Landsverk L-210 Armored Motorcycle History
The Landsverk L-210 Armored Motorcycle wasn’t AB Landsverk’s first armoured motorcycle, it was the L-90. The L-90 was mounted with movable armoured plates and a 6.5mm KSP machine gun, but not much else is known about the prototype. In the 1930s Landverk had another attempt at producing an armoured motorcycle, in 1932 Landsverk introduced the L-210.
The new L-210 was powered by a Harley-Davidson v-twin engine it had increased armour, and a larger 8.00mm Madsen machine gun instead of the original 6.5mm KSP unit. Its heavier armour increased the weight of the motorcycle to 1,600 lb (726 kg), making it quite heavy and hampering the performance of the 1,200cc Harley-Davidson engine. The top speed of the motorcycle because of its armour was only 31 mph (50 km/h).
Operational History
The Landsverk L-210 Armored Motorcycle exported a few units overseas but, unfortunately the L-210 never saw an operational career, as far as we know.
Specifications General characteristics
Class: Armoured Motorcycle (Ground)
Crew: 2
Production: 3 - 4 (total)
Length: 2.3 m (7 ft 6.5 in)
Height: 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Width: 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Empty weight: 726 kg (1,600 lb)
Powerplant: 1,200cc Harley-Davidson V-Twin engine
Power: 22 kW (30 hp)
Performance
Maximum speed: 50 km/h (31 mph)
Armament
Guns:
1 × 8.00 mm Madsen machine gun (8x58mmR)
Armour:
6 to 8 mm (0.23 to 0.31 in)
In game
The Landsverk L-210 Armored Motorcycle would be a fun and a funny addition to war thunder. It would probably sit in the rank 1 of the Swedish ground tech tree, representing the smallest of armoured vehicles in the series. It would be great in its own event game mode against other armoured motorcycles.
Aaaaand it’s immediate -1 for me. It’s not well-armed enough to be useful. Sure, it may be good for reconnaissance and capping & decapping. But disabling/destructing of other vehicles? No. This is better if it adds to other game like Enlisted.
Don’t know of anything but the image, but its Swedish and has a belt fed maxim/8mm ksp in the side cart, quite similar, just with the ability to shoot longer before reloading. Could be foldered together maybe :)
Vehicles with exposed crew members (very prominent at reserve BRs) would be the main source of kills for this vehicle. But yes, it has extremely lackluster firepower.
It would be great and fun for an event vehicle! Otherwise, the gun is rather weak, it would have a hard time killing anything, even biplanes (due to it’s limited gun traverse).
Generally interesting vehicle, one thing to i would like to point out, is that this post is mostly about the Improved L-210, where you also have included images of the original L-210, which was tested by Denmark with the designation F.P.3.
The Original L-210 have the side car on the right side, and the improved have it on the left side.
Image for comparison of the first version and the improved (F.P.3 on left, improved on the right):
That is an image of the Landsverk 190, which in the Swedish army got the designation Pansarbil fm/30, which is metioned in the article about the Landsverk armored motorcycles:
