3 SOVIET LIGHT TANK T-80 WITH VT-43 GUN

The T-80 is a Soviet light tank from the Second World War. The first prototypes of this vehicle were made in 1942, and serial production started at the turn of 1942/1943. The length of the wagon was about 4.29 meters, with a width of 2.42 meters and a height of up to 2.17 meters. The weight of the tank reached 11.3 tons. The drive was provided by two M-80 engines, 85 HP each. The armament of the car consisted of a 45 mm cannon and 1 DT 7.62 mm machine gun. The T-80 light tank was developed as, in essence, a far-reaching modification of the T-70, and the GAZ plant based in the city of Gorky was responsible for its development. The main change compared to the original was the use of a two-man turret, which gave much better command capabilities and provided significantly greater ergonomics. A new drive unit with higher maximum power was also used. The new tank was also quite clearly heavier than the T-70. However, the experience from the front made him approach the mass production of light tanks with a critical approach, which led to the discontinuation of the T-80 production in the second half of 1943..