Škoda T-15

After the experience of German troops in the Polish campaign, the need arose to develop a new reconnaissance vehicle. Mobility in the field was a priority rather than achieving high speeds, and easy control was especially required when reversing, which was important in the conditions of the research activity. The demand was for the creation of a standardized reconnaissance vehicle designed for tank and infantry units. Full-track or half-track chassis were preferred, which guaranteed good passability in difficult terrain.
Work on the development of new reconnaissance tanks took place in the companies MAN and Daimler-Benz since 1938 and led to the program VK 9.01 and its other development versions. This type with a three-member crew was an interesting construction, but the requirement was also for a heavier vehicle with a four-member crew.
Three companies responded to the request for the development of a new reconnaissance vehicle. Company MAN started work on a new type VK 13.01, which they subsequently developed into an almost unknown program VK 13.02 until the later winner of the competition VK 13.03 (Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.L).
Another company that took part in the competition was the Škoda company with its type T-15.
The last company was the company BMM (ex.ČKD), which used the rich experience with the construction of TNH and submitted a proposal Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t) new Art.
Protectorate companies were to build five prototypes.


Škoda has developed two tank designs:


Škoda T-15 D
A machine with a diesel engine with an considered power of 147 kW (250 hp) and a maximum speed of about 50 km/h. Because this type did not meet the technical conditions, work on it was stopped and development focused on the second version.


Škoda T-15
In mid-1941, a contract was signed for the production of five prototypes of the T-15 and a wooden model in M 1: 1. Two tanks were to be made of unarmoured steel and the remaining three vehicles from armored steel. The tank was to be armed with a 37 mm Škoda A7 cannon and a machine gun vz.37. The first prototype was to be delivered in 10/1941, the last by 3/1942. Later, the date of completion of the last three tanks was postponed until mid-1943. The reasons for the postponement were probably related to the ambiguity of Germany's weapons program and its needs for light tanks in the environment of the Eastern Front. Another reason was the unfair practices of competing German armaments companies, which wanted to eliminate Czech competition.
The first prototype of the T-15 was completed in 10/1941, the second in early 12/1941. If the type was accepted into service, the start of serial production was expected in 1942. Already during 1941, it was planned to replace the 37 mm cannon with a 47 mm cannon.
The first prototype remained in the factory for more than a year, where it was used for internal tests. In 12/1942 he was sent to Berlin for the test site of the company Alkett.
The second prototype in the period between 3-6/1942 underwent comparative tests with competing types at a test base in Kummersdorf near Berlin. This second prototype remained in the possession of the test unit in Kummersdorf. It was sent to the home factory twice for repairs, most recently in the spring of 1944. In a report for the Military Armaments Office, the prototype Škoda T-15 was assessed as technically immature and unsuitable for series production. Incidentally, the WaPrüf 6 reports include a corrected name notation of this type. The crossed-out designation T 15 Skoda was replaced in the report of 5.3.1942 by the designation Pz.Sp.Wg. II Ausf. Skoda (Panzerspähwagen II Ausführung Skoda).
After the tests, the prototype was returned to the parent factory to eliminate the identified deficiencies. The second and final round of tests took place in Kummersdorf between October 6, 1942 - October 8, 1942. The final decision was to the detriment of the T-15.The German side lost interest in this type, but the Škoda company decided to continue the development at its own expense and asked the German Armaments Office to purchase one of the prototypes. The Office only agreed to the exchange for one piece of Š-II ( T-11), but this exchange never took place. Due to problems with the supply of armor plates, the decision was made to produce the remaining three prototypes from ordinary steel sheet and without towers. After the completion of the third and fourth prototypes, these were sent to the test site of the company Alkett. The Germans took over four prototypes. The production of the fifth prototype was canceled in 10/1944, but on January 23, 1945, it was decided to quickly complete the fifth prototype and send it to the Military Tank Sub-Office in Olomouc. However, this did not happen until the end of the war and the machine remained in the Pilsen factory as a test facility. After the war, the prototype stood in a factory hall without a tower and weapons. A tower from LT vz.35 was temporarily installed.
The prototype underwent further modifications and modernization and figured under the designation T-15 A, later T-15 S. Another modernization was to create a project Škoda T-16.
In the 50s of the 20th century, he suffered the same fate as many other interesting machines, he ended up in a scrap yard.


It was interesting that the original Škoda tower was to have only three prototypes, the rest were to receive a new type of tower developed by Daimler-Benz, which was to be mounted 5 cm cannon Kw. TO. 39 L/60 and machine gun MG 34. Of course, these intentions were not fulfilled.

Pavel Pilař - Reconnaissance tanks Škoda T-15 and Praga TNH n.A., HPM No.3/2000
Ivo Pejčoch, Oldřich Pejs - Obrněná technika 6, Střední Evropa 1919-1945 Part I, ARES Publishing House, Prague 2005, ISBN 80-86158-46-2
https://rotanazdar.cz/?p=2133&lang=cs