Author: sp15 (US server)

Part I: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/03/07/swedish-tanks-part-i-strv-m21-29/
Part II: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/03/12/swedish-tanks-part-ii-strv-m31-strv-fm31/
Part III: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/03/15/swedish-tanks-part-iii-landsverk-l-100-and-l-120/
Part IV: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/03/21/swedish-tanks-part-iv-landsverk-l-60/
Part V: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/03/27/swedish-tanks-part-v-strv-m37-and-strv-m41/
Part VI: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/04/08/swedish-tanks-part-vi-sav-m43/
Part VII: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/04/18/swedish-tanks-part-vii-strv-m42/
Part VIII: http://ftr.wot-news.com/2014/05/08/swedish-tanks-part-viii-pvkv-m43/

By 1944, Sweden had access to a fairly large, but mostly outdated tank force. Most of the tanks in the Swedish army were 10 ton light tanks and the new Strv m/42 medium tank was already becoming obsolete. Therefore, it was decided to start a new series of projects to replace the aging Swedish tanks.

Besides the plans for upgunning the Strv m/42 with a 75mm autoloader and a 10,5cm TD based on the Strv m/42, there were also plans for two new vehicles in the 30 ton range. The first one was a new medium tank, that was to be further development of the Strv m/42, with a long 75mm gun and a more powerful engine, the vehicle was also meant to be wider and to have an overall lower height.
The 2nd project was to be a new tank destroyer, that would be similar to the Pvkv m/43 but with much heavier armament. The vehicle was to carry a modified version of the 10,5cm L/50 anti-aircraft gun, and the frontal armor was to be “especially thick”.

In 1945, discussions were held regarding the guidelines for the 30 ton tank. The discussions concluded that the vehicle should be armed with a 7,5cm gun with a muzzle velocity of at least 1000m/s or a 10cm gun with a muzzle velocity around 850m/s. Another interesting thing discussed was that the turret should have sloped sides and if possible, it should be cast as a dome shape. The armor of the vehicle was estimated at around 70mm front, 35mm sides and 30mm rear.

In 1946, it was decided that the new 30 ton TD would serve as the basis for the chassis of the 30 tonne medium tank, a lighter 25 ton version of the medium tank is also proposed. The 25 ton medium was to be frontally protected against 57mm guns and was to be able to mount applique armour to allow for protection from 75mm guns. Soon, the design works on the new TD and medium tank start at Landsverk. The TD was to have modern shape with heavily sloped armor all around, it was supposed to be armed with a high-power 10,5cm gun and to have top speed of 60 kph. Attempts were made to acquire a foreign high power diesel engine, but the only company to respond was the British Rover company with their offer of a 620hp gasoline engine. The vehicle was to share the same type of gun mount as the Pvkv m/43, with the main gun of equal performance to the 10,5cm L/50 anti-aircraft gun, but with the ability to fire subcaliber ammunition. The gun was to have good field of traverse of 15dg to each side, it was also supposed to have a 10dg depression and 25dg elevation.

The project continued well into 1947 and plans were made for the construction of a prototype. Landsverk privately started to work on this prototype which they designated as TLP. However, in 1947, the army decided that they no longer want vehicles in the 30 ton range and the project is effectively mothballed. The project would later resurface in 1949, but at that point, it would be based on a completely different chassis, that is however a story for another time. Instead, the idea of better sloped armor, that came from the TLP-46, was put to use in the Pvkv fm/48, a modernisation of the Pvkv m/43 hull, which was however also cancelled before reaching the prototype stage.

My depiction of the TLP-46 based on the Strv Leo and Pvkv fm/48

Landsverk however continued to development the 25t medium tank, that was to share its chassis with the TLP-46 and offered it for export in 1948 as the Strv Leo. The Leo was equipped with a 7,5cm anti-tank gun in a large turret, it was powered by a Volvo A8B 410hp engine and had a top speed of 55kph. The frontal armor was well sloped and reached maximum thickness of 70mm. The tank was offered to several countries, but noone bought the design.

Strv Leo

Because of the rejection of the vehicles in the 30 ton range such as the Leo and the TLP-46, the development had to start all over again with a 20 ton tank, that would prove to be too light for the army’s needs and would itself reach 25 tons in its final version. This indecision plaguing the military command in turn meant that Sweden would have no modern tanks from 1944 until the purchase of the Centurion Mk.3 in 1953. Specifics regarding the 20 ton light tank project will however have to wait for next part.

In World of Tanks

In the game, the Leo and the TLP-46 are perfect candidates for tier 7. At that tier, the Leo would be a poorly armoured but decently mobile tank with access to a big 10,5cm gun with decent penetration for its tier – think something like the T-34-1, but with worse turret armor and better depression. The TLP would have similar mobility with a high pen 10,5cm gun and good frontal armor.

Strv Leo

Weight: 25 tons (without addon armour)
Armament: 7.5cm L/54 Pvkan m/43, 7.5cm L/60 Lvkan m/36, 10,5cm Kan m/34, 10.5cm Strvkan fm/49
Top speed: 55kph
Engine: Volvo A8B (410hp), Volvo A8B+ (450hp)
Crew: 4
Length: 6150mm (with gun: 7180mm)
Width: 3000mm
Height: 2450mm
Track width: 520mm
Ground clerance: 300mm
Ground pressure: 0,63kg/cm^2
Armour: (70/35/20)
Depression/elevation: -10/+15dg

TLP-46

Weight: 30 tons
Hull armour: (110-130/35/20)
Length: 6,15m
Width: 3m
Crew: 4
Gun traverse: +-15dg
Depression/elevation: -10/+25dg
Top speed: 55kph
Engine: Volvo A8B+ (450hp), Rover Company 620hp
Armament: 10,5cm L/50 Lvkan m/42
Ammo load: 50 rounds