ST vz. 39, also known by its factory designation V-8-H, was a
Czechoslovak
Czechoslovak may refer to:
*A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93)
**First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38)
**Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39)
**Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60)
**Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...
medium tank
A medium tank is a classification of tanks, particularly prevalent during World War II which represented a compromise between the mobility oriented light tanks and the armour and armament oriented heavy tanks. A medium tank's classification is ...
developed by ÄŒKD in the late 1930s. Only two prototypes were ever built.
Design and development
In the fall of 1937 a competition was launched for a new medium tank to equip the
Czechoslovak Army
The Czechoslovak Army (Czech and Slovak: Československá armáda) was the name of the armed forces of Czechoslovakia. It was established in 1918 following Czechoslovakia's declaration of independence from Austria-Hungary.
History
In the fi ...
;
Å koda
Å koda means ''pity'' in the Czech and Slovak languages. It may also refer to:
Czech brands and enterprises
* Škoda Auto, automobile and previously bicycle manufacturer in Mladá Boleslav
** Å koda Motorsport, the division of Å koda Auto respons ...
,
ÄŒKD and
Tatra competed. The most promising design was the ÄŒKD prototype, designated the V-8-H (later ST vz. 39). The first prototype had 143 design flaws identified, of which 16 were considered significant. The most serious issues centred on engine design, the reworking of which satisfied the concerns of the army.
Due to the worsening international situation, the army decided to order 300 tanks and, later, a further 150 more but the order was canceled after the
Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, MnÃchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, Germany, the United Kingdom, French Third Republic, France, and Fa ...
of 1938 gave the
Sudetenland
The Sudetenland ( , ; Czech and sk, Sudety) is the historical German name for the northern, southern, and western areas of former Czechoslovakia which were inhabited primarily by Sudeten Germans. These German speakers had predominated in the ...
area of Czechoslovakia to Germany. After the
occupation of the remainder of Czechoslovakia on March 15, 1939, representatives of the German armaments office selected the V-8-H for testing by the Army at
Eisenach. As a result of a fortnight's testing, an order was issued in November 1939 for production of another prototype. This was to be delivered without turret and armament, with a concrete block to simulate the load. This marked a prototype V-8-HII (second option), or V-8-Hz (trial) in the second half of 1940, underwent tests in Germany at
Kummersdorf
Kummersdorf is the name of an estate near Luckenwalde, around 25 km south of Berlin, in the Brandenburg region of Germany. Until 1945 Kummersdorf hosted the weapon office of the German Army which ran a development centre for future weapons as ...
. There was no production order as the V-8-H specification were similar to the already under production
Panzer III
The ''Panzerkampfwagen III'', commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was Sd.Kfz. 141. It was intended to fight oth ...
.
After the occupation, the company tried to break through with a tank on the international market. Romania is the first reported, as requested by the former Czechoslovak prototypes of the
T-21, V-8-H,
R-2a. All tanks passed the tests in Romania successfully. Reluctant to choose a tank design, it considered first the
R-2a, then the V-8-H, but later opted for a
T-21, of which 216 were ordered. The company tried to offer the tank to Sweden, China, USSR, and Italy. The last attempt was with Turkey which would have used the Skoda A7 gun of the LT vz 38 but no order was placed.
Both prototypes survived war, but were scrapped soon afterward.
References
*
{{WWIIRomanianAFVs
Tanks of Czechoslovakia