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Soviet Union's BT-5¹ Bystrochodnij Tankov (Fast Tank)

BT-5 Model 1934 under construction. Named after Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya, a partisan that was killed in 1941.	BT-5(V) Fast Tank:	BT-5 Fast Tank:	BT-5 Fast Tank:
BT-5 Fast Tank:	BT-5 Fast Tank:	BT-5 Fast Tank:	BT-5 Fast Tank:
BT-5 Fast Tank:	BT-5A Fast Tank:	BT-5(V) Fast Tank:	BT-DT Fast Tank:

Design

It was found that the BT-2 wasn't adequate during the war with Finland so new requirements were devised for a vehicle with stronger armament, a single turret with the main gun and coaxial MG, space for a radio, and better mobility with an engine manufactured in the Soviet Union.² The BT-5 was the design that was selected to meet those specifications.²

It was the first main production model of the BT series.⁸

When on wheels, steering was done by a steering wheel operating the front wheels.⁷ When on tracks, steering was done with the clutch and brake.⁷

Turret

The turret was riveted with an extension to the rear to make room for the 45 mm model 1932 main gun and a 7.62 mm DT MG.²

The 45 mm gun had a velocity of 2,350 ft/sec.⁶ The range it could fire was 4,800 meters.² The velocity of an 1.43 kg shell was 760 m/sec.² 42 mm of armor could be penetrated at 100 meters.²

It had a larger turret⁹, 2 rectangular escape hatches in the turret², new engine, and a stronger suspension.⁸

The top of the turret a PTK panoramic scope.²

Prototype

Production

BT-5: 5,000
- Production: 1932 - ?^1,2,6
- Manufacturer: factory in Kharkov¹
BT-IS: 5²
- Production: 1937²

Variants

BT-5:
BT-5AT, BT-5A^8,9: Artillery tank.^2,9 Close support version with 76.2 mm howitzer.^2,8,9 It's 6.2 kg shell could be fired 7,125 meters.² Turret was from T-28.⁹
BT-5TU(1934), BT-5(V)¹, BT-5U⁹, BT-5TU⁹, BT-6¹: Commander's version.^1,2 Carried only 72 shells to make room for the radio sets.² The antenna was placed around the turret.^1,2
T-5Pch², BT-5PKh¹: Had a snorkel device attached so that it could go through water obstacles 5 meters deep.^1,2 Able to ford water obstacles by going under water.⁷ Was tested by the 4th Don Cossack Division in 1936.¹
BT-IS²: Five prototype vehicles that had improvements designed by N. F. Zygankovich.² It had 3 pairs of road wheels to be driven on, and also had more angled hull armor.²
BT-DT: Had smoke emitters.⁷
BT-IT: Bridge layer.^7,9
BT-5-OT: Had flamethrower.^7,9

Usage

Spanish Civil War

About 50¹ / 64 fought in the Spanish Civil War on the Republican side.²

Against Japan

The BT-5s saw action against the Japanese at Khalkin-Gol in July 1939.²

Internal Action

The occupation of the western areas of White Russia & Ukraine in September 1939.²

War with Finland

The BT-5 was used in the Winter War of 1939-1940 against Finland.^1,2

Defending the Motherland

The BT-5 were used against the invading Germans in 1941.²

	BT-5¹ (1933 Model)	BT-5A⁹	BT-DT	BT-5PK	BT-IT	BT-5-OT
Crew	3^{1,2,3,4,7,8,9}	3^7,9	3⁷	3⁷	1⁷	2⁷
Physical Characteristics
Weight	11.3 tons⁸, 11.31 tons¹, 11.5 tons^2,4,7,9, 11.52 tons³, 11.9 tons⁵ 11,500 kg^1,8, 11,700 kg³ 25,350 lb	11.7 tons^7,9	11.7 tons⁷	11.7 tons⁷	12.7 tons⁷	11.6 tons⁷
Length w/gun	18'¹^,3,4,8, 18.1'^7,9, 19' 5.5" 5.48 m³, 5.49 m^1,8, 5.76 m², 5.8 m⁵	18'^7,9	18'⁷	18'⁷	With bridge: 21.33'⁷	18'⁷
Length w/o gun
Height	7' 3"^1,3,8, 7.25'^4,7,9, 7' 9.5" 2.21 m^1,8, 2.2 m³, 2.24 m⁵, 2.25 m²	7.25'^7,9	7.25'⁷	7.25'⁷	7.25'⁷	7.25'⁷
Width	7' 4"¹^,3,8, 7.33'^4,7,9, 7' 10.25" 2.15 m², 2.23 m^3,5, 2.24 m⁸, 2.33 m¹	7.33'^7,9	7.33'⁷	7.33'⁷	7.33'⁷	7.33'⁷
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	9" 0.35 m²
Ground clearance - wheels	9"⁷	9"⁷	9"⁷	9"⁷	9"⁷	9"⁷
Ground clearance - tracks	10.5"⁷	10.5"⁷	10.5"⁷	10.5"⁷	10.5"⁷	10.5"⁷
Ground contact length	12'^7,9	12'^7,9	12'⁷	12'⁷	12'⁷	12'⁷
Ground pressure	9.3 psi⁷ 0.65 kp/cm² ²	9.3 psi⁷	9.3 psi⁷	9.3 psi⁷	10.4 psi⁷	9.3 psi⁷
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	45 mm 1932 L/42 45 mm 1932²^,3 45 mm^1,4,6,8 45 mm M1932¹ 45 mm M32⁵ 45 mm L/46⁷ 45 mm L/46 A/TK⁹	76.2 mm L/16.5^7,9		45 mm L/46⁷		OT-130 Flame Gun⁷
Secondary
MG	1: MG⁴ 7.62 mm DTMG^7,9	7.62 mm DTMG^7,9	7.62 mm DTMG⁷	7.62 mm DTMG⁷	7.62 mm DTMG⁷	7.62 mm DTMG⁷
MG - coaxial	1 or 2: 7.62 mm DT² 7.62 mm MG¹ 7.62 mm DT MG^3,5,8 1: MG⁶
Side arms
Quantity
Main	72-115^1,2,9 With radio: 72^2,7 Without radio: 115^2,7	72⁷, 72 - 115⁹		72⁷		28.6 gallons⁷
Secondary
MG	2,394^1,2,7,9, 2,709²	2,394^7,9		2,394⁷	2,394⁷	2,394⁷
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	6 - 13^1,3,4, 13⁸ Front: 15⁵ Side: 10⁵
Hull Front, Upper	13^2,7,9	13^7,9	13⁷	13⁷	13⁷	13⁷
Hull Front, Lower	13²
Hull Sides, Upper	10 - 13^7,9, 13²	10 - 13^7,9	10 - 13⁷	10 - 13⁷	10 - 13⁷	10 - 13⁷
Hull Sides, Lower	13²
Hull Rear	10⁷, 13²	10⁷	10⁷	10⁷	10⁷	10⁷
Hull Top	6 - 10^7,9, 10²	6 - 10^7,9	6 - 10⁷	6 - 10⁷	6 - 10⁷	6 - 10⁷
Hull Bottom	6 - 10^2,7,9	6 - 10^7,9	6 - 10⁷	6 - 10⁷	6 - 10⁷	6 - 10⁷
Turret Front	10 - 13⁹, 13^2,7	10 - 13⁹, 13⁷	13⁷	13⁷		13⁷
Turret Sides	13^2,7	13⁷	13⁷	13⁷		13⁷
Turret Rear	13^2,7	13⁷	13⁷	13⁷		13⁷
Turret Top	10^2,7	10⁷	10⁷	10⁷		10⁷
Engine (Make / Model)	M-5 Liberty Aero^2,3 M-5⁶ M-5 modified Aero⁷ Liberty Aero⁸ M-5 Aero^1,9	M-5 modified Aero⁷ M-5 Aero⁹	M-5 modified Aero⁷	M-5 modified Aero⁷	M-5 modified Aero⁷	M-5 modified Aero⁷
Bore / stroke	4 stroke²
Cooling	Water⁷	Water⁷	Water⁷	Water⁷	Water⁷	Water⁷
Cylinders	12^2,6,9, V-12^1,7,8	12⁹, V-12⁷	V-12⁷	V-12⁷	V-12⁷	V-12⁷
Capacity
Net HP	350^1,2,4,6,9, 365⁵, 400⁸ 350@2,300 rpm^2,7	350⁹, 350@2,300 rpm⁷	350@2,300 rpm⁷	350@2,300 rpm⁷	350@2,300 rpm⁷	350@2,300 rpm⁷
Power to weight ratio	30.4 hp/ton^2,7	30.4 hp/ton⁷	30.4 hp/ton⁷	30.4 hp/ton⁷	30.4 hp/ton⁷	30.4 hp/ton⁷
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	4 forward, 1 reverse Wheels: Chain drive⁷ Tracks: Sliding gear⁷	Wheels: Chain drive⁷ Tracks: Sliding gear⁷	Wheels: Chain drive⁷ Tracks: Sliding gear⁷	Wheels: Chain drive⁷ Tracks: Sliding gear⁷	Wheels: Chain drive⁷ Tracks: Sliding gear⁷	Wheels: Chain drive⁷ Tracks: Sliding gear⁷
Steering
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline^4,7,8	Gasoline^7,9	Gasoline⁷	Gasoline⁷	Gasoline⁷	Gasoline⁷
Octane
Quantity	88 gallons⁷, 105 gallons, 400 liters²	88 gallons⁷	88 gallons⁷	88 gallons⁷	88 gallons⁷	88 gallons⁷
Road consumption
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°⁷	360°⁷	360°⁷	360°⁷	-5° to +5°⁷	360°⁷
Max speed	39 mph⁶, 43 mph³, 68.4 mph, 69 mph⁹, 40 - 69 mph⁴ 53 kph⁵, 70 kph³
Max speed - tracks	40 mph¹ 52 kph², 65 kph¹
Max speed - wheels	69 mph⁷, 70 mph¹ 72 kph², 112 kph¹	69 mph^7,9	69 mph⁷	69 mph⁷	69 mph⁷	69 mph⁷
Cross country speed	31 mph
Cross country speed - tracks	39 mph⁷	39 mph⁷	39 mph⁷	39 mph⁷	5 mph⁷	39 mph⁷
Road radius	55 miles¹, 124 miles³, 186.4 miles 90 km¹, 200 km³
Road radius - tracks	200 km²
Road radius - wheels	187 miles^7,9 300 km²	187 miles^7,9	187 miles⁷	187 miles⁷	187 miles⁷	187 miles⁷
Cross country radius - tracks	125 miles^7,9	125 miles^7,9	125 miles⁷	125 miles⁷	125 miles⁷	125 miles⁷
Turning radius	40'⁷	40'⁷	40'⁷	40'⁷	40'⁷	40'⁷
Elevation limits	-4° to +40°⁷	-4° to +60°⁷		-4° to +60°⁷	-5° to +5°⁷	-10° to +40°⁷
Fording depth	3.98'⁷, 4' 0.9 m²	3.98'⁷	3.98'⁷	3.98'⁷	3.98'⁷	3.98'⁷
Trench crossing	8.85'⁷, 8' 9" 2 m²	8.85'⁷	8.83'⁷	8.85'⁷	20'⁷	6.85'⁷
Vertical obstacle - wheels	8"⁷	8"⁷	8"⁷	8"⁷	8"⁷	8"⁷
Vertical obstacle - tracks	29.8"⁷ 0.55 m²	29.8"⁷	29.8"⁷	29.8"⁷	30"⁷	30"⁷
Climbing ability	37°²
Suspension (Type)	Christie independent type⁷	Christie independent type⁷	Christie independent type⁷	Christie independent type⁷	Christie independent type⁷	Christie independent type⁷
Wheels each side	4⁷	4⁷	4⁷	4⁷	4⁷	4⁷
Return rollers each side
Tracks (Type)
Length
Width - tire	2 x 3.95⁷	2 x 3.95⁷	2 x 3.95⁷	2 x 3.95⁷	2 x 3.95⁷	2 x 3.95⁷
Width - track	10.25"^7,9	10.25"^7,9	10.25"⁷	10.25"⁷	10.25"⁷	10.25"⁷
Diameter	32.5"⁷	32.5"⁷	32.5"⁷	32.5"⁷	32.5"⁷	32.5"⁷
Number of links
Pitch
Tire tread
Track centers/tread	6.33'⁷	6.33'⁷	6.33'⁷	6.33'⁷	6.33'⁷	6.33'⁷

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
Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 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
Airfix Magazine Guide 22 Russian Tanks of World War 2, John Milsom and Steve Zaloga, 1977