The Aufklarungspanzer 38 (t), or simply the Sd.Kfz 140/1, was a German reconnaissance tank of World War II. The first prototypes of the car were created in 1943, and serial production continued in February and March 1944, producing only about 70 cars. The Sd.Kfz 140/1 was equipped with one Prague AE 160 HP engine. It was armed with 1 20 mm KwK 38 automatic cannon and 1 7.92 mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun. Sd.Kfz 140/1 was created as a result of the search by the German armed forces for the use of decommissioned, obsolete in 1943-1944 PzKpfw 38 (t) tanks, and more precisely - their very high-quality and reliable chassis. Thus, the Sd.Kfz 140/1 was based on the successful chassis and proven turret of the Sd.Kfz 222 armored car. A small number of Sd.Kfz 140/1s were equipped with a 75 mm short-barreled howitzer, but they were not put into mass production. New reconnaissance tanks served in the period 1944-1945 on the Western Front in German armored divisions.
