Stridsvagn 74

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Stridsvagn 74

Strv 74 at the military history museum in Boden.
Type Tank
Place of origin Flag of Sweden Sweden
Service history
In service 1958 - 1984
Production history
Variants 74 H, 74 V
Specifications
Weight 26 tonnes
Length 6.08 m
7.93 m (including gun)
Width 2.43 m
Height 3.00 m
Crew 4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader)
Armor  ?
Primary
armament		 7.5 cm kanon strv 74
Secondary
armament		 2×8 mm ksp m/39 strv
Engine Gasoline, 2×Scania-Vabis 607
170 hp (127 kW) each
Power/weight 13.08 hp/tonne
Suspension Torsion beam suspension
Operational
range		  ?
Speed 45 km/h

Stridsvagn 74 (strv 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.

[edit] 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 103. 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 fixed coastal artillery in Sweden.

Strv 74 at the American Armored Foundation Museum in Danville, Virginia. This is the only Strv 74 in the Western Hemisphere.
Strv 74 at the American Armored Foundation Museum in Danville, Virginia. This is the only Strv 74 in the Western Hemisphere.
Rear view of Strv 74 at the AAF Museum.
Rear view of Strv 74 at the AAF Museum.

[edit] Versions

Strv 74 was available in two almost identical versions, strv 74 H and strv 74 V, the only difference being the transmission. The H version was based on the strv m/42 TH, and the V version was based on the strv m/42 TV.

[edit] References

Print
  • Porat, Didrik von (1989). Svenska arméns pansar: den svenska stridsvagnsmaterielens historia. Stockholm: Armémuseum. ISSN 0280-7254
Online
  • Persson, Mats (2000). Pansarfordon. Retrieved 12 August, 2006.
  • (Swedish)Strv 74 from pansarmuseet.se
Languages