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BT-SV (Stalin-Voroshilov)

1938 WORLD WAR 2 X-TANK

History

For the USSR, before WWII (1939-1945), a lot of experiments with light main battle tanks were carried out. One of the main focuses was the BT series of "fast tanks", valued in Soviet tank doctrine for their inherent speed and maneuverability. "BT-7" became the top design of the family series starting with "BT-2".

The BT-7 entered service in 1935, and by the end more than 5,000 prototypes had been producedmany of which continued into the last year of the war, in 1945.

After a failed attempt to breathe more life into the BT-5 through the abandoned "BT-IS" project, the same tank will provide the framework for a new, more advanced model. Development of the "BT-SV" ("Stalin-Voroshilov") began in 1937, with the same landing gear as the BT-7, but a completely new (and quite revolutionary) fuselage layout and turret design. The armor of this "fast main battle tank" is particularly striking because it provides attackers with many well-angled sides for strong ballistic protection - making the vehicle appear almost pyramidal (the top of the pyramid is cut Lose).

In addition, this armor shield covers the sides of the hull, providing additional protection for the more vulnerable sides of the armor and track system (these "skirts" are fully removable for servicing and repairing vehicle components below). This method of armor protection will be enhanced in the upcoming, war-winning T-34 medium tank (detailed elsewhere on this page).

The roofline of the hull is very flat to accommodate a rotating turret that accommodates two crew members and main armament. The interior space in the bow allowed the driver and radio operator to sit side by side, while the gunner and commander lived in the turret. On the critical frontal fairing, the thickness of the armor protection reaches 30 mm.

The main armament is the 45mm 20K-L/46 main gun mounted on the front of the turret, to which a 7.62mm DT coaxial machine gun is added as an anti-infantry measure.

Dimensions of the finished 25-ton vehicle include a barrel length of 5.6m, width of 2.8m and height of 2.2m.

Propulsion comes from an M-17T 12-cylinder 500 hp gasoline engine driving a conventional track and wheel arrangement. This arrangement includes four wheels on one side of the fuselage, with the drive sprocket at the rear and the track idler at the front.

The performance showed a speed of 62 kilometers per hour and a cruising range of up to 130 kilometers.

The pilot form of the BT-SV was completed by the end of 1937, and two prototypes were built (by Locomotive Works Kharkov) to evaluate the design. Tests were conducted the following year, which ultimately proved the vehicle to be sound in nature. However, its development was seriously derailed when one of its chief designers, N.F.

Tsyganowich, fell victim to Stalin's "Great Purge." Therefore, engineers continued work on what would become the classic T-34, and the BT-SV itself was abandoned.