KhTZ-16

Abandoned KhTZ-16 in 1942

The KhTZ-16 (Russian: ХТЗ-16) (after the Kharkiv Tractor Factory; Ukrainian: Харківський Тракторний Завод) was a Soviet improvised fighting vehicle of the Second World War, built on the chassis of an STZ-3 tractor.[1] The vehicles were built in Kharkiv until the factory was evacuated to the east, at which time production moved to Stalingrad. No less than 809 vehicles were planned, but no more than about 60-90 were actually built. Some vehicles were used in the fighting around Kharkiv in October 1941, but were quickly lost in battle against Axis forces.

The vehicle was operated by a crew of two, and armed with a 45mm anti-tank gun, 37mm anti-aircraft gun and a 7.62mm DT or Degtyarev light machine gun mounted in a fixed superstructure.

  1. ^ Kolomiets, Maxim (1997). "Бронетракторы. Часть 3" [Bronetractors, Part 3]. armor.kiev.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 2016-10-19.