38M Toldi

The Toldi was a Hungarian light tank of World War II, developed on the basis of the Swedish Landsverk L-60.

The Hungarian general staff wanted a modern light tank as soon as possible, after the domestically developed V-4 turned out to be too expensive by 1936 and work on it progressed slower than expected.

After a series of trials in 1937 with the V-4 and the Panzer I, the MÁVAG heavy industries decided to purchase the license of the L-60, with a prototype for further development.

The turret of the vehicle was then modified, making space for the radio and other devices, with a cupola being placed on top (since the L-60 was still unfinished and lacked in many necessary features).

[3] The hull would then be changed on the front, upper sides, and rear, to riveted plates instead of welded for faster and easier production, with the original Scania-Vabis 1664 engine being replaced by the German Büssing L8V.

The design was effective against Soviet light tanks widespread during the early stages of Operation Barbarossa, such as the obsolete T-26 and BT-5.

After 1942, it was clear that the light tanks in service around the world at that time were no longer suitable for offensive operations.

Two dozen A20 Toldis were used as command vehicles of the Nimród SPAA squadrons and Zrínyi assault gun companies.

Hungarian Toldi tanks on the Eastern Front