The Toldi was a Hungarian light tank of World War II, developed on the basis of the Swedish Landsverk L-60. It was named after the 14th century Hungarian knight Miklós Toldi. The Toldi was made in several different variants including some armed with a 20 mm gun, some armed with a 40 mm gun, some fitted with schürzen plates, and even a prototype tank destroyer variant armed with a 75 mm gun. At least one was even fitted with heavy anti-tank rocket launchers.

Development and production

The Hungarian general staff wanted a modern light tank as soon as possible, after the domestically developed V-4 turned out to be too expensive by 1936 and work on it progressed slower than expected.

Meanwhile, the Swedish AB Landsverk finished its recent development, the Landsverk L-60 in October, and was looking for a customer to cover the costs. After a series of trials in 1937-38 with the V-4 and the Panzer I, the MÁVAG heavy industries decided to purchase the license of the L-60, with a prototype for further development.

The turret of the vehicle was then modified, making space for the radio and other devices, with a cupola being placed on top (since the L-60 was still unfinished and lacked in many necessary features). The hull would then be changed on the front, upper sides, and rear, to riveted plates instead of welded for faster and easier production, with the original Scania-Vabis 1664 engine being replaced by the German Büssing-NAG L8V. In total, 202 units were produced.

Variants

  • 38M Toldi I (A20) - first variant armed with a 20 mm Solothurn anti-tank rifle, 80 made. The very first few Toldis received the older versions of 20 mm AT rifles with their sizeable magazines, so a small bump was formed on the turret roof to make it easier to insert the magazines. With the introduction of the new magazines, this became unnecessary and the other Toldis no longer had such "bump". At the beginning of the production (similarly to the Soviet and Italian armored vehicles of the time) there were many errors due to inexperience, so broken welds, armor cracks and casting errors in the track links were common.
  • 38M Toldi II (B20) - 110 made. This version was equipped with more reliable engines manufactured under license by Ganz instead of the imported Büssing-NAGs. Furthermore, the suspensions were improved with stronger torsion springs. These vehicles were extremely reliable (compared to the Soviet and German tanks of the time) and were able to achieve a service life of 7-8000 kms with one planned factory repair. These vehicles were fitted with a slightly increased turret, which provided better placement of the radio and slightly better comfort. With the help of the large emergency exit hatches, the crew could quickly leave the damaged tanks. The radios were also changed from R/5 radios with loop antennas to improved R/5a radios with stick antennas.
  • 42M Toldi IIA (B40) - modification developed in 1942, armed with the 40 mm 37/42M gun and a larger turret. In 1943, 80 Toldis in the best condition were equipped with the gun and the additional armor plates, increasing the frontal protection to 35mm (280 BHN!).
  • 43M Toldi III (C40) - improved variant with thicker armor, redesigned turret, increased ammo capacity and an upgraded drivetrain. Could mount perforated schürzen plates that were also tested on the Toldi IIA. According to recollections, 12 were made, but there is no written evidence of this, so it is possible that they were ordered and the production process had started, but never completed because of the bombing raids. At least one was fully completed however.
  • Toldi Páncélvadász ('Toldi tank hunter') - Toldi I hull with a German 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun in an open casemate. Only 1 prototype made since the Germans did not deliver the guns ordered and paid for due to the war situation.
  • Toldi II armed with heavy anti-tank rocket launchers - modified Toldi II with its gun removed and a twin mount for 44M Buzogányvető heavy anti-tank rocket launchers mounted on the rear of its turret. One photograph is known to exist of this variant, so at least 1 made.<gallery widths="200" heights="130">

File:Toldi IIa.jpg|42M Toldi IIA (B40)

File:Toldi IIa.png|Toldi IIA with additional side skirt/schürzen plates

File:Mkuz6Gm.png|Toldi Páncélvadász prototype in the courtyard of the Hungarian Institute of Military Technology (HTI) in the spring of 1944. This is the only known authentic photo of the prototype.

File:Toldi Pak 40.jpg|Toldi Páncélvadász model from the front

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Combat

thumb|left|293x293px|Hungarian Toldi tanks on the Eastern Front

The Toldi tanks first saw action with the Hungarian Army in the 1941 Invasion of Yugoslavia.

Survivors

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File:38M Toldi I (37179201784).jpg|The only surviving 38M Toldi I in Kubinka Tank Museum – it has been damaged and modified. The Toldi IIA can be seen in the background.

File:38M Toldi IIa ‘H501’ (37179204634).jpg|The only surviving Toldi IIA (H501) in Kubinka Tank Museum.

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Two Toldi tanks (one Toldi I and one Toldi IIA) are preserved on display at the Kubinka Tank Museum in Moscow, Russia. It can be seen that on the surviving 38M Toldi I the gun mantlet, guns, lights and rails have been modified or removed, and the right fender is damaged.

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File:Villány, Toldi tank 1941-ben az Ady Endre fasornál. Fortepan 71498.jpg|A 38M Toldi I in Villány, Hungary, 1941

File:Tank, Hungarian brand, soldier Fortepan 78326.jpg|alt=|A Toldi I in 1941

File:Aerial, insignia, tank, Hungarian brand, commercial vehicle, military Fortepan 72479.jpg|A 38M Toldi I on the move, 1943

File:Orczy-kert, Ludovika garázsok, MÁVAG gyártmányú 38M Toldi I könnyű harckocsi. Fortepan 29028.jpg|38M Toldi I with radio antenna folded down and hatches open, Budapest, Hungary, 1940

File:Mátyásföld, Újszász utca 41-43. Magyar Királyi Honvéd gépkocsiszertár udvara, MÁVAG gyártmányú Toldi könnyű harckocsik. Fortepan 72134.jpg|A Toldi tank in Budapest, Hungary, 1943

File:42M Toldi II harckocsi kezelőivel. Fortepan 12213.jpg|alt=|Toldi II with its crew, 1942

File:38M Toldi IIa 40mm.jpg|alt=|Toldi IIA prototype. It has many differences with production Toldi IIAs.

File:Fiat-brand, tank, Ansaldo-brand, workshop, szervíz, track, label, insignia, Italian brand, military, Hungarian brand Fortepan 72518.jpg|alt=|Toldi tanks undergoing maintenance in Hungary, 1943

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Notes

References

  • War Is Over - Russian Army Database