Soviet PT-76 amphibious tank

Soviet PT-76 tank

Serial PT-76 amphibious tank or Object 740B  was developed in 1951. It was mass-produced since 1952. It was in service with the Soviet Army. Not used in battles.

Tactical and technical characteristics of PT-76 amphibious tank

Weight – 14 tons, Crew – 3 people. Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 7625 x 3140 x 2195 mm. Armament: cannon – 1 piece, caliber – 76.2 mm., Ammunition, shots – 40 shots, machine gun – 1 piece, caliber – 7.62 mm., ammunition load – 2000 rounds.
Armor protection – 15 mm..
Engine power – 240 horsepower, Maximum speed – 44 km / h, Cruising on the highway – 250 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 10.2 km / h.
Design features: The base is original. The overall layout – the power plant is located in the aft hull. Armament – a lifting mechanism of a sector type gun with a manual drive; the mechanism of rotation of the turret “worm” type with electric and manual drives.

Protection – a sealed tank hull (welded, from armor rolled sheets 15 mm thick) has a shape that provides minimal resistance when the tank moves afloat.

Chassis – six-cylinder engine, four-stroke diesel liquid cooling; manual transmission consists of the main clutch, five-speed gearbox, side clutches, power take-off reduction gears for water jets, final drives; installed hydraulic piston shock absorbers.

Soviet PT-76M amphibious tank (prototype)

Soviet  experimental PT-76M amphibious tank or “Object 907” was developed in 1960. Issued in one example. In service with the Soviet army was not. In the battles did not participate.

Tactical and technical characteristics of PT-76 M amphibious tank:

Weight – 14.87 tons, Crew – 3 people. Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 7625 x 3140 x 2255 mm. Armament: -1 gun, caliber – 76.2mm., Ammunition – 40 shots
machine gun – 1 piece, caliber – 7.62 mm., Armor protection: hull and turret – 13 mm.
Engine power – 300 horsepower. Maximum speed (on the highway) – 45 km / h
Cruising on the highway – 250 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 11.2 km / h.

Design features: the base is PT-76 amphibious tank. The overall layout – the engine and transmission are located in the rear of the machine; case of increased displacement.

Armament – a cannon and a machine gun paired with it installed in the turret; ejection blowing of the bore is introduced. Protection – hull welded, from armor rolled sheets; the turret has the shape of a truncated cone.

Chassis – diesel engine; mechanical transmission; individual suspension, torsion bar; for the movement afloat the tank is equipped with two jet water-cannons; fuel tank capacity increased to 500 liters.

Serial BTR-50PK amphibious armored carrier (on PT-76 chassis)

BTR-50PK Armored personnel carrier or  “Object 750PK” was developed in 1957. Serial. It was mass-produced since 1958. It was in service with the Soviet Army. Not used in battles.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the BTR-50PK

Weight – 14.2 tons, The number of crew (troops) – 2 (20) people. Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 7070 x 3140 x 2030 mm. Armament: machine gun – 1 piece, caliber – 7.62 mm., Ammunition -1250 rounds. Armor protection – 13 mm.
Engine power – 240 horsepower, Maximum speed – 44.6 km / h, Cruising on the highway – 250 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 10.2 km / h.

Design features: Base – PT-76. light amphibious tank  (BTR-50P chassis ). The general layout is a closed type armored personnel carrier, the engine-transmission unit is located in the rear part of the vehicle. Armament – a machine gun mounted on a swivel bracket on the left side of the troop compartment. Protection – welded hull, from rolled armor plates, all hatches are sealed, there is a PAZ system (*).

Chassis – diesel engine, six-cylinder, liquid cooled; mechanical transmission; torsion bar suspension with shock absorbers; tracked mover; jet propulsion jet type.

* PAZ – anti-nuclear protection system.

BTR-50PN amphibious Command Vehicle (on PT-76 chassis)

Soviet BTR-50PU (BTR-50PN according to the official museum catalog – or Object 750/905) Command and control vehicle was developed in 1958. , serial. It was mass-produced since 1958. It was in service with the Soviet Army. Not used in battles.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the BTR-50PN.

Weight – 14.3 tons, The number of crew – 1 person, seats – 9 pcs.
Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 7070 x 3140 x 2050 mm.
Armament – no. Armor protection – 10 mm.
Engine power – 240 horsepower, Maximum speed – 44.6 km / h, Cruising on the highway – 250 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 10 km / h.
Design features: The base is a BTR-50PK amphibious armored personnel carrier. The overall layout – the machine has three departments: management, staff and power; The power pack is located aft. Armament – absent. Protection – open hull, sealed, welded, from armor rolled sheets; there are landing hatches on the roof of the headquarters.

Chassis – six-cylinder diesel engine; mechanical transmission, there are: three radio stations, charging unit, FVU *, TDA ** system PPO ***; jet-type jet propulsion; communications — radio station and tank intercom.

* HLF – filtering device. ** TDA – thermos smoke equipment. *** PPO – fire fighting equipment

ZTPU-2  Amphibious anti-aircraft  armored carrier on BTR-50P

Soviet ZTPU-2 anti-aircraft self-propelled armored carrier (Object 750) on the BTR-50P , small-serial, developed in 1955. Released prototype only. Not at the army service. In the battles did not participate. In the official catalog of the Kubinka Tank Museum, the object is designated as ZPTU-2.

Tactical and technical characteristics of ZTPU-2:

Weight – 13.6 tons, Crew – 5 people, Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 7070 x 3140 x 2100 mm. Armament: machine gun – 2 pieces, caliber 14,5 mm., Ammunition load – 1280 rounds, Armor protection – 13 mm. Engine power – 240 horsepower, Maximum speed – 44 km / h. Cruising on the highway range – 250 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 10.2 km / h.

Design features: Base – armored personnel carrier BTR-50P. The overall layout – the power plant is located in the rear of the machine. Armament – vertical guidance angles of two machine guns from 3 ° to + 91 °; The guidance mechanism has manual drives. Protection – hull (bearing) of armor rolled sheets 10 and 13 mm thick, welded.

Chassis – six-cylinder engine, four-stroke, diesel engine liquid cooling; manual transmission is located in the aft hull; it consists of a main friction clutch, five-speed gearbox, side clutches, power take-off gears for water jets, final drives.

ZTPU-4  Amphibious anti-aircraft  armored carrier on BTR-50P

Soviet ZTPU-4 anti-aircraft self-propelled armored carrier (Object 750) on the BTR-50P , small-serial, developed in 1955. Released trial batch. Not armed. In the official catalog of the Kubinka Tank Museum, the object is designated as ZPTU-2.

ZTPU-4 performance characteristics: Weight – 13.6 tons, Crew – 5 people, Overall dimensions (length x width x height) – 7070 x 3140 x 2200 mm. Armament: machine gun – 4 pieces, caliber – 14.5 mm., Ammunition load – 2500 rounds. Armor protection – 13 mm.
Engine power – 240 horsepower, Maximum speed – 44 km / h
Cruising on the highway – 250 km. The speed of overcoming water obstacles afloat – 10.2 km / h

Design features: The overall layout – the engine-transmission unit is located in the aft of the hull. Armament – anti-aircraft set, consisting of four KPVT machine guns (*) vertical guidance of machine guns from – 3 ° to + 91 “; rate of fire 484 shots per minute; effective firing at air targets flying at speeds of up to 600 km / h at 500 -1000 meters.

Protection – hull welded, from armor rolled sheets. Chassis – diesel engine, six-cylinder, liquid cooled; Transmission and chassis units are practically the same as those on the BTR-50P.

* KPVT – large-caliber tank machine gun system Vladimirov.