T-60 Light Tank

Aberdeen Tank Museum

After the heavy losses of tanks after the invasion of Russia by Germany there was a great need for producing many tanks. N. A. Astrov lead a design bureau in Moscow to alter the T-40. An increase in armor was needed at the expense of having amphibious capability.

Initially it was designed with a 37 mm gun, but this proved to powerful for the turret. B. Shpital'n was given the task of coming up with a powerful gun for the tank. He developed the rapid firing 20 mm ShVAK-20 gun. It could pierce as thick of armor as the 37 mm could penetrate.

The turret was offset to the left with the engine on the right. The driver was placed in the center in the front of the hull. The first models had riveted armor but later had welded armor. The hull was modified to have larger armor plates at sharper angles.

Factory No. 37 in Moscow started production in July 1941. The first left the factory on December 15, 1941. When Factory No. 37 was moved to behind the Urals, the auto factory in Gorki and Factory No. 138 in Kirov started production. The armored body came from the Podolsk Machine Works.

It was primarily assigned to reconnaissance units and infantry units. Some were formed into independent tank battalions which had:

• 1 heavy company (KV tanks)
• 1 medium company (T-34 tanks)
• 2 light companies (T-60 tanks)

Some vehicles were used at towing tractors for 76.2 mm divisional cannons in the artillery regiments of some rifle divisions.

T-60 (1941):

Issued to reconnaissance units and infantry formations for support in combat. With spoked wheels. Some chassis were converted to carry Katyushka rocket launchers or tow 57 mm antitank guns. Had spoked wheels.

T-60A (1942):

Improved model with increased armor and solid road wheels. Started to appear in early 1942.

KT, A-T, or A-40:

In 1942 a vehicle chassis was fitted with wings, a double tail, and was towed by a TB-3 bomber as a glider.

OSU-76:

At Factory No. 38 a design bureau was told to design a light self-propelled tank based on the T-60 chassis. The were fitted with the 76.2 mm ZIS-3 (1942) divisional cannon. Prototypes were built but when production of the T-60 was halted the T-70 was converted into the SU-76.

BM-8-36:

It had 36 launching rails installed. It fired 82 mm rockets up to 5,500 meters.

T-60 Anti-Aircraft

	T-60	T-60 1941	T-60 1942
Crew	21,3,4,5,6,7,8,9	22	22
Physical Characteristics
Weight	12,700 lb, 11,354 lb 5.5 tons4, 5.75 tons5, 6 tons9, 6.3 tons3, 6.4 tons6,7 6,400 kg3	5.5-5.8 tons2	6.4 tons2 5,150 kg1 5.07 tons1
Length w/gun	12' 5"9, 13.1'5, 13' 5.9"6, 13' 6"3, 14' 1" 4 m4, 4.11 m3,6,7	4.1 m2	4.1 m2
Length w/o gun
Height	5' 8"3, 5' 8.5"6, 5' 9"9, 6' 2.5", 6.65'5 1.74 m3,6,7, 1.8 m4	1.75 m2	1.78 m2, 1.89 m1, 6' 2"1
Width	7.5'5, 7' 8"3,9, 8' 0.75" 2.3 m3,7, 2.35 m4	2.35 m2	2.35 m2, 2.46 m1, 8' 1"1
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	1' 0.3 m4	0.3 m2	0.3 m2
Ground contact length
Ground pressure	6.55 psi, 6.83 psi 0.48 (kg/cm2)4	0.48 (kg/cm2)2	0.46 (kg/cm2)2
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	20 mm ShVAK3 20 mm TNSh-17 20 mm4,5,6,8 20 mm Shvak aircraft automatic gun9	20 mm SchWak 19412	20 mm SchWak 19412
Secondary
MG	7.62 mm DT MG3,7, coaxial7 MG4,5 7.62 mm MG6 7.62 mm MG, coaxial8 7.62 mm DT MG9	7.62 mm DT MG, coaxial2	7.62 mm DT MG, coaxial2
Side arms
Quantity
Main	1807	750-7802	7802
Secondary
MG	7804	945-1,0002
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	7 - 253,5 208 Front: 337 Side: 257
Hull Front, Upper	T-60A: 34 0.75"@0°9, 14-204	14-202	351,2
Hull Front, Lower
Hull Sides, Upper	154	152	251,2
Hull Sides, Lower
Hull Rear	0.4"@0°9, 10-134	10-132	251
Hull Top	104	7-102	131,2
Hull Bottom	7-104	7-102	131,2
Turret Front	0.75"@0°9, 154	152	251,2
Turret Sides	0.75"@0°9, 154	152	252, 151
Turret Rear	154	152	252, 151
Turret Top	74	72	71,2
Engine (Make / Model)	GAZ 2033,6	GAZ 2022	GAZ 2032
Bore / stroke
Cooling	Water4,9
Cylinders	64,9
Capacity
Net HP	85@3,600 rpm4 767, 855,9
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	4 forward, 1 reverse4,9	4 forward, 1 reverse	4 forward, 1 reverse
Steering	Clutch brake9
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline5,6,9
Octane
Quantity	84.5 gallons 320 liters4	320 liters2
Road consumption
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°9 Manual9	360°	360°
Max speed	27 mph5, 27.3 mph, 27.5 mph9, 27.9 mph, 28 mph3,6 44 kph4,7, 45 kph3,6	44 kph2	42 kph2, 45 kph1, 38 mph1
Cross country speed	18.6 mph	18.6 mph	18.6 mph
Road radius	270 miles9, 280 miles3,6, 382 miles 450 km3,6, 615 km4	315-614 km2	280 miles, 380 miles1 315-614 km2, 450 km, 615 km1
Cross country radius	315 km4		155 miles1 250 km1
Turning radius	20' 6" 6.2 m4
Elevation limits	+40°
Fording depth	2' 10" 0.8 m4	0.87 m2	0.87 m2
Trench crossing	6' 1"6 1.85 m6	1.7 m2	1.7 m2
Vertical obstacle	1' 9.3"6 0.54 m6	0.6 m2	0.6 m2
Climbing ability
Suspension (Type)	Torsion Bars4 Christie type coil spring torsion arm9
Wheels each side	44,9
Return rollers each side	39
Tracks (Type)	Steel, skeleton, dry pin9
Length
Width	7", 17.5"9
Diameter
Number of links
Pitch
Tires
Track centers/tread	260 mm4
Production	1941: Soviet arsenals9 1941-1943: 6,0003, 6,2921	1,8181,2	4,4741,2

Sources:

1. Russian Tanks of World War II Stalin's Armored Might, by Tim Bean & Will Fowler, 2002
2. Russian Tanks and Armored Vehicles 1917-1945, by Wolfgang Fleischer, 1999
3. 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
4. Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
5. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
6. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
7. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
8. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
9. Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969

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