1/72 Sav M/43 Swedish SPG

The Sav m/43 can be seen as the German Hetzer tank destroyer’s big Swedish brother. It is also sometimes referred to as the Swedish Marder. It was based on the same Czech designed tank chassis but was armed with a 75 mm (2.95 in) howitzer that was later upgraded to a 105 mm (4.13 in) gun.

On the 27th of September 1941, the Swedish Army issued a requirement for the construction of self-propelled artillery vehicles that could keep up with the tank and infantry units across country over the Swedish terrain, even in the harshest winter conditions. They were required to be able to give close support as well as indirect artillery fire. Tests were conducted on different tank chassis as well as types of guns, barrel lengths and calibers. This was a lengthy process.

In March 1944, the Army finally ordered 36 Sav m/43 self-propelled artillery guns from the Swedish Scania-Vabis tank manufacturer. This company was already producing Strv m/41 SII tanks. This was a license-built Czech TNH medium tank. They converted the last batch of 18 tank chassis into the new SPGs. The Swedish word Stormartillerivagn translates as storm artillery vehicle: a better translation would be self-propelled assault artillery.

After the end of WW2, the Bofors 105 mm (4.13 in) cannons became available. The eighteen Sav m/43 SPGs were sent to the workshops to be upgraded. A further order for eighteen more SAV m/43s was placed at the end of 1945. These would also be armed with the new 105 mm (4.13 in) gun. The final vehicle of this new batch was delivered at the end of 1947.