- Yes
- No
Pansarbil fm/29 / Landsverk L-170: “Paddan”
Summarized bakground history:
The Pansarbil fm/29 is a Swedish made light armoured car which served the Swedish armed forces inbetween 1930-1945 and it was primarly used as a experimental vehicle for various of tests conducted by the Armed forces. Till the start of the 1940’s, when it was also introduced as a “Driving school car” for the K1 Regiment (K1 Livgardets dragoner Regementet) for new potential drivers for the m/39 and m/40 armoured cars. Even late as 1946, the Pbil fm/29 was still on the vehicle records of the Swedish Armed Forces.
Pansarbil fm/29 was first introduced to the Swedish Armed forces in 1927. When the Goverment permitted a 10 Thousand SEK budget (Which is equallent to around 300000 SEK (or 30 thousand USD) in today’s value), in a attempt to find a provisional solution to design a domestic “armoured car tactic”. The original plan was to import foreign armoured cars and incorporate them to the Armed forces. However, there were no suitable foreign design to solve the demad. And so the Swedish Armed Forces opted for a domestic design and production of armoured cars within Swedish Territory.
One of the main requirements for the design of the armoured car, compared to the others which were produced in Tidaholm (Pansarbil fm/25 and fm/26): Were the ability to be able to drive off-terrain in certain scenarios. The Pavesi P4/100 Artillery tractors were initally purchased from Italy as a reference for the design of the vehicle. The Chassis design were handed to the “Artilleridepartementets konstruktionsavdelning” at KAF (Kungliga Arméförvaltningen), in which the final drawings of the design was completed in July 1930. The task of proucing said Chassis however, was handed over to AB Landsverk, which had it’s background in the construction of railway carriages, elevators and even pumping stations. By June 1931, the chassis for the armoued car was completed (See image below):
Note: The Pansarbil fm/29 has two stearing wheels, meaning it can drive up to 60km/h in both directions.
However, at the same time as AB Landsverk was done with the Chassis. The construction/production of the armoured protection and hull of the vehicle was being made at the Manufacture Department of the “Artilleridepartementet”. This armored body consisted of riveted plates (or regular industry steel) with a thickness of around 4-6mm. Bofors also helped with the design by giving the armoured plates angles in order to improve the overall protection. The wheels of the armoued car was also protected by the riveted plates. However, before the production of the hull started. They’ve decided to place a mockup/prototype hull for the vehicle itself in order to adjust errors of the design. Once the hull and the chassis was completed in the summer of 1931, the mounting of the Hull onto the chassis was held at the Stockholm fabric station and by 1932 the vehicle was completed in Oskarshamn’s shipyard. In which it received it’s formal designation as: Pansarbil fm/29 (Landsverk designated the vehicle as: L-170), however it was also unoffically named as the “Paddan” (“The Toad”). Due to it’s abnormal design of the vehicle, many compared it as a glossy monster than a actual armoured car.
Mockup/Prototype hull placed over the Chassis.
Despite the criticism of it’s design in terms of appearance, it was a advanced counstruction at it’s time. In order for the Pansarbilen fm/29 to achive the main requirements set by the Armed forces. The armoured car had a 4-wheel drive and included two driver seats. One for the forward wheel and one for the rear wheel, it was also given a special gearbox and had two different set of controls. The reasoning for this design was in the event of a collision with a object or getting stuck. You did not have to reverse or turn the vehicle around. Instead by using the “reserve gear” in the gearbox. It allowed the other driver to receive the control of the vehicle and therefor drive at the same speeds in “reverse” as if you were before the collision. Inside of the protective hull, there were two additional spare wheels which are connected to the Chassis. Which could be used as extra protection for the crew against incoming small arms fire. Alternatively and the main purpose assisting the vehicle with obstacles, in the event the vehicle is driven off-road/rough terrain. So that the chassis of the vehicle does not get stuck in the terrain. The Pansarbil fm/29 is powered by a Scania-Vabis six cylinder engine with a output of 85hp (Horse Power) and were placed at the rear of the vehicles chassis alongside with 3 engine heat sinks. There were also two additional smaller heat sinks above the engine.
The Armament of the Pansarbil fm/29 is consisted of one 37mm “Marin Kanon m/1898 B”, which was mounted at the front of the vehicle. However, due to how the cannon was positioned at front of the hull. Rather than placing it at the vehicles turret. Gave way for a reduced targeting field for the cannon and made it generally harder to aim for the gunner. As you’ll have to use the entire vehicle to aim and adjust the cannon (Similary to the turretless tank destroyers). Additionally, there were also two water-cooled machine guns with the designation: “Kulspruta m/14-29”. One being mounted at the rear of the vehicle and one being mounted ontop the octagonal turret. Allowing the vehicle to have protection against infantry from the sides and rear.
There were only one Pansarbil fm/29 which was ever produced. Due to the advanced construction and design of the vehicle. Made the cost of production very high and became apparent during the design and construction of the chassis. The total cost of the project and production of the vehicle was around 50 thousand SEK (1.5 Million SEK in today’s value), which was already way too high cost and Sweden could not afford to produce more armoured cars in the design they’ve made. Another reason was the design became obsolete after just a couple of years, due to large size of the car and the heavy weight along with it. The Pansarbil fm/29 was phased out of service in around 1945-1946 and resides today in the tank Museum: Arsenalen, where it is displayed for everyone to see.
Weapons mounted onto the Pansarbil fm/29:
37mm Marinkanon m/1898 B:
6.5mm Kulspruta m/14-29:
Specifications:
| Pansarbil fm/29 (L-170) | |
|---|---|
| Crew: | 4-5 crew members |
| Weight: | 7,5 ton |
| Length: | 5,43 m |
| Height: | 2,46 m |
| Width: | 2,33 m |
| Clearance height: | 0,30 m |
| Engine: | 85 hp (2000 rpm) 6-cyl Scania-Vabis engine |
| Fuel tank: | 95 liter |
| Speed: | 60 km/h in both directions |
| Max Range: | 100 km |
| Cannon: | 1 x 37 mm marinkanon m/1898 B |
| Secondary armaments: | 2 x water-cooled 6,5 mm kulspruta m/14-29 |
| Armor: | 4 - 6 mm Riveted armor plates (industrial steel) |
| Number in service: | 1, 1930-1945 |
Sources:
http://www.ointres.se/pansarbil_fm_29.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sduTAed8HTs&pp=ygUQUGFuc2FyYmlsIGZtLzI5IA%3D%3D
