Soviet Airborne Forces Experimental Objects

Virtual tour to the past 1972-2014 of Pavilion 3 of light armored vehicles of the Kubinka Tank Museum.
After World War II, the USSR created the remarkable PT-76 amphibious tank, which served the Soviet Army for decades. During the Cold War, this amphibious tank was supposed to carry out landings on the coasts of NATO countries, as the Allies did at Normandy on D-Day in 1944. But the caliber of NATO armored vehicles increased, which necessitated the creation of a new generation of Soviet amphibious and airborne armored vehicles. Before the creation of the serial BMD-1, the USSR produced many different experimental objects that never entered service in the Soviet army. The first attempt to replace the PT-76 with a new amphibious tank was the creation of the PT-85 with an increased gun caliber to 85 mm. But any increase in the caliber of the gun entails a major change in the design of the hull and an increase in the weight of the entire armored vehicle.

Soviet experimental PT-85 amphibious tank or Object 906

Soviet PT-85  light amphibious tank  or Object 906 was developed in 1963. Issued only two prototypes according to the Kubinka Museum specialists and 6 copies according to other sources.  Was not at the Soviet Army service.  In the battles did not participate.

Tactical and technical characteristics of PT-85 amphibious tank:

Weight – 15 tons, Crew – 3 people. Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 7730 x 2950 x 2250 mm. Armament: -1 gun, caliber – 85 mm, ammunition – 40 shots, twin machine gun – 1 piece, caliber – 7.62 mm. Armor protection: hulls – 30 mm., Turrets – 15 mm.
Engine power – 300 horsepower, Maximum speed (on the highway) – 75 km / h. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 12 km / h
Design features: The base is special.

The overall layout – the engine and transmission are located in the rear of the machine.

Armament – a gun and a machine gun paired with it are stabilized in two planes; an automatic loader of a conveyor-type gun is placed in the niche of the turret; in laying 15 shots. Protection – hermetic housing made of rolled aluminum alloy sheets; steel turret.

Chassis – engine four-stroke, six-cylinder, V-shaped diesel; mechanical power transmission; torsion bar suspension with compensating device; aluminum track rollers; there are systems of SES and emergency pumping of water.

Soviet experimental Object 685 Airborne amphibious tank

Light amphibious airborne “Object 685” tank was developed in 1975, released prototype only. In service with the Soviet Army was not . In the battles did not participate.

Performance characteristics:

Weight – 16.5 tons, Crew – 3 people. Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 9451 x 3150 x 2250 mm. Armament: cannon – 1 piece, caliber – 100 mm., Ammunition – 40 shots
twin machine gun – 1 piece, caliber – 7.62 mm., ammunition load – 2000 rounds
a portable anti-aircraft missile system “Strela-3” – 1 pcs., ammunition – 4 missiles
Armored protection – provides protection against a 23mm projectile.
Engine power – 400 horsepower, Maximum speed – 70 km / h, Cruising on the highway – 600 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 10 km / h
Design features: The base is special. The overall layout – the engine and transmission are located in the rear of the machine. Armament – the gun is stabilized in two planes, rifled; installed: loading mechanism, laser rangefinder, night sight.

Protection – hull of steel armor plates, welded; turret of sheets of titanium alloy, welded; air conditioning and a system of protection against nuclear weapons.

Chassis – four-stroke engine, multi-fuel, diesel with gas turbine supercharging and air cooling in the heat exchanger; mechanical transmission; independent suspension, torsion bar; also installed: water jet, software system, radio station, means of masking.

Soviet experimental Object 934 Airborne amphibious tank

Object 934 Light amphibious tank was developed in 1975, released prototype only. In service with the Soviet Army was not. In the battles did not participate.

Object 934 Performance characteristics:

Weight – 17.5 tons, Crew – 3 people. Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 9430 x 2250 x 3150 mm. Armament: rifled gun – 1 piece, caliber – 100 mm., Ammunition – 40 shots
machine gun – 1 piece, caliber – 7.62 mm., ammunition – 2000 rounds. ZRK “Strela-3” – 1 piece, ammunition – 4 missiles. Armor protection – bulletproof. Engine power – 400 horsepower, Maximum speed – 70 km / h, Cruising on the highway – 600 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat -10 km / h

Design features: The base is original. The overall layout – the engine compartment is located in the rear part of the machine; Armament – installed in a rotating turret. There is a loading mechanism, a ballistic computer, an optical range finder, a weapon stabilizer. Protection – hull and turret of aluminum alloy; The turret has steel plates in the frontal part.

Chassis – hydropneumatics suspension, double-flow MPP, multi-fuel turbocharged engine; there is a built-in equipment for self-digging with a hydraulic drive; the design is adapted to airborne parachuting.

Soviet experimental Object 940 Airborne amphibious Command vehicle

Object 940 command vehicle was developed in 1976 and released prototype only. In service with the Soviet Army was not consisted. In the battles did not participate.

Object 940 Performance characteristics:

weight – 16 tons, Crew – 4 people. Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 7145 x 3150 x 2160 mm. Armament: machine gun – 1 piece, caliber – 7.62 mm., Ammunition – 500 rounds, Armor protection – bulletproof.
Engine power – 400 horsepower, Maximum speed – 70 km / h, Cruising on the highway – 600 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 10 km / h

Design features: Base – object 934 tank. The overall layout – the engine compartment is located in the rear part of the machine; the housing is a log cabin; the habitable compartment is divided into three isolated compartments: control, command and staff, communications. Armament – 7.62 mm machine gun.

Protection – aluminum alloy casing. Chassis – hydropneumatics suspension; two-line WFP, multi-fuel turbocharged engine; there is a built-in equipment for self-digging with a hydraulic drive; the object is adapted to parachute parachuting.