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BT-2

General Characteristics (BT-5)
Length: 5.7 m
Width: 2.1 m
Height: 2.2 m
Weight:11.5 tons
Speed:53 km/h (road)
- (off-road)
Range: 375 km
Primary armament:45 mm gun
Secondary armament:one or two 7.62 mm machine guns
Power plant:
Crew: 3

The BT-2, BT-5 and BT-7 Soviet fast tanks, were produced between 1931 and 1940.

Table of contents
1 Production History
2 Combat History

Production History

In 1931 two experimental Christie tanks were purchased from the US. The first prototypes BT-1s appeared in August 1931. These were almost copies of the Christie design. Only a few BT-1s were built. In September 1931 the production of the BT-2 started. The BT-2s were equipped with 37 mm gun and one to three machine guns. The BT-3 and later models were equipped with a 45 mm gun.

Variants

Combat History

Some BT-5s saw action on the Republican side in the
Spanish Civil War. Also fought against Japan in 1939 and Finland during the Winter War (mainly BT-2 and BT-5). BT-5 and BT-7 took part in 1941 battles of the WWII, then most of them were abandoned, destroyed or replaced by more modern T-34 tanks.