BRIEF TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON THE SOVIET T-54 TANK AND PT-76 AMPHIBIOUS TANK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A038600090001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 28, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 27, 1957
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
C-0-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A:-L
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws. Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 said 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
SUBJECT Brief Technical Information on the
Soviet T-54 Tank and PT-76 Amphibious
Tank.
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
NO. PAGES
REQUIREMENT
NO.
PROCESSING COPY 25X1
27 November 1957
S URCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL. OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
report on various technical aspects of the T-54 tank
and the Ft-7 amphibious tank
the PT-76 amphibious tanl~
propulsion in water was accomplished by means of water jets, rather than
screws.
ARMY review completed.
STATE ARMY AVY AIR FBI
We] I ,AA.r??
(Note: Washington distributfo indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "#".)
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CoNFIDErQTiAL-
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TB6 9OVIST T-54 AND AIIPHIBIOQS n-76'* TANKS
Introduction
A. Ti T-54 TAB
1.
a.
T-54 tank DrawsI oohs isted of four son:
a tank oaaander, a thank driver.
The 67th Tank Tog i trained stu-
dents to fill each these our positions the T-54 tank.
the following driver's controls:
(1) Two steering levers, slightly forward of the driver's
seat and located to the left and right of the driver.
(2) A clutch pedal which was operated by the left foot.
(3) A foot accelerator pedal which was operated by the
right foot.
(4) A brake pedal which activated a 25X1
hill brake ("gornyy torsos*) and which was located between
the clutch and foot accelerator pedals. The brake pedal
was operated by the rigrht foct- It was possih3e to lack-
the brake 25X1
(5) A gear shift lever which was located to the right rear
of the right steering laver and vu approximately 36 as
from it.
(6) A hand throttle of the cogged segment type. This
throttle was located to the driver's right and was sonnted
in the floor. The top of the throttle extended approxi-
mately 15 an above the floor. login RPM coild be adjusted
to an nnlmown specific rate, and the throttle could be
looked in position. It was released by pressing a button
on the top of the throttle handle.
(7) A main switch, called "sassa" located to the
driver's overhead right rear. 25X1
(8) A starter button which was located on the left hull wall.
COrJFIDENT IAI_
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The only sighting device in the driver Ia compartment
~vu a periscope type instrument
there was a rubber-
padded forebead rest above the vision eyepiece.
the driver's duties as follows:
(1) Starting and driving the tank.
The driver would start the tank by turning on the main
switch and would then pomp the acoolerator pedal several
times. He would then mess the starter button with his
left hand. If,the batteries were dead
the engine might be started by using a compre? air s
(2) Operating the bow machine gun.
The bow machine gun had a fixed mount and was located
(3) Maintenance duties.
(4) Activating the fire extinguisher system.
See paragraph nn below.
The driver's hatch was of the swivel type. With his left
hand the driver would open it by means of a handle just
above his left shoulder. A. the handle was turned, the
cover would rise approximately eight centimeters as if
spring loaded. The driver would turn it forward and to the
left. With the driver's seat adjusted to its highest posi-
tion, a driver of average height would clear the hatch open-
ing at approximately chest level. When the driver's hatch
was in the open position, the turret could not be traversed
electrically, but Source could not describe the moans of
disconnection.
The tank cossander occupied the seat located to the left
rear of the main armament.
CONE aDENTIAL
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CO NF-DENJ ~.IA L
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Ths oomanderIa cupola could be looked in any
its- 3600 traverse by some of a looking pin.
The tank was equipped with) la "TPU9
intercom set. lack crew member was outfitted with ear
phones and a throat isoe.
information an the coaxial machine gun, me
--M-M P. below.
the AA machine in as a "DXSh"
this gun
ooa be mounted either an the commands: 's or loader's
cupola.
there were no differences between the two cupolas and mine*
the AA gun oculd be mounted an the commander's oupola, it
could therefore also be mounted an the loader's cupola.
In.
The tank eammander had
the radio set
tank an M and N
an "MS'" periscope,
in the T-54
Tbe r o was located on-tho
commander's s was operated by the tank commander.
The oo^mander.ta seat was round and wooden, and it was mount-
ed to the floor of the turret.
F- I
t
1 - 1 A t
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CON F D CN T, /?- L--
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The turret could be traversed electrically or manually.
It could be elevated or depressed manually only. By sans
of crank handles, the gunner traversed the gun
left hand and elevated it with his right hand.
estimated the electrical traversing tins to be
and two seconds for a coapleteiotation (sic).
when the turret was rotated electrically the traversing
haadla was d{saaQaaad
described this sight as being an articulated
s the obisetive nartian affixed to the tube.
The T-54 aoasial machine gun was located to"the right of the
main gun and was fired electrically by the r77
25X1
25X1
The loader had a 94K' periscope identical to the ccm andau'b
periscope. this was the loader's 25X1
only visl?n device,
CO-,1 Fl ] E N TJ A L,
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CCNFIZENJ TIAL
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Are gun safety devices provided for the loader? Where are
they located?
The only safety device for the loader was
the recoil guard which was a out 40 om long
and about 12 an wide. A am could am between the and
and rear turret wall
between 15 and 25 rounds could be
stored in the rack to the right of the Rain gun; these
rounds were stored harisontally in four or five layers.
perhaps 20 rounds could be stared in these oor-moon
ready racks, consists of floor-mounted one and wall
center clips.
(facing toward the front of the tank).
Rounds were also stored vertically along the right wall
throe types of rounds having been fired by
25X1
25X1
tanks firing 100-Rm rounds, usua y su
caliber rounds of 45 Rm, 75 am, and either 25 or 35 s.
the T-54 as AP, tram
The turret was of the basket type. The gunner's and ccn-
mander's seats were mount
rotated with the turret.
loader's mat was mounted to the floor or to the turret
wall.
The main islamsat sammition ready racks (see v. above),
located along the right wall of the fighting oompartaeat,
rotated with the turret, but the forward main aaaunition
storage rook did not rotate. The fighting oompartment wall
extended tics approximately 2 o' Block to 10 o'clock.
There we;s two small doors in the rear fighting oampartmat
wall which opened inward and gave access to the fuel tank
selector switch. The gain gun had to be in the forward
position to give "ones to the selector switch through
them small doors.
CONFIZENTiAL
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CCNFiDGIITIAL-
The escape hatch was located in the hull floor directly to
the rear of the driver's seat. It was looked by apprasi-
mately six handled-bolts which attached it to the floor.
When opened, the hinged cover leaned against the hull wall
and provided an opening approximately 50 to 60 at in dia-
meter.
bb.
t use recd
or and had consistency
,!astil'
ve etable oil. It vas called
it took approxina
.Livers or' 3.Tj 749 a quarter of a liter glass of alcohol
as a b e v e r a g e .
The two round recoil cylinders were about one. mater in
length and about 20 at in diameter and werq located forward
of the breech block, beneath, and,parallel to the tube.
The recoil se was
located on the right side of the breech block, so that it-
was visible to.the loader.
dd.
CON Fi D ENfl p I--
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a 12 cylinder, *TO-type diesel which
was the same as the T-34 engine. The engine
cover was hinged cm its forward edge, near the turret.
he engine was mounted transversely.
t of transmission was
used in the T-54 tank.
it was ne e- clutch for both up and own
shifting. the transmission to be larger than
that of t -
estimated them to be
a oaimat?ly three
millimeters thick. here were apprazi-
mately 25 clutch disks. A shaft approximately 15 on long
and eight centimeters in diameter led from the engine to
an unkn d to the r ht rear of the
engine This
sguitara, which measured, approa~imately
20 an z 20 am z 10 as< in depth, mere ransterred the
nower framer a trinevera to a longitudinal direction.
The tank had five forward speeds and one reverse speed.
The gear shift vasitions were indicated on the ar shift
lever handle, ~
s
and reverse were indicated as being In thee middle, and the
otlrr tour positions were indicated two on the aift and
+%M M th. p(sht .+IA. me tb& s..r .hilt lover-
CONFIDCN Ti AL-
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u.
there were three fuel tanks.
The fuel tank selector lever, located at the rear of the
fighting o n ee a aph x. above) had three
positiaets, this was further proof of
the fact there were three fuel tanks.
possible fixed fire
extinguisher system vu that an the wall,' .ipprcxiiately
22 an above the bow machine gun.,=d to the right of the
maeban" driver, there wipe X-MUms in a small case with
a face of red transparent glass. Above the buttons was n
small label reading,."Fire.sxtiaguisher". Under the bat-
tons were labels reading "Combat Compartment", s%ngins
Compartment, and,echanic Drivers. Under t ttme
yu a aion reading- 99" ants in amaraaney4 .
an,
the total battery weight was 54 kg and that the combined
voltage was 24 volts.
PP?
There was a wall between the ! hti compartment and the
engine, The
fuel tank selector switch referred to paragraph x. above
was located in this wall.
qq?
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~fXXau~u~su:!
&TY
CONI FI DEN-1 A L
2.
as t operation
a the driver's hatch was open, the turret Gould not be rotated
nee paragraph 1,G. above), ad the aaia araaaeat?oeuld not be fired.
ask eo^^aaders give the samaad to alone the hatch, and when it was
still iapsssi to firs the aaia Can or rotate the turret ?leotrisally, they
fulla-
cooaaaded N 3,y sloes the hatch. The haboh had to be closed
to o ibis the turret to be rotated slsotrioalls ad the aaia ar~aaea o
b~ lis~dJ
loader's hatch as wail as the driver's hatch, could be rotated
3600 and look in nay position.
ester, ."d e~trala ran retati~ t1~ tm t were IWWOLd to t1r
left of the Amser
CON FIDEN TI A L.
25X1
25X1
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b. Miscellaneous Information
(]) the distance at the escape hatch between the 25X1
floor of the combat ccmparaen and the hull of the tank to be approximately 25 on.
O the T-54 tank there were cloth 25X1
mats soattere on the floor of the fighting compartment and that the. Drew members
walked on the . 25X1
The two small doors (see paragraph l,x above),located in the rear
tmont wall were of unknown width and approximately 50 an high. They
doors opened auto the fuel tank selector switch and pump
served to blood air from the fuel lines.
when the 25X1
two engine c ra of a T-54 tank were open, that-there was a radiator attached
to each of t covers. Each radiator was of unknown thickness and measured approx-
imately 40 x T 8 inches. whether or not those radiators were 25X1
connected to ach other.
O a T-54 tank engine fan.
It was approx sate 40 inches in diameter and was mounted around the clutch.
(0)
self-propelle gun.
(7) L Ian unidentified plug which had been inserted in
the bow machine gun opening of the glacis plate and around the machine gun barrel.
It obviously d been inserted from the inside of the tank.
(0)' The 67th Tank Tng Da received approximate T-41 tanks In
April 1955 ifts the Battalion was stati*ed at JASD3 Y.
the tanks un* of two t ss with rounded turrets and with turrets undercut in
the rear. no other differences in the tanks other than the turrets, 25X1
the presence
of tanks wit turrets undercut in the re he following ll incident
attalion's T-54 tanks
fwd in a d p ditch which it was crossing. Another tank, following too closely
behind the t st tank, lodged its gun mussle under the overhaw or the first tan
turret and pr ad the turret of the first tank from its race. 25X1
his ro not have been possible it the first tank had had a rounded turret, 25X1
8. Tom age
c was the newer of the two types.
1. GOMZ4 nraerivtiop
the ibions tank (PT-76)
prcxilate e o a are ved,
Tank Tze Des a J~ i ?
j when ap-
the 67th
CON FI DEN TI AL..
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CONFiD t-Zt-J-r)
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pr on was accoapi s Mang wa r
s and discharged through the two ports at the
roar at the Mole The intakes were located near the roar at the hull and
beneath the f ire and arasnr?d approximately 15 an s 25 on. They were, opened
by new of Is which the baffles opened to the roar
and outward. change in direction was offooted by
controlling t -ra water s ough each of the ports in the'rsar of
u5w
the hull.
thus were four steering lovers for the, driver. two-
of whish were . for land steering and two for water steer s
oaawea:ieatly or the driver, either to the inside or ats e the land steiring
the ? of position at the water steering levers they were located
25X1
25X1
25X1
lsnrs.
1.
~t1e0eat a The noaenslatare for this vehicle was provided by
the jut 'Ordains. Intellipaes Detachment.
g.
CONFi DENT AL.
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