AH-IV | |
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![]() The original AH-IV prototype. It was different compared to the production vehicles of Romania, Sweden, etc., which had bigger turrets among other modifications. | |
Type | Tankette/light tank |
Place of origin | Czechoslovakia |
Service history | |
In service | 1934—85? |
Used by | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Wars | World War II, Eritrean War of Independence, Ethiopian Civil War, Ogaden War, 1982 Ethiopian–Somali Border War |
Production history | |
Designer | ČKD |
Designed | 1935—37 |
Manufacturer | ČKD, Malaxa |
Produced | 1936—39, 1949—50 |
No. built | 155 + 4 prototypes (Czechoslovakia) 46 (Sweden, Strv m/37) 1 (Romania, R-1) |
Variants | R-1, RH, Strv m/37, AH-IV-Hb, TACAM R-1 |
Specifications (Original AH-IV prototype[1]) | |
Mass | 3 tonnes (3.0 long tons; 3.3 short tons) |
Length | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) |
Width | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) |
Crew | 2 |
Armor | 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) |
Main armament | 1 x 7.92 mm (0.312 in) ZB vz. 35 heavy machine gun |
Secondary armament | 1 x 7.92 mm (0.312 in) ZB vz. 26 machine gun |
Engine | Praga AH 46 horsepower (34 kW) |
Suspension | leaf spring |
Operational range | 150 km (93 mi) |
Maximum speed | 40 km/h (25 mph) |
The AH-IV was a Czechoslovak-designed export armored fighting vehicle, classed as either a tankette or light tank,[2][3] used by Romania during World War II, but having also been acquired by neutral Sweden and Iran. Modified AH-IV versions were built under license by Romania (R-1) and Sweden (Strv m/37). The Romanian vehicles saw action on the Eastern Front from Operation Barbarossa to the Vienna offensive. Twenty vehicles were sold after the war to Ethiopia, who used them until the 1980s.