Chasing a swiss LTL-H (aka Pz 39). A near miss

[Massimo_Foti]

According to Vladimir Francev's book on CKD export light tanks (MBI Publications), there are five of these preserved. Four of them are pretty well know, and listed on Pierre-Olivier's PDF:

- Two tanks in Thun, one stored on the outside, and a runner stored inside.

- One in Full (in running order?)

- One in Sinsheim (Germany)

There was another one, Francev says it's in Solothurm, so I checked the local museum's website and they indeed mention they have one on the ground floor:
www.altes-zeughaus.ch/go.php?lang=e

After a 4 hours trip, I arrived in Solothurm, and the tank was missing!
It left Solothurm in early 2008 and it's now in Schaffhausen.

I was pretty disappointed at first, but at least I've got the opportunity to visit Solothurm's museum. It's hosted in an old building, dating back to 1600, used as city arsenal for a few centuries, a very cool location. It's an amazing place if you like old armory, but it also has some interesting swiss artillery from the 1850-1950 periods. Among other things I managed to take pictures of 7,5 cm Pak 1944, the gun used for Nahkampfkanone I and Nahkampfkanone II (both prototypes stored in Thun).

The only things related to the LTL-H still available in Solothurm were a postcard with a small picture of the tank and a 24 mm Panzerbuchse 41, the gun used in the tank. Note it's classified as "Panzerbuchse", basically anti-tank rifle, kind of what happened to 2.8 cm sPzB 41 in Germany.

I can post pictures of the guns if you want (is artillery allowed here?), but quality isn't great, because light was poor and flash not permitted

In the end I was back to my personal tank hunting, and reached Schaffhausen's museum website. I wasn't aware of it, since their website is only in german (a language I can't speak or read):
www.museumimzeughaus.c...=45&lang=1

From the above page I've got three very cool news:

1) They indeed have the LTL-H, and it's one of the original 12 tanks delivered by CKD, using a gasoline engine (later 12 were assembled in Switzerland, using a swiss, diesel, engine)

2) They also have a G-13, another beast not listed Pierre-Olivier's PDF or any other register I am aware

3) Both tanks are in running order!

I also got bad news, the Schaffhausen's museum opens just once a month, from april to october... That means 6 days a year! That's even worst than Cecchignola in Roma

Anyway, the hunt is still going on, I plan to visit Schaffhausen and find the beast. Will keep you updated. Hope to be back with good news and plenty of pictures

Massimo

[TrevorLarkum]

Very interesting - good hunting, Massimo! I look forward to hearing how you get on.

For artillery, there's a dedicated forum here:

www.com-central.net/in...forum&f=86

[the_shadock]

well Massimo, that's pretty good news !! thanks for this discovery.

How many of them are still hidden in some obscur buildings or private collections?

Very recently, I've heard of a private collection in Germany. It is located in Fürth, near Nurenberg.
Apparently, there are at least a Panzer IV, but I didn't see any picture of this museum yet. The owners of this private collection are willing to open a museum in the next few months or years..

P-O

[the_shadock]

- Massimo_Foti

2) They also have a G-13, another beast not listed Pierre-Olivier's PDF or any other register I am aware

Massimo,

after further researches, I've found that the G-13 at Schaffhausen is the registration number M-78029 which was already listed in my PDF file as belonging to the Thun Tank Museum (there was a picture in the PDF file). It was then donated to Schaffhausen in 2006, but I was not aware of that donation.

P-O

[Massimo_Foti]

Yeah, good catch! I can see a picture on the museum's website:
www.museumimzeughaus.c...3_ganz.jpg

I plan to try and be there very soon, stay tuned for additional pictures.

Massimo

[JeffStringer]

Good discovery Massimo!

Thanks for sharing it with us here!