Pre WWII Czechoslovakian military photos - help needed!!

**Pioneer** · 26 Dec 09,, 11:29

Hello gents
Hoping you all had a great Christmas!!

I have been sent photos, by a mate who said that they were of Czechoslovakian military origin(pre-Nazi German annexation).
I am after the names/designation of these vehicles/weapons if you know them please!

Photo No.1
Purposeful and capable looking 6x6 truck?

Photo No.2
What looks like a well designed and capable looking towed howitzer (I'm guessing 140-150mm??)

Photo No.3
An interesting combination of a anti-tank/field artillery gun and its gun tractor being transported on its purpose-built(?) transport truck.

Photo No.4
Another type of purposeful and capable looking truck

Photo No.5
What looks like 'As per Photo No.3' - but dismounted and deploying (note transport trucks in the rear of photo!!)

'More to follow over'!

Thanks in advance
Pioneer

**zraver** · 26 Dec 09,, 16:06

.5 Briefeld-Daneck Light 25/30 artillery tractor

**BD1** · 26 Dec 09,, 19:00

1. Tatra T93?
2. Skoda K-series 149mm. ?

**Andrey Egorov** · 27 Dec 09,, 12:24

I would consider this a sabotage

**Andrey Egorov** · 27 Dec 09,, 12:32

Almost Studebaker

**Pioneer** · 28 Dec 09,, 07:18

Thank you gents for your time and help!!!

I find it somewhat strange that with the Nazi-German occupation of Czechoslovakia and their vastly intact indigenous military industry, that the likes of these capable looking Tatra trucks were not mass production - as opposed to the myriad of commercial type trucks that the Germans insisted on using and continuing to produce.
For it has to be one of the most common knowledge of deficiencies of the Wehrmacht - its lack of adequate trucks and its ability to supply its advancing units.
I have not seen the likes of these Czechoslovakian truck in Wehrmacht service before books, documentary's etc............(not saying that they did not use them?)- apart from the likes of the 'Opel Blitz', 4x2 and later 4x4's, surely the likes of the Tatra 4x6 (or were they 6x6?) would have given far better cross-country mobility, with a lower ground pressure/footprint?

I have always thought it ironic how the likes of the German's could be so far sighted when it came to tactics and weapon systems - and yet failed to produce an adequate and unique range of trucks to mach and support! (better for all they didn't I guess!!!!)

P.S. Andrey Egorov -
That Skoda RSO looks a monster - although its steel wheel makes it look something from WWI
Was it a artillery tractor of sorts or specifically for cross country????

Regards
Pioneer

**BD1** · 28 Dec 09,, 19:40

Tatra 92 and especially heavy Tatra 111 were used in numbers by Wehrmacht, but i´m not sure how big were the factory production capacities

**Andrey Egorov** · 28 Dec 09,, 20:57

Pioneer, I don't really know the purpose of Skoda RSO, neither I know was it designed by german specifications or Czech developed it by their own initiative.
I heard the thing was intended to be universal all-terrain tractor, but it was overweighted, slow due to weak engine and no suspension, and lacked off-road mobility on eastern front - it sank in weak grounds which prevail here.
And it was costly to produce, for example the wheels were milled - and it was cost-reducing, original "spring-wheels" were even more expencive

**Blue** · 01 Jan 10,, 23:21

I think BD1 is correct. This looks like a Škoda Model 37 (K4) 149mm howitzer. It was introduced into service right before the German occupation, as the
"15 cm hrubá houfnice vz.37." After the occupation, it was produced for the German Army as the "15cm sFH 37(t)."

The Škoda RSO is not the proper model designation, but is, rather a descriptive term for the Radschlepper Ost (wheeled transporter for use in the East) made at the Škoda Works. The Germas had other RSOs. This actual model is Porsche 175, designed by Porsche for use on the Eastern Front. The steel wheels were supposed to help traction in the frozen mud. It was not a successful design, and perhaps 100 were put into service, but few in the East.