OT-134 Flamethrower Tank
The OT-134 was the fourth and final entry in a series of flame throwers based on the T-26 light tank, and was the first to carry any other armament. During 1940 the Kompressor Factory in Moscow developed a new flamethrower that was small enough to be mounted in the tank hull instead in the turret. This was mounted in the hull of the T-26S to produce the OT-134. The 45mm gun was retained in a turret which resembled that of the T-50. A small number of OT-134s were produced in 1941, in time to take part in the disasters that overwhelmed the Red Army after the German invasion.
Russian Tanks of World War II, Stalin's Armoured Might, Tim Bean and Will Fowler. A good overview of the development of Soviet Tanks from the early models based on British and American originals to the excellent Russian designed T-34 and the heavy IS tanks. Bean and Fowler also look at the development of Soviet tank doctrine, the impact of Stalin's purges on the tank forces, and their use in combat from the small-scale clashes in the Far East to the apocalyptic fighting on the Eastern Front between 1941-45. A little lacking on precise details of the sub-variants of some of the tanks, but otherwise very good.
How to cite this article:
Rickard, J (12 September 2008), OT-134 Flamethrower Tank , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_OT-134.html
