The Leichttraktor VK-31, an abbreviation of the term full Leichttraktor Versuchtkonstruktion 31, was one of the first tanks designed and built by Germany in the interwar period. Light truck modern design with fully rotating turret, the wagon was, however, at the prototype stage.
History
In June 1919, the defeat of Germany, recently became a presidential republic, signed the Treaty of Versailles which placed onerous restrictions in the field of military research and development in the country. To circumvent the political leaders and those of the newly formed Reichswehr, the complex of the armed forces heir of ‘imperial army, began to call the new designs with initials misleading or that did not reflect their true nature and also moved the headquarters of practical experimentation firms in foreign countries, for the sake of appearances and not trasgedire at least formally the provisions of the Treaty.
The German war machine was able in this way to analyze the most modern weapons and try on the latest field tactics, in particular the doctrine of employment of tanks, which had made their appearance during the First World War, was the subject of numerous testing at the Panzertruppenschule Kama near Kazan ‘where Germany and the Soviet Union together testavano military technology: the mutual cooperation was made possible thanks to a secret protocol attached to the Treaty of Rapallo in 1922 and reinforced by the Treaty of Friendship signed in Berlin in 1924.
Developmental
In this context, in May 1928, Germany launched a program for the construction of light tanks, drawing on experience gained with the LK I and LK II dating to the period 1918-1919, in October were contacted factories Krupp AG and Rheinmetall-Borsig and each was asked a prototype of an armored vehicle by weight, moved by crawlers, and based on a frame which if necessary could also act as a tractor, means of transport or a platform for self-propelled artillery armed a 37 mm gun. The two companies met a single technical team that is set to work on four prototypes, both with a Daimler-Benz engine for trucks and manned by a crew of 4 men: the construction of the four armored ended in April and May , 1930. One source states that the vehicles instead of Rheinmetall were the first to be delivered in May 1930, while the two tanks of Krupp were ready only between 1931 and 1932. All specimens received the official designation of Leichttraktor Versuchskonstruktion 31, or “light tractor test pattern 31″: it was a ploy to hide the real nature of the project under the guise of an artillery tractor. The four vehicles were then transported to the Soviet Union and tested with success in graduate school Kama during the month of June of 1930, but were never considered suitable means in real combat situations. Between 1931 and 1932 he devoted himself to the Rheinmetall work of redevelopment of the two prototypes redesigning the suspension system and adopting new tracks, but these improvements aroused limited interest in the military.
Production
In 1931 the German government placed a order of 289 copies of the VK-31, but the following year the whole lot disdisse required, as they were in the process of developing the most promising projects such as the Panzer I. In total were therefore produced only 4 experimental models of the wagon.
Uses
The specimens were in the center of Kama until 1933, when cooperation between Germany and the Soviet Union was interrupted did all return to their homeland and were intended for school shooting tanks Alt-Graaz, near Wustrow. The prototype manufactured by Rheinmetall with the train rolling redesigned was later used as a monument to Putlos.
Specifications
Both prototypes of Rheinmetall and Krupp had a crew of 4 men and were equipped with an engine Daimler-Benz M36 6-cylinder truck, dispensing 100 hp and gasoline powered. The powertrain was installed in the front of the vehicle and could push them up to 35 km / h on the road. The turrets mounted on the back of the media had been designed and manufactured in Sweden by AB Landsverk in cooperation with the Bofors: they housed a cannon KwK (Kampfwagenkanone) by 37 mm long 45-gauge (L/45) and a light machine gun coaxial 7.92 mm. The two wagons were almost identical in both shape and internally, the only difference residing in the suspension, as the Krupp used coil springs while the Rheinmetall preferred to turn to crossbows. The armor was thick at most 14 mm on the front plate.
The weight of the guiding models of Rheinmetall ranged between 8 and 9.5 tonnes each was 4.21 meters long, 2.27 meters in height and width measured came to 2.21 meters. The wagons produced by Krupp weighed 7.9 tons, had a length of 4.18 meters and height of 2.13 meters.
Variants
Following the test, the Rheinmetall expected to build a third model of the VK-31 in mild steel set as the self-propelled tank destroyer. This vehicle is equipped with a piece of 37 mm PaK (Panzerabwehrkanone) L/45, was distinguished from the original prototypes for the turret smaller, changes to the superstructure and the reduction of the crew to 3 men. It was delivered in 1934.
Ingame "LoLTraktor"
No comments:
Post a Comment