BT Fast Tank: The Red Army’s Cavalry Tank 1931–45 (New Vanguard #237) (Paperback)
Other Books in Series
This is book number 237 in the New Vanguard series.
- #2: M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank 1982–92 (New Vanguard #2) (Paperback): $19.00
- #6: T-72 Main Battle Tank 1974–93 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #7: IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944–73 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #9: T-34/76 Medium Tank 1941–45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #11: M3 Infantry Half-Track 1940–73 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #18: M2/M3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle 1983–95 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #20: T-34-85 Medium Tank 1944–94 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #31: The M47 and M48 Patton Tanks (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #33: M3 & M5 Stuart Light Tank 1940–45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #35: M26/M46 Pershing Tank 1943–53 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #53: M8 Greyhound Light Armored Car 1941–91 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #73: M4 (76mm) Sherman Medium Tank 1943–65 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #77: M24 Chaffee Light Tank 1943–85 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
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- #102: T-54 and T-55 Main Battle Tanks 1944–2004 (New Vanguard #102) (Paperback): $19.00
- #107: US Anti-tank Artillery 1941–45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #113: M3 Lee/Grant Medium Tank 1941–45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #117: Jeeps 1941–45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #120: Scud Ballistic Missile and Launch Systems 1955–2005 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #122: HMMWV Humvee 1980–2005: US Army tactical vehicle (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #127: German Panzers 1914–18 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #131: US Field Artillery of World War II (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #134: Red SAM: The SA-2 Guideline Anti-Aircraft Missile (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #137: Japanese Tanks 1939–45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #144: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Robotic Air Warfare 1917–2007 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #153: M551 Sheridan: US Airmobile Tanks 1941–2001 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #159: Staghound Armored Car 1942–62 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #173: French Tanks of World War I (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #180: Kamikaze: Japanese Special Attack Weapons 1944–45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #186: US Marine Corps Tanks of World War II (New Vanguard #186) (Paperback): $18.05
- #192: US Amphibious Tanks of World War II (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $17.05
- #199: Tanks of Hitler’s Eastern Allies 1941–45 (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #209: French Tanks of World War II (1): Infantry and Battle Tanks (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $19.00
- #215: Panzer 38(t) (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $17.05
- #218: T-26 Light Tank: Backbone of the Red Army (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #223: T-64 Battle Tank: The Cold War’s Most Secret Tank (New Vanguard) (Paperback): $18.05
- #231: Railway Guns of World War II (New Vanguard #231) (Paperback): $18.05
- #323: Tanks at the Iron Curtain 1975–90: The ultimate generation of Cold War heavy armor (New Vanguard #323) (Paperback): $17.00
- #325: German Field Artillery of World War II (New Vanguard #325) (Paperback): $17.00
Description
When the Red Army needed to mechanize its cavalry branch in the 1930s, the BT fast tank was its solution. Channeling the American Christie high-speed tank, the Red Army began a program to adapt the design to its own needs. Early versions were mechanically unreliable and poorly armed, but by the mid-1930s, the BT-5 emerged, armed with an excellent dual-purpose 45mm gun. It saw its combat debut in the Spanish Civil War in 1937 and was later used in the border battles with the Japanese Kwantung Army in the late 1930s. The final production series, the BT-7, was the most refined version of the family.
One of the most common types in Red Army service at the beginning of the Second World War, BT tanks saw extensive combat in Poland, Finland, the opening phases of Operation Barbarossa in 1941, and the 1945 campaign against the Japanese in Manchuria. This is the story of their design and development history.
About the Author
Steven J. Zaloga received his B.A. in history from Union College and his M.A. from Columbia University. He has worked as an analyst in the aerospace industry for over two decades, covering missile systems and the international arms trade, and has served with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think tank. He is the author of numerous books on military technology and military history, with an emphasis on the U.S. Army in World War II, as well as Russia and the former Soviet Union.
Henry Morshead is a design consultant in the European automotive and aerospace sectors, with clients including Jaguar, Bentley, Citroën and Airbus. He is also a technical sponsor of the Bloodhound supersonic car, contributing digital surfacing and design services. A former officer in the Royal Engineers and illustrator for Jane's, he maintains a keen interest in the design and use of military land and air vehicles.
Praise For…
"I found it to be a most interesting read and learned quite a bit about this interesting vehicle. I can assure you that you will like it as well." - Modeling Madness
"Very accessible, lightweight overview of a significant vehicle series. Highly recommended." - AMPS
