PT-76 (Model 1954)

Type: Light Tank/Special Purpose Vehicle
Nation: Soviet Union
Period: Cold War
Location: Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr (Depot), Dresden, Germany

Archimedes would be proud

The PT-76 was developed from 1949 onwards by the renowned engineer Josef Kotin who previously had supervised the design of the KV-1, IS-2, SU-152 and ISU-152. When the Soviet Navy became interested in the new amphibious light tank, they demanded it to be completely seaworthy – meaning that besides swimming through rivers and lakes, it was also supposed to be able to cross the open sea in rough conditions. Its main function was to provide offshore fire support for landing operations, then drive ashore and help to establish a beachhead. The PT-76 (Plavayushchiy Tank = floating tank) entered service in 1952 and managed to exceed all these expectations. Unlike the American-British DD Sherman of World War 2 which relied on a fragile canvas screen to float, buoyancy on the PT-76 was created by its lightly armoured but very spacious boat-shaped hull and hollow road wheels filled with air.

The world’s heaviest Jetski (no pun intended)

In the water the 14-ton vehicle was propelled up to ca. 10 kph by a twin hydrojet propulsion system that sucked in water through inlets underneath the hull floor and pushed it out the back. The water flow could be individually slowed, stopped or reversed so that steering worked the same way as when driving on tracks. The turret was crewed by only two men: The loader for the 76.2 mm gun and the commander who also had to act as gunner and radio operator. The large forward-hinged turret hatch was borrowed from the very early T-34 and enabled the crew to quickly bail out in case the vehicle started to sink.

Catastrophic joyride

This particular vehicle was involved in a tragic accident which occured on 24 August 1965. Having just completed an exercise on Lake Riewendsee some 50 kilometres west of Berlin, its crew – who belonged to the East German NVA’s (Nationale Volksarmee = National People’s Army) Aufklärungsbataillon 1 – had invited a group of school children and their caretakers from a nearby summer camp to go for a ride on the tank. At first all went well, but when too many of the children moved away from the hot engine deck to sit up front, the tank became unbalanced and water started to rush in. The vehicle instantly sank like a stone and, sadly, seven children drowned. Officially it was against regulations to have civilians ride on army vehicles, but the East German regime was generally encouraging the military to maintain a close relationship to the people. After an initial news embargo the controversial incident was reluctantly broadcast on national television, but the circumstances were only described briefly and rather vaguely in an attempt to avoid further unpleasant questions. Being evidence, the PT-76 (which for some reason was called “PT 76” by the NVA – without the dash) was confiscated and never given back to the army. The vehicle depot where the tank is stored belongs to the excellent MHM Dresden, but this building is only open to the public on special occasions.