Volvo photos, Cars/Sweden, Konditori 100

'Volvo' m/42 EH - photos / Konditori 100

282 m/42 tanks were delivered to the Swedish army 1943-45. 57 of them were of the model m/42 EH, and these were from the late 1950s renamed as Ikv 73. (More info under the photos.)

Ikv73.

(I had saved these photos with the name ikv73, but wanted to write a little info about the vehicle on this page. But, the first info I found was not so clear so I looked in another book - and another too, and... I think it's a bit fascinating, so I'll tell you 'the whole story'.)

The Swedish company Landsverk had constructed the tank L 60 in the early 1930s. Two had been sold to Ireland, one to Austria, and a prototype and production license to Hungary (where they made over 200, used under the name Toldi - or Lago, according to other sources). In 1937 the Swedish army ordered 16 tanks, with Scania-Vabis petrol engines. These tanks, with for the time very modern construction, were delivered in 1938-39 and named m/38. These 16 tanks were the only tanks Sweden had until early 1941, that could be used against hostile armoured vehicles. Other tanks had just machine guns.

In 1941 Sweden needed to get more heavier tanks, and due to the situation the solution was to use the old L 60 as base. 100 strengthened tanks were ordered in late 1941, and were named m/42. In early 1942 another 60 were ordered, and these were to be produced by Volvo under license. Five of them should be powered by a new Volvo engine. The Volvo-powered tanks were named m/42 EH (where E stands for one ('en' in Swedish) engine, in difference to the Scania-Vabis powered tanks that had two ('två') engines and the letter T in the name). Mid 1942 another 10 EH were ordered from Landsverk and 42 from Volvo.

Around 1957-58 the 57 EH tanks were slightly modified and renamed ikv 73 and were to be used as infantry support tanks. (The other m/42 tanks were modified and became m/74 tanks.)

The ikv 73 were in service to 1965 - and one is now in Pansarmuseet in Axvall, Sweden.

In Hässleholms museum, 2002.

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