Tankettes are tracked armored combat vehicles that resemble small tanks but are not much different in size from a car. They were released in large quantities during the interwar period and by the beginning of the Second World War formed the armored vehicles basis in some countries, for example, in Poland. Usually, tankettes were armed with machine guns, but in some cases received 20-mm automatic cannons or flamethrowers.
The review also includes two examples of armored vehicles that are traditionally classified as armored transporters or tractors: the Soviet T-20 Komsomolets and the French Renault UE Chenillette. There are two reasons for this. First, in terms of design and characteristics, they are converging to the tankettes, and in both cases their use as combat vehicles has been recorded. Secondly, many tankettes were also originally created to perform transport tasks, including, therefore, the border between them and small armored transporters and tractors is quite conditional.
The age of tankettes was short. Appearing in the late 20s, they were created precisely as combat vehicles capable to perform the functions of «normal» tanks in a limited way. However, literally within a decade, it became clear that they are completely unsuitable for the direct infantry support, and even less for independent actions on the battlefield. High mobility, relatively low fuel consumption and good cross-country ability kept them in the role of reconnaissance vehicles for some time, and the presence of armor (albeit bulletproof/anti-splinter) allowed them to be successfully used as tractors and front edge transporters. By the end of the 40s, tankettes retained their importance as combat vehicles only in third-rate theaters of combat operations (for example, in 1948, Ethiopia purchased a batch of AH-IVs from Czechoslovakia).
Carden-Loyd Mk VI, United Kingdom. Produced since 1929. Crew of 2 people. Weight 1.5 tons, engine 22.5 hp, maximum speed 48 km/h. Armament: 7.7 mm machine gun, 1000 rounds of ammunition. 450 vehicles released flickr.com
T-17, USSR. The prototype was produced in 1929. Crew of 1 person. Weight 2.25 tons, engine 20 hp, maximum speed 20 km/h. Armament: 7.62 mm machine gun, 1500 rounds of ammunition bronetexnika.moy.su
T-27, USSR. In the photo are tankettes (in the foreground) in front of a heavy five-turret T-35 tank. Produced in 1931-1933. Crew of 2 people. Weight 2.7 tons, engine 40 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: 7.62 mm machine gun. About 3,300 vehicles in various modifications were released
Type 92, Japan. Small tank, produced in 1931-1933. Crew of 3 people. Weight 3.5 tons, engine 45 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: two 6.5 mm machine guns or one 13 mm machine gun and one 6.5 mm machine gun. 167 vehicles released kazuchisen.wordpress.com
Renault UE Chenillette, France. This vehicle was developed as a light armored transporter. Some of them were armed with machine guns and even 20-mm cannons. Produced since 1932. More than 5 thousand vehicles released. Crew 2 people, weight 2.1 tons. Engine 38 hp, speed up to 30 km/h
Twice captured French tankette Renault UE Chenillette in 1944, equipped by the Germans with a 7.92 mm MG 15 aircraft machine gun and then fallen into the hands of the Americans
Captured French Renault UE Chenillette tankette with three 7.92 mm MG 15 aircraft machine guns
TKS, Poland (captured by the Germans). The 1933 modernization of the TK-3 tankette. Crew of 2 people. Weight 2.6 tons, engine 46 hp, maximum speed 45 km/h. Armament: 7.92 mm machine gun (1920 rounds of ammunition). A small number of vehicles was re-equipped with 20 mm automatic guns. About 600 similar TK-3, TKF and TKS vehicles released
T-37A, USSR. Small amphibious tank. The photo shows a vehicle captured by the Finns during the Winter War. Produced since 1933. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.2 tons, engine 40 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: 1×7.62 mm machine gun. About 2,500 vehicles released
Tančík vz. 33, Czechoslovakia. Produced since 1934. Crew of 2 people. Weight 2.3 tons, engine 30 hp, maximum speed 35 km/h. Armament: 2×7.92 mm machine guns, 5200 rounds of ammunition. 70 vehicles (and 4 prototypes) released
AH-IV, Czechoslovakia. A small tank that was exported to Iran, Romania and Ethiopia. In operation since 1935. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.9 tons, engine 55 hp, maximum speed 45 km/h. Armament: two 7.92 mm machine guns. About 160 vehicles released
Carro Veloce CV-35, or L3/35, Italy. In operation since 1935. Modification of the CV-33 tankette (in operation since 1933). Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.2 tons, engine 43 hp, maximum speed 42 km/h. Armament: 2×8-mm machine guns (3200 rounds of ammunition) or a flamethrower. Up to 2,500 CV-33s and CV-35s released
Type 94, Japan. In operation since 1935. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.4 tons, engine 32 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: 6.5 mm machine gun. 823 vehicles released
T-38, USSR. Small amphibious tank, produced since 1936. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.2 tons, engine 40 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: single 7.62 mm machine gun. 1,340 vehicles released safaniuk.livejournal.com
Armored T-20 artillery tractor «Komsomolets». A vehicle in many ways similar to tankettes. Unlike them, it could carry another 6 soldiers. Produced since 1937. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.5 tons, engine 50 hp, speed up to 50 km/h. Armament: single 7.62 mm machine gun. 7,780 vehicles released
Strv m/37, Czechoslovakia / Sweden. In operation since 1937. Modification of the Czechoslovak AH-IV. Crew of 2 people. Weight 4.68 tons, engine 85 hp, maximum speed 60 km/h. Armament: 2 x 8-mm machine guns, 3,960 rounds of ammunition. 48 vehicles assembled ww2photo.se
Tankettes are tracked armored combat vehicles that resemble small tanks but are not much different in size from a car. They were released in large quantities during the interwar period and by the beginning of the Second World War formed the armored vehicles basis in some countries, for example, in Poland. Usually, tankettes were armed with machine guns, but in some cases received 20-mm automatic cannons or flamethrowers.
The review also includes two examples of armored vehicles that are traditionally classified as armored transporters or tractors: the Soviet T-20 Komsomolets and the French Renault UE Chenillette. There are two reasons for this. First, in terms of design and characteristics, they are converging to the tankettes, and in both cases their use as combat vehicles has been recorded. Secondly, many tankettes were also originally created to perform transport tasks, including, therefore, the border between them and small armored transporters and tractors is quite conditional.
The age of tankettes was short. Appearing in the late 20s, they were created precisely as combat vehicles capable to perform the functions of «normal» tanks in a limited way. However, literally within a decade, it became clear that they are completely unsuitable for the direct infantry support, and even less for independent actions on the battlefield. High mobility, relatively low fuel consumption and good cross-country ability kept them in the role of reconnaissance vehicles for some time, and the presence of armor (albeit bulletproof/anti-splinter) allowed them to be successfully used as tractors and front edge transporters. By the end of the 40s, tankettes retained their importance as combat vehicles only in third-rate theaters of combat operations (for example, in 1948, Ethiopia purchased a batch of AH-IVs from Czechoslovakia).
Carden-Loyd Mk VI, United Kingdom. Produced since 1929. Crew of 2 people. Weight 1.5 tons, engine 22.5 hp, maximum speed 48 km/h. Armament: 7.7 mm machine gun, 1000 rounds of ammunition. 450 vehicles released flickr.com
T-17, USSR. The prototype was produced in 1929. Crew of 1 person. Weight 2.25 tons, engine 20 hp, maximum speed 20 km/h. Armament: 7.62 mm machine gun, 1500 rounds of ammunition bronetexnika.moy.su
T-27, USSR. In the photo are tankettes (in the foreground) in front of a heavy five-turret T-35 tank. Produced in 1931-1933. Crew of 2 people. Weight 2.7 tons, engine 40 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: 7.62 mm machine gun. About 3,300 vehicles in various modifications were released
Type 92, Japan. Small tank, produced in 1931-1933. Crew of 3 people. Weight 3.5 tons, engine 45 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: two 6.5 mm machine guns or one 13 mm machine gun and one 6.5 mm machine gun. 167 vehicles released kazuchisen.wordpress.com
Renault UE Chenillette, France. This vehicle was developed as a light armored transporter. Some of them were armed with machine guns and even 20-mm cannons. Produced since 1932. More than 5 thousand vehicles released. Crew 2 people, weight 2.1 tons. Engine 38 hp, speed up to 30 km/h
Twice captured French tankette Renault UE Chenillette in 1944, equipped by the Germans with a 7.92 mm MG 15 aircraft machine gun and then fallen into the hands of the Americans
Captured French Renault UE Chenillette tankette with three 7.92 mm MG 15 aircraft machine guns
TKS, Poland (captured by the Germans). The 1933 modernization of the TK-3 tankette. Crew of 2 people. Weight 2.6 tons, engine 46 hp, maximum speed 45 km/h. Armament: 7.92 mm machine gun (1920 rounds of ammunition). A small number of vehicles was re-equipped with 20 mm automatic guns. About 600 similar TK-3, TKF and TKS vehicles released
T-37A, USSR. Small amphibious tank. The photo shows a vehicle captured by the Finns during the Winter War. Produced since 1933. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.2 tons, engine 40 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: 1×7.62 mm machine gun. About 2,500 vehicles released
Tančík vz. 33, Czechoslovakia. Produced since 1934. Crew of 2 people. Weight 2.3 tons, engine 30 hp, maximum speed 35 km/h. Armament: 2×7.92 mm machine guns, 5200 rounds of ammunition. 70 vehicles (and 4 prototypes) released
AH-IV, Czechoslovakia. A small tank that was exported to Iran, Romania and Ethiopia. In operation since 1935. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.9 tons, engine 55 hp, maximum speed 45 km/h. Armament: two 7.92 mm machine guns. About 160 vehicles released
Carro Veloce CV-35, or L3/35, Italy. In operation since 1935. Modification of the CV-33 tankette (in operation since 1933). Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.2 tons, engine 43 hp, maximum speed 42 km/h. Armament: 2×8-mm machine guns (3200 rounds of ammunition) or a flamethrower. Up to 2,500 CV-33s and CV-35s released
Type 94, Japan. In operation since 1935. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.4 tons, engine 32 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: 6.5 mm machine gun. 823 vehicles released
T-38, USSR. Small amphibious tank, produced since 1936. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.2 tons, engine 40 hp, maximum speed 40 km/h. Armament: single 7.62 mm machine gun. 1,340 vehicles released safaniuk.livejournal.com
Armored T-20 artillery tractor «Komsomolets». A vehicle in many ways similar to tankettes. Unlike them, it could carry another 6 soldiers. Produced since 1937. Crew of 2 people. Weight 3.5 tons, engine 50 hp, speed up to 50 km/h. Armament: single 7.62 mm machine gun. 7,780 vehicles released
Strv m/37, Czechoslovakia / Sweden. In operation since 1937. Modification of the Czechoslovak AH-IV. Crew of 2 people. Weight 4.68 tons, engine 85 hp, maximum speed 60 km/h. Armament: 2 x 8-mm machine guns, 3,960 rounds of ammunition. 48 vehicles assembled ww2photo.se
