In the works II

Today we’re going to start in the land of lutefisk and lingonberries before turning to warmer climes. Both of our loyal readers may remember the Ikv 103, a very light assault gun that saw further service without the gun. The Pansarvärnsrobotbandvagn 551 deleted the 105mm gun in favor of a TOW missile launcher. About 50 vehicles were converted between 1984 and 86.

PvRbBv 551

A similar conversion created the Luftvärnsrobotbandvagn 701, armed with the RBS-70 laser guided SAM. Another 50 vehicles were converted in the mid 1980s. We’re going to produce both these vehicles with separate missile launchers that can be glued into a post hole in the troop compartment floor or friction fitted for safer stowage.

We wouldn’t have much of a Swedish product line without the famous BV 202 and 206 articulated cargo vehicles. Able to go just about anywhere, these vehicles served NATO arctic forces as well as many civilian applications. Our models will ship in two pieces, forward and rear, and can be glued or magnetized as you like.

On a warmer note, the post WW II US military decided that self-propelled artillery had worked too well to stick with improvised vehicles like the the M7 Priest and that purpose built vehicles were called for. This led to the M53 and M55, armed with 155mm and 8 inch howitzers respectively. While devastatingly effective, both versions were considered too heavy and short ranged (driving range, not firing range) and only served the Army from 1952 through the early 60s. M53s were converted to M55s and were replaced in the 1960s by the M109 (155mm) and M110 (8 inch) in Army service. The Marines continued to use M55s, most notoriously in Viet Nam, through about 1969, and many vehicles were exported to NATO nations as well as the Republic of China.

M55 Self Propelled 8 inch howitzer.

Since we’re doing artillery today, we’ll visit the land of schnitzel for some German firepower. The Germans had learned some hard lessons from both ends of rocket artillery and were quick to incorporate truck mounted multiple rocket launchers in the Bundeswehr. LARS brought 36 110mm rockets into action on a Magirus Jupiter 6x6 truck, or later a MAN 6x6. We’re going to produce both versions with a separate, traversable launcher that can be glued, magnetized or friction fitted.

LARS II

While the ubiquitous M109 had given good service, by the 1980s it was clear that something better was possible. In typical NATO fashion, a Eurogun project that would serve several nations was attempted, went over time and budget and predictably fell apart when different national requirements and visions proved incompatible. Germany switched to a home built solution in 1986 which surprisingly survived the end of the Cold War and finally entered production in 1996. The Panzerhaubitze 2000 has a 52 calibre 155mm gun with automatic everything: loading, magazine replenishment, laying, clearing, even loading separate primers. Our model has a fully traversable turret with separate gun that can be glued or friction fitted at any reasonable elevation.

PzH 2000

Another view

That’s all for today. We’ll be back soon with more tanks.