PoPa.38.II
| PoPa.38.II | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Type | Tank |
| Manufacturer | Schroeter Traktoren |
| Model code | PoPa.38.II |
| Production | 10 built |
| Designer | Ferdinand Schroeter |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Armoured fighting vehicle |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 19.5 L ten-cylinder |
| Transmission | 8 forward gears, 1 reverse |
| Propulsion | Tracked |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 6.0 m (chassis) |
| Width | 1.946 m (chassis) |
| Curb weight | 36.712 tonnes |
| Armament and protection | |
| Crew | 4 |
| Main armament | 98 mm Polsbreker-I-32 cannon |
| Armour | 5–50 mm |
| Suspension | Torsion-bar |
| Fuel capacity | Approximately 497 L |
| Chronology | |
| Era | Vader Era |
The PoPa.38.II was a Dutch tank designed by Ferdinand Schroeter and manufactured by Schroeter Traktoren. Ten were built, and the type was used by German forces on the Western Front during the Second World War.
Design and development
[edit | edit source]The PoPa.38.II followed the earlier PoPa.34.I, retaining its 98 mm Polsbreker-I-32 cannon while introducing a revised hull and turret. The tank weighed 36.712 tonnes and had a crew of four. Its chassis measured 6 metres in length and 1.946 metres in width.
Unlike the PoPa.34.I, which had a limited turret traverse, the PoPa.38.II had a fully rotating turret with a ring diameter of 1,650 mm. The cannon could elevate to +20 degrees and depress to −10 degrees. Armour thickness ranged from 5 to 50 mm, with 25 mm plates covering much of the main hull.
The tank used a 19.5-litre ten-cylinder engine with an intended operating range of 1,000–2,300 rpm. Its transmission had eight forward gears and one reverse gear. The torsion-bar suspension supported steel tracks measuring 631 mm in width, while two fuel tanks provided a calculated combined capacity of approximately 497 litres.
German service
[edit | edit source]Schroeter Traktoren manufactured ten PoPa.38.II tanks, which were used by German forces on the Western Front during the Second World War.