SOV - M-17T (tankový motor)

M-17T - emergence and development of the engine

At the beginning of the twenties was in the USSR a desperate shortage of engines for aircraft and tanks, in particular in the category of over 200 kW. Related, the influence of the civil war and the subsequent repression, with the lack of professional cadres, whether in technical or blue-collar occupations. After the lifting of the economic embargo in 1924 the soviet leadership turned to the department and on the basis of licences to slowly gather momentum production of american engines Liberty 12V (300 kW), referred to as M-5 and the French Hispano-Suiza 8F (220 kW) referred to M-6. These engines, selected as transitional types to the development of their own drive units, but at the end of the thirties became the most difficult suit you (their construction was from the year 1914 and 1917) and custom design were still in sight.

From a shortlist of the BMW and Junkers was selected first appointed, and as other "transitional" - type twelve-cylinder engine of the BMW VI. To the agreement with the German side occurred after half a year of negotiations at the end of the year 1927, and as a production race was the chosen race no 26 in Rybinsku. To Germany they were sent soviet experts to train and in Rybinsku started work about a hundred-member group of German technicians and engineers, most of the communist mentality. Production started in 1930 (165 pcs), most of the components was imported from Germany and from France (e.g. carburetors). Gradually there came on the still more domestic parts and increased production. The soviet BMW was heavier and had less performance and durability compared to your model. Hungry after the engine was such, that the air force was taking and not fully functional engines and used them as training aids.

Since the motors M-5 in the tanks BT-5 outmatched by its performance and reliability, was for the tanks BT-7 in the 1935 modified the engine M-17 for use in tanks. As was required of his performance (up to 540 kW) was reduced to 367 kW using a smaller nozzle and diffuser, a different mixture of fuel and by reducing the operating speed. This will prolong its life. Pneumatic starter was changed to electric and regulated cooling and the engine was designated as the M-17T. In 1936, already in the Rybinsku produced three times more tank M-17 than the air. The engines were used in tanks BT-7, BT-7A, T-28, also in a small series of T-34 tanks, and the first series of tanks T-35. Since this 50-ton colossus of his power already was not enough, was for him the modified engine M-17L with the performance of up to 432 kW and again with a pneumatic starter.

The production of these engines ended at the beginning of the year 1941 in favor of more advanced diesel engines V-2 and its variants (T-34, IS, SU, ISU). Even after the German attack on the USSR it was considered that the resumption of production in the GAZ plant in Gorky, but since that was abandoned, mainly for simplification of the logistics in the supply of fuel tank units and the overall "industrial chaos" in the movement of factories and changeovers to war production.

Source
https://engine.aviaport.ru/
https://www.airpages.ru/
https://en.wikipedia.org/
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M-17T

Avtobronětankovoje upravlenije RKKA No.4600, Tank BT-7, Gosudarstvenoje vojennoje izdatělstvo, Moskva 1938

M-17T

Image legend:

Avtobronětankovoje upravlenije RKKA No.4600, Tank BT-7, Gosudarstvenoje vojennoje izdatělstvo, Moskva 1938

M-17T

Tanki BT, Vojennyj Muzej, 1993, ISBN 5-94038-019-0