T-23 tankette
| T-23 tankette | |
|---|---|
 Prototype T-23 Tankette | |
| Type | Tankette |
| Place of origin |  Soviet Union |
| Production history | |
| Designer | S. Ivanov |
| Designed | 1929-30 |
| Produced | 1930 |
| No. built | 5 |
| Specifications (T-23) | |
| Mass | 3.2 to 3.4 t (3.1 to 3.3 long tons; 3.5 to 3.7 short tons) |
| Length | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Width | 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Height | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Crew | 2 |
| Armour | 6-10 mm |
Main armament | 1 x 7.62 mm (0 in) DT machine gun |
| Engine | 4 cylinder, air cooled MS-2 (petrol) 60 hp (45 kW) |
| Power/weight | 18.9 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | sprung |
| Ground clearance | 0.3 m (1 ft 0 in) |
Operational range | 190 km (120 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 40 km/h (25 mph) |
The T-23 was a prototype tankette developed by the Soviet Union during the interwar period. Only five examples of the vehicle were produced.
Design history
The development of the T-23 began in 1929. The Red Army, now with experience from the earlier T-17 tankette, began development of the T-23. The design featured two crew members (placed on a row). The armour was made of riveted iron and was up to 10 mm thick on the front and sides of the vehicle. It was similar to the T-18 tank but lighter.[1]
Many of the original design features of the tank were changed during the development. Originally the T-23 was to contain the same 35 hp four-cylinder engine as the T-18 light tank but this was eventually changed to a larger 60 hp version to enable it to reach speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph). The length of the tank was also increased by almost 30 cm (12 in) from original specifications.[2] As built, the tank weighed between 3.2 and 3.4 t (3.1 and 3.3 long tons; 3.5 and 3.7 short tons), had a length of 283 cm (111 in), extending to 335 cm (132 in) with its tail. It was 162 cm (64 in) wide and 150 cm (59 in) high with a ground clearance of 30 cm (12 in). It had a range of between 100 and 190 km (62 and 118 mi).[3] It was usually armed with a 7.62 mm (0 in) DT machine gun, although some examples were fitted with a 37 mm (1 in) anti-tank gun.[2]
Production
The T-23 never proceeded past the stage of a prototype. The design changes introduced to the tankette caused the price of production to rival that of the T-18 light tank itself, which had a much more powerful armament and a rotating turret. There were only five examples produced before the project was scrapped in favour of licensing the Carden Loyd tankette from the United Kingdom in 1930.[2] This design was subsequently modified into the T-27 tankette and began full production in 1931.[4]
Citations
- ^ Chamberlain 2002, p. 213.
- ^ a b c Novikov 2020, p. 18.
- ^ Novikov 2020, p. 17.
- ^ Novikov 2020, p. 20.
Sources
- Chamberlain, Pete (2002). Tanks of the World: 1915—1945. London: Cassell & Co. ISBN 978-0-30436-141-0.
- Novikov, M. S. (2020). "Танкетка Страны Советов — от идеи до реализации проекта. 1918–1932 гг" [Tankettes of the Soviet Union — from concept to project completion. 1918–1932]. Omsk Scientific Bulletin Series (in Russian). 5 (4): 16–24. doi:10.25206/2542-0488-2020-5-4-16-24.
