Overview[]
The R-39 (Ob"yekt 101) is a prototype Soviet light amphibious tank developed in the late 1940s.
Two prototypes were tested, but both were deemed failures, resulting in Plant No. 112 being punished and removed from the project. The project would ultimately result in the PT-76.
Development[]
After cancellation of its previous amphibious vehicle project, the design bureau of Plant No. 112 began work on an amphibious tank that would float by its own displacement, without needing floats. The specifications of the project were have a weight below 15 tons, a 300 horsepower engine, a 76.2mm gun, and the same speed and range requirements as the earlier project.
The preliminary design work was completed by June/July 1948, with a report sent to NTK GBTU VS. The plan reviewed successfully, with the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 2524-1042 (10 July 1948) and Order of the Minister of Transport Engineering No. 273 (16 July 1948) being issued. Plant No. 112 was given instructions to produce a prototype of both the R-39 and R-40, now given factory designations Ob"yekt 101 and Ob"yekt 102 respectively, by 1 June 1949.
In August/September 1948, Plant No. 112 constructed five 1:5 scale models of the R-39 and R-40. These scale models were sent to NTK GBTU VS for review, and on 13 October 1948 they sent their comments and proposals for improving the design along.
Order of the Minister of Transport Engineering No. 368 (19 October 1948) was issued, authorizing the production of the R-39 and R-40 prototypes to be manufactured by 1 June 1949, with the plan of producing a pre-series of 40 R-39 and 40 R-40 to be delivered to the troops for field trials in the second half of 1949.
On 5 November 1948, Bogdanov, S. I. (Marshall of the Armoured Forces) ordered the production of 275 prototypes.
In April/May 1949, the first R-39 was manufactured by Plant No. 112, with it being presented on 27 May 1949.
The vehicle failed trials, with the following notes:
- Insufficient stability.
- Low buoyancy.
- Low reliability of certain components.
- Overly large.
- Too heavy.
- Too slow in water due to insufficient traction force.
- Significant stern trimming.
During trials, the prototype saw significant trim to the stern, so a temporary measure to fit additional floats at the rear and steel sheets to the bow were installed. Its speed in water was only 7km/h instead of the required 10 to 12km/h.
Qualified shipbuilders were involved in finding a solution, led by Kirichyevym, V. M.. A study was performed, but due to time constraints the proposed plan to solve the issue was cancelled, with the second R-39 prototype being assembled in June 1949. This second prototype had the turret located closer to the front, in an attempt to reduce the trim issue.
In August 1949, the second R-39 prototype was tested at VNII-100. This model did not improve on the speed in water, and in addition, changes made to the propellers and rudders reduced its ability to enter water. Caterpillar shedding was also observed due to the distance between the first and second road wheels. The second R-39 prototype was also deemed a failure.
By May 1950, the head of the OGK, Glavtanka, I. S., stated that the continued development and refining of this project would not be endorsed by the Ministry of Transport Engineering. Plant No. 112 was removed from the project, and a number of factory and organization officials were removed from their positions or worse.
The amphibious light tank project would continue under the leadership of other bureaus, such as KB ChKZ (Ob. 740) and VNII-100 (Ob. 270).
Variants[]
|
 Soviet UnionLand Vehicles Cold War Period (1946 — 1990) |
|---|
| Tracked Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Books | Online | Documents |
| • Отечественные бронированные машины 1945-1965 гг. — Часть 1, М. В. Павлов, И. В. Павлов, 2021 (ISBN 978-5-85905-623-1) | ||