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Poland's TK and TKS tankettes

TKS tankette, captured:

TKS Tankette:

TKW Tankette:

Design

The TK.1 was designed from a British Vickers Carden-Loyd Mark VI tankette.^2,5 This lead to the TK.2 and the heavier TK.3.²

TK / TK.3

Had an enclosed superstructure.² Had heavier armor than the TK.1 and TK.2.² 7.92 mm MG was mounted in the right front of the hull.⁴

A four wheeled trailer was built that the TK.3 would tow across country, and then once reached a road it would climb onto the trailer and then by removing the tracks it could then be driven.²

Prototype

TK.1 built in 1929.²

Production

TK, TK.3²: 300^2,5
- Manufacturer: PZI Institute²
- Production: 1931 - 1932²
TKS: 250 - 270, 390²
- Production: 1934 - ²

Variants

TK.1²: Prototype built in 1929.²
TK.2²: Prototype.²
TK (TK-3): Was licenced from Carden-Loyd in Britain.^2,4 Had same engine as Ford Model A car.^2,4
TKS: Had Polish built Fiat engine installed.^2,47.92 mm MG was mounted in the right front of the hull.⁴ Had a periscope and a sightning telescope.² The suspension was also strengthened.² Tracks were wider.⁵
TK/TKS 20 mm FK: 20 were converted to carry 20 mm FK gun.
TKF: Had Polski-Fiat engine.² Two machine guns with one capable of firing at aircraft.²
TKS-D: Had a 37 mm Bofors anti-tank gun mounted.² Only in early prototype stagaes when war broke out.²
TKW: Fully rotating turret was installed.² Only a few prototypes built.²

Usage

One company of tanks was attached to each infantry division and horse cavalry brigade.

On September 19, 1939, Sergeant Roman Orlik knocked out 7 German PzKpfw 35(t)s with his TK S with 20 mm gun.

Yugoslavia Demo

A TK.3 was demonstrated as a competitor to the Czechoslovakian Skoda S-I.² No order was placed.²

	TK.2²	Maly czolg rozpoznawczy, TK⁵, TK.3², TK-3 (small reconnaissance tank)	Maly czolg rozpoznawczy, TKS⁵ (small reconnaissance tank)	TKF
Crew	2²	Commander, driver 2^1,2,5	Commander, driver 2^1,2,5	2²
Physical Characteristics
Weight		5,300 lb 2,500 kg¹ 2.39 tons⁵, 2.4 tons², 2.46 tons¹	5,730 lb 2,600 kg¹ 2.56 tons¹, 2.6 tons^2,5	2.6 tons²
Length w/gun	7' 9"²	8' 5"⁵, 8' 5.5"², 8' 6"¹ 2.58 m⁵, 2.65 m¹	8' 5"^2,5, 8' 6"¹ 2.58 m⁵, 2.67 m¹
Length w/o gun
Height	3' 5"²	4' 4"^1,2,5 1.32 m⁵, 1.35 m¹	4' 4"⁵, 4' 4.5"², 4' 5"¹ 1.32 m⁵, 1.36 m¹
Width		5' 10"^1,2,5 1.78 m^1,5	5' 9.5"², 5' 10"^1,5 1.78 m^1,5
Ground clearance
Ground contact length
Ground pressure
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	7.92 mm MG²	7.92 mm MG¹ 1: 7.92 mm Hotchkiss wz.25 MG⁵ 7.92 mm MG^2,4	7.92 mm MG¹ 7.92 mm Hotchkiss wz.25 MG⁵ 7.92 mm MG^2,4 Late models: 20 mm FK	9 mm MG² AND 7.92 mm MG²
OR		20 mm¹	20 mm¹
Secondary
MG
Side arms
Quantity
Main		1,800	2,000
Secondary
MG
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	3 - 7²	4 - 8¹ 3 - 8² 8⁴	3 - 10² 10^1,4
Hull Front, Upper		8	10
Hull Front, Lower
Hull Sides, Upper
Hull Sides, Lower
Hull Rear
Hull Top
Hull Bottom		3	3
Turret Front
Turret Sides
Turret Rear
Turret Top
Engine (Make / Model)	Ford Model A²	Ford Model A^1,2,4, Ford A⁵	Polski Fiat², Fiat^1,2,4, Polski FIAT-122BC⁵	Fiat²
Cylinders	4²	4^1,2,4,5	4^1,2,4, 6⁵	4²
Cooling	Air²	Air²	Air²
Net HP	40²	40^2,5, 40@2,300 rpm¹	40^1,2	46²
Transmission
Fuel type		Gasoline^1,5	Gasoline^1,5
Octane
Capacity
Performance
Traverse
Max speed	31 mph²	28 mph¹, 28.58 mph⁵, 28.6 mph², 30 mph 45 kph¹, 46 kph⁵	24.9 mph², 25 mph^1,5 40 kph^1,5	26.1 mph²
Cross country speed
Road radius		124 miles⁵, 124.3 miles, 125 miles¹ 200 km^1,5	112 miles⁵, 125 miles¹ 180 km⁵, 200 km¹
Cross country radius
Turning Radius
Elevation Limits
Fording depth
Trench crossing
Vertical Obstacle
Suspension (Type)
Wheels each side
Return rollers each side
Track length
Tires
Track width
Track centers/tread

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
-
Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
Western Allied Tanks 1939-45, David Porter, 2009