T-50 Light Tank
L. Troyanov and I. Bushnevov directed a design bureau to create a light tank replacement for the T-26 and BT tanks. The first 2 vehicles were finished at Factory No. 174 in Leningrad in late 1940. After a few modifications it was ready for delivery in April 1941.
It was similar in appearance to the KVs so it was nicknamed Mali Klim or Little Kliment Voroshilov.
The tank was complex and required great resources and was discontinued after 65 were built. It took about as much effort to produce a medium tank as it was to produce the T-50
The driver sat in the center of the forward hull and used a slit in the armor and a turning periscope for driving. The vehicle was to also have a radio set.
Had cast conical shaped turret with commander's cupola and the hull was welded. In the cupola was 6 angle seals with armored blinds over them.
| T-50 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 41,2,3,4 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 29,700 lb 13.5-14 tons2, 13.5 tons1,3,4 13,715 kg1 |
| Length w/gun | 17'1,3, 17' 4"4, 18' 3.25" 5.2 m2, 5.18 m1 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 6.6'3, 6' 8"1, 7' 2"4, 7' 7.25" 2.16 m2, 2 m1 |
| Width | 8.1'1,3, 8' 3"4, 8' 8.75" 2.47 m2, 2.48 m1 |
| Ground clearance | 0.35 m2 |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | 0.57 kp(cm2)2 |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 45 mm 19382 45 mm3,4 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 12, 2: 7.92 mm DT MG 2: MG3 7.62 mm MG4 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 1502 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 4,000, 4002 |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 12 - 373 374 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 372 |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 372 |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | 25-372 |
| Hull Top | 12-152 |
| Hull Bottom | 12-152 |
| Turret Front | 372 |
| Turret Sides | 152 |
| Turret Rear | 152 |
| Turret Top | 12-152 |
| Engine (Make / Model) | W-42 |
| Cylinders | |
| Net HP | 3003,4 |
| Transmission | |
| Fuel type | Diesel3 |
| Octane | |
| Capacity | 350 liters2 |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Max Speed | 31 mph1, 32 mph4, 32.5 mph3, 33 mph 52-65 kph2, 50 kph1 |
| Cross Country | 25 mph |
| Road radius | 217.5 miles, 220 miles1 350 km2, 352 km1 |
| Turning Radius | |
| Elevation Limits | |
| Fording depth | 1.1 m2 |
| Trench crossing | 2.2 m2 |
| Vertical Obstacle | 0.7 m2 |
| Suspension (Type) | Torsion bar |
| Wheels each side | 6 double tired4 |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Track length | |
| Tires | |
| Track width | |
| Track centers/tread | |
| Production | 63, 65 1941: 481,2 1942: 151,2 |
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
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
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