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Soviet Union's T-26B, T-26 Model 1933 light tank
T-26 Model 1933 light tank: |
T-26 Model 1937 and Model 1933 light tanks near Moscow in November to December 1941 |
OT-130 flame thrower: |
OT-130 flame thrower: |
OT-130 flame thrower: |
Design
In 1933 a new turret was fitted to the T-26 which extended over the width of the hull.2 This was designed by the Bolshevik Leningrad factory and KhPZ Kharkov works.1 The turret could mount a 45 mm Model 1932 gun.1
Main Armament
A 37 mm BS 3 (1930 model) was installed as the main armament for the T-26 Model 1932.2
The T-26 Model 1933 had a 45 mm gun installed.2
Turret
The seats of the loader and commander were welded in place to the floor.2
When traveling over rough terrain the gun was very hard to aim as the gun and turret weren't properly balanced.2
Variants
- T-26B: Prototype was built with a 37 mm gun in the left turret and the right turret was removed. This proved unsatisfactory and a turret similar to the BT tanks was installed.
- T-26B-1: Initially had a cylindrical turret with a 37 mm gun. Later vehicles had a 45 mm gun in a cast mantlet. One turret was installed as it was discovered that by putting the 37 mm gun in one of the 2 turreted models, one of the turrets could break from the stress. Early models had 37 mm. The hull was welded.
- T-26B-2 (Model 1933)1: Initially had a 37 mm gun.1 Improved model with cast turret and 45 mm gun and coaxial MG.2 Some had a rear MG as well, and others had antiaircraft machine guns installed.2 The turret had a overhang that had a gun counterweight in the turret. During production improvements were made to the visor and pistol ports, storage chests were attached to the track aprons, and aluminum road wheels installed.2
- T-26B-1(V) & 2(V), T-26TU2: Commander's tank with a frame aerial around turret.2 The radio had a range of 2 km and a power of 15-20 watts.2
- T-26 Pch2: An experimental wading vehicle that had a snorkel attached and could wade in 5 meters of water.2 It was a modified T-26 (1933), and water penetrated around the riveted armor.
- AT-12: Experimental version that added wings and twin boom tail mounting to turn it into a glider.2 It was a modified T-26 (1933). It was designed by the O. K. Antonov design bureau.2
- AT-26, AT-26 SP9: (Artilleriskiy Tank) Artillery version with 76.2 mm PS-3 gun and one MG. It was designed by S. Ginzburg in 1932 at the Kirov works in Leningrad. It had body armor of 15 mm, and the gun could traverse 20° and elevate from -1.5° to +43°. It was 1.95 m high, weighed 9.5 tons, and had a crew of 3-4. Used T-26B chassis.9
- OT-1301,2,9: Flame-thrower version1,2 of B9, B-1 or B-2 that started production in 19382. It used the 1933 model of T-26 and had a 1938 model flamethrower installed instead of the 45 mm gun.2 It could reach targets up to 50 meters and could fire 70 1-second bursts.2 It carried between 135 and 400 liters of oil.2 One change made during production was modifications to the mantlet.2 Some carried the 7.62 mm DT MG coaxially and one in the rear of the turret.2 Crew was 2 men and weighed around 9.3 tons.2 It saw action in Manchuria against the Japanese and against Finland in Karelia in 1939-1940.2
| T-26 B | T-26 1933 | |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | 36,8,9 |
32 |
| Physical Characteristics | ||
| Weight | 9.2 - 9.6 tons9, 9.4 tons6, 9.5 tons8 | 9.4 tons2 |
| Length w/gun | 15.76'9, 16'6, 16' 3"8 4.88 m6 |
4.88 m2 |
| Length w/o gun | ||
| Height | 7.95'9, 7' 11"6, 8'8 2.41 m6 |
2.41 m2 |
| Width | 7.85'9, 8'8, 11' 2.25"6 3.41 m6 |
2.41 m2 |
| Ground clearance | 0.38 m2 | |
| Ground contact length | 9' 9"9 | |
| Ground pressure | 0.65 kg/(cm2)2 | |
| Turret ring diameter | ||
| Armament | ||
| Main | 45 mm A/TK9 45 mm L/468 |
45 mm 19322 |
| OR | 37 mm9 | |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | 2 coaxial, bow | 1 or 2: 7.62 mm DT MG2 |
| Side arms | ||
| Quantity | ||
| Main | 92 - 1009, 169 | 1002 |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | 2,405, 3,0009 | 4,0002 |
| Side arms | ||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 158 | |
| Hull Front, Upper | 159 | 152 |
| Hull Front, Lower | 152 | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 159 | 152 |
| Hull Sides, Lower | 152 | |
| Hull Rear | 152 | |
| Hull Top | 6 - 109 | 102 |
| Hull Bottom | 6 - 109 | 62 |
| Turret Front | 6 - 159 | 152 |
| Turret Sides | 152 | |
| Turret Rear | 152 | |
| Turret Top | 102 | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | GAZ T-266,9 | GAZ T-262,3 |
| Bore / stroke | 4 stroke2 | |
| Cylinders | 86,9 | 42 |
| Net HP | 816, 88 - 919, 908 | 91@2,200 rpm2 |
| Power to weight ratio | 9.2 HP/ton2 | |
| Transmission | 5 forward, 1 reverse | |
| Fuel type | Gasoline6,9 | Gasoline2 |
| Octane | ||
| Capacity | 285 liters2 | |
| Performance | ||
| Traverse | 360° | 360° |
| Max Speed | 17.4 mph6, 18 mph8,9 28 kph6 |
28 kph2 |
| Cross country speed | 12.4 mph | 12.4 mph |
| Road radius | 108.7 miles6, 140 miles9, 190 miles8 175 km6 |
375 km2 |
| Cross country radius | 110 miles9 | |
| Turning Radius | ||
| Elevation Limits | ||
| Fording depth | 0.9 m2 | |
| Trench crossing | 6' 2.8"6 1.9 m6 |
1.8 m2 |
| Vertical Obstacle | 2' 7"6 0.79 m6 |
0.75 m2 |
| Climbing ability | 32°2 | |
| Suspension (Type) | ||
| Wheels each side | ||
| Return rollers each side | ||
| Track length | ||
| Tires | ||
| Track width | 10.2"9 | |
| Track centers/tread |
Sources:
- Russian Tanks of World War II Stalin's Armored Might, by Tim Bean & Will Fowler, 2002
- Russian Tanks and Armored Vehicles 1917-1945, by Wolfgang Fleischer, 1999
- 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
- Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- -
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- Airfix Magazine Guide 22 Russian Tanks of World War 2, John Milsom and Steve Zaloga, 1977
