Buggy Americans

"To Deputy Chief of the Engineering Department of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade, comrade Ryavchenko

I report preliminary data regarding defects of American tanks based on use in training.

1. Both types of tanks have no range markings on their sights. It is necessary to order new ones urgently.
2. The documentation has no mention of what fluid is used to fill the recoil buffers. Please inquire.
3. There is no Wright type anti-fire netting on the carburetor of the light tank, as a result of which the fuel ignites when it backfires and the hoses burn.
   It is necessary to inquire whether the netting is omitted by accident or not installed intentionally.
4. On the medium tanks the track link connectors break often. It is necessary to order spares.
5. On the light tank the RPM limiter does not limit the RPM due to poor calibration.
6. On the same tank it is difficult to engage the first and reverse gears.
7. Four 200 mm long cracks were found on the turret of one light tank.
8. The light tanks have poor hatch hinges. On two of them they were torn off.
9. The end of the differential pinion gear grooved roller tore on one light tank.
10. The batteries leak electrolyte.
11. There was one case where the Browning machine gun frame broke.
12. There was one case where the machine gun trigger bent.

Deputy GABTU BTU Chief, Military Engineer 1st Class, Alymov

Military Commissar of the GABTU BTU, Regimental Commissar Vorobyev

__ March 1942"

CAMD RF F.38 Op.11355 D.647 L.48