- Yes
- No
Introduction
Almost 10 years after the Strv 74 entered service, studies were conducted with mounting Robot 52 (Rb 52) ATGMs, which is just the Swedish army’s designation for the French SS.11. This was possibly done around the same time that a Strv 81a would be tested with it as well. This tank is already in the game. Both tests were conducted with three Rb 52s mounted on the turret. The reasoning for this was to be able to engage heavy enemy armor at longer distances. Testing was done around 1965, judging by the fact that this was never adopted, I’ll assume the tests were not as satisfying as initially hoped. The tank used was Strv 74 H No. 701, which, in all fairness, could be added in its initial configuration without the ATGMs.
History
In the 1950’s, Centurion tanks would be ordered to be the new heavy tank for Sweden and thus replace the Strv m/42 variants that had been in use for around a decade. It was figured tho that these could still perform the role of a light tank, but the Strv m/40 and m/41 were able to perform that role better. Mechanically, the Strv m/42 had a few years left before it would need to be declared obsolete; simultaneously, the army was looking at acquiring AMX 13s as the new light tank. Sven Berge, an engineer for the Swedish army, would propose the idea of mounting a 7,5 cm cannon onto the Strv m/42 chassis and filling the role of the new light tank the Swedish army was looking for. After a bit of discussion, it was decided that two prototypes were to be built on two Strv m/42 TH chassis, one of these were Strv m/42 No. 701. The two prototypes were ready for trials in 1956, and some changes were deemed necessary for adaptation for serial production. Because of this, there are some noteworthy differences between No. 701 and the later Strv m/42 TH tanks that would be converted to Strv 74 H. There was an experimental muzzle brake used on No. 701 gun, which is hidden under the cover in the photo. Another giveaway is the railing on the middle of the turret’s side, which is longer and has a support in the middle, which production models lack. There is also no mounting for the three spare roadwheels that the production tanks would feature.
Strv 74 H No. 701 in 1957
Almost 10 years after Strv 74 H No. 701 was prototyped for the upgunning of the Strv m/42 chassis, it would once again be the face of experimentation. It was fitted with three Rb 52 ATGMs, two on the left side of the turret and one on the right. This was done to give the tank a way of engaging heavy enemy armor at long distances. Similar studies were carried out on a Strv 81a, where three Rb 52s were mounted on the right side of the turret for the same reason. For the Strv 74, this was done in 1965, and there is no documentation on how the trials went. But as it was neither adapted for the Strv 74 nor the Strv 81, it can be assumed that it was not as satisfactory as hoped. What happened to this tank after is not currently known, but it can be assumed that it was reverted to how it was before the installation of the ATGMs. The Strv 74s would be decommissioned in the 80s, the chassis were scrapped, and the turrets were placed as coastal defence turrets.
Specifications
Armor
Chassis
- Front: 55 mm
- Sides: 30 mm
- Rear: 20- 25 mm
Turret
- Front: 30 mm
- Sides: 20 mm
- Rear: 20 mm
Crew
- Commander
- Gunner
- Periscope, Sighting, AFV No.1
- Zoom / Field of View: 6× magnification
- Periscope, Sighting, AFV No.1
- Loader
- Driver
Armaments
Main armaments
-
7,5 cm kan strv 74
- Velocity: 840 - 1160 m/s
- Horizontal guidance: ±180°
- Vertical guidance: ±15°
- Amount of rounds: 45
- slpgr m/38 (APCBC)
- sgr m/38 (HE)
- slpprj m/49 (APDS)
-
Robot 52 ATGM
- Velocity: 220 m/s
- Guidance: Manual (MCLOS)
- Horizontal guidance: ±180°
- Vertical guidance: fixed launch angle
- Firing range: 3 km
- Amount of ATGMs: 3
Secondary armaments
- 1 × 8 mm ksp m/39 strv
- 1 × coaxially mounted
- Amount of rounds: 16 belts (4500 rounds)
- 1 × coaxially mounted
Mobility
Engine
- 2 × Scania-Vabis typ 607
- 2 × 170 hp @ 2300 rpms
- 340 hp in total
- 2 × 170 hp @ 2300 rpms
Transmission
- 2 × Lysholm-Smith Atlas-Diesel typ DF - 1,0
- Hydromechanical transmission
- 1 × Lysholm-Smith Atlas-Diesel typ TER - 1/1,81
- Planetary off-road gearbox
- Gears forward: 2
- Gears backward: 1
Speed
- Forward: 45 km/h
- Backward: 5 km/h
Weight
- Empty weight: 24 tons
- Combat weight: 26 tons
- Arboga Robotmuseum lists the weight of the Rb 52 at 40 kg; in-game, it has a weight of 30 kg. Estimated additional weight is potentially around 150 kg with launch rails and ATGMs installed.
Power-to-Weight
- 340 ÷ 24 ≈ 14,16 hp/ton
- 340 ÷ 26,15 ≈ 13,00 hp/ton
Sources
Rickard O. Lindström, Carl-Gustaf Svantesson. Svenskt Pansar 90 år av svensk stridsfordonsutveckling.
Didrik von Porat. Svenska arméns PANSAR.
KAFT - Stridsvagn 74 H med tillbehör / Stridsvagn 74 V med tillbehör, november 1963
Stridsvagn m/42 – Wikipedia
Stridsvagn m/42 - Wikipedia
Strv m/42
Stridsvagn m/42
stridsvagn m/42 – Swedish tank archives
Se produkter som liknar Nife kikare/sikte till strids… på Tradera (745071989)
Militaria - Hans Högman
Strv m/42 EH | War Thunder Wiki
Stridsvagn 74 – Wikipedia
Stridsvagn 74 - Wikipedia
strv 74 | gotlandsforsvarsmuseum.se
strv 74
strv 81-105 Centurion
Strv 74
Försök med AMX-13 i Sverige
Strv 74 | War Thunder Wiki
Stridsvagn 74 prototype, 1957 – Swedish tank archives
RB52 - Arboga Robotmuseum
File:Strv74wRb52.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPBldkL5Ckg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z56Z3wMLais&t
