Comparison of early World War II tanks

This table compare the tanks in use by the belligerent nations of Europe at the start of the Second World War, employed in the Polish Campaign (1939), the Fall of France (1940), and Operation Barbarossa (1941).

A11 Infantry Tank I Matilda

A12 Infantry Tank II Matilda

Panzer I

Panzer II

Panzer III

LT-35
[Panzer 35(t)]

LT-38
[Panzer 38(t)]

7-TP

T-26

BT-8
[BT-7M]

T-34
Model 1940

Country

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

[...] Germany

[...] Germany

[...] Germany

Czechoslovakia, [...] Germany

Czechoslovakia, [...] Germany, Sweden

Poland

Soviet Union

Soviet Union

Soviet Union

Producer

Vickers-Armstrong

Vulcan Foundry (later many more)

Henschel, MAN, Daimler-Benz, Krupp

Henschel, MAN, Daimler-Benz, Alkett

Henschel, MAN, Daimler-Benz, FAMO

Škoda

Škoda

PZInż

Bolshevik Factory, Kirov Works and others

KhPZ and others

KhPZ and others

Entered service

1938

1939

1934

1936

1939

1937

1939

1935

1931

1939

1940

Related model

Matilda I

Carden Loyd Mk.IV

Panzer I

Vickers E

Vickers E

BT‑2, BT‑5, BT‑7

BT-8

Crew

2

4

2

3

5

5

4

3

3

3

4

Dimensions

Length

4.9 m

6.0 m

4.40 m

4.80 m

5.52 m

4.65 m

4.61 m

4.56 m

4.88 m

5.66 m

5.92 m

Width

2.3 m

2.6 m

2.00 m

2.20 m

2.90 m

2.25 m

2.12 m

2.43 m

2.41 m

2.29 m

3.00 m

Height

2.0 m

3.5 m

1.70 m

2.00 m

2.50 m

2.35 m

2.40 m

2.27 m

2.08 m

2.42 m

2.45 m

Weight

11 tonnes

27 tonnes

6.0 tonnes

9.5 tonnes

22.0 tonnes

11.0 tonnes

9.5 tonnes

9.9 tonnes

10.3 tonnes

14.7 tonnes

26.3 tonnes

Armour

Turret front
side
top

65 mm
65 mm
10 mm

75 mm
75 mm
20 mm

13 mm
13 mm
8 mm

15 mm
15 mm
10 mm

30 mm
30 mm
12 mm

25 mm
15 mm
10 mm

25 mm
15 mm
10 mm

15 mm
15 mm
10 mm

15 mm
15 mm
10 mm

15 mm
15 mm
15 mm

45 mm
45 mm
16 mm

Hull front
side
top

60 mm
60 mm
30 mm

78 mm
55 mm
20 mm

13 mm
13 mm
6 mm

15 mm
15 mm
5 mm

30 mm
30 mm
16 mm

25 mm
15 mm
8 mm

30 mm
15 mm
8 mm

17 mm
13 mm
10 mm

15 mm
15 mm
6 mm

30 mm
13 mm
10 mm

45 mm
45 mm
20 mm

Armament

Main

0.303 or 0.5 MG

QF 2 pdr
40 mm

2×
7.92 mm

20 mm

37 mm

Skoda A3
37 mm

L/47.8
37 mm

Bofors wz. 37
37 mm

Model 32
45 mm

Model 38
45 mm

L-11 Model 1939
76.2mm/L30.5

Secondary

–

7.92 mm Besa MG

–

2×MG34
7.92 mm

2×MG34
7.92 mm

2×
7.92 mm

2×MG37(t)
7.92 mm

Ckm wz.30
7.92 mm

2×DT machine guns
7.62 mm

3×DT
7.62 mm

2×DT
7.62 mm (hull, turret rear)

Ammunition

-
4,000 rounds

93 AP shot
2,925 rounds

-
2,250 rounds

180 shells
2,250 rounds

120 shells
3,750 rounds

72 shells
1,800 rounds

72 shells
2,400 rounds

80 shells
3,960 rounds

100 shells
2,848 rounds

146 shells
2,394 rounds

77 shells
2,898–4,725 rounds

Engine

Fuel

gasoline

diesel

gasoline

gasoline

gasoline

gasoline

gasoline

diesel

gasoline

diesel

diesel

Engine

8-cylinder
Ford

?
AEC or Leyland

6-cylinder
Maybach NL38TR

6-cylinder
Škoda T11

6-cylinder
Praga EPA

6-cylinder
Saurer VGLD

6-cylinder
GAZ T-26

12-cylinder
V-2

12-cylinder
V-2-34

Power

70 hp
52 kW

180 hp
134 kW

100 hp
75 kW

140 hp
104 kW

265 hp
197 kW

120 hp
89 kW

125 hp
93 kW

110 hp
82 kW

90 hp
67 kW

450 hp
340 kW

500 hp
375 kW

Fuel consumption

?

?

103–126 litres/100 km

?

?

?

?

81–100 litres/100 km

?

?

?

Mobility

Suspension

sprung bogie

coil spring

coil spring/
leaf spring

torsion-bar

torsion-bar

leaf spring bogie

leaf spring

leaf spring bogie

leaf spring

Christie

Christie

Speed (road)
(terrain)

13 km/h
9

24 km/h
15

40 km/h
?

40 km/h
?

40 km/h
?

34 km/h
?

42 km/h
15 km/h

37 km/h
?

30 km/h
?

86 km/h
?

53.5 km/h
?

Range (road)
(terrain)

?

?

140 km
115 km

200 km
?

155 km
?

190 km
?

250 km
160 km

160 km
130 km

225 km
150 km

700 km
400 km

300–400 km
230–260 km

power:weight

6.3 hp/t

6.7 hp/t

16.7 hp/t

14.8 hp/t

12.0 hp/t

10.9 hp/t

13.2 hp/t

11.1 hp/t

8.7 hp/t

30.6 hp/t

19.0 hp/t

Track width

280 mm

305 mm

360 mm

320 mm

293 mm

267 mm

260 mm

300 mm

550 mm

Ground pressure

?

?

?

?

?

59 kPa

60 kPa

.78 kg/cm2

0.64 kg/cm²

Ground clearance

290 mm

?

385 mm

350 mm

400 mm

376 mm

380 mm

350 mm

400 mm

Vertical obstacle
Trench crossing
Fording depth

0.36 m
1.4 m
0.58 m

0.42 m
?
0.85 m

0.6 m
2.3 m
0.8 m

0.79 m
2.01 m
0.79 m

0.8 m
1.86 m
0.9 m

?
1.8 m
1.0 m

0.7 m
1.8 m
0.8 m

0.55 m
2 m
1.2 m

0.8 m
2.5 m
1.3m

Matilda Mk I

Matilda MK II

Panzer I

Panzer II

Panzer III

LT-35

LT-38

7-TP

T-26

BT-8

T-34