Strv 103C: inside the Swedish know-how
History The Strv 103C began around 1956 when Swede Sven Berge came up with the idea of a reckless machine. As planned by the engineer, the gun was to lose mobility, and the role of the tower was to be performed by itself tank... Berge's car was equipped with an automatic loader and did not need a loader. However, such mechanisms were not reliable at that time. It was decided to fix the gun vertically and horizontally, thanks to which it was precisely aligned with the automatic loader. It also made it possible to set the cannon a little deeper for better balance. The result is a small and well-protected vehicle.
The Strv 103C weighs about 40 tons. The 40 mm thick upper frontal part is positioned at a 12 degree angle. Behind it you can see the observation devices of the mechanic-gunner and the commander, an external mount for an anti-aircraft machine gun, 2 launchers and additional lighting shells on the hatch of the mechanic. There is also a cooling system. The lower armor plate, 50 mm thick, is tilted even more. In addition, for greater protection, a dozer blade was additionally installed on some machines.
The self-propelled gun is quite accurate and powerful, but protrudes slightly relative to the front border of the hull. UVL are +11 and -11 degrees. There is also a special support. It is not physically connected to the cannon, but it reduces its vibrations when moving. Closer to the front of the housing, you can see the clamping sleeve. With its help, a canvas screen was attached, which wrapped around the gun and protected it from moisture during crossings.
On the hull of the tank, you can see a place for infrared and conventional headlights, and under the anti-slip coating - mounts for installing an anti-cumulative grille. On the left side, in the direction of the vehicle's movement, there is a large box for coaxial machine guns of 7,62 caliber, and on the right is a toolbox.
A closed hydraulic system is installed to lift the body. The car has a fairly short grip length and, accordingly, good handling. Considering that it has only 4 skating rinks on each side, this is not surprising. Meanwhile, the tank does not have a track tensioning system - thanks to the hydraulic suspension, the tension is automatically adjusted.
Several types of tracks were used for the Strv 103C: initially they were single-finger tracks with a width of 670 mm with 86 links, but then there were variants with wide and narrow pads that could be removed. In 1970, two-finger tracks with connecting strips began to be used for these tanks. The number of links was reduced to 61.
The gap between the rollers and the top of the hull is protected by a 30mm armor plate. It is also closed by additional fuel cans with a total volume of 396 liters. In addition to serving as fuel tanks, they serve as additional armor that can protect against a cumulative projectile.
Each of the 2 engine compartment covers weighs 400 kg. Under them are 2 engines (gas turbine on the left and diesel internal combustion engine on the right) and 2 transmissions. The Strv 103 is the first production vehicle with a turbine. It has a lot of power (780 hp with a turbine) with a relatively low weight and develops a speed of up to 50 km / h.
In the rear of the machine there are 2 boxes for things and tools. Below them are 2 projectile compartments. The right one holds 25 pieces, and the left one holds 20. There are also 5 additional shells for manual loading. At the very bottom is the access hatch to the charging tray.
For more details about the Strv 103C, its upgrades, crew positions, internal structure, as well as unique footage of the tank in motion, watch the video from Wargaming.
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