Soviet tanks with Škoda chassis
In 1938, under the supervision of representatives of the Czechoslovak military administration in the Soviet Union, the Plzeň plant demonstrated two tanks (a prototype and a serial machine) of the Š-II-a type. The tests started on 14 September at the Kubinka tank yard near Moscow. The tank was tested not only in the field and on paved and asphalt roads, but also on various obstacles, uprooting trees and breaking through walls. During the tests, the vehicle was measured at a maximum speed of 36 km/h on the road and 32.4 km/h in the field. The average speed calculated from all test runs was 29.09 km/h on the road, 20.97 km/h on the dirt road and 16.25 km/h off-road. Fuel consumption was also monitored at 23.02 kg/h (0.859 kg/km) on the road, 19.67 kg/ho (1.01 kg/km) on the dirt road and 16.60 kg/h (1.26 kg/km) off-road. The tested tank covered 1507 km from 14.09.1938 to 09.10.1938. During the trips it consumed 1947 litres of petrol, 21 litres of engine oil and 5 litres of gear oil.
The members of the military administration allowed shelling of the test tank from a heavy machine gun, the damage to the armour was not very noticeable, also shooting into the turret periscope proved sufficient protection of the observer against shrapnel, which confirmed the excellent quality of the tank.
Crew medical examination report: after eight hours of driving, fatigue is almost unnoticeable.
The Sh-II-a tank was tested by Soviet experts very carefully, all values and properties of individual parts of the tank were measured by special instruments. These measurements went so far that the Czechoslovak delegation had the impression that these measurements were carried out not only for the purpose of evaluating the tank's characteristics, but also for the purpose of studying or even copying the design of the various systems. For example, during the final inspection, the Soviets categorically demanded the removal of the engine and gearbox and the complete dismantling of these components. This request was not granted. During the tests, sketches made by the customer with dimensions were removed and destroyed at the notice of the fitters.
Due to the Munich events, the tests were prematurely terminated, so that the promised comparative test of Czechoslovak and Soviet tanks did not take place.
The degree of interest in the Czechoslovak tank is also evidenced by the fact that even for general inspections of the tank's system, larger and larger numbers of Soviet experts turned up. In short, the driving qualities and durability of the Škoda chassis made such an impression on the Soviets that they decided to copy it and adapt it to the Soviet Union.
Based on the findings of the tests, the design offices of the Leningrad Engineering Development Factory no. 185 (Завод опытного машиностроения № 185 имени С. М. Кирова, Zavod opytnogo mašinostrojenija No. 185 imjeni S. M. Kirov), several projects and prototypes of light tanks with chassis à la Skoda.
Poznámka
The photographs and illustrations used are taken from the above sources.
The technical data are based on ČSN 011300: SI Tables, Prague 1977
Sources
Maksim Kolomijec, Mikhail Svirin: Lyogky tank T-26, Frontovaja iljustracija 2003, No. 1, ISBN 5-901266-01-3
Maksim Kolomijec, Mikhail Svirin: T-26 - mašiny na jego bazje, Frontovaja iljustracija 2003, No. 4, ISBN 5-901266-01-3
Mikhail Barjatinsky: Lyogkiy tank T-26, Bronjekolljekcija 2003, special 2, ISSN dumb
Jaroslav Špitálský: Tests of LT vz. 35 in the USSR, History and Plastic Modelling 2005, no. 8, ISSN 1210-1427
Mikhail Svirin: Bronze Shield of Stalin, Eksmo, Moscow 2006, ISBN 5-699-16243-7
Alyaksandr Chubachin: Lyogky tank T-50, published by BTV-Kniga, 2007, ISBN mute
Internet
armor.kiev.ua
forum.sudden-strike.ru
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2-50
http://www.enci.ru/%D0%A2-50
www.flashpoint.ru
www.maxistuudio.fie.ee
www.territorioscuola.com
Chronologie vzniku tanků.
In 1938, under the supervision of representatives of the Czechoslovak military administration in the Soviet Union, the Plzeň plant demonstrated two tanks (a prototype and a serial machine) of the Š-II-a type. The tests started on 14 September at the Kubinka tank yard near Moscow. The tank was tested not only in the field and on paved and asphalt roads, but also on various obstacles, uprooting trees and breaking through walls. During the tests, the vehicle was measured at a maximum speed of 36 km/h on the road and 32.4 km/h in the field. The average speed calculated from all test runs was 29.09 km/h on the road, 20.97 km/h on the dirt road and 16.25 km/h off-road. Fuel consumption was also monitored at 23.02 kg/h (0.859 kg/km) on the road, 19.67 kg/ho (1.01 kg/km) on the dirt road and 16.60 kg/h (1.26 kg/km) off-road. The tested tank covered 1507 km from 14.09.1938 to 09.10.1938. During the trips it consumed 1947 litres of petrol, 21 litres of engine oil and 5 litres of gear oil.
The members of the military administration allowed shelling of the test tank from a heavy machine gun, the damage to the armour was not very noticeable, also shooting into the turret periscope proved sufficient protection of the observer against shrapnel, which confirmed the excellent quality of the tank.
Crew medical examination report: after eight hours of driving, fatigue is almost unnoticeable.
The Sh-II-a tank was tested by Soviet experts very carefully, all values and properties of individual parts of the tank were measured by special instruments. These measurements went so far that the Czechoslovak delegation had the impression that these measurements were carried out not only for the purpose of evaluating the tank's characteristics, but also for the purpose of studying or even copying the design of the various systems. For example, during the final inspection, the Soviets categorically demanded the removal of the engine and gearbox and the complete dismantling of these components. This request was not granted. During the tests, sketches made by the customer with dimensions were removed and destroyed at the notice of the fitters.
Due to the Munich events, the tests were prematurely terminated, so that the promised comparative test of Czechoslovak and Soviet tanks did not take place.
The degree of interest in the Czechoslovak tank is also evidenced by the fact that even for general inspections of the tank's system, larger and larger numbers of Soviet experts turned up. In short, the driving qualities and durability of the Škoda chassis made such an impression on the Soviets that they decided to copy it and adapt it to the Soviet Union.
Based on the findings of the tests, the design offices of the Leningrad Engineering Development Factory no. 185 (Завод опытного машиностроения № 185 имени С. М. Кирова, Zavod opytnogo mašinostrojenija No. 185 imjeni S. M. Kirov), several projects and prototypes of light tanks with chassis à la Skoda.
Poznámka
The photographs and illustrations used are taken from the above sources.
The technical data are based on ČSN 011300: SI Tables, Prague 1977
Sources
Maksim Kolomijec, Mikhail Svirin: Lyogky tank T-26, Frontovaja iljustracija 2003, No. 1, ISBN 5-901266-01-3
Maksim Kolomijec, Mikhail Svirin: T-26 - mašiny na jego bazje, Frontovaja iljustracija 2003, No. 4, ISBN 5-901266-01-3
Mikhail Barjatinsky: Lyogkiy tank T-26, Bronjekolljekcija 2003, special 2, ISSN dumb
Jaroslav Špitálský: Tests of LT vz. 35 in the USSR, History and Plastic Modelling 2005, no. 8, ISSN 1210-1427
Mikhail Svirin: Bronze Shield of Stalin, Eksmo, Moscow 2006, ISBN 5-699-16243-7
Alyaksandr Chubachin: Lyogky tank T-50, published by BTV-Kniga, 2007, ISBN mute
Internet
armor.kiev.ua
forum.sudden-strike.ru
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2-50
http://www.enci.ru/%D0%A2-50
www.flashpoint.ru
www.maxistuudio.fie.ee
www.territorioscuola.com
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Chronologie vzniku tanků.