Tetrarch Overview

"Office of the Commander of the Armoured and Mechanized Forces of the North Caucasian Front

August 9th, 1943

To the GABTU BTU Chief, Engineer-Colonel Afonin

In reply to your inquiry, I report the tactical-technical characteristics of the British MK-7 tank:

1. Full weight: 8.0 tons
2. Main dimensions:
1. Length: 4.0 m
2. Width: 2.4 m
3. Height: 2.17 m
4. Clearance: 0.4 m

KV-1S Road Wheels

"Report on KV-1S Road Wheels

Kirov factory KV-1 tanks used cast road wheels with Г-shaped rims. As a part of the total requirement for weight reduction, the weight of the road wheels would be reduced by changing the shape of the rim. A T-shaped rim was selected, which gave the same robustness at less weight.

Two of the first KV-1S tanks produced at the Kirov factory, #15001 and #15002, with T-shaped road wheel rims, ribs, and round openings in the disks were provided for trials.

Tank Trailers

"Minutes of a meeting at the 5th Department of the GABTU BTU with representatives of tank units on the issue of trailers for tanks proposed by factories #592 and #112

The meeting was led by the Chief of the 5th Department of the BTU, Military Engineer 1st Class, comrade Afonin.

Afonin: We gathered representatives of tank units by order from Army Commissar 2nd Class Biryukov to discuss the proposal of engineers from factories #592 and #112 to build trailers for tank riders. [Reads proposal from factory #112 and explains technical issues connected with factory #592's proposal].

Swedo-Polish Tank Killer

Germany invented specialized anti-tank artillery before the end of WWI. It is not surprising that German anti-tank guns became some of the best known in their class. A German gun served as the starting point for the famous Soviet 45 mm anti-tank gun. The use of the German 3.7 cm Pak in Spain triggered the development of tanks with shell-proof armour in the USSR. However, another gun gave an even more powerful impulse to the strengthening of tank armour, built in neutral Sweden. Swedish 37 mm anti-tank guns were also used in Spain, and continued serving until the end of WWII.

Trophies from Galicia

Starting with the late 1930s, testers in Kubinka began receive foreign vehicles from all corners of the world to try on for size. The first to come were trophies captured in Spain during the civil war, but the floodgates opened in 1939. The first to come was the Japanese Ha-Go tank, and Polish vehicles came after that. One of them was the TK-S tankette.

Mosin Suppressor

"This suppressor, designed by comrades Barnas and Glinin, has a cigar-like shape (see photo #1) and consists of two parts, connected with a tread at the point of the suppressor where the diameter is the largest.

Photo #1 shows the suppressor."

Via Andrei Ulanov

Lend Lease Impressions: Bazooka

60 mm rocket launcher AT M1

60 mm rocket

Tractor Trials

"Trials were performed from June 15th to July 10th at the GANIOP. Corps and high power artillery was used in the trials. 

During the trials, the tractors traveled:

• TD-18 tractor, with a B-4 203 mm mod. 1931 howitzer (in armed condition): 100 km
• TD-14 tractor: 200 km, of those:
• With a Br-10 trailer (the barrel of a B-4 howitzer): 100 km
• With a 152 mm mod. 1937 gun-howitzer: 100 km
• HD-10 tractor, with a B-4 203 mm mod. 1931 howitzer (in armed condition): 100 km
• HD-7 tractor: 225 km, of those:
• With a 152 mm mod. 1937 gun-howitzer: 100 km
• With a 152 mm mod. 1938 howitzer: 100 km
• With a Br-10 trailer (the barrel of a B-4 howitzer): 25 km
• D-6 tractor: 225 km, of those:
• With a 152 mm mod. 1937 gun-howitzer: 100 km
• With a 152 mm mod. 1938 howitzer: 100 km
• With a Br-10 trailer (the barrel of a B-4 howitzer): 25 km

T-34 Turrets at Factory #112

"Overall direction of turret modernization during the war

The design of the turret was changed significantly (see fig. 143).

1. In December of 1941, turrets 34.30sb-7 and 34.30sb-8 were cancelled, and turret 34.30sb-12 was introduced.
2. In January of 1942, turret 34.30sb-12 was cancelled and turret 34.30sb-12-1 was introduced.
3. In March of 1942, turret 34.30sb-12-1 was cancelled and turret 34.30sb-12 was introduced.
4. In June of 1942, turret 34.30sb-12-12 was introduced.

This rapid change in turret likely indicated that the type of turret was unsatisfactory, and the design was only deemed satisfactory after introduction of a new turret with a commander's cupola in 1943 (see fig. 145).

Israeli Sandwiches

When Israeli armoured vehicles are mentioned, one often thinks of Merkava tanks first. Without a doubt, these vehicles are a point of pride for Israel. However, the backbone of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) was composed of converted foreign vehicles for a very long time. The Israelis spent several decades fine tuning the art of adapting vehicles to suit their needs. Everything started with improvised armoured cars, which played an important role in the war for Israeli independence.