| This was probably the best light tank of its time period, and it is owes to its appearance to the Shah of Iran, who decided to rearm and to reorganize the
Iranian army in the middle 1930s. In early 1935 Skoda and CKD received an order from Iran for 100 tanks. The order was very large for the time. The
main designer at CKD was the engineer Alexander Surin, who had emigrated from Russia, his successful design solutions for tanks produced by
CKD were a notable success and made Czechoslovakia a main arms producer. CKD won the tender with what was effectively a paper design and in
September 1935 the prototype left the assembly shop for running tests. The running gear of the TNH was different but very effective. By November 1936
the order was completed and sent to the Iran. In the spring of 1938 negotiations began for the delivery to Iran of the next 200 tanks but eventually it was
stopped by the german invasion.
In 1938 a slightly modified version - the TNH-S, was adopted by the Czech army under the designation Lehky Tank vz.38.
30 countries expressed an interest in the TNH/TNH-S and the LT-38 in various versions were exported to a number of countries or manufactured
under licence.
In 1938-39 Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, and in March, 1939 150 unfinished LT-38 were confiscated and transferred to CKD in Prague for
completion. All of them were included in the German army as PzKpfw 38 (t) Ausf A - Sd. Kfz.140 and the tank became the most widely used of the
captured tanks in the German Army along with the Lt-35, and remained in production until June, 1942.
During the war PzKpfw 38(t) were exported and used by the allies of Germany: Rumania (50), Slovakia (90), Bulgaria (10) and Hungary (102). Some
were captured by the Red Army and were used in battle. Lastly in May 1945 PzKpfw 38(t), under the designation LT-38/37, were returned to
Czechoslovakia and was used by their army as a training tank until the beginning of 1950.
Approximately 1400 PzKpfw 38 (t) were released in 8 versions (Ausf A/B/C/D/E/F/S/G) with various modifications and with improved armour. All of them
were armed with Czech gun of 37mm Skoda A7 vz.38 [37mm KwK 38 (t) L/48]. The armour of early PzKpfw 38(t) was riveted but the later versions were
welded. Later the armour of early model PzKpfw 38(t) was improved and some were rearmed with German guns of 37mm KwK 35/36 L/46.5.
PzKpfw 38 (t) were used in the Polish campaign (3rd light division), in Norway (31st army unit), France (6th, 7th and 8th tank divisions), in the Balkan
campaign (8th tank division) and in the USSR (6th, 7th, 8th, 12th, 19th and 20th tank division). In a course of campaign in the USSR, the shortcomings of
the armour and armament rendered the PzKpfw 38(t) ineffective and, practically, useless. Eventually as they were returned for repair they were reworked
into various spg or tank destroyer versions. After 1942 any tank versions that remained were assigned to minor roles usually reconnaissance, rear area
security and the training of crews.
The usual german practice of adaptation of the chassis to various roles began with Marder III and Flakpanzer 38 (t). In 1942/43, after removal of the turret,
PzKpfw 38(t) were used as training machines for the drivers of tanks. These machines received the designationation PzKpfw 38 (t) Schulfahrwanne and
were used in training schools of the wermacht and NSKK.
Several PzKpfw 38 (t) were converted in flame throwing tanks by replacement of the hull machine-gun with a flame thrower, and fuel for them was fed
through a hose from a 200 litre tank trailer towed behind the tank. Also the prototype of the floating tank AP-1 was developed, but it was not placed in
production. In the beginning of 1942 15 PzKpfw 38 (t) nA (neuer Art) were made by BMM (CKD/Praga), but this version was not adopted for full-scale
production.
351 PzKpfw 38(t) turrets were used in German fortifications in Norway (75), Denmark (20), on western Atlantic coast (9), in Southwest Europe (150)
and Eastern Europe (78).
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