T-37A

The T-37A was a Soviet amphibious light tank. The tank is often referred to as the T-37, although that designation was used by a different tank which never left the prototype stage.

The T-37A was the first series of mass-produced fully amphibious tanks in the world.

A command version of the tank was created, the T-37TU.

History
The tank was first created in 1932, based on the British Vickers tankette and other operational amphibious tanks. The tank was mass-produced starting in 1933 up until 1936, when it was replaced with the more modern T-38. Overall, after four years of production, 2552 T-37A's were produced, including the original prototypes.

In the Red Army, they were used to perform tasks in communication, reconnaissance, and as defense units on the march, as well as active infantry support on the battlefield.

The T-37A were used in large numbers during the Soviet invasion of Polandand in the Winter War against Finland. The T-37A was also used by the Soviets in the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, but most of them were quickly lost.

Surviving tanks of that type fought on the front lines until 1944, and were used in training and auxiliary defense until the end of World War II.

T-37 and T-41
At the 2nd VATO plant, under the supervision of N. N. Kozyrev, the T-41 amphibious tank was produced, weighing 3.5 tons and using the GAZ-AA engine, which was based on the T-27 power plant.

Leningrad builders likewise continued the development of a more suitable amphibious tank, and they designated their latest model as the “T-37”.It had the same GAZ AA engine as the T-41, the same transmission.

Although the T-41 was actually produced for the military in small numbers, after testing and battlefield trials the T-37 was denied production due to various minor faults and an incomplete development process.