T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.)

This page is about the Soviet light tank T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.). For other versions, see T-26 (Family).

T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.)

T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.)

USSR

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.0	1.0	1.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Light tank

Purchase:250

Show in game

Description

The T-26 mod. 1939 (1st Gv.T.Br.) is a premium rank I Soviet light tank with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.41.27. Essentially a premium version of the original T-26, it boasts all its benefits and weaknesses. It costs 250 Golden Eagles.

This is one of the Soviet starter premium tanks. Unlike its German counterpart, the Pz.II C (DAK), it's cannon is single-shot which makes it more suitable for ranged engagements. Due to its thin armour, it is recommended to stay at distance from autocannons and heavy machine guns (HMGs) since they can shred the T-26 pretty easily at any angle. With light armour, average mobility, and a good gun for its rank, the T-26 is recommended to be played as frontline support. While these qualities may not be representative of later Soviet tanks, it is a good trainer nevertheless, given that it is forgiving and harder to play than later tanks.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull15 / 15 / 15

Turret15 / 15 / 15

Crew3 people

Visibility75 %

The armour of the T-26 is thin, thus making the vehicle's survivability low. Armour is nearly flat on all sides, so it is recommended to not expose yourself to enemy fire. The crew are not lined up behind each other from the front, meaning that enemies using shells without HE filler may have to take up to 2-3 shots before knocking out all of your crew. Beware of heavy machine guns (common on American tanks) and autocannons (common on German and Italian tanks), since they will be able to both penetrate your armor and shred your crew/modules.

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	15 mm (22°) Front plate 7 mm (64-80°) Front glacis 15 mm (6-52°) Lower glacis	15 mm (21-23°) Top 15 mm (0°) Bottom	15 mm (0°) Top 15 mm (12°) Bottom	10 mm Hull 6 mm Rear
Turret	15 mm (13-15°) Turret front 15 mm (5-44°) Gun mantlet	15 mm (17-19°)	15 mm (17°)	10 mm

Notes

• Suspension wheel are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 6 mm thick

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB34 / 4 km/h

RB and SB31 / 4 km/h

Number of gears5 forward

1 back

Weight9.8 t

Engine power

AB174 hp

RB and SB91 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB17.8 hp/t

RB and SB9.3 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	9.8	141	174	14.39	17.76
Realistic	31	4		80	91	8.16	9.29

While being a light tank, its mobility is one of a medium/heavy tank. The top speed is 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. Despite these, drawbacks, it will eventually take you where you want to be, provided that you are a very patient player, choose your route well, and avoid too many tricky turns.

For new tankers, it is advised to choose between the T-26 and BT-5 wisely. Since they have very similar aspects (reserve light tanks with thin armor, the same gun, and a similar turret) they are good vehicles to compare and contrast opposing playstyles. The T-26 represents slow, patient, hunting and hiding while the BT-5 represents fast flanking and daring advances).

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB322

RB280

SB422

Total cost of modifications5 020

500

Crew training150

Experts1 000

Aces20

Research Aces145 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 20 / 20 / 30 %

2 × 75 / 75 / 75 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 450 Cost: 45 40 Suspension Brake System Research: 500 Cost: 50 45 Filters Transmission Engine Research: 960 Cost: 95 85	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment	Horizontal Drive Research: 450 Cost: 45 40 45mm_AP_1942_ammo_pack Research: 450 Cost: 45 40 Adjustment of Fire Research: 500 Cost: 50 45 Elevation Mechanism Research: 750 Cost: 75 70 Artillery Support Research: 960 Cost: 95 85

Armaments

Main armament

45 mm 20-K cannon

Ammunition205 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

3.8 → 2.9 s

Vertical guidance-6° / 22°

The 20-K is the typical Soviet rank I gun. Players should get used to it since it will be your main light tank armament up until rank II, featured extensively in the BT-7 family, the T-50, T-70, and the T-80. The APHEBC round has a good amount of HE filler, meaning penetrating shells will do good damage, sometimes even one-shotting enemies. At longer ranges, shells begin to lose penetration and accuracy; it is not made for sniping. It is recommended to bring ~10-15 BR-240SP (pure AP shells) for heavier targets as they have more penetration. This gun is very forgiving to beginners, with its very fast reload speed, decent damage, and maneuverability.

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	68	59	50	42	35
BR-240SP	AP	73	71	62	52	44	37

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	9.0	29.26	48°	63°	71°
BR-240SP	AP	757	1.43	N/A	N/A	N/A	47°	60°	65°

Ammo racks

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

Ammo racks of the T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.)

Turret empty: 157 (+48)

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

7.62 mm DT
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	1,890 (63)	600	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

It is recommended to play the T-26 in a support role, flanking the battlefield and finding a good position to support your teammates from. The 45mm cannon has very good characteristics with its rounds (APHEBC, AP) being able to deal a fair amount of damage to enemy vehicles from both short and long-range. The fast reload allows for quick adjustment of aim between shots, meaning the T-26 can be a highly effective flanking vehicle if a good camping spot is found. The limited gun depression however, (-6°) will affect which positions are usable. Keeping back at long-range is certainly an effective way to avoid taking damage.

The T-26 can also be used for brawling with enemy vehicles, but it should be kept in mind that the thin armour on the T-26 (≤15mm) will leave the vital modules of your vehicle such as your crew, gun and powerplant (engine & transmission) at risk of taking damage. The mobility of the T-26 is also less than many of its counterparts like the Pz.35(t) or the M2A4, which could potentially put it at risk in a brawling scenario. On the other hand, the T-26's quick reload (3.77-2.9s) will usually give it an upper hand if you can survive the first shot.

Due to the top speed of the T-26 being less than many other vehicles at its BR (30 km/h), it will usually arrive in the battlefield after the fighting has already begun. This can be an advantage in that you arrive after your team has already identified many targets. This also means that you will most likely not be on the front line of attack will usually allows for you to last a bit longer than players who rushed the center of the battlefield. On the other hand, it is also less likely that you will reach capture points before they are capped by your teammates, who will be faster than you.

The lack of armour is really something to be kept in mind, even some tank machine guns like the 12.7 mm M2HB and 13.2 mm Breda Model 31 will be able to go through your thickest pieces of armour (15mm). Because of this, it is recommended to try your best to avoid enemy vehicles getting the first shot. Driving under cover is advisable to avoid being spotted.

In terms of the T-26's gun, there are 2 round options. The APHEBC round has a maximum of 70mm effective penetration with 29.26g of TNT equivalent explosive. This will allow for the round to penetrate most armour at the BR and also do a good amount of post-pen damage if the fuse is set off. The second round type is an AP round. This has a maximum of 73mm effective penetration, but lacks any explosive filler. This makes its post pen damage less effective than the APHEBC round. More information on these two ammunition options can be found in the "ammunition" section above.

It is also worth keeping in mind that the T-26 only has a reverse speed of 3 km/h. This is important to remember when driving into potential enemy fire. It is recommended to be aware of enemy positions and cover, as a retreat will be a lot slower than an advance.

Be aware that enemy aircraft with bombs or powerful guns can easily take out the T-26. It is advised to stick to the treeline to avoid being spotted and attacked. The T-26 has little anti-aircraft capabilities so it is also advised to let the friendly SPAAs deal with aircraft.

Specific enemies worth noting:

Pz.II - These speedy German tanks can be extremely dangerous. Their fast firing KwK30 or KwK38 20mm autocannons can shred your armour and the modules behind it. Pz.IIs have better mobility than the T-26 to boot. Generally, it is advised not to engage head on but if you are forced to, then make sure you get off the first shot before they start spraying. These concerns are also shared with the Sd.Kfz. 140/1. The good thing about facing the Panzer II is that it doesn't have much armour, like most Rank I vehicles, so you can easily penetrate and knock it out with a single shot. Another tactic is to have a teammate with you, preferably a mobile light tank like the M22 or the BT-5. Your ally can distract the Panzer II while you line up your shot to take it out. Pz.IIs also have poor turret traverse speed, so getting behind it and shooting its engine can prevent it from bringing its gun to bear on you.

AB 41 and L6/40 - Italian counterparts to the German Pz.II series, these vehicles both feature 20mm Breda Mod.35 autocannons which present the same concerns and counters as the Pz.IIs. The difference is that the L6/40 is slightly slower than the Pz.IIs, while the AB 41 is significantly faster. Generally, if your round penetrates either vehicle, it will most likely do significant damage.

M2A2 - This unassuming and unusual American vehicle relies on a .50 cal (12.7mm) M2HB heavy machine gun, located in its left-hand turret. The M2A2 shouldn't be dismissed as a threat however, as despite its odd layout, relatively small armament, and light armor, it is one of the fastest light tanks at Rank I. Given the T-26's relatively slow speed, the M2A2 will outflank you easily. Its .50 cal machine gun isn't always able to do a lot of damage to heavily armored vehicles, but the T-26's is among the vehicles that the M2HB can consistently penetrate. When facing an M2A2, it is recommended to shoot first and stop it from closing the distance. If you are on its right side, it will have to turn towards you to bring its .50 cal to bear. Its 7.62 mm M1919A4 medium machine gun, located in its right turret, will not do any significant damage to the T-26.

M8 Scott and LVT(A)(4) - This American howitzer carrier takes the speedy hull of the M5 Stuart and mates it with a turret containing a 75mm howitzer and a .50 cal M2HB. Being very fast, this tank can flank the T-26 very easily. It does not often need to do this however, since its HEAT round can annihilate the T-26 in one shot. It doesn't even need to do that however, since it could opt to just spraying your vehicle down with the .50 cal. By comparative principle, it is an M2A2 with a 75mm. The LVT(A)(4) presents similar concerns, as it is marries the M8 Scott's turret to the hull of an LVT. Because of this, the LVT(A)(4) is able to swim. It is recommended to be watching the waterways, as most players do not expect an attack to come from areas that normal tanks cannot traverse.

Ka-Chi - This Japanese medium tank is often underestimated for its nation of origin, but it is not to be ignored. Its massive size may prevent your shells from doing significant damage in one shot, and some may occasionally be completely absorbed by the front pontoon or deflected if angled. Its height can allow it to see over your cover and spot you. It won't be able to lower its gun too far however, especially with floats attached, and if the T-26 is able to sneak around the Ka-Chi, you can potentially rush into the deadzone right alongside the vehicle and shoot into its flank, without chance of retaliation. It is recommended to be watching the waterways, as most players do not expect an attack to come from areas that normal tanks cannot traverse.

B1 bis and B1 ter - Nearly any Rank I vehicle unfortunate enough to come face-to-face with a B1 is in for a rough time. If the recommended tactic for the T-26 is being a support vehicle, it should be especially employed when a B1 is encountered. The B1 bis has thick armor (60 mm of frontal armor) that can absorb or deflect your 45mm shells. The B1 ter presents the same issue for you, but even worse. (70 mm of frontal armor) There is little a T-26 can do when facing one of these heavy tanks head on, except for shooting the infamous "mail-slot" weakspot located on the turret ring, or damaging the tracks in hopes of immobilizing it. Calling in for friendly ground and air assistance is highly advised when encountering such beasts.

He 112 A-0 - This German plane is essentially a flying Panzer II. With a powerful rapid-firing 20mm MG C/30L autocannon, it can use API-T rounds have enough penetration to go through the T-26 at nearly every angle. Experienced pilots can wreak havoc on your team until their ammo is expended. It is recommended to find solid roof cover when enemy aircraft are overhead.

SPAA - Nearly every anti-aircraft vehicle at the tier, save for the British Light AA Mk I, will be able to penetrate and destroy the T-26 with ease. Not to mention that SPAAs guns have high fire rates. As with any other vehicles, it is advised to shoot first. Certain SPAAs which are commonly underestimated like the French P.7.T AA, and CCKW 353 AA and the American M15 CGMC, and should be especially noted, as despite not having 20mm autocannons like their Axis counterparts, they all have weapons capable of efficiently knocking out a T-26.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Great firepower; the stock APHE shell has 70 mm maximum penetration and 32g TNT which can frontally penetrate and one-shot many tanks it will face
• Very fast reload
• Fairly accurate gun at short to medium ranges
• Massive ammo capacity and fast reload time which is good for new players learning how to manoeuvre and fire
• Effective coaxial machine gun for use against open-topped enemy vehicles and trucks
• Premium bonuses

Cons:

• Low survivability due to the thin, nearly unangled armor
• Three crew members packed tightly together significantly reduces survivability
• Poor overall mobility; low top speed, very low reverse speed, slow hull traverse, and difficulty in climbing steep slopes
• Average -5° gun depression limits its potential in hilly terrains
• Some ammo is stored inside turret which tends to explode when hit

History

Development

The T-26 light tank was design is derived from the British Vickers 6-ton tank. In the early 1930s, a Soviet buying committee travelled to Britain and purchased tanks, tractors, and cars for use in the Soviet Union, of which the Vickers tank was chosen. Fifteen Twin-turreted Vickers tank arrived into the Soviet Union on May 1930, equipped with only machine guns. Four more Vickers were delivered at the end of 1930, these being the single-turret variants with a 47 mm gun, and the deliveries were finished by 1932. The Vickers-produced tanks were designated as the V-26.

The Vickers 6-ton tank competed with several Soviet designs for the "most suitable" tank design for Soviet use. One such competitor was the Soviet T-19 light tank, which had advantages over the Vickers design, but also disadvantages. The T-19 designer, S. Ginzburg, suggested for a "hybrid" tank to be built off the features of the T-19 and the Vickers tank. But in January 1931, intelligence picked up that Poland bought up many foreign tanks from Britain and France with a license to mass-produce them. As Poland was considered an enemy to the state, the pressure caused by this intelligence caused the Soviet military council to adopt the foreign tanks into Soviet usage, thus the Vickers 6-ton tank, under the designation as the T-26, was accepted into service in February 13, 1931 as the mainstay of the Red Army's armoured forces.

Although outclassed later in the war, it was considered one of the more successful and widely produced tank model in the 1930s. It, along with with the BT light tanks, composed of the majority of Russia's armoured forces in the late 1930s. It weighed just a little under 10 tons, had 15 mm thick armour in front, with a 45 mm 20K gun, and had a crew of three people. The Bolshevik Factory in Leningrad was the first factory to start producing the T-26 from June 1931, and production of the tank lasted from then until 1941.

Variants

During its production life, many variants of it were made for different purposes, up to 53 different ones to fit different roles, though only 23 would see service in production. Such designs included changes like a twin-turreted version (some with only machine guns and some with cannons), command tanks, added armour, artillery tanks (such as the T-26-4), flamethrower tanks, remote-controlled tanks, or just armoured carriers to tow artillery and such. Others were simply modified variants of the normal variants such as the T-26E, which was the base single-turreted T-26 design with 30-40 mm applique armour made during the Winter War, which made them more resilient to the Finnish anti-tank weapons.

All these tanks produced in the span of 1931 to 1941 made up a total 10,300 tanks, and 1,701 other variants of it, for a total of 12,001 units produced.

Combat usage

The T-26 first saw combat in the Spanish Civil War, where it showed its superiority over the current tanks of the period fielded by Italy and Germany. Then it saw combat against the Japanese in the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts at Lake Khasan and Khalkhin Gol, which exposed some of the design defects such as poor armour welding and the disadvantages of riveted constructions (the rivet would break off and could harm the crew inside). After that, the T-26 saw service in the Invasion of Poland and the Winter War against Finland. The Winter War effectively showed the Soviets that the T-26 was obsolete, as the 37 mm guns and anti-tank rifles and Finnish have could penetrate the light armour of the T-26. When World War II for Russia finally broke out in Operation Barbarossa, the T-26 proved inferior to the German's Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs, plus the air supremacy of the Luftwaffe ensured many tanks were lost in the opening stages of Barbarossa.

The T-26 at this point also was breaking down and the lack of spare parts made repairs hard, resulting in multiple T-26 units also being knocked out for being irrecoverable. The T-26 was gradually phased from service by the new, venerable T-34 medium tanks, which gave Germany a run for their money. The T-26 still saw service in the war as a second-line unit, as it was still fighting in the Battle of Moscow of 1941, Stalingrad of 1942, and in Manchuria in 1945. Some T-26 tanks even saw action in the 1st Guards Tank Brigade (1st Gv.T.Br.), but these were quickly replaced by the more venerable T-34.

Survivors

A number of survivors exist today in different museums, about 45 of them are still intact. A majority of them are in Russia, Spain, and Finland, where they saw most of their services.

Media

Right side of the T-26, which shows the insignia of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade.

See also

• Standard version: T-26
• T-26 series: T-26 (Family)

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the tank;
• other literature.