bis|B1]])and can cause a large amount of spalling - unloading a full magazine can shred an enemy tank's crew/modules
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* 20 mm HVAP rounds have incredible close range penetration values (useful against a [[B1 bis]]) and can cause a large amount of spalling - unloading a full magazine can shred an enemy tank's crew/modules
* Has nearly 90 degrees of elevation, making it an effective in an anti-aircraft role
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* Has nearly 90 degrees of elevation, making it effective in an anti-aircraft role
 
* Very fast and very mobile, making it a good flanker and brawler
 
* Very fast and very mobile, making it a good flanker and brawler
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
* Has a 30 mm plate of armor between the turret and chassis. Fairly easy to penetrate by tank destroyers like [[SU-76M]] or [[ZiS-30]]
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* Has a 30 mm plate of armour between the turret and chassis, which is fairly easily penetrated by tank destroyers like [[SU-76M]] or [[ZiS-30]]
 
* Low gun depression of -4 degrees means it is not suitable in hills
 
* Low gun depression of -4 degrees means it is not suitable in hills
 
* Rather large and very tall, not easy to hide
 
* Rather large and very tall, not easy to hide
 
* Longer reload time between magazines compared to the regular tanks in the main tree
 
* Longer reload time between magazines compared to the regular tanks in the main tree
* Only performs well at close quarter combat. Autocannon lacks ranged shootouts, as both the AP and HVAP penetration drop below 30mm at 500m. This makes it struggle to penetrate the [[M3/M5 Stuart (Family)|M3]] / M5 Stuart and [[B1 bis|B1]]
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* Only performs well at close quarters combat, as both the AP and HVAP penetration drop below 30 mm past 500 m, making it struggle to penetrate common opponents such as the [[M3 Stuart (Family)|M3]]/[[M5 Stuart (Family)|M5 Stuart]] and [[B1 bis]]
 
* API rounds are essentially worse than the HVAP rounds in every way with worse muzzle velocity, penetration values, as well as creating no spallling damage
 
* API rounds are essentially worse than the HVAP rounds in every way with worse muzzle velocity, penetration values, as well as creating no spallling damage
  

Revision as of 10:57, 12 June 2020

Sd.Kfz. 140/1
germ_pzkpfw_38t_aufklarungspanzer.png
Sd.Kfz. 140/1
AB RB SB
1.7 2.0 2.0
Show in game
STORE
This page is about the premium German light tank Sd.Kfz. 140/1. For other uses, see LT-38 (Family).

Description

GarageImage SdKfz140-1.jpg


The Sd.Kfz. 140/1 is a rank I premium German light tank with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB) and 2.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41.

General info

Survivability and armour

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

Mobility

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.

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: KwK 38 (20 mm)

This tank is equipped with the FlaK 38 (20 mm), which is one of the better low-rank guns. It has good HE for taking out planes, 46 mm pen AP-I, and 64 mm pen APCR. Unlike the Flakpanzer I, the APCR belt is full APCR instead of half.

Machine Guns

Main article: MG 42 (7.92 mm)

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.

Usage in battles

The Sd.Kfz.140/1 is simply better than the Flakpanzer I. Faster, more mobile, better-armoured, not hull-breakable, better APCR belt, less wobbly suspension, and better survivability. It does the same job as its main tree brethren, flanking and taking out specific targets of opportunity with the HVAP. Like the other two flankers, it cannot deal with B1 bis, B1 ter, or Valentine Mk I at all, but otherwise, it can shred everything it encounters.

The only cons it has versus the Flakpanzer I are gun depression of just -4 degrees (Flakpanzer's -10 degrees) and slower turret traverse of 12.4 degrees/sec (Flakpanzer's 24.5 degrees/sec). Also, the reload rate is half what the Flakpanzer I or Gepard have, 7.6 seconds vs their 3.9 seconds.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive Sprgr
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire PzGr
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism
IV Transmission Engine Artillery Support PzGr 40
This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 50 mm of frontal armour is quite good when angled against some expected opponents like the M3A1 and BT-7
  • 20 mm cannon has a great rate of fire
  • 20 mm HVAP rounds have incredible close range penetration values (useful against a B1 bis) and can cause a large amount of spalling - unloading a full magazine can shred an enemy tank's crew/modules
  • Has nearly 90 degrees of elevation, making it effective in an anti-aircraft role
  • Very fast and very mobile, making it a good flanker and brawler

Cons:

  • Has a 30 mm plate of armour between the turret and chassis, which is fairly easily penetrated by tank destroyers like SU-76M or ZiS-30
  • Low gun depression of -4 degrees means it is not suitable in hills
  • Rather large and very tall, not easy to hide
  • Longer reload time between magazines compared to the regular tanks in the main tree
  • Only performs well at close quarters combat, as both the AP and HVAP penetration drop below 30 mm past 500 m, making it struggle to penetrate common opponents such as the M3/M5 Stuart and B1 bis
  • API rounds are essentially worse than the HVAP rounds in every way with worse muzzle velocity, penetration values, as well as creating no spallling damage

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 37mm 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 24mm 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 armored 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".

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 2600 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 armor 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 armor thickness ranged from 8 to 50 millimeters. Its operational weight reached 9,750 kg. At this weight, its maximum highway speed was 52 kph, and its maximum highway range was 240 kilometers.

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 armor plating were a disadvantage.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the tank;
  • other literature.


Germany light tanks
Pz.II  Pz.II C · Pz.II C (DAK) · Pz.II C TD · Pz.II F · Pz.Sfl.Ic
Sd.Kfz.234  Sd.Kfz.234/1 · Sd.Kfz.234/2 · Sd.Kfz.234/2 TD
Marder  Marder A1- · Marder 1A3 · Begleitpanzer 57 · DF105
  PUMA
Wheeled  Sd.Kfz.221 (s.Pz.B.41) · Class 3 (P) · Radkampfwagen 90
Other  Ru 251 · SPz 12-3 LGS
Argentina  TAM · TAM 2C · TAM 2IP · JaPz.K A2
Czechoslovakia  Pz.35(t) · Pz.38(t) A · Pz.38(t) F · Pz.38(t) n.A. · Sd.Kfz. 140/1
France  Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK
Lithuania  Vilkas
USA  leKPz M41
USSR  SPz BMP-1

Germany premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  Pz.II C (DAK) · Pz.Sfl.Ic · Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK · Sd.Kfz. 140/1 · Sd.Kfz.234/1 · Ru 251 · SPz 12-3 LGS · TAM 2IP
Medium tanks  Nb.Fz. · Pz.III N · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J · ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r) · Ersatz M10
  mKPz M47 G · Turm III · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123)
Heavy tanks  ▀Pz.Kpfw. Churchill · ▀KV-IB · ▀KW I C 756 (r) · ▀KW II 754 (r)
  VK 45.01 (P) · ␠Tiger · Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P · Tiger II (H) Sla.16
Tank destroyers  Sd.Kfz.234/3 · Sd.Kfz.234/4 · Sd.Kfz.251/10 · Sd.Kfz.251/22 · 15 cm Pz.W.42
  Brummbär · Panzer IV/70(A) · VFW · Bfw. Jagdpanther G1 · Elefant · 38 cm Sturmmörser