T-40 tank

{{Short description|Soviet amphibious light tank}} {{Redirect|T-40}} {{Infobox weapon | name = T-40 amphibious scout tank | image = T40kub1.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = A normal T-40 rearmed with TNSh autocannon (foreground) and "T-40" T-60 (background) in the Kubinka Tank Museum. | type = Amphibious light tank | origin = Soviet Union  | is_vehicle = yes  | service = 1941–1946 | used_by = {{flag|Soviet Union|1936}} | wars = World War II

| designer = | design_date = | manufacturer = | unit_cost = | production_date = 1940–1941 | number = 962 (356 normal, 594 "T-40" T-60 and 12 "T-40" T-60-based rocket launchers) | variants = BM-8-24 Katyusha, T-30/"T-40" T-60 light tank  | spec_label = |weight = {{convert|5.9|t|ST|abbr=on}} |length = {{convert|4.10|m|ft|abbr=on}} |width = {{convert|2.33|m|ft|abbr=on}} |height = {{convert|1.90|m|ft|abbr=on}} |crew = 2 | elevation = |traverse =  |armour = {{convert|4|-|13|mm|in|abbr=on}} |primary_armament = {{convert|12.7|mm|in|abbr=on}} DShK machine gun |secondary_armament = {{convert|7.62|mm|in|abbr=on}} DT machine gun |engine = GAZ-202 |engine_power = {{convert|85|hp|kW|abbr=on}} |pw_ratio = 12 hp/tonne |transmission = |suspension = torsion bar |clearance = |fuel_capacity = |vehicle_range = {{convert|450|km|mi|abbr=on}} |speed = {{convert|45|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}  | ref = <ref>Ness, p. 161.</ref>{{sfn|Tank Data|p=124}}<ref>Ford, p. 33.</ref> }}

The '''T-40 amphibious scout tank''' was an amphibious light tank used by the Soviet Union during World War II. It was armed with one 12.7 mm (0.5 in) DShK machine gun. It was one of the few tanks that could cross an unfordable river without a bridge.

It was primarily intended to equip reconnaissance units. A land-based version of the T-40, the T-30/"T-40" T-60, was produced, although was later replaced by the "true" T-60. The T-60 was cheaper, simpler, better-armed, and could fulfill most of the same roles, so T-40 production was halted.

The vehicle served mainly in Operation Barbarossa and the defense of Moscow, and it was rarely seen after that point, although it was used in Soviet training schools until 1946. A total 12 examples of the type were later fitted with Katyusha rocket launchers, firing 82 mm unguided rockets from a 24-rail launcher.

==Importance== Amphibious capability was important to the Red Army, as evidenced by the production of over 1,500 amphibious tanks in the 1930s. The T-40 was intended to replace the aging T-37 and T-38 amphibious light tanks. It was a superior design, but due to the pressures of war the Soviets favored the production of simpler tank designs, so only a small number of T-40s were built.<ref>Zaloga & Grandsen, p. 29</ref><ref name="G" /><ref>Crow, p. 52.</ref>

==Development== The T-40 was an improvement over the T-37 and T-38 in several respects. The coil-spring suspension of the T-38 was replaced by a modern torsion-bar suspension with four pairs of road wheels. The boat-shaped hull was entirely welded, in contrast to the riveted hulls of the T-37 and T-38.<ref>Suruov (2013)</ref><ref>Carruthers, p. 102.</ref> The welded, conical turret shape improved protection, although the armor was still very thin. The vehicle's armament consisted of a single 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun, which was a much more potent weapon than the 7.62 mm DT machine gun mounted on the T-37 and the T-38.<ref name="G">Gudgin, p. 108.</ref><ref>Milsom, p. 92.</ref><ref>Zabecki, p. 1116.</ref>

Water propulsion was achieved via a small propeller mounted at the rear of the hull. The propeller was set into an indent in the hull rear, and was thus better protected than the exposed propeller of the T-38. Buoyancy was provided by the large boat-shaped hull.<ref>Green (2013)</ref><ref name="Hogg">Hogg, p. 94.</ref>

==Production== The T-40 entered production just prior to the outbreak of war, and was intended to equip reconnaissance units. As the need for large numbers of tanks became critical, a secondary non-amphibious variant was designed on the T-40 chassis. Due to delays with design of newer model, T-40 was modified to have thicker armor, 20 mm TNSh autocannon, simpler spoken wheels and absent water propulsion system. This design was called T-60, like a different later tank, which led to many confusions, so this tank is often referred as "T-40" T-60 or T-30 (as its blueprint index was 030). The "T-40" T-60 replaced T-40 in September 1941 and was manufactured until summer 1942 along with the "true" T-60. This design was later improved to become the "true" T-60. The T-60 was simpler, cheaper, better armed, and could fulfill most of the same roles. Under the stress of war, production of the T-40 was halted in favor of the T-60. Thus only 356 T-40s were issued, compared to 594 "T-40" T-60s and over 6,000 "true" T-60s.<ref name="B36">Bishop, p. 36.</ref><ref>Ness, p. 155.</ref><ref>Hogg, p. 95.</ref><ref>Zaloga (2015), p. 99.</ref>

A small batch of "T-40" T-60 were produced with BM-8-24 Katyusha rocket racks mounted instead of a turret. This version provided a mobile mount for a 24-rail multiple-launch rocket system, firing 82 mm unguided rockets.<ref name="B36" /><ref>Milsom, p. 113.</ref> A total of 12 T-40 were converted into this model in autumn 1941.<ref>Porter, p. 51.</ref><ref name="ZG">Zaloga & Grandsen, p. 30.</ref>

The T-40 was widely photographed at the time of Operation Barbarossa and also during the defence of Moscow. Many were knocked out during the fighting. The type was very rarely seen after the end of 1941, although some T-40s remained in service as late 1946 in some school units.<ref name="ZG" /><ref>Jackson, p. 43.</ref><ref name="M114">Milsom, p. 114.</ref>

Romanian forces captured one T-40 as of 1 November 1942.{{sfn|Axworthy 1995|p=220}} == Variants == * '''T-40''' * '''T-30'''

==References== === Citations === {{reflist}}

===Bibliography=== *{{cite book |last1=Hoffschmidt |first1=E J |last2=Tantum |first2=W H |year=1969 |title=Tank Data |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KPgxAQAAIAAJ&q=t-40+amphibious |series=Proving Grounds |volume=2 |publisher=W. E. Incorporated |location=Old Greenwich, CN |oclc=20957079 |ref={{harvid|Tank Data}} }} *{{cite book |last=Bishop |first=Chris |date=1998 |title=The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII |location=London, UK |publisher=Orbis Publishing and Aerospace Publishing |isbn=0-7607-1022-8}} *{{cite book |editor=Carruthers, Bob |year=2014 |title=Tiger I: The Official Wartime Crew Manual |location=London, UK |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=978-1-4738-4444-5}} *{{cite book |last=Crow |first=Duncan |date=1979 |title=Tanks of World War II |location=New York, NY |publisher=Exeter Books |isbn=978-0-89673-027-4}} *{{cite book |last=Ford |first=Roger |year=1997 |title=The World's Great Tanks: From 1916 to the Present Day |location=New York, NY |publisher=Barnes & Noble |isbn=978-0-7607-0593-3 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/worldsgreattanks0000ford }} *{{cite book |last=Green |first=Michael |date=2013 |title=Russian Armour in the Second World War: Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives |location=London, UK |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=978-1-4738-2980-0}} *{{cite book |last=Gudgin |first=Peter |year=1997 |title=Armoured Firepower: The Development of Tank Armament, 1939–45 |location=Stroud, UL |publisher=Sutton |isbn=978-0-7509-1387-4}} *{{cite book |last1=Hogg |first1=Ian V. |last2=Weeks |first2=John S. |date=1980 |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles |location=Englewood Cliffs, NJ|publisher=Prentice-Hall|isbn=0-13-450817-3}} *{{cite book|last=Jackson|first=Robert|date=2010|title=101 Great Tanks|location=New York|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-4358-3595-5}} *{{cite book | last=Milsom | first=John | date=1971 | title=Russian Tanks, 1900–1970: The Complete Illustrated History of Soviet Armoured Theory and Design | location=Mechanicsburg, PA | publisher=Stackpole Books | isbn=0-8117-1493-4}} *{{cite book |last=Ness |first=Leland S. |date=2002 |title=Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles|location=London, UK |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=0-00-711228-9}} *{{cite book |last=Porter |first=David |year=2009 |title=Soviet Tank Units 1939–45 |location=London, UK |publisher=Amber Books Ltd. |isbn=978-1-906626-21-1}} *{{cite book |last=Suvorov |first=Viktor |authorlink=Viktor Suvorov |year=2013 |title=The Chief Culprit: Stalin's Grand Design to Start World War II |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=978-1-61251-268-6}} *{{cite book |editor=Zabecki, David T. |year=2015 |title=World War II in Europe: An Encyclopedia |publisher=Routledge |location=London, UK |isbn=978-1-135-81249-2}} *{{cite book | first1 = Steven J. | last1 = Zaloga | authorlink = Steven Zaloga | last2=Grandsen | first2=James | year = 1984 | title = Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two | publisher = Arms and Armour Press | location = London, UK | isbn = 0-85368-606-8}} * {{cite book |last=Zaloga |first=Steven J. |year=2015 |title=Armored Champion: The Top Tanks of World War II |location=Mechanicsburg, PA |publisher=Stackpole Books |isbn=978-0-8117-1437-2}} * * {{cite book |last1=Axworthy |first1=Mark |last2=Scafeș |first2= Cornel I. |last3=Crăciunoiu |first3=Cristian |date=1995 |title=Third Axis, Fourth Ally: Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945 |url= |location=London |publisher=Arms and Armour |page= |isbn=9781854092670 |access-date= |ref={{harvid|Axworthy 1995}} }} === Additional sources === * {{cite web |last=Pasholok |first=Yuri |date=30 July 2016 |editor-last1=Samsonov |editor-first1=Peter |title=T-30: Simplicity Itself |url=https://www.tankarchives.com/2016/07/simplicity-itself-t-30.html |website=Tank Archives |location= |publisher= |access-date= |ref={{harvid|T-30: Simplicity Itself}} }} * {{cite web |last=Pasholok |first=Yuri |date=16 September 2017 |editor-last1=Samsonov |editor-first1=Peter |title=Big Dreams, Small Chassis |url=https://www.tankarchives.com/2017/09/big-dreams-small-chassis.html |website=Tank Archives |location= |publisher= |access-date= |ref={{harvid|Big Dreams, Small Chassis}} }}

==External links==

{{Commons|T-40}} *[http://english.battlefield.ru/t-40.html T-40 Development History and Combat Employment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425052118/http://english.battlefield.ru/t-40.html |date=25 April 2012 }} on Battlefield.ru

Category:Light tanks of the Soviet Union Category:Tracked reconnaissance vehicles Category:World War II tanks of the Soviet Union Category:Amphibious tanks Category:Light tanks of the Cold War Category:Light tanks of World War II Category:Reconnaissance vehicles of World War II Category:Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944