T-50 - Soviet light tank

Soviet T-50 development started in 1939 in Leningrad as a demand to replace the old T-26 and BT series of tanks.

By the end of 1940 two prototypes were tested, and a many technical problems were fixed, production series as began only in 1941.

Weighting only 14 tons, the T-50 resembles the legendary T-34 in design, the frontal hull is composed of a sloped steel plate of 37 mm thick (50 mm of effectiveness), the main gun was a 45 mm Model 1938 cannon, a DT 7.62 mm machine gun is placed in coaxial.

The powerful 300 hp 6 cylinders V4 diesel engine provided a top speed of 60 kmh on road making the T-50 one of the fastest tanks of its era. The cramped interior houses a crew of 4 men (driver, gunner, loader and commander)


Despite its short production of only 69 units, the T-50 fought at the Leningrad front with a remarkable good armor for a light tank.