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Stridsvagn m/31 (Strv m/31) / Landsverk L-10

1932 WORLD WAR 2

History

The light tank industry has been a thriving market after the end of the First World War and between the two world wars. The Swedes built a thriving arms industry by the end of the war and pre-produced some fine armored fighting vehicles.

One such vehicle became the m/31, also known as Landsverk's L-10 - becoming Sweden's first homegrown armored company.

After the end of the First World War, Germany was deprived of most of its war materiel and facilities. However, that didn't stop the country from continuing to develop new weapons and keep viable ones from the prying eyes of the victors.

The Germans developed the Light Combat Vehicle II during the war and completed two pilot vehicles by June 1918. Although about 580 examples of this type were officially ordered, the request was cancelled after the war.

The Swedish government maintained an interest in the LK II and secretly paid the German government from 1 to a few kroner (various sources) for 10 tanks. The tanks were then shipped to Sweden in batches and further disguised as farm implements and boiler parts to avoid attracting the attention of the Allied Control Council responsible for German disarmament.

The vehicles were reassembled on the Swedish side and entered service with the army from 1921 under the designation "Strv m/21". The m/21 was armed with a 6.5mm caliber machine gun, while the future variant m/21-29 was developed in 1929 and ended up with a powerful 37mm main gun and two self-defense machine guns. This type is also powered by a Swedish engine.

The m/21-29 variants remained in service until 1938, at which point they were discontinued.

Over time, operational experience soon showed that the m/21 could be improved even better, so the Swedes sought help from the German Joseph Volmer. Volmer has extensive experience in the design and development of armoured fighting vehicles, dating back to the German trials of World War I, in particular the A7 and K-Wagen types developed for the German army.

In addition, the German government owned a significant portion of the Landsverk company prior to World War II, so German influence on the m/31 design was significant. Three m/31 tanks were ordered in late 1931, and deliveries did not begin until late 1935.

From the outside, the Strv m/31's design approach is very clean, in stark contrast to the boxy systems of the First World War. Their appearance is more of a design that became commonplace in World War II and beyond, and they typically feature a rear-mounted engine and a movable turret that houses the primary armament. The crew compartment and turret are located amidships, while the engine is mounted in the stern compartment.

The driver remained in the front left position of the vehicle, while an archer operated the machine gun on the right. The tank commander and gunner resided in a 360-degree rotating turret with slightly sloping sides, and the main armament was supported by a coaxial machine gun. The track system consists of interconnected sections that surround two sets of four rubber tire wheels, with two track return rollers at the top, a drive track wheel at the rear, and a track idler at the front.

Power is provided by an air-cooled 6-cylinder Bussing petrol engine producing 140 hp at 2,500 rpm. This gives the chassis a top speed of 25 mph and a range of 125 miles. Like other Swedish tanks, the Strv m/31's suspension is excellent, encouraging off-road driving.

The primary armament of this type is a turret-mounted 37 mm (1.46 in) main gun. A coaxial 7.7mm machine gun was mounted next to the main gun mount and operated by the gunner. A second 7.7mm machine gun was mounted in a position on the right front hull and operated by a dedicated gunner next to the driver.

All in all, the m/31 was quite aggressive for small tanks, still only using machine gun weapons at that time if one considers many of their counterparts.

The Landsverk Company advanced production of the m/31, which from 1931 replaced the earlier (now obsolete) m/21 in military service. The m/31 had a limited overall service life in the Swedish army.