Which is the best light Tank of the War?

[Gamer_1745]

Which is the best light Tank of the War?

The M3 Stuart is way too heavy and had a gun that could penetrate armor.

Would it be the CV-33?

Panzer I with 2 machine guns?

Carden Loyd was a very small target & hard to hit.

T-26a was a bit heavy, but had 2 turrets with MGs.

Or the classic FT-17? Before you rule it out because some models had a 37mm gun and was first used in WWI, remember many just had the 8mm lebel mg and the 37mm was very low pressured and still very much used in WWII (the French had over 600 in front line service in 1940).

 

[Dalwin]

Since once again "best" is not defined, I am going to go with which had the biggest overall impact on the war. I think I have to say PZI because of how and when they were used, not neccessarily because of being qualitatively better than it's peers.

 

[Gamer_1745]

Hey, if I defined it, like saying fastest then we would just check the stats & see which ones was. Your criteria of 'biggest overall impact' is valid, but also 'coolest looking' or most 'reliable & best off road performance' is also valid.

 

[jamesd]

Since once again "best" is not defined, I am going to go with which had the biggest overall impact on the war. I think I have to say PZI because of how and when they were used, not neccessarily because of being qualitatively better than it's peers.

Using that criteria, you'd have to go with the Panzer II. It was the main battle tank of the panzer divisions for the 1939 and 1940 campaigns and was present in greater numbers on the battlefield than the Panzer I.

If the OP is talking the best tank in terms of its capabilities rather than its impact on the battlefield, would it be the M24 Chaffee with its 75mm gun?

 

[Gamer_1745]

Look the M24 Chaffee is definitely out as it would have been a medium or even heavy tank at the start of the war! We are talking light tanks, I almost titled it tankette, but the FT-17 was a tank when first built.

 

[plasticpanzers]

It has to be in the form its was intended to be used in which is generally scouting, not fighting other tanks. Having only MG arms
means you probably have a hull that can be punched by mgs or big rifles. The M3/5 is one of the best overall due to speed, reliability and
firepower (light) and its not to be confused with a combat tank. The Germans AC 231-4 were 20mm with support vehicles of 75 short
and long guns and the only 100 vehicle run of the Puma with a 50. Russian T60/T70 good recon but bad combat vehicle. UK used Stuarts
as well for recon but even upped to Cromwells for recon due to fire recieved.

 

[Dalwin]

Using that criteria, you'd have to go with the Panzer II. It was the main battle tank of the panzer divisions for the 1939 and 1940 campaigns and was present in greater numbers on the battlefield than the Panzer I.

If the OP is talking the best tank in terms of its capabilities rather than its impact on the battlefield, would it be the M24 Chaffee with its 75mm gun?

Fair enough, I honestly was not sure where to draw the line between light and medium. I agree then PZII for the same reason already given, or perhaps both in a tagteam match.

During the invasion of France, the Germans did not task their tanks with killing other tanks, so both models were quite effective.

 

[Gamer_1745]

Scout/recon is an important role of light tanks and many didn't have radios which hurt their performance. MG fire support is also important. The Stuart is a great tank and is light by the end of the war, but is more of a main battle tank when compared to the early Pz III, 38t and Polish 7TP.

 

[tommylotto]

This is not really a legitimate debate as there are too many variables. However, it seems the OP was asking about pre-war light tanks. To that extent the Russian T-26 proved to be the best in the SCW, but even there, the T-26 was considerably heavier and better armed and armored that the tanks suggested. Of the suggested models, the PzI is clearly superior to the L3 and the Carden Lloyd which don't have turrets and are really tankettes, not light tanks. But that does not take into consideration the costs. I imagine the complicated and turreted PzI was several times more costly than the L3. Even so, the L3 gets my vote because it had a bitchin' flame thrower version:

 

[Gamer_1745]

The reason for the thread is to have fun and poke fun at the Panther hate thread.

Like Dalwin, tommylotto, plasticpanzers, & jamesd is to post which & why they are the best (some just went to over powered late war tanks). I don't know there is one best answer, just what people think. I want to keep this to light tanks/tankettes. Mostly MG or low pressure gun armored tracked vehicles.

 

[plasticpanzers]

Well then my favorite is the British MKVI light tank with the dual Vickers. Very cool light tank and had to step into the 'crusier' role
one to many times.

 

[Radu]

The reason for the thread is to have fun and poke fun at the Panther hate thread.

Like Dalwin, tommylotto, plasticpanzers, & jamesd is to post which & why they are the best (some just went to over powered late war tanks). I don't know there is one best answer, just what people think. I want to keep this to light tanks/tankettes. Mostly MG or low pressure gun armored tracked vehicles.

So no M24 Chaffee?

 

[Wyrm]

I'd go for either the soviet BT-tanks or the Pz-38(t) if we're looking at the early war.

The BT-7 was probably the fastest tank in the outbreak of the war with a top speed of 72km/h on roads and 50km/h offroad

 

[jamesd]

The reason for the thread is to have fun and poke fun at the Panther hate thread.

Like Dalwin, tommylotto, plasticpanzers, & jamesd is to post which & why they are the best (some just went to over powered late war tanks). I don't know there is one best answer, just what people think. I want to keep this to light tanks/tankettes. Mostly MG or low pressure gun armored tracked vehicles.

OK so we're going light tanks based on weight and not on function (the Chaffee may have been 20 tons but it was much lighter than late war medium tanks). How about the Japanese Type 94 Tankette? Only 3.4 tons and it brings a single 6.5mm machine gun to the battlefield with armour that's all of 12mm thick.

 

[plasticpanzers]

What about this? Not exactly WW2 but I don't know....an MG with some ducttape..some curtains...has possibilities.....

 

[_Sohei_]

Well if you open it up a bit more to include tank destroyers under 20 tons I would say the Hetzer aka the Jagdpanzer 38(t) was significant. Light tanks were vulnerable to all sorts of weapons. A tank destroyer than relies on concealment and ambush is a good use of a weapon system within that weight class. The Hetzer was a decent example of this. Fully enclosed, capable gun, and a low profile. Good sloping made the most of the limited armor.

 

[Gorganslayer]

Psrsonally I would think some of the vickers light tanks with BESA Mgs would have been quite good maybe not the best though

- and although its not technically a tank the damlier ( nice car with a 2pdr ina turret whats not to luv)

 

[InnocentIII]

The Renault of Doom! R-35 Ten tons, two man tank. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_R35 Think armored minivan.

I know there's not much impact on WW2 to talk about, but in WW2Online it was a blast to drive and fight with. Good armor, good traverse rate, decent gun.

 

[Beagá]

Leopard?

 

[eleetsdier]

The Italian Fiat L6/40. Used in the Balkans, North Africa, and Russia. Because hey - at least it isn't a tankette.