Best/favorite WW2 Light tank

[Danielmellbin]

Well - light tanks are rarely discussed - people usually just drool over a shiny Tiger (myself included ). But the light were essential to armoured warfare - not only for recon - but also to fill in the gaps in the "poorer" armies.

Anyway - my choice is the Pzkw II - a mediocre machine that managed to hold its own against vastly superior tanks in France, Africa and Russia. Its followed closely by the Stuart (infantry-mower) and Pzkw 38(t) (the reasons Juha mentions).

 

[Juha]

I voted for
M24

and PzKw 38(t) a light tank which was able to substitute medium PzKw III in many German PzDs up to 1942. ie light tank with firepower of a medium tank in 1939-40 with a good mobility and reasonable protection.

Juha

 

[Mitya]

I vote T-70. Because no T-80.

 

[Bigxiko]

For me it's the Pzkw II

 

[starling]

had a look see,and went for the m24.i think he looks good.yours,starling.

 

[KrazyKraut]

Panzer 38(t) for me. The best light tank at the beginning of the war and capable up until 1942.

M24 is probably the best performance wise but it came too late and was kind of anachronistic anyways.

 

[Soren]

Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer, no doubt about it.

 

[Th!rdeye]

I just love the look of the Chaffe. Also it was a fast little bugger and did ok in the various battlefields.

 

[Soren]

The thing about the M24 Chaffee is that it weighes more than any other light tank and is close to the Panzer IV in weight actually, and the Panzer IV is both far better armed armoured, and so is the Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer which infact is 3 tons lighter than the M24 Chaffee.

 

[Juha]

Soren
JgPz 38(t) wasn't a light tank as its designation shows. A different kind of animal. A compact and effective A/T vehicle, I agree but the poll is on light tanks.

 

[Soren]

Eerr, it's lighter than the Chaffee by some 3 tons Juha...

 

[Danielmellbin]

Eerr, it's lighter than the Chaffee by some 3 tons Juha...

Yea - but its not a light tank - its not even a "tank"... Its a selfpropelled antitankgun...

 

[Soren]

Sorry Daniel but it is a tank, anything that is armoured, rides on tracks and carries a gun is a tank. There's a reason it's called a Jagdpanzer

As defined a tank is an armoured fighting vechicle on tracks, nothing more.

 

[Danielmellbin]

Sorry Daniel but it is a tank, anything that is tracked and with armour a gun is a tank. There's a reason it's called a Jagdpanzer

As defined a tank is an armoured fighting vechicle on tracks, nothing more.

true - whence the brackets I put on tank

 

[Soren]

Well then I don't see how it doesn't qualify if the Chaffee does ?

The Hetzer is lighter than the Chaffee you know, by some 3 tons.

 

[Danielmellbin]

Light tanks' purpose: recon and and occasional infantry support - rarely tank vs. tank combat. (some LTs where used in the medium tank role early in the war due to lack of tanks and/or lack of armoured warfare experience)

SP-AT's purpose: Destroying tanks

The hetzer would be a deathtrap as a recon vehicle - and recon was the main purpose of light tanks. It doesn't make sense to compare the hetzer to light tanks - rather with other TD's (Jagdpanther, Deacon, StuG's, SU's and so on...).

 

[Soren]

The Hetzer could was used as infantry support as-well.

As for recon work, well do you need a 75mm cannon for that ? No, it is then better to have a fast firing 20 - 40mm auto cannon and some MG's. The 75mm gun is too slow firing.

And ideal light recon tank would be the Pzkpfw. II Ausf.L Luchs with its 20mm KwK38 L/55 auto cannon firing at a very fast (for a cannon) 420-480 rpm, and then 2x MG-34's. It weighed a mere 13 tons and had a very fast 60km/h top speed. A much better recon vehicle than the M24 Chaffee.

 

[Danielmellbin]

The Hetzer could was used as infantry support as-well.

As for recon work, well do you need a 75mm cannon for that ? No, it is then better to have a fast firing 20 - 40mm auto cannon and some MG's. The 75mm gun is too slow firing.

And ideal light recon tank would be the Pzkpfw. II Ausf.L Luchs with its 20mm KwK38 L/55 auto cannon firing at a very fast (for a cannon) 280 rpm, and then 2x MG-34's. It weighed a mere 11 tons and had a very fast 60km/h top speed. A much better recon vehicle than the M24 Chaffee.

Yea - however - with only one remotecontrolled machinegun and very poor visibility it cannot have been a role it excelled at. All in all it was a tank detroyer not a light tank - same as a Jagdpanzer IV was not medium tank or a Jagdtiger was not a heavy tank.

On the other point - yup - that was my primary reason for choosing the pzkw II - but people might argue that the Pz38t and Chaffee would be more likely to get out of a run in with enemy armour.

 

[Soren]

Yea - however - with only one remotecontrolled machinegun and very poor visibility it cannot have been a role it excelled at. All in all it was a tank detroyer not a light tank - same as a Jagdpanzer IV was not medium tank or a Jagdtiger was not a heavy tank.

Don't you mean a tank destroyer but not a light support tank ?

Otherwise we agree, infantry support was not a role it excelled at, it was designed purely to combat tanks, which is very apparent when one looks at it.

On the other point - yup - that was my primary reason for choosing the pzkw II - but people might argue that the Pz38t and Chaffee would be more likely to get out of a run in with enemy armour.

Considering the very thin armor protection of the Chaffee, that would be highly unlikely. A Pzkpfw.III with a 50mm L/60 gun would easily turn knock it out at most distances, and the most numerous German tank, the Pzkpfw.IV, would blow it to smithereens with a single shot at any distance really.

 

[timshatz]

Go with the Chaffe. Did what it was designed to do and was very heavily armed to do so. Also very fast and reliable. Never meant as an MBT or even a medium, it was designed from the start to be a recon tank.

Shoot and scoot type of tank. If it's hanging around to get in a gun fight with another tank, somebody screwed up big time.