Hello everyone,
today, we are going to talk about two Czechoslovak wartime projects by Škoda. Both were offered to the German army.
VOSS I
The full name of this project was “Selbstfahrlafette 7,5 PAK (Škoda)”, but it was also referred to as VOSS I, in “honor” of the installed German CEO of wartime Škoda (Skoda-Werke), Dr.Wilhelm Voss. It was developed in 1941 (the drawing is dated August 1941 specifically) as an anti-tank gun on the Škoda suspension from the T-21/22/23M tank (it is unclear, which suspension was used), likely after being asked directly by Wehrmacht (in order for them to offer this design as a cheap alternative to German tank destroyers to Germany’s allies). Drawings and a small wooden mock-up were made, but the project got cancelled later on for unknown reasons.
Crew: unknown (probably 4)
Weight: 18 tons
Length: 7000 mm
Hull length: 5740mm
Width: 2445mm
Height: 2160mm
Clearance: 350mm
Armor: 50mm frontal
Engine: Gasoline 15 liter V8, 256 horsepower (14,2 hp/t)
Maximum speed: 50 km/h
Armament: 75mm L/50 Škoda gun of unknown type (Francev states it was the A13 gun, but that one is too short for that)
Elevation: -10/+20
Traverse: 30 degrees to each side
Shell parameters: 6,9kg shell, 800 m/s velocity
VOSS II
VOSS II (15cm s.I.G. 33 auf Škoda T-21) is even more mysterious. It was a wartime project to mount a 150mm howitzer on the T-21 chassis (although some sources state T-22 or even T-23M), the date of this is unknown, although Pejčoch states the mockup was created in 1942, so it is possible it was some sort of “sister” project to the previous one. Again, it wasn’t accepted into service (despite W.Voss’ lobbying for VOSS I). The only thing we know is that it was supposed to be powered by a 240hp Škoda V8 engine (strangely enough, different engine than for VOSS I)
Both of these vehicles could theoretically appear in a potential Czechoslovak TD branch, or could fit the premium role for Germans.
Wouldn’t the VOSS II fit more as an SPG?
Yep
Selbstfahrlafetten
Both TD or arty depending on the gun :D
With the 7,5/L50 the VOSS I could be a nice T5 German premium. Though another low tier Premium is probably not needed…
For the Czech tree, not German.
Czechoslovakia had damn many tanks, tds and spgs 0_o
Yeah maybe enough to hmmm… tier V-VI? Most based on LT 35.
i think tier 2-6 mostly.
there arent that many high tiers, arent there?
They have enough higher-tiered vehicles to have a full medium branch up to tier 10, and possibly a TD branch.
Basically, they could have their own tree in WoT, at least based on how half-assed the Chinese branch was.
Same suspension as the Zrinyi
Zrínyi was a license built T-21 with a few modifications.
Wasn’t the VOSS II actually called Turán 105mm MÁVAG 40-43M howitzer, and was a Hungarian project, an open topped Zrínyi II variant which was then scrapped for the favor of the 43 M Zrínyi II what had closed fighting compartment?
Considering it was developed by Škoda itself (the development of the T-21 chassis did go its separate ways after T-22), I very much doubt it.
Okay. Thanks for the reply. I was not sure, that’s why I was asking. And sorry to ask something bullshit.
Why do people on the internet call that project “105mm MÁVAG 40-43″ howitzer? Is there any book/article reffering it that way which I don’t know?
And why do you refer it like it was a prototype proposal for the Zrínyi? I don’t understand.