Dragon 7565 BT-42

The BT-42 is a Finnish self-propelled gun from the Second World War. Production of these vehicles started in 1942, and a year later (1943) they entered the line. The combat weight of the vehicle was up to 15 tons. The drive was provided by a single 12-cylinder Mikulin M-17 engine with a power of up to 500 HP. The basic armament consisted of a 114 mm howitzer. During the Winter War of 1939-1940, Finnish troops captured a number of Soviet BT-7 tanks. Based on these vehicles, Finnish military decision-makers decided to create their own self-propelled gun, capable of supporting their own infantry. Thus, the hull and many components of the BT-7 were preserved, but a completely new turret was developed, capable of accommodating the 4.5-inch 114 mm howitzer imported from Great Britain before 1939. Work on the new car proceeded relatively quickly and in 1943 the vehicle entered the line. Cars of this type were used primarily during the battles with the Soviets in 1944 and to defend the city of Vyborg in the same year.