A Bigger Howitzer on a Smaller Chassis

The American Ordnance Committee standardized the HMC T47 as the HMC M8 on May 15th, 1942. This vehicle was accepted into service even before a prototype was built and became the first American light SPG to enter production. The HMC M8 was a good vehicle, but had its drawbacks. The fighting compartment was cramped and there was no room to improve the armament. Experience in combat showed that 75 mm was too small of a gun even for a light SPG. This prompted the development of a new SPG, also based on the Light Tank M5 chassis. The result was a number of experimental SPGs, including the HMC T82.

Waste Not, Want Not

"16th Motorized Infantry Division

Unit 1-b

Division HQ, September 1st, 1941

Special supply order #29

Dual shields for anti-tank guns

Shields of Russian anti-tank guns can be easily adapted for German anti-tank guns. All captured Russian anti-tank guns that cannot be repaired for use in the German army to replace knocked out guns should have their shields removed and attached on top of German gun shields.

Platoon gunsmiths and company repair workshops can take on the work.

On behalf of the division commander, 1st officer of the General Staff IV"

Cabin on the Tanks

"Mechanic-driver's station

The mechanic-driver is located to the left of the ammunition rack in the front of the tank. The driver's seat is immobile. The seat can flip back and its angle can be adjusted.

The tank is driven by looking through the open hatch in front of the driver, through the slit in the hatch protected by a vision block, or through the rotating MK-IV periscope in the top hatch.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

"An inquiry from the State Planning Commission to the Head of the ABTU regarding the use of secondary metals in wartime

September 20th, 1936

The use of scrap metal and byproducts, especially of non-ferrous metals, will be even more important during wartime than in peace time. The use of scrap metal and byproducts accounts for 30% or more metals used in industry.

Knowing this, it is important for the RKKA in wartime to organize a collection of scrap metal and byproducts at the front lines and in the army's rear. The existing manuals regarding the collection of scrap metal are very brief. The Sector of Defense of the State Planning Commission is working on this issue and wishes to know:

1. Which metals and alloys will be collected at the NKO's orders during the war and be sent off to the rear?
2. Approximately what are the estimated amounts for the first year of the war (split by 6 month periods if possible)?
3. What amounts and of what metals will be used by the army directly without being passed into the industry?
4. What sorting of collected metals (especially important during further re-smelting of alloys and hardened steels) will be done, and by which organizations in the NKO?
5. How much scrap and byproducts was collected in 1935?
6. Special notes and requests regarding collection of old metal during peace and war time.

The response to these questions is needed urgently to allow rapid development of plans for other People's Commissariats.

Chief of the Defense Sector of State Planning

Botner"

RGVA 31811-2-614 p.89 

"Estimates by the ABTU for the Chief of the Defense Sector of State Planning on the use of scrap metals in wartime

September 30th, 1936

It is calculated that in the first year the generation of metal from lost vehicles in the first year of war will be 900-1000 thousand tons. Of those, it will be possible to recover 100,000 tons within the RKKA. The rest of the metal will be passed onto the industry. Expect about up to 2% non-ferrous metals, the rest will be ferrous metals: iron, simple carbon steel, special steels.

Expect even distribution among 6-month periods.

Collection of scrap metals during peace time is performed by the NKO Stock Accounting Department, and organization of scrap collection during peace or wartime should be agreed upon with that department. This department has all the information about delivery of scrap metals by the RKKA Directorates for 1935 and 1936.

The ABTU considers that it is necessary to offload responsibility for collection of scrap metal as much as possible. As a rule, the role of the NKO should be limited to delivery of the scrap metal from the battlefield to the distribution warehouses, preliminary sorting, and loading.

Assistant Chief of the ABTU,

Division Commander Stepnoy"

RGVA 31811-2-614 p.103 

Via Pavel Kozlov.

V-2 Woes

"February 1st, 1939

To Military Representative at factory #183, Military Engineer 2nd Class, Comrade Fedorov

A telegram received from your deputy, comrade Kolesnik, and a message Military Engineer 2nd Class comrade Shukarev suggest that development of the V-2 engine at department 400 is in a completely unacceptable state.

All deadlines in development of the V-2 engine have been missed. State trials scheduled at the beginning of February have also been missed.

The American Highrise

Many Russian publications give the Medium Tank M3, known in the USSR as M3Sr (sredniy - medium) a poor evaluation. It is often dubbed "a grave for six brothers". Indeed, reviews of the M3 were the least favourable compared to most tanks that arrived in the USSR in large batches, but the infamy it holds today is not deserved. Let's try to objectively evaluate this American tank using reports from the proving range and the battlefield.

Self-Centered

Typically, armoured vehicles have a tendency to sag forward, especially as they are modernized throughout their service life. Heavier cannons and frontal armour often strain the front suspension elements more than the rear. The T-34 was no exception, with the T-34-85's front springs having to be reinforced when the larger and heavier turret entered service.

The T-44 was a revolutionary shift for Soviet medium tanks. In order to rid the front of the hull of the vulnerable driver's hatch, the hatch had to be placed on the roof, which meant shifting the turret backwards. In order to keep the fighting compartment the same size, the engine had to be placed perpendicularly to the hull. This resulted in a lot of weight moving backwards, and the center of mass followed. Calculations may show some detailed insight, but one can even see with the naked eye that the tank is tilting backwards.

CAMD RF 38-11355-2360 p.75

Stronger Tanks

The T-34's armour was considered formidable in the summer of 1941, as it was protected against the majority of German anti-tank guns. By the end of 1943, the balance tipped the other way. The light "doorknocker" 3.7 cm Pak and the occasional 5 cm Pak 38 were being forced out by the 7.5 cm Pak 40 and other high velocity weapons. An analysis of tanks knocked out in combat was performed in order to determine where the armour needs to be increased, but the results were rather disappointing.

Night Fighters

"572 sorties were carried out this month. Of those, the machineguns were fired in 134 sorties. Firing was done from a height of 300-500 meters, from a distance of 700-1000 meters. Targets included columns of vehicles, strongholds, personnel, and enemy vehicles in settlements and on roads.

As a result of the assault, the following damage was done to the enemy, based on the crews' reports:

• Fires started: 1
• Strongholds suppressed: 3
• Vehicles destroyed: 1

Object 704 Conclusions

"...

High backlash was noticed in the traverse mechanisms.

Conclusions: the traverse mechanism passed trials.

10: Loading tray

In order to make it easier to move between the loader and breech operator's stations, it is reasonable to make the rear tray corners rounded. Otherwise, there are no complaints about the tray.

11: Sights

The prototype carries the telescopic ball and socket TSh-17 sight with 4x magnification and a panoramic sight for the 76 mm ZIS-3 gun without an extension. 

The ball and socket sight is comfortable to use due to the immobile eyepiece in relation to the gunner's eye. A lack of muzzle brake improves the conditions of observation after a shot.

Trials showed that after 40 shots the sight calibration offset is negligible.

No complaints are made about the installation of the sight.