BT-7A (F-32)

BT-7A (F-32)

BT-7A (F-32)

USSR

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
3.7	4.0	4.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Light tank

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Description

The BT-7A (F-32) is a rank II Russian light tank with a battle rating of 3.7 (AB) and 4.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced during Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy" as one of the rewards for Operation H.E.A.T. It uses the same chassis as the BT-7 and as such, possesses the same armour, engine and crew layout but adds a new turret fitted with the F-32 76 mm gun.

The BT-7 (F-32) is a fast tank with thin armour for its BR. It should be used to flank and spot enemy tanks, taking advantage of its very high top speed. The armour is very well angled at certain points, however being as thin as it is, don't count on it to protect you very well. Your speed can be your best defence, so move fast and try to zig-zag a bit to make yourself a more difficult target for tanks farther away (not too much though, or you'll bleed off too much speed).

The BT-7 (F-32) uses the Christie suspension of the BT-7. Closer to a race-car than a tank, this lightning on tracks is fun to drive, but not particularly easy. With its high top speed and light weight, this tank will drift in turns. For maximum control in turns, reduce throttle beforehand and only tip/nudge the turn-keys. It needs some time to get used to, however, it does prepare you for the T-34s break-turns. It is important to note that the tank has impressive inertia when turning on the move, as such it will continue to turn even after you have released the command.

Off-road behaviour is good and the aforementioned drifts aren't as extreme as on city-roads. Top speed is not reduced as well, making the BT-7 (F-32) one of the fastest light tanks of its BR due to its very wide tracks. It has the best Power to Weight ratio when compared to the M24, Crusader Mk III, Sd.Kfz.234/2 and M5A1 but offers the second-worst reverse speed behind the Crusader.

The crew compartment is very small and inhabited by the driver, a loader and a gunner. The turret crew operate in a very small environment, so it is very rare that only one of them would die from a shot. "Not getting shot at" is the best advice for the crew to survive.

The BT-7 (F-32) tank's successor would be the famous T-34 medium tank, introduced in 1940, which would replace all of the Soviet fast tanks, infantry tanks, and medium tanks then in service.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	15 mm (61°) Front glacis 20 mm (18°) Driver's hatch 20 mm (5-59°) Lower hull	20 mm Front 15 mm Rear	10 mm (55°) Top 13 mm (16-58°) Bottom	10 mm
Turret	15 mm (7-53°) Gun mantlet 15 mm (13-14°) Turret front 13mm Mg port	15mm Front 13mm Rear	13mm Rear 15mm Mg port	10mm

Notes

Tracks and suspension wheel are both 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons)	Add-on armour weight (tons)	Max speed (km/h)
13.7	N/A	60 (AB)
		54 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	620	763
Realistic/Simulator	354	400
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	45.25	55.69
Realistic/Simulator	25.84	29.20

Armaments

Main armament

76 mm F-32
Capacity			Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Stabilizer
50			-6°/+25°	±180°	N/A
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	15.23	21.08	__.__	__.__	__.__
Realistic	9.52	11.2	__.__	__.__	__.__
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
8.1	__.__	__.__	__.__

BT-7A (F-32) Optics
	Default magnification	Maximum magnification
Main Gun optics	X1.9	X3.5
Comparable optics	???

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 90°
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
BR-350A	APHEBC	78	76	69	61	53	47
BR-350B	APHEBC	86	84	76	67	59	52
OF-350M	HE	10	10	10	10	10	10
Sh-354T	Shrapnel	37	35	29	25	20	17

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Fuse delay in m:	Fuse sensitivity in mm:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):	Normalization At 30° from horizontal:	Ricochet:
								0%	50%	100%
BR-350A	APHEBC	615	6.3	0.15	10.0	150	+4°	48°	63°	71°
BR-350B	APHEBC	615	6.8	0.9	15	108.8	+4°	48°	63°	71°
OF-350M	HE	615	6.2	0.05	0.1	621	+0°	79°	80°	81°
Sh-354T	Shrapnel	615	6.2	0.5	8.0	85	+0°	62°	69°	73°

Smoke characteristic
Ammunition	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Screen radius in m	Screen time in s	Screen hold time in s:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):
D-350A	680	6.45	13	5	20	50

Ammo racks

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
50	47 (+3)	39 (+11)	31 (+19)	1 (+49)	Yes

Turret and sides empty: 31 (+19)

Machine guns

7.62 mm DT
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
1,890 (63)				600	N/A	N/A
Pintle mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
1,890 (63)				600	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

The BT-7 (F-32) is a light tank and should be played as such: try to surprise the enemy, take a shot before he can react and get to cover before his teammates send you to the hangar.

• Avoid rushing into a group of enemy head-on and exposing yourself for too long. Instead prioritise flanking and "sneak-peek" attacks.
• Stay away from intense enemy fire and common AA such as the Wirbelwind and R3 T20 FA-HS, which can easily shred through your paper-thin armour.
• Use your light tank's abilities to spot targets and help with teammates repairs.

Modules

Tier	Mobility		Protection	Firepower
I	Tracks		Parts	Horizontal Drive
II	Suspension	Brake System	FPE	Adjustment of Fire	Airstrike	BR-350B (MD-8 fuse)
III	Filters		Crew Replenishment	Elevation Mechanism
IV	Transmission	Engine		Artillery Support	Improved optics	D-350A

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Very fast and nimble
• Excellent offroad capability
• Powerful engine and wide tracks make the BT-7 a good climber
• Excellent cannon with a good rate of fire and 150 g explosive shell.
• Performs well even when up-tiered
• Slightly better gun depression than other 76mm counterparts (-6° over -5°)
• Features active scouting, repair assistance unlike other BT tanks.
• Additional DT machine gun on pintle mount useful for spotting, attacking open topped vehicles.

Cons:

• Exposed tracks and suspensions are prone to be damaged
• Very thin armour and packed crew especially for 3.0
• Pretty large and difficult to hide
• Difficult to drive with precision - can slew on turns and bounces a lot after braking.
• More flat un-angled areas than BT-5
• Vulnerable to heavy machine gunfire
• Sometimes stalls on turns on soft terrain

History

Development

The success of the BT light tanks in Soviet service prompted additional upgrades and other developmental projects done on the design to increase its service life. The development led to the final model of the BT light tank series, the BT-7. The tank differed from the older BT-5 tank with a welded hull, redesigned hull front, and a new engine in the Model 1935 version. The Model 1937 version of the BT-7 added a redesigned turret that featured sloping armour.

The BT-7 (F32) is a modification of the BT-7 Artillery model sometimes called BT-7A. The artillery model took the design of the T-26-4 turret fitted with a KT-28 short-barrelled howitzer and mounted a 76 mm (3 in) CT short-barrelled howitzer. Due to the extra weight of the turret, the BT lost its ability to drive on the road wheels. 155 BT-7A model was created, 11 converted into command version and only a few were tested with a bigger 76 mm gun, the F-32 gun designed by the infamous Soviet weapon designer, Vasily Grabin.

The tanks saw limited service during the early stages of the Second World War, or "Great Patriotic War". The last reported action of the vehicles was in the Kiev district and Moscow in 1941. The tanks were also reportedly used in Manchuria against the Japanese.

Media

• Skins and camouflages for the BT-7 (F-32) from live.warthunder

See also

Notable equivalents:

• American M24
• German Sd.Kfz.234/2
• British Crusader Mk III
• French AMX-13 (FL11)

External links

• http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/bt-7-artillery