Following the German invasion of Czechoslovakia, the partially-assembled batch of 150 Lehký Tank LT vz. 38 were ordered to be completed by ČKD. To supplement Germany's Pz Kpfw III's, production was continued until 1942 as the Pz Kpfw 38 (t), with a total of 1414 tanks completed.
Although classified as a light tank, the Pz Kpfw 38 (t) was an important addition to Germany's tank force in the early years of World War 2, representing a significant portion of Germany's modern tanks in Poland and France. Although rivetted, rather than welded, the Pz Kpfw 38 (t) was a modern design in terms of armor and armament. Because of its narrow turret ring diameter compared to the Pz Kpfw III, however, it was not possible to install a larger gun. Thus, with the arrival of the Russian T-34 and KV-1, the Pz Kpfw 38 (t) was rendered obsolete.
As was the case with other obsolete German tanks, the reliable chassis of the Pz Kpfw 38 (t) continued to be used after production of the tank was ceased. The most common variants were:
Other designes, including a reconnaissance vehicle, were in trial production when the war ended.
| Pz Kpfw 38 (t) | |
|---|---|
| Crew | |
| Crew |
|
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 9.725 t |
| Length | 4.61 m |
| Width | 2.135 m |
| Height | 2.252 m |
| Armour | |
| Armour (range) | 8-30 mm |
| Performance | |
| Speed (max) | 42 km/h |
| Speed (road) | 35 km/h |
| Speed (cross-country) | 17 km/h |
| Engine | |
| Engine | Praga Typ TNHPS/II |
| Net h.p. | 125 |
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Displacement | 7750 cc |
| Armament | |
| Primary weapon | 37 mm Škoda A7 (1) |
| Secondary weapon | 7,92 mm ZB-37 (2) |
