Panserkampvogn m/39

The Panserkampvogn m/39 was Norway's attempt at making a tank too preceed the Panservogn m/35. The need for a heavier and better armed tank became a priority and the first prototype left the works at Forsvarsverkene in 1938, and production began in 1939.

The Panserkampvogn m/39 was designed to go up against heavier armored vehicles than the m/35 and was armed with a L/20,5 M/39 Mountain cannon that has been re-barreled from 75 to 65mm and lengthened the shell to provide more penetrative power against armored vehicles.

Able to take on all contemporary German and Swedish tanks from any side thanks to the cannon developed in conjunction with the British military mission. Although more heavily armoured than the Panservogn m/35 the m/39 was relatively lightly armoured for it's size, and vulnerable to the upgraded 50mm guns of the Panzer III as well as HEAT shells from the 75mm mounted on the Panzer IV and StuG III.

As the war raged on the m/39 served with destinction, but by 1943 it was becoming obvious that it's 65mm cannon was struggeling with the increasingly more armoured German tanks. As such it was decided that a new main gun was needed for the tank that by then made up a large part of the Norwegian armoured fighting force. Experiments began the same year and around new year 1943-44 a succesful model was made, armed with a new 80mm cannon developed jointly with the US Army work soon began refitting all avalible m/39's with the new 80mm.

Although its armour was by this time rather lackluster, it's good speed allowed it an upperhand against the increasingly heavier German tanks.