MAIN MENU SOLDIERS AT WAR DOCUMENTS BATTLES TANKS ARTILLERY 
| The BT-5 Light Tank |
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MAIN MENU SOLDIERS AT WAR DOCUMENTS BATTLES TANKS ARTILLERY |
| Note: All Russian terms and abbreviations shown as red italic are described in the Glossary. |
In the middle 1933 KhPZ had changed production from the BT-2 to the BT-5. The BT-5 tank of the first series was just a slightly modified BT-2 tank but with a new turret in which the 45 mm 20K gun model 1932/38 and the DT machine-gun were installed. The turret has become two-men, and the crew has increased to 3 men.
 The BT-5 light tank. Spain 1938. |
The design of the tank of essential changes has not undergone. The tank weight has been increased up to 11.5 tones. There were 115 rounds for tanks without a radio and 72 rounds for tanks with a radio. The radio station 71-TK-1 had the hand-rail antenna fitted around the turret. Totally 1884 of BT-5 tanks were manufactured in 1933-1934. |
During production the turret was slightly changed and the wheel roads were replaced with more light ones. These light road wheels were used to modernise BT-2 as well.
 The BT-5 tanks of the 45th Mechanized Corps during manoeuvres. Kiev Military District, 1935. |
The first usage of BT-5 was in Spain in 1937 where 100 tanks were sent. In May - August 1939 these tanks took part in conflict at Halhin Gol river as a parts of 6th and 11th Tank Brigades, in campaign in Western Ukraine, in Poland, in Winter War, and at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. There were many machines based on BT-5 chassis: the bridgelayers, the amphibious tanks, the radiocontrolled tanks, the tanks with chemical weapons and so on. |
| REFERENCES: The profile of the BT-5 light tank Specification of Soviet tanks Specifications of Soviet tank guns |
Sources:
"Bronekollektsiya" #1 1996 M.Baryatinsky, M.Kolomiets "BT-2 and BT-5 ligh tanks", 1996 |