The Stridsvagn L-60 (Strv L-60), also known as Landsverk L-60, is a Swedish tank developed in 1934. It was developed by AB Landsverk as a light tank which included several design features later adopted by Germany and Russia in their tank designs. German Tank Designer Otto Merker (1899-1986) joined the Landsverk staff to assist with the new tank project. No less than ten versions were drawn before the first prototype was built.
Th L-60 was further development of Landsverk's previous L-10 design, but was smaller and it incorporated experience Landsverk gained during the Swedish tests of the Strv m/31. It was armed with a 20mm Madsen anti-tank autocannon and a 8mm machinegun in fully traversable turret. The tank’s hull and turret was fully welded and equipped with state-of-the-art optics. It was one of the most modern designs in the world at that time, using in full the important lessons, learned from the Swedish L-10 trials.
First, the rear mounted transmission was moved to the front to resolve the problem with track tension, caused by the rear-mounted transmission on the L-10. Second, the unreliable spring suspension was replaced with a newly developed torsion bar suspension, an invention bought from Ferdinand Porsche. This is one of the first times (if not the first) it has ever been fitted to a tank.
L-60 schematics from 1934
In 1934, the Defence Forces of Ireland became interested in the vehicle and Landsverk agreed to produce two prototypes. The first prototype was finished just a year after in 1935. In 1935, an Irish committee came to Landsverk to check on the development of their two prototypes, but during the visit, because of a driver error, one of the prototypes backfired and burned out, despite best efforts to put the fire out. Landsverk offered to produced a third vehicle as soon as possible. The first of Ireland’s L-60 tanks arrived in November 1934, at North Wall in Dublin. The second tank would not arrive until the following year. Due to a very small budget, the Irish were only able to purchase two of the tanks. Landsverk continued to look for countries that might make a large order. The L-60 design attracted the attention of Switzerland, leading to the order of six L-60 and L-120 tanks. This however, led to nowhere, as Switzerland decided to buy the Czech TNH instead.
Irish L-60 prototype
The two Swedish-built Landswerk L-60 tanks purchased by the Irish Army were powered by a V8 Ford petrol engine that produced 160 hp. Soon after, the tank was redesigned and the Swedish Scania-Vabis 1664 in-line 6-cylinder water cooled overhead valve engine was put in, a new bigger turret with a radio was installed, and a new 37mm Bofors gun was also implemented. In 1936, two Swedish army prototypes were ordered – one complete and one hull for trials. At the same time, Austria ordered one prototype for evaluation. Austria ended up not buying the tank – instead, the Austrian prototype was sent to Hungary. In Hungary, the tank (as well as the L-62 (SPAAG based on the L-60 chassis)) was evaluated and after comparative trials with the Strussler V4, the design was chosen for licensed production, which started in 1940. The L-60 and L-120 was also shown during a Polish visit to Landsverk in 1937, but nothing came of it.
Hungarian Toldi tank
Swedish L-60 prototype
By 1937, the Swedish army prototypes were finished and not long after, a modified version was ordered into production under the designation of Strv m/38, with Landsverk designation “L-60-S”. In total, 16 tanks were delivered from 1938-1939, one of which was a prototype, rebuilt to production specifications. The tank was relatively modern for 1938 with its 15mm of armour and 37mm gun, but in 1939, as World War Two broke out, it became apparent that the design was quickly becoming obsolete.
Strv m/38
In 1939, after the annexation of Czechoslovakia, it became clear that more tanks were needed. Therefore, second production run of tanks was ordered. Despite the demands for increased armour protection, the new model of the tank went in production without much improvement due to its fragile suspension. The main change on this new model was the new turret, which had sloped frontal armor. The tanks were seriously delayed by the failure of Bofors to produce enough 37mm guns. The tank was designated as Strv m/39, with the Lansverk designation of “L-60-S II”. A total of 20 of these tanks were made from 1939 to 1941. By this time however, it was absolutely clear that the armour was completely irrelevant and after considerable arguing, Landsverk agreed to finally increase the armor of the tank, but only using additional applique armor kits.
Strv m/39, note the early gun mantlet
Sweden was now in a unfavourable situation. Its neighbor, Finland, was already involved in the war against the Russians and in 1940, the other neighbor, Norway was invaded by the Germans. To top it all, the previously ordered 90 Czech TNH tanks (the order was made before the invasion of 1939) was now cancelled by the Germans, who seized the tanks for their own army. This meant that Sweden was cut off from the outside world and would have to rely on its own tank designs. Therefore, the L-60 was modified once again, this time with mass production in mind. The tank was largely the same as the L-60-SII, but was now equipped with an automatic gearbox, some vehicles could even mount a mortar on the back for infantry support in addition to the applique armor, but mainly the tank was simplified for mass production. The vehicle was designated Strv m/40L (“L-60-S III” by Landsverk). A total of 100 tanks of this type were produced between 1941 and 1942.
Strv m/40L with applique armour
And its armor schematics
By 1943, Landsverk started to produce a heavier tank design and no longer had the capacity to produce the L-60 series of tanks, so instead, their production shifted to Karlstad Mekaniska Werkstad. The L-60 design received another overhaul and the suspension was finnaly improved to the point where the applique armour could be built in from the start. Other than that, a newer, more powerful engine was fitted, the result of which was making the vehicle longer. This tank model was designated Strv m/40K by the army (and L-60-SV by Landsverk). An interesting thing to note is that there is no information on the previous L-60-S IV design, other than it weighed 12 tones and had the same armament as well as an unknown 180hp engine. Anyhow, 80 Strv m/40K tanks were produced between 1943 and 1944 and this was the final version of the L-60 to be produced during the war.
Strv m/40K
Armour schematics
After the war, some models of the tank wer still in active service during the 1950′s, there were even plans to re-equip the tanks with a new turret with a 57mm gun. The idea was kicked around since 1944, but the first prototype was only ready by 1949-1950. The prototype hull was that of the Strv m/40L and the turret mounted the 5,7cm Pvkan m/43 gun. The vehicle was designated Pvkv IV “Värjan” (Pvkv meaning “tank destroyer 4″, it was named “Värjan” after some kind of sword, used by the Swedish Carolean army in 16th century). The new turret and the gun increased the weight by 500kg, but this was compensated by the removal of the applique armour. The turret was poorly armored to keep the weight down, with a 20mm gun mantlet and 12mm of armor everywhere else. The trials of the prototype showed that there were substantial problems with the aiming system and the project was discontinued.
Pvkv IV “Värjan”
The last model of the L-60 to serve with the Swedish army was the Strv m/40K, which was retired in 1957. However, a few years later, 25 Strv m/40′s were sold to Dominican Republic. There, some of them would serve until the 1990s! In fact, three of these tanks were lost while fighting the United States Marine Corps, with one that was even destroyed by a M48 Patton.
Strv m/40 in service with Dominican forces
