БТР-40: Советский бронетранспортёр и разведчик

The BTR 40 (БТР, from Бронетранспортёр, or Bronetransporter, literally "armoured transporter".†) is a Soviet open topped, wheeled armoured personnel carrier and reconnaissance vehicle. It is often referred to as the Sorokovka in Soviet service. It was eventually replaced in the APC role by the BTR 152 and in the scout car role by the BRDM 1.

The BTR 40's development began in early 1947 at the design bureau of the Gorky Automobile Factory under the leadership of V. A. Dedkov. The concept was a successor to the BA 64B armoured car which went out of production in 1946. The design team also included L. W. Kostikin and P. I. Muziukin. Two prototypes designated BTR 141 were completed in 1947. The first was armed with two coaxial 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine guns on a rotatable mount which was protected by armour plate at the front and sides. The second had no fixed armament. Neither one was accepted for service. In 1950 two new prototypes were produced. Those had a different shape of armour including an upright rear armour. Again one prototype had no fixed armament and the second was armed with two coaxial 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine guns. These were accepted into service as BTR 40 and BTR 40A respectively. The vehicle's drawbacks, such as its poor cross country performance and problems with crossing water obstacles, compelled the design team to produce, in late 1954, what was planned to be an amphibious variant of the BTR 40. It received the designation BTR 40P (with the 'P' standing for plavayushchiy – "floating"). During the design process, the vehicle moved away from the APC concept and became an amphibious armoured scout car. It received a new designation, BRDM.

The BTR 40's design was based on the GAZ 63 four wheel drive truck which went into production in 1946. The design featured a self bearing body which was a new feature in Soviet vehicles. The hull has two side doors for the commander and driver and a back door. The vehicle can transport up to eight fully equipped soldiers or 1 tonne of cargo.

The BTR 40's armour is from 6 mm to 8 mm thick which gives it protection from small arms fire and the shell splinters of its time, but does not protect it against modern artillery fragments and .50 calibre machine gun fire. The BTR 40 series tyres are not protected by armour. They are particularly vulnerable to puncture from fire of all kinds. The vehicle has no roof and is normally covered with a tarpaulin to protect the crew, transported cargo or troops from rain and snow. However this makes it unable to mount any of the SGMB machine guns.

The APC variant has no permanent armament but it has pintle mounts for three 7.62 mm SGMB medium machine guns, one at the front of the troop compartment and the other two at the sides. The vehicle also has two firing ports on both sides of the hull which allow up to four soldiers to use their weapons while being protected by the APC's armour.

Like the GAZ 63 truck on which it is based on, the BTR 40 has a four wheel drive. The chassis, however, is shorter compared to the GAZ 63. The only other thing that distinguishes the chassis of the BTR 40 from that of the GAZ 63 are additional shock absorbers. The BTR 40 also has a more powerful engine. The turning angle is 7.5 m.

The vehicle has the 10RT 12 receiving and airing radio which has a range of 20–25 km and a winch at the front, with a maximum capacity of 4.5 tonnes and 70 m of cable. It has no protection against nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons. It also has no night vision equipment.

The BTR 40 was produced at the Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (Gorkovsky Automobile Factory) from 1950 to 1960. It was first shown publicly at the military parade in Moscow in 1950. It was issued to the Red Army in 1950 and was used in the APC, reconnaissance and command post roles. After several years of service, it became apparent that it did not fit the modern battlefield. It was replaced by the BTR 152.

The BTR 40 began to enter service with two other Warsaw Pact members in late 1949, namely East Germany and Poland, where it was used as a standard APC until more advanced vehicles like the BTR 152 were available. The last BTR 40s were withdrawn from Warsaw Pact countries in the early 1970s. The vehicle was also sold to many Arab and African nations in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The People's Republic of China (PRC), had developed a copy of the BTR 40 called the Type 55. It is unknown how many of these vehicles entered service with the PLA. The vehicle was also exported to North Korea, probably as part of a military assistance programme during the Korean War, where it saw combat for the first time. It was later used by the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War. BTR 40 also saw combat service during the North Yemen Civil War during which at least one was captured from the Egyptians by the royalist guerrillas.

BTR 141 (1947) – The original prototype with a faceted rear hull had two variants. The first was armed with twin ZPTU 2 14.5 mm KPV heavy machine guns placed in a rotary platform with armour protection at the front and sides. The second version had no permanent armament but later became the BTR 40. BTR 40 (1950) – Original production model. BTR 40A (1950) – BTR 40 converted into a SPAAG armed with twin ZPTU 2 14.5 mm twin anti aircraft gun (2400 rounds) in a turret, later also used in the BTR 152A, manually operated by a single soldier. The turret is placed inside the troop compartment. It can make a full turn and its guns can elevate between 5 and +80 degrees. This variant does not have the firing ports in the hull sides. BTR 40V (1956) – BTR 40 fitted with an external tyre pressure regulation system. BTR 40B (1957) – BTR 40V with an armoured roof with four hatches. The vehicle has a filtering/ventilation system, NBC protection system and central tyre pressure regulation system. It also has a pintle mount for a 12.7 mm or 14.5 mm heavy machine gun, although the standard version of the BTR 40B had no fixed armament. It was designed for use as a reconnaissance vehicle. Crew was reduced from 2 + 8 passengers to 2 + 6. BTR 40Kh – NBC reconnaissance vehicle. BTR 40ZhD (1959) – BTR 40 equipped with small rail wheels mounted to the front and rear of the vehicle on special supports. BRDM 1 – Armoured car which uses a number of BTR 40 components. Originally planned to be an amphibious variant of the BTR 40 and therefore it received the designation BTR 40P.

Type 55 – Chinese copy of the BTR 40. Possibly also a designation for the Soviet supplied BTR 40s.

BTR 40A AA – A Cuban air defence vehicle. It uses the chassis and the armoured front of the BTR 40 but the troop compartment has been removed in favour of a square sided platform mount with drop down sides and rear on which twin ZPTU 2 14.5 mm KPV heavy machine guns are placed. BTR 40A PB – A Cuban BTR 40 armed with an anti tank guided missile (ATGM) launcher. While travelling, the launcher is hidden in the superstructure so that from a distance, the vehicle cannot be easily distinguished from a normal BTR 40. The superstructure also provides the launcher with armour protection. When in position, the roof of the superstructure is opened sideways and the launcher is elevated. Jababli – Is a Cuban BTR 40 fitted with a 3M11 Falanga (AT 2 Swatter) ATGM launcher on a launch platform in a cut down superstructure. Only a limited number were built. NATO gave it the designation M1975/4.

SPW 40 – The East German designation for a BTR 40. SPW 40A – The East German designation for a BTR 40A. SPW 40Ch – The East German designation for a BTR 40Kh. SPW 40 converted into a tank destroyer armed with an elevatable ATGM launcher capable of firing six 9M14 Malyutka ATGMs with an armoured roof over it in a cut down troop compartment. This variant does not have the firing ports in the hull sides.

BTR 40 converted into an armoured car armed with a medium machine gun in a cube shaped turret on top of the superstructure inside the troop compartment. It also has four smoke grenade launchers on both sides of the hull. BTR 40 converted into an armoured car armed with a 40 mm gun in an angular turret on top of the superstructure inside the troop compartment, it also has four smoke grenade dischargers on both sides of the hull. It has a searchlight on the left hand side of the hull. It is intended to be used for fire support.

BTR 40 fitted with pintle mounts for the US M1919A4 7.62mm light machine guns, one in the forward part of the troop compartment and two on either side as well a large number of equipment holders on the hull. BTR 40 fitted with TCM 20 anti aircraft turret.