LT-40

LTL is not LTS
The vehicle described above has little in common with the LTL tank project and prototype, so I'll give some clarifying information:


1/
ČKD developed two design series very similar in appearance in the 1930s. The first one with front drive tracks, very successful in export, was called LTL-H (Lithuanian-Helvet light tank). The second one ended with the production of one experimental rear-wheel drive vehicle and was designated LTL (Lithuanian light tank).


2/
The LTL-H combat vehicle gave rise to the export tanks:
LTH - in Switzerland (Helvetia) it bore the army designation Panzerwagen 1939 (Pzw. 39).
LTP - in Peru it reportedly carried the military designation Tanque 38/39
LLT - Lithuanian light tank
LTS - a rebuilt version of the LLT according to the comments of the Army of the Slovak Republic


3/
The Protectorate company Böhmische und Mährische Maschinenfabrik (ex ČKD, hereafter BMM), according to production account number 149 00 36, delivered twenty-one tanks in 1940, through the "účastinovej společnost Orava".


4/
Although photographs with the inscriptions "LTS vz.40" are known from the defunct archive of VHJ ČKD Praha, I have to state that this figure does not correspond to the customs of the army of the First Slovak Republic at that time. The latter abolished the abbreviation of the word "pattern" for the newly accepted weapons and replaced it with "spojovníkom" - after our dash!


5/
The LT-40 tanks received the registration numbers V-3030 to V-3050 from the Slovak Army.


6/
Škoda's A-7 cannon (3.7 cm gun of the ÚV vz. 38) with serial numbers 833 to 852, were mounted in only twenty machines during 1941. The machine with the number V-3037 did not receive gun armament, as it was destroyed by the Soviets in the fighting in Ukraine.


7/
The well-known photographs and model drawings describing the so-called "command tank" LTS or LT-40 are wrong, as it is only a temporary modification of vehicles waiting to be rearmed with A-7 guns.


8/
Distinguishing features of a fully armed vehicle:
- Hexagon-shaped faceplate and new turret ceiling plates adjacent to the upper three sides of the faceplate
- A-7 cannon mounted in the new front plate
- the turret had a rotating observation dome with a single observation port above the commander's seat
- the turret was slightly to the right of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle
- in a coaxial position of the turret and the vehicle, the muzzle of the gun would endanger the driver sitting on the left


9/
From the tanks that "survived" the battles in the Soviet Union and during the Slovak National Uprising, a unit of the Slovak Home Guard was formed, which participated in the defence of the Presidential Palace in Bratislava. Their further fates are unknown, only "new folk tales" claim that there is something of a tank here and there in the chotároch.

More extensive historical and technical data can be obtained from the work of the pioneer of diffrology in Slovakia, the late Mr. Ivan Bajtos in the magazine Modelar 1987, No. 8, pp. 248 and 249, Vladimir Francev and Charles K. Kliment: Czechoslovak Armoured Vehicles 1918-1948, or in the magazine History and Plastic Modelling 1992, No. 07, pp. 31-33: Flying Tanks from Slany. History and Plastic Modelling 1992, No. 11, pp. 10-15: Slovak light tank model 40. Or, in Russian, "Čjeskije tanki dlja Litvy", from Tankomastjer TM 1997, no. 04, pp. 12-15.


The above-mentioned references to the LLT abbreviation can be found in the fonds of the State Regional Archive in Prague, which now manages the materials obtained from the defunct VHJ ČKD Praha archive, namely carton 272, folder 1259 and carton 275, folder 1305. In the documents entitled: "Materialausweis" and "Technische Beschreibung des Tanks LLT", not only this abbreviation but also other technical data is given. Including a note that the tank would be equipped with a weapon using Swiss Oerlikon ammunition of the J.LAS (?!?) type.


In these fonds there are also references dated 26 January and 22 April 1940 to factory drawings of ČKD, which were handed over to Zbrojovka in Brno and carried this information:
1 SPE 1650 Plate in front of the driver
1 SPE 1727 Turret plate
1 SPE 1881 Location of weapons in LLT.


Also archived here is information on a price quotation for tanks for Bulgaria dated 2 September 1940, containing the abbreviation LLT.

After the sector, we believe customer bola séria 21 machines LLT in the summer of 1940 before the completion. New záujemca about make buying sa našiel very quickly and it was the army of the Slovak state. After predvedení type of the Slovak military delegácii bola order podpísaná 26.8.1940. Delivered mali even tanks without armament, optics and rádiostaníc. Tie sa mali doplniť neskôr. I stand next to smaller problémom with a German permit vyviezť tanks to Slovakia bola order implemented and tanks boli from 4.11.1940 preberané Slovak preberacou komisiou. After graduating from the skúšobných jázd boli tanks navagónované and odoslané to the crew in the Turčianskom st Martin. Tanks obrdžali evidenčné numbers IN-3.030 – 3.050. The Slovak side continued to obchodných jednaniach with the firm of Zbrojovka Brno and Škoda Plzeň, which mali dodať armament, the firm Telefunken mala dodať rádiostanice and the firm Optikotechna mala dodať optical zameriavače. Cannons boli delivered in 4/1941, well viazla the supply of new leaders pancierových dosiek from the company Poldi Kladno, the ktorých sa mala armament lafetovať. Preto bolo decided to pôvodných leading dosák provizórne lafetovať at least delivered guľomety ZB-53. In this form of sa rota machines 1.6.1941 participated in prehliadky in Turčianskom st Martin. Pancierové dosky awards sa from the half 6/1941 supply priebežne and priebežne bola performed by aj ich assembly. The sa prevádzala in the race in Dubnici nad Vahom. Part machines (7 pieces) crossed the combat nasadením in Sovietskom zväze, where was the LT-40 (In-3.037) veliteľa 2.tankovej company lieutenant.Vanču destroyed 22.7.1941 in bojoch pri Lipovci. The final kompletizácia machines výzbrojou, optics and rádiovýbavou prebiehalo up to 11/1941. Dvadsiatka machines crossed 15.11.1941 streleckými skúškami on posádkovej shooting in Turčianskom st Martin. 25.8.1942 bola on východnú front pre Zaisťovaciu divíziu odoslaná tank čata so siedmimi LT-40. Tanks boli assigned 101.pešiemu regiment (3 tanks) and 102.pešiemu regiment (4 tanks). Vozidlá mali tvoriť support in protipartyzánských akciách in nemeckom tyle. From 1/1943 boli all tanks nepojazdné, preto sa in 4/1943 returned to Slovakia. From 1.11.1942 pôsobila ďalšia čata LT-40 (6 machines) in the framework of the tankovej company in the Slovak Rýchlej divízii. This ensured hliadkovú activity, doprevázanie transportov and odťah vozidiel. In 1/1943 boli tanks stripped of armament and already under German command slúžili as towing vozidlá. Tanks boli during ústupov gradually stratené and tank company bola 1.7.1943 repealed. On východnej fronte I mean bolo destroyed seven machines evidenčných numbers In-3.033, In-3.037, -3.041, In-3.042, In-3.043, In-3.044 and V-3.045. Zvyšných 14 machines LT-40 replaced the prieskumné an armor vozidlá and boli zaradené to 8.company PSC (prieskumných martial vozidiel) III.battalion worry PÚV (Regiment assault chariot). Here tvorili you čaty after štyri tanks, dvojica machines bola vo veliteľskom the swarm. Začiatkom year 1944 boli tieto tanks replaced the van of the German ľahkých machines Pz.Kpfw.II and tanks LT-40 boli stored in the storage Náhradného prápora PÚV in Trenčianskom st Martin. In this stave and počte sa prečkali into the Slovak národného povstania, ever explored sa became súčasťou rebel PÚV. 7.9.1944 boli kasárne where boli uskladnené and LT-40 bombed German letectvom and tri tanks boli destroyed. To 12.9.1944 boli tanks (at least ich part) evacuated to Môťovej, neskôr sa tieto tanks adjourned to dielní Slovak industry vo the Chosen (uvádza sa neupresnený minimálny number of 7 pcs). In súhrnej administration of počtoch techniques appears to 21.9.1944 I len seven machines, which, however, or bojaschopné. In ďalšej súhrnej administration of počtoch techniques to 28.10.1944 is referred to seven machines LT-40, six of bojaschopných. Vo zvolenských dielňach sa I managed to opraviť šesticu LT-40. Under lord Pejčocha päť machines created 2.tankovú čatu battalion worry CENTRAL Vojtech, ktorej velil por.útv. Štefan Bodnár. The lord Uhrin describes the emergence of a new čaty around 20.-22.10.1944 vyzbrojenej trojicou LT-40 under the command of por.útv. Ľudovíta Pätoprstého. After stiahnutí rebel jednotiek to Detvy 23.10.1944 bola sformovaná čata por.útv. Štefan Bodnár, who obdržala trojicu LT-40. Veliteľmi individual machines boli des.asp. Petrík, who knows how, des.asp. Burian and respect. Eduard Gosiorovský. Čata divided into two parts. Dvojica LT-40 hliadkovala on the way Detva - Krivan – Podkriváň. The third machine was in the zálohe. 24.10.1944 bola trojica machines por.útv. Pätoprstého presunutá to Detve and bola priradená to 2.čs.paradesantnej brigáde, namely to promote the company first. J.Jánoša. About 10.00 pm paľbou help odraziť attack German jednotiek and subsequently against them prevádzali lunges. 24.10.1944 čata por.útv. Bodnár mala kryť retreat of the rebel jednotiek on the Elected. When zaujímaní defense postavenia sa under tankom respect. Gosiorovského prepadol bridge through Peat. Tank bol bojaschopný, well its veliteľ died. Tanks sa 25.10.1944 returned to Môťovej. Čata por.útv. Pätoprstého 25.10. in the morning stiahla to Očovej, where to order mjr.pech. Želinského developed together with the company Jánoš predsunuté position on the way before Želobudzou. After deter a German attack nasledoval retreat on Zolnú. One of the LT-40 sa blew the engine and had even taken in tow and the unit sa presunula to Môťovej. On the orders of the headquarters of the Hungarian army was vyčlenený one tank LT-40 to protect the building of the headquarters of the Hungarian (probably In-3.046). Tank arrived in the Banskej Bystrica, well, after zistení that veliteľstvo I was evacuated sa tank added to ustupujúcim units smerom to Old Mountain. When evakuácii Selected sa Colors of the CENTRAL committee with the technique presunul to Hájnik. In the night from 25. on 26.10.1944 the crew of one LT-40 has come from Hájnik to the village Hrochoť, where he obcou left.
Čata por.útv. Bodnár bola 25.10.1944 pridelená 2.čs.paradesantnej brigáde in priestore Badín – Vlkanová, neskôr sa presunula on defense Banskej Bystrica and joined the sa in bojov in priestore Podbrezová – Lopej.
26.10. there has been the retreat of the troops into the Slovenskej Ľupče.
27.10.1944 receded dvojica LT-40 in kolóne rebel jednotiek through Old Mountain (one tank niesol reg. no In-3.030). The second tank was nepojazdný and ťahali him about the lift and subsequently left him for obcou Old Mountain in the area of Počtárka.
28.10.1944 boli gradually vozidlá and tanks odstavované popri ústupovej the way to Donovaly. The LT-40 sa got up to Donovaly and under Kečkou bol opustený.
27.10.1944 arrived to veliteľstve army on Donovaloch and LT-40 reg. no In-3.046. Keďže I was všeobecký chaos končiaceho povstania part of the crew sa decided to tank opustiť, zotrval len conductor stk. Jakub Pekár. To him sa will dvojica tankistov (mot. Ján Lopašovský and mot. Viliam Rehák). The new crew of the sa presunula on the Old Mountain and then stanicu Ulmanka, where boli opustený IPV-AND Štefánik and ďalšie trains with materiálom. In dolnej part I boli German units, preto sa crew stiahla. On the second day wanted to the station doplniť fuel, well the have bola Nemcami obsadená. Decided to sa pre travel on the Sliačany well there in ran out of fuel and the tank had to opustiť.
Čata por.útv. Štefan Bodnár sa 28.10.1944 nachádzala in Slovenskej Ľupči. After what sa knew about the end of the povstania presunula sa his trojica LT-40 to the village of Priechod and odtiaľ proceeded to Hriadeľu. On the next day boli tanks zneschopnené and parked in the village Moštenica in Hriadeľskej doline. One of the machines could even. no In-3.050, one uzáver of kanóna item no.numbers R774 sa in the prescribed miestach našiel in the 60's.years 20.day a (contradiction - R744 nie is in the range of the owl. čísiel kanónov referred to in the postings Jiri Tintěra).


*source:
Marian Uhrin - Regiment Assault chariot, 1944, the Museum of the Slovak národného povstania, rok vydania 2012, ISBN: 978-80-89514-14-4
. Bajtoš - História Slovak regiment assault chariot 1939-1944, manuscript, Košice 1987
www.ebay.de.

LT-40 No. V-3037 Slovak Army. The machine is without gun armament (no armament was delivered at the time of delivery of the tanks), the particular machine was destroyed in the fighting in Ukraine.

Abandoned LT-40 V-304? , Slovak National Uprising 1944.

LT-40 No. V-3038 with another form of the distinguishing emblems of Slovakia on the turret - instead of the double cross there is a shield with tricolour

Very nicely described, supposedly there were 3pcs of mechanisms under the ketch. I'm from central Slovakia and what I talked to people who remember it say several versions 1. is 3pcs lt38, 2. 1kslt38 and 2pcs unknown tank, 3. 1ks lt38 2pcs hakl .


There is no relic left in the area, everything is collected which is a pity. As for the ground pass mechanisms in the area, I became quite interested and I have been to the places where they were located, but they are gone, but from what I have learned after the war, there are tank(s) left in the area under the kettles, kettenkrad Sd.Kfz.2. in the vicinity of the shaft, a tank in the vicinity of the village of Poniky, the torso of which was there around the year 2000, now there is nothing there (supposedly it ended up in the collection) Also, older people told me that they made a forest tractor from one of the mechanisms of the pod ketchka. It is such a pity that at least the torsos of these tanks have not been preserved in nature