Dead End on Wheels

The 1930s were a time of experiments in the field of armoured vehicles. Some of these experiments were successful, some not so much. Some tanks passed trials and were even accepted into service, but failed to enter mass production. For instance, the convertible drive T-29 tank was supposed to replace the T-28. It was accepted into service, but not mass produced for a variety of reasons. The T-46 was its comrade in sorrow. This tank was supposed to become the most numerous in the Red Army, but only four were built. That was the end, the idea of replacing the T-26 failed.

T-46 Teletank

"Order #003 from the Chief of Armament and Technical Supplies of the RKKA
June 2nd, 1936

In order to ensure the timely production of the T-46 telemechanical tank this year, I order that:

1. The Chief of the RKKA Technical Directorate, Divisional Engineer comrade Bordovskiy, must manage technical assistance and cooperation from the Kirov factory and Voroshilov factory in Leningrad, as well as the Leningrad branch of the Budyonniy Military Communication Academy in the development of prototypes.
   For this, send Military Engineer 1st Class comrade Belov, and Military Engineer 2nd Class comrade Saharov to Leningrad on June 1st, instructing comrade Belov to manage technical aid during design and production of the prototypes.

Chemical T-46

"August 19th, 1935
To: Director of the S.M. Kirov Experimental Machinebuilding Factory

When the T-46 flamethrower was examined, the following conclusions were made:

1. The 50 L fuel tank (40 L usable volume) can make 10-12 shots at a range of 25 meters and 5-6 at a range of 40 meters. It is easy to work with this device.
   However, the volume is insufficient, and needs to be increased to 100 L.
2. The flamethrower equipment cannot be used to emit smokescreens.
3. If ABTU accepts this flamethrower, the following changes must be made:
1. Replace the flexible hose with a metal pipe, turning will be enabled with a ball joint.
2. Replace the hose nozzle with a more modern type, like on BT and T-37 tanks.
3. Add a pressure meter to measure the pressure inside the fuel mixture tank.
4. The pressure meter and reductor should be placed on a panel in the front of the turret. Use the M-34 reductor.
5. In order to hold the fuel mixture tank, weld a ring of iron with openings for bolts to the bottom.
4. It must be noted that the conversion of the T-46 to a chemical tank is more difficult than the conversion of the T-26. The chemical T-26 has a 400 L tank. If possible, the T-46 needs to have equipment of equivalent power.
5. A place for a 80-100 L smoke mixture tank is desirable.

Chief of the Chemical Department of NIHI RKKA

Minkov"

V. Lehn collection

Remote Control

"February 17th, 1935

To the director of the Institute of GlavExProm Telemechanics and Communications and head of the Technical Institute

Minutes of the meeting on the topic of telemechanization of T-26 and T-46 tanks.

Present:

• Director of the GlavExProm telemechanical institute, comrade Suchkov
• Chief of the Technical Institute, comrade Mileynovskiy
• Chief of the 2nd department of the Technical Institute, comrade Belov
• Director of the Experimental Kirov Factory, comrade Barykov

Summary:

1. The GlavExProm ITC is considered the head organization of telemechanization of the T-26 and T-46 tanks.
2. The main designer of the T-26 and T-46 vehicles and the driver and commander's control panels is the Experimental Kirov Factory.
3. ITC promises to supply Kirov Factory with the necessary amount of workers for the duration of the development and to locally produce all electromechanical components.
4. Kirov Factory and ITS promise to complete the telemechanization project by July 1st, 1935. 
5. The cost of the T-26 project is 100,000 rubles and the T-46 is 120,000 rubles.
6. The cost and time for production will be determined after the blueprints are completed.

Suchkov

Milenovskiy

Belov

Barykov"

From the V. Lehn collection

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:

1. The vehicle is completely unprepared for storage. All transmission, motor, turret, and electric components are covered in rust.
2. 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:

1. Fighting compartment, gun, engine, and transmission parts are covered in rust.
2.  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:

1. The rubber tires on five road wheels have come off.
2. Most track links are damaged.
3. The left front frame is missing the roller nut.
4. The vehicle arrived from the factory recently, is completely painted, and in a satisfactory condition.

Commission conclusions: keep in the museum.

T-46

Condition:

1. 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.
2. The crew seats and electric turret motor are missing.
3. 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: 

1. 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:

1. 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.

Commission conclusions: return to Artillery Directorate upon completion of trials.

Ricardo #15200

Condition:

1. The right half-turret is in pieces, has been removed from its place and kept in the bay.
2. The gun is missing, and the gun carrier on the left is missing.
3. The artillery crew seats are missing.
4. The leather from seats and cushions in the driver's compartment is missing.
5. Both magnetos and all sparkplugs are missing, wires are torn throughout the vehicle.
6. 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:

1. 4 sockets and ball mounts are missing from the fighting compartment.
2. The gun and mantlet are missing.
3. The lever cap for the engine grille is missing.
4. The vehicle was not placed on a pallet, the tracks have frozen into the ice. Oil is pooling under the engine.
5. The vehicle is clean and in a satisfactory condition.

Commission conclusion: re-equip the vehicle and keep in the museum."

CAMD RF 38-11355-12

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. 

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 3^rd department
of the 8^th NKOP Main Directorate Mochalov"

Dig In

What do you do when you have a ton of old tanks kicking around? If you're the Germans, you throw away the turret, and put a bigger gun on top. However, that approach means you still have half of an obsolete tank, with no spare parts for it. The Soviets had different ideas: bury them.

Not entirely, of course. Think about the parts of the tank that wear out the most: the engine, the tracks, the road wheels. A tank can be immobilized by broken parts, and waste a perfectly good gun in the process. If you have a bunch of broken or nearly broken tanks, might as well drop them off somewhere they can be useful. Also, dig them into the ground, since they're not going anywhere anyway.

The following photos show some more MS-1s. These are armed with 45 mm guns, and have their "tails" removed. They haven't been dug into the ground yet, but they are going to be.

Interestingly enough, not all MS-1s met their end in a ditch. This page lists 3 MS-1s as a part of the 150th Independent Tank Brigade as of February 26th, 1942. 

Here's a rare one. That's not just any tank dug into the ground. That's a T-46 tank! They were meant to replace the T-26, but never quite managed to. A lot of them also ended up as fortifications as their final role.

Pre-war light tanks weren't the only ones to end up in the ground. A letter from the GAZ factory to GABTU from 1942 talks about 379 hulls for obsolete T-40 and T-60 tanks, and states that 150 hulls are available to GABTU to use as pillboxes.

Of course, not only light tanks became obsolete. Another letter to GABTU, this time from a tank school, states: "The school has 4 T-35 tanks and 8 T-28 tanks, which, after long use and numerous repairs, have become unusable and cannot be restored with the resources of the school. I await your instructions regarding transfer of these tanks to the armoured train directorate in order to install them as weapons platforms or immobile gun batteries in fortified regions." This letter was sent in 1943, long after those tanks would have been useful in combat. Let's see how this turned out:

CAMD RF 38-11355-963

Instead of leaving the turret on and using the tank's cannon, this pillbox design simply re-uses the hull. 

Something similar was done with the KV-1S:

CAMD RF 38-11355-963

During the defense of Leningrad, everything that could shoot was used, including the experimental Kirov T-50 tank. A curio of the Winter War, the T-100-Z, contributed to the defense, but not in its entirety.

"Leningrad Front. A tank that became a pillbox. Photograph by special correspondent A. Kapustyanskiy."

The Soviets were far from the only ones to bury their old tanks. Here is a British Medium Mk III buried at Mersa Matruh.