PT-76B Russian amphibious light tank
Eastern Express 35171

The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall, some 25 countries used the PT-76.

The tank's full name is Floating Tank–76 (Russian: Ďëŕâŕţůčé Ňŕíę, Plavayushchiy Tank, or ĎŇ-76). 76 stands for the caliber of the main armament: the 76.2 mm D-56T series rifled tank gun. The PT-76 is used in the reconnaissance and fire-support roles. Its chassis served as the basis for a number of other vehicle designs, many of them amphibious, including the BTR-50 armoured personnel carrier, the ZSU-23-4 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, the ASU-85 airborne self-propelled gun and the 2K12 Kub anti-aircraft missile launch vehicle.

PT-76B (Ob'yekt 740B, 1959) - PT-76 armed with the D-56TS 76.2 mm rifled tank gun (double-baffle muzzle brake, cartridge ejector, fume extractor and STP-2P "Zarya" 2-axis stabilization system), the PAZ (protivo-atomnaya zashchita) NBC protection system, an automatic fire extinguishing system, improved TShK-2-66 sight, a filtration-ventilation system, improved observation devices, improved electric equipment, a new V-6B 6-cylinder 4-stroke in line water-cooled diesel engine developing 263 hp (196 kW) at 1800 rpm and additional internal fuel tanks for which the shape of the armour had to be slightly changed. These additional internal fuel tanks increased the fuel capacity from 250 l to 400 l. The new engine is the same as that used in one bank of that fitted to the T-54. With the new engine and additional fuel tanks, the range of the vehicle has been increased to 480 km on the road, (590 km with external fuel tanks) and 120 km on the water. The 76.2 mm D-56TS rifled tank gun can fire a new undercaliber AP projectile piercing up to 75 mm at 60° from 2,000 meters. One such round has been added to a PT-76B typical ammunition load and so it can now carry 41 rounds. It was produced between 1959 - 1967. [Wikipedia]