T-26
Encyclopedia : T : T2 : T26 : T-26
 T-26 Model 1933 at the Finnish Tank Museum in Parola | |
| T-26 Model 1933 | |
|---|---|
| General characteristics | |
| Crew | 3 |
| Length | 4.88 m |
| Width | 3.41 m |
| Height | 2.41 m |
| Weight | 9.4 tonnes |
| Armour and armament | |
| Armour | 6–25 |
| Main armament | 45 mm gun Model 32 |
| Secondary armament | 1 or 2×DT machine gun |
| Mobility | |
| Power plant | gasoline GAZ T-26 hp ( kW) |
| Suspension | leaf spring |
| Road speed | 28 km/h |
| Power/weight | hp/tonne |
| Range | 175 km |
The T-26 Soviet light tank was based on the British Vickers 6-Ton tank. The Vickers was one of the most successful tank designs of the 1930s. The Vickers design was copied and improved by the Red Army, becoming their most common tank up until 1941.
Its chassis was base for the T-26-T armoured artillery tractor.
Production history
The T-26 was produced under license from Vickers-Armstrong Ltd. between 1931 and 1940. Over 12000 were produced.
Variants
- T-26 model 1931 - Twin turret version with machineguns.
- T-26 model 1932 - Twin turret version with 37 mm gun in one turret and machine gun in other. Used as a Platoon leader's vehicle.
- T-26TU - Command version with radios.
- T-26 model 1933 - single turret version with 45 mm gun. Most numerous variant.
- T-26 model 1938 - New semi-conical turret with sloped armor. Welded construction.
- T-26 model 1939 (T-26S) - Semi-conical turret, increased armour with sloped hull sides; welded construction.
- T-26A artillery support tank - mounting enlarged turret with 76.2 mm howitzer Model 27/32. The chassis was overloaded, and few were built.
- OT-26 - Flamethrower variant, using a single MG-type turret.
- OT-130 - Flamethrower variant of model 1933, using larger 45 mm gun turret but without the gun.
- OT-133 - Flamethrower variant of model 1939, without a gun.
- OT-134 - Flamethrower variant of model 1939, with 45 mm gun.
- TT-26 - a Teletank
- SU-5-1 - Self propelled gun. 76.2 mm howitzer (few vehicles).
- SU-5-2 - Self propelled gun. 122 mm howitzer (few vehicles).
- SU-5-3 - Self propelled gun. 152.4 mm mortar (few vehicles).
- T-26-T - Armoured artillery tractor based on the T-26 chassis. Early versions had an unarmoured cab, later ones were fully armoured. Small numbers were produced in 1933 for motorized artillery batteries, to tow 76.2 mm divisional guns. Some remained in service until 1945.
- TN (Tank Nabludatel, "Observation Tank") - experimental observation version of the T-26-T, with five-man crew and radio.
Combat history
First saw action against Japanese forces in the Manchurian border incidents in 1934 and 1935.
During the Spanish civil war of 1936-39, Republican Spain received 362 T-26 model 1933. This was by far the most important pre-WW2 combat experience for Soviet tanks and crews. The Republican T-26s completely outclassed opposing tanks in Spain, which usually had only machineguns as armament. These opposing tanks included the German Panzer I and the Italian CV-33/35 series. The T-26's 45 mm gun could easily destroy Nationalist tanks, and its HE shell gave it some ability to attack towed antitank guns. Nationalist units frequently succeeded in capturing abandoned T-26s and putting them into service in their own units.
The T-26, like most of the lightly-armored tanks of the 1930s, was vulnerable to mines and towed antitank guns such as the German 37 mm, Italian 47 mm, and Italian 20 mm. The experience of Spain led directly to the next generation of heavily-armored Soviet tanks such as the T-34 and Kliment Voroshilov.
In the Winter War, both sides used T-26s. As in Spain, the T-26s armour was found inadequate against towed anti-tank weapons. Dozens of these tanks were captured by the Finns and used until the end of WWII.
When Germany invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa, the T-26 was the most numerous tank in Red Army units. The T-26 was the equal of the German Panzer 35(t) and Panzer 38(t) light tanks, and outclassed the still-numerous Panzer II. However, they were themselves outclassed by the German Panzer III and Panzer IV. More importantly, by June 1941 a high percentage of the T-26 fleet was old and in a very poor state of repair. Crews were not well trained and leadership was poor, leading to huge losses of tanks and men. Most of the remaining T-26s were abandoned or destroyed during 1941 battles of the WWII. They became relatively uncommon by mid-1942, when the few surviving vehicles were taken out of use.
A few T-26s were used by the German forces in anti-partisan operations far from the front lines.
See also
- 7TP, a similar Polish tank
- List of tanks
- List of Soviet tanks
- Comparison of early World War II tanks
External links
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