T-80 (light tank, 1942)
In service 1943 - 1945
The last Soviet light tank of the war - a two-man-turret T-70 whose gun could elevate to fight in cities.
Built byFactory No. 40, Mytishchi
Development history
Not to be confused with the 1976 gas-turbine main battle tank, this T-80 was a T-70 development with a two-man turret so the commander no longer had to load and fire alone, and a gun mount elevating to 65 degrees for urban and mountain fighting. Fewer than about 120 were built before the Red Army concluded that light tanks were a poor use of factory capacity and switched the line to SU-76 production. Survivors fought in 1944 in Ukraine and Romania.
Notable actions
- Eastern Front 1944-45