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Soviet Union's T-40 light tank
T-40 light tank: |
T-40 light tank: |
T-40S light tank: |
Design
The T-40 was created during 1940 as a replacement for the T-37 and T-388.2 Earlier light tanks were vulnerable to machine gun fire and to shell splinters so N. A. Astrov, at a research department of Zavod Nr 37, was instructed to design to new light tanks to overcome these difficulties.1 One of these new models was to be amphibious.1
In the Water
It had a 4-blade ship's propeller and was steered by two rudders.1,2 Had a welded body and the hull resembled a boat's.1,2 There were additional float chambers installed to improve its performance in water.2 The hatches were hermetically sealed.1
Turret
The turret was mounted to the left with external roller mantlets.2 The main weapon in the turret was the 12.7 mm DSchK 38 machine gun and it had a coaxial 7.62 mm DT machine gun.2
| Type | Velocity | Penetration | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 m | 300 m | |||
| 12.7 mm | BST2 (armor piercing)2 | 895 m/sec2 | 10 mm2 | 8 mm @ 60°2 |
Engine
The T-40's engine and gearbox were based on an automobile's.2 It was the GAZ 202 which could produce 85 HP.2
Prototype
The T-30A prototype was tested in July and August 1939.1
Production
The T-40 was accepted for production on December 19, 1939.1
- T-40: 2202, 230
- Production:
- 1941: 411,2
- 1942: 1811,2
- Manufacturer: Factory No. 37 in Moscow
- Production:
Variants
- T-30A1: Amphibious prototype.1
- T-30B1: Amphibious prototype.1 Had more armor.1
- T-408: Amphibous.8 Was designed to be built by factories that produced automobiles. Early production had the 12.7 mm installed. First used in the Winter War with Finland. Issued to reconnaissance and liaison units at beginning of 1941.
- T-40A8: Amphibious.8 Increased armor.8 Limited production as it was no longer amphibious as the extra weight caused it to lose its buoyancy.
- T-40S8: Non-amphibious version.8 Was rushed into production at time of German invasion. Was redesignated T-60.
Usage
The Red Army started to equip reconnaissance and armored liaison units in early 1941.
| T-402,8 | T-40A8 | T-40 1940 | T-40 19412 | T-40 S8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver 23,5,7,8 |
28 | 21,2 | 22 | 24,8 |
| Physical Characteristics | |||||
| Weight | 12,300 lb, 13,007 lb5 5.5 tons2,8, 5.8 tons3, 5.9 tons5, 6 tons7 5,900 kg3,5 |
6.2 tons8 | 5.5 tons1 5,590 kg1 |
5.5 tons2 | 6.1 tons8, 6.2 tons4 |
| Length w/gun | 13' 6"3,8,13' 5.8"5, 13' 5.9"5, 14'7, 14' 6.25" 4.11 m3,5 |
14'8 | 4.43 m1 13' 6"1 |
4.11 m2 | 13.9'8, 14'4 |
| Length w/o gun | |||||
| Height | 5' 8"7, 6' 4.8"5,8, 6' 5"3, 6' 6", 6' 11.5" 1.95 m3,5 |
6.48'8 | 2.12 m1 6' 11"1 |
1.95 m2 | 6.38'8, 6.48'4 |
| Width | 8' 3", 7.65'8, 7' 7.7"5, 7' 8"3,7, 2.33 m3,5 |
7.65'8 | 2.51 m1 8' 3"1 |
2.33-2.35 m2 | 7.65'4,8 |
| Ground clearance | 1' 2" | 0.34 m2 | |||
| Ground contact length | 7.66'8 | 7.66'8 | 7.66'8 | ||
| Ground pressure | 6.55 psi | 0.46 kp/(cm2)2 | |||
| Turret ring diameter | |||||
| Armament | |||||
| Main | 12.7 mm DShK 38 12.7 mm DSchK 38 MG2 12.7 mm DShK MG3,8 12.7 mm MG5 12.7 mm MG7 and 7.62 mm MG7 |
12.7 mm MG1 12.7 mm DShK MG8 |
12.7 mm DSchK 38 MG2 | 12.7 mm4 12.7 mm DShK MG8 |
|
| OR | 20 mm8 20 mm ShVAK 20 |
20 mm1,8 | 20 mm4,8 | ||
| Secondary | |||||
| MG | 7.62 mm MG1 | 7.62 mm DT2 | MG4 | ||
| MG - coaxial | 1: 7.62 mm MG2 | ||||
| Side arms | |||||
| Quantity | |||||
| Main | 5508 | 5508 | 5502 | 5508 | |
| Secondary | |||||
| MG | 2,0168 | 2,0168 | 2,0162 | 2,0168 | |
| Side arms | |||||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 6 - 135, 7 - 143,5, 147 | 10 - 144 | |||
| Hull Front, Upper | 138, 14 | 148 | 10 - 132 | 148 | |
| Hull Front, Lower | 13 | ||||
| Hull Sides, Upper | 10, 138 | 148 | 132 | 148 | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | 10 | ||||
| Hull Rear | 102 | ||||
| Hull Top | 6 - 108 | 6 - 108 | 62 | 108 | |
| Hull Bottom | 6, 6 - 108 | 6 - 108 | 6 - 102 | 108 | |
| Turret Front | 7 - 148, 14 | 7 - 148 | 14 - 152 | 7 - 148 | |
| Turret Sides | 10 | 102 | |||
| Turret Rear | 102 | ||||
| Turret Top | 72 | ||||
| Engine (Make / Model) | GAZ-2022,5,8 GAZ7 |
GAZ-2028 | GAZ-2022,3 | GAZ-2028 | |
| Bore / stroke | 4 stroke2 | ||||
| Cylinders | 62,7,8 | 68 | 62 | 68 | |
| Net HP | 705, 852,7,8 | 858 | 85@3,600 rpm2 | 854,8 | |
| Power to weight ratio | 15.4 HP/ton2 | ||||
| Transmission | |||||
| Fuel type | Gasoline5,8 | Gasoline8 | Gasoline2 | Gasoline4,8 | |
| Octane | |||||
| Capacity | 206 liters2 | ||||
| Performance | |||||
| Traverse | 360° | ||||
| Max speed | 27 mph3, 27.3 mph5, 28 mph7,8 44 kph2,3,5 |
26 mph8 | 45 kph1 28 mph1 |
44-45 kph2 | 26 mph4,8 |
| Water speed | 4 mph7, 6.2 mph, 6.5 kph2 | 5-6 kph2 | |||
| Cross country speed | 18.6 mph | ||||
| Road radius | 210 miles7, 217.5 miles, 220 miles, 222 miles8, 223.7 miles5, 224 miles3, 360 km3,5 |
210 miles8 | 185-360 km2 280 miles2 |
216 miles8 | |
| Cross country radius | 115 miles8 | 100 miles8 | 110 miles8 | ||
| Turning radius | |||||
| Elevation Limits | +40° | ||||
| Fording depth | Amphibious3 | Amphibious2 | |||
| Trench crossing | 6' 1"5, 5' 8" 1.85 m5 |
1.7m2 | |||
| Vertical Obstacle | 2' 3.75"5, 2' 2" 0.7 m5 |
0.6 m2 | |||
| Climbing ability | 34°2 | ||||
| Suspension (Type) | Torsion bar1,2,8 | ||||
| Wheels each side | 47, 5 | ||||
| Return rollers each side | 37 | ||||
| Track length | |||||
| Tires | |||||
| Track width | 7"8 | 7"8 | 7"8 | ||
| 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
- 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
