"The Cold War Main Battle Tank Panzer 68 (Pz 68)" Topic

" The Korean War (1950-1953) tied up major Western powers both logistically and politically leaving nations such as Switzerland to seek alternative avenues for modernizing their armored corps. Thus began an oft-overlooked Cold War-era indigenous tank initiative which produced the short-lived 38-ton Panzer 58 (Pz 58) appearing in 10 pre-production forms as well as two earlier prototypes. The series entered service in 1958 and was out in 1964 as thought gave way to a more refined form in the Panzer 61 of 1965. The Pz 61 was produced through 150 examples and these saw service into 1994. The 43-ton Pz 61 improved both the range and speed of the original Pz 58 and fielded the excellent British 105mm Royal Ordnance L7 rifled main gun to content with the latest in Soviet armor. All tanks were produced locally by Eidgenossische Konstruktionswerkstatte of Thun and powered by Mercedes-Benz diesel engines.

It was only natural for the series to be refined and improved yet again and this begat the Panzer 68 which saw design in the 1960s and produced the first pilot vehicle in 1968. Production then began in 1971 and spanned into 1983 to which 390 total units were delivered. These served the Swiss Army into 2003 before the line was formally replaced by German Leopard 2 Main Battle Tanks. The 45-ton Pz 68 retained the 105mm L7 rifled main gun and was now powered by an MTU 8-cylinder diesel engine. Performance included a top road speed of 34 miles per hour and an operational road range out to 120 miles. Armor protection remained Rolled Homogenous Armor (RHA) measuring some 120mm thick at critical facings. Pz 68 models directly succeeded the Pz 61 line…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Looks like the Pz. VII Lowe and T55 hybrid …

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It had to be narrow enough to negotiate winding Alpine roads.

A vismod one appeared as a Pzkpfw III in the film ENEMY AT THE GATES.

Thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand

Good to know !