Trophy armored vehicles of the Wehrmacht. Poland. Experience of the Great War Polish armored vehicles in World War II

24. How Poland disappeared Most Germans happily accepted the signing of the treaty with Russia. Indeed, in the most Hard times After Versailles, our country proved to be a reliable friend of Germany. They glorified the wisdom of the Fuhrer - what a fine fellow, he fooled the West, snatched everything

Poland The emblem of the Polish armored forces. The formation of the Polish armored forces began in 1919, immediately after the end of the First World War and Poland's independence from Russia. This process took place with strong financial and material support from

During the hostilities of World War II, German troops captured a significant number of various armored vehicles in the occupied countries, which were then widely used in the Wehrmacht field forces, the SS troops and various types of security and police formations. At the same time, some of them were altered and re-equipped, and the rest were used in their original design. The number of armored fighting vehicles of foreign brands adopted by the Germans ranged by different countries from units to several hundred.

On September 1, 1939, in the Polish armored forces (Vgop Pancerna), there were 219 TK-3 tankettes, 13 - TKF, 169 - TKS, 120 7TP tanks, 45 - R35, 34 - Vickers E, 45 - FT17, 8 armored vehicles wz. 29 and 80 - wz. 34. In addition, a number of combat vehicles of various types were in training units and at enterprises. 32 FT17 tanks were included in the staff of armored trains and were used as armored tires. With this tank park, Poland entered the Second World War.

During the hostilities, some of the equipment was destroyed, and the surviving one went to the Wehrmacht as trophies. The Germans quickly introduced a significant number of Polish combat vehicles into the Panzerwaffe. In particular, the 203rd separate tank battalion was equipped with 7TP tanks. Together with TKS tankettes, 7TP tanks entered the 1st Armored Regiment of the 1st Armored Division. The combat strength of the 4th and 5th tank divisions included TK-3 and TKS tankettes. All these combat vehicles took part in the victory parade organized by the Germans in Warsaw on October 5, 1939. At the same time, the 7TR tanks of the 203rd battalion were already repainted in the standard gray Panzerwaffe. However, as it turned out, this action was of a purely propaganda nature. In the future, captured Polish armored vehicles were not used in the combat units of the Wehrmacht. Panzerkampfwagen tanks 7TR (p) and Leichte Panzerkampfwagen TKS (p) tankettes were soon placed at the disposal of the police and SS guard units. A number of TKS tankettes were transferred to Germany's allies: Hungary, Romania and Croatia.

The captured wz.34 armored vehicles were used by the Germans exclusively for police purposes, since these obsolete vehicles had no military value. A certain number of armored cars of this type was handed over to the Croats and used by those against the partisans in the Balkans.

Trophy property park. In the foreground is the TKS wedge heel, in the second - the TK-3 wedge heel. Poland, 1939

The light tank 7TR abandoned without any visible damage. Poland, 1939. This tank was produced in two versions: two-turret and one-turret. The Wehrmacht only limitedly used the second version, armed with a 37-mm cannon

Among people with little interest in history, there is an opinion that the Polish campaign of 1939 was an easy walk for the Germans. Meanwhile, with a more detailed study of those events, it becomes clear that the Polish troops, despite the obvious superiority of the Wehrmacht in manpower, equipment and tactics, were able to offer the enemy worthy resistance. This applies to almost all types of troops, including the armored forces of the Polish army. For comparison, note that the French campaign of 1940 lasted only slightly longer than the Polish one, although the military potential of the allies was much greater than that of the Polish army. This only does honor to the Polish soldiers, who, in conditions of the enemy's absolute superiority, held back the German war machine for more than a month.

It is known that the losses of German tank forces in Poland amounted to almost a third of the total number of armored vehicles, in a month of fighting Germany lost about a thousand tanks, although a large amount of equipment was restored during the hostilities and after their end. Thus, the irrecoverable losses of the Germans amounted to only about 200 combat vehicles. However, the very fact that Polish troops were able to disable so many German equipment tells us about the vigorous resistance of the Polish army to the invaders. What were the Polish tank forces at the time of the outbreak of the war with Germany? By September 1, 1939, the Polish army had about 800 tanks, tankettes and armored vehicles. Most of the equipment was outdated and had practically no combat value. Almost all tanks required various repairs and Maintenance... The enemy threw almost 3,000 tanks against Poland, which ensured him a decisive numerical superiority and victory.

In addition to the above equipment, the Polish army had about a hundred more armored vehicles. The enemy had an impressive qualitative and quantitative superiority over Poland in tanks. Many frankly outdated combat vehicles, such as the French Renault FT, were almost useless against German technology. The TKS and TK-3 tankettes were almost all armed only with machine guns, with the exception of only 24 vehicles, which were equipped with 20 mm guns. The Polish units armed with 7TR, R-35 and Vikkers E tanks were more or less combat-ready, but there were very few of these tanks in the Polish army. They made up only one fourth of the Polish tank fleet.

All of the above clearly makes it clear in what conditions the Polish tank forces found themselves during the German invasion. And yet, the Polish tank crews were able to provide the enemy with worthy resistance. The Polish army also had its own heroes, such as the commander of the TKS tankette platoon, Sergeant Edmund Orlik, who knocked out 10 German tanks during the battles for Warsaw. Many may argue that the German tank forces of 1939 were also far from ideal, because half of the German tank park was made up of light tanks "PzI", which carried only machine-gun armament. However, the Germans had a huge advantage in numbers. Besides the PzI, they had more advanced tanks.

All this suggests that the Polish soldiers, despite the impressive superiority of the Germans, resisted with dignity and courage, inflicting considerable losses on the enemy, as can be seen by looking at the German reports of disabled manpower, armored vehicles and aircraft. If the Anglo-French allies provided the promised assistance to Poland, and not indifferently looked at how the Wehrmacht's tank wedges were tearing apart the Polish army, then the resistance of the Polish army would put Germany in front of the depressing prospect of a war on two fronts. The Poles did everything they could in battles with a clearly superior enemy, and the biggest strategic mistake of the British and French ultimately ended for Europe with the German occupation.

Polish armored forces were the first in World War II to compete with the German Panzerwaffe, one of the main tools of the blitzkrieg strategy. The battles during the September 1939 campaign showed that, technically, the 7TP light tanks are quite capable of withstanding the German "Panzer" tanks. But the ratio of the number of German and Polish tanks left the Poles no chance.

Polish armored forces on the eve of World War II

Already during the First World War, it became clear that the military clashes of the 20th century would be "wars of motors" - both in the air and on the ground. However, this did not mean that all countries feverishly began to fill their arsenals with combat airplanes and tanks. States that lost the war did not rely on new military vehicles under the terms of peace treaties, and for the victorious countries, especially England and France, the opposite problem came to the fore - it was necessary to do something with the huge number of built combat vehicles that became unnecessary in peacetime ... Both countries radically reduced their huge wartime armies. The massive British "rhombuses" and French Renault FTs had three ways within the framework of this reduction: utilization, conservation and export. It is not surprising that the tank forces of many countries of the world "began" with these combat vehicles.

This was also true for the army of the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. As part of the supply of weapons and military equipment during the Soviet-Polish war, Poland received from the main powers of the Entente, including tanks. Subsequently, the Poles bought and produced several types of armored vehicles, but even by the beginning of a new world war in the Polish army, there were several dozen ancestors of tanks of the classic layout - Renault FT.

The desire of the Polish Army to have numerous tank troops was limited by the industrial and economic capabilities of the state. The needs and capabilities were eventually balanced by such a compromise: by 1939, the inexpensive TK-3 and TKS tankettes became the main armored vehicles of the Polish army.

At the same time, of course, the Poles had an idea of ​​what was happening in the armies of neighboring states. The fact that Germany, the USSR and Czechoslovakia relied on "full-fledged" tower tanks, and in most cases - with cannon armament, forced Poland to get involved in the "arms race" in this direction. Purchase abroad of small consignments of new French R-35 and British "tank bestsellers" "Vickers" Mk. E eventually culminated in the creation and production of domestic light tanks 7TP based on the "Briton".

Equipped with a variety of vehicles, the Polish peacetime armored forces included:

• 10 armored battalions;
• The 11th Experimental Tank Battalion at the Modlin training center;
• 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade;
• two detachments of armored trains.

The pre-war Polish armored battalions were large units with a complex structure and diverse weapons. Immediately before the outbreak of hostilities in August 1939, the Poles, as part of measures to mobilize the army, carried out, among other things, the restructuring of their armored forces. By the beginning of the war, seven tank and four light divisions of the Wehrmacht, the Polish Army could oppose the following forces:

• 2 battalions of light tanks, equipped with 7TP vehicles (49 tanks each);
• 1 battalion of light tanks, equipped with French R-35s (45 tanks);
• 3 individual companies light tanks (15 French Renault FTs each);
• 11 armored battalions (consisting of 8 armored vehicles and 13 tankettes TK-3 and TKS);
• 15 separate reconnaissance tank companies (13 tankettes TK-3 and TKS);
• 10 armored trains.

In addition, the two motorized brigades (10th Cavalry and Warsaw armored) had a company of 16 British Vickers Mk. E and two companies of tankettes TK-3 / TKS.

Taking into account the fact that there were no medium tanks in service with the Polish army at all, as well as the fact that the 7TP was superior in armament to the German light PzKpfw I and II, it can be argued with some degree of convention that the light 7TP, against the background of numerous Polish tankettes, could perform the role of a medium tank.

"Vickers six-ton" and armor scam

Since 1926, the Polish War Ministry has maintained contacts with the British firm Vickers-Armstrong. The British offered several models of their combat vehicles (Mk.C and Mk.D), but the Poles did not like them. The matter got off the ground when the Vickers company built the Mk.E (Six-ton ​​Vickers) tank, which was destined to become one of the most important milestones in the history of world tank building. Moreover, the Poles began their acquaintance with the new tank, which was created in 1928, even before its birth: in January 1927, a new promising chassis was shown to their delegation, and in August 1927, the military made a preliminary decision to purchase 30 not yet existing tanks. ...

The high price of the new British vehicle forced the Poles to pay attention to the French Renault NC-27 tanks, which, in turn, were another attempt to breathe life into the rapidly aging Renault FT. The attempt to save money was unsuccessful. 10 vehicles purchased in France made such a depressing impression on the Polish military that it was finally decided to return to the Vickers. Another possible alternative, which aroused keen interest among the Poles, was the Christie's wheeled-tracked tank, but the American designer was unable to fulfill his obligations to deliver the ordered copy to Poland in time.

The Vickers firm produced Mk.E tanks in two modifications - a single-turret "B" with mixed cannon and machine-gun armament and a two-turret "A", machine-gun. After testing the sample that arrived in Poland in September 1930, the Poles decided to purchase 38 (some sources indicate the number 50) two-turret tanks simultaneously with a license for their further production.

Tanks "Vickers" Mk.E of modification A intended for Poland in the assembly hall of the Vickers plant in Newcastle. The tanks were delivered to Poland without weapons and 7.92 mm wz machine guns were installed on the spot. 25 Gotchkiss. June 1932.
http://derela.pl/7tp.htm

In fairness, it should be noted that the new Polish acquisition had significant drawbacks. Even during preliminary tests in 1930, it turned out that weak point"Briton" was a gasoline engine "Armstrong-Siddeley" with a capacity of 90 hp. air cooled. With its help, the tank could move at a cruising speed of 22-25 km / h, but at a maximum speed of 37 km / h after 10 minutes the engine overheated.

The second equally important drawback was the Vickers' armor (the incident is known in Poland as an "armored scam"). Upon arrival in Poland of the ordered tanks, it turned out that their armor had a lower durability than indicated in technical characteristics... During the tests, 13-mm frontal armor plates were pierced by the fire of a large-caliber 12.7-mm machine gun from a distance of 350 meters, declared in the TH. The scandal was settled by reducing the cost of the batch's tanks - from the original 3800 pounds to 3165 pounds per vehicle.

16 "Vickers" received a large-caliber 13.2-mm machine gun in one of the turrets, and 6 more - a short-barreled 37th gun. Subsequently, some of the British tanks (22 vehicles) were converted into single-turret tanks, with a 47-mm short-barreled gun as the main armament and a coaxial 7.92-mm machine gun.

After the Soviet-Polish war, the USSR seriously believed that Poland was hatching aggressive plans against its eastern neighbor. Fearing Poland's ability to achieve superiority in tanks (however, imaginary ability - the industrial and financial capabilities of the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth allowed her to build only less than 150 full-fledged tanks), Soviet Union closely followed the development of Polish tank armament. Perhaps one of the consequences of such attention was the "synchronous" interest on the part of the USSR in the Vickers Mk.E and the Christie tank (according to at least, in Polish sources these events are presented precisely from this angle). As a result, the Christie tank became the "progenitor" of several thousand Soviet tanks BT-2, BT-5 and BT-7 (and the experimental Polish 10TR), and Vickers is the basis for thousands of T-26s and 134 Polish 7TRs.

As noted above, together with a batch of English-assembled Vickers, the Poles also acquired a license for their production. The license did not cover the engine; however, the air-cooled engine was clearly unfortunate for the tank. To replace the Poles, they opted for a 110 hp Saurer Swiss water-cooled diesel engine, which was already produced in Poland under license. As a result of this rather random choice (it was just that the Saurer turned out to be the only engine of suitable size and power from those produced in Poland at that time), the 7TP became the first diesel tank in Europe and one of the first in the world (after Japanese cars).

The use of a diesel engine in tank building, as you know, eventually became generally accepted. Its advantages are less flammable fuel, better torque and lower fuel consumption, which positively affects the range. As for the case with the 7TP, the Swiss diesel also had a significant drawback: its dimensions and water radiators required the engine compartment to be expanded upward, the hump of which eventually became the most obvious difference between the Polish tank and the Vickers and T-26s.

With the second drawback of the British tank - insufficient armor - the Poles also decided to fight, but in the end they got by with half measures: instead of 13-mm homogeneous armor plates, 17-mm superficially hardened plates were installed in the frontal projection. The driver's hatch was only 10 mm thick, the sides - from 17 mm in the front to 9 mm in the rear. The rear of the hull was made of armor plates with a thickness of 9 mm (6 mm in early series), while on machines early series in the rear wall of the power compartment there were ventilation louvers for the cooling system. The double turrets had a circular 13 mm booking. Of course, there was no question of any kind of "anti-cannonball".

The new car, which originally acquired the name VAU 33 (Vickers-Armstrong-Ursus, or, according to another version, Vickers-Armstrong Ulepszony), received a reinforced suspension and a new transmission. The tank was equipped with a four-speed gearbox (plus one reverse gear). Already at this stage, its weight increased to seven tons, which was the reason for the renaming into 7TP ("seven-ton Polish", by analogy with the "Vickers six-ton").

Two 7TP prototypes in a two-turret version called Smok (Dragon) and Słoń (Elephant) were built in 1934–35. Both were made of mild, non-armor steel and used some parts purchased from Vickers.

In March 1935, the first series of two-turret 7TPs with machine-gun armament was ordered - to equip them, the turrets removed from the Vickers converted into single-turret versions were used. This decision was deliberately temporary, since the military still had not decided on the final version of the tower and the cannon. The 47-mm British single-turret Vickers cannon was rejected as it had poor penetration. The British proposed a new hexagonal turret with a more powerful 47-mm gun, but this proposal was rejected by the Poles. But the Swedish company "Bofors", which proposed to create a new tower based on the towers of the L-30 and L-10 tanks, they agreed. Which is not surprising - a good 37-mm Swedish gun of the same firm "Bofors" was already in service with the Polish army as a standard anti-tank towed gun.

The Swedish double tower in Poland has been redesigned. She received a stern niche for installing a radio station and additional ammunition, as well as Polish-made optics, including a circular view periscope designed by Rudolf Gundlach, a patent for which was sold to Vickers, and subsequently such periscopes became standard for Allied tanks. The tank's auxiliary armament was a water-cooled 7.92 mm wz.30 machine gun (in the two-turret version, the armament consisted of two such machine guns). Since 1938, Polish radio stations N2 / C were installed in the turrets of the tanks of the commanders of battalions, companies and platoons. In total, before the war, the Poles managed to produce 38 of these radio stations, of which not all were installed on tanks. The turret of the 7TP tank in a single-turret version had a thickness of 15 mm on all sides and on the gun mask, 8-10 mm on the roof. The protective cover of the machine gun cooling system in front was 18 mm thick, around the barrel - 8 mm.

The serial 7TP in the single-turret version had a mass of 9.9 tons, in the two-turret version - 9.4 tons. The maximum speed of the car was 32 km / h, the cruising range was up to 150 km on the road, 130 km on rough terrain (in Soviet sources the figures are 195/130 km). The 7TR crew consisted of three people in both versions. The ammunition load of the 37-mm gun was 80 rounds.

Production

Despite discrepancies in details regarding batch sizes and exact timing of their production, the sources mostly agree on the estimate the total produced by 7TR. Taking into account two prototypes, 134 tanks of this type were produced. The financial capabilities of the Polish Ministry of Defense allowed him to purchase one company of tanks per year. After the first order of 22 vehicles in 1935, 16 were produced in 1936. Such a snail's pace (18 7TRs were ordered in 1937) were clearly insufficient. Only thanks to the sale of four companies of old French Renault FTs to the Republicans in Spain (they were fictitiously sold to China and Uruguay), it became possible in 1937 to make a large additional order for 49 new tanks. But here the desires of the military were constrained by the production capabilities of Polish factories, on the assembly lines of which 7TP tanks were forced to "compete" with the S7P artillery tractors. As a result, the Polish industry managed to produce by the beginning of the war more tractors than tanks - about 150 units.

In total, before the start of World War II and during its course (11 tanks entered the troops already in September 1939), 132 serial 7TP tanks were created, including 108 in single-turret and 24 in double-turret modifications (alternative numbers - 110 and 22) ...

The number of serial 7TP tanks produced by orders:

Although countries such as Sweden, Bulgaria, Turkey, Estonia, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Greece and, possibly, Republican Spain expressed interest in acquiring the 7TP, Polish tanks were not exported due to limited industrial capacity and the priority of supplies for their armed forces.

Combat use and comparison with similar machines

Two companies of 7TP tanks (a total of 32 vehicles) were included in the Silesia task force and in October 1938 participated in the invasion of Cieszyn Silesia, a disputed region with Czechoslovakia, which, according to the terms of international arbitration, was annexed to the latter in July 1920. Czechoslovakia, which at the same time was invaded by Germany as a result of the Munich Agreement, did not put up any resistance to the Poles, so the participation of 7TR in the conflict was more of a psychological nature.

The Polish 7TR tank from the 3rd armored battalion (tank of the 1st platoon) overcomes the Czechoslovak anti-tank fortifications in the area of ​​the Polish-Czechoslovak border.
waralbum.ru

In September 1939, Polish tanks were used quite successfully against German troops. In terms of their combat characteristics, they significantly surpassed the German ones. tanks PzKpfw I (which was clear from the experience of using this "tower tankette" during the war in Spain against the Soviet T-26, the "cousin" of the 7TP), a little - PzKpfw II and were quite comparable with the PzKpfw III and Czechoslovak LT vz. 35 and LT vz. 38, which were also used by the Wehrmacht. Both light tank battalions, equipped with 7TRs, performed well in clashes with German tank and light divisions, although, of course, due to their small number, they could not significantly affect the course of hostilities.

LT vz. 35 of the Wehrmacht, knocked out by a Polish 37-mm gun (either a gun carriage or a tank gun). It can be seen that the white cross is smeared with mud - German tank crews this is how we tried to mask these excellent aiming markers http://derela.pl/7tp.htm

For example, on September 4, two companies of the 2nd Polish Light Tank Battalion took part in the defense on the southern outskirts of Petrkow-Trybunalski, where they destroyed 2 armored vehicles and 6 tanks of the 1st Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht, losing one tank. The next day, all three companies of the battalion tried to attack the 4th Panzer Division of the Germans, defeating the automobile convoy of the 12th Infantry Regiment and destroying about 15 enemy tanks and armored combat vehicles in the largest tank battle of the Polish campaign. At the same time, the losses of the Polish side amounted to at least 7 TR tanks. Due to the overwhelming superiority of the Germans, including in tanks, in the future, the Polish units had to withdraw.

Photo "breaking" the stereotypes about the Polish campaign of 1939 - the Polish 7TP tank against the background of the German cavalry
http://derela.pl/7tp.htm

The captured 7TRs were used by the Germans in France (where the Americans discovered them in 1944), as well as in counter-guerrilla operations in the territories of modern Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. In addition, the Red Army captured two or three damaged 7TPs during the invasion of Poland. From several faulty tanks, one was assembled, which was tested in October 1940 in Kubinka. The interest of the Soviet designers was aroused by the diesel engine, the armor protection of the gun and machine gun mantlet, as well as the Gundlach system's all-round periscope, the design solutions of which were later used in the production of Soviet counterparts.

The fighting showed that the 7TR had approximately equal chances of winning in clashes with German (and Czechoslovak) cannon tanks in service with the Wehrmacht. results tank battles as a result, they depended mainly on non-technical factors - such as surprise, numerical superiority, training of individual crews, command skills and the coherence of units (some of the Polish crews were staffed immediately before the start of the war with reserve servicemen who did not have experience in managing armored vehicles). Another significant factor was the wider use of radio communications in the tank forces of the Wehrmacht.

Comparison of the 7TP with another participant in the events of September 1939 - another direct "descendant" of the "Vickers" Mk.E Soviet T-26, may cause some interest. The latter was better armed (45 mm anti-tank gun against the 37-mm gun of the 7TP). The auxiliary armament of the Polish vehicle consisted of one machine gun, while the Soviet one had two. The 7TP had the best observation and aiming devices. As for the engine, if the above-mentioned 110-horsepower diesel was installed on the Polish tank, the Soviet T-26 managed with a 90-horsepower gasoline engine, and in some modifications weighed even more than the Polish counterpart.

Literature:

• Janusz Magnuski, Czołg lekki 7TP, "Militaria" Vol.1 No.5, 1996
• Rajmund Szubański: "Polska broń pancerna 1939".
• Igor Melnikov, The rise and fall of 7TR,

Not so long ago, information surfaced about the second tank of the Polish tree. Recall that the first tank in Poland was a Tier 2 tank "TKS 20.A", which the developers showed more than a year ago. Now, the premium tier 4 tank CzołgśredniB.B.T.Br.Panc has appeared in all its glory. Having two Polish tanks in our arsenal and the developers' answer that the Polish branch might appear in our game, we decided to compose our own tree, relying on our own instincts and information from the forums.

Level I - TKW

Throughout its historical concept, it is a wedge, but in many sources it is still positioned as a light tank. Nothing inconspicuous car will fit into the game at the most opportune time. The armament consists of a 7.92 mm machine gun, about booking on such low levels to talk to no avail, but still numbers are numbers, from 4 to 10 mm. The top speed is impressive, 46 km / h with a power density of 17-18 hp / t. The crew of this unit consisted of 2 people, because, of course, with a width of 1.8 and a height of 1.3 m, three of them would be cramped in the car.

Level II - 4TR

An experienced light tank of the Polish army, developed before World War II. Should have been armed with a 20 mm automatic gun wz .38 FKA ... The hull armor reaches 17 mm in the forehead and 13 mm along the sides. The turret had 13 mm circular armor. The car reached 55 km / h on a flat road and almost the same speed over rough terrain.

Level III - 7TR

7TP is a continuation of work on the creation of tanks of the TR series, and is a kind of twin of the Soviet T-26. According to the Internet, they tried to arm him with six different guns of caliber 40, 47 and 55 mm, but in the end they installed a 37 mm gun. Bofors ... Towers were also moved like gloves, since a new tower had to be made for each weapon.

It is possible that in the game, if, of course, it appears, then this unit will have many variations of weapons and installation of towers. The armor is quite small and reaches a maximum of 17 mm. 110 hp engine Saurer will accelerate our Pole to a measly 32 km / h.

IV level - 10TR

At first glance, it may seem that the tank is similar to the Soviet BT-7, but we assure you, it is not. The vehicle is a practically new and individual development of a light fast tank with a Christie suspension. The maximum speed, as indicated in many sources, is 50 km / h. Armed with the same 37mm gun Bofors , which is also on its predecessor, 7TP. For the 4th level, such a gun will be rather weak. Our armor plates are wildly thin, 20 mm in all projections will be very good at catching enemy landmines.

V level - 14TR

Based on the archival data on this tank, it can be argued that a good firefly will come out of it. 50 km / h on the highway is an excellent indicator for this unit. The 14TP in its concept is the same 10TP, but from historical sources it is said that the Germans found data stating that the 10TP tank was planned to be upgraded by increasing the wheelbase to 5 load-bearing wheels and increasing the armor of the vehicle. There was no information about the gun, but the information from the Poles speaks of the same 37 mm cannon as on the 10TP and 7TP. The thickness of the armor in the forehead of the tank reached 50 mm, along the sides - 35, and in the stern - 20 mm.

VI level - 20TR v.2

22 tonnes of steel and large dimensions would hardly give it the title of a medium tank, but internet data says so. The project of the Polish breakthrough tank consisted of several variants and sketches, but we liked this one. It was planned to install either a 47 or 75 mm gun on the tank. Many will think that the car will be slow and clumsy, but historical data tells us that the tank was supposed to develop 45 km / h. The front of the hull had armor plates 50-80 mm thick, and 35-40 mm along the sides. For the 6th level, the indicators are not the best, but these are just assumptions.

To this whole tree, let's add a little information about the newly made Polish tank 4 levels CzołgśredniB.B.T.Br.Panc, which is already being tested on the supertest.

The machine for its level does not have super parameters and is the simplest ST-4. The cannon penetrates 63 mm of armor, dealing 50 damage. Reloading will take 4.12 seconds, aiming time 1.73 seconds and firing accuracy will be 0.36 m / 100m.

With the dynamics of our premium Pole, everything is also on the average level. The specific power of 26 horses per ton of weight will accelerate the tank to 45 km / h. Turning in place will be carried out at a speed of 36 deg / s. Like all Tier 4 medium tanks, we do not have reservations. 50 mm in the forehead of the hull and turret will hardly save us.

As a result, we will say that this branch is absolutely conjectural and there is no reliable information about the formation of this or that tank from this branch to a certain level. We can learn more about the tree itself only from the mouth of the developers. Patience and good luck in battles!