Leopard PT B-1: Paving the path to a new Era

Leopard 1 PT B-1

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Paving the path to a new Era

History and Introduction
TLDR: A leopard 1 prototype with a 90mm and hydropneumatic suspension

The Cold war was in full swing and many european militaries were all too aware of the lacking capabilities of their imported American equipment. The old M-47 and M48 pattons were beginning to show the end of their useful lifespans and nations were beginning to desire their own modern vehicles.

After much deliberation and cooperation, West Germany (FRG) and France decided to work together (oh no) to create the future main battle tank for their militaries as well as for export. Italy, seeing the potential for this project, soon joined in and contributed to the effort.

The program was started in November 1956, named Standard-Panzer, primarily intended, by the germans, to replace their stocks of Patton MBTs. The work continued from the start and only 1 year later, detailed specifications (requirements) for the program were released to possible companies willing to compete in the program.

This new design was a change in directino for the germans especially as they dropped the idea of prioritising heavy armour and instead chose to go ith the mobility and lethality. With the failure of the french AMX-50 project, France was eager to take part in the Europa-Panzer, as it was called in Germany, MBT project.

The competing companies enthusiastically presented their designs and were given a deman for to prototypes each.

Team A, from Porsche, presented 2 vehicles quite similar to the Leopard 1 that went into production.

Leopard PTA mounting a 90 mm gun

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Leopard PTA mounting a Rheinmetall 105 mm gun. The production version mounted the L7A3.

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Team B, from Ingenieurbüro Warneke, Rheinstahl Hanomag, Henschel and Rheinmetall, presented 2 vehicles which cannot be denied to be leopard 1s, but they were someways off.

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prototype B-1 (left), B-2 (right)

Team C, from Borgward, had presented blueprints for quite a futuristic tank, but they failed to produce a prototype within the given timeframe.

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There was also Team D, primarily a design by the french, which later gave rise to the AMX-30, was not chosen for the German trials.

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(All four prototypes (A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2) were initially armed with the 90mm gun).

Eventually, the winner of the competition, (after multiple stages of trials commonly referred to as series I, II and III (each with their own prototypes)) Porsche, who had been already ordered to produce around 50 prototypes, was chosen to produce the final, production leopard 1.

However, the vehicles presented by Team B (Rheinmetall), were by no means something to gloss over.
Unlike any other leopard 1, the B prototype had an interesting engine design as what I assume is the intake for the radiator was located on the top center of the engine deck.

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Prototype B-1 may have been armed with a simple 90mm and no stabiliser, however, the italians had a little something to contribute into the design. An autoloader was installed according to some sources, while according to others, it was only planned or designed.


Blueprint of the autoloader design for the prototype leopard 1

Overall the B prototype was quite formidable. Hydropneumatic suspension, Autoloader, a decent power to weight ratio and a stereoscopic rangefinder.

In the series 2 trials, the Leopard PT B-1 was modified to have similar grills (engine radiator intakes i presume) as the standard leopard 1.

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It seems that the PT B-1 turret was also trialled on a series II hull and now rests in that configuration in the Pansarmuseet, in Axvall, Sweden.

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The Leopard PT B-1 would make an amazing gap filler between the Panther at 6.0 and leopard 1 at 8.0.


Testing

During trials it was found that the Porsche design was more preferrable considering all the features, including production. Although the PT B was technologically superior, the overall benefits it rovided mayhave been overshadowed by the increase in complexity and production costs as well as crew training time.

Technical Specifications

Armour
Turret: 60mm all round
Hull:

  • Front: 50mm
  • Sides: 25mm
  • Rear: 15mm

Crew: 4 (Driver, Commander, Gunner, Loader)
Mobility
Weight: 35.8t (maximum)
Engine: Daimler-Benz 37.33 liter MB838 Ca-500 10-cylinder
Power: 830hp
Top speed: 63kmph
Power/weight: 23.13hp/t
Transmission: Pub PP45 lamellae clutch; five forward and five reverse gears
Suspension: Hydropneumatic suspension
Maximum gradient: 60%

Armament
Main gun: 90 mm Rheinmetall BK90 (not the BK90/L40 but a longer barrel)
Secondary gun(s): 2 x MG3
Elevation: +X/-9
Traverse: 360°
Gun sight: Unknown zooms
Laser range finder: No
Thermals: No
NVD: No

Ammunition

  • 90mm
    Count: >63
    Types and performance: (since its a parrallel to the M47/48s 90mm)
  • APCBC (M82) (or german domestic equivalent)
  • APCR (M332) (or german domestic equivalent)
  • HEAT-FS (M431) (or german domestic equivalent)
  • HE (M71A1) (or german domestic equivalent)
  • 7.62mm MG3
    Count: 100? (2400 rounds total carried)
    Rate of fire: 1200 rpm
    Types and performance:
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Visual References

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The last image is wrongly labelled with the name of daimler benz

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Sources
  • Leopard, by AJ Barker
  • Tankograd: Leopard 1 in German service, Early years


Would you like to see the leopard PT B-1 in game?
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters
12 Likes

Yes, please, an absolute +1 from me! I’ve been asking for this thing ever since they removed the Panther II and replaced it with basically nothing. It would be nice to see it and the PTA in-game, maybe grouped together or something of the sort, to bridge the gap between the Panthers and the Leopard 1.

2 Likes

In my humble opinion, while this is definitely the most needed, this guys brother, the PT B-2 was one of the sexier ones.

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3 Likes

Hopefully we can get both added! Definitely one for the tech tree and maybe one for an event?

1 Like

Ideally both in the tree but id go for an event leo prototype any day

2 Likes

Having them both in a folder would be even better!

2 Likes

I really wish i had more to give on the topic of the autoloader in this but sources are scarce.

1 Like

+1 can’t complain about more leopard variants

1 Like

It reminds me of the ST-A1 a bit, and I love that! +1 with the autoloader please!

1 Like

Thanks to Rage on the german resources discord, i have been made aware that the PT B-1 has been moved from Axvall since it closed.

It now rests in Arsenalen.

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1 Like

I think it is a great idea and gaijin should really consider it.

2 Likes

6.7 like the STA-3?

2 Likes

probably.
although the overall combat prowess might make it 7.0.

Yeah, it has some notable advantages over the STA-3

Higher HP/ton ratio (23.13 vs. 18.6), hydropneumatic suspension, and higher reverse speed thanks to it’s five reverse gears (I assume that means 63 km/h backwards, much more than STA-3’s 8 km/h)

The autoloader RoF is a balance decision like always, if it gets one at all.

true. tbh even though autoloader RoF is less of a balance decision than manual loaders, we cannot report it since we dont know about the irl RoFat all.
i can only estimate the number of rounds in the AL from the diagram

which is 12 rounds in the loader and 1 in the chamber

Yeah, you’re right. Probably 7.0-7.3 on account of the mobility. Which is quite unfortunate as Germany could really use a 6.7 medium.

Honestly id forgo that because of the 7.0/3 lineup that can be added.
(Its cooking dw)