And the story
BT-1
Christie M1930 tanks which were imported by soviets behind a nose of North American government in cooperation with Mr. Christie as a agricultural tractors. There were without arms and towers. Than during trials were developed for them towers which were also used in Russian copy BT-2.
BT-2
I started with BT-2 tanks we have a new icon with green, winter and soviet summer camo with is a mixture of green-brown (sometimes with use of sand colour) I decide that green-brown is a best for use in desert climate like Far East Outer Mongolia Gobi desert or during Persian Invasion on Middle East. BT-2 was made in 4 different variants of arms according to Magnuski and some photos.
2 cxoaxial DT MGs
2 cxoaxial DT MGs + 1 DT CMG
1 37mm M1930 gun (copy of purchased german)
1 37mm M1930 gun + 1 DT CMG
Why so many of them Magnuski states that during production were not enough guns to equip all tanks and that is why variant with MG was created. They were never modernised and to the end were used in that configurations. They are photos of 1939 invasion of Poland and 1941 Barbarossa with this tanks in MG version.
About this tanks operational usage they were never used as a equipment of tanks corps.
Soviets also according to Magnuski has three different versions of tanks units in their pre-war army.
Cavalry corps organics tanks units (BT-2 + small number of BT-5)
Infantry corps organics tanks units (usually T-26 + small tanks T-37 , T-38)
Tanks Corps (composed on BT-5, BT-7, T-37 , T-38, T-28, T-26, T-35)
So BT-2 were inside a cavalry tanks units and use to support cossacks. Small number of BT-2 with 37mm gun was a reason that for main tank with gun in that units leter were also used BT-5
Also Magnuski mentioned that during great purge Stalin was afraid that some commanders may use their units against him. Was mentioned in book were created tanks units of NKVD they stationed around Moscow and were well equipped full motorized force with infantry on trucks and tanks. Tanks of choice for this forces were BT-2,BT-5&BT-7. That is why BT-2(NKVD)were also there included in formations. Magnuski estimate looking on documents of tanks which were produced and number of tanks officially taken by red army estimated that around 100 BT-2 disappeared which my indicate that were taken by NKVD.
In late thirties some number of BT-2 were rebuild for chemical tanks with KS-24 flame-thrower and engineering with T-38 turent.
They were never exported but small number were captured by Finland they never used them but dissemble towers and used in fortifications on salpa line. BTW soviet has they same strategy of use old&obsolete and broken transmission or engine tanks they simply buried them for us as a bunkers.
Also according to Magnuski there is included change of number of tanks in platoon from 3 to 6 in 1936 that was introduced because production of all thanks allowed that. I supuse that after big losses in 1941 platon were again reduced to three tanks.
Last BT-2 tanks were used until 1944 on Leningrad front + Far East propably like in this OOB in some obsolete tanks platoon.
https://translate.google.pl/translat...ssr%2Fbt-2.htm
Bystrochodnyj Tank (BT tanks story)
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