BT-2 Bystrochodnij Tankov (Fast Tank)
With the vast territories of Russia there was a need seen for fast tanks. In 1931, 2 Christie M-1931 (T-3) tanks were purchased from the United States.4 These were sent to Voronesh for testing. The Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR authorized it's use by the Red Army and requested mass production.
The drawings for the prototype was delivered to the Kharkov "Komintern" factory in August 1931. The first 2 prototypes were delivered to the Red Army for trials. These were the BT-1 and it was almost a copy of the Christie with 2 machine guns. Production stopped after only a few models were built.
The BTs were to be used in the mechanized, armored, and cavalry units. They were to advance into the enemy's rear to break supply lines and disrupt communications.
They could be run on track across country or on wheels on roads.4 It took about a half-hour to switch from one mode to the other.4 When running on wheels the tracks were stored on racks above the running gear. When running on wheels 1/3 of the weight was on the back pair of road wheels. The wheels had a tendency to sink and slip if driven onto soft ground. Each wheel had twin rubber tires and were linked via an axle arm with a coil spring. The chassis was very steady when moving fast and on uneven terrain.
The driver sat in the center and used a steering wheel when on wheels and a clutch and brake system when on tracks.4,5 When on wheels the tracks were placed on shelves along the side of the hull.4 When using wheels, the front pair of wheels were steered by a wheel.5
These were copied from the Christie T3.4 The rear half of the hull had the engine and transmission.4 The turret was placed near the front of the hull.4
BT-2:
It had a new turret. All welded with spoked wheels.
Production started in September 1931, and at a military parade in Red Square on November 7, 1931, 3 BTs participated. Full production started in 1932. The first 60 models had no MGs. The next 350 had a 7.62 mm DA-2 twin MG and a 7.62 mm DT in ball mantlet. There was no room for a radio.
These saw action in the 1939-1940 Winter War with Finland and in 1941 against the Germans.
| BT-2 (1931 Model) | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2-32 31,3,4,5,6 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 22,500 lb, 10.2 tons1,2, 11 tons5,6, 11.02 tons3 9,253.3 kg1, 11,200 kg3,6 |
| Length w/gun | 18'1,3,6, 18.1'5, 19' 4.25", 5.76 m2, 5.48 m3, 5.49 m1,6 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 6' 4"3,6, 7.25'5, 7' 3"1, 7' 9.5" 1.92 m3, 1.93 m6, 2.21 m1, 2.2 m2 |
| Width | 7' 4"1,3,6, 7.33'5, 7' 10.25" 2.15 m2, 2.23 m3, 2.24 m6, 2.33 m1 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | 0.35-0.38 m2 Wheels: 9"5 Tracks: 10.5"5 |
| Ground contact length | 12'5 |
| Ground pressure | 8.96 psi5 0.63 kp/(cm2)2 |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 37 mm M 19303,5 37 mm BS-3 1931 Model2 37 mm1,4,6 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 7.62 mm DT MG or twin 7.62 mm DT-2 MG coaxial (?)2 or |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 92-96 962,5 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 2,7092,5 |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 6-133, 136 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 132,5 |
| Hull Front, Lower | 132 |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 10 - 135 132 |
| Hull Sides, Lower | 132 |
| Hull Rear | 105, 132 |
| Hull Top | 6 - 105, 102 |
| Hull Bottom | 6 - 102,5 |
| Turret Front | 132,5 |
| Turret Sides | 132,5 |
| Turret Rear | 132,5 |
| Turret Top | 102,5 |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Liberty Aero2,3,5,6 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | Water5 |
| Cylinders | V-125,6 |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 4004,6 343 - 400@2,000 rpm5 |
| Power to weight ratio | 30 hp/ton4, 32.6 hp/ton5 |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | Wheels: Chain drive5 Tracks: Sliding gear5 |
| Steering | |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline6 |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | 88 gallons5 400 liters2 |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 360°5 |
| Max speed | 68.4 mph Tracks: 62 kph2, 65 kph1,6, 39 mph4, 40 mph1,6 Wheels: 105 kph6, 110 kph2, 112 kph1, 65 mph6, 69 mph5, 70 mph1 |
| Cross country speed | 31 mph Track: 39 mph5 |
| Road radius | 187 miles3, 186.4 miles, 55 miles1 90 km1, 300 km3 Tracks: 124 miles6, 200 km6, 150-200 km2 Wheels: 186 miles6, 187 miles5, 300 km6, 250-300 km2 |
| Cross country radius | Tracks: 125 miles5 |
| Turning radius | 40'5 |
| Elevation limits | -8° to +25° -4° to +40°5 |
| Fording depth | 3.98'5 1-1.2 m2 |
| Trench crossing | 6.85'5 2.1 m2 |
| Vertical obstacle | 0.75 m2 Wheels: 8"5 Tracks: 29.8"5 |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | Christie4 Christie independent type5 |
| Wheels each side | 44,5 |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | Tire: 2 x 3.95"5 Track: 10.25"5 |
| Diameter | 32.5"5 |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread | 6.33'5 |
| Production | 1931-1933 |
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 World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- Profile AFV Weapons 37 Russian BT Series, John F. Milsom, 1971
- The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
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