Overview[]
The MT-25 is a Soviet project for a light tank.
Development[]
The development of the MT-25 started during early 1943, during the production of the T-70 and T-80 light tanks. These tanks were produced with roughly the same principles as the light tanks that preceded them, this made them largely ineffective in the second half of the war.
The MT designation stands for Mototank. The designation concept of the Mototank was to develop a convertible vehicle that combines the quality of tracked vehicles, and wheeled vehicles with their high speed. The MT-25 was developed as a light tank, as the developers were focusing on the speed and the low caliber main gun, however the MT designation was capable of being assigned to light, medium, or heavy tanks.
Letter[]
On February 9th 1943, a proposal letter was sent from the engineers to Stalin;
"To the Chair of the State Committee of Defense of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, I.V. Stalin.
Fulfilling our duty to the Motherland in this period of relentless and heroic struggle of the Soviet people against the German fascist occupants, and protection of our honour, freedom, and independence, we developed blueprints of a new combat vehicle.
During development, we have considered the following factors:
- High movement speed.
- Low damage as a result of being hit.
- Large operational range.
- Ability to suddenly attack the enemy.
The vehicle we have developed is called MT-25, and is a wheeled vehicle, with every wheel being a drive wheel. If tracks are added, the MT-25 becomes a tracked vehicle. The vehicle's mass is 25 tons. The average speed is 40—45 kph, maximum 100km/h. Since every wheel is a drive wheel, the vehicle is very survivable. Even if half of the wheels are disabled, the vehicle does not stop. When the engine uses a muffler, the vehicle moves silently. Armament: 47mm gun and 3 machine guns. We ask you to consider our proposal and accept it as a gift in honour of the Red Army's 25th anniversary.
Engineers F.F Gorodkov A.I. Starodubtsev
February 9th, 1943"
Suspension & Drive Gear[]
Suspension and drive gear layout.
Suspension closeup.
The suspension for the MT-25 consisted of a torsion bar system similar to the KV-1, however this was combined with the convertible nature of the A-20. The vehicle could drive on both its tracks, and its wheels. The wheels lacked the ability to rotate, so they were to turn like a tank. Each wheel was powered, as to lower the possibility for the tank to be immobilized from a shot to the wheels. Loss of singular or even multiple wheels would render the tank still capable of movement, which was considered very important by the developers.
Fate[]
The MT-25 was reviewed but was not accepted into production. The design choices were too extreme in both complexity, and weight. The vehicle was not developed further.
 Soviet UnionLand Vehicles Interwar & World War II Period (1919 — 1945) |
|---|
| Tracked Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Light Tanks | Tankettes | PPG • T-17 • T-21 • T-23 • T-27 |
| Standard Light Tanks | GAZ-70 • LTG • LTP • LTTB • NI • Obj. 211 • Obj. 217 • T-18 (M) • T-26 (1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939 • -1 • -4) • T-30 • T-45 • T-50 • T-53 • T-60 (1 • 2 • ZiS-19) • T-70 (M) • T-80 • T-118T • T-126 • T-127 | |
| Amphibious Light Tanks | PT-1 (A) • T-5PCh • T-36 • T-37 1933 • T-37 1934 • T-38 • T-39 • T-40 • T-41 • T-43 (-1 • -2) • TM | |
| Flamethrower & Chemical Light Tanks | KhBT-7 • OT-7 • OT-26 • OT-130 • OT-131 • OT-132 • OT-133 • OT-134 | |
| Remote Controlled Light Tanks | TTBT-7 • TT-26 • TU-26 | |
| Utility Light Tanks | BT-DT • SBT | |
| Cavalry/Fast Tanks | Ob. A-8 • Ob. A-20 BDT-1 • BT-1 • BT-2 • BT-2IS • BT-3 • BT-4 • BT-5 (A • IS • PKh) • BT-6 • BT-7 (M) • BT-20 • D-38 • MT-25 • T-46 | |
| Command Light Tanks | BT-TU • KBT-7 • T-26PT | |
| Medium Tanks | Standard Medium Tanks | Ob. A-20 • Ob. A-32 • Ob. A-34 • Ob. A-43 • Ob. A-44 KV-13 • T-22 • T-24 • T-28 (1932 • 1934 • 1938 • E 1938 • 1940) • T-29 • T-34 (G • K • S) • T-43 • T-44 • T-112 |
| Flamethrowing Medium Tanks | OT-28 • OT-34 • OT-34-85 | |
| Heavy Tanks | Standard Heavy Tanks | Ob. 103 • Ob. 220 • Ob. 221 • Ob. 222 • Ob. 223 • Ob. 224 • Ob. 225 • Ob. 226 • Ob. 227 • Ob. 228 • Ob. 229 • Ob. 230 • Ob. 231 • Ob. 232 • Ob. 233 (IS) • Ob. 234 (IS) • Ob. 235 • Ob. 237 • Ob. 238 • Ob. 239 • Ob. 240 (M) • Ob. 244 • Ob. 245 • Ob. 248 • Ob. 252 • Ob. 253 IS-1 • IS-2 • IS-3 • IS-4 • IS-5 • IS-6 • IS-7 • KV-1 (1939 • 1940 • E 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • S 1942) • KV-3 • KV-4 • KV-5 • KV-7 • KV-9 • KV-10 • KV-11 • KV-85 (G) • KV-100 • KV-122 • KV-220 • KV-221 • KV-222 • Ob. 100 • SMK • T-32 • T-35-1 • T-35-2 • T-35A • T-35B • T-39 • T-100 (Z) • T-150 • U-14 |
| Flamethrowing Heavy Tanks | KV-8 • KV-8S • KV-8M • KV-12 | |
| Self-Propelled Guns | SPAA | GAZ-72 • SU-8 • SU-11 • SU-17 • SU-72 • T-60-Z • T-70-Z • T-90 • ZSU-37 • ZUT-37 |
| SPATG | Ob. 242 • Ob. 243 • Ob. 249 • Ob. 251 GAZ-71 • ISU-122 (-1 • -2 • -3 • S) • KhTZ-16 • OSU-76 • SU-26 • SU-31 • SU-71 • SU-76 (M) • SU-76i • SU-85 (M) • SU-85i • SU-85B • SU-100 • SU-101 • SU-102 • SU-122P • SU-122-44 • ZiS-30 | |
| SPG | Ob. 212 • Ob. 236 • Ob. 241 (K • M) • Ob. 246 • Ob. 247 • Ob. 250 BT-5A • BT-5AT • BT-7A • ISU-130 • ISU-152 (-1 • -2) • KV-2 • KV-14 • Ob. 212 • OSU-76 • SU-1 • SU-3 • SU-6 • SU-7 • SU-10 • SU-14-2 • SU-18 • SU-45 • SU-100-Y • SU-122 (-3 • M) • SU-130 • SU-152 • SU-212 • T-26-4 | |
| SPH | AT-1 • S-51 • SU-2 • SU-5 (-1 • -2 • -3) • SU-14 | |
| SPRA | BM-8-24 • KV-10 • RBT-5 | |
| Miscellaneous | Bridge-related | IT-26 • IT-28 • ST-26 |
| Prime Movers | BT-5PB • T-20 Komsomolets • T-26T • T-26T2 | |
| Half-Tracked Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Combat | Armoured Cars | BA-30 • BA-64Z |
| SPAA | M15A1 CGMC • ZiS-42 • ZSU-17 | |
| SPATG | GAZ-TK • SU-57 • ZiS-41 | |
| Utility | Transport | Autocar 2½-ton Halftrack • B-3 • GAZ-60 • M2 Halftrack • M5 Halftrack • NATI-3 • ZiS-22 • ZiS-33 • ZiS-35Sh • ZiS-42 • ZiS-42M |
| Wheeled Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Combat | Armoured Cars | BA-I • BA-3 • BA-5 • BA-6 (M) • BA-9 • BA-10 (M) • BA-11 (D) • BA-20 • BA-21 • BA-27 (M) • BA-64 • BA-NATI • BAD • BAD-2 • D-8 • D-12 • D-13 • FA-2 • FAI (M) • GAZ-TK • PB-4 • PB-7 • LB-23 • LB-62 |
| Railroad Armoured Cars | BA-6 ZhD • BA-10 ZhD (M) • BA-20 ZhD • BA-64 ZhD • BAD-2 ZhD • FAI ZhD | |
| SPAA | ZSU TKB-149 | |
| SPATG | KSP-76 • SD-57 (N) • ZiS-31 | |
| SPH | SU-1-12 • SU-12 | |
| SPG | SU-4 | |
| SPRA | BM-13-16 | |
| Utility | APC | BA-64E |
| Medical | BA-22 | |
| Motorcycles | BSA-M20 | |
| Transport | GAZ-63 | |
| Trailers | KP-42 • KP-43 | |