In 1939, the Red Army had not one, not two, but three whole heavy tank designs. Find out how they competed and who the winner was in my latest video.
This blog is dedicated to bringing World War II era documents to the general public, with an overall focus on armoured warfare. Questions? Requests? Comments? Email me at tankarchives@gmail.com or find me on Twitter @Tank_Archives.
Showing posts with label T-100. Show all posts
Showing posts with label T-100. Show all posts
Monday, 9 June 2025
Monday, 13 December 2021
A Second Life for Obsolete Chassis
Instances where obsolete tank chassis are used to make quite modern vehicles that nevertheless remained experimental are common. Nearly a dozen German SPGs were produced in tiny amounts but still saw front line service. One common example is the Pz.Sfl.V tank destroyer, better known as the Sturer Emil. This vehicle was built on the chassis of the VK 30.01(H) heavy tank that was never put into mass production. Only two Pz.Sfl.V were built, but they were used quite successfully.
This German SPG was brought up as an example intentionally. Today it is displayed alongside its Soviet analogues, which also remained experimental. These are the SU-14-1 and T-100Y SPGs, built as bunker busters. They did not make it to the Winter War, but were likely used in battle during the defense of the NIBT Proving Grounds. Both vehicles were built on the chassis of tanks that were either considered obsolete or otherwise unfit.
Tuesday, 12 February 2019
Leaning by Doing
"December 13th, 1939
#212472
To the Assistant of the Chief of the General Staff of the RKKA, Corps Commander comrade Zaharov
RE: your #57129s/s
It is not possible to perform battlefield trials of the KV, SMK, T-100, A-20, A-32, T-40, A5, A7M tanks or the BA-11 armoured car in 1939, as the experimental KV, SMK, and T-100 tanks are currently undergoing proving grounds trials.
Experimental prototypes of the A-20, A-32, T-40, A5, A7M tanks, and the BA-11 armoured car passed proving grounds trials, and the factories are now making changes to blueprints based on the results of the trials, in order to produce pilot batches.
Only tanks and armoured cars produced in 1940 will be sent to battlefield trials.
Modernized T-28 tanks will not undergo battlefield trials, and will be issued to regular Belorussian Military District units.
The modernized T-26 tank has a new suspension, but the turbocharged engine has not yet arrived, and therefore battlefield trials will be postponed until 1940.
The SBT bridgelayer tank will be transferred to battlefield trials in December of 1939.
On the orders of Assistant Chief of the ABTU, Corps Commander Pavlov Panfilov
On the orders of Military Commissar of the ABTU, Brigade Commissar Kulikov"
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
IS model 1940
"USSR NKSM
Order of the Labouring Red Banner Voroshilov factory #174, department #1
July 22nd, 1940
#3794, Top Secret
To the Deputy of the People's Commissar of Medium Machinebuilding, comrade A.A. Goreglyad
Copy to the Chief of the NKSM Glavspetsmash, comrade Surenyan
On the issue of the heavily armoured IS tank.
I propose this heavy IS tank project, composed according to the orders of the NKSM.
Our factory agrees to produce the project, working blueprints, and experimental prototype, and considers it possible to produce up to 30 vehicles annually using the capabilities of the experimental division (formerly factory #185). In order to ensure such volume, cooperation among a series of factories is necessary, both from our Commissariat and others which supply our factory with raw materials and components. Additionally, the factory will need more equipment. An approximate calculation of required equipment and cooperation plans are included in the attachment.
Reply with your decision.
Attachment: explanatory note to the NKSM (two copies), to Glavspetsmash (one copy) and for the archive.
Preliminary cooperation plan for the NKSM (two copies), for Glavspetsmash (one copy) and for the archive.
Blueprints (two copies) for the NKSM
Factory director Markin
Chief engineer Zasovenko
Chief designer Ginsburg
Explanatory note for the heavily armoured IS tank project
The project completed by Voroshilov factory #174 fills the need of a breakthrough tank in a positional war.
The main tasks of this tank are the destruction of long-term reinforced concrete artillery emplacements, artillery, and heavy enemy tanks. These tanks can also serve as a powerful coastal defense gun, aiding in deflecting enemy landing attempts. The armour (main thickness: 110 mm) is thick enough to withstand all artillery installed in concrete emplacements, from 37 mm to 88 mm inclusive.
For instance, Germany uses an 88 mm AA gun with the muzzle velocity of 820 m/s. It is possible that this gun can be put in a bunker. It is unlikely that larger caliber guns will be placed in bunkers due to low rates of fire and difficulty in hitting moving targets up close. Additionally, high caliber artillery has no armour piercing shells, and its long barrels will reveal its location.
The tank is armed with a powerful 130 mm B-13 gun with a muzzle velocity of 880 m/s, using a 36 kg shell. Due to its powerful penetration (the gun can penetrate 150 mm of armour from a kilometer away), a shot that hits a bunker or pillbox will destroy it.
When firing a concrete piercing shell, up to two meters of concrete can be breached, with a fragmentation power approaching that of the 152 mm ML-20 shell.
The turret can spin in a full circle, and has a 2400 mm turret ring.
The presence of a semi-automatic breech, loading tray, gun rammer, and bore evacuator increase the rate of fire and make the crew's working conditions better. The hull can be made of rolled or cast armour. The tank has four machineguns for protecting itself from enemy infantry. Two of these are in turrets, which can quickly shift fire between land and airborne threats. One of these turrets solves the issue of granting the commander 360 degree vision. It's possible to use the turret for observation only, but then the advantage of rapidly shifting fire is lost. The tank can carry 50 shells for its main armament, which allows it to operate on the battlefield for a long span of time.
Instead of a B-13 gun, a 122 mm A-19 corps gun can be installed, with a muzzle velocity of 820 m/s and a 25 kg shell, or a 152 mm ML-20 corps gun with a muzzle velocity of 650 m/s and a 44.5 kg shell. The rate of fire of the 122 mm gun is close to that of the 130 mm gun and is significantly higher than of the 152 mm gun.
The vehicle uses the 24-cylinder V-24 engine, 1100-1200 hp, composed of a pair of V-2 engines in one unit. This engine uses parts produced by factory #75, and an experimental prototype can be built in 4-5 months.
Aside from the above engine, the tank can use the 12-cylinder MN-1 1000 hp engine, a batch of which was already produced by Ts.I.A.M. or a turbocharged V-2 engine at 850 hp, with a lower top speed.
The engine can grant the vehicle a speed of up to 35 kph, and the ability to traverse light obstacles and very rough terrain. As for off-road performance, it is difficult to achieve in this class of vehicle, as the ground pressure is limited by the size of railroads, maximum possible width, and internal volume.
With 800 mm wide tracks and 110 mm thick armour, given zeroth volume category (width: 3400 mm), the internal width of the hull ends up being 1560 mm, which is less than that of the light T-26 tank, where it is 1625 mm. This project has the ground pressure of 0.9 kg/cm^2.
In order to reduce the ground pressure on soft terrain, it is possible to replace the 800 mm wide tracks with 1 meter wide tracks, at which point ground pressure decreases to 0.75 kg/cm^2. The narrower tracks can be equipped for railroad transport and use on solid ground or in winter conditions. The size of the vehicle fits within the zeroth category. According to NKPS instructions (TransZhelDorIzdat, 1938), a load of these dimensions can be transported without restrictions on Soviet railroads.
The combat mass of the tank is 75 tons. Considering that the mass of the vehicle without ammunition, equipment, fuel, and crew is no more than 70 tons, they can be transported on 60 ton train cars with acceptable overloads. If the turret and hull are transported separately, existing platforms (even 50 ton ones) fully enable the transport of this tank.
The project is completed with two variants.
Variant 1 (blueprints IS-S1, IS-S2, IS-S3, IS-S4, IS-S5, IS-S6, IS-S7) has the classical tank layout.
The transmission and engine group is in the rear of the tank. The cooling fan is on the axis of the crankshaft, and is the two-stage axle type. The air is sucked in at the top of the vehicle, and exhausted on the bottom, near the tracks. The transmission is mechanical, with five speeds forward and one back.
In order to make the transmission as small as possible, the friction clutches are inverted and placed behind the final drives above the suspension, in a box that is the continuation of the turret platform. The turret is in the middle of the vehicle. The ammunition is placed in the perimeter of the turret, in the hull, and in the turret bustle.
Fuel tanks are located in the fighting compartment, and act as a floor for the gun crew. The engine and transmission can be accessed through special hatches and passages.
As it is difficult to protect the suspension from artillery fire, there is a divide between the protection of the hull and suspension.
Variant 2. This variant has significant differences in its design (blueprints IS-S-1, IS-S2-1, IS-S3-1, IS-S4-1). In order to protect the suspension, a separate track is used. Each side has two independent tracks, each of which is driven independently. To achieve this, the transmission and engine group is in the middle of the vehicle, and each side has two drive wheels. If one track per side is destroyed, the tank can still continue on its course. In addition, the front idler can be modified to be used as a mine roller. If the front track is hit and falls off, it protects the rear track from being damaged by explosives. In order to obtain a sufficiently large surface, the tank's hull is increased in length by 600 mm. That and the increase in weight due to the suspension results in a tank weight of 79 tons. In order to achieve the desired weight of 75 tons, the main armour thickness must either be reduced to 100 mm or the turret must be transported separately.
Due to a reduction in track surface area, the ground pressure increases to 1.05 kg/cm^2 without sinking and 0.85 kg/cm^2 when sunken by 100 mm.
The crew is separated, and can exit trough two emergency hatches underneath the tank.
The cost of the vehicle when produced in small batches is no more than 3 million rubles, which compares favourably to the cost of the 100-Y vehicle (the cost of one is 3.3 million rubles).
If the project is approved immediately, the first prototype will be ready by June-July of 1941, and the first batch will be ready in the first quarter of 1942.
Factory director Markin
Chief engineer Zasovenko
Chief designer Ginsburg"
V. Lehn Collection
Order of the Labouring Red Banner Voroshilov factory #174, department #1
July 22nd, 1940
#3794, Top Secret
To the Deputy of the People's Commissar of Medium Machinebuilding, comrade A.A. Goreglyad
Copy to the Chief of the NKSM Glavspetsmash, comrade Surenyan
On the issue of the heavily armoured IS tank.
I propose this heavy IS tank project, composed according to the orders of the NKSM.
Our factory agrees to produce the project, working blueprints, and experimental prototype, and considers it possible to produce up to 30 vehicles annually using the capabilities of the experimental division (formerly factory #185). In order to ensure such volume, cooperation among a series of factories is necessary, both from our Commissariat and others which supply our factory with raw materials and components. Additionally, the factory will need more equipment. An approximate calculation of required equipment and cooperation plans are included in the attachment.
Reply with your decision.
Attachment: explanatory note to the NKSM (two copies), to Glavspetsmash (one copy) and for the archive.
Preliminary cooperation plan for the NKSM (two copies), for Glavspetsmash (one copy) and for the archive.
Blueprints (two copies) for the NKSM
Factory director Markin
Chief engineer Zasovenko
Chief designer Ginsburg
Explanatory note for the heavily armoured IS tank project
The project completed by Voroshilov factory #174 fills the need of a breakthrough tank in a positional war.
The main tasks of this tank are the destruction of long-term reinforced concrete artillery emplacements, artillery, and heavy enemy tanks. These tanks can also serve as a powerful coastal defense gun, aiding in deflecting enemy landing attempts. The armour (main thickness: 110 mm) is thick enough to withstand all artillery installed in concrete emplacements, from 37 mm to 88 mm inclusive.
For instance, Germany uses an 88 mm AA gun with the muzzle velocity of 820 m/s. It is possible that this gun can be put in a bunker. It is unlikely that larger caliber guns will be placed in bunkers due to low rates of fire and difficulty in hitting moving targets up close. Additionally, high caliber artillery has no armour piercing shells, and its long barrels will reveal its location.
The tank is armed with a powerful 130 mm B-13 gun with a muzzle velocity of 880 m/s, using a 36 kg shell. Due to its powerful penetration (the gun can penetrate 150 mm of armour from a kilometer away), a shot that hits a bunker or pillbox will destroy it.
When firing a concrete piercing shell, up to two meters of concrete can be breached, with a fragmentation power approaching that of the 152 mm ML-20 shell.
The turret can spin in a full circle, and has a 2400 mm turret ring.
The presence of a semi-automatic breech, loading tray, gun rammer, and bore evacuator increase the rate of fire and make the crew's working conditions better. The hull can be made of rolled or cast armour. The tank has four machineguns for protecting itself from enemy infantry. Two of these are in turrets, which can quickly shift fire between land and airborne threats. One of these turrets solves the issue of granting the commander 360 degree vision. It's possible to use the turret for observation only, but then the advantage of rapidly shifting fire is lost. The tank can carry 50 shells for its main armament, which allows it to operate on the battlefield for a long span of time.
Instead of a B-13 gun, a 122 mm A-19 corps gun can be installed, with a muzzle velocity of 820 m/s and a 25 kg shell, or a 152 mm ML-20 corps gun with a muzzle velocity of 650 m/s and a 44.5 kg shell. The rate of fire of the 122 mm gun is close to that of the 130 mm gun and is significantly higher than of the 152 mm gun.
The vehicle uses the 24-cylinder V-24 engine, 1100-1200 hp, composed of a pair of V-2 engines in one unit. This engine uses parts produced by factory #75, and an experimental prototype can be built in 4-5 months.
Aside from the above engine, the tank can use the 12-cylinder MN-1 1000 hp engine, a batch of which was already produced by Ts.I.A.M. or a turbocharged V-2 engine at 850 hp, with a lower top speed.
The engine can grant the vehicle a speed of up to 35 kph, and the ability to traverse light obstacles and very rough terrain. As for off-road performance, it is difficult to achieve in this class of vehicle, as the ground pressure is limited by the size of railroads, maximum possible width, and internal volume.
With 800 mm wide tracks and 110 mm thick armour, given zeroth volume category (width: 3400 mm), the internal width of the hull ends up being 1560 mm, which is less than that of the light T-26 tank, where it is 1625 mm. This project has the ground pressure of 0.9 kg/cm^2.
In order to reduce the ground pressure on soft terrain, it is possible to replace the 800 mm wide tracks with 1 meter wide tracks, at which point ground pressure decreases to 0.75 kg/cm^2. The narrower tracks can be equipped for railroad transport and use on solid ground or in winter conditions. The size of the vehicle fits within the zeroth category. According to NKPS instructions (TransZhelDorIzdat, 1938), a load of these dimensions can be transported without restrictions on Soviet railroads.
The combat mass of the tank is 75 tons. Considering that the mass of the vehicle without ammunition, equipment, fuel, and crew is no more than 70 tons, they can be transported on 60 ton train cars with acceptable overloads. If the turret and hull are transported separately, existing platforms (even 50 ton ones) fully enable the transport of this tank.
The project is completed with two variants.
Variant 1 (blueprints IS-S1, IS-S2, IS-S3, IS-S4, IS-S5, IS-S6, IS-S7) has the classical tank layout.
The transmission and engine group is in the rear of the tank. The cooling fan is on the axis of the crankshaft, and is the two-stage axle type. The air is sucked in at the top of the vehicle, and exhausted on the bottom, near the tracks. The transmission is mechanical, with five speeds forward and one back.
In order to make the transmission as small as possible, the friction clutches are inverted and placed behind the final drives above the suspension, in a box that is the continuation of the turret platform. The turret is in the middle of the vehicle. The ammunition is placed in the perimeter of the turret, in the hull, and in the turret bustle.
Fuel tanks are located in the fighting compartment, and act as a floor for the gun crew. The engine and transmission can be accessed through special hatches and passages.
As it is difficult to protect the suspension from artillery fire, there is a divide between the protection of the hull and suspension.
Variant 2. This variant has significant differences in its design (blueprints IS-S-1, IS-S2-1, IS-S3-1, IS-S4-1). In order to protect the suspension, a separate track is used. Each side has two independent tracks, each of which is driven independently. To achieve this, the transmission and engine group is in the middle of the vehicle, and each side has two drive wheels. If one track per side is destroyed, the tank can still continue on its course. In addition, the front idler can be modified to be used as a mine roller. If the front track is hit and falls off, it protects the rear track from being damaged by explosives. In order to obtain a sufficiently large surface, the tank's hull is increased in length by 600 mm. That and the increase in weight due to the suspension results in a tank weight of 79 tons. In order to achieve the desired weight of 75 tons, the main armour thickness must either be reduced to 100 mm or the turret must be transported separately.
Due to a reduction in track surface area, the ground pressure increases to 1.05 kg/cm^2 without sinking and 0.85 kg/cm^2 when sunken by 100 mm.
The crew is separated, and can exit trough two emergency hatches underneath the tank.
Characteristic
|
Two-track Variant
|
Four-track Variant
|
Mass (tons)
|
75
|
79
|
Size (mm)
|
||
Length of tracks
|
7400
|
8020
|
Width
|
3400
|
3400
|
Height (to roof)
|
3150
|
3158
|
Height (to highest point)
|
3500
|
3500
|
Clearance
|
540
|
540
|
Length of the track's gripping surface
|
5250
|
4440
|
Track width
|
800
|
800
|
Distance between track centers
|
2600
|
2600
|
Armour (mm)
|
||
Sides, turret platform, front and rear, turret side
|
110
|
100
|
Floor
|
40
|
40
|
Roof
|
40
|
40
|
Armament
|
||
Main gun
|
130 mm B-13
|
|
Muzzle velocity (m/s)
|
880
|
|
Shell mass (kg)
|
36
|
|
Horizontal traverse range (deg.)
|
360
|
|
Gun elevation (deg.)
|
+12
|
|
Gun depression (deg.)
|
-5
|
|
Turret ring diameter (mm)
|
2400
|
|
Optional armament
|
45 mm gun
|
|
Machineguns
|
4
|
|
Machinegun bullets
|
5000
|
|
Gun shells
|
50
|
58
|
Mobility
|
||
Engine power (hp)
|
1100-1200
|
|
Speed, kph
|
||
5th gear
|
32.3
|
|
4th gear
|
20.4
|
|
3rd gear
|
13.5
|
|
2nd gear
|
9.2
|
|
1st gear
|
4.8
|
|
Reverse gear
|
5.6
|
|
Traversible obstacles
|
||
Trench width (meters)
|
3.5
|
3.7
|
Grade (deg.)
|
40-42
|
|
Water depth (meters)
|
1.6
|
|
Ground pressure (kg/cm^2)
|
0.9
|
1.05
|
L/B ratio
|
2.02
|
2.24
|
Crew
|
6
|
|
The cost of the vehicle when produced in small batches is no more than 3 million rubles, which compares favourably to the cost of the 100-Y vehicle (the cost of one is 3.3 million rubles).
If the project is approved immediately, the first prototype will be ready by June-July of 1941, and the first batch will be ready in the first quarter of 1942.
Factory director Markin
Chief engineer Zasovenko
Chief designer Ginsburg"
V. Lehn Collection
Monday, 19 May 2014
Tank Stakeouts
The story of the single KV of Raseiniai that stopped Kampfgruppe Raus is well known. However similar incidents occurred occasionally, even if they didn't become as widely known as Raseiniai.
"24 HOURS IN A SIEGED TANK
Today, another Republican tank crew was saved, out of the three that were stuck in fascist territory near Saragosse. The miracle did not happen by itself, it happened as a result of boundless heroism of the soldiers, their stubbornness and belief in their abilities.
The brave trio just got to the front lines of government officials. We honour them, scratched up and singed. They slowly tell their story, exhausted, but happy.
The tank was immobilized with several shells. It was surrounded by fascists. The crew shot back for twelve hours, but, after showering the tank with grenades, the fascists closed in. The crew locked themselves in, and decided to not give up alive. The fascists climbed up on the tank and called to the crew. The crew did not answer.
The Italians and rebels decided to open the tank. They climbed all over it with mallets and crowbars. The tank was closed up like a safe. The bolts held.
After several hours, the fascists were tired, and decided to have dinner right on the tank. After dinner, they took a nap. One of the crewmembers moved. The rebels heard him, rolled off the tank, and renewed their attack.
They started throwing incendiary grenades at the bottom of the tank. Rubber started burning. "We sat still, silently, and smoked," tells the commander. "It was around 19 hours into the siege."
The fire burned for a while, and went out. It did not get to the gas tanks. The crew could hear the rebels' conversation. It was decided that they would not leave until the tankers' corpses were dragged from the tank.
The attack resumed once again. There was nothing left to hope for. The crew decided to commit suicide if the enemy gets inside.
Suddenly, a shell exploded nearby. Then, another, a third, and yells of the wounded. Republican artillery, and other Republican tanks, established the location of the tank, and provided it with covering fire.
The shooting stopped. The fascists ran off and hid. The decisive moment has come. This was the last chance for rescue.
The commander managed to turn the cannon and make three shots. After that, he took off the lock, and ordered the turret commander to run. The fascists opened fire. He dove behind a bump. The commander returned fire with his machine gun and ordered the driver to evacuate. He himself went last.
The rebels covered them with a rain of bullets. The trio lay close to the ground, until the fascists got tired of shooting. Another sprint, and then another, and another. Exactly 24 hours since the start of their resistance has passed.
They stand here now, drinking and smoking. They are giving precise directions to other soldiers in an armoured tractor that will recover their tank.
Mihail Koltsov, Pravda, October 19, 1937."
A similar incident occurred during the Winter War, but with a much more valuable tank. While the Republicans didn't exactly have a surplus of T-26es, the tank in question was completely unique. During the Winter War, it was not yet decided which of the three new heavy tanks, the KV, T-100, or SMK, was the best. All three prototypes were sent into battle.
"The SMK tank was leading the column, and took a lot of fire. One of the shots jammed the main turret, and silenced the gun. The tank made it to the road. At the Kameri-Wyborg fork, the driver must have missed the stack of crates, and drove on to it. An explosion roared, and covered the area in thick brown smoke. The tank stopped. After the smoke cleared, Lieutenant Petin got out to investigate. The SMK stood next to a massive crater. The explosion destroyed the track and idler, and damaged transmission bolts. The electrical system was damaged, the bottom of the tank was bent. Even though there was a 40 degree frost, the snow surrounding the tank has melted.
The driver, V. I. Ignatiev, was stunned by the explosion, and temporarily lost consciousness. The crew did not leave the tank. The T-100 and KV approached, and stopped nearby. The T-100 crew was made of volunteer testers. One of them, E. I. Roshin, wrote: "Our vehicles approached the damaged SMK, and covered it with our armour. The T-100 was in the front and to the right, the KV was in front and to the left, forming a triangular fortress. We stood like this for several hours, trying to repair the tracks of the SMK. We were dressed well, in new coats, boots, wool helmets, gloves. We could endure the bitter cold, but the damage was too heavy. The road wheels were damaged, as well as the tracks, and we could not get the heavy vehicle to move."
...
Lieutenant Toropov's engineering team tried to tow the tank using a 25-ton T-28 tank. They worked at night, under enemy fire, but could not tow the massive tank, firmly lodged in the crater. The damaged track and idler made it necessary to leave it in no man's land.
The Finns tried to tow away the SMK, but our artillery protected the tank. Finnish scouts managed to crawl up to it and steal a hatch cover. Kotin, when retelling this story, mentioned a curious fact. The factory producing armour for the SMK was behind schedule. The Kirov factory, unwilling to wait, produced their own hatch cover, using leftover low-carbon steel. The Finns stole this cover from the SMK, and, when it made its way to German labs, they decided that all Soviet tanks are made from "raw" steel.
...
The heavy tank remained in the crater until the end of the war. It was eventually moved with the combined forces of six T-28 tanks."
- Konstruktor Boyevih Mashin, Popov at al, Lenizdat, 1988.
A rare photograph of the SMK exists, taken by the Finns, in the process of attempting to tow it.
Next situation is somewhat more Raseiniai-like, with a happier ending. Lieutenant Semyen Fillipovich Shmakov, company commander in the 500 independent tank battalion, received an Order of Lenin for his heroism. From his award order:
"On August 27th, 1942, at 8:00, along with the 994th infantry regiment of the 186th infantry division, on his KV-8 tank, he attacked the village of Voronovo. Escorting his company though the heavily fortified enemy lines of defense, he destroyed enemy pillboxes, and fortifications with fire from his tracks, and enemy forces with his gun and machine guns. He twice attempted to cross the river Navia. The second attempt was successful, but he was struck by heavy artillery and mortar fire, as a result of which his tank lost an idler and tore a track. The tank stopped on enemy occupied territory. From August 27th, 1942 at 9:00 to present time, Lieutenant Shmakov and his crew, without leaving the tank, courageously defended it for 198 hours while under constant artillery and mortar fire. While the tank was being sieged, it destroyed 11 pillboxes, 6 cannons, 3 machine gun nests, and up to 100 German soldiers and officers. Shmakov, despite his exceptionally difficult situation, provided care and encouragement for his crew, and was an example of courage and determination. In order to obtain water for his crew, he manually bored a hole through the radiator, allowing him to gather 1.5 canteens. He has currently managed to repair the track. As soon as he manages to lock it back on, the tank will be able to return on its own.
Commander of the 500th Independent Tank Battalion, Captain Torgilin
Military Commissar of the 500th Independent Tank Battalion, Company Commissar Antonov"
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Kubinka
The Kubinka tank museum is home to not only a large number of rare (and sometimes unique) exhibits, but a large amount of them are fully equipped and in working order. This has been the goal of the museum since its inception. Here are the conclusions of a commission regarding some unique exhibits from April 1st, 1941.
"T-100 #810.
Condition:
- The vehicle is completely unprepared for storage. All transmission, motor, turret, and electric components are covered in rust.
- The vehicle is stored on pallets. Tracks and rims of road wheels are covered in rust.
Commission conclusions: perform technical inspection #3 and keep in the museum.
T-100Y #1352
Condition:
- Fighting compartment, gun, engine, and transmission parts are covered in rust.
- The vehicle is not stored on pallets, and is not prepared for long term storage.
Commission conclusions: perform technical inspection #3 and transfer to the Artillery Directorate.
T-29
Condition:
- The rubber tires on five road wheels have come off.
- Most track links are damaged.
- The left front frame is missing the roller nut.
- The vehicle arrived from the factory recently, is completely painted, and in a satisfactory condition.
Commission conclusions: keep in the museum.
T-46
Condition:
- The turret is not fully equipped. There are no ball mounts in the turret, protective cups for the PT-1, right turret hatch, gun port caps, gun mantlet, frame, or periscope glass.
- The crew seats and electric turret motor are missing.
- The vehicle arrived from the factory recently, is completely painted, and in a satisfactory condition.
Commission conclusions: re-equip the vehicle and keep in the museum.
T-111
Condition:
- The vehicle is fully equipped, arrived from the factory recently, is completely painted, and in a satisfactory condition.
Commission conclusions: keep in the museum.
SU-14 #23547
Condition:
- Currently being repaired at the workshop, needs repairs for both side friction clutches, main friction clutch, and technical inspection #3. It is being prepared for trials.
Ricardo #15200
Condition:
- The right half-turret is in pieces, has been removed from its place and kept in the bay.
- The gun is missing, and the gun carrier on the left is missing.
- The artillery crew seats are missing.
- The leather from seats and cushions in the driver's compartment is missing.
- Both magnetos and all sparkplugs are missing, wires are torn throughout the vehicle.
- The track has frozen into the ice, the vehicle is rusted inside and outside, and not painted.
Commission conclusions: re-equip the vehicle, correct defects, and keep in the museum.
Vickers 12-ton
Condition:
- 4 sockets and ball mounts are missing from the fighting compartment.
- The gun and mantlet are missing.
- The lever cap for the engine grille is missing.
- The vehicle was not placed on a pallet, the tracks have frozen into the ice. Oil is pooling under the engine.
- The vehicle is clean and in a satisfactory condition.
The "Ricardo" vehicle mentioned is a British MkV, one of the initial exhibits at the museum. The sparkplugs from that tank were stolen in early 2000s and sold to a Western collector. Such a shame they weren't originals.
Here's the story of another exhibit. See if you can guess what it was.
"To the deputy chief of the Armoured and Motorized Forces HQ, Guards Major-General of the Tank Forces, comrade Markov
On the issue of: obtaining a transport for the transportation of the SU-380 to the NIBT proving grounds.
One 380 mm self-propelled howitzer on the Tiger-H hull was discovered at Kirchmeiser's factory (Germany). The deputy chief of the Armoured and Motorized Group of the Soviet Occupation Force in Germany, Guards Engineer-Colonel comrade Karpenko responded to the inquiry from the GBTU chief, stating that the SU-380 will be sent to the NIBT proving grounds after receiving transport.
Since it is imperative that the SPG be delivered to the proving grounds urgently, I ask for you to order the allotment of one railroad platform for the transport of the SU-380 to the NIBT proving grounds (Kubinka railroad station, West railroad).
USA BTU KA Chief, Major-General of the Tank Engineering Forces, Demyanenko"
CAMD RF 38-11369-709
The SPG in question, is, of course, the Sturmtiger.
Here's the story of another exhibit. See if you can guess what it was.
"To the deputy chief of the Armoured and Motorized Forces HQ, Guards Major-General of the Tank Forces, comrade Markov
On the issue of: obtaining a transport for the transportation of the SU-380 to the NIBT proving grounds.
One 380 mm self-propelled howitzer on the Tiger-H hull was discovered at Kirchmeiser's factory (Germany). The deputy chief of the Armoured and Motorized Group of the Soviet Occupation Force in Germany, Guards Engineer-Colonel comrade Karpenko responded to the inquiry from the GBTU chief, stating that the SU-380 will be sent to the NIBT proving grounds after receiving transport.
Since it is imperative that the SPG be delivered to the proving grounds urgently, I ask for you to order the allotment of one railroad platform for the transport of the SU-380 to the NIBT proving grounds (Kubinka railroad station, West railroad).
USA BTU KA Chief, Major-General of the Tank Engineering Forces, Demyanenko"
CAMD RF 38-11369-709
The SPG in question, is, of course, the Sturmtiger.
Sunday, 23 February 2014
World of Tanks History Section: Object 212
The history of domestic SPGs began in September of 1931. During work on a "self propelled corps triplex", SU-7 and SU-14 SPGs were developed. SU-7 was designed to use a 152 mm gun, 203 mm howitzer, and a 305 mm mortar. The SU-14 was designed to use a 107 mm gun, 152 mm gun, and a 203 mm howitzer. After the arrests of N.N. Magdeisev (designer of the B-4 howitzer) and then P.I. Syachintov, who was in charge of the SU-14 project on August 7th, 1938, the "small triplex" was cancelled.
High powered SPGs came up again in late 1939. While storming the Mannerheim Line, the Red Army needed an SPG with a high caliber gun and at least light anti-shell armour. In the middle of December of 1939, the Kirov factory and factory #185 design bureaus received an order from the Military Council of the North-West Front to develop engineering tanks with anti-shell armour. Factory #185 started two projects at once. Work began on an SPG based on the T-100. Additionally, it was decided to equip the SU-14 with armour. You would assume that the already made SPG was the faster solution, but no, work only competed on March 20th, a week after the end of the Winter War. The creation of an SPG on the T-100 chassis was not fast either, resulting in a vehicle named T-100Y, armed with a 130 mm B-13 naval gun.
The Kirov factory took a different route. In January of 1940, a prototype of the KV heavy tank (serial number U-0) arrived from the front. According to orders from the Military Council of the North-West Front, the first 4 tanks, including U-0, were to be equipped with 152 mm howitzers to defeat pillboxes. An enlarged turret was rapidly developed as a result. Work on the enlarged turret was done by SKB-3, headed by N.V. Kurin. Initially, the 152 mm model 1909/30 howitzer was planned, indexed L-21. In metal, the assault KV was equipped with a shortened M-10 (indexed MT-1). By February 10th, the new U-0 passed gunnery trials, and by February 17th, U-0 and U-1 were sent back to the front. "KV with large turret" tanks first saw battle on February 22nd. By March 3rd, there were 4 tanks of this type on the front lines.
Due to the results of the Winter War, it was decided that the "bunker buster" theme would be continued. During the spring and summer of 1940, the Kirov factory and factory #185 continued designing heavy SPGs on the T-100 and SMK chassis. However, the final fate of these vehicles was decided by the end of June. Based on the results of trials, it was clear that neither tank will be mass produced, since the KV was more protected and weighed less. The "KV with a large turret" was an adequate interim solution for the bunker buster problem.
As mentioned above, the "KV with a large turret" was a temporary answer to the need for a heavy assault SPG. Kurin's tank was a hypertrophied support tank like the artillery BT-7 (frequently called BT-7A, but that index belongs to another tank). The vehicle on the KV chassis (indexed KV-2 in 1941) had the advantage of parts commonality with its base vehicle. However, it had many drawbacks. The chassis allowed for a limited power gun, while the military demanded that the Br-2 gun be used. Due to the limited size of the turret, loading the M-10T was no easy task. The presence of a rotating turret did not mean that the tank could shoot from any angle.
After the SMK and T-100 projects died, efforts were concentrated on the creation of a heavy tank that was a modernized KV. On July 17th, 1940, the Committee of Defense of the Council of People's Commissars issued decree #198ss on the creation of new vehicles on the KV chassis. According to the decree, the Kirov factory was to develop the following:
High powered SPGs came up again in late 1939. While storming the Mannerheim Line, the Red Army needed an SPG with a high caliber gun and at least light anti-shell armour. In the middle of December of 1939, the Kirov factory and factory #185 design bureaus received an order from the Military Council of the North-West Front to develop engineering tanks with anti-shell armour. Factory #185 started two projects at once. Work began on an SPG based on the T-100. Additionally, it was decided to equip the SU-14 with armour. You would assume that the already made SPG was the faster solution, but no, work only competed on March 20th, a week after the end of the Winter War. The creation of an SPG on the T-100 chassis was not fast either, resulting in a vehicle named T-100Y, armed with a 130 mm B-13 naval gun.
The Kirov factory took a different route. In January of 1940, a prototype of the KV heavy tank (serial number U-0) arrived from the front. According to orders from the Military Council of the North-West Front, the first 4 tanks, including U-0, were to be equipped with 152 mm howitzers to defeat pillboxes. An enlarged turret was rapidly developed as a result. Work on the enlarged turret was done by SKB-3, headed by N.V. Kurin. Initially, the 152 mm model 1909/30 howitzer was planned, indexed L-21. In metal, the assault KV was equipped with a shortened M-10 (indexed MT-1). By February 10th, the new U-0 passed gunnery trials, and by February 17th, U-0 and U-1 were sent back to the front. "KV with large turret" tanks first saw battle on February 22nd. By March 3rd, there were 4 tanks of this type on the front lines.
Due to the results of the Winter War, it was decided that the "bunker buster" theme would be continued. During the spring and summer of 1940, the Kirov factory and factory #185 continued designing heavy SPGs on the T-100 and SMK chassis. However, the final fate of these vehicles was decided by the end of June. Based on the results of trials, it was clear that neither tank will be mass produced, since the KV was more protected and weighed less. The "KV with a large turret" was an adequate interim solution for the bunker buster problem.
As mentioned above, the "KV with a large turret" was a temporary answer to the need for a heavy assault SPG. Kurin's tank was a hypertrophied support tank like the artillery BT-7 (frequently called BT-7A, but that index belongs to another tank). The vehicle on the KV chassis (indexed KV-2 in 1941) had the advantage of parts commonality with its base vehicle. However, it had many drawbacks. The chassis allowed for a limited power gun, while the military demanded that the Br-2 gun be used. Due to the limited size of the turret, loading the M-10T was no easy task. The presence of a rotating turret did not mean that the tank could shoot from any angle.
After the SMK and T-100 projects died, efforts were concentrated on the creation of a heavy tank that was a modernized KV. On July 17th, 1940, the Committee of Defense of the Council of People's Commissars issued decree #198ss on the creation of new vehicles on the KV chassis. According to the decree, the Kirov factory was to develop the following:
- Two experimental KV tanks (T-220) with 100 mm armour. One was to be armed with the F-30 85 mm gun, the other with the F-32 76 mm gun.
- Two experimental KV tanks with 90 mm armour. One was to be armed with the F-32 76 mm gun, the other with the F-30 85 mm gun.
- One experimental SPG with a Br-2 152 mm gun.
The KV with 90 mm of armour received the factory index "150" (GABTU correspondence used the index T-150). It differed from its base vehicle in its 76 mm F-32 gun and a commander's cupola. It was planned that this tank, under the index "KV-3" will replace the KV-1.
The "220" tank was more distinct from the KV-1. The tank had a longer hull; the amount of road wheels increased to 7 on each side. The T-220 had a new turret, which housed the 85 mm F-30 gun. The tank used an 850 hp V-2F (V-10) engine. It was completed on December 5th, 1940.
The technical requirements for the 152 mm SPG were finalized by the end of August of 1940.
The SPG that the Kirov factory was tasked with received the index of "212". The chief engineer for this project was T.N. Golburt. The 212 was reminiscent of the SU-14-1, especially when it came to the layout of the fighting compartment. The chassis was a reworked T-220 suspension, with an engine in the middle and drive wheels at the front. The front also housed the driver's compartment. The fighting compartment was in a large casemate at the rear of the hull. On one hand, this design increased the size of the SPG. On the other, it increased crew comfort. The rear position of the casemate also reduced the distance that the Br-2 stuck out past the vehicle's hull.
2 million roubles were issued to this project. 100,000 went into the development of the technical project, 25,000 to the design of a model, 300,000 on blueprints, 75,000 on blueprint edits, 1.1 million on the production of a prototype, 100,000 on trials, and then 300,000 on repairs. The cost of the armament was not included in this sum.
The first prototype was due on December 1st, 1940, but serious corrections had to be made due to faults found during the design process. According to a GABTU report on experimental works, some components for the 212 were produced by January of 1941. Also, the technical project was completed, and sent to the Izhor factory for the production of a hull. By then, 1.5 million roubles have been spent. Work was going slowly due to higher priority of the T-150 and T-220, as well as other problems.
The hull for the new SPG was received only on March 5th, 1941. According to reports, assembly was stalled due to a lack of ready components. By the spring of 1941, the 212 project was dropping in priority at the Kirov factory. The factory received an urgent order for a heavy tank that inherited the T-150's index of "KV-3". The project, indexed "223", was developed on the T-220 chassis, with a front plate thickened to 120 mm and a new turret for the 107 mm ZiS-6 gun. The mass was estimated at 68 tons. The design of this vehicle began after learning of a new German heavy tank. Due to this load, work on the 212 stalled starting in the second half of March of 1941. April and May reports on experimental work state "No changes" in the row titled "self-propelled gun on the KV chassis".
After Germany's attack on the USSR, designs were reconsidered. Work on some designs was accelerated. Others, either in the initial stages or not compatible with the realities of modern war, were cancelled. According to the most common version of this story, this was the fate of the 212, but it did not happen quite this way.
According to order #253ss of the People's Commissariat of Heavy Production, the KV-3 was transferred from the Kirov factory to the Chelyabinsk Tractor Factory (ChTZ). Engineers, technologists, and materials were sent to Chelyabinsk. One KV-3 made it to the front, another, without a turret or components, was sent to Chelyabinsk. In February of 1942, this KV-3 was assigned to the experimental OP-2 plant. As for the 212, until the start of August of 1941, it was still at the Kirov plant. Only then was it transferred to the Ural Factory of Heavy Machine Building (UZTM in Sverdlovsk, modern Ekaterinburg).
Meanwhile tank production had no time for the KV-3, nor a bunker buster on its chassis. The Kirov factory was evacuated to Chelyabinsk and renamed Kirov Factory in Chelyabinsk (ChKZ), and the Izhor factory that made KV armour was sent to Sverdlovsk. UZTM was renamed to Izhor factory, and only got its name back on January 4th, 1942. UZTM was also loaded with Ordzhonikidze factory #37 and Kalinin factory #8 setting on up its territory. Factory #75, which was producing the V-5 engine was moved to Chelyabinsk, and began working on the much more necessary V-2. The situation with 152 mm guns was no better. The last Br-2 was produced by Barricade factory #221 (Stalingrad, modern Volgograd) in 1940.
Bunker busters fell out of priority, but not for long. In November of 1941, work restarted on many prototypes referred to in the SNK report "On self-propelled artillery" from May 27th, 1941. Nearly all of these projects remained in the requirements stage until 1942, there was not even a possibility of a design. Most factories tasked with designing the SPG were either busy with setting up manufacturing in the buildings where they were evacuated to in the summer and fall, or loaded with more urgent requests. Nevertheless, the list of experimental works for 1942 once again included the KV-3, scheduled for completion on May 1st, 1942. The same was true for a "two-stroke 1200 hp diesel engine" (due on October 1st, 1942), "charging the V-2 engine to 1200 hp" (due on July 1st, 1942). In March of 1942, the topic of "152 mm SPG on the KV-3 chassis (bunker buster)" resurfaces. The KV was indicated as its chassis, and the oscillating part of the Br-2 its armament. Factory #100 was listed as responsible for the chassis. Factory #8 was responsible for the gun. 1.5 million roubles was issued for this project. A prototype was expected by July 1st, 1942. However, the KV-3 was dead and buried in spring of 1942, and different vehicles were considered candidates for a bunker buster chassis.
Read more about the Object 212 and other SPGs on the KV heavy tank chassis in the book "SU-152 and other KV-based SPGs", published by Tactical Press.
Article author: Y. Pasholok.
Original article available here.
Thursday, 6 February 2014
Factory #185 Experiments in 1939
Yet another list of experimental development, much of which never saw the light of day. There are some indexes here that may be unfamiliar to some readers. "100" refers to T-100, a competitor to the SMK and KV tanks. "111" is T-111, or Object 111, or T-46-5, developed by Koshkin, who would later go on to design the much more successful T-34. A-7 is, of course, the BT-7.
"List of experimental work at factory #185 for 1939, confirmed by the 8th Chief Directorate and ABTU
Vehicle or engine number
|
Item name
|
Schedule
|
Cost
|
|
Start
|
Finish
|
|||
100
|
1st prototype, factory and army trials
|
July 1st
|
4,500,000
|
|
100
|
Blueprints and production of the first reference model
|
January 1st, 1940
|
2,000,000
|
|
111
|
Development of a prototype with the V-2 engine and processing of blueprints |
November 1st
|
2,000,000
|
|
T-26
|
Suspension development
|
March 1st
|
2,000,000
|
|
T-26
|
Suspension trials
|
May 1st
|
800,000
|
|
T-26
|
Mass production blueprints
|
June 1st
|
||
T-40 SK
|
Torsion bar development and materials selection
|
April 1st, July 1st
|
15,000
|
|
Katal gearbox
(T-26)
|
Trials and engineering work
|
June 1st
|
100,000
|
|
Hydraulic clutch
|
Trials on the T-26, engineering work, production
|
June 1st
|
70,000
|
|
Steam engine (111)
|
Production, installation, trials on 111 vehicle
|
July 15th
|
300,000
|
|
150 hp steam engine
|
Production, installation on the T-26, trials
|
December 15th
|
450,000
|
|
120-130 hp diesel engine
|
Production, installation on a vehicle, trials
|
November 1st
|
1,750,000
|
|
Vehicle heating
|
Production and trials in various seasons
|
December 15th
|
9,000
|
|
T-26
|
Development and trials of tracks
|
May 1st
|
September 1st
|
480,000
|
Brakes and side friction clutches
|
Material selection, production, and trials
|
January 1st
|
October 15th
|
7,000
|
Engine starter
|
Development, production of two units
|
January 1st
|
August 15th |
200,000
|
Mass produced vehicles
|
Design, production, and research into air filters
|
January 1st
|
October 1st |
100,000
|
Mass produced vehicles
|
Oil filters
|
October 1st |
November 1st
|
100,000
|
All vehicles
|
Increase electrical parts commonality |
January 1st
|
November 1st
|
300,000
|
All vehicles
|
External light signals
|
January 1st
|
June 1st
|
25,000
|
Develop
A-7
|
Turret stabilizer
|
April 1st
|
September 15th
|
100,000
|
T-26
|
Mechanical loading mechanism
|
January 1st
|
June 1st
|
200,000
|
T-26
|
New rubber trials
|
January 1st
|
December 15th
|
100,000
|
T-26, A-7, T-28
|
Replacement of deficit materials
|
Third quarter
|
100,000
|
|
T-26, BT, T-28
|
Common smoke launchers for medium and heavy tanks
|
501,000
|
Chief of the 3rd department
of the 8th NKOP Main Directorate Mochalov"
of the 8th NKOP Main Directorate Mochalov"
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