T-60 tank

The T-60 tank was a small Soviet light scout tank designed in the desperate summer of 1941, when the Red Army needed a cheap, simple vehicle that could be built quickly in factories that had never made tanks before. Armed with a 20 mm cannon and crewed by two men, the T-60 was too lightly armed and armoured to fight German tanks, but it was produced in large numbers, served as a scout and as an infantry support vehicle, and kept the Soviet tank industry alive during the evacuation of its factories to the east.

1. Key Facts

Field	Value
Type	Light scout tank
Country	Soviet Union
Service period	1941–1943 (production); service to 1945 in second-line roles
Production	About 5,920 built
Weight	5.8 tons
Length	4.10 metres (13.5 feet)
Width	2.30 metres (7.5 feet)
Height	2.03 metres (6.7 feet)
Crew	2 (commander/gunner, driver)
Main armament	20 mm ShVAK cannon
Secondary armament	7.62 mm DT machine gun (coaxial)
Armour	7–20 mm (hull front 20 mm; turret 20 mm)
Engine	GAZ-202 petrol engine, 70 horsepower
Speed	42 km/h (26 mph) on roads; about 25 km/h cross-country
Range	About 450 km (280 miles) on roads
Main theatres	Eastern Front 1941–1943; Leningrad; Stalingrad; second-line to 1945

2. Development and Design

The Crisis of 1941

The T-60 was born in the crisis that followed the German invasion of June 1941, when the Soviet Union lost thousands of tanks and most of its tank factories were threatened by the German advance. The Red Army needed a tank that could be built in automobile factories, using car engines and simple materials, and that could be produced in large numbers without the heavy machinery required for medium tanks. The design was entrusted to Nikolai Astrov, who had designed the earlier T-40 amphibious scout tank, and who was asked to produce a simpler, non-amphibious version that could be built quickly. Astrov and his team worked in the GAZ automobile factory at Gorky, and they produced the T-60 in a matter of weeks, using the GAZ-202 car engine and a simple hull that could be assembled by workers who had never built a tank.

From the T-40 to the T-60

The T-60 was based on the T-40, a small amphibious tank that had entered service in 1940, but it was simplified for wartime production, with the amphibious capability removed, the hull redesigned, and the armament changed from a 12.7 mm machine gun to a 20 mm ShVAK cannon. The 20 mm gun was originally an aircraft cannon, and it was adapted for tank use because it was available in large numbers and because it could penetrate the thin armour of German light tanks and armoured cars. The T-60 was first tested in September 1941, and it was accepted into service immediately, with production beginning at GAZ and at several other factories that had been converted to tank production.

Design Features and Simplicity

The T-60 was a small, low tank, only 2.03 metres high, with a two-man crew and a simple layout that reflected its origins as an emergency design. The driver sat in the front of the hull, and the commander, who also served as gunner and loader, sat in a small turret offset to the left, which gave the tank a distinctive appearance. The hull was made of welded steel plates, with 20 mm of armour on the front and on the turret, and 7 to 10 mm on the sides and rear, which could stop rifle bullets but not anti-tank guns. The tank was powered by a GAZ-202 six-cylinder petrol engine producing 70 horsepower, which gave a power-to-weight ratio of about 12 horsepower per ton, and a top speed of 42 kilometres per hour on roads. The suspension used torsion bars, a modern feature that gave a smooth ride and that was later used on larger Soviet tanks.

3. Technical Specifications

The 20 mm ShVAK Cannon

The main armament of the T-60 was the 20 mm ShVAK cannon, a weapon originally designed for aircraft, which fired a 20 mm shell at a muzzle velocity of about 800 metres per second. The gun could penetrate about 25 mm of armour at 500 metres, which was enough to defeat German armoured cars and light tanks, but not medium tanks, and it was also effective against infantry, against soft-skinned vehicles, and against aircraft at low altitude. The gun had a high rate of fire, and it was fed by a belt of ammunition, although the small turret made it difficult to reload quickly. The T-60 carried about 750 rounds of 20 mm ammunition, plus a coaxial 7.62 mm DT machine gun with about 1,000 rounds, which was used against infantry and against unarmoured targets.

Engine, Suspension, and Mobility

The GAZ-202 engine was a car engine, adapted for tank use, and it was reliable and easy to maintain, although it was underpowered for a tank and it gave the T-60 a modest performance. The torsion-bar suspension, with four road wheels on each side, was a modern design that gave the tank good cross-country mobility, and the tank could cross trenches of 1.5 metres and climb slopes of 30 degrees. The T-60 had a range of about 450 kilometres on roads, which was excellent for a light tank, and it was economical in its use of fuel, which was important in the supply shortages of 1941 and 1942. The tank was also light enough to be transported by truck and to cross bridges that heavier tanks could not use.

Armour and Protection

The armour of the T-60 was thin, with 20 mm on the hull front and on the turret, and 7 to 10 mm on the sides, rear, and roof, which was adequate against small arms but not against anti-tank weapons. The tank was vulnerable to any German anti-tank gun, and its small size and low profile were its main protection, for the tank was difficult to hit at long range and could hide behind cover that larger tanks could not use. The two-man crew was a serious limitation, for the commander had to command the tank, aim and fire the gun, and load it, all at the same time, which reduced the tank’s effectiveness in combat and made it difficult to fight for long periods.

4. Combat Service

The Defence of Moscow

The T-60 first saw combat in the autumn of 1941, during the German advance on Moscow, where it was used as a scout tank and as an infantry support vehicle, and where its small size and mobility allowed it to operate in the forests and villages around the capital. The tank was also used in the defence of Leningrad, where it served in the besieged city and in the fighting on the Volkhov front, and in the Battle of Stalingrad, where T-60s were used to support infantry attacks in the ruins of the city. The tank performed adequately in these roles, but it was outmatched by German tanks, and its crews learned to avoid tank-versus-tank combat, using the T-60 for reconnaissance and for supporting infantry, rather than for fighting enemy armour.

Reconnaissance and Infantry Support

The main role of the T-60 was reconnaissance, for its speed and its small size made it ideal for scouting ahead of larger forces, for screening flanks, and for patrolling behind the lines. The tank was also used to support infantry attacks, where its 20 mm gun could suppress machine-gun nests and destroy light fortifications, and where its mobility allowed it to keep up with advancing infantry. The T-60 was also used as a command tank, as a liaison vehicle, and as a training tank, and it served in tank brigades alongside T-34s, where it provided reconnaissance for the heavier tanks. The tank was not a battle tank, but it was a useful vehicle, and it filled a gap in the Red Army’s inventory at a time when every tank was needed.

Withdrawal and Second-Line Service

By 1943, the T-60 was obsolete, and production ended in 1943, with the tank replaced by the T-70 light tank, which had a 45 mm gun and a two-man turret. The T-60 continued to serve in second-line roles, however, as a training tank, as a tractor for artillery, and as a reconnaissance vehicle in quiet sectors, and some T-60s remained in service until the end of the war. The tank also served in the Far East, where it was used in the campaign against Japan in 1945, although by then it was long past its prime.

5. Variants

The Main Production Models

The T-60 was produced in two main versions, the T-60 with the 20 mm ShVAK gun, which was the standard production model, and an earlier version with a 12.7 mm machine gun, which was built in small numbers before the 20 mm gun became available. There were also small differences in production, such as the shape of the turret and the type of engine, as different factories used slightly different components. The T-60 was also produced with a radio in command versions, although most T-60s had no radio and relied on flag signals.

The T-60 as a Basis for Other Vehicles

The T-60 chassis was used as the basis for several other vehicles, including the BM-8-24 rocket launcher, which mounted Katyusha rockets on the T-60 hull, and which was used to provide fire support for infantry, and the T-60 was also considered as a basis for a self-propelled gun, although this was not built. The chassis was also used for the T-70, which was a larger and more capable light tank, and which shared many components with the T-60, including the engine and the suspension.

The T-70 Successor

The T-70, which replaced the T-60, was designed by the same team, and it used two GAZ-202 engines, a larger hull, and a 45 mm gun, which made it a far more capable tank. The T-70 was produced in large numbers, with about 8,200 built, and it served alongside the T-34 for the rest of the war. The T-60 is therefore remembered as a transitional design, a tank that filled a gap in 1941 and 1942, and that led to the more successful T-70.

6. Strengths

Simplicity and Ease of Production

The great strength of the T-60 was its simplicity, for it could be built in automobile factories by workers who had never built a tank, using car engines and simple materials, and it could be produced in large numbers at a time when the Soviet Union had lost most of its tank factories. The tank was also easy to maintain, with a reliable engine and a simple suspension, and it could be repaired in the field with basic tools. This simplicity was vital in 1941, when the Red Army needed tanks quickly and could not wait for more complex designs.

Mobility and Low Profile

The T-60 was mobile and had a low profile, which made it difficult to hit and allowed it to operate in terrain that larger tanks could not use. The tank’s range of 450 kilometres was excellent, and its fuel economy made it useful for long patrols and for reconnaissance missions. The tank was also light enough to be transported easily, and it could cross bridges and use roads that heavier tanks could not, which made it valuable in the vast distances of the Eastern Front.

Usefulness as a Scout

As a scout tank, the T-60 was effective, for its speed and its small size allowed it to move quickly, to observe the enemy, and to withdraw before being detected. The tank’s 20 mm gun was adequate for self-defence against light vehicles and infantry, and its radio, when fitted, allowed it to report back to headquarters. The T-60 filled a role that no other Soviet tank could fill in 1941, and it provided the Red Army with a reconnaissance capability at a time when it was desperately needed.

7. Weaknesses

Weak Armament

The main weakness of the T-60 was its weak armament, for the 20 mm gun could not penetrate the armour of German medium tanks, and it was of limited use against fortifications. The tank was therefore unable to fight enemy tanks, and its crews had to avoid tank combat, which limited its usefulness in battle. The small turret also made it difficult to aim and fire the gun quickly, and the commander, who had to load the gun as well, was quickly exhausted in combat.

Thin Armour and Two-Man Crew

The T-60 had thin armour, which could not stop anti-tank guns, and its two-man crew was too small to fight effectively, for the commander was overloaded with duties and the driver could not help in combat. The tank was also vulnerable to air attack and to artillery, and its petrol engine made it prone to catching fire when hit. These weaknesses meant that the T-60 was a stopgap design, and it was replaced as soon as a better tank could be built. Production ended in 1943 after about 5,920 vehicles had been built, and surviving T-60s were relegated to training schools and to quiet sectors, where they served as liaison vehicles and as tractors for light artillery until the end of the war.

Short Service Life

The T-60 had a short service life, with production ending in 1943 and the tank withdrawn from front-line service soon afterwards, which shows that it was recognised as an emergency design rather than a long-term solution. The tank’s limitations were well understood by its crews, who called it by unflattering nicknames, and who were glad to exchange it for the T-70 and the T-34. Production of the T-60 ended in 1943, and the remaining vehicles were passed to training units, where they taught new drivers the basics of tank handling before the men moved on to the T-70 and the T-34.

8. Comparison with Rivals

Against German Light Tanks

Against the German Panzer II, which had a 20 mm gun and thin armour, the T-60 was comparable, with a similar gun and similar protection, although the German tank had a larger crew and better radios. Against the Panzer III and Panzer IV, the T-60 was outmatched in every respect, and it could not fight them, which was a serious limitation. Against German armoured cars and half-tracks, the T-60 was effective, and it was often used to hunt these lighter vehicles.

Against the T-70 and Other Soviet Light Tanks

Against the T-70, which replaced it, the T-60 was inferior in firepower, with a 20 mm gun against the T-70’s 45 mm gun, and in armour, although it was lighter and more mobile. Against the earlier T-26, the T-60 was faster and more reliable, but it had a weaker gun and a smaller crew, which made it less effective in combat. The T-60 was a product of its time, a tank built for speed of production rather than for combat power, and it compares poorly with the tanks that followed it.

Against British and American Light Tanks

Against British light tanks such as the Stuart, which the Soviet Union received through Lend-Lease, the T-60 was inferior in firepower and in crew size, although it was lighter and had a longer range. Against the American M3 Stuart, the T-60 was outmatched by the Stuart’s 37 mm gun and its five-man crew, and Soviet crews preferred the Stuart to the T-60. The comparison shows that the T-60 was a weak design, even by the standards of light tanks, and that it was only built because the Soviet Union had no alternative in 1941.

9. Legacy

A Tank Built in Desperation

The legacy of the T-60 is its status as a tank built in desperation, a vehicle that was designed and produced in a matter of weeks, in the darkest months of the war, and that kept the Soviet tank industry alive during the evacuation of its factories. The tank is remembered as a symbol of Soviet resilience, of the ability to build weapons under the most difficult conditions, and of the determination to fight on, even with inadequate equipment. The T-60 also showed the importance of simple, mass-produced designs, and it influenced later Soviet tank production, which emphasised quantity and simplicity.

The T-60 in Museums and Memory

The T-60 is preserved in museums in Russia and in other countries, where visitors can see the small, low tank that once scouted for the Red Army, and it appears in films and in books as a reminder of the early years of the war. The tank is remembered by its crews, who served in it during the defence of Moscow and Leningrad, and who recall its speed and its reliability, even as they acknowledge its weaknesses. The T-60 deserves its place in history as a stopgap tank that did its duty, and that helped the Soviet Union to survive the crisis of 1941.

Lessons for Tank Design

For tank designers, the T-60 is a lesson in the trade-offs of wartime production, showing that a tank built quickly and cheaply can fill a gap, but that it cannot replace a properly designed fighting vehicle. The tank also shows the importance of the crew, for a two-man crew is too small to fight a tank effectively, and the T-70, with its larger crew and more powerful gun, was a direct response to this lesson. The T-60 is a reminder that in war, quantity has a quality of its own, but that quality cannot be sacrificed indefinitely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many T-60 tanks were built?
About 5,920 T-60 tanks were built between 1941 and 1943, mostly at the GAZ automobile factory at Gorky and at other factories converted to tank production.

What gun did the T-60 carry?
The T-60 carried a 20 mm ShVAK cannon, originally an aircraft gun, plus a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun, which was adequate against light vehicles and infantry but not against medium tanks.

Why was the T-60 designed?
The T-60 was designed in the summer of 1941, after the German invasion, when the Soviet Union needed a tank that could be built quickly in automobile factories, using car engines and simple materials.

How many crew did the T-60 have?
The T-60 had a crew of two, a driver and a commander who also served as gunner and loader, which was too small for effective combat and was a major weakness of the design.

Where did the T-60 see combat?
The T-60 fought in the defence of Moscow, at Leningrad, and at Stalingrad, where it was used as a scout tank and as an infantry support vehicle.

What replaced the T-60?
The T-60 was replaced by the T-70 light tank, which had a 45 mm gun and a larger crew, and which was produced in about 8,200 examples and served for the rest of the war.

Sources

• Steven J. Zaloga and James Grandsen, Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two (1984)
• Mikhail Baryatinskiy, Soviet Light Tanks T-60 and T-70 (2010)
• The Central Museum of the Armed Forces, Moscow, T-60 collection
• The Kubinka Tank Museum, T-60 collection
• David Glantz, Stalingrad and the Battle for Moscow (2005)