BT tank series
BT-2, BT-5, BT-7, BT-7M | |
---|---|
Type | Light cavalry tank |
Place of origin | Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance |
Service history | |
In service | 1929-1945 |
Wars | Estharian Civil War Second Europan War |
Production history | |
Designer | Wolfgang Theimer |
Designed | 1928 |
Manufacturer | Korlgang Factory |
Produced | 1928–39 |
No. built | BT-2: 650 BT-5: 2,057 BT-7: 6,970 |
Variants | BT-2, BT-5, BT-7, BT-7M |
Specifications (BT-5) | |
Weight | 11.5 tonnes (12.676 tons) |
Length | 5.58 m (18 ft 4 in) |
Width | 2.23 m (7 ft 4 in) |
Height | 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) |
Crew | 3 |
Armour | 6–30 mm |
Main armament | 45-mm Model 32 tank gun |
Secondary armament | 7.62-mm MG05 machine gun |
Engine | Model M-5 400 hp (298 kW) |
Power/weight | 35 hp/tonne |
Suspension | Theimer |
Fuel capacity | 360 litres (95 US gal) |
Operational range | 200 km (120 mi) |
Speed | 72 km/h (44.7 mph) |
The BT tank series were a series of East Europan light tanks produced from 1930 to 1943. They were lightly armoured, but were well-armed and reasonably fast. An indigenous Gallian tank design, it was sold by Theimer to the East Europan Government due to loss of funding by the Gallian government. Despite it, Theimer's suspension would be utilized by the Lucis Army for its cruiser tank line.
Theimer would go on to design another tank for the Gallian Army, which would later be the M3 Rein tank, and M4 Theimer tank. The Imperials would use the tank until 1931, when it was replaced by the indigenous and far superior Panzer II tank. It was later handed to states such as the Second Estharian Republic, who received more than 5,000 models to boost up its armaments during the Estharian Civil War. The Empire of Quenmin also took interest and bought more than 2,000 models, but mostly BT-2s and BT-5s since the Estharian Republic had already bought most of its stocks.
Development
Combat History
Users
Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance (retired in 1935)
Empire of Quenmin (retired in 1936)
Second Estharian Republic
Esthar and Balamb (captured more than 4,500 BT tanks from the Republicans)