7TP
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The 7TP was the Polish light tank of the Second World War.
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Production History
The 7TP was the Polish development of the British Vickers 6-ton (Mk.E) tank licence. The main new features of 7TP were: better, more reliable and powerful diesel engine, very good 37 mm anti-tank gun and a bit thicker armour (in front, 17 mm instead of 13 mm), together with many minor modifications and additions (like Gundlach tank periscope, different air conditioning system and a radio). Only about 132 tanks were produced between 1935 and the outbreak of the war (+4 iron prototypes). The designation 7TP meant: 7-Ton, Polish (in fact its weight increased during designing).
Variants
- 24 tanks - early twin turret variant armed with 2 machine guns only,
- 108 tanks - basic single turret variant, armed with the 37 mm gun.
Combat History
All 7TP tanks took part in combat in the Polish September Campaign in 1939, used in two light tank battalions (the 1st and the 2nd) and in Warsaw Defence units. The gun of 7TP could destroy each of the German tanks of 1939, including Panzer IV, but its armour was too weak. Apart from the 7TP, the Polish Army used Vickers 6-Ton tanks and TK-3 and TKS tankettes.
Note: twin and single turret variants had no specific designations. In some books they are designated with abbreviations: "dw." and "jw.", but they weren't official names. The name: "7TPjw" is not correct.
See also
External links
- Polish Armour (http://derela.republika.pl/7tp.htm)
- Achtung! Panzer (http://www.linux-penguin.org/achtungpanzer/pol/pol7tp.htm)de:7TP