T-38 (Soviet)

Description

The T-38 was a Soviet amphibious light tank, developed as a modernized version of the earlier T-37 tank, that saw service in World War II. Based on the British Vickers amphibious tank, the T-38 was designed for reconnaissance and infantry support roles, and had the advantages of a low silhouette and good long-range mobility through its ability to swim.

The redesign of the Vickers proved to be extensive, and included shifting the turret and driver positions, improving the buoyancy and suspension, and adding friction couplings to prevent track loss. The T-38 also had a slightly wider and lower profile than its predecessor, providing better stability in water.

The primary armament was a 7.62mm DT machine gun in a hand-operated turret. The initial prototype also had a 20mm ShVAK cannon mounted on the driver’s position, but this was removed after it impaired the driver’s ability to control the tank. The tank had a crew of two, and was powered by a GAZ-AA engine that gave it a speed of 40 km/h on land and 6 km/h in water. The T-38 had a range of 170 km on land and 120 km in water.

It was intended to be air-portable, and was tested with Tupolev TB-3 bombers in 1936. The tanks were mounted under the fuselage of the bombers, and could be dropped by parachute or landed on water. However, this method proved impractical and risky, and was rarely used in combat.

The T-38 saw action in World War II, mainly in the early stages of the war. It was used by Soviet airborne units, infantry battalions, and border guards. The T-38 participated in the Winter War against Finland, the invasion of Poland, the Baltic states, and Romania, and the defense of Moscow. However, the T-38 soon became obsolete due to its weak armor and firepower, and its poor performance on rough terrain. The T-38 was vulnerable to anti-tank weapons, artillery fire, and even small arms fire. Many T-38s were captured or destroyed by the enemy forces.

The T-40, which had better armor, armament, and communication equipment, replaced the T-38 in 1940. However, some T-38s remained in service until 1943, mostly in rear areas or as training vehicles.

The T-38 tank was an innovative amphibious scout tank that had some advantages over its predecessor, but also many flaws that limited its effectiveness in combat. It remains one of the first amphibious tanks in history, but also one of the last.

• Model: T-38 amphibious light tank
• Country/Army: Soviet
• Dimension (mm) (WxLxH): 
• Material: UV Cured resin
• Original Designer: Mr3DPrint
• Painted by: MarDav Miniatures
• Model supplied unassembled and unpainted. Additional finishing may be required during assembly. 
• Finished colour of the product may vary from images shown.

• Photos and dimensions are at 28mm unless noted otherwise.
• All dimensions are complete with weapons unless otherwise stated.
• Other scales and dimensions may be available upon request.