Leichttraktor

Leichttraktor VK-31
Profile of the Leichttraktor
Type	Light tank
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
In service	1930
Used by	Germany
Wars	Second World War
Production history
Designed	1929-1933
Manufacturer	Krupp, Rheinmetall
Produced	1930
Number built	4
Specifications
Weight	Krupp: 8.7 tonnes (9.6 short tons) Rheinmetall: 8.96 tonnes (9.88 short tons) (Rheinmetall)
Length	Krupp: 4.35 m (14 ft 3 in) Rheinmetall: 4.21 m (13 ft 10 in)
Width	Krupp: 2.37 m (7 ft 9 in) Rheinmetall: 2.26 m (7 ft 5 in)
Height	Krupp: 2.35 m (7 ft 9 in) Rheinmetall:2.27 m (7 ft 5 in)
Crew	4 (commander, driver, radio operator, and loader)

Armor	riveted and welded steel
Main armament	One 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/45
Secondary armament	7.92×57mm Mauser MG 13 machine gun
Engine	Daimler-Benz M36 six-cylinder liquid-cooled gasoline engine. 100 hp (75 kW)
Suspension	Krupp: Coil spring (Krupp) Rheinmetall: Leaf spring
Operational range	137 km (85 mi) on-road
Speed	30 km/h (19 mph)

The Leichttraktor (VK-31) was a German experimental tank.

After the First World War, Germany was restricted in military development by the Treaty of Versailles but a secret program under the name cover "Traktor" was developing armoured military vehicles and artillery. Its engine was in the front, and the turret was rear-mounted. Both Rheinmetall and Krupp produced prototypes, and in 1928, Rheinmetall was awarded the order of 289 tanks; however, the order was cancelled. ^[1] Krupp models had coil spring suspensions, while Rheinmetall had leaf spring suspensions.

The Germans tested the tank in the Soviet Union under the Treaty of Rapallo – agreed between the USSR and Germany in 1922 under high secrecy and security. The testing facility used from 1926 to 1933 was Panzertruppenschule Kama, located near Kazan in the Soviet Union.

The location was a joint testing ground and tank training ground for the Red Army and Reichswehr. It was codenamed "Kama" from the words Kazan and Malbrandt because the testing grounds were near Kazan and Oberstleutenant Malbrandt was assigned to select the location for testing.

Leichter Traktor ("Light tractor") was a cover name for all three light tank designs produced there.^[2] In the early years of World War II, it was used as a training tank.

References

Peter Chamberlain & Hilary Doyle (1999). Sterling, ed. Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two. ISBN 1854095188.

Interwar tanks

List Category

Tankettes	L3/33 L3/35 Carden Loyd Morris-Martel T-27 TKS Type 92 tankette Type 94 tankette Type 97 Te-Ke Tančík vz. 33 AH-IV

Light	H35 R35 Fiat 3000 Leichttraktor Light Tanks Mk I–V Light Tank Mk VI Light Tank Mk VII M1 Combat Car M2 Light Tank Panzer I Panzer II LT vz. 34 LT vz. 35 LT vz. 38 T1 Light Tank T7 Combat Car T-18 T-19 T-26 T-37 T-38 7TP Type 95 Ha-Go Vickers 6-Ton Vickers-Carden-Loyd Light Amphibious Tank

Medium	Char D1 Char D2 Grosstraktor Medium Mk I Medium Mk II Medium Mk III Panzer III T-24 T-28 Type 97 Chi-Ha Type 97 Chi-Ni Type 98 Chi-Ho

Cavalry, Cruiser or Fast	AMC 34 AMC 35 AMR 33 AMR 35 BT tank Cruiser Mk I Cruiser Mk II Cruiser Mk III SOMUA S35

Infantry	FCM 36 Infantry Mk I, Matilda Renault R35 T-26 Type 89 I-Go

Heavy	Char B1 Neubaufahrzeug SMK T-35 T-100 Type 95 Heavy Tank Vickers A1E1 Independent

Super-heavy	FCM F1 Char 2C T-42

Armoured Carriers	UE Chenillette Bren Gun Carrier

History WWI Interwar WWII Cold War Tank

German armoured fighting vehicles of World War II

Tanks	Panzer I Panzer II Panzer III Panzer IV Panther Tiger I Tiger II Panzer 35(t) Panzer 38(t)

Self-propelled artillery	Wespe 10.5cm leFH18(Sf) LrS 15cm sFH13/1 (Sf) LrS Sturmpanzer I Sturmpanzer II Grille Hummel Panzerwerfer 42 Wurfrahmen 40 Karl-Gerät

Assault guns	StuG III StuG IV StuH 42 StuIG 33B Brummbär Sturmtiger

Tank destroyers	Panzerjäger I Marder I II III RSO/PaK 40 Nashorn Elefant Jagdpanzer IV Hetzer Jagdpanther Jagdtiger

Half-tracks	Maultier SdKfz 2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 250 251 252 253 254 sWS

Armored cars	Kfz 13 Sdkfz 221/22/23 Sdkfz 231/32/33/34/63 SdKfz 234 Sd.Kfz. 247 ADGZ

Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns	Flakpanzer I Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen Wirbelwind Ostwind Kugelblitz Flakpanzer 38(t)

Demolition vehicles	Leichter Ladungsträger Mittlerer Ladungsträger Schwerer Ladungsträger

Prototypes	Maus Entwicklung series Leichttraktor Panther II Heuschrecke 10 Neubaufahrzeug Sturer Emil 10.5 cm K (gp.Sfl.) Pz.Sfl. II Flakpanzer Coelian Kugelpanzer VK 4501(P) VK 4502(P)

Proposed designs	Panzer III/IV Löwe Panzer IX Panzer X Ratte Monster VK 1602 Leopard Gep. MTW Kätzchen VK 4502(P) VK 20 series

German armored fighting vehicle production during World War II

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Leichttraktor

References

Further reading