A trip to Arsenalen – The Swedish Tank Museum - Part 1 AFVs in Swedish use, WWII and before

I took my youngest son on a trip to Arsenalen- the Swedish tank museum last summer and I thought the pics I took there could be of interest. 
First time I’ve been there, strangely enough, as it is only a 50 minute drive from me.
I took a lot of pictures, as you could expect.
Due to the amount of photos I have decided to split this into four posts and they will be posted now and then within the next couple of weeks. Hope you like them.

Part 1 - AFVs in Swedish use, WWII and before - this post
Part 2 - AFVs in Swedish use, post WWII
Part 3 - softskins and guns in Swedish use
Part 4 - Foreign vehicles
I did miss a couple of vehicles, but that is a good reason for you to visit the museum :-)

Let's go inside, then.

A view from the top floor down on the WWII vehicles

A German LK II. 10 bought in 1922 and they served in the Swedish army under the name Strv  M/21. Some still served in 1939. (Strv = Stridsvagn = tank)

A Carden-Loyd Mk V, or Strv m/Carden-Loyd. Two bought for evaluation.

 Durned, I didn't take pics of the Renault NC 27 (Strv fm/28). Bought for trials and it seems to be the only one preserved in the world.

This is Landsverk L-30, or Strv fm/31. One built in 1931 for trials. Strange vehicle.

Landsverk L-170, or Pbil fm/29. Only one made as it was to expensive and too heavy. Armed with a 37mm gun and two machine guns. (Pbil = Pansarbil = Armoured car) 

A Czech CKD or Strv m/37. 48 bought in 37-39 and it is armed with two 8mm MGs.

Pbil m/31, an armoured lorry, armed with two machineguns/cannon and machinegun/from 1942 a 20mm automatic cannon and machinegun. You can see a sideshot in the pic before this one. 

Pbil M40 Lynx from Landsverk. A surprisingly modern-looking armoured car made between 1939 and 41. Armed with a 20mm  automatic cannon and 3 8mm machine guns. It had four-wheel steering and one driver in each end so it could drive top speed in both directions. A total of 30 made and in service until 1958.

L-60-S III or Strv m/40L from Landsverk. 100 were made between 1941 and 42. Armed with a 37mm gun and two 8mm machineguns. 20 were sold the the Dominican Republic in 1956 and saw action against US marines in 1965.

Strv m/42 by Landsverk. The only heavy tank in use by Sweden during WWII and produced between 1943 and  -45. 282 made and armed with a 75mm gun and two 8mm MGs. 

Scania-Vabis F11-0 or Tgb m/42. 300 made in 1942 to -46 and due to its looks it was called Likkistan (the coffin). They later became known as the KP-bil/KP-truck and was used by Swedish UN-troops in Congo and Cyprus. They were retired in 2005 after 60 years of service! I remember them well from my time in the army in the mid 80s. I didn't have to ride in them, though, and I'm glad for that :-) (Tgb = Terrängbil = terrain car)

Landsverk L60 or Strv m/38 built in 1938-39. Armed with a 37mm gun this was the first Swedish tank that could engage enemy tanks, and remained the only one with that capability until 1941. Only 16 built.

SAV m/43 made by Scania-Vabis. 18 made in 44-45 with a further 18 made in 46-47. Initially armed with a 75mm gun and later upgraded to 105mm. Used until 1973. (SAV = Stormartillerivagn = assault gun ) 

In 1939 Sweden ordered 90 TNH tanks from Czechoslovakia but with the German occupation they were confiscated and used by the Germans as PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf  S. 220 were licence-built in Sweden as Strv m/41 from 1942 to -44.

That's it for part one.

Finally, A warm welcome to new follower Phil Curran, with no blog I could find.