In the early thirties in the USSR, work was carried out on the so-called. chemical armored vehicles capable of contaminating and degassing areas or installing smoke screens. Soon, the so-called. removable tank smoke device TDP-3, with the help of which, with minimal effort, it was possible to create several types of chemical tanks at once. Some of them were able to reach exploitation in the army.
Product ТДП-3
Early projects of chemical armored vehicles had a significant drawback. They proposed building equipment from scratch or significant alteration of finished samples, which did not allow simplifying production. In this regard, a new concept soon appeared, providing for the manufacture of a universal chemical device suitable for installation on different platforms.
In 1932 (according to other sources, only in 1933) the Moscow plant "Compressor" created the first such set of equipment called "tank smoke device TDP-3". The complete set weighed 152 kg and had the smallest possible volume. This made it possible to mount it on any existing tanks or vehicles. Different carriers could receive either one or two sets. In the latter case, a minor processing of pipelines was envisaged.
The main element of the TDP-3 device was a cylindrical metal cylinder with a capacity of 40 liters, designed to store a liquid "payload" of all permissible types. It used a compressed gas cylinder to pressurize chemicals, a spray device, a set of pipes, pressure gauges, etc.
The simplest version of the TDP-3 provided for the installation of all devices on the largest cylinder. It was also allowed to rearrange the kit with the installation of parts together or at a distance from each other - depending on the characteristics of the carrier machine.
With the help of compressed gas from a cylinder or compressor of the machine, an operating pressure of 8 to 15 kgf / cm2 was created in the system. In this pressure range, 40 liters of liquid was enough for 8-8.5 minutes of operation. When driving at a speed of 10-12 km / h, a chemical armored vehicle with 40 liters of mixture could process a section up to 1600-1700 m long.
Like other kits, TDP-3 could use different fluids. With this device, it was possible to spray CWA or degassing liquid. A composition was also used to create smoke screens. Regardless of the type of liquid, the principles of the device were the same.
Chemical tank HT-18
The first carrier of the TDP-3 set was the KhT-18 chemical tank. This sample was created in 1932 by the Institute of Chemical Defense under the leadership of engineers Prigorodsky and Kalinin. The HT-18 was built by equipping the serial tank with a new universal device.
The light infantry tank T-18 / MS-1 mod. 1930 At that time, it was one of the main armored vehicles of the Red Army, and it was proposed to use it for various purposes. The HT-18 project retained almost all the components and assemblies of the tank and added new ones. The smoke device TDP-3 was placed on the upper beam of the so-called. tail. The chemical equipment was located behind the stern sheet, and the hull of the tank covered it from attacks from the front corners.
In the fighting compartment, at the commander's workplace, a simple control panel was installed. The atomizers were operated using a sector with a lever, which was responsible for the intensity of the aerosol emission.
The KhT-18 chemical tank lost its 37-mm cannon in the turret; machine gun armament remained the same. Otherwise, it was as similar as possible to the base T-18. Due to this, the chemical and linear tanks did not differ from each other in mobility, protection, etc.
In 1932, the Institute of Chemical Defense, with the assistance of the Kompressor plant, built the first and only experimental tank XT-18. He was sent to the Research Chemical Testing Ground of the Chemical Advanced Training Courses for command personnel (NIHP KKUKS).
XT-18 passed tests and showed the basic performance characteristics at the level of the basic model. There are no exact data on TDP-3 tests. Probably, the smoke device could cope with its tasks, but its characteristics were limited. The HT-18 carried only 40 liters of chemicals, while other experienced chemical armored cars of that time had a reserve of 800-1000 liters.
According to the test results, the chemical tank XT-18 did not receive a recommendation for adoption. At the same time, his target equipment was considered suitable for use in new projects, and soon these ideas were put into practice. It should be noted that during this period the smoke device had to face competition: in parallel, other kits of a similar purpose were created and tested.
Experienced T-26 with TDP-3
In January 1933, two variants of chemical tanks with TDP-3 devices were proposed by the SKB of the Compressor plant. The two new models were built on different bases and had similar target equipment. The first of the new armored vehicles was to be built on the basis of the T-26 light tank in a two-turret design. This sample did not receive its own designation and remained in history as "a T-26 chemical tank with a TDP-3 device."
In July 1933, the Experimental Plant of the Spetsmashtrest named after. CM. Kirov completed the assembly of an experienced T-26 with a TDP-3. The work was completed in the shortest possible time, since no major alteration of the tank was required. The standard armament was removed from the towers of the experienced T-26, two sets of TDP-3 were mounted on the stern of the fenders, and control sectors were installed in the fighting compartment.
The chemical devices were used in their original configuration. A cylinder was attached to the shelf, on which the rest of the parts were located, incl. sprayers. With the help of a pair of pipes, the TDP-3 was connected to the manned compartment of the tank; they housed the control cable. The presence of two cylinders with chemicals made it possible to increase the duration or intensity of the spraying.
The performance characteristics of the tank have not generally changed after the alteration. The installation of two sets with a total weight of more than 300 kg was partly offset by the lack of weapons. For mobility, protection, etc. The T-26 with TDP-3 instruments was not inferior to similar machines in the basic configuration.
Military trials of the experimental T-26 with two TDP-3s continued until October 1933. Specialists of the Red Army did not recommend this model for adoption. Probably, the capacity of the standard mixture cylinders was again considered insufficient. In addition, a significant problem was the open placement of cylinders, which, unlike the HT-18, were not covered by the armor of the carrier tank.
Chemical tank HBT-5
In parallel with the project of restructuring the T-26, the installation of chemical equipment on the newest wheeled-tracked tank BT-5 was being worked out. This modification of the machine was named HBT-5. As before, the project was not difficult.
The KhBT-5 chemical tank received two TDP-3 smoke devices, which were again placed in the stern on the fenders. The kits were open and without reservation. In addition, they found themselves outside the frontal projection of the hull and turret. The TDP-3 devices were connected to the fighting compartment of the tank using pipes with control cables. Since the BT-5 used the same chemical equipment as the T-26, the characteristics of contamination or degassing, as well as the smoke outlet, remained the same.
During the construction of the HBT-5 prototype tank, the standard cannon armament was removed from the existing BT-5 vehicle. Only the DT machine gun remained in the swinging tower mount. Removing the cannon and installing smoke devices led to the preservation of driving performance.
In the same 1933, the HBT-5 tank was tested at the NIHP KhKUKS. Due to the platform in the form of the BT-5, such a machine surpassed other models in mobility, however, the TDP-3 again showed limited capabilities. With all this, the HBT-5 was considered suitable for further development in order to be adopted.
In 1936, the original design of the HBT-5 was slightly revised, after which the serial restructuring of linear tanks began. The ground forces received a number of TDP-3 products; they had to independently mount them on existing tanks. According to various sources, no more than a few dozen linear BT-5s received such equipment.
Serial HBT-5, rebuilt by military workshops, remained in service until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. At the time of the German attack, the Red Army had about 12-13 such vehicles. Like chemical armored vehicles of other types, they participated in battles as carriers of cannon and machine-gun armament and did not use chemical equipment.
New samples
In the same 1933, the TDP-3 device was mounted experimentally on a T-35 tank, and again the results were far from expected. The already known problems appeared again, limiting the prospects of the new model. At the same time, the carrier tank provided some advantages.
The TDP-3 product and the equipment with its use were of limited interest to the Red Army. As a result of tests of several chemical tanks, there was a requirement to create a new kit with improved characteristics, and soon the industry presented such a project. A new sample of a tank smoke device was tested on the T-35 and obtained more interesting results.
