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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
New System (1959.06.13)
001-099
VNII-100
VNIItransmash
003004027032033
1-99
GAZ
?
100-134
UZTM
100101102105 (M)108110112116117118 (-2MP)119120121122123124125126127130131
Redesignations of existing designations
134135136137138139140141
134-199
KB-520
UVZ
130134135 (T)136 (KMMK)137 (-I-II-IIIIIIBAGG2G2KG2MGKKKTsMMKMlRSh)139140141142145146148149150 (T)151152153155 (AADAD-1AKAMAM-1AMDAMKAMVKMM-1MDMlMVMV-1)164165166 (ADKKNMM-1M1M1-1M2M6MDMKMLMVPTMTUZh)167 (ADMMlTTUZh)169170172 (-2M-3MMM-1M-2MM-3MM1M1KM2M8MDMNMP)173175176 (BK)177179182183184 (-1-1K-1MS-2-3-4-5AA1BKM)185186187 (A)188 (-1A1A1KA2A2KAMBBKB1B1KBAB1AKMSSASKSKASM)189 (S)190191193195196197 (A)198199
160-200
VTZ
160161170 (K)
200-299
SKB-2
LKZ
211212 (AB)214215216217218220221222223224225226227228229230231232233233IS234234IS235236237238239240 (M)241 (KM)242 (TTLTTO)243244245246247248249250251252253254255256257258259260 (sp.2)261262263264265266267 (sp.2)268269270 (M)271272 (KM)273277278279 (M)280281282 (KT)284286288289291292299

207209 AATV209 T-80UA210211 Minesweeper211 APC213216 (M)219 (sp.1sp.2sp.3AAM-1AM-2ASAS-1AS-MAS-M1ATVEMRRARBRVRVMRGRDRM)220225226232258265 (AB)259272280
300-350
Uraltransmash
300 (B)303 (MM1M2M3)304305306307 (BM)308 310Object 311312313316 (M1M2)Object 317318319321322324326327336347350 (56)
352-399
MTZ
352 (AMM1)355 (AA2M)369
400-499
KB-60
KhTZM
400401 (AU)402403 (AB)404 (S)405 (MUUUM)406407408409 (MUU)410412413415416417418419420 (A)421423424425426 (U)429 (AAM)430 (MPU)431432 (AMR)434 (2MM)435436437 (AAMAV)438439 (B)440441442445446 (BBVMR)447 (AA1AVAMAM1AM2)448450451453454455456457 (A)459 (AM)460461470476 (M)477 (AA1A2)478 (ABBKBMBPBEBE-1BEM-1BEM-2DDUDU1DU2DU3DU4DU5DU6DU7DU8DU9DU9-1DU-9TDU10DU11DU12MNN1)479480481482483484485486 (B)490 (AB)491494495 (M)499500
500
Zavod 174
Omsktransmash
500510520530537540550551560
501-549
RMZ
501502 (TB)503506507508509510512515520521 (M1S)523 (M)528529536540550551561A (APT)563564
550-599
MMZ
551552553554555560 (U)561562 (01)563564565566567 (AM)568 (AMM1M2)569 (01A)570571572573574575 (AMM4)576577 (ABB-01)578 (MM1M2)579 (A)581584585596
600-649
Zavod 174
Omsktransmash
600601 (A)602604605606607608 (P)609 (D)610611612613614 (ABV)615616617618619 (ABV)620623625626 (ABV)629 (V)630 (A)632633634 (BM60)635637639 (AMM)640642644647650
650-699
KMZ
650651652655657658659661664665666667668670673675676677678680681685688 (D-sb.6ABV)691693695697698699 (sb.2sb.4)
700-799
OKB-200
ChTZ
701 (-0-1-2-3-4-5-6)703 (M)704705 (A)706707708709710711712715717718721726728730 (ABP)731733734 (AMl)739740 (BMl)743745748750 (AKPKPUPUM)752753755756757760761764765 (Sp.1Sp.2Sp.3Sp.4Sp.8UUTB)767768769770772773 (P)774775 (T)777778779 (M)780781 (Sb.7Sb.8)782785787788
800-849
LKZ
801802803804805806807808809 810811812814815 (sp.1sp.2)816817818819820821823825 (sp.1sp.2)828829830 (M)831 (M)832 (M)833 (-01M)834 (M)835 (M)
850-899
ZiS / ZiL
851852
900-999
VgTZ
900902904905906 (BPL)907909910911 (B)912914 (B)915 (KPPK)916 (K)920924925 (AGRS)925(2S9)926930932934 (B)937940950 (K)952 (A)953954955 (M)956958960 (M)966967 (sb.1)
1000-1050
KAZ
1015 (B)1020 (ABV)103010401045
1200-1299
BAZ
1200
Old System
GAZ
Zavod 37
0-9A0-100-200-300-450-500-600-610-620-630-700-801-011-02
Zavod 174
Zavod 185
100103111112115118125126127130131132133134135
KhPZ
A-7A-8A-12A-20A-32A-34A-41A-42A-43A-44A-45
Zavod 75
181920
Zavod 183
9344454
OKB GIU
K-37K-45K-50K-51K-55K-61K-62K-63K-66K-67K-69K-70K-71K-72K-73K-74K-75 (P)K-76K-78K-79K-80K-82K-83K-84K-88K-90K-91K-92K-93K-94K-95K-96K-97K-98
Zavod 112
R-39R-40R-50 (1)
KhTZ
1334K35 (A)6 (MM1M1AM1A3M1A7M1BM1B2M1B5M2MAMA1MA2MA3MA4MBMB2MB3MB4)7899AM (2)10 (DEENNK)11121516202123 (A)2627 (A)323539 (A)49525556657071G78 (BV)82
Ishimbaytransmash
100105110111112113114115116117120121
ATZ
10121314181939
ZiS (before 1941)
1MA1TA1TMV2TV3MA4MA4TA4TB4TV4TG6TK
ZiS (after 1941)
150160161170 (K)195
SKB-200
100121201 (AR)202 (AR)203204229230232239268269283290291
VNII-100
907
Flag of the USSR (1980 to 1991) Soviet Union
Land Vehicles
Cold War Period (1946 — 1990)
Tracked Vehicles
Light Tanks Light Tank 2S25 (M)T-54T-100
Light Tank, Amphibious Ob. 101Ob. 685Ob. 740Ob. 906
K-90PT-76 (A, B, M)PT-85PT-90R-39
Light Tank, Amphibious Command PT-76K
IFV Ob. 19Ob. 911Ob. 914
B-10B-19BMP-64BMPTBMPV-64
IFV, Amphibious Ob. 765 (Sp.1Sp.2Sp.3Sp.4Sp.8)Ob. 911
BMP-1 (1966196919731979PPG)BMP-2 (DM)BMP-3 (FFKFrKMM-3)
Medium Tanks MBT Ob. 139Ob. 140Ob. 167 (T)Ob. 430 (U)Ob. 450Ob. 640Ob. 785
T-54T-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-67T-72 (A 1979A 1984AKAVBB 1989B 1990B1B2B3 2011B3 2014B3 2016T-72B3MBABUBVMM1M1MM1VSV)T-74T-80 (A 1982A 1984AKAKVB 1978B 1980BKBV 1985BVKBVM 2017M-1U 1986U 1992UE 1999UKUM 1995UM-1 1997UM-2UM2)T-90 (1992A 2006AKAMKM 2017MSSSK)T-95T-99
Command Tanks 446BT-64B1KT-64BKT-72 (AKB1KBKKM1KMK)T-90 (K)
Flamethrowing OT-54 (B)OT-55OT-62
Heavy Tanks Heavy Tank Ob. 240 (M) Ob. 277Ob. 279Ob. 770
IS-2 (MMK) • IS-3 (M)IS-4 (M)IS-7IS-8T-10
SPG ATGMV Ob. 150Ob. 287
IT-1
SPAA Ob. 119Ob. 500Ob. 575
2S6 (MM1)2S389K359K379K330PT-76B with 9M14S-300ZSU-23-4 (VV1, M1M2M3M4M5)ZSU-37-2ZSU-57-2
SPATG Ob. 120
2S152S25 (M1)2S282S292S37ASU-57ASU-76ASU-85BTR-50PSU-85MSU-100SU-122-54
SPG 2S1M2S5 (MM1)2S7 (M)2S9 (-11M)2S112S132S17 (-2)2S222S23 (M)2S31 (YeM)2S34 (-1M)2S362S392S402S422S43ISU-152ObzhimkaT-62/160
SPH 9242A32A42S1 (M1)2S22S3 (MM1, M2M2-155M3)2S182S19 (MM1M1-155M2)2S212S262S272S302S33S-103
Self-Propelled Laser 1K17 Szhatie
SPM 2S42S82S102S12 (AB)2S242S41
SPRA 2P169P139BM-24TObject 280Object 634 (B)TOS-1TOS-1M (A)
Explosive Related Mine Laying GMZ-3
Mine Clearing / Sweeping BMR-3BMR-3M (A)UR-07UR-67UR-77
Misc Tanks Ammunition Carrier TZM-T
APC BTR-50BTR-50PABTR-50PMBTRV-64R-40
ARV BREM-1 (M)BREM-64BREM-LObject 447TBTS-4VT-62T
Bridge Laying MTU-72MTU-90
Command Ob. 773 (P)Ob. 774
BMP-1 (KKShPK)BTR-50PNBTR-50PUBTR-50PU-2BTR-50PUMBTR-50PUM-1
Engineering & Maintenance BAT-2BMT-3BTM-4IMR-2IMR-3MIRMMDK-3MTP-1ZSU-57-2 BTS-55
Firefighting SPM
Observation, Spotting & Survey Ob. 767Ob. 779 (M)
PRP-3PRP-4 (MMU)
Reconnaissance PT-76RKh
Transport & Towing BMO-TIT-1T
Wheeled Vehicles
Offensive / Defensive IFV BMPT-K-64VPK-7829Object 19
SPAA 9P31BTR-40ABTR-141A
SPATGM 2P272P329P1109P1229P1249P1339P1379P148
SPBM 9P719P1179P120
SPH 2S27A-222
SPRA 2B52B172B26
Other APC BTR-40 (VBB (RKh)ZhD)BTR-60 (PPAPBPBM)BTR-70BTR-80BTR-90BTR-141BTR-7829GAZ-3937-11
ARV BREM-K
Bridge Laying PP-2005PPS-84TMM-3TMM-6
Cargo GAZ-33097KamAZ-5350KamAZ-6350KamAZ-43501MAZ-4370MAZ-4570MAZ-5336MAZ-5337MAZ-5432MAZ-5433MAZ-5434MAZ-5442MAZ-5516MAZ-5551MAZ-6303MAZ-6317MAZ-6417MAZ-6422MAZ-6425MAZ-6430Ural-4320Ural-5323Ural-43206ZiL-4334
CP GA-39371
Crane KS-5571KS-5573KS-5576KS-6571
Decontamination Vehicle ARS-14KMTMS-65USSO
Dump Truck MAZ-7510
Engineering EOV-3521EOV-3523KamAZ-65225KS-3574M3MAZ-205MAZ-500 (A, SH)MAZ-501MAZ-503 (A)MAZ-509AMAZ-510MAZ-511MAZ-516BMAZ-525MAZ-529MAZ-530MAZ-5335MAZ-5334MAZ-5549MAZ-53352PBU-100
Firefighting Vehicle AA-60(543)-160AA-70(543)-172AA-60(7310)-160.01AA-60(7313) (160.01AA-60(7313)-220)
IMV GAZ-2975GAZ-3937GAZ-3937-10GAZ-233034GAZ-233036Iveco LMV
Medical BMM-80
RV BPM-97BRDM-1 (RKhU)BRDM-2 (RKhRKhARKhBU)
Security Lavina-M
Smoke Generating Vehicle TDA-2KTDA-3
Transport & Towing 9T254MAZ-200 (V)MAZ-502MAZ-504 (ABG, SV)MAZ-508BMAZ-520MAZ-535 (A)MAZ-5429MAZ-7310MAZ-7904MAZ-7906MAZ-79221NAMI-020NAMI-021Ural-375ZiL-131
Utility MAZ-543 (A, M, P)MAZ-547MAZ-7907MAZ-7910MAZ-7912MAZ-7917MAZ-74106UAZ-452UAZ-469UAZ-3132UAZ-3163
Sources
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)
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