Overview[]
The K-90 is a Soviet prototype light amphibious tank developed in the early 1950s.
Development[]
The K-90 was developed in the early 1950s in Moscow by the Special Design Bureau of the Engineering Committee of the Ground Forces under the leadership of A.F. Kravtsyev. When creating the vehicle, various components from the M-2 artillery tractor and YaAZ-200 car were used. Two prototypes of the machine were manufactured by VRZ No. 2 GBTU, one of which passed comparative tests in July 1950 alongside the Ob. 740. The use of components from the M-2 tractor and the YaAZ-200 car in the design of the K-90 tank caused the simplicity and cheapness of its manufacture. However, the tank had a number of significant drawbacks, including the low water-handling qualities and unreliability of the transmission, the exposure of the propellers and the unreliable fastening of the reflective shield.
After testing, the design of the turret and chassis of the machine was improved. The shape of the entrance hatch of the turret was reduced in size. The hatch cover began to open backwards, and therefore, the antenna input was moved forward (in front of the commander's viewport on the left). Armour was installed on the sight alongside a protective cover that opens from the inside. In the chassis, instead of guide runners, three (in relation to one side) all-metal single-pitched support rollers with a diameter of 250mm were used. In addition, to protect the propellers the water-propelled rudders were made in the form of two opening halves, which, when moving on land, blocked the niches of the hull. In this improved version, the K-90 tank is stored in the exposition of the BTVT Museum in Kubinka.
In the end, the K-90 was not recommended for adoption due to its shortcomings.
On the basis of the K-90, an experimental K-78 armoured personnel carrier was created. In addition, the base of the second prototype of the tank was used at the TsNIII for testing the gas-dynamic installation of the engineering mine turbojet trawler.
Design[]
The tank had the classic layout scheme with a frontally mounted engine location in the hull, and sequential placement of the transmission along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a fighting compartment shifted toward the stern. The crew of the tank consisted of three people, the Commander (gunner), the Loader and the Driver.
Compartments[]
In the bow of the hull on the left was the driver's compartment, and on the right there was an engine with all the systems required for its operation. In the fighting compartment to the left of the gun was the tank commander and to the right, the loader. For the convenience of the crew members stationed in the turret, the floor of the combat compartment was attached through rods to the shoulder strap of the tower and rotated with it. The seats of the commander and loader on special racks were mounted on a rotating floor.
The driver of the vehicle conducted surveillance through two viewing prismatic devices located in the front part of the roof in front of its entrance hatch, the gunner, through the MK-4 viewing device installed in the roof of the tower, and the commander through the viewing blocks located along the perimeter of the commander's turret.
Firepower[]
A 76.2mm LB-76T rifled cannon and a 7.62 mm SG-43 machine gun paired with it were installed in the tank's turret (on the right in a separate turret embrasure). When firing from the paired installation, a TShK-9 shortened telescopic hinge sight was used (on the left in a separate embrasure of the tower). The vertical aiming angles of the paired installation were -4° to +25°. The loading of the gun was carried out manually, while its combat rate of fire reached 6-7 rounds/min.
The tank's ammunition was 40 rounds for the cannon and 1,000 rounds for the machine gun. Horizontal ammunition racks were located at the loader's position along the perimeter of the rotating floor of the combat compartment.
Engine & Transmission[]
The engine used was a four-cylinder, liquid-cooled YaAZ-204 diesel engine with a capacity of 140HP at a crankshaft rotation speed of 2,000rpm and a mechanical transmission. The engine was started using a ST-25 electric starter with a power of 7.5HP. In conditions of low ambient temperatures, a heater consisting of a boiler, a pumping unit and electrical equipment served to facilitate the start-up, as well as a device for heating the intake air, built into the receiver of the engine supercharger. To prevent seawater from entering the engine cylinders, a safety elbow was used in the exhaust system (the exhaust pipe from the engine, raised above the cargo waterline, went to the side of the car and then bent down to the bottom of the hull). A water-oil radiator was used in the engine lubrication system, and a combined air cleaner consisting of a set of cyclones and two inertial oil baths was used in the air purification system. The capacity of the fuel tanks was 240 litres. The vehicle could drive for 180 - 240km on road and float for 90 - 100km.
The transmission consisted of a single-disc main dry friction Ferodo Steel clutch, a two-shaft automobile-type gearbox, which provided five forward gears and one reverse gear, a transfer case, two propeller reverse gearboxes, main conical lowering gear, two multi-disc dry friction clutches (steel on steel), used as a turning mechanism, two floating-type belt brakes and two simple single-row on-board gearboxes. The transmission units were connected to each other by cardan gears.
Suspension[]
In the springing system, an individual torsion suspension with buffer limiters of the ball was used on its extreme nodes. In relation to the rest of the suspension nodes, the balancers of the third support rollers had a counter arrangement. The caterpillar tracks consisted of five single-pitched stamped support rollers with external shock absorption with a diameter of 500mm, a guide wheel (unified with a support roller) with a caterpillar tensioning mechanism, a guide runner mounted on four brackets and performing the functions of supporting rollers, a drive wheel aft with a fixed gear ring and a small-link caterpillar with an open metal hinge, which had a width of 300mm.
Amphibious Capacity[]
Water movement was carried out with the help of two propellers with a diameter of 600mm, which were placed in the aft part of the hull in the niches of the bottom. The drive to the propellers is carried out through the reverse boxes. The reverse is conical, with a shift clutch that did not have a neutral position. The design of the transmission units provided the possibility of simultaneous operation of tracked and water-propelled propellers. The rotation of the tank afloat was carried out with the help of two water-propelled rudders which were mounted behind the propellers and controlled using a horizontally positioned steering wheel and a cable mechanism.
Electronics[]
The electrical equipment of the tank was made according to a single-wire scheme which used a voltage of 24V. The main sources of electricity were two 6STE-140 batteries and a 2HP GSK-1500 generator. The tank was equipped with indoor and outdoor lighting devices with a traffic signalling. A 10RT-26 radio station was installed for external communication, and a TPU-47 tank intercom was installed for internal communication.
Russian Objects | ||
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New System (1959.06.13) | ||
001-099 VNII-100 VNIItransmash |
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1-99 GAZ |
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100-134 UZTM |
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Redesignations of existing designations | ||
134-199 KB-520 UVZ |
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160-200 VTZ |
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200-299 SKB-2 LKZ |
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300-350 Uraltransmash |
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352-399 MTZ |
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400-499 KB-60 KhTZM |
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500 Zavod 174 Omsktransmash |
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501-549 RMZ |
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550-599 MMZ |
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600-649 Zavod 174 Omsktransmash |
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650-699 KMZ |
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700-799 OKB-200 ChTZ |
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800-849 LKZ |
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850-899 ZiS / ZiL |
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900-999 VgTZ |
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1000-1050 KAZ |
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1200-1299 BAZ |
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Old System | ||
GAZ Zavod 37 |
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Zavod 174 Zavod 185 |
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KhPZ | ||
Zavod 75 | ||
Zavod 183 | ||
OKB GIU | ||
Zavod 112 | ||
KhTZ | ||
Ishimbaytransmash | ||
ATZ | ||
ZiS (before 1941) | ||
ZiS (after 1941) | ||
SKB-200 | ||
VNII-100 |
Land Vehicles Cold War Period (1946 — 1990) |
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Tracked Vehicles | ||
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Light Tanks | Light Tank | 2S25 (M) • T-54 • T-100 |
Light Tank, Amphibious | Ob. 101 • Ob. 685 • Ob. 740 • Ob. 906 K-90 • PT-76 (A, B, M) • PT-85 • PT-90 • R-39 | |
Light Tank, Amphibious Command | PT-76K | |
IFV | Ob. 19 • Ob. 911 • Ob. 914 B-10 • B-19 • BMP-64 • BMPT • BMPV-64 | |
IFV, Amphibious | Ob. 765 (Sp.1 • Sp.2 • Sp.3 • Sp.4 • Sp.8) • Ob. 911 BMP-1 (1966 • 1969 • 1973 • 1979 • P • PG) • BMP-2 (D • M) • BMP-3 (F • FK • Fr • K • M • M-3) | |
Medium Tanks | MBT | Ob. 139 • Ob. 140 • Ob. 167 (T) • Ob. 430 (U) • Ob. 450 • Ob. 640 • Ob. 785 T-54 • T-55 (64) • T-62 (1960, 1972, 1975, D, D-1, K, KN, M, M-1, M1, M1-1, M1-2, M1-2-1, M1V, M1V-1, MD, MD-1, MK, MK-1, MV-1) • T-64 (A, AK, B, B1, B1M, BM2, BV, R, T, U) • T-67 • T-72 (A 1979 • A 1984 • AK • AV • B • B 1989 • B 1990 • B1 • B2 • B3 2011 • B3 2014 • B3 2016 • T-72B3M • BA • BU • BV • M • M1 • M1M • M1V • S • V) • T-74 • T-80 (A 1982 • A 1984 • AK • AKV • B 1978 • B 1980 • BK • BV 1985 • BVK • BVM 2017 • M-1 • U 1986 • U 1992 • UE 1999 • UK • UM 1995 • UM-1 1997 • UM-2 • UM2) • T-90 (1992 • A 2006 • AK • AM • K • M 2017 • MS • S • SK) • T-95 • T-99 |
Command Tanks | 446B • T-64B1K • T-64BK • T-72 (AK • B1K • BK • K • M1K • MK) • T-90 (K) | |
Flamethrowing | OT-54 (B) • OT-55 • OT-62 | |
Heavy Tanks | Heavy Tank | Ob. 240 (M) Ob. 277 • Ob. 279 • Ob. 770 IS-2 (M • MK) • IS-3 (M) • IS-4 (M) • IS-7 • IS-8 • T-10 |
SPG | ATGMV | Ob. 150 • Ob. 287 IT-1 |
SPAA | Ob. 119 • Ob. 500 • Ob. 575 2S6 (M • M1) • 2S38 • 9K35 • 9K37 • 9K330 • PT-76B with 9M14 • S-300 • ZSU-23-4 (V • V1, M1 • M2 • M3 • M4 • M5) • ZSU-37-2 • ZSU-57-2 | |
SPATG | Ob. 120 2S15 • 2S25 (M1) • 2S28 • 2S29 • 2S37 • ASU-57 • ASU-76 • ASU-85 • BTR-50P • SU-85M • SU-100 • SU-122-54 | |
SPG | 2S1M • 2S5 (M • M1) • 2S7 (M) • 2S9 (-1 • 1M) • 2S11 • 2S13 • 2S17 (-2) • 2S22 • 2S23 (M) • 2S31 (Ye • M) • 2S34 (-1 • M) • 2S36 • 2S39 • 2S40 • 2S42 • 2S43 • ISU-152 • Obzhimka • T-62/160 | |
SPH | 924 • 2A3 • 2A4 • 2S1 (M1) • 2S2 • 2S3 (M • M1, M2 • M2-155 • M3) • 2S18 • 2S19 (M • M1 • M1-155 • M2) • 2S21 • 2S26 • 2S27 • 2S30 • 2S33 • S-103 | |
Self-Propelled Laser | 1K17 Szhatie | |
SPM | 2S4 • 2S8 • 2S10 • 2S12 (A • B) • 2S24 • 2S41 | |
SPRA | 2P16 • 9P139 • BM-24T • Object 280 • Object 634 (B) • TOS-1 • TOS-1M (A) | |
Explosive Related | Mine Laying | GMZ-3 |
Mine Clearing / Sweeping | BMR-3 • BMR-3M (A) • UR-07 • UR-67 • UR-77 | |
Misc Tanks | Ammunition Carrier | TZM-T |
APC | BTR-50 • BTR-50PA • BTR-50PM • BTRV-64 • R-40 | |
ARV | BREM-1 (M) • BREM-64 • BREM-L • Object 447T • BTS-4V • T-62T | |
Bridge Laying | MTU-72 • MTU-90 | |
Command | Ob. 773 (P) • Ob. 774 BMP-1 (K • KSh • PK) • BTR-50PN • BTR-50PU • BTR-50PU-2 • BTR-50PUM • BTR-50PUM-1 | |
Engineering & Maintenance | BAT-2 • BMT-3 • BTM-4 • IMR-2 • IMR-3M • IRM • MDK-3 • MTP-1 • ZSU-57-2 BTS-55 | |
Firefighting | SPM | |
Observation, Spotting & Survey | Ob. 767 • Ob. 779 (M) PRP-3 • PRP-4 (M • MU) | |
Reconnaissance | PT-76RKh | |
Transport & Towing | BMO-T • IT-1T |
Wheeled Vehicles | ||
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Offensive / Defensive | IFV | BMPT-K-64 • VPK-7829 • Object 19 |
SPAA | 9P31 • BTR-40A • BTR-141A | |
SPATGM | 2P27 • 2P32 • 9P110 • 9P122 • 9P124 • 9P133 • 9P137 • 9P148 | |
SPBM | 9P71 • 9P117 • 9P120 | |
SPH | 2S27 • A-222 | |
SPRA | 2B5 • 2B17 • 2B26 | |
Other | APC | BTR-40 (V • B • B (RKh) • ZhD) • BTR-60 (P • PA • PB • PBM) • BTR-70 • BTR-80 • BTR-90 • BTR-141 • BTR-7829 • GAZ-3937-11 |
ARV | BREM-K | |
Bridge Laying | PP-2005 • PPS-84 • TMM-3 • TMM-6 | |
Cargo | GAZ-33097 • KamAZ-5350 • KamAZ-6350 • KamAZ-43501 • MAZ-4370 • MAZ-4570 • MAZ-5336 • MAZ-5337 • MAZ-5432 • MAZ-5433 • MAZ-5434 • MAZ-5442 • MAZ-5516 • MAZ-5551 • MAZ-6303 • MAZ-6317 • MAZ-6417 • MAZ-6422 • MAZ-6425 • MAZ-6430 • Ural-4320 • Ural-5323 • Ural-43206 • ZiL-4334 | |
CP | GA-39371 | |
Crane | KS-5571 • KS-5573 • KS-5576 • KS-6571 | |
Decontamination Vehicle | ARS-14KM • TMS-65 • USSO | |
Dump Truck | MAZ-7510 | |
Engineering | EOV-3521 • EOV-3523 • KamAZ-65225 • KS-3574M3 • MAZ-205 • MAZ-500 (A, SH) • MAZ-501 • MAZ-503 (A) • MAZ-509A • MAZ-510 • MAZ-511 • MAZ-516B • MAZ-525 • MAZ-529 • MAZ-530 • MAZ-5335 • MAZ-5334 • MAZ-5549 • MAZ-53352 • PBU-100 | |
Firefighting Vehicle | AA-60(543)-160 • AA-70(543)-172 • AA-60(7310)-160.01 • AA-60(7313) (160.01 • AA-60(7313)-220) | |
IMV | GAZ-2975 • GAZ-3937 • GAZ-3937-10 • GAZ-233034 • GAZ-233036 • Iveco LMV | |
Medical | BMM-80 | |
RV | BPM-97 • BRDM-1 (RKh • U) • BRDM-2 (RKh • RKhA • RKhB • U) | |
Security | Lavina-M | |
Smoke Generating Vehicle | TDA-2K • TDA-3 | |
Transport & Towing | 9T254 • MAZ-200 (V) • MAZ-502 • MAZ-504 (A • B • G, S • V) • MAZ-508B • MAZ-520 • MAZ-535 (A) • MAZ-5429 • MAZ-7310 • MAZ-7904 • MAZ-7906 • MAZ-79221 • NAMI-020 • NAMI-021 • Ural-375 • ZiL-131 | |
Utility | MAZ-543 (A, M, P) • MAZ-547 • MAZ-7907 • MAZ-7910 • MAZ-7912 • MAZ-7917 • MAZ-74106 • UAZ-452 • UAZ-469 • UAZ-3132 • UAZ-3163 |
Sources | ||
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Books | Online | Documents |
• Отечественные Бронированные Машины - ХХ век - Том 3, 1949-1965. А.Г. Солянкин, И.Г. Желтов, К. Н. Кудряшов (ISBN 978-5-9771-0106-6) • Отечественные Бронированные Машины 1945-1965 гг. - Часть 1 - Легкие, средние и тяжелые танки, М. В. Павлов, И. В. Павлов (ISBN 978-5-85905-623-1) |