PZI 7TP – Polish light tank

The 7TP light tank, produced by PZI, was the only tank produced in Poland before the outbreak of the Second World War. The vehicle derives strictly from the british Vickers Six-ton, which had been purchased in 50 units in 1931. The model had been appreciated by the leaders of the polish army, but some flaws were also highlighted, including insufficient engine power.

Having acquired the license to produce the Six-ton, the PZI technicians worked to modify the project, designing a turret from scratch and modifying the rear part of the superstructure to house the new Swedish 6-cylinder Saurer engine, also built licensed in Poland. The first prototypes were completed in 1935, after which series production began. Initially the vehicle had a limited armament of two machine guns placed in two turrets, but soon this solution was set aside in favour of the single-turret one with a 37 mm Bofors cannon coupled with a 7.92 Browning machine gun. This version, which was later the most widely used, went into production in 1937.

Budget limitations for the army meant that by 1 September 1939, when the Germans crossed the border, only 136 7TPs had been distributed to the combat units. Worst, they were also scattered in many small formations. Taken individually, the Polish tanks were far superior to the Panzer I and II that made up the bulk of the Wehrmacht divisions, but their limited number, the weak armour that exposed them to the deadly fire of the enemy 37mm anti-tank and the wrong disposition of the Polish command meant that the contribution offered by the 7TPs to the resistance in the face of the German invasion turned out to be rather limited.