PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank that was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,194 |
13 Facts About PT-76
2.
PT-76 has a typical tank layout: the steering compartment at the front, the combat compartment in the center and the engine compartment at the back.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,195 |
3.
The gun can be depressed and elevated between -4 and +30 degrees so like most Soviet tanks, the PT-76 has a limited ability to depress its main gun, and therefore can have difficulty finding a hull down fire position on higher ground.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,196 |
4.
The PT-76 is a reliable, simple to operate and highly mobile reconnaissance vehicle and is ideally designed for amphibious operations, but it has many limitations as a fighting vehicle.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,197 |
5.
PT-76 is amphibious, it has a flat, boat-shaped hull which is hermetical and ensures minimal resistance when the tank is afloat.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,198 |
6.
PT-76 is equipped with a tank communication device, a gyro compass, a 10-RT-26E radio with an antenna that extends itself when needed.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,199 |
7.
PT-76 was used as the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact armies.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,200 |
8.
The PT-76 is still on active service in a number of countries mainly in the third world.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,201 |
9.
Flares had been sent up, thus exposing adversary tanks, but sighting in on muzzle flashes, one PT-76 scored a direct hit on the turret of a M48, killing two crewmen and wounding two more.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,202 |
10.
PT-76 was involved in a landmark incident in armored warfare, in being the first victim of the BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,203 |
11.
PT-76 saw action with Indian forces in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and 1971.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,204 |
12.
PT-76 saw service in the Six-Day War during which the Israeli army destroyed or captured a few PT-76 tanks.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,205 |
13.
One FAPLA PT-76 was destroyed by a South African Ratel-90 armoured car during Operation Moduler.
| FactSnippet No. 2,482,206 |