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The TK (also known as the TK-3) tankette was a Polish design produced from 1931 based on the chassis of the British Carden Loyd tankette, with an improved hull and more powerful engine, and armour up to 8 mm (0.31 in) thick (10 mm or 0.39 in on the TKS). In 1939, up-arming of the tankettes with nkm wz. 38 FK 20 mm (0.79 in) autocannons began, but only 24 of these were completed before the outbreak of World War II.
On 6 November 1934 Estonia purchased 6 vehicles from Poland, with the contract deal worth over 180,000 krones. The deal also included one additional tracked-lorry, and a motorcycle was given free as a bonus. After the Soviet Unionoccupied Estonia, these vehicles were put into service with the Red Army.
Combat history
TK prototype nr. 6007 in its final form with roof hatches open. According to the TK-3 standard (it might be a rebuilt TK-2). Note a horizontal angle of MG fire and two side observation hatches, present in early series TK-3 only.
575 TK/TKS tankettes formed the bulk of the Polish armoured forces before the outbreak of war. They suffered heavy losses during the invasion of Poland, often being the only armoured fighting vehicles available. Their small size suited them for reconnaissance and infantry support, but with their light armament of a single machine gun they stood no chance in combat against German tanks, except against the Panzer I.
The handful of tankettes armed with 20 mm guns were more effective against enemy tanks; in one instance on 18 September 1939 a 20 mm gunned TKS commanded by Podchorąży (officer cadet) Roman Orlik destroyed two German Panzer 35(t) tanks and a Panzer IVausf B tank which was commanded by Victor IV Albrecht von Ratibor.
After the conquest of Poland, captured tankettes were used by the German army in various support roles, mostly for training, security duties or as artillery tractors. Many captured tankettes were also used by the Luftwaffe for airfield security and snowplowing. Some were later sold to the puppet state of Croatia. In spring 1941, the National Police received 18 TK-3 tankettes, some with the 20mm gun, while in summer 1941 the Army received 18 TKS, 4 of them being sent to the Ustashe Militia.
A smaller Polish force retreated to (then neutral) Hungary from the German and Soviet troops occupying Poland. This mixed formation had 30 tracked vehicles, of which 15-20 were TKS (contemporary sources did not officially distinguish between TK-3 and TKS). These vehicles were used for training in tank driving and machine gun handling drills. By the end of the war, they were worn out due to the lack of spare parts, so there is no trace of them after early 1944. The crew was able to travel to England with the help of the Hungarian government during 1940.
Variants
TK-3 tankettes during field exercises, 1938.
TK (TK-3) - from 1931, about 280 built (Ford A engine)
TKF - TK tankette with 46 hp (34 kW) Polski Fiat engine and new (TKS-type) suspension, about 18 built
TKS - improved model of 1933, about 260 built (new hull, suspension, Polski Fiat engine)
TKS with nkm wz. 38 FK - about 24 TKS fitted with 20 mm autocannon in 1939.
There are only two fully operational TKS tankettes and one TK-3 surviving. All of them were reconstructed from wrecks in the first decade of 21st century, using non-original parts.
1 x TKS - One of the TKS tankettes was donated to Poland by the Swedish Axvall Tank Museum and since 2008 it is on exhibition in the Museum of the Polish Army. The Swedish TKS survived the post-war period in Norway, where it was operated by a local farmer as a tractor.
1 x C2P artillery tractor - Was found in Belgium and bought by the National Military History Center of Auburn, Indiana, where it was on exhibition until the center closed in 2019. Its whereabouts are currently unknown.
Gallery
TKS
Estonian TKS tankettes on the republic's anniversary parade on 24 February 1937.
Janusz Magnuski: Orlik hits the first in "Za Wolność i Lud" No. 20/1978, p. 15
Panzers in Finland - Kari Kuusala
Mahé, Yann (April 2011). "Le Blindorama : La Croatie, 1941 - 1945". Batailles & Blindés (in French). No. 42. Caraktère. pp. 4–7. ISSN1765-0828.
Bonhard, Attila; Sárhidai, Gyula; Winkler, László (1992). A Magyar Királyi Honvédség Fegyverzete (in Hungarian). Budapest: Zrínyi Katonai Kiadó. pp. 104–107. ISBN 963-327-182-7.
Adam Jońca, Rajmund Szubański, Jan Tarczyński Wrzesień 1939 Pojazdy Wojska Polskiego wyd. WKiŁ Warszawa 1990 ISBN83-206-0847-3
Magnuski Janusz "Czołg rozpoznawczy TK (TKS)" seria TBiU-Typy broni i uzbrojenia (tom: 36), MON 1975
Bibliography
Janusz Magnuski, "Karaluchy przeciw panzerom"; Pelta; Warsaw 1995
Leszek Komuda, "Przeciwpancerne tankietki" in: "Militaria" Year 1 Nr. 3 and Nr. 4.
Adam Jońca, Rajmund Szubański, Jan Tarczyński, "Wrzesień 1939 - Pojazdy Wojska Polskiego - Barwa i broń"; WKL; Warsaw 1990.
Jan Tarczyński, K. Barbarski, A. Jońca, "Pojazdy w Wojsku Polskim - Polish Army Vehicles - 1918-1939"; Ajaks; Pruszków 1995.
"Czołg rozpoznawczy TK-S", Militaria i Fakty nr. 31 (6/2005)
Janusz Magnuski, "Czołg rozpoznawczy TKS (TK)"; TBiU nr. 36; Wydawnictwo MON; Warsaw 1975
Zbigniew Lalak, "Czołg rozpoznawczy TK3 / Reconnaissance tank TK3" in Z. Lalak, T. Basarabowicz, R. Sawicki, M. Skotnicki, P. Żurkowski "Pojazdy II wojny swiatowej (tom 2) / Military Vehicles of WW2, part 2", Warsaw 2004, ISBN83-920361-0-7
Eesti soomusmasinad : soomusautod ja tankid 1918-1940 / Tiit Noormets, Mati Õun Tallinn : Tammiskilp, 1999 Page 52 ISBN9985-60-692-2
TKS tankette
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TKS
Estonian TKS tankettes on the republic's anniversary parade on 24 February 1937.
Estonian TKS tankettes
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