The 7 TP series put up a valiant defense against the invading German Army in the opening salvos of World War 2. By Staff Writer
The 7TP series was of a Polish design, based on the British Vickers-Armstrong 6-ton light tank (Mark E). When war with Germany was rolling about the horizon, the Polish government saw a need to replace their diminutive tankettes with a more substantial system capable of offense and defense. Designs were drawn up as early as 1931, most as derivatives of the existing Vickers-Armstrong design utilizing two turrets.
Though 22 such vehicles were produced by 1936, a new rearmament plan called for the addition of a 37mm anti-tank gun on a light tank chassis to be designated as the 7TP. As such, the early production vehicles were retrofitted with a Swedish 37mm Model 37 L/45 main gun and redesignated as the 7 TP dw to mirror this change. Any additional production vehicles thereafter received the designation of 7 TP jw as a result.
7 TPs would see almost immediate action, albeit in limited quantities, for the invasion of Poland. By all accounts, the 7 TP was a solid battlefield system, giving the advancing German forces a run for their money and achieving an early and respectable kill-to-loss ratio. Unfortunately, the system was in short supply and the sheer number of German forces - and the speed at which they moved at - overwhelmed the Polish forces into a last-ditch defensive position where losses of the 7 TPs continued to mount.
With the invasion of Poland all but secured, German Army forces began to reuse captured 7 TP systems against their owners and beyond. The system also served with Romanian units which, to an extent, showed some testament to the 7 TPs effective design. A more powerful version known as the 10 TP was in its prototype stage by the time Germany completed their invasion and thusly never completed.
Standard armament for the 7 TP series also included a single self-defense 7.9mm machine gun of the Hotchkiss brand. Ammunition consisted of 80 projectiles for the 37mm main gun and 4,000 rounds of 7.9mm ammunition. Crew accommodations amounted to three personnel. Power was derived from a single Saurer VBLD 6-cylinder engine producing some 110 horsepower.
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Armored Vehicle Quick Profile
Image Courtesy of the Public Domain.
1936
Designation:7TP Classification Type:Main Battle Tank Contractor:Poland Country of Origin: Poland Number Built: 140
Operators: Poland; Nazi Germany; Romania; Soviet Union
Variants
7TP - Base Series Designation
7TP dw - Redesignation of original 22 vehicles after addition of Swedish 37mm anti-tank gun.
7TP jw - Full Production Series Designation now featuring 37mm main gun.
PzKpfw 7TP (P) - German Redesignation of captured Polish 7 TP systems for German and Romanian use.
C7P - Artillery Tractor based on the chassis of the 7TP light tank.
10TP - Proposed Design fitted with V-12 powerplant and improved Christie type suspension system; appeared only in prototype stage.
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