Landsverk L180, L181 and L182
Encyclopedia
The Landsverk L-180, L-181 and L-182 are a family of armored cars developed for the Swedish company AB Landsverk
on a Mercedes-Benz (L-181) and Büssing-NAG (L-180) truck chassis.
They had a good international reputation for being fast, robust and reliable and were acquired for use by Denmark, Estonia, Ireland and the Netherlands, among others.
Finland bought one L-182 and rearmed with a 13.2-mm L-35/36 machine gun. It saw limited service in the Winter War
and was scrapped after some use in the Continuation War
in 1941.
All were similar in configuration and armament. The latter could be a Bofors 37 mm
cannon or 20 mm Madsen. Units captured from the Danish and Dutch armies were used by the German army for reconnaissance tasks, patrol and training, being called Panzerspähwagen L 202 (h).
Ireland ordered its first 2 Landsverk L180s in 1937 and these were delivered the following year. 6 more were then ordered and they were delivered in 1939. A further 5 were ordered but could not be delivered because of the outbreak of the world war. These 5 were used instead by the Swedish army under the designation Pansarbil m/41. Irish Landsverk L-180s where armed with a Madsen 20mm Cannon and 2 Madsen .303 Machine Guns
. The Madsen machine guns where replaced with .30 Browning machine guns
in the 1950s and the 20mm cannon was replaced in the 1970s with Hispano-Suiza 20mm cannons
take from former Irish Air Corps
De Havilland Vampire jets
. In the 1950s the Landsverks engines were replaced with 5,195cc Ford V8 type 317 petrol developing 155 hp at 3,200rpm. All Irish Landsverks belonged to the 1st Armoured Squadron and used along side the Irish built Leyland
and Dodge Armoured Cars until they re-equipped with Panhard AML
armoured cars in 1972. The Landsverks were then transferred to the reserve FCA units, five going to the 11th Motor Squadron
and three to the 3rd Motor Squadron until they were all retired in the 1980s.
AB Landsverk
Landsverk was founded in 1872 as Firman Petterson & Ohlsen. It was a heavy industry, manufacturingrailroad cars, harbour cranes and agricultural machinery. It was located in Landskrona, Sweden.-Early days:...
on a Mercedes-Benz (L-181) and Büssing-NAG (L-180) truck chassis.
They had a good international reputation for being fast, robust and reliable and were acquired for use by Denmark, Estonia, Ireland and the Netherlands, among others.
Finland bought one L-182 and rearmed with a 13.2-mm L-35/36 machine gun. It saw limited service in the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
and was scrapped after some use in the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
in 1941.
All were similar in configuration and armament. The latter could be a Bofors 37 mm
Bofors 37 mm
The Bofors 37 mm gun was an anti-tank gun designed by Swedish manufacturer Bofors in the early 1930s. Licensed copies were produced in a number of countries. The gun was used by some European armies during World War II, mainly at the early stage of the war.-Development history:The gun was...
cannon or 20 mm Madsen. Units captured from the Danish and Dutch armies were used by the German army for reconnaissance tasks, patrol and training, being called Panzerspähwagen L 202 (h).
Ireland ordered its first 2 Landsverk L180s in 1937 and these were delivered the following year. 6 more were then ordered and they were delivered in 1939. A further 5 were ordered but could not be delivered because of the outbreak of the world war. These 5 were used instead by the Swedish army under the designation Pansarbil m/41. Irish Landsverk L-180s where armed with a Madsen 20mm Cannon and 2 Madsen .303 Machine Guns
Madsen machine gun
The Madsen was a light machine gun developed by Julius A. Rasmussen and Theodor Schoubue and proposed for adoption by Captain Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen, the Danish Minister of War and adopted by the Danish Army in 1902...
. The Madsen machine guns where replaced with .30 Browning machine guns
M1919 Browning machine gun
The M1919 Browning is a .30 caliber medium machine gun that was widely used during the 20th century. It was used as a light infantry, coaxial, mounted, aircraft, and anti-aircraft machine gun by the U.S. and many other countries, especially during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War...
in the 1950s and the 20mm cannon was replaced in the 1970s with Hispano-Suiza 20mm cannons
Hispano-Suiza HS.404
The Hispano-Suiza HS.404 was an autocannon widely used as both an aircraft and land weapon in the 20th century by British, American, French, and numerous other military services. The cannon is also referred to as Birkigt type 404, after its designer. Firing a 20 mm caliber projectile, it delivered...
take from former Irish Air Corps
Irish Air Corps
The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland providing support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as search and rescue and the Ministerial Air Transport Service...
De Havilland Vampire jets
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
. In the 1950s the Landsverks engines were replaced with 5,195cc Ford V8 type 317 petrol developing 155 hp at 3,200rpm. All Irish Landsverks belonged to the 1st Armoured Squadron and used along side the Irish built Leyland
Leyland Armoured Car
Leyland Armoured Car refers to four armoured cars built between 1934 and 1940 and which were used by the Irish army.-History:The first Leyland Armoured Car was built in 1934, and three more were built by 1940...
and Dodge Armoured Cars until they re-equipped with Panhard AML
Panhard AML
-Former Operators:: unknown number of AML-60s and AML-90s in service between 1960-1975.: 34 Eland 90s and Eland 60s in service with the Rhodesian Security Forces in 1979, passed on to successor state.-Trivia:...
armoured cars in 1972. The Landsverks were then transferred to the reserve FCA units, five going to the 11th Motor Squadron
62 Reserve Cavalry Squadron
The 62 Reserve Cavalry Squadron is an armoured unit in the Irish Reserve Defence Forces . It was formed in 2005 from the former 11 Cavalry Squadron FCÁ, 11 Motor Squadron FCÁ, 11 Cyclist Regiment FCÁ, and 41, 42, 43, 44 Cyclist Squadrons LDF....
and three to the 3rd Motor Squadron until they were all retired in the 1980s.