Difference between revisions of "T-26E"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_t_26E}}
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{{About
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| about = Soviet light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other variants
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| link = T-26 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=ussr_t_26E
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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|market=T-26E (USSR)
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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''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.''
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<!-- ''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 developed from the T-26 in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The T-26E (''ekranirovanny'', "screened") was an uparmoured version featuring appliqué armour based on the experiences gained in the Winter War, developed by Leningrad Factory No.174. The factory tests proved that the uparmoured T-26 was able to resist hits from 45 mm anti tank guns at a distance of 400 to 500 metres. The armour plates were bolted and welded onto the hull and turret, increasing the armour protection to 45 mm all around. 89 of these T-26s were made by Factory No. 174. Further field modifications inspired by this were conducted by various field workshops and factories after the German attack on Soviet Union in 1941.
 +
 
 +
The T-26E was introduced as a [[wt:en/news/498--en|premium pack]] during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. As an up-armoured version of the [[T-26]], it stands a better chance deflecting enemy shells off its front armour when angled correctly. However the added armour and weight decreases the already mediocre mobility of the tank even further.
 +
 
 +
The T-26E was removed from the store after the [[wt:en/news/4684-vday-victory-day-discounts-en/|2017 Victory Day sale]] but was reintroduced as a battle trophy vehicle in the Warbond shop in [[wt:en/news/6120-news-how-can-you-get-premium-vehicles-warbonds-en|April 2019]] until [[wt:en/news/6301-news-how-can-you-get-premium-vehicles-warbonds-en|August 2019]] and from the [[Battle Pass: Season I, 75th Anniversary of the Great Victory]] until the end of the [[Battle Pass: Season IV, "Fearless Voltigeur"]].
  
 
== 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?''
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{{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.'' -->The armour of the T-26E is greatly improved over the base model with its add-on 30 mm armour plates on the hull and turret on all sides. Despite being poorly angled, this armour, when not angling the hull, is very much immune to early cannons with low penetration (e.g. Ha-Go, H.39), and when angling the hull, is capable of deflecting the most lethal rounds at this BR: the 20 mm PzGr.40. This allows the T-26E to be more of a frontline "heavy" tank. However, the armour is still very weak against a tank destroyer, (e.g. LVT(A)(4) ZiS-2) so be very careful if one is present around you. Also the add-on armour only covers the upper plates, leaving the lower front plate unprotected. Transmission can get damaged a lot.
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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Crew placement is overall not lined up from the front, but two out of three crew are, meaning shells that penetrate below the turret will knock out the two crew and destroy the T-26E instantly. Interior is very cramped, often a solid shell will easily knock out a crew or other component, so the T-26 cannot afford to get hit too much.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 30 + 15 mm (22°) ''Front plate'' <br> 7 mm (64-80°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 15 mm (6-52°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 + 15 mm (24-25°) ''Top'' <br> 15 mm ''Bottom'' || 30 + 15 mm (1°) ''Top'' <br> 30 + 15 mm (12°) ''Bottom'' || 6 mm
 +
|-
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| Turret || 30 + 15 mm (12-33°) ''Turret front'' <br> 30 + 15 mm (5-44°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 + 15 mm (17-19°) || 30 + 15 mm (17°) || 10 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
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'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheel are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
 +
* The 30 mm appliqué armour does not cover the entire area on the hull, so there are exposed areas vulnerable to enemy fire.
  
 
=== 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.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=141|rbMinHp=80}}
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While being a light tank, its mobility is one of a medium/heavy tank. The top speed is very, very low for a light tank, combined with the low power to weight ratio given by its weak engine, the T-26 has poor acceleration and speed on most surfaces. It can reach around 30 km/h only on hard, flat surface, after a long, uninterrupted acceleration period. With even a small turn the speed will drop significantly. The narrow tracks significantly reduce its off-road mobility in muddy, sandy or snowy maps. Despite the tracks being short and far apart, the T-26 still has slow hull traverse and often needs a forward/backward jerk to start turning properly. Reverse speed is also very poor (-4 km/h), which cannot save you from most bad situations.
 +
 
 +
It will eventually take you where you want to be, provided that you choose your route well and avoid tricky manoeuvres, and be very patient.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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''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.''
+
{{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)}}
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The 45 mm 20-K is the typical Soviet rank I gun. Players should get used to it since it will be your main armament up until rank II. The APHEBC round has high penetration for this BR and a good amount of HE filler, meaning penetrating shells will do good damage, sometimes even knocking out enemies with a single shot. In longer ranges, shells begin to lose penetration and accuracy; it is not made for sniping. If you bring the T-26E to a higher BR battle, try to bring ~10-15 BR-240SP (armour-piercing shells without explosive filler) for heavier targets such as B1 ter, and M4A3 (105). Overall this gun is very forgiving to beginners, with its very fast reload speed and turret traverse.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[20-K (45 mm)|45 mm 20-K]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 205 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+22° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 15.23 || 21.08 || 25.60 || 28.31 || 30.12 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.34 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 9.52 || 11.20 || 13.60 || 15.04 || 16.00
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:20-K (45 mm)/Ammunition|BR-240, BR-240SP}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_T-26.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! 5th<br>rack empty
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! 6th<br>rack empty
 +
! 7th<br>rack empty
 +
|-
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| '''205''' || 202&nbsp;''(+3)'' || 197&nbsp;''(+8)'' || 187&nbsp;''(+18)'' || 177&nbsp;''(+28)'' || 167&nbsp;''(+38)'' || 157&nbsp;''(+48)'' || 139&nbsp;''(+66)''
 +
|-
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! 8th<br>rack empty
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! 9th<br>rack empty
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! 10th<br>rack empty
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! 11th<br>rack empty
 +
! 12th<br>rack empty
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! 13th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
!
 +
|-
 +
| 121&nbsp;''(+84)'' || 103&nbsp;''(+102)'' || 79&nbsp;''(+126)'' || 61&nbsp;''(+144)'' || 29&nbsp;''(+176)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+204)'' || No
 +
!
 +
|-
 +
|}
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'''Note''':
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
* Turret empty: 157&nbsp;''(+48)'' shells.
−
''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.''
 
  
 
=== 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}}
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<!-- ''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)}}
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 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
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|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
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| Coaxial || 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
== 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).'' -->
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 +
The main purpose of the {{PAGENAME}} is a diversion. In battle, when a close friendly player is attacked by an enemy, go behind a rock that has the size of the tank's hull, then shoot the target.
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
* When it's a tank destroyer, shoot its tracks to make it immobile and flank the enemy to penetrate the thin rear of most tank destroyers at low BR.
−
''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).''
+
* When it's a medium tank (like the [[T-28]] ), shoot its horizontal turret drive so it cannot move its turret(The ring below its turret), then shoot the tracks to immobilize it, making it very vulnerable to flanking.
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One aspect of the T-26 series tank that is often ignored is that, its low top speed can limit new players from getting to the front line too quick. While experienced players will find the speed too painful, it might actually "protect" new players. Imagine if a new tanker chooses a BT-5 instead of a T-26 at the start of a match, and rushes for a capture point. What he/she will then encounter at the capture point will not be beneficial for their gaming experience: the brutal slaughter of experienced tankers driving equally fast and deadly tanks such as [[Sd.Kfz.234/1]], [[Pz.II C (DAK)]], [[M22]], etc. New players will die quickly like that. Whereas if they use a T-26, they will arrive at the frontline much later to avoid being destroyed in the first wave of attack, giving them enough time to analyse the battlefield and make decisions.
 +
 
 +
Apart from the low speed that somewhat protects new players, the T-26E also offers great firepower and nice protection, which can save you from badly aimed shots or be used in a hull down position effectively.. The 45 mm cannon can frontally penetrate and knock out most tanks at this beginner-friendly BR with single shot. Although lacking any stabiliser, the T-26 is still quite a stable gun platform. The add-on armour provides better protection against popular 20 mm autocannons, especially when the T-26 is angling the autocannons' APCR penetration will be greatly reduced.
  
 
=== 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:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* High rate of fire
 +
* Good turret armour
 +
* Its penetration is effective against almost all enemies it will face
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Low hull armour
 +
* A weak spot in the hull box, the driver's hatch - keep this away from enemy fire
 +
* Slow for a scout, but agile
 +
* Easily distinguishable Standard camouflage & shape
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''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.''
+
<!-- ''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 [[T-26]] light tank in Soviet service, while making up a major part of the Soviet armoured forces, proved quite under-armoured when against newer anti-tank weapons as it was an old 1931 design. The Spanish Civil War showed some of these defects in the T-26, but it wasn't until the Winter War against Finland that proved that the majority of light anti-tank weapons could destroy the T-26.
 +
 
 +
In order to remedy this, Factory No. 174 in Leningrad designed a new variant for the T-26 utilizing applique armour on the hull and turret. This variant was dubbed the '''T-26E''' (''E'' for ekranirovanny or "screened"), which added 30-40 mm of armour to the original armour plates via bolting and welding. All of the single-turreted T-26 models made during the Winter War period was given this modification and testings proved that the additional armour made the T-26 much more resilient against light anti-tank weapons. A total of 89 T-26Es were made during and after the Winter War, with 27 single-turret models made from the factory, 27 more as flamethrower models, and 15 single-turret models were made in workshops near the front-line. After the war, 20 more single-turret variants were made and delivered for tank units. Many more modified T-26s were made during the course of World War II.
 +
 
 +
===Combat usage===
 +
These '''T-26E'''s were used in the Winter War against Finland and the extra armour over the normal T-26 variants made it impenetrable to Finnish light anti-tank weapons. However, the extra armour added to the T-26 raised the weight from 9.6 tons to 12 tons, thus a larger strain on the chassis, engine, and suspension so the driver was advised to drive the tank in low gear and must take extra care to not overload these systems.
 +
 
 +
During World War II, applique armour of varying thickness from 15–40 mm was added onto many different T-26s in large quantities ranging to hundreds in the front lines to fight back the German invasion. Such areas where these modifications took place in Leningrad, Odessa, Moscow, and Sevastopol in the period of 1941–1942 during battles and sieges taking place in or near these cities. However, compared to the modifications made during the Winter War, the World War II '''T-26E'''s were more crude and rough that the gun mask on the tank was unable to move, and the applique armour was only added on the front.
 +
 
 +
No known combat records exist for these modified T-26s in World War II and may have been simply been added as performances done by regular T-26s, but due to the obsolesce of the T-26 models compared to the German [[Panzer III]] and [[Panzer IV]], many can be presumed to be lost in combat if not due to mechanical failures.
 +
 
 +
{{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}}
 +
The Spanish Civil War showed that the T-26 tank's armour no longer protected it from new low-calibre anti-tank weapons. So in 1937-1938, strengthening the tank's armour became an immediate concern. Designers at factory No. 174 decided to simply introduce a conical-shaped turret and to slope the armour plates on the underturret box. The armour's thickness remained unchanged, as the undercarriage structure, already pushed to its limits as it was, prevented the tank's mass from being increased. The issue of increasing the light tank's armour became a prominent concern again by the Winter War beginning on 30 November 1939.
 +
 
 +
The first battles showed that Finland's anti-tank weapons easily destroyed the tanks. On the 20th of December, work began on up-armouring T-26 tanks with 30-40 mm thick armour plates at factory No. 174. On 30 December 1939, firing tests were carried out on the first up-armoured T-26 at the factory's ballistic range, with positive results. The vehicle withstood fire from a 45 mm anti-tank cannon at a distance of 400-500 m.
 +
 
 +
Having successfully passed testing, the up-armoured design was accepted as a success and the Leningrad Kirovsk factory equipped around 70 tanks with the additional armour. The additional armour was attached to the turret, underturret box, side and front of the tank with screw rivets and electric arc welds. The gun mantlet was also up-armoured. The tank's mass increased to 12 tonnes, which meant the engine and suspension were overloaded. The tank could now only move in low gear and had an increased risk of breaking down.
 +
 
 +
T-26Es were used at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Several vehicles remained in service on the Leningrad front until 1943. Captured light tanks of this type were used by the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS in 1941-1942.
 +
{{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_26E Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|_6SUan7sY8A|'''Shielded {{PAGENAME}} Review''' - ''Toshio Thunder''|doXH4AOuJ3k|'''First 6 - {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''Skino Gaming''}}
  
−
== 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.''
+
 
 +
;Related development
 +
* [[T-26 (Family)]]
  
−
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''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.''
 +
 +
{{TankManufacturer OKMO}}
 +
{{USSR light tanks}}
 +
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 10:48, 25 November 2023

Rank 7 USA
F-5C Pack
This page is about the Soviet light tank T-26E. For other variants, see T-26 (Family).
T-26E
ussr_t_26e.png
GarageImage T-26E.jpg
T-26E
USSR flag.png USSR
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
1.3 1.3 1.3
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
Show in game
MARKET

Description

The T-26E was a Soviet light tank developed from the T-26 in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The T-26E (ekranirovanny, "screened") was an uparmoured version featuring appliqué armour based on the experiences gained in the Winter War, developed by Leningrad Factory No.174. The factory tests proved that the uparmoured T-26 was able to resist hits from 45 mm anti tank guns at a distance of 400 to 500 metres. The armour plates were bolted and welded onto the hull and turret, increasing the armour protection to 45 mm all around. 89 of these T-26s were made by Factory No. 174. Further field modifications inspired by this were conducted by various field workshops and factories after the German attack on Soviet Union in 1941.

The T-26E was introduced as a premium pack during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. As an up-armoured version of the T-26, it stands a better chance deflecting enemy shells off its front armour when angled correctly. However the added armour and weight decreases the already mediocre mobility of the tank even further.

The T-26E was removed from the store after the 2017 Victory Day sale but was reintroduced as a battle trophy vehicle in the Warbond shop in April 2019 until August 2019 and from the Battle Pass: Season I, 75th Anniversary of the Great Victory until the end of the Battle Pass: Season IV, "Fearless Voltigeur".

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull45 / 45 / 45
Turret45 / 45 / 45
Crew3 people
Visibility75 %

The armour of the T-26E is greatly improved over the base model with its add-on 30 mm armour plates on the hull and turret on all sides. Despite being poorly angled, this armour, when not angling the hull, is very much immune to early cannons with low penetration (e.g. Ha-Go, H.39), and when angling the hull, is capable of deflecting the most lethal rounds at this BR: the 20 mm PzGr.40. This allows the T-26E to be more of a frontline "heavy" tank. However, the armour is still very weak against a tank destroyer, (e.g. LVT(A)(4) ZiS-2) so be very careful if one is present around you. Also the add-on armour only covers the upper plates, leaving the lower front plate unprotected. Transmission can get damaged a lot.

Crew placement is overall not lined up from the front, but two out of three crew are, meaning shells that penetrate below the turret will knock out the two crew and destroy the T-26E instantly. Interior is very cramped, often a solid shell will easily knock out a crew or other component, so the T-26 cannot afford to get hit too much.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 30 + 15 mm (22°) Front plate
7 mm (64-80°) Front glacis
15 mm (6-52°) Lower glacis 		30 + 15 mm (24-25°) Top
15 mm Bottom 		30 + 15 mm (1°) Top
30 + 15 mm (12°) Bottom 		6 mm
Turret 30 + 15 mm (12-33°) Turret front
30 + 15 mm (5-44°) Gun mantlet 		30 + 15 mm (17-19°) 30 + 15 mm (17°) 10 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheel are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
  • The 30 mm appliqué armour does not cover the entire area on the hull, so there are exposed areas vulnerable to enemy fire.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB34 / 4 km/h
RB and SB31 / 4 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight12.0 t
Engine power
AB174 hp
RB and SB91 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB14.5 hp/t
RB and SB7.6 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 34 4 12 141 174 11.75 14.5
Realistic 31 4 80 91 6.67 7.58

While being a light tank, its mobility is one of a medium/heavy tank. The top speed is very, very low for a light tank, combined with the low power to weight ratio given by its weak engine, the T-26 has poor acceleration and speed on most surfaces. It can reach around 30 km/h only on hard, flat surface, after a long, uninterrupted acceleration period. With even a small turn the speed will drop significantly. The narrow tracks significantly reduce its off-road mobility in muddy, sandy or snowy maps. Despite the tracks being short and far apart, the T-26 still has slow hull traverse and often needs a forward/backward jerk to start turning properly. Reverse speed is also very poor (-4 km/h), which cannot save you from most bad situations.

It will eventually take you where you want to be, provided that you choose your route well and avoid tricky manoeuvres, and be very patient.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB410 Sl icon.png
RB218 Sl icon.png
SB140 Sl icon.png
Crew training450 Sl icon.png
Experts3 000 Sl icon.png
Aces45 Ge icon.png
Research Aces220 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 20 / 20 / 20 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank ammo.png
45mm_AP_1942_ammo_pack
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support

Armaments

Main armament

45 mm 20-K cannon
Ammunition205 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
3.8 → 2.9 s
Vertical guidance-6° / 22°
Main article: 20-K (45 mm)

The 45 mm 20-K is the typical Soviet rank I gun. Players should get used to it since it will be your main armament up until rank II. The APHEBC round has high penetration for this BR and a good amount of HE filler, meaning penetrating shells will do good damage, sometimes even knocking out enemies with a single shot. In longer ranges, shells begin to lose penetration and accuracy; it is not made for sniping. If you bring the T-26E to a higher BR battle, try to bring ~10-15 BR-240SP (armour-piercing shells without explosive filler) for heavier targets such as B1 ter, and M4A3 (105). Overall this gun is very forgiving to beginners, with its very fast reload speed and turret traverse.

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 205 -6°/+22° ±180° N/A 15.23 21.08 25.60 28.31 30.12 3.77 3.34 3.07 2.90
Realistic 9.52 11.20 13.60 15.04 16.00

Ammunition

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
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°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-26E
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty
205 202 (+3) 197 (+8) 187 (+18) 177 (+28) 167 (+38) 157 (+48) 139 (+66)
8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		10th
rack empty 		11th
rack empty 		12th
rack empty 		13th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
121 (+84) 103 (+102) 79 (+126) 61 (+144) 29 (+176) 1 (+204) No

Note:

  • Turret empty: 157 (+48) shells.

Machine guns

7.62 mm DT machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition1 890 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

Usage in battles

The main purpose of the T-26E is a diversion. In battle, when a close friendly player is attacked by an enemy, go behind a rock that has the size of the tank's hull, then shoot the target.

  • When it's a tank destroyer, shoot its tracks to make it immobile and flank the enemy to penetrate the thin rear of most tank destroyers at low BR.
  • When it's a medium tank (like the T-28 ), shoot its horizontal turret drive so it cannot move its turret(The ring below its turret), then shoot the tracks to immobilize it, making it very vulnerable to flanking.

One aspect of the T-26 series tank that is often ignored is that, its low top speed can limit new players from getting to the front line too quick. While experienced players will find the speed too painful, it might actually "protect" new players. Imagine if a new tanker chooses a BT-5 instead of a T-26 at the start of a match, and rushes for a capture point. What he/she will then encounter at the capture point will not be beneficial for their gaming experience: the brutal slaughter of experienced tankers driving equally fast and deadly tanks such as Sd.Kfz.234/1, Pz.II C (DAK), M22, etc. New players will die quickly like that. Whereas if they use a T-26, they will arrive at the frontline much later to avoid being destroyed in the first wave of attack, giving them enough time to analyse the battlefield and make decisions.

Apart from the low speed that somewhat protects new players, the T-26E also offers great firepower and nice protection, which can save you from badly aimed shots or be used in a hull down position effectively.. The 45 mm cannon can frontally penetrate and knock out most tanks at this beginner-friendly BR with single shot. Although lacking any stabiliser, the T-26 is still quite a stable gun platform. The add-on armour provides better protection against popular 20 mm autocannons, especially when the T-26 is angling the autocannons' APCR penetration will be greatly reduced.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • High rate of fire
  • Good turret armour
  • Its penetration is effective against almost all enemies it will face

Cons:

  • Low hull armour
  • A weak spot in the hull box, the driver's hatch - keep this away from enemy fire
  • Slow for a scout, but agile
  • Easily distinguishable Standard camouflage & shape

History

Development

The T-26 light tank in Soviet service, while making up a major part of the Soviet armoured forces, proved quite under-armoured when against newer anti-tank weapons as it was an old 1931 design. The Spanish Civil War showed some of these defects in the T-26, but it wasn't until the Winter War against Finland that proved that the majority of light anti-tank weapons could destroy the T-26.

In order to remedy this, Factory No. 174 in Leningrad designed a new variant for the T-26 utilizing applique armour on the hull and turret. This variant was dubbed the T-26E (E for ekranirovanny or "screened"), which added 30-40 mm of armour to the original armour plates via bolting and welding. All of the single-turreted T-26 models made during the Winter War period was given this modification and testings proved that the additional armour made the T-26 much more resilient against light anti-tank weapons. A total of 89 T-26Es were made during and after the Winter War, with 27 single-turret models made from the factory, 27 more as flamethrower models, and 15 single-turret models were made in workshops near the front-line. After the war, 20 more single-turret variants were made and delivered for tank units. Many more modified T-26s were made during the course of World War II.

Combat usage

These T-26Es were used in the Winter War against Finland and the extra armour over the normal T-26 variants made it impenetrable to Finnish light anti-tank weapons. However, the extra armour added to the T-26 raised the weight from 9.6 tons to 12 tons, thus a larger strain on the chassis, engine, and suspension so the driver was advised to drive the tank in low gear and must take extra care to not overload these systems.

During World War II, applique armour of varying thickness from 15–40 mm was added onto many different T-26s in large quantities ranging to hundreds in the front lines to fight back the German invasion. Such areas where these modifications took place in Leningrad, Odessa, Moscow, and Sevastopol in the period of 1941–1942 during battles and sieges taking place in or near these cities. However, compared to the modifications made during the Winter War, the World War II T-26Es were more crude and rough that the gun mask on the tank was unable to move, and the applique armour was only added on the front.

No known combat records exist for these modified T-26s in World War II and may have been simply been added as performances done by regular T-26s, but due to the obsolesce of the T-26 models compared to the German Panzer III and Panzer IV, many can be presumed to be lost in combat if not due to mechanical failures.


Archive of the in-game description

The Spanish Civil War showed that the T-26 tank's armour no longer protected it from new low-calibre anti-tank weapons. So in 1937-1938, strengthening the tank's armour became an immediate concern. Designers at factory No. 174 decided to simply introduce a conical-shaped turret and to slope the armour plates on the underturret box. The armour's thickness remained unchanged, as the undercarriage structure, already pushed to its limits as it was, prevented the tank's mass from being increased. The issue of increasing the light tank's armour became a prominent concern again by the Winter War beginning on 30 November 1939.

The first battles showed that Finland's anti-tank weapons easily destroyed the tanks. On the 20th of December, work began on up-armouring T-26 tanks with 30-40 mm thick armour plates at factory No. 174. On 30 December 1939, firing tests were carried out on the first up-armoured T-26 at the factory's ballistic range, with positive results. The vehicle withstood fire from a 45 mm anti-tank cannon at a distance of 400-500 m.

Having successfully passed testing, the up-armoured design was accepted as a success and the Leningrad Kirovsk factory equipped around 70 tanks with the additional armour. The additional armour was attached to the turret, underturret box, side and front of the tank with screw rivets and electric arc welds. The gun mantlet was also up-armoured. The tank's mass increased to 12 tonnes, which meant the engine and suspension were overloaded. The tank could now only move in low gear and had an increased risk of breaking down.

T-26Es were used at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Several vehicles remained in service on the Leningrad front until 1943. Captured light tanks of this type were used by the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS in 1941-1942.


Media

Skins
Videos
Shielded T-26E Review - Toshio Thunder
First 6 - T-26E - Skino Gaming

See also

Related development

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


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

USSR premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  BA-11 · RBT-5 · BT-7A (F-32) · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26E · T-126 · PT-76-57 · 2S38
Medium tanks  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34E · T-34-57 (1943) · T-34-85E · T-34-100 · T-44-122 · TO-55 · T-55AM-1 · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-80UD · Т-80U-Е1
  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2 · ▂T-III · ▂T-V · ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
Heavy tanks  SMK · T-35 · ▂MK-II "Matilda" · KV-1E · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6) · KV-122 · KV-220 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248 · IS-6 · T-10A
Tank destroyers  BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12
  SU-57 · SU-76D · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A · SU-100Y · SU-122P · Object 120
SPAA  ▂Phòng không T-34 · ZUT-37

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