>> Pz.Kpfw. IV - ve službách cizích armád

Pz.Kpfw. IV in the Bulgarian Army
The Bulgarian army received the first three tanks Pz.Kpfw. IV delivered on 30.4.1943. The three tanks were sent to a training unit in the Serbian city of Nis and did not receive army registration numbers. Bulgarian crews were trained in the spring of 1943 in the German Wünsdorfe and later on April 12, 1943 began a special course for this type of tank in the training center in Nis.
Another 11 tanks were delivered 24.5.1943 - 31.5.1943 to the training center in Niš (only 10 serial numbers are identified). Completion of tank crew training is dated 19.5.1943. The group returned with 11 tanks together with 11 tanks, where the tanks were divided for further training to four tank companies. The tanks received the army registration numbers B 60250 - B 60260. All these supplied tanks were versions Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G of late production runs. Characteristic details were a one-piece hatch on the command tower, smoke grenade launchers mounted on the sides of the tower, tower schurzeny, tanks had additional armor 30 mm thick welded or bolted. The cannon armament consisted of cannons with a length of mainly L/43 and L/48.
The third delivery of another 15 tanks was sent on June 30, 1943. The tanks arrived in Bulgaria between June 11, 1943 and June 20, 1943. The tanks received army registration numbers B 60261 - B 60275 and were assigned to the 1st Tank Battalion (1st Company - eight tanks and 2nd Company seven tanks).
The fourth delivery of 15 tanks was sent on 15.8.1943. The tanks arrived in Bulgaria between September 1, 1943 and September 10, 1943. They were assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion (4th Company - eleven tanks and 5th Company four tanks).
The fifth delivery 15 tanks was sent on 8.9.1943. The tanks arrived in Bulgaria between September 11, 1943 and September 20, 1943. The tanks were divided between the 1st Company - 4 tanks, 2nd Company - 3 tanks, 4th Company - 1 tank and 5th Company - 7 tanks.
These supplies filled the status of four companies of the armored brigade and it became fully combat-ready.
The sixth delivery of 15 tanks was sent on 28.10.1943. The tanks arrived in Bulgaria between November 1, 1943 and November 7, 1943. The tanks received army registration numbers B 60306 - B 60320. The tanks were to become part of the 3rd Armored Battalion (7th Company received eight tanks and 8th Company seven tanks).
The seventh delivery 12 tanks was sent 31.12.1943. Eleven tanks arrived between 1.1.1944 to 20.1.1944. The twelfth tank arrived for unknown reasons later. The tanks were to become part of the 3rd Armored Battalion (7th Company and 8th Company after six tanks).


In total, the Bulgarian army received 83 tanks Pz.Kpfw. IV, which formed the armament of a total of six tank companies. Of this number, three tanks were in the training center in Nis. According to the delivery plan "Plan 43" the Bulgarians were to receive 87 tanks and thus expected the delivery of another four tanks. However, German sources state that they delivered 88 tanks. It is interesting that the number of 88 tanks is written in the Bulgarian report from 1.6.1944. The fate of the tank, which was recorded in addition, is unclear. Bulgarian tanks from German supplies bore the military registration mark B 60250 - B 60337.


1.10.1943 was the 1st Tank Regiment reorganized into the 1st Armored Brigade, which was to have two, respectively. three battalions armed Pz.Kpfw. IV according to the table states of the German army. The battalion consisted of two companies of 14 tanks Pz.Kpfw. IV, 3rd Company formed by tanks Pz.Kpfw.35 (t)/ T-11).
By the official Bulgarian naming of the tank type Pz.Kpfw. IV bolo "boyna kola Maybach T-4".


Stavy tankov Pz.Kpfw. IV in the Armored Brigade as of 27.2.1944:


















In 8/1944 on the way to the Bulgarians were three command tanks Panzerbefehlswagen IV. The tanks arrived at a training center in Niš, but were confiscated by German troops after a change in Bulgarian political orientation.
Bulgarian military units, together with Soviet troops, took part in the fighting on Yugoslav territory occupied by German troops. Between 9-10/1944, about half of the tanks were destroyed in the fighting against the Germans Pz.Kpfw. IV. Bulgarian battles Pz.Kpfw. IV continued in Yugoslavia, Hungary and Austria until the end of World War II.
Large losses of Bulgarian troops were offset after the end of the war from the seized supplies of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. A total of 51 captured tanks were delivered Pz.Kpfw. IV. Deliveries took place in the period 6-8/1945 and the tanks were, according to Bulgarian reports from 12/1945, delivered to the 1st Armored Brigade (5 tanks) and the 2nd Armored Brigade (46 tanks).


States of trophy tanks Pz.Kpfw. IV in the 1st Armored Brigade as of 11-12/1945:



States of trophy tanks Pz.Kpfw. IV in the 2nd Armored Brigade as of 11-12/1945:
Most of the tanks were post-war production from the Niebelungenwerke factory.





















Of particular interest is that additional tanks were supplied by the occupied factory Nibelungenwerke, which was occupied by the Soviet army and fell into the Soviet zone. It happened in the autumn of 1945, when 28 tanks were produced Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J for the needs of the Bulgarian army (Fgst.Nr. 110203-110415).


After the war, the remaining machines served in the post-war Bulgarian army until the 50s of the 20th century, when they were replaced by Soviet technology. In 12/1945, Bulgarian units had 102 tanks Pz.Kpfw. IV, in 12/1950 was to have the army still 69 pieces. Some machines served as permanent fire palposts on the Bulgarian-Greek and Bulgarian-Turkish borders.The torsos of these machines have been preserved to this day and have become, or I assume, sooner or later they will be the subject of lucrative financial appreciation. At the turn of 2007/2008, the Bulgarian army dug up several machines and offered them for auction. In addition to machines preserved at the borders, one Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J of the latest production series located in the Military Museum in Sofia.

Kaloyan Matev - The Armored Forces of the Bulgarian Army 1936-45, Helion & Company, year of publication 2015, ISBN: 978-1-909384-16-3
Hilary Louise Doyle, Lukas Friedli, Thomas L.Jentz - Panzer Tracts No.4-3, Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.H/Ausf.J, 1943 to 1945, year of issue 2016
Hilary Doyle, Tom Jentz, illustrations by Tony Brian - Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.G, H and J 1942-45, Osprey Publishing, New Vanguard no.39, year of publication 2001, ISBN 1 84176 183 4
Калоян Матев - Equipment and armor in the Bulgarian Army-Armored Vehicles 1935-45 "
Frank V. De Sisto - Panzer Vor! 3 - German armor at war 1939-45, Concord, year of publication 2006, ISBN 962-361-123-4
https://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=7767

Pz.Kpfw.IV in the Czechoslovak army T-40/75 (T-40/75N)
This type of tank was one of the basic types of equipment in the newly formed tank army of the post-war Czechoslovak Republic. In 1945, a commission was set up at the initiative of the Ministry of Defence to register and collect damaged equipment. In 1947, 102 Pz.Kpfw.IV were collected in Milovice.
Only the long-barrelled versions Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G, Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H and Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J were considered for use, possibly with the use of the older turrets with the Kw.K.37 short 75 mm gun. L/24 (30 pieces available), which was to be replaced by the Kw.K.40 L/48 guns. The different types were not distinguished and did not have their own designation. In 1949 they were officially designated T-40/75.
The first tank (but not officially adopted) was the machine number 67.388, which was sent to the Tank Training School in 1946 where it was used for familiarization with the equipment and for training. One model machine each was repaired by ČKD (ev.no.67.453) and AZ 1 (ev.no.67.581). Together with these sample pieces, the acceptance of the first quartet (ev.nos. 67.582 - 67.585) of repaired tanks took place on 24.6.1948. Further deliveries took place in 10/1948 (10 tanks), in 11/1948 (10 tanks) and in 12/1948 (12 tanks). On 11/10/1948, the total number of tanks to be repaired and put into armament was set by decree of the VTV (Tank Troop Command). It was 80 tanks plus a pair of tanks repaired by AZ 1.
Initially it was planned to overhaul the tanks at 1st AZ Přelouč, but due to insufficient capacity it was decided that the overhauls would be carried out at ČKD Praha-Libeň. Tank deliveries were delayed, with the last eight not being delivered until 9/1950.
Tests showed the unsuitability of the original tank control system, and as a certain alternative, a proposal was made to equip the tanks with a control system from ČKD, which would increase the tank's combat value. However, this was rejected on the grounds that this payload was only a stopgap (they were counted on until 1954) to be replaced by new technology. New tracks of Czechoslovak design were also tried, but their serial production was not started. In several cases, various combinations of chassis and turrets were made and interesting hybrids were created (e.g. the Pz.Kpfw.IV delivered to Syria, see picture below, where the hull was of the Ausf.J version and the turret of the Ausf. B or Ausf. C armed with Kw.K.40 L/48 guns).
By the end of 1950 the army had 82 tanks of this type in service, of which 21 Ausf.G, 43 Ausf.H and 18 Ausf.J (via. Peter Turza¹⁾ - due to some known production numbers this information is incorrect, at least the number of tanks of the Ausf.J version is considerably higher).
Initially, it was thought that the T-40/75 tanks would be incorporated into direct support units, but they were eventually delivered to the IV Battalion of the 23rd Tank Brigade (formed on 15/9/1948 in Milovice) between 6/1948 and 12/1948. From the IV./23rd Tank Brigade was formed on 15.4.1949 1st Tank Regiment stationed in Strasice. Almost all T-40/75 tanks were concentrated at this unit (78 T-40/75 tanks as of 1.10.1950). The last four tanks (67.453, 67.489, 67.581 and 67.582) were at the tank training facility in Dědice.
At the end of 1950, a major reorganization of the tank and mechanized troops took place, when the 1st Tank Regiment was transformed into the 1st Heavy Tank Regiment and the T-40/75 tanks were removed from its armament.


The tanks were subsequently assigned to units of the 2nd Military District in Moravia and Slovakia:
7th Tank and Motor Company (5 pcs)
9th Tank and Motor Company (5 pcs)
10th Tank and Motor Company (5 pcs)
6th Tank-Mobile Battalion (21 pcs)
13th Tank-Mobile Battalion (21 pcs)
14th Tank Self-propelled Battalion (13 pcs + 8 pcs after repairs in 1952)


The T-40/75 tanks were withdrawn from combat units in 1954 and were transferred to reserves in garrisons in Olomouc, Vyškov na Morave, Kežmarku and [iaa]Martin. In the statement VHA, MNO-VŽV 1955, K 360, sig. 99/4/13/2, no. 0051650, states that the VTMV was decommissioning the T-40/75 N. There were 74 tanks in the depots of the 1st Tank Base and the 2nd Tank Base as of 3/1955. Three tanks served as trainers in the Zväzarm defense organization. The Czechoslovak machines probably only carried the classic all-green camouflage.


Syrian trade:
In early 1955, Syria showed interest in buying T-40/75 tanks. In a resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union of 20 June 1955, 45 of these tanks were ordered to be exported.
The sale and acceptance of the combat vehicles took place between MNO-VTMV (Colonel Josef Šulc and technician Capt. Pavel Kozubík) and MZO-HTS (Npor. Jiří Krejcar) between 24.5.1955 and 4.8.1955. The T-40/75 tanks, together with spare parts and a supply of SD 75/40 tanks, were successively transported in five transports (64 wagons). The last transport left Czechoslovak territory on 6.8.1955.
Another 15 tanks (10 from the 1st Tank Base and 5 from the 2nd Tank Base) were dismantled for spare parts to cover the Syrian Army's requirement for spare parts. The dismantling of these tanks for spare parts was carried out by the personnel of the 2nd tank base after the main part of the contract had been dispatched. According to the terms of trade, the order for spare parts was to be fulfilled by 15 November 1955.
In 1958, four T-40/75s were dismantled for spare parts and exported to Syria along with 16 Maybach HL 120 engines.


One T-40/75 tank has been preserved in the former Czechoslovakia and is in the Military Technical Museum in Lesany in the Czech Republic.
One T-40/75 tank is in the SNP Museum in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. Another T-40/75 stands on the "Tank ram" memorial at the crossroads near Kapišová (near the so-called Valley of Death) in Slovakia. It is a tank with the increment number 75/68, which was acquired as a gift from a unit of the Eastern Military District and is still kept in the Military History Museum - Museum Department Svidník. The remaining Pz.Kpfw.IV alias T-40/75 were probably scrapped over time.


Notes:
The photo of the machine below (vidmoch_tank.jpg) is a photograph of a tank Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J (registration number 67.635) situated on the engineer training ground in the barracks of VÚ 8280 Prostějov, where this tank was used for training (it stood at the end of the obstacle course of the airborne troops, where it served as a practice target for throwing a rubber grenade). This photo is owner dated 4/1969. The machine was acquired on 6/18/1969 for museum purposes. It was included in the collections of the Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics in Kbeloch. Subsequently, it was reconstructed at the VÚ České Budějovice. The original destroyed engine Maybach HL 120 was replaced by a Tatra 958 engine (VHÚ source, probably the Tatra 928 engine from Tatra 138). The machine has recently undergone extensive reconstruction and as a mobile is part of the collection of military equipment in Lesany. The VHÚ website gives the year of production as 1942, but it is obviously a tank produced at the turn of 1944/45.
In addition to the standard original Pz.Kpfw. IV, hybrids were created in Czechoslovakia, based on the platforms of the original StuG IV assault guns. The wrecks whose chassis were unusable were dismantled of their superstructures and turrets and these were mounted on platforms from the StuG IV. The StuG IV had serial numbers Fgst.Nr. 100001-102000. According to the identified serial numbers, it is documented that at least three such tanks were produced.


T-40/75 N tank turret on reinforced concrete base
In 1954, the idea of using Pz.Kpfw.IV tank turrets as permanent fortress palposts in border zones was conceived. A project was drawn up by the Engineer Command and one tank was used for experimental purposes Pz.Kpfw. IV. An experimental reinforced concrete bunker was created on the anti-tank firing range of VVP Jince-Padrt'a, on the ceiling of which the turret was mounted together with a part of the hull. The surroundings of the reinforced concrete object were reinforced with stone and soil. After completion of the work, the object was subjected to detailed tests, where the concentration of dangerous gases produced during firing was measured and, finally, sniper tests were carried out. These were carried out with 85 mm cannon vz. 52.
There were slight reservations about the design and equipment of the bunker itself, which were to be addressed by modifying the design. However, the durability of the turret was cited as unsatisfactory, which was obviously a serious and categorical deficiency that led to the cancellation of the entire project.


Use of the T-40/75 turret on a gunboat
One modified(lightened) tank turret Pz.Kpfw. IV was used for one more purpose and that was its mounting on a gunboat DČ-1, which served until the end of the 1950s in 14th Engineer Battalion stationed in Bratislava. The machine was operating in a shipping company on the Danube river.


Use of the turret of the Pz.Kpfw. IV and use in armoured train sets
There was one other use of parts of the Pz.Kpfw. IV. The turrets and hull parts were placed on rail cars and these were part of armored trains. These were originally German payloads (called Panzerjägerwagen). In the strength of a company, later a battalion of armoured trains in the post-war Czechoslovak army, there were five pieces of such gun carriages designated as vz. 45N. They carried turrets (Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H) with the Kw.K. 40 L/48 long-barrelled gun. These were originally intended to be used to fight enemy tanks. In addition, five OV vz. 42N (high BP 44 wagons with originally planned armament 10.5 cm leFH 18 and 2 cm Flakvierling 38), which instead of howitzers received tank turrets from Pz.Kpfw. IV with long guns (L/48). Repairs and conversions were only completed in 1951.


Use in the civilian economy:
There is a photograph of the tank's conversion to a tank pile driver, which was probably used to move tailings in the mines of the Czechoslovak Army.


Pz.Kpfw. IV were also used in the post-war Czechoslovak Army in the form of various other modifications (Hummel, Hummel/Wespe, Nashorn, StuG IV, Mobelwagen, Wirbelwind, Ostwind).


Characteristic features of Czechoslovak conversions:
- Light Notek on the welded "L" profile above the edge of the lower front hull armour (above the gearbox/clutch/brakes);
- a tube stretched across the width of the hull at the corner joining the front body armour to the driver's hatch and Kugelblende and the hatch armour above the gearbox/clutch/brakes - the wiring for the headlight power supply was stretched in the tube;
- spare belt holders welded to the front and sides of the turret, upper front body armour;
- large storage boxes for material on the fenders on the sides of the superstructure at the front;
- on some machines, damaged fenders were replaced by modified fenders with longitudinal mouldings;
- the characteristic spare belt link holders on the starboard side of the superstructure at turret level;
- absence of schürzen protecting the chassis sides, the tower schürzen were retained;
- if the machine had an antimagnetic paste zimmerit, this was retained;
- the vehicles were modified to the standard of the Ausf.J version, i.e. they did not have turret drive;
- the tanks were armed only with L/48 barrel length guns;
- on the Ausf.J versions, where the front towing lugs were integrated in the hull side armour, these were strengthened by welding on reinforcement profiles; some machines also had new rear towing lugs welded on;
- a pair of headlamps protected by a protective grille;
- in the space above the running wheels, handles were fitted to the sides of the tub in which the towing cables were fixed.

¹⁾Peter Turza - Tanks of German origin in the armament of the Czechoslovak Army 1945-1959, Vojenská história 2., 2-1998
Mgr.Martin Dubánek - An attempt to use the turrets of the Pz.Kpfw.IV tanks in the Czechoslovak fortifications after World War II, HPM No.11/2005
Ing.Miroslav Hubert - Czechoslovak Danube Flotilla in 1946-1959, HPM No.3/1995
Petr Zídek - Arms exports from Czechoslovakia to third world countries 1948-1962, History and Military 3/2002
Hilary Louise Doyle, Lukas Friedli, Thomas L.Jentz - Panzer Tracts No.4-3, Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.H / Ausf.J, 1943 to 1945, year of publication 2016
Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle - Panzerkamfwagen IV Ausf.G, H and J 1942-1945, Osprey Publishing Ltd., New Vanguard, year of publication 2001, ISBN: 1-84176-183-4
Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louis Doyle - Panzer Tracts No.23 - Panzer Production from 1933 to 1945, publication date 2011, no ISBN
Petr Doležal (?) - Pz.IV in the Czechoslovak Army, Modelář 3/2009, ISSN: 1214-7842
- correspondence with VHÚ
- correspondence with Jaroslav Vidmoch (quoted memoirs of Jan Langhammer)
- correspondence with Mgr.Rodák - Head of the Museum Department of the VHM in Svidník (2015)
- www.vhu.cz
- https://www.vojenstvi.cz/vasedotazy.htm
- armada.vojenstvi.cz (Vladimír Francev - Looted armoured vehicles in the armament of the Czechoslovak Army (Part 3))
www.auctionsamerica.com
https://www.aaftankmuseum.com/
www.vhu.sk
https://elgri.livejournal.com/tag/pz%20iv
VÚA-VHA, MNO, 1955, carton 663, signature 54/2/11/90, ref. 0071547, Report on the performance of action 104/I, 15 August 1955


photo source:
- Jaroslav Vidmoch's private photo archive
- pictures from the film Marathon (1968)
- images from the film Tank Brigade
- images from the film Dumb Barricade
- images from the film Captain Dubach and the Interrupted Song
- Lešan Museum via. Martin Smíšek
- www.valka.cz
www.csla.cz
- www.csla.cz
www.facebook.com

Exhibit VHM - expozícia of the military history institute Svídník


Photo : Miroslav Mihálik

Source : "a German tank in čs.the army " Defence 2014 mesačník MO SR.

UNDER DEVELOPMENT


Originally Czechoslovak tanks (some sold to Syria), which have survived to this day:



Although it is generally stated that it is to be a T-40/75, it is most likely to be tanks supplied from another country (probably from France).

https://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html
www.facebook.com
https://www.valka.cz/topic/view/59413/
https://hiveminer.com/Tags/panzeriv
www.facebook.com
own collection
correspondence with Hilary Louis Doyle (co-author of the Panzer Tracts edition)
correspondence with Václav Hochmuth - photo source of the interior of the Duklian Pz.Kpfw.IV (identification of the Czechoslovak registration number)
Correspondence with William Gasser - American Armored Foundation, Inc. Tank and Ordnance War Memorial Museum, Danville (USA)
correspondence with Marian Uhrin (SNP Museum in Banská Bystrica)
Tank from the Golan Heights (Dima Wa): www.facebook.com
https://svsm.org/gallery/PzKpfw-IVH
https://forum.ioh.pl/viewtopic.php?t=29378

Pz.Kpfw.IV in the Syrian army
Deliveries of tanks were to come from France (? units in 1953), Spain (16 units in 1965) and Czechoslovakia (1955). It is possible that they were also delivered from the USSR.
The machines formed the armament of independent tank battalions. Several tanks were destroyed during the so-called Water War of 1965 on the Golan Heights by Israeli Centurion tanks over long distances, when they were used as static palposts.
In 1967, during the so-called Six-Day War, other surviving Pz.Kpfw.IV were destroyed by modified Israeli Shermans (M 50 Super Sherman).
These palposts were occupied by UN troops (Blue Berets) after the peace agreement.
I have come across information that training was provided by former Wehrmacht members who fought with these tanks in WW2.
I have come across unconfirmed and most likely erroneous information claiming that several Syrian Pz.Kpfw.IV were to be delivered to Cuba in 1958, before the Batista government was overthrown by Fidel Castro.
According to the information at my disposal, the destroyed wrecks of this type of tank are still to be found (a photographic documented occurrence from 2007) at their last place of combat use.


Czechoslovak contract:
The stay of the Syrian representatives in Czechoslovakia took place 8-22 April 1955. Their interest focused on the Pz.Kpfw.IV and StuG III. They also demanded supplies of ammunition and spare parts. The price for one Pz.Kpfw.IV reached 4,500 pounds sterling. The delivery of 45 tanks was made from 18.10.1955 - 10.11.1955. To fill the spare parts needs, 15 additional tanks were dismantled. In 1958, four additional tanks were dismantled for spare parts and, along with 16 engines, Maybach HL 120 were delivered to Syria.


French contract:
Some details of the French contract can be found in a report to the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.


Minutes "Approval of the procedure for negotiations with the Syrian delegation on the conclusion of a contract for the supply of special materials by the Czechoslovak Communist Party to Syria", Annex III:


The original proposal of the Syrian side for the purchase of Pz.Kpfw. IV was £4,000, the Czechoslovak side demanded £5,000. The submission of a proposed buyout price of 4,000 English pounds for Pz.Kpfw. IV, the Syrian side argued that it had bought tanks in France for this price in 1953 and could prove it by contract. It added that the French tanks had new barrels and were overhauled, and that the Syrian side had patronage over them. The report also mentioned that the Czechoslovak tanks had inadequate radios, no 20 mm calibre anti-aircraft gun, no electro-hydraulic motor for turret rotation, and the 7.92 mm calibre of machine guns was not introduced in the Syrian army (the Syrians had introduced the 7.5 mm calibre - probably a French influence). They also pointed out that the gun barrel of the tank demonstrated was worn and poorly maintained. The parties agreed on a compromise and a price of £4,500 for the tank. Archival military records break down the prices of the various spare parts.

Syrian modifications or features of tanks supplied by other states (?)
Of interest are the characteristic details that distinguish some tanks from those supplied from Czechoslovakia. There are at least four tanks preserved that do not bear the hallmarks of Czechoslovak modifications, and although some sources refer to them as ex-Czechoslovak T-40/75 tanks, I have legitimate doubts about this. The tanks lack characteristic Czechoslovak details such as mounts for spare belt links, large storage boxes, or headlight mounts Notek. On the other hand, the tanks have some sort of protective profiles above the cable outlets presumably to the pair of headlights on the front fenders (a single Bosch headlight on the left fender was fitted as standard), a pair of large sheet metal boxes on the right fender, a massive bracket welded on the rear wall of the turret on the right (for mounting the radio antenna - this bracket is also on the bright Czechoslovak tank in Latrun) and brackets probably for mounting the antennas mounted on the sides of the turret (the shape of the brackets is different on the right and left sides). Interestingly, the tanks have a number of hits on the surface of the armour. Such indentations were created during the production of armour plates (mostly probably for plates of small thickness).
Interestingly, in all known cases this is a modification of Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H.
Some of the Syrian tanks received a special orbiter with a lafetta mounted on the conning tower, in which an Italian Breda-Safat heavy machine gun of 12.7 mm calibre was lafettaed. These machine guns were probably used from cancelled Italian aircraft. An interesting feature is the mounting of a (presumably) rotating observation periscope on the turret ceiling, seen on a tank located in the Russian Patriot park. It probably comes from Soviet equipment.


These tanks are:



It is a confirmed fact that Czechoslovakian remanufactured Pz.Kpfw.IV received stamping on the rear of the gun (e.g. Č 2763, TOV Č 4357, 75mm TK II vz 40 N, E1 48). There are four tanks confirmed to have these details. No such stamping can be seen in the not very detailed shots of the cut cannon breech of the tank at the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum Washington. I have also confirmed that the Jordanian tank is not from Czechoslovakia (https://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html.).
I was wondering if these are tanks supplied from Spain, but it doesn't match the Wheatcroft tank, whose known Fgst.Nr. doesn't match the Fgst.Nr. supplied to the Spanish. The delivery of tanks from Spain in 1965 also doesn't fit for me because the tanks didn't have zimmerit probably already when the tanks were delivered by Germany in late 1943 (production from 9-10/1943). The surviving Spanish tanks had schurzens, probably the entire series of tanks delivered had rubber hoop support pulleys and had standard Filzbalg air filters. This does not correspond with the tanks mentioned.
I really like the reasoning that these are tanks from France. In the later period of use of these tanks by French troops, the tanks were stripped of the schurzens and a registration mark was painted on the front hull armour. The tanks from this dilemma do not have schurzens, and the wreck from Mount Hermon shows the remains of some painting resembling a registration mark.
So one can speculate whether these are tanks obtained from non-Czechoslovak sources, or whether they are tanks that survived the wars of an earlier period and were so modified by Syrian forces.

Overview of Czechoslovak T-40/75s purchased by Syria:

Petr Zídek - Arms exports from Czechoslovakia to third world countries 1948-1962, History and Military 3/2002
Archival documents VHÚ/VHA (Minutes "Approval of the procedure for negotiations with the Syrian delegation on the conclusion of a contract for the supply of special materials by the Czechoslovak Republic to Syria" report, Annex I, III and IV)
www.pakistanidefenceforum.com
www.ebay.com
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewforum.php?f=47
www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il
https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/grinnols
fotki.yandex.ru
armada.vojenstvi.cz (Vladimir Frantsev - Prey Armoured Vehicles in the Armament of the Czechoslovak Army (Part 3))
Footage from the Syrian military parade: www.youtube.com
MNO archive documents from 1955 - reports on the execution and implementation of Action 104/I
www.facebook.com