Stridsvagn 74
Encyclopedia
Stridsvagn 74 was a Swedish
tank
in use with the Swedish Army
from 1958 to 1984. It was a modification of the older stridsvagn m/42
which was phased out of service in the 1950s. Instead of scrapping the vehicles altogether, the chassis were used to build a new tank which could be used as a supplement to the newly bought stridsvagn 101. The turret of strv 74 was completely new, with a 75 mm high-velocity gun based on an old anti-aircraft gun, engines and transmission were modified or changed from the strv m/42, broader tracks and a separate electrical engine for the turret rotation was introduced while retaining the manual control as a backup.
firm Landswerk for the Hungarian Army. The 74 was therefore in essence a modernized version of the World War II M/42 tank which was itself an attempt to bring Swedish-produced tanks up to the standard of the rest of war-torn Europe. It was most successful in this role.
Produced in 1958, weighing 39,700 kg/22.14-tons and powered by a Scania-Vabis
239 kW/320.5 hp diesel engine, the Stridsvagn 74 had a top speed of 45 kilometers per hour (28 miles per hour), and a range of 200 km/124.3 miles. With a crew of four, it mounted a 75mm/2.95in main gun and had three machine-guns in its updated turret, which was later further modified with a more sophisticated fire-control type system and an upgrading of the main armament to increase its velocity.
. It was then used in independent corps tank companies, and even later degraded to the infantry support role in assault gun companies before being phased out of service in 1981 (strv 74 V) and 1984 (strv 74 H). The turrets were retained and later used as static gun pillboxes, which were phased out and demolished in the early 2000s.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
in use with the Swedish Army
Swedish Army
The Swedish Army is one of the oldest standing armies in the world and a branch of the Swedish Armed Forces; it is in charge of land operations. General Sverker Göranson is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army.- Organization :...
from 1958 to 1984. It was a modification of the older stridsvagn m/42
Stridsvagn m/42
Stridsvagn m/42 was the first Swedish tank to have a 75 mm gun. It was known as Lago by AB Landsverk. It first entered service with the Swedish army in November 1941 and was designated the Stridsvagn m/42. It was a fully modern tank for its time. It was armed with a 75 mm L/34 gun...
which was phased out of service in the 1950s. Instead of scrapping the vehicles altogether, the chassis were used to build a new tank which could be used as a supplement to the newly bought stridsvagn 101. The turret of strv 74 was completely new, with a 75 mm high-velocity gun based on an old anti-aircraft gun, engines and transmission were modified or changed from the strv m/42, broader tracks and a separate electrical engine for the turret rotation was introduced while retaining the manual control as a backup.
History
The Stridsvagn 74's development path stretches through the Stridsvagn M/40 and M/42 to the original 16,257 kg/16-ton Lago tank, manufactured by the SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
firm Landswerk for the Hungarian Army. The 74 was therefore in essence a modernized version of the World War II M/42 tank which was itself an attempt to bring Swedish-produced tanks up to the standard of the rest of war-torn Europe. It was most successful in this role.
Produced in 1958, weighing 39,700 kg/22.14-tons and powered by a Scania-Vabis
Scania-Vabis
Scania-Vabis was a Swedish truck and car manufacturer. The company was formed from a merger of Scania with the firm of Vabis in 1911. The car production ended in 1929...
239 kW/320.5 hp diesel engine, the Stridsvagn 74 had a top speed of 45 kilometers per hour (28 miles per hour), and a range of 200 km/124.3 miles. With a crew of four, it mounted a 75mm/2.95in main gun and had three machine-guns in its updated turret, which was later further modified with a more sophisticated fire-control type system and an upgrading of the main armament to increase its velocity.
Use
Stridsvagn 74 was used as a main battle tank in the Swedish Army armoured brigades the first few years until it was replaced by stridsvagn 102 and 103Stridsvagn 103
The Stridsvagn 103 , or S-Tank , was a Swedish post-war main battle tank. It was known for its unconventional turret-less design, with a fixed gun traversed by engaging the tracks and elevated by adjusting the hull suspension...
. It was then used in independent corps tank companies, and even later degraded to the infantry support role in assault gun companies before being phased out of service in 1981 (strv 74 V) and 1984 (strv 74 H). The turrets were retained and later used as static gun pillboxes, which were phased out and demolished in the early 2000s.