The Panzer 35(t) (short for Panzerkampfwagen 35(t)), originally known as the LT vz.35 (short for Lehký tank vzor 35, Light Tank model 35), in Romania known as R2, was a Czechoslovak tank developed during the Interwar period. Tank had 3-4 member crew with consists from tank commander-gunner, driver and gunner/radio-operator.
History[]
Development[]
The Czechoslovak Army formulated a requirement in category II-a light cavalry tanks at the end of 1934. ČKD proposed an improved version of its light tank LT vz. 34, already in service, but Škoda offered a new design that used the pneumatic system and engine already used in the S-II light tank prototype. A prototype tank was ordered from each company in 1935. Both had the same armament and the same number of crew, but with differences: The prototype presented by ČKD was smaller, weighing 8.5 tons and had 16mm armor. The prototype presented by Škoda weighed 10.5 tons and had 25mm of armor. The Škoda tank ended up being approved by the Czechoslovak Army.
The first production order for 160 LT vz. 35 was assigned to Army service, where it was placed in October 1935 and was delivered in December 1936. The total order for 298 tanks was divided equally by Škoda and ČKD in accordance with their cartel agreement.
Due to the rushed development, there were many defects in the LT vz. 35s. Many tanks had to be returned to the factories for repairs. Most of these repairs involved the electrical system, not the complicated pneumatic system. Therefore new tank version (later known as LT vz. 38) start to be developed soon, but not like LT vz. 35, new version never been actually used in Czechoslovak army.
Operational History[]
The first time the LT vz. 35 were used was to suppress protests and violence instigated by the Sudeten German Party and the Sudetendeutsche Freikorps in 1938. After the Munich Agreement was signed, the LT vz. 35 were sent to Slovakia to repel the Hungarian and Polish invasion. They had to retreat from southern Slovakia invaded by Hungary after the First Vienna Award in 1938. The prototype made by Škoda and an LT vz. 35 were returning from testing in the Soviet Union when the battle began. The LT vz. 35 was damaged and captured by the Hungarians after a Czechoslovak counterattack at Fančíkovo. While the Škoda prototype ended up retreating to Romania, alongside several Czechoslovak troops in eastern Ruthenia. The Romanians returned the prototype to Škoda six months later.
Following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, the LT vz. 35 began to be used by Germany under the name Panzer 35(t). It was used during the early years of World War II, such as the invasion of Poland, the Battle of France and the Invasion of the Soviet Union, before being retired or sold in 1942.
Romania ordered the LT vz. 35 in 1936 under the name R-2. They were used in the Invasion of the Soviet Union, where the division that used the R-2 was removed from combat after the Battle of Odessa, won by Romania in 1941. At the beginning of 1942, the tanks underwent a repair process and returned to service. fight in the same year. On the eve of the Soviet counteroffensive at Stalingrad, Romania only possessed 84 usable R-2s, with up to 37 unusable tanks parked in the rear. 77 R-2s were lost in the successful breakthrough of the western wing of the siege. Only about a third of the R-2s were destroyed by the Soviets, the rest were abandoned or broke down and could not be recovered. Romania managed to muster 59 R-2s in 1943, but increased to 63 on March 25, 1944. There were 44 available on July 19, 1944. At this time they were used for training. A company of R-2s was sent to Transnistria on 24 February 1944, but did not see combat before being withdrawn a month later. A company of R-2s was assigned after the King Michael Coup and Romania's departure from the Axis in late August 1944. The tanks were tasked with preventing the Germans from invading north of Ploiești. They accomplished their task and the R-2s were withdrawn from combat operations until the following year. Romania concentrated all of its remaining tanks and armored fighting vehicles in the 2nd Armored Regiment in early 1945. By early February it only had five R-2s left when it was sent to the front, but upon arrival they were confiscated by the Soviets. Both R-2s were operable when the raid on Bratislava occurred on April 4, 1945, but were probably destroyed when they were nearly surrounded in Austria, because they are no longer listed among the regiment's vehicles thereafter. Twenty-one R-2s were rebuilt with an ex-Soviet 76.2 gun and designated TACAM R-2 tank destroyers.
Slovakia started using LT vz. 35 under the name LT-35, where three of them participated in the Slovak-Hungarian War of March 1939. They also participated in the invasion of Poland, but did not fight. More than 50 LT-35s were sent to the Soviet Union during the Axis invasion. 10 were sent back to Slovakia as the crew believed the LT-35s could be used to overthrow the regime there rather than wasting them in the Soviet Union. In 1942, Slovakia had 49 LT-35s, but only 7 were operational. In 1943, LT-35s began to be used for training after Germany sent more modern tanks to Slovakia. They soon came to be used in the Slovak National Uprising in 1944, and one of them is preserved to this day.
real live LT vz. 35 in Belgrade Military Museum
Bulgaria used 26 LT vz. 35s, delivered by Germany from war reserve stock used in early 1940. The LT vz. 35s began to be used only for training when Germany began delivering Panzer IVs to Bulgaria in 1944, but the LT vz. 35 continued in service until 1950. It is said that the LT vz. 35s in Bulgarian service were used in fighting against Yugoslavia and ended the war south of Vienna.
Hungary captured an LT vz. 35 in combat with a Czech demonstration detachment returning from the Soviet Union in 1939. They were impressed with the tank and asked Škoda for a quote so it could be repaired. The Hungarians did not accept the price, but after the Hungarians purchased a license to build the Škoda T-21 medium tank in 1940, Škoda paid them for free. The tanks were returned to Hungary in 1941 and were used for training until 1943.
In Girls Und Panzer[]
Phase Erika[]
Erika Itsumi commanded a Panzer 35(t) in a match against Miho Nishizumi to determine the new vice-commander of the Kuromorimine Girls' Academy sensha-do team. Koume Akaboshi also used a Panzer 35(t) against Erika. Koume's tank managed to destroy the Panzer II commanded by Leila Rou, Erika's ally, and also used the Panzer 35(t) as a shield to protect Miho's Panzer II. In the end, Erika's Panzer 35(t) managed to destroy Miho's Panzer II, winning the match.
Gekkan Senshado Magazine[]
Gregor High School uses the LT vz. 35, which imposes the role of light tank alongside the LT vz. 38.
The Fir Tree and the Iron-Winged Witch[]
Count High School fielded an R-2 (Tank Nº 9) in a practice match against Saunders University High School. The R-2 served alongside two T-38s as observers for the tank destroyer Maresal and after it was destroyed, they regrouped with the remaining retreating tanks.
Trivia[]
- The Panzer 35(t) is one of three Czechoslovak tanks to appear in the series. The other two are the Panzer 38(t) in the anime and the CKD AH-IV in Ribbon Warrior.
- Gregor's Panzer 35(t) could have fielded in Tankathlon if it went through the same procedure as the Duck Team's Type 89B, which is to remove some parts of the tank so that it can weigh 10 tons. The difference is that, unlike the Type 89B which had to remove 2 tons to comply with the Tankathlon rules, the Panzer 35(t) would only need to remove 50 kilos from the tank, as it weighs 10.5 tons.
