Light Tank V4
The Light Tank V4 was a Hungarian tank design of the interwar period. One of Nicholas Straussler's earlier armoured vehicle projects, though it progressed beyond prototype, was never mass-produced. A small amount of models were built, it had few variants. The V4 had a cross-articulated three-point suspension with leaf springs and rubber bogie rollers. The V4 was actually used experimentally to develop pontoon devices for ferrying purposes.
| V4 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Light tank |
| Place of origin | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Kingdom of Hungary |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1937 |
| Used by | Kingdom of Hungary |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Nicholas Straussler |
| Designed | 1937 |
| Produced | 1937 |
| No. built | Prototype only |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 9 t (8.9 long tons) |
| Length | 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in) |
| Width | 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Height | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Crew | 4 |
| Armor | 23/13/9 mm |
Main armament | 37M 40 mm gun |
Secondary armament | 34/37M 8 mm twin machine gun |
| Engine | Weiss-Mannfréd V-OHC petrol 133 kW |
| Suspension | leaf spring |
| Maximum speed | 45 km/h on wheels 32 km/h on tracks |
The V-4 was the upgraded version of the V-3, and the first Hungarian made tank that come into service. The V-3 had a problem with the suspension, which was resolved for the V-4. The newer model has also a more powerful engine that allowed it a greater speed. The new model tower has been stretched for the twin machine gun, also got a 40 mm cannon, and was able to carry a 4 crewmen.
By the time that it entered service in the end of 1937, work on the 38M Toldi and the Turán medium tank were already ongoing, and the V-4 was considered out-of-date.
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Bombay-Gyarmati-Turcsányi. Harckocsik (in Hungarian). Zrínyi Kiadó. ISBN 963-327-332-3.
Further reading
- J C M Probst. "Hungarian armour during WW2". Airfix Magazine (September 1976).