Tankopedia
WW2LightLight TankSoviet Union

T-40

In service 1940 - 1942

The last Soviet amphibious scout tank: a propeller, a heavy machine gun and almost no armour.

Built byFactory No. 37, Moscow

T-40
T-40 at Kubinka — Saiga20K, via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Development history

The T-40 was the mature form of the Soviet amphibious light tank, with a boat-shaped hull, a propeller and rudders, torsion-bar suspension and a 12.7 mm DShK as its main weapon. Production began in 1940 but the German invasion made swimming ability a luxury and armour a necessity, so it was cut short at around 220 vehicles in favour of the simpler, better-protected T-60 built on its chassis. Surviving T-40s scouted and screened through the Moscow fighting.

Variants

One canonical record, 2 recorded variants.

  1. T-40 standard

    1940

    Amphibious version with propeller and rudders, 12.7 mm DShK armament.

  2. T-40S

    1941

    Swimming equipment deleted and armour slightly increased for land use.

Notable actions

  • Operation Barbarossa
  • Battle of Moscow