Tractor T-38: from beet fields to a drifting station

By the mid-50s, it became clear that the design of the KDP-35 was in urgent need of modernization. At the Lipetsk Tractor Plant they decided to use its elements as a base, creating a new model of transport for the village.


The new product of the enterprise had a wide range of potential applications, which subsequently made it an indispensable assistant on collective farm fields. Classified as 2t, it could be involved in the full cycle of field work: plowing, pre-sowing soil preparation, direct sowing of various crops and harvesting of the finished crop. It has found its widest application in areas planted with sugar beets.


This specificity made the tractor a universal assistant for villagers. The fact that the manufacturers tried to take into account all the weaknesses of the previous KDP-35 design, eliminating them in the new tractor from the plant, also added more weight to the equipment.

Technology that came at just the right time

In the second half of the 50s, Soviet people became increasingly accustomed to peaceful life, gradually restoring the national economy. Reliable rural tracked vehicles also played a significant role in this. It turned out to be especially valuable during the period of development of virgin lands.



This is not surprising, because technical thought moved forward, and the first Lipetsk machine had a design more than ten years ago. Although its assembly continued until the beginning of 1960, but only until the moment when the T-38 gained momentum on the assembly line. Here are its positive differences from its predecessor:

✅ increased smoothness (due to torsion bar suspension)
✅ roller bearings that improve the strength of the chassis
✅ their lubrication is from a common oil reservoir

The latter led to a threefold reduction in the cost of lubrication of the entire chassis of the equipment. The designers also more successfully balanced the center of gravity in the T-38. This gave it an advantage over its predecessor, increasing stability when working with attachments.


The very next year after the start of production, the modernization of the equipment matured, improving its performance. Here are the changes that occurred (changes are indicated in parentheses):

✅ engine power – 40 (45) l. With
✅ crankshaft revolutions per minute – 1400 (1600)
✅ the range of technology applications has been expanded

All these changes only improved the efficiency of tractors in the fields. It manifested itself especially well when cultivating crops in irrigated regions, where increased traction forces were required from the equipment. The T-38M demonstrated good maneuverability coupled with good traction qualities. Some of the elements of its design contributed to this:

✅ high ground clearance
✅ sufficient track
✅ not very wide tracks

So that the tractor could be used for other types of work, it was supplied with another pair of wider tracks. And its good maneuverability was ensured by installing rotation brakes and special clutches. The T-38 has a semi-rigid suspension with torsion bars. In addition to this, there is a balancing connection of the trolleys.


Production of the basic version continued until 1961. A total of 26,3 thousand units of such equipment were sent to the fields of the country. Over the next 12 years, the company produced a more powerful version of the tractor. Much more modifications of the T-38M have been assembled - 103,8 thousand units. The model became famous for acting as a vehicle for the drifting station North Pole-13.