Stridsvagn m/42

Infobox Weapon
name= Stirdsvagn m/42
origin= Sweden
type= Medium tank
is_vehicle= yes
service= 1942 - ???
used_by= Sweden, Hungary
wars= World War II
designer=-
design_date=1941
manufacturer=-
unit_cost=-
production_date=1942
number=-
variants=-
length= 6.21 m
width= 2.34 m
height= 2.58 m
weight= 22.5 tons
suspension= -
speed= 42 km/h
vehicle_range= -
primary_armament= 1 x 75mm m/41 Gun
secondary_armament= 4 x 8mm m/39 MG
armour= -
engine= 2 x Scania-Vabis type L603
crew= 4
engine_power= 320 hp (90 kW)
pw_ratio= -

By late 1930s, the Hungarian army ordered a 16-ton tank known as Lago from Landsverk AB. Lago was the result of further improvements of the L-60. The army needs for a bigger and better tank resulted in that 100 modified Lagos were ordered in November 1941. It was designated Stridsvagn m/42, and was a fully modern tank for its time. It was armed with a 75mm L/34 gun, having adequate effect on armored and soft targets. (About the same effect as 75mm StuK37 L/24 gun used by early StuG IIIs). The tank were well protected and had good mobility. In January 1942 another 60 Stridsvagn m/42 were ordered. This time they were to be built with license by Volvo, and 55 of them are fitted with Scania engines while the last five are equipped with a newly developed Volvo engine. All 60 vehicles had hydrualic gearboxes instead of the elctromagnetical in the first batch. To differ the variants from each other, they are designated; Strv m/42 and E (one engine), M (electromagnetical gearbox), H (hydrualic gearbox). By the end of June 1942, a further 80 vehicles are ordered from Landsverk, 70 m/42 TH and 10 m/42 EH. In addition, some 42 m/42 EH are ordered from Volvo. The first of the 282 ordered Strv m/42 were delivered in April 1943, and the last in January 1945. The equipped the heavy tank companies of the armored brigades, but were replaced during the 1950s by Stridsvagn 81, the Swedish designation on Centurion Mk. III. In 1957, 235 of TM and TH variants are rebuilt to Stridsvagn 74, while EH vehicles were transferred to infantry-gun vehicles as Ikv 73.