Combat vehicles / Engineer / BTT-1
BTT-1
General Facts
- TYPE
Armored recovery vehicle - ORIGIN
USSR - NICKNAMES
BTT-1 / Bronirovanniy Tyazheliy Tyagach 1 - DESIGNED
1959 - DESIGNER
Kirov plant - PRODUCTION
1950's (ISU-T)
1960's (BTT-1) - PRODUCERS
USSR - Kirov plant - QUANTITY
Unknown - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Parts commonality with ISU-152
Limited production cost due to conversion
No winch in ISU-T
Limited speed and range
No NBC protection
Introduction
The BTT-1 is an early Cold War era armored recovery vehicle of Soviet origin. The BTT-1 is one of the first dedicated armored recovery vehicle designs from the Soviet Union. All vehicles were conversions of obsolete WW2 era assault guns, none were produced new. Nowadays the BTT-1 itself is considered obsolete.
Layout
All BTT-1 were conversions of ISU-122 assault guns. Some ISU-122S and ISU-152 may have been converted as well. The gun is removed and the front hull is closed by a large steel plate. A winch is fitted in the superstructure facing rearwards. A flatbed area on the engine deck is used to carry various kinds of engineering equipment. Some vehicles were fitted with a large a-frame crane that folds forwards.
Recovery capabilities
The ISU-T was the earliest model and is nothing more than a heavy tractor. The BTT-1 features a heavy winch. An earth anchor at the rear is lowered before the winch is used. A small 3 t crane Subsequent improvements are a generator and some vehicle were fitted with a large A-frame.
Protection
The steel armor provides a good level of protection for the crew when on the move. The steel armor is up to 90 mm thick. During recovery activities the crew is exposed. NBC protection and smoke grenade launchers are absent.
Mobility
The BTT-1 features a new 520 hp V-52K diesel engine instead of the original engine of the ISU-122. The tracked chassis provides good cross country mobility. Its maximum speed is rather limited at 40 km/h on roads.
Users
The BTT-1 and its variants were mainly used by the USSR. A number were exported alongside the ISU-152 to Egypt and were used in the 1967 and 1973 conflicts with Israel. Small numbers were used by Poland and Czechoslovakia. It is believed that some BTT-1 saw active service up to the 1980's and nowadays none remain in service.
BTT-1
ISU-T: Simple conversion of ISU-122 assault gun to a heavy tractor. These conversions were carried out in the mid 1950's and are not fitted with the new V-54K engine. They feature no dedicated engineering equipment, as such their role was limited to pulling and pushing vehicles.
BTT-1: More capable conversion to be used in the recovery role. Developed in 1959 and in active use since 1962. Features a heavy winch and is easily distinguished from the ISU-T by its large earth anchor at the rear.
BTT-1T: Similar to BTT-1, but an added generator enables it to power welding torches and other equipment.
BTT-1K: Field modification with a large A-frame crane. The A-frame faces forwards when in use and folds towards the rear when stowed. Two large pulleys fixed to the roof of the superstructure allow the rearwards facing winch to be used as hook for the crane. The 'K' suffix may not be an official designation.
- Specifications:
- BTT-1
Type | Armored recovery vehicle |
---|---|
Crew | 2 (driver, mechanic) |
Length | 7.56 m |
Width | 2.08 m |
Height | 2.66 m (roofline) |
Ground clearance | 0.425 m |
Weight | 46 t combat load |
Ground pressure | 0.81 kg/cm2 |
Wheelbase | Tracked chassis, 6 roadwheels, idler front, drive sprocket rear. |
Turn radius | ? |
Engine | V-54K diesel engine, 520 hp at 2.000 rpm |
Power ratio | 11.3 hp/t |
---|---|
Transmission | Manual, 8 gears |
Speed | 40 km/h on road, 15 to 20 km/h in the field |
Fuel | ? |
Range | 350 km on road, 140 km in the field |
Wall | 1.0 m |
Trench | 2.5 m |
Gradient | ? |
Fording | 1.3 m |
Armor | Steel, 90 mm superstructure, 30 mm roof, 20 mm bottom |
NBC equipment | No |
Night vision | No |
---|---|
Smoke | No |
Remarks | Heavy winch and earth anchor 3 t crane |
Armament | DShKM heavy machine gun |
Weapon1 | 12.7mm DShKM heavy machine gun on roof pintle mount 50 rounds ready to fire manual traverse and elevation non-stabilized |
Weapon2 | - |
Weapon3 | - |
Weapon4 | - |
Weapon5 | - |
Weapon6 | - |