PoPa.34.I
| PoPa.34.I | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Type | Experimental tank |
| Manufacturer | Schroeter Traktoren |
| Model code | PoPa.34.I |
| Also called | PolsPanzer 1934 I |
| Production | 1934 (1 built) |
| Model years | 1934 |
| Designer | Ferdinand Schroeter |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Armoured fighting vehicle |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 25.2 L ten-cylinder |
| Transmission | 5 forward gears, 1 reverse |
| Propulsion | Tracked |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 6.0 m (chassis) |
| Width | 2.0 m (chassis) |
| Curb weight | 27.919 tonnes |
| Armament and protection | |
| Crew | 4 |
| Main armament | 98 mm Polsbreker-I-32 cannon |
| Armour | 5–250 mm |
| Suspension | Torsion-bar |
| Fuel capacity | Approximately 1,187 L |
| Chronology | |
| Era | Vader Era |
The PoPa.34.I (PolsPanzer 1934 I) was a Dutch experimental tank designed by Ferdinand Schroeter and manufactured by Schroeter Traktoren in 1934. Only one prototype was built, and its whereabouts remain unknown. Some historians have suggested that it was used on the Eastern Front in 1941, although this has never been confirmed.
Design and development
[edit | edit source]Schroeter Traktoren built the PoPa.34.I in 1934 as part of its experimental tank development. The vehicle weighed 27.919 tonnes and had a crew of four, with two positions in the hull and two in the turret. Its chassis measured 6 metres in length and 2 metres in width.
The tank carried a 98 mm Polsbreker-I-32 cannon, a gun design dating from 1932. Unlike the fully rotating turrets of earlier Pantserrupsmerg models, the PoPa.34.I had a limited traverse of 95 degrees to either side. The cannon could elevate to +20 degrees and depress to −10 degrees.
Most of the hull armour ranged from 5 to 25 mm, although some sections were considerably thicker. The surviving design records armour settings of up to 110 mm on additional structures and 250 mm on parts of the turret.
The PoPa.34.I used a 25.2-litre ten-cylinder engine with an intended operating range of 1,000–2,000 rpm. It had five forward gears and one reverse gear, with a final-drive ratio of 10:1. Its torsion-bar suspension supported tracks measuring 708 mm in width. Two fuel tanks provided a calculated combined capacity of approximately 1,187 litres.
Fate
[edit | edit source]The fate of the sole PoPa.34.I remains uncertain. Some historians have suggested that German forces acquired the tank following the occupation of the Netherlands and deployed it on the Eastern Front in 1941. However, no confirmed records establish that it entered German service or was sent to the front.
The prototype's final whereabouts are unknown.