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Soviet Union's T-70 light tank

T-70 light tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum	T-70 light tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum	T-70 light tank:	T-70 light tank:
T-70 light tank:

Design

The T-70 was designed by, N. A. Astrov, who wanted to create a light tank that had more armor, a larger gun, and better cross country capabilities than the T-60.¹

Though the T-70 was a decent design, many felt it wasn't an improvement over the T-60.¹

The turret was place on the left side.^1,9 Two engines were mounted in tandem on the right side.^1,9 Each engine drove a track.¹ The differential and main clutch were united with the engines in one block. The T-70's idler was in the rear and the power in the front.¹

In September 1942, strengthened running gear was installed.² The tracks were widened to 300 mm, and the road wheels and return rollers were made wider.² The drive wheels and drive shafts were improved.²

Main Armament

The 45 mm gun fired a 3.2 lb APHE shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,500'/sec.⁹

Crew

The turret could only hold one man, the commander who also was the loader and gunner for the 45 mm gun.² There were some attempts to install an automatic loader for the 45 mm but these were unsuccessful.²

The driver had an armored visor installed.

Crews didn't like the tank as its fuel tanks were easy to ignite.⁹

Engine

Starting in September 1943 the T-70s started to receive the GAZ-203 engine (85 HP).²

Prototype

Production

In March 1942 the T-70 was accepted for production.¹

Factories No. 37 and No. 38 at the Gorki Automobile Works produced the tanks and were sometimes built alongside the T-60s.

T-70: 8,226¹, 8,266³
- Manufacturer: Soviet arsenals⁹
- Production: March 1942 - Oct. 1943^1,3
  - 1942: 4,883^1,2
  - 1943: 3,343^1,2

Variants

T-70¹⁰ (Model 1942): January 1942 started to replace T-60¹⁰. Some chassis used to mount 1 or 2 SU-37 AA guns. Rear of turret is rounded.
T-70A (Model 1943): In September 1943 armor was increased and more powerful engines. Rear of turret was squared off. Production ceased in October 1943.
SU-12², SU-76²: Factory No. 92 in Gorki and No. 38 in Kirov developed a self-propelled version of the T-70 designed by the bureaus of Generals Petrov and Grabin.² It was lengthened and widened.² It was to mount the 76.2 mm ZIS-3 divisional cannon.² In December 1942 it was redesignated the SU-76.²

Usage

Kursk

Of the 870 Soviet tanks at Prokhorovka, 261 of them were T-70s.¹

	T-70¹⁰	T-70A¹⁰	T-70 1942^1,2	T-70 1943²
Crew	Commander⁶, driver 2^4,5,6,8,9,10	2^1,2,3,10	2^1,2,3	2^1,2,3
Physical Characteristics
Weight	21,950 lb, 21,958 lb 9.05 tons^5,10, 9.2 tons^6,8, 10 tons^4,7, 10.1 tons⁹	9 tons⁹, 10 tons¹⁰ 9,200 kg³	9.2 tons², 9.79 tons¹ 9,950 kg¹	9.8-10 tons²
Length w/gun	14', 14' 0.9"⁶, 14' 1"⁹, 15' 3", 15.28'^5,10, 16' 5" 4.29 m⁶, 4.42 m^4,7	14' 1"³, 15.48'¹⁰ 4.29 m³	15' 2"¹ 4.29 m², 4.66 m¹	4.42 m²
Length w/o gun
Height	6.78'¹⁰, 6' 8"⁹, 6' 8.3"⁶, 6' 9", 7' 3.25", 7.5'⁵ 2.03 m⁷, 2.04 m⁶, 2.08 m⁴	6.66'¹⁰, 6' 8"³ 2.04 m³	6' 9"¹ 2.05 m², 2.1 m¹	2.08 m²
Width	7" 7.3"⁶, 7' 8"⁹, 7.68'^5,10, 8' 3.25" 2.32 m⁶, 2.47 m^4,7	7' 7"³, 8.1'¹⁰ 2.32 m³	7' 8"¹ 2.42 m², 2.52 m¹	2.47 m²
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	12"⁹ 0.3 m⁴		0.3 m²	0.3 m²
Ground contact length	10' 3"²	10' 3"²
Ground pressure	9.96 psi, 9.53 psi 0.7 kg/cm² ⁴		0.67 kg/cm² ²	0.51 kg/cm² ²
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	45 mm L/46⁴ 45 mm L/46 A/TK¹⁰ 45 mm M32/38⁷ 45 mm^5,6,8,9	45 mm L/46³ 45 mm L/46 A/TK¹⁰	45 mm 1938² 45 mm¹	45 mm 1938²
Secondary
MG	7.62 mm⁶ MG^4,5,10 7.62 mm DT MG⁹	MG¹⁰	7.62 mm MG¹
MG - coaxial	7.62 mm DT MG⁷ 7.62 mm MG⁸		7.62 mm DT MG²	7.62 mm DT MG²
Side arms
Quantity
Main	66 - 70¹⁰, 70^7,9, 90⁴, 94	94¹⁰	70-90²	70-90²
Secondary
MG	945^4,9,10	1,008¹⁰	945²	945²
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	10 - 60⁵ Front: 60⁷ Side: 45⁷	10 - 45³
Hull Front, Upper	1.37-1.77"@0°⁹ 35 - 40¹⁰, 45⁴	35 - 45¹⁰	45¹ 35-45²	35-45²
Hull Front, Lower
Hull Sides, Upper	0.6"@0°⁹ 16¹⁰, 45⁴	16¹⁰	45¹ 16²	16²
Hull Sides, Lower
Hull Rear	1"@0°⁹, 35⁴		15², 35¹	16²
Hull Top	10^4,10	10¹⁰	10¹ 10-15²	10-15²
Hull Bottom	10^4,10	10¹⁰	10¹ 10-15²	10-15²
Turret Front	1.37"@0°⁹ 10 - 60¹⁰, 60⁴	10 - 70¹⁰	35², 60	60^1,2
Turret Sides	1.37"@0°⁹ 35⁴		35^1,2
Turret Rear	35⁴		35^1,2	35
Turret Top	10⁴		10^1,2	10
Engine (Make / Model)	GAZ 203⁴, late models⁷ 2: GAZ-202⁶, early models⁷ 2: 215-202²	2: GAZ-202²^,3 GAZ-203 2: GAZ-203²	2: GAZ-202²^,3	GAZ-203²
Bore / stroke			4 stroke²	4 stroke²
Cooling	Water⁹
Cylinders	2 x 6^9,10	2 x 6²	2 x I-6²	2 x I-6²
Capacity
Net HP	2 x 70^5,8,10 140^6,7,9	2 x 85²	2 x 70@3,400 rpm²	2 x 85@3,600 rpm²
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	4 forward, 1 reverse^4,9
Steering	Clutch brake⁹
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline^5,6,9
Octane
Quantity	96.8 gallons⁹, 116 gallons, 127 gallons 480 liters⁴		440 liters²	480 liters²
Road consumption
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°	360°	360°	360°
Max speed	21 mph⁹, 28 mph⁶, 32 mph^5,10, 31.7 mph, 27.9 mph 45 kph^4,6,7	28 mph^3,10 45 kph³	31 mph¹ 45 kph², 50 kph¹	45 kph²
Cross country speed	18.6 mph
Road radius	223.7 miles⁶, 277 miles, 279 miles¹⁰, 280 miles⁹ 360 km^4,6	260 miles¹⁰	280¹ miles, 224 miles¹ 350 km², 450¹ km, 360 km¹	250-300 km²
Cross country radius	186 miles¹⁰ 180 km⁴	175 miles¹⁰	112 miles¹ 180 km¹
Turning radius
Elevation limits
Fording depth	2' 3.6"⁶, 3'⁹ 0.7 m⁶, 0.9 m⁴		0.9 m²	0.9 m²
Trench crossing	5' 1"⁹, 9' 6", 10 2.75", 10' 2.8"⁶ 3.12 m⁶		1.7 m²	1.7 m²
Vertical obstacle	2' 2"⁹, 2' 3.5"		0.65 m²	0.65 m²
Climbing ability	34° slope⁹		35°²	35°²
Suspension (Type)	Torsion Bar^4,8 Christie type coil spring torsion arm⁹
Wheels each side	5^4,8,9
Return rollers each side	3^8,9
Tracks (Type)
Length
Width	11", 1' 5.5"^9,10 260 mm, 300 mm⁴	1' 5.5"²
Diameter
Number of links	91⁹
Pitch
Tire tread	Rubber^4,8,9
Track centers/tread	62.5"⁹

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 1943-1945, 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
Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
Airfix Magazine Guide 22 Russian Tanks of World War 2, John Milsom and Steve Zaloga, 1977