Landsverk L181
| Landsverk L-180 | |
|---|---|
Landsverk L-180
|
|
| Type | Armored car |
| Place of origin |
 Sweden
|
| Service history | |
| In service | 1933-1980s |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | AB Landsverk |
| Manufacturer | AB Landsverk |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 7,825 kg (17,251 lb) |
| Length | 5.86 m (19.2 ft) |
| Width | 2.24 m (7 ft 4 in) |
| Height | 2.28 m (7 ft 6 in) |
| Crew | 5 — commander, driver, gunner, artilleryman and loader |
|
|
|
| Armor | 9mm front and sides, 5mm top, 15mm turret |
|
Main
armament |
Bofors 37 mm or Madsen 20mm |
|
Secondary
armament |
2 × Madsen 7.7mm |
| Engine | Büssing-NAG L8V V8-cylinder petrol (L-180) 180 hp |
| Transmission | 3-speed gearbox |
| Fuel capacity | 120 liter |
|
Operational
range |
288 km (179 mi) |
| Speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
The Landsverk L-180, L-181 and L-182 are a family of armored cars developed by the Swedish company AB Landsverk during the interwar years. They had a good international reputation for being fast, robust and reliable and were acquired in small numbers by Denmark, Estonia, Ireland and the Netherlands, among others.
The different variants were similarly configured, but were built on different chassis; Büssing-NAG, Mercedes-Benz and Daimler-Benz truck chassis. (See Operators)
These vehicles were also similarly armed, most commonly with a Bofors 37 mm or 20 mm Madsen but was also manufactured with other similar guns. The only exception, Finland, bought one L-182 and armed it with a 13.2 mm L-35/36 machine gun. (See Operators)
In the same way, as several different chassis were used, different engines were also used, and where the make of the engine is known, they were manufactured by the same company as the chassis. (See Operators)
2 x 7.62 mm L-33/36 machine gun and
1 x 7.62 mm Maxim AA machine gun
The two L-180 ordered in 1935 and delivered in 1936, were used by the Army Technical Corps of the Danish Army under the designation FP-7 and FP-8.
The only L-180 was acquired by Estonia in 1937, were used by the Tallinn Police.
The L-182 was bought for testing in 1936, it was used by the armored unit of the Ratsuväkiprikaati (English: Cavalry Brigade) and saw limited service in the Winter War. Next, the armored unit of 1. Divisioona (English: 1st Division) employed it, in the Continuation War in 1941, already with the original 13.2 mm L-35/36 machine gun replaced by the 20 mm L-39 anti-tank rifle, conversion made approximately in December 1940. It seems that the armored car was out of service in late 1941 and was scrapped in 1945.
Ireland ordered its first two Landsverk L-180s in 1937 and these were delivered the following year. Six more were then ordered and they were delivered in 1939. A further five were ordered but could not be delivered because of the outbreak of World War II, these five were used instead by the Swedish army. Irish Landsverk L-180s where armed with a Madsen 20mm Cannon and two Madsen .303 Machine Guns. The Madsen machine guns where replaced with .30 Browning machine guns in the 1950s and the 20mm cannon was replaced in the 1970s with Hispano-Suiza 20mm cannons take from former Irish Air Corps De Havilland Vampire jets. In the 1950s the Landsverks engines were replaced with 5,195cc Ford V8 type 317 petrol developing 155 hp at 3,200rpm. All Irish Landsverks belonged to the 1st Armoured Squadron and used alongside the Irish built Leyland and Dodge Armoured Cars until they re-equipped with Panhard AML armoured cars in 1972. The Landsverks were then transferred to the reserve FCA units, five going to the 11th Motor Squadron and three to the 3rd Motor Squadron until they were all retired in the 1980s.
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Wikipedia