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The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, Syria, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall, some 25 countries used the PT-76. The tank's full name is Swimming Tank–76 (, ''Plavayushchiy Tank'', or ). ''76'' stands for the caliber of the main armament: the 76.2 mm D-56T series rifled tank gun. The PT-76 is used in the reconnaissance and fire-support roles. Its chassis served as the basis for a number of other vehicle designs, many of them amphibious, including the BTR-50 armored personnel carrier, the ZSU-23-4 self-propelled antiaircraft gun, the ASU-85 airborne self-propelled gun and the 2K12 Kub anti-aircraft missile launch vehicle. ==Development== After World War II, the concept of light tanks was resurrected in the USSR. They were to be used in reconnaissance units and therefore an amphibious ability was essential. The requirements stated that the vehicle should be able to cross water obstacles with little preparation. Many prototypes of such light tanks were built in the late 1940s. The most successful was "obyekt 740" (object 740) designed by the engineer N. Shashmurin working at the VNII-100 institute in Leningrad (a research institute of Chelyabinsk Tank Factory ChTZ) in 1949-1950, under an initial supervision of Josef Kotin from Kirov Plant.〔Baryatynski, pp.4-8〕 The vehicle was successful because it had a simple design, good navigational traits and a good cross country capability. At the time, its water-jet design was innovative.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Modern Tanks )〕 A prototype was built at Kirov Plant in 1950 and the tank was officially adopted on 6 August 1951 with the designation PT-76.〔Baryatynski, pp.13-15〕 Production started at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory (STZ). The tank was subsequently modified. In 1957 a gun D-56T was replaced with D-56TM with double-baffle muzzle brake and fume extractor, the hull was raised by 13 cm, and the tank was equipped with new vision and communications devices.〔 First series tanks were subsequently modified, receiving D-56TM gun and new equipment. In 1959 an improved variant, the PT-76B, was adopted and remained in production until 1967〔 (main improvements were: D-56TS gun with stabilization and CBRN protection). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「PT-76」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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