Difference between revisions of "T-50"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_t_50}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=ussr_t_50
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was a Soviet light tank, built as replacement for T-26 and BT series tanks in late 1930s and early 1940s. The development of T-50 started in 1939 at the OKMO design bureau in Leningrad S.M. Kirov Factory No. 185 by L. Troyanov and I. Bushnevov. Two prototypes designated T-126 and T-127 were built, out of which the heavier T-126 was selected for further developement. However the design bureau was heavily impacted by the Great Purge and the design works had to be passed over to Leningrad K.E. Voroshilov Factory No. 174. Troyanov completed the T-50 design in January 1941. Meanwhile a replacement for BT tanks was designed and produced, the T-34 tank from Kharkov Locomotive Factory. The difficulties in manufacturing the T-50s aswell as their higher cost compared to T-34 led to stopping the production after 69 tanks built. Two T-50 survived to this day. One uparmoured version with appliqué armour installed was captured in 1944 by Finland and now is in Finnish Tank Museum at Parola and second standard T-50 is at Kubinka Tank Museum.
 +
 
 +
The T-50 was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. It is an effective light tank with great sloping armour and an adequate 45 mm cannon, a great vehicle for beginners getting used to the Soviet playstyle in higher ranks. Basically, the {{PAGENAME}} is a mini T-34 and should be played as such: as a close range brawler.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 +
Like its big brother, the T-34, the {{PAGENAME}} has sloped frontal armour that can bounce most shots if angled properly. The armour is especially capable at stopping rounds when facing US [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm M3]] and German [[KwK L/42 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK L/42]] cannons, which will bounce fairly easily even without proper angling. Additionally, there aren't many vital components (ammo rack, fuel tank, majority of the crew, etc.) in the front. Firing at the front will, at best, knock out the driver and immobilize the tank. However, the gun will still be operational and the {{PAGENAME}}'s gun is more than capable of defeating opponents at its level. Therefore, it is best to aim for other parts of the tank. It has excellent armour for a light tank and its sloping makes it very effective, especially if angled properly, though its hull cheeks are somewhat vulnerable.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, turret)
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 37 mm (53°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 37 mm (55°) ''Cheeks'' <br> 45 mm (53°) ''Lower glacis'' || 37 mm (40°) ''Top'' <br> 37 mm ''Bottom'' || 25 mm (59°) ''Upper part'' <br> 37 mm (9°) ''Centre part'' <br> 37 mm (28°) ''Lower part'' || 15 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 37 mm (6-64°) ''Turret front'' <br> 37 mm (9-54°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 37 mm (15-19°) || 37 mm (13-15°) || 15 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 37 mm (20°) || 15 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Note'''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 +
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 +
 
 +
As a light tank, the {{PAGENAME}} is very agile and has a very high top speed and HP ratio. Due to this, the acceleration on the {{PAGENAME}} is outstanding. Use its agility coupled with the excellent armour to perform flanking manoeuvres, destroy enemy tanks and retreat quickly. It is often used in tier 2 battles for its versatility as an aggressive scout tank.
 +
The tracks are quite large and grant you a decent mobility on hard (solid ground, roads) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand).
 +
The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot a bit slow: make sure to build a little speed before turning.
 +
The reverse speed is good: it will get you out of a dangerous situation quickly. The {{PAGENAME}} reaches 16 km/h when fording and 20 km/h when driving uphill.
 +
Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem for the {{PAGENAME}} but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.
 +
 
 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 465|rbMinHp= 265}}
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 +
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|20-K (45 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[20-K (45 mm)|45 mm 20-K]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 150 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.62 || 10.54 || 12.80 || 14.16 || 15.06 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.33 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 4.76 || 5.60 || 6.80 || 7.52 || 8.00
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} mounts the same gun as the [[T-26|T-26]] but compensates for lack of penetration with the ability to use APCR shells. The gun is also excellent for its BR, having a fairly high velocity combined with a good HE filler amount and a very fast fire rate which makes follow up/corrective shots easy and lethal. Elevation and depression angles of the gun are important, allowing you to fire from unusual positions (behind a ridge, on a slope, etc.). Your recoil is also nonexistent.
 +
Unfortunately, there is one major flaw with the {{PAGENAME}}: the turret traverse. It has a very slow traverse rate which makes up-close urban encounters dangerous as you can't rotate quickly to face your opponent.
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
The available ammunition is focused on engaging armoured targets:
 +
 
 +
* '''BR-240''': APHEBC; a shell with explosive filler that will knock out any tank that it penetrates with a single shot, but it has an average penetration power.
 +
* '''BR-240SP''': APBC; a solid shot with a better penetration but no explosive filler.
 +
* '''BR-240P''': APCR; a composite round with the best penetration but no explosive filler and that will only penetrate flat vertical surfaces.
  
−
== Weaponry ==
+
{{:20-K (45 mm)/Ammunition|BR-240, BR-240SP, BR-240P}}
−
=== Main weaponry ===
 
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
 
  
−
=== Additional weaponry ===
+
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! 6th<br>rack empty
 +
! 7th<br>rack empty
 +
! 8th<br>rack empty
 +
! 9th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''150''' || 134 ''(+16)''|| 117 ''(+33)'' || 100 ''(+50)'' || 83 ''(+67)'' || 66 ''(+84)''|| 49 ''(+101)''|| 33 ''(+117)'' || 17 ''(+133)'' || 1 ''(+149)'' || Yes
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* The visual discrepancy concerns all racks.
 +
** Racks 1: 10 shells modeled / contains 17 shells.
 +
** Racks 2 & 3: 14 shells modeled / contains 17 shells.
 +
** Racks 4 & 5: 12 shells modeled / contains 17 shells.
 +
** Racks 6: 27 shells modeled / contains 17 shells.
 +
** Racks 7: 21 shells modeled / contains 16 shells.
 +
** Racks 8 & 9: 12 shells modeled / contains 16 shells.
 +
* Pack 100 ''(+50)'' shells to let the left flank empty of ammo (racks 1 to 3 emptied).
 +
* Packing 33 ''(+117)'' shells is a good compromise to have enough shells at your disposal while reducing drastically the risk of ammo rack detonation (racks 1 to 7 emptied).
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 +
{{main|DT (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
The small calibre of the DT machine guns makes them largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. They still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help. Even equipped with 2 machine guns, the clip capacity is quite poor as they rely on a magazine of 63 bullets instead of a belt like similar machine guns from other nations.
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
;Combat tactics
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} is unusual in that it combines great mobility and good armour with lacklustre firepower. It is quite capable at flanking and ambushing unsuspecting enemies, and is also adept at close range brawling.
 +
 
 +
With a high top speed and great acceleration, the {{PAGENAME}} is one of the faster tanks at its tier. With such speed, it is possible to reach desirable positions on the map well before the enemy can, and it is also possible to flank around the enemy with ease. However, sharp turning does tend to cause the {{PAGENAME}} to drift, losing speed and controllability.
 +
 
 +
This tank is also protected by a surprisingly powerful armour setup. The front and sides of the hull are sloped quite well, and this means that low tier tanks will often bounce their shells off of the {{PAGENAME}}. The turret can also be quite challenging to penetrate.
 +
 
 +
With all of this in mind, the {{PAGENAME}}'s greatest weakness is its 45 mm main cannon. It's rather weak compared to the cannons on similar tanks, and the calibre is low for the battle rating. The gun's APHE shell does fairly decent post-penetration damage if it penetrates, but this is not guaranteed. Against better-armoured tanks, it is advisable to use the APCR shell for a better chance of penetrating. The gun has a fast reload, which makes it good for engaging multiple enemies at the same time. The turret traverse is slow, which may be a hindrance in close range brawls or city battles.
 +
 
 +
;Notable Enemies:
 +
 
 +
The [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]] line of tanks are equipped with powerful guns, a high rate of fire, and decent armour. This makes for a difficult opponent, but the {{PAGENAME}} can still come out on top if it takes advantage of its mobility and sloped armour. British tanks are also well-armoured, and against these vehicles it is usually better to use APCR shells over APHE shells. Although they do less post-penetration damage, they have a better chance of penetrating the enemy's armour in the first place.
 +
 
 +
;Defeating a {{PAGENAME}}:
 +
 
 +
The advice for defeating a {{PAGENAME}} is similar to many other tanks: flank it and hit the sides. This is easier said than done, of course, as the {{PAGENAME}} demonstrates excellent mobility, but with the right amount of sneaking around, it can be done. Both sides of the tank contain juicy ammo racks that are hard to miss if the tank's sides are hit, but more experienced drivers will know to empty the left wall. Therefore, it is advised to fire at the right side of the tank if possible.
 +
If the right side is angled at an impenetrable angle, or if it simply is too difficult to hit, the next best target is the turret. Hitting it anywhere on the turret is likely to, upon penetration, wound if not knock out the three crew inside the turret. Combined with the {{PAGENAME}}'s subpar turret traverse, the {{PAGENAME}} will be in dire straits if its turret is hit. Make sure to fire at the tracks with secondary armament, if possible, to immobilize the tank so anyone could dispatch it with leisure.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 +
'''Pros:'''
  
−
'''Pros:'''
+
* Great mobility
−
*
+
* Decent penetration and good rate of fire
 +
* Excellent armour, especially the sloped frontal glacis
 +
* Provides a good learning curve for the [[T-34 (1940)]]
 +
* Unlike the BT-series ([[BT-5]], [[BT-7]]), the {{PAGENAME}} can be driven with some precision
 +
* It is easy to rush an enemy tank and catch it by surprise, giving a first shot advantage
 +
* APHEBC shell has explosive filler, making it much more effective than the comparable shells in the US 37 mm and British QF 40 mm cannons
 +
* Unlike most tanks, it has two 7.62 mm machine guns in the turret. This allows for more effective combat against SPAA and low flying aircraft
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Penetration can be found wanting with the APHEBC shell, though generally not an issue
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
* The high speed makes it easy to damage the tracks, especially the first few times driving this tank
 +
* The cannon mantlet can be easily penetrated even by starter tanks
 +
* Slow turret traverse speed
 +
* Cramped interior, one penetration can knock out the majority of the crew
 +
* Thin roof armor, can be penetrated by plane cannons in an uptier
 +
 
 +
== History ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
===Development===
 +
The Spanish Civil War gave the Soviets insight on the future of tank warfare, and the knowledge led to an attempt to upgrade or replace their tank forces that consisted mainly of the [[T-26|T-26]] light tanks. The development started in 1939 to create a replacement for the T-26 and [[BT-5|BT]] light tanks.
 +
 
 +
The prototypes created for this development were the [[T-126|T-126]] and T-127, which were similar to a previous T-46-5 project earlier abandoned. The T-126 was selected for further development and was to have two prototypes built and tested in Leningrad after the original design bureau was decimated by Stalin's Great Purge.
 +
 
 +
The design, now finalised as the '''T-50''' light tank, used innovative features in its introduction, using well-sloped welded armour, a torsion-bar suspension, diesel engine, a commander's cupola, and a three-man turret. It was also arranged for all of the tanks to accommodate radios. The T-50's design plan was completed by January 1941, and production was authorised after setting up in April. However, technical difficulties prevented this from happening. While its production was on standby, another tank with superior specifications was being tested and produced, which will end up as the [[T-34 (1940)|T-34]] medium tank.
 +
 
 +
===Production===
 +
Though production was planned for in 1941, the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, which delayed the T-50 productions as tank manufacturing lines were relocated. Tanks were being produced in the Urals and that included the T-50 light tanks, finally in production. While an excellent design, it was mechanically unreliable, expensive, and hard to produce compared to the T-34 and another light tank design, the [[T-60]]. Because of these issues, only 69 T-50s were made before production ended in January 1942. During production, two variants were made, a basic model and an up-armoured model with extra bolted or welded metal plates. The basic model had a 37 mm frontal armour thickness, while the up-armoured version could have 57 mm thickness.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
Despite the low numbers, the ones available were sent to Leningrad where they saw most of their service. Some were also used in the Continuation War against Finland as the Finnish were able to capture one up-armoured version in 1944. After that, its role was largely replaced by the more numerous and capable T-34 tanks, and it was relegated to reconnaissance roles when available.
 +
 
 +
Today, two T-50 tanks survive, one basic in the Kubinka Tank Museum, and the up-armoured variant in Finland at a museum in Parola.
 +
 
 +
{{break}}
 +
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 +
This tank was developed in 1940 to replace the T-26 light tank, whose main task was direct infantry support on the battlefield. The T-50 was solidly armoured, well armed and equipped with a powerful diesel engine. It had a classical layout, with the driving and fighting compartments in the front of the vehicle and the engine transmission compartment in the rear. The armour plating on its hull was sloped at a steep angle. Its streamlined turret was fully welded. The tank seated three crew. The rear of the turret's roof contained a command cupola with seven observation slots protected by armoured hatches. The vehicle was armed with a 45 mm 20K Mod. 1938 cannon and two 7.62 mm DT coaxial machine guns.
 +
 
 +
Thanks to its 300 hp B-4 diesel engine, the vehicle's road speed came to 52 km/h in spite of its 13.8 tonne mass. Two fuel tanks with an overall capacity of 350 litres gave it an operational range of up to 344 km by road. Road wheels with internal cushioning and torsion-bar suspension were mounted in the tank's undercarriage.
 +
 
 +
These tanks were mass-produced by factory No. 174. Between July 1941 and February 1942, 69 of these tanks were built. The tank's construction was far more complicated than that of the T-26. The inline six-cylinder diesel engine designed for it was very difficult for the industry to adopt into its manufacturing processes.
 +
 
 +
The T-50 was primarily used on the Leningrad front. Several tanks were equipped with add-on armour plates during field maintenance. During the battles of 1941, one vehicle was captured by Finnish troops and was used right up to the end of 1954.
 +
 
 +
The tank turned out to be functionally designed and well balanced, with overall optimal combat and service characteristics. Its armament, armour and mobility were equal to the German PzKpfw III medium tank, and it had significantly smaller dimensions and lower combat-loaded weight.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_50 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|Tr-1BHTvokk|'''The Shooting Range #209''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:36 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
  
−
== Read also ==
+
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
;Related development
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
 
 +
* [[T-126]]
 +
 
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''
+
 
 +
* [[wt:en/news/3250/current|[Vehicle Profile] T-50]]
 +
* [[wikipedia:T-50_tank|[Wikipedia] T-50 tank]]
 +
 
 +
{{TankManufacturer OKMO}}
 +
{{USSR light tanks}}

Latest revision as of 02:02, 12 July 2024

T-50
ussr_t_50.png
GarageImage T-50.jpg
ArtImage T-50.png
T-50
USSR flag.png USSR
II Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.7 2.7 2.7
Class:
Research:7 900 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:10 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The T-50 was a Soviet light tank, built as replacement for T-26 and BT series tanks in late 1930s and early 1940s. The development of T-50 started in 1939 at the OKMO design bureau in Leningrad S.M. Kirov Factory No. 185 by L. Troyanov and I. Bushnevov. Two prototypes designated T-126 and T-127 were built, out of which the heavier T-126 was selected for further developement. However the design bureau was heavily impacted by the Great Purge and the design works had to be passed over to Leningrad K.E. Voroshilov Factory No. 174. Troyanov completed the T-50 design in January 1941. Meanwhile a replacement for BT tanks was designed and produced, the T-34 tank from Kharkov Locomotive Factory. The difficulties in manufacturing the T-50s aswell as their higher cost compared to T-34 led to stopping the production after 69 tanks built. Two T-50 survived to this day. One uparmoured version with appliqué armour installed was captured in 1944 by Finland and now is in Finnish Tank Museum at Parola and second standard T-50 is at Kubinka Tank Museum.

The T-50 was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. It is an effective light tank with great sloping armour and an adequate 45 mm cannon, a great vehicle for beginners getting used to the Soviet playstyle in higher ranks. Basically, the T-50 is a mini T-34 and should be played as such: as a close range brawler.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull37 / 37 / 37
Turret37 / 37 / 37
Crew4 people
Visibility74 %

Like its big brother, the T-34, the T-50 has sloped frontal armour that can bounce most shots if angled properly. The armour is especially capable at stopping rounds when facing US 37 mm M3 and German 50 mm KwK L/42 cannons, which will bounce fairly easily even without proper angling. Additionally, there aren't many vital components (ammo rack, fuel tank, majority of the crew, etc.) in the front. Firing at the front will, at best, knock out the driver and immobilize the tank. However, the gun will still be operational and the T-50's gun is more than capable of defeating opponents at its level. Therefore, it is best to aim for other parts of the tank. It has excellent armour for a light tank and its sloping makes it very effective, especially if angled properly, though its hull cheeks are somewhat vulnerable.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, turret)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 37 mm (53°) Front glacis
37 mm (55°) Cheeks
45 mm (53°) Lower glacis 		37 mm (40°) Top
37 mm Bottom 		25 mm (59°) Upper part
37 mm (9°) Centre part
37 mm (28°) Lower part 		15 mm
Turret 37 mm (6-64°) Turret front
37 mm (9-54°) Gun mantlet		 37 mm (15-19°) 37 mm (13-15°) 15 mm
Cupola 37 mm (20°) 15 mm

Note

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB58 / 8 km/h
RB and SB53 / 7 km/h
Number of gears4 forward
1 back
Weight14.0 t
Engine power
AB572 hp
RB and SB300 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB40.9 hp/t
RB and SB21.4 hp/t

As a light tank, the T-50 is very agile and has a very high top speed and HP ratio. Due to this, the acceleration on the T-50 is outstanding. Use its agility coupled with the excellent armour to perform flanking manoeuvres, destroy enemy tanks and retreat quickly. It is often used in tier 2 battles for its versatility as an aggressive scout tank. The tracks are quite large and grant you a decent mobility on hard (solid ground, roads) and soft terrain (mud, snow, sand). The lack of neutral steering makes turning on the spot a bit slow: make sure to build a little speed before turning. The reverse speed is good: it will get you out of a dangerous situation quickly. The T-50 reaches 16 km/h when fording and 20 km/h when driving uphill. Light and medium obstacles (fences, posts, bushes and small trees) are not a problem for the T-50 but large obstacles will reduce your mobility: avoid them.

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 58 8 14 465 572 33.21 40.86
Realistic 53 7 265 300 18.93 21.43

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB338 → 461 Sl icon.png
RB380 → 518 Sl icon.png
SB477 → 650 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications6 910 Rp icon.png
6 740 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost530 Ge icon.png
Crew training3 000 Sl icon.png
Experts10 000 Sl icon.png
Aces115 Ge icon.png
Research Aces160 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
30 / 30 / 30 % Sl icon.png
112 / 112 / 112 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
550 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
550 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
45mm_AP_1942_ammo_pack
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
350 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods airstrike.png
Airstrike
Research:
310 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
45mm_APCR_ammo_pack
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
430 Rp icon.png
Cost:
420 Sl icon.png
90 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
550 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png
Mods scouting.png
Improved optics
Research:
560 Rp icon.png
Cost:
550 Sl icon.png
115 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

45 mm 20-K cannon
Ammunition150 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
3.8 → 2.9 s
Vertical guidance-7° / 25°
Main article: 20-K (45 mm)
45 mm 20-K Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 150 -7°/+25° ±180° N/A 7.62 10.54 12.80 14.16 15.06 3.77 3.33 3.07 2.90
Realistic 4.76 5.60 6.80 7.52 8.00

The T-50 mounts the same gun as the T-26 but compensates for lack of penetration with the ability to use APCR shells. The gun is also excellent for its BR, having a fairly high velocity combined with a good HE filler amount and a very fast fire rate which makes follow up/corrective shots easy and lethal. Elevation and depression angles of the gun are important, allowing you to fire from unusual positions (behind a ridge, on a slope, etc.). Your recoil is also nonexistent. Unfortunately, there is one major flaw with the T-50: the turret traverse. It has a very slow traverse rate which makes up-close urban encounters dangerous as you can't rotate quickly to face your opponent.

Ammunition

The available ammunition is focused on engaging armoured targets:

  • BR-240: APHEBC; a shell with explosive filler that will knock out any tank that it penetrates with a single shot, but it has an average penetration power.
  • BR-240SP: APBC; a solid shot with a better penetration but no explosive filler.
  • BR-240P: APCR; a composite round with the best penetration but no explosive filler and that will only penetrate flat vertical surfaces.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
BR-240 APHEBC 70 67 58 47 39 32
BR-240SP APBC 73 70 60 50 41 34
BR-240P APCR 94 87 64 43 29 20
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
BR-240 APHEBC 760 1.43 1.2 9 29.26 48° 63° 71°
BR-240SP APBC 757 1.43 - - - 47° 60° 65°
BR-240P APCR 985 0.85 - - - 66° 70° 72°

Ammo racks

Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
150 134 (+16) 117 (+33) 100 (+50) 83 (+67) 66 (+84) 49 (+101) 33 (+117) 17 (+133) 1 (+149) Yes
Ammo racks of the T-50

Notes:

  • The visual discrepancy concerns all racks.
    • Racks 1: 10 shells modeled / contains 17 shells.
    • Racks 2 & 3: 14 shells modeled / contains 17 shells.
    • Racks 4 & 5: 12 shells modeled / contains 17 shells.
    • Racks 6: 27 shells modeled / contains 17 shells.
    • Racks 7: 21 shells modeled / contains 16 shells.
    • Racks 8 & 9: 12 shells modeled / contains 16 shells.
  • Pack 100 (+50) shells to let the left flank empty of ammo (racks 1 to 3 emptied).
  • Packing 33 (+117) shells is a good compromise to have enough shells at your disposal while reducing drastically the risk of ammo rack detonation (racks 1 to 7 emptied).

Machine guns

2 x 7.62 mm DT machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition3 780 rounds
Belt capacity63 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: DT (7.62 mm)
7.62 mm DT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 1,890 (63) 600 N/A N/A
Coaxial 1,890 (63) 600 N/A N/A

The small calibre of the DT machine guns makes them largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. They still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help. Even equipped with 2 machine guns, the clip capacity is quite poor as they rely on a magazine of 63 bullets instead of a belt like similar machine guns from other nations.

Usage in battles

Combat tactics

The T-50 is unusual in that it combines great mobility and good armour with lacklustre firepower. It is quite capable at flanking and ambushing unsuspecting enemies, and is also adept at close range brawling.

With a high top speed and great acceleration, the T-50 is one of the faster tanks at its tier. With such speed, it is possible to reach desirable positions on the map well before the enemy can, and it is also possible to flank around the enemy with ease. However, sharp turning does tend to cause the T-50 to drift, losing speed and controllability.

This tank is also protected by a surprisingly powerful armour setup. The front and sides of the hull are sloped quite well, and this means that low tier tanks will often bounce their shells off of the T-50. The turret can also be quite challenging to penetrate.

With all of this in mind, the T-50's greatest weakness is its 45 mm main cannon. It's rather weak compared to the cannons on similar tanks, and the calibre is low for the battle rating. The gun's APHE shell does fairly decent post-penetration damage if it penetrates, but this is not guaranteed. Against better-armoured tanks, it is advisable to use the APCR shell for a better chance of penetrating. The gun has a fast reload, which makes it good for engaging multiple enemies at the same time. The turret traverse is slow, which may be a hindrance in close range brawls or city battles.

Notable Enemies

The Pz.III line of tanks are equipped with powerful guns, a high rate of fire, and decent armour. This makes for a difficult opponent, but the T-50 can still come out on top if it takes advantage of its mobility and sloped armour. British tanks are also well-armoured, and against these vehicles it is usually better to use APCR shells over APHE shells. Although they do less post-penetration damage, they have a better chance of penetrating the enemy's armour in the first place.

Defeating a T-50

The advice for defeating a T-50 is similar to many other tanks: flank it and hit the sides. This is easier said than done, of course, as the T-50 demonstrates excellent mobility, but with the right amount of sneaking around, it can be done. Both sides of the tank contain juicy ammo racks that are hard to miss if the tank's sides are hit, but more experienced drivers will know to empty the left wall. Therefore, it is advised to fire at the right side of the tank if possible. If the right side is angled at an impenetrable angle, or if it simply is too difficult to hit, the next best target is the turret. Hitting it anywhere on the turret is likely to, upon penetration, wound if not knock out the three crew inside the turret. Combined with the T-50's subpar turret traverse, the T-50 will be in dire straits if its turret is hit. Make sure to fire at the tracks with secondary armament, if possible, to immobilize the tank so anyone could dispatch it with leisure.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Great mobility
  • Decent penetration and good rate of fire
  • Excellent armour, especially the sloped frontal glacis
  • Provides a good learning curve for the T-34 (1940)
  • Unlike the BT-series (BT-5, BT-7), the T-50 can be driven with some precision
  • It is easy to rush an enemy tank and catch it by surprise, giving a first shot advantage
  • APHEBC shell has explosive filler, making it much more effective than the comparable shells in the US 37 mm and British QF 40 mm cannons
  • Unlike most tanks, it has two 7.62 mm machine guns in the turret. This allows for more effective combat against SPAA and low flying aircraft

Cons:

  • Penetration can be found wanting with the APHEBC shell, though generally not an issue
  • The high speed makes it easy to damage the tracks, especially the first few times driving this tank
  • The cannon mantlet can be easily penetrated even by starter tanks
  • Slow turret traverse speed
  • Cramped interior, one penetration can knock out the majority of the crew
  • Thin roof armor, can be penetrated by plane cannons in an uptier

History

Development

The Spanish Civil War gave the Soviets insight on the future of tank warfare, and the knowledge led to an attempt to upgrade or replace their tank forces that consisted mainly of the T-26 light tanks. The development started in 1939 to create a replacement for the T-26 and BT light tanks.

The prototypes created for this development were the T-126 and T-127, which were similar to a previous T-46-5 project earlier abandoned. The T-126 was selected for further development and was to have two prototypes built and tested in Leningrad after the original design bureau was decimated by Stalin's Great Purge.

The design, now finalised as the T-50 light tank, used innovative features in its introduction, using well-sloped welded armour, a torsion-bar suspension, diesel engine, a commander's cupola, and a three-man turret. It was also arranged for all of the tanks to accommodate radios. The T-50's design plan was completed by January 1941, and production was authorised after setting up in April. However, technical difficulties prevented this from happening. While its production was on standby, another tank with superior specifications was being tested and produced, which will end up as the T-34 medium tank.

Production

Though production was planned for in 1941, the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, which delayed the T-50 productions as tank manufacturing lines were relocated. Tanks were being produced in the Urals and that included the T-50 light tanks, finally in production. While an excellent design, it was mechanically unreliable, expensive, and hard to produce compared to the T-34 and another light tank design, the T-60. Because of these issues, only 69 T-50s were made before production ended in January 1942. During production, two variants were made, a basic model and an up-armoured model with extra bolted or welded metal plates. The basic model had a 37 mm frontal armour thickness, while the up-armoured version could have 57 mm thickness.

Combat usage

Despite the low numbers, the ones available were sent to Leningrad where they saw most of their service. Some were also used in the Continuation War against Finland as the Finnish were able to capture one up-armoured version in 1944. After that, its role was largely replaced by the more numerous and capable T-34 tanks, and it was relegated to reconnaissance roles when available.

Today, two T-50 tanks survive, one basic in the Kubinka Tank Museum, and the up-armoured variant in Finland at a museum in Parola.


Archive of the in-game description

This tank was developed in 1940 to replace the T-26 light tank, whose main task was direct infantry support on the battlefield. The T-50 was solidly armoured, well armed and equipped with a powerful diesel engine. It had a classical layout, with the driving and fighting compartments in the front of the vehicle and the engine transmission compartment in the rear. The armour plating on its hull was sloped at a steep angle. Its streamlined turret was fully welded. The tank seated three crew. The rear of the turret's roof contained a command cupola with seven observation slots protected by armoured hatches. The vehicle was armed with a 45 mm 20K Mod. 1938 cannon and two 7.62 mm DT coaxial machine guns.

Thanks to its 300 hp B-4 diesel engine, the vehicle's road speed came to 52 km/h in spite of its 13.8 tonne mass. Two fuel tanks with an overall capacity of 350 litres gave it an operational range of up to 344 km by road. Road wheels with internal cushioning and torsion-bar suspension were mounted in the tank's undercarriage.

These tanks were mass-produced by factory No. 174. Between July 1941 and February 1942, 69 of these tanks were built. The tank's construction was far more complicated than that of the T-26. The inline six-cylinder diesel engine designed for it was very difficult for the industry to adopt into its manufacturing processes.

The T-50 was primarily used on the Leningrad front. Several tanks were equipped with add-on armour plates during field maintenance. During the battles of 1941, one vehicle was captured by Finnish troops and was used right up to the end of 1954.

The tank turned out to be functionally designed and well balanced, with overall optimal combat and service characteristics. Its armament, armour and mobility were equal to the German PzKpfw III medium tank, and it had significantly smaller dimensions and lower combat-loaded weight.


Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #209 - Pages of History section at 04:36 discusses the T-50.

See also

Related development

External links


Experimental Design and Mechanical Engineering Department
Light Tanks 
T-26  T-26 · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26E · T-26-4
T-50  T-50 · T-126
Heavy Tanks  T-35
Tank Destroyers  SU-5-1 · SU-100Y
Export 
T-26  ␗T-26 · T-26 No.531
See Also  Omsk Transport Engineering Plant

USSR light tanks
T-26  T-26 · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26-4 · T-26E
BT  BT-5 · RBT-5 · BT-7 · BT-7 TD · BT-7M · BT-7A (F-32)
T-50  T-126 · T-50
T-70  T-70 · T-80
PT-76  PT-76B · PT-76-57 · Object 906
BMP  BMP-1 · BMP-2 · BMP-2M · BMP-3
BMD  BMD-4
2S25  2S25 · 2S25M
Wheeled  BA-11 · BTR-80A
Other  T-60 · Object 685 · 2S38
China  ▂Type 62

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