Toldi light tank (options for I-II-IIa)

38M Toldi I (light tank A20), 38M Toldi II (light tank B20), 38M Toldi IIa (light tank B40)

Tank now comes with parts to make the 20mm armed Toldi I or II or the 40mm armed Toldi IIa.

The Toldi is an adaptation of the Swedish L-60 Landsverk light tank and was imported to Hungarian in 1937 by the MÁVAG Company with support from the Ministry of Defence. It was trialled against the Hungarian designed V-4 amphibious light tank built by the Manfred Weiss Company.

In trials it proved itself better than the V-4, which had a number of teething problems. A number of design changes were sought by the Army Staff before the L-60 could be adopted for production. They recommended that the steering, transmission, vision, ventilation and suspension all be improved.

The licences to produce the L-60 was purchased off Landsverk by MÁVAG and Ganz and the new tank was designated the 38M Toldi I light tank.

The ministry of defence ordered 40 from each company and production began in 1939.

Despite the Army Staff’s recommendations the Toldi design remained almost identical to the L-60 except the main armament was changed to the 36M 20mm Solothurn anti-tank rifle and secondary machine-gun became the 34/37AM.

The first 80 tanks were assembled in Hungary from Hungarian, Swedish and German parts, but production was entirely from Hungarian sources by 1941. After initial problems with production the first two tanks were delivered to the 2nd Motorised Rifle brigade in April 1940.

The Toldi II was produced from 1941 and differed in only the type of radio fitted, the Toldi I was fitted with the R-5 radio with a arched aerial, while the R-5/a radio of the Toldi II mounted a straight aerial.

By the end of 1942 190 Toldi I & II tanks armed with the 20mm gun had been produced. After extensive combat experience in Russia an upgrade and re-design program was started in 1943.

Technical Details

• Weight: 8.5 ton
• Crew: 3
• Engine: 155 HP 8-cylinder Büssing NAG
• Maximum Speed: 50km/h
• Range: 200 km
• Armour: 5-13mm

Toldi IIa

In 1944 some units began to receive new 40mm armed Toldi IIa tanks with more hitting power. The Toldi IIa (k.hk. B40) was a modification developed in 1942, to better arm the Toldi tank with a 40 mm gun. 80 tanks of earlier variant were rearmed this way.

The modifications included extending the turret rear to allow for the gun's recoil and to fit an armoured housing to the turret co-ax machine-gun.

Registration Numbers

Each Hungarian vehicle carried a white registration plate on the front(long rectangle) and rear (square) (see Photographs).

Toldi I made 1940-41: H301-385
Toldi II made 1941-42: H386-490

In Flames Of War

In Flames of War the Toldi is a handy light reconnaissance tank. It’s reasonably manoeuvrable (Fully-tracked) with a 20mm gun more than capable of taking out opposing enemy reconnaissance (Range 16”/40cm, ROF 3, AT 5, FP 5+).

It has armour enough to protect if from infantry fire (Front 1, Side 1, Top 1).

They come in platoons of 3-5 tanks and can support a Harckocsizó Század (Tank Company) or Gépkocsizó Század (Motorised Company) from Eastern Front in Mid-war.

Late-war from Stalin's Europe

The Toldi tank continued to be used in 1944. Also converted models with 40mm guns fitted were introduced and some extra armour was fitted to both the Toldi II and Toldi IIa (Front 2, Side 1, Top 1).

The 40mm gun gave it improved range and anti-tank capabliities (Range 24”/60cm, ROF 3, AT 7, FP 4+).

Toldi II or Toldi IIa tanks can support a Harckocsizó Század (Tank Company) in Stalin's Europe.

Police Toldi II tanks can support a Önkéntes Puskás Század (Volunteer Rifle Company) in Stalin's Europe.

Designed by Evan Allen
Painted by Wayne Turner