Skoda PA-2 Turtle

Army authorities approved the new vehicle program and ordered the type to go into production with the commitment of 12, which arrived in late 1924/early 1925. The PA-II shares the same internal layout as the previous PA-I, while retaining the key qualities of dual propulsion, but its most distinctive feature is its circular armor scheme. Skoda engineers opted for a smoother approach in their second attempt, rather than the sharp lines evident in earlier designs. The entire armor structure is replaced by hammer casting, and the armor protection reaches 5.5 mm. The casing assembly is riveted to the frame during final assembly to form a strong integral connection. Observation slots are cut into the superstructure to provide situational awareness, and cooling slots are present on the engine mounts. Crew entry and exit is through hinged hull side doors. As with previous iterations of the Czech armored vehicle, the armament is fully concentrated on the machine gun. However, the PA-II was allowed to hold 4 x 7.92mm Schwarzlose MG08 ball bearing water-cooled machine guns and over 6,000 rounds of ammunition. They are located at the four corners of the fuselage to ensure maximum flexibility in terms of pressure corners. As with the PA-I prototype, the crew consisted of 5 people, which forced dedicated gunners (two of them) to move from muzzle to muzzle as needed. There are also two drivers (for forward and reverse driving) and a vehicle commander. Power is provided by a 70 hp in-house Skoda 4-cylinder unit. Combined with the armored body, highway speeds can reach just under 30 mph, but the vehicle suffers badly in terms of off-road performance due to the weak suspension, despite the 4x4 drive mass. Specimens still in use when Germany annexed Czechoslovakia in 1939 were owned by German troops and ended up as such. Their main role during the war was to be a mobile communications relay platform on which to transport German radio equipment.