📌 PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank, IWM Duxford.
The Soviet PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank was introduced in the early 1950's and soon became the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact Armed Forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, Syria, North Korea and North Vietnam. The Light Tank's full name is ''Floating Tank-76'' (плавающий танк, plavayushchiy tank, or ПТ-76) 76 stands for the caliber of the Main Armament: the 76.2mm D-56T series Rifled Tank Gun. The PT-76 is used in the Reconnaissance and Fire-Support roles. Its chassis served as the basis for a number of other vehicle designs, many of them amphibious, including the BTR-50 Armored Personnel Carrier, the ZSU-4 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, the ASU-85 Airborne Self-Propelled Gun and the 2K12 Kub Anti-Aircraft Missile Launch vehicle
About 5,000 PT-76's were produced, of which some 2,000 were exported, over 25 countries employed the vehicle, including Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Madagascar, Mozambique, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, North Vietnam, and Yugoslavia. The PT-76 was used as the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact Armies. It was also intended for water obstacle fording operations and Naval Infantry landings. It served in the Reconnaissance Subunits of Tank Divisions and Mechanized Divisions of the Red Army and Soviet Marines Divisions. Although it has been replaced in front line service by the BMP-1, it may still be found in the Reconnaissance Companies and Battalions of some Motorized Rifle and Tank Regiments and Divisions, as well as in Naval Infantry Units. Asideтанк from its Reconnaissance role, it is also used for crossing water obstacles in the first wave of an attack and for Artillery support during the establishment of a beachhead. The main disadvantage of the BMP-1 and the BRM-1 when compared to the PT-76 is the absence of a powerful Main Armament. However, the BRM-1 is fitted with more modern Reconnaissance Equipment. Also, both vehicles have stronger front armour and superior mobility features and the BMP-1 can carry up to 8 fully equipped Troops inside. The PT-76 is still on active service in a number of countries mainly in the third world. The Russian Army is reported to have used PT-76 units in the ongoing war in Chechnya.
After World War Two, the concept of Light Tanks was resurrected in the U.S.S.R, they were to be used in Reconnaissance Units and therefore an amphibious ability was essential. The requirements stated that the vehicle should be able to cross water obstacles with little preparation. Many prototypes of such Light Tanks were built in the late 1940's. The most successful was "объект 740" (Object 740) designed by the engineer N. Shashmurin working at the VNII-100 institute in Leningrad (a research institute of Chelyabinsk Tank Factory ChTZ) in 1949 to 1950, under an initial supervision of Josef Kotin from Kirov Plant. The vehicle was successful because it had a simple design, good navigational traits and a good cross country capability. At the time, its water-jet design was innovative.
A prototype was built at Kirov Plant in 1950 and the Tank was officially adopted on 6th August 1951 with the designation PT-76. Production started at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory (STZ). The Tank was subsequently modified. In 1957, the D-56T Gun was replaced with the D-56TM with double-baffle muzzle brake and fume extractor, and the hull was raised by 5in, additionally the Tank was equipped with new Vision and Communications Devices. First series Tanks were subsequently modified, receiving the D-56TM Gun and new equipment. In 1959 an improved variant, the PT-76B, was adopted and remained in production until 1967 (main improvements were: D-56TS Gun with stabilization and CBRN protection). In 1964 the United States obtained a PT-76 by undisclosed means, which was evaluated by the Tank-Automotive Center in February, and was deemed inferior to American Tanks !
▪︎Type: Amphibious Light Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 6th August 1951 to present
▪︎Designer: N. Shashmurin and Zh.Y. Kotin
▪︎Designed: 1949 to 1951
▪︎Manufacturer: VTZ, Kirov Factory
▪︎Produced: 1951 to 1969
▪︎Number Built: ~12,000
▪︎Mass: 14.6 ton / Length: 25ft (gun forward) - 22ft 8in (hull) / Width: 10ft 4in / Height: 7ft 7.5in
▪︎Crew: 3 (Driver, Commander / Gunner, Loader)
▪︎Armour: RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armour) 0.98in (turret front) / 0.78in (turret sides) / 0.5in (turret rear) / 0.31in (turret top) / 0.55in (hull sides) / 0.27in (hull rear)
▪︎Main Armament: 76.2mm D-56T Rifled Tank Gun (40 rounds) or AU-220M Baikal Turret with 57mm BM-57 Autocannon
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm SGMT Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) 7.62mm PKT ▪︎Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) since 1967
▪︎Powerplant: V-6 Type diesel, straight-six engine, 240hp
▪︎Power / Weight: 16.4hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: torsion-bar
▪︎Ground Clearance: 14.6in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 55 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 230–250 miles with external fuel
▪︎Maximum Speed: 27mph on road / 6.3mph swimming.
Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT-76
📌 PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank, IWM Duxford.
The Soviet PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank was introduced in the early 1950's and soon became the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact Armed Forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, Syria, North Korea and North Vietnam. The Light Tank's full name is ''Floating Tank-76'' (плавающий танк, plavayushchiy tank, or ПТ-76) 76 stands for the caliber of the Main Armament: the 76.2mm D-56T series Rifled Tank Gun. The PT-76 is used in the Reconnaissance and Fire-Support roles. Its chassis served as the basis for a number of other vehicle designs, many of them amphibious, including the BTR-50 Armored Personnel Carrier, the ZSU-4 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, the ASU-85 Airborne Self-Propelled Gun and the 2K12 Kub Anti-Aircraft Missile Launch vehicle
About 5,000 PT-76's were produced, of which some 2,000 were exported, over 25 countries employed the vehicle, including Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Madagascar, Mozambique, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, North Vietnam, and Yugoslavia. The PT-76 was used as the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact Armies. It was also intended for water obstacle fording operations and Naval Infantry landings. It served in the Reconnaissance Subunits of Tank Divisions and Mechanized Divisions of the Red Army and Soviet Marines Divisions. Although it has been replaced in front line service by the BMP-1, it may still be found in the Reconnaissance Companies and Battalions of some Motorized Rifle and Tank Regiments and Divisions, as well as in Naval Infantry Units. Asideтанк from its Reconnaissance role, it is also used for crossing water obstacles in the first wave of an attack and for Artillery support during the establishment of a beachhead. The main disadvantage of the BMP-1 and the BRM-1 when compared to the PT-76 is the absence of a powerful Main Armament. However, the BRM-1 is fitted with more modern Reconnaissance Equipment. Also, both vehicles have stronger front armour and superior mobility features and the BMP-1 can carry up to 8 fully equipped Troops inside. The PT-76 is still on active service in a number of countries mainly in the third world. The Russian Army is reported to have used PT-76 units in the ongoing war in Chechnya.
After World War Two, the concept of Light Tanks was resurrected in the U.S.S.R, they were to be used in Reconnaissance Units and therefore an amphibious ability was essential. The requirements stated that the vehicle should be able to cross water obstacles with little preparation. Many prototypes of such Light Tanks were built in the late 1940's. The most successful was "объект 740" (Object 740) designed by the engineer N. Shashmurin working at the VNII-100 institute in Leningrad (a research institute of Chelyabinsk Tank Factory ChTZ) in 1949 to 1950, under an initial supervision of Josef Kotin from Kirov Plant. The vehicle was successful because it had a simple design, good navigational traits and a good cross country capability. At the time, its water-jet design was innovative.
A prototype was built at Kirov Plant in 1950 and the Tank was officially adopted on 6th August 1951 with the designation PT-76. Production started at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory (STZ). The Tank was subsequently modified. In 1957, the D-56T Gun was replaced with the D-56TM with double-baffle muzzle brake and fume extractor, and the hull was raised by 5in, additionally the Tank was equipped with new Vision and Communications Devices. First series Tanks were subsequently modified, receiving the D-56TM Gun and new equipment. In 1959 an improved variant, the PT-76B, was adopted and remained in production until 1967 (main improvements were: D-56TS Gun with stabilization and CBRN protection). In 1964 the United States obtained a PT-76 by undisclosed means, which was evaluated by the Tank-Automotive Center in February, and was deemed inferior to American Tanks !
▪︎Type: Amphibious Light Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 6th August 1951 to present
▪︎Designer: N. Shashmurin and Zh.Y. Kotin
▪︎Designed: 1949 to 1951
▪︎Manufacturer: VTZ, Kirov Factory
▪︎Produced: 1951 to 1969
▪︎Number Built: ~12,000
▪︎Mass: 14.6 ton / Length: 25ft (gun forward) - 22ft 8in (hull) / Width: 10ft 4in / Height: 7ft 7.5in
▪︎Crew: 3 (Driver, Commander / Gunner, Loader)
▪︎Armour: RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armour) 0.98in (turret front) / 0.78in (turret sides) / 0.5in (turret rear) / 0.31in (turret top) / 0.55in (hull sides) / 0.27in (hull rear)
▪︎Main Armament: 76.2mm D-56T Rifled Tank Gun (40 rounds) or AU-220M Baikal Turret with 57mm BM-57 Autocannon
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm SGMT Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) 7.62mm PKT ▪︎Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) since 1967
▪︎Powerplant: V-6 Type diesel, straight-six engine, 240hp
▪︎Power / Weight: 16.4hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: torsion-bar
▪︎Ground Clearance: 14.6in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 55 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 230–250 miles with external fuel
▪︎Maximum Speed: 27mph on road / 6.3mph swimming.
Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT-76