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Soviet light tank T-50

In comparison with other models, the T-50 tank had great prospects. From the very beginning, this project was conceived as a breakthrough due to the use of foreign technologies and the capacities of Soviet industry.


The state of the industry on the eve of the Great Patriotic War

In the 30s of the XX century tank building rapidly developed all over the world. It was a relatively new industry in the military industry, and the states invested a lot of money in promising developments. The USSR did not stay aside, too, where, against the backdrop of unfolding industrialization, domestic tanks were created from scratch. In that decade the leading position among the light class was occupied by the T-26. It was an excellent tool to support the infantry on the battlefield.

However, very soon the armies of developed countries acquired cheap anti-tank artillery. Before the Soviet constructs, the goal was to create a machine that could effectively defend itself against new types of weapons. The military noted that the main drawbacks of the existing tank are insufficient engine power, congestion of the suspension and low mobility during combat operations.

Active activities to create new prototypes began also because virtually all the old Red Army commanders were repressed in the late 1930s. Young cadres wanted to take the initiative wherever possible.

In addition, the Soviet-Finnish war began, which once again showed that the old bulletproof armor can not withstand artillery strikes. An important project for modernization was entrusted to the design bureau under the leadership of Simeon Ginzburg. His team already had considerable experience in this field.

Influence of foreign tanks

First, the specialists decided to tackle the modification of the T-26. In particular, the designers changed the suspension of prototypes in the likeness of those used on Czech tanks Skoda (model LT vz. 35). Then the Soviet government planned to buy this equipment, but eventually revised its decision.

Another model that influenced the technical solutions of domestic specialists was the German PzKpfw III. One such tank was accidentally received by the Red Army as a military trophy during the Polish campaign in 1939. After that, another copy was officially received from the Wehrmacht in agreement with the government of the Third Reich. The machine was more maneuverable and reliable compared to Soviet models. The authorities in the person of Voroshilov received notes that it is useful to use these technologies in developing the novelty of the Red Army.

It was not yet a T-50 tank, but many of the ideas realized then eventually became an integral part of the new machine.

Production

The war was approaching. At this time, German cars already triumphantly traveled around France. Final decisions on the design, which will receive a light tank T-50, were adopted as early as 1941.

The Council of People's Commissars issued a decree according to which the production of a new model was to begin in July. However, the war broke out, and plans had to be hastily changed.

The Leningrad plant No. 174, which was to deal with the mass production of the new model, was hastily evacuated to the rear. The ordeals of specialists and the great organizational difficulties associated with starting work in unprepared conditions, led to the fact that the production of the T-50 ended in the spring of 1942. The mass product did not work.

Rarity

Unlike other well-known and widespread machines of this series, the T-50 tank was realized in a small number of copies. Experts agree on an approximate figure of 75 ready-made pieces that came off the assembly line.

And, despite its rarity, this model was recognized as one of the most effective and best in its class due to a combination of different characteristics.

Using

Due to the fact that initially the manufacturing plant was in Leningrad, the Soviet T-50 tank was used mainly on the north-western front. Some specimens hit the Karelian Isthmus, where fights with Finnish units were going on. Reminiscences of front-line soldiers that the Soviet light tank T-50 were used during battles near Moscow during the most difficult period of the war are preserved.

Because of the confusion at the beginning of the conflict, it was not possible to create a clear system of delivering cars on a particular route. Most often the decision for each tank was taken individually. Some of them went to the training of personnel, others immediately went into battle to replace the out-of-order T-26. Therefore, often the "fifties" had to act together with other models.

Since the machines were used in combat immediately after they were shipped from the factories, many elements of their designs had to be modified on the fly. For example, the first operation near Leningrad showed that the engine start-up system required some refinement.

Design

The production of the T-50 tanks was carried out according to the classical scheme, when each part was created separately, and assembly of the finished car went from the bow to the stern. Externally, the model was very much like the famous 34 series because of the same corners of the hull and tower.

The characteristics of the tanks were calculated for four crew members. Three of them were in a special tower. It was the commander, charging and the gunner. The mechanic driver was separately in the control department, which was slightly off to the side of the port side. The gunner was located to the left of the gun, while the charger was sitting on the right side. The commander was in the back of the tower.

Armament

Tank T-50 received a rifled cannon semi-automatic type. It was developed in the 1930s and was adopted with minor modifications as a constituent element of the new machine. Two machine guns were mated to the gun, which could easily be removed if necessary and used separately from the tank design . The firing range of the projectile could reach 4 kilometers. The mechanisms responsible for the guidance were controlled by a manual drive. The standard ammunition consisted of 150 shells. The rate of fire of the machine was from 4 to 7 rounds per minute, depending on the skill of the crew. Machine guns were supplied with 64 disks, in which there were about 4 thousand cartridges.

Chassis

At the heart of the tank's engine lay a six-cylinder diesel unit. Its power was 300 horsepower. Depending on the situation on the battlefield, the crew could resort to various ways to start the car. First, a manual starter was available. Secondly, air tanks operated that started the engine with compressed air.

The fuel tanks had a volume of 350 liters of fuel. According to calculations, it was enough to go 340 kilometers along a good road. Some of the tanks were located in the combat compartment, the other part - in the transmission compartment.

Specialists long argued about the device of this part of the machine. Finally, it was decided to install a mechanical transmission from a two-disc clutch, a four-speed gearbox and two on-board gearboxes.

For each of the supporting rollers, its own suspension was created. Steel caterpillars consisted of small links and had open metal hinges. They were supported by three small rollers.

Benefits

Despite the small use, the personnel who worked with this tank, noted its positive qualities compared to other domestic equipment. For example, the high reliability of transmission and suspension was lauded. The latter of them in general had an innovative structure for Soviet industry.

Prior to this, the crews often complained about excessive crowding and inconvenience inside the cabin. Problems with ergonomics were solved after the design of German machines was taken as a basis. This made it possible to give every crew all the conditions for effective work on the battlefield, which would not be disturbed by looking at the inconvenience inside the cabin.

Soviet tanks of the second world often suffered from a poor review, which had to reconcile the crew. T-50 was deprived of this shortcoming. In comparison with the predecessor models, the "fiftieth" was more dynamic and maneuverable in combat due to its light weight and disposal of unnecessary ballast. Higher was the power of the engine.

At the beginning of the war, the most common German anti-tank gun was a cannon with a caliber of 37 millimeters. The armor, which was equipped with the T-50, coped without any problems with this threat. The indices of its reliability approximated the mean tank values due to additional cementation.

disadvantages

It was believed that the main disadvantage of the T-50 is its armament. The cannon with a caliber of 45 millimeters was no longer effective against field fortifications and enemy equipment.

The problem was the quality of the shells. With proper production, they could cause considerable damage, but the devastation of the first year of the war led to factories producing unsatisfactory products. In part, this was due to a lack of equipment and components, in part - from the employment of non-professional personnel, including civilians.

Only at the end of 1941 a new projectile was developed, which was created by the design office of Gartz. After that, the problem was solved. But by that time the release of the tanks themselves had almost stopped.

Soviet industry did not manage to establish regular production of T-50. A niche has formed. It was filled with T-34 tanks, even despite the high cost. But the 50 model remained the benchmark for designers when creating new prototypes of technology.

The surviving specimens

By today, only three T-50s have been preserved. At the same time, none of them is good for operation. The museum of tanks in Kubinka has two copies.

Another surviving car was in Finland. The army of this country captured it during the war. The tank museum in Parola still shows this T-50.

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