TKS


The TK and TKS were Polish tankettes developed during the 1930s and used in the Second World War.

Design and development

The TK 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 thick. In 1939, up-arming of the tankettes with nkm wz. 38 FK 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 Union occupied Estonia, these vehicles were put into service with the Red Army.

Combat history

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 Roman Orlik destroyed two German Panzer 35(t) tanks and a Panzer IV ausf 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 Hungary from the German and Soviet troops occupying Poland. This mixed formation had 30 tracked vehicles, of which 15–20 were 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 in 1940.

Variants

  • TK – from 1931, about 280 built
  • TKF – TK tankette with 46 hp Polski Fiat engine and new suspension, about 18 built
  • TKS – improved model of 1933, about 260 built
  • TKS with nkm wz. 38 FK – about 24 TKS fitted with 20 mm autocannon in 1939.
  • C2P – unarmoured light artillery tractor, about 200 built.
Experimental models:

List of registration numbers

A list of registration numbers :
  • 1143–52 – Carden-Loyd Mk.VI
  • 1154–68 – "iron" TK-3
  • *1156–59 – rebuilt to TKD SP-guns
  • *1160 – rebuilt to TKS prototype
  • *1164 – rebuilt to TKW prototype
  • 1169–1353 – TK-3
  • *1221 – rebuilt to TKF prototype
  • 1362–1461 – TK-3, possibly including TKF
  • 1492–1511 – "iron" TKS of pre-production series
  • *1510 – rebuilt to TKS-B prototype, than to TKS-D tank destroyer
  • 1512–94 – TKS
  • 1597–1682 – TKS
  • 1702–64 – TKS
  • 1799–1814 – TKS
  • 6006 – TK-1 prototype
  • 6007 – TK-3 prototype
  • 6008 – TK-2 prototype
  • Some from among 8890–8910 range – TKS
  • *8897 – rebuilt to TKS-D tank destroyer
  • *8898 – C2P tractor prototype

Users

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Surviving TK-series tankettes

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 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 TKS – Private collection.
  • 1 TK-3 – Private collection.
The other survivors are not in working order.

Comparable vehicles