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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 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: 300²
- 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
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, TK, TK.3², TK-3 (small reconnaissance tank)	Maly czolg rozpoznawczy, TKS (small reconnaissance tank)	TKF
Crew	2²	Commander, driver 2^1,2	Commander, driver 2^1,2	2²
Physical Characteristics
Weight		5,300 lb 2,500 kg¹ 2.46 tons¹, 2.4 tons²	5,730 lb 2,600 kg¹ 2.56 tons¹, 2.6 tons^2,3	2.6 tons²
Length w/gun	7' 9"²	8' 5.5"², 8' 6"¹ 2.65 m¹	8' 5"², 8' 6"¹ 2.56 m³, 2.67 m¹
Length w/o gun
Height	3' 5"²	4' 4"^1,2 1.35 m¹	4' 4.5"², 4' 5"¹ 1.33 m³, 1.36 m¹
Width		5' 10"^1,2 1.78 m¹	5' 9.5"², 5' 10"¹ 1.76 m³, 1.78 m¹
Ground clearance
Ground contact length
Ground pressure
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	7.92 mm MG²	7.92 mm MG¹ OR 20 mm¹ 7.92 mm Hotchkiss wz 25 MG 7.92 mm MG^2,4	7.92 mm MG¹ OR 20 mm¹ 7.92 mm Hotchkiss wz 25 MG 7.92 mm MG^2,4 Late models: 20 mm FK	9 mm MG² AND 7.92 mm MG²
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 Front: 10³
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	Ford³ Ford Model A^1,2,4	Polski Fiat² Fiat^1,2,3,4	Fiat²
Cylinders	4²	4^1,2,4	4^1,2,4	4²
Cooling	Air²	Air²	Air²
Net HP	40²	40^1,2 @ 2,300 rpm¹	42³, 40^1,2	46²
Transmission
Fuel type		Gasoline¹	Gasoline¹
Octane
Capacity
Performance
Traverse
Max Speed	31 mph²	28 mph¹, 28.6 mph², 30 mph 45 kph¹	24.9 mph², 25 mph¹ 40 kph^1,3	26.1 mph²
Cross Country
Road radius		124.3 miles, 125 miles¹ 200 km¹	112 miles, 125 miles¹ 200 km¹
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
Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979