King & Country WS259 Panzer 35(t): An Earlier Czech Tank with a Removable Recognition Flag

A surviving tank made a long journey home

The Military History Institute in Prague’s restoration account describes an LT vz. 35 taken to the United States after the war and returned to the Czech collection in 2008. Its restoration included the engine and unusual pneumatic control system before a public presentation in 2013.

That museum history concerns a surviving original, not the exact vehicle represented by WS259. It offers a more interesting perspective than reducing the type to another early-war tank in gray paint.

The flag is a separate fitting

The manufacturer identifies the Nazi flag as removable recognition equipment. It belongs to the historical German-service interpretation and should be recorded as a model component, not treated as a decorative endorsement.

The reference shows the same tank from several angles, with the flag and commander visible in different positions around the silhouette.

WS259’s appeal lies in the earlier Czech vehicle form and its contrast with the 38(t) trio. The two types make a useful comparison of turret, hull and running gear within the broader German-service collection.

When checking an example, account for the commander and removable flag separately from the tank itself. Multiple reference views do not indicate a multi-tank set.

Release record and collecting notes

Sager’s archived WS259 product record lists a release date of March 2014 and a retirement date of September 2015. These are catalog dates, rather than a statement about today’s secondhand availability. Compare the seller’s actual photographs with the reference image here, including any projecting equipment and the base; a familiar box title alone is not a condition report.