Thickness Problems

"Opinion of a member of the model commission and representative of the Ilyich factory

The following needs to be considered when discussing and making a decision regarding the production of the A-43 tank with thicker armour (50-60 mm):

1. This thickness will require the use of 7-8 ton ingots to produce the sides of the tank, which the Ilyich factory doesn't have equipment to work with and development of which needs to begin right away.

Sherman Tracks

"Armoured and Mechanized Forces of the Red Army Staff

July 25th, 1945

#0793772

To the Chief of the GBTU Tank Directorate

To the Chief of the Formation and Equipment Directorate of the Armoured and Mechanized Forces

To carry out plan #00793752 issued by the Military Council of the Armoured and Mechanized Forces regarding the equipment of the 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps with Sherman tanks, I ask you to send 35 spare sets of tracks to the reserve of the corps commander.

In addition, the Commander of the Armoured and Mechanized Forces asked to send 45 sets of tracks to the reserve of the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps and the 201st Tank Brigade.

Send the tracks with tanks that will be send from the 16th Training Tank Regiment in Gorkiy in trains ## 16338, 16339, 16340, 16341, 16342.

Chief of Staff of the Armoured and Mechanized Forces, Guards Major General of the Tank Forces, Markov

Chief of the Organizational Department of the Staff, Engineer-Colonel Martynov"

Via Yuri Pasholok

David vs Goliath

"Results of trials of the 45 mm gun and anti-tank rifles and the effectiveness of anti-tank grenades on the Tiger tank

On November 13th and 14th, 1944, trials of 45 mm armour piercing shells and subcaliber shot, anti-tank rifles, and anti-tank grenades against the tracks of a Tiger tank were held.

The following were provided by the 285th Rifle Division:

1. 45 mm gun and crew: 1
2. Anti-tank rifles and crews: 2
3. Subcaliber shot for the 45 mm gun: 20
4. Armour piercing shells for the 45 mm gun: 30
5. Anti-tank rifle cartridge: 40
6. Anti-tank grenade: 15
7. Hand grenade: 15

The 45 mm gun and anti-tank rifles were fired at a range of 30-300 m at angles of 90 and 45 degrees.

Warspot Article: Firefly Development

The British developed a first class anti-tank gun during WWII, but had no luck with a platform to put it on. The solution came from abroad. Although it took a lot of effort, Sherman tanks proved capable of mounting this powerful gun. Read about the trials of the Sherman Ic and Vc tanks in my latest article on Warspot.net.

Heavy Tank Destroyer

The ISU-152 is the best known Soviet heavy SPG. This was the most numerous heavy SPG in history and its career lasted for many decades, overshadowing its "little sister", the ISU-122. The vehicles had the same chassis and differed only in the gun (or rather just the barrel) and ammunition racks. It was the ISU-122 and not the ISU-152 that was the main product of the Chelyabinsk Kirov Factory. This was because the vehicles with 122 mm guns were meant to be heavy tank destroyers. Tank regiments that fought in IS-2 tanks were even reformed as artillery regiments with ISU-122 tank destroyers.

Field Artillery Penetration

"USSR NKO

Artillery HQ of the 22nd Army

Pestovo

September 7th, 1941

To chiefs of artillery of infantry divisions

To the commander of the 56th Corps Artillery Regiment

Personal copy for:_________

On orders of the Chief of Artillery of the 22nd Army I send you information regarding penetration of 76 mm and 107 mm HE and 122 mm and 203 mm concrete piercing shells.

The data was obtained at the ANIOP firing at plates angled at 30 degrees from normal.

When firing at plates at normal the penetration is 15-20% higher.

Have all commanders of artillery regiments familiarize themselves with this data.

Attachment: table of penetration on one page.

Chief of Staff of Artillery of the 22nd Army, Colonel Chudin

Chief of the 2nd Department, Captain Matyunenko"

Thermite Shells

"Report on new armour piercing shells used by the German army

1. The use of so called "thermite" armour piercing shells by the German army has not yet been confirmed.
   German press made a mention of an alleged patent for an incendiary thermite shell, but such a shell should be made with an Elektron alloy hull, which is completely unsuitable for armour penetrating shells. The objective of this message was disinformation.
2. The presence of subcaliber armour piercing shot (similar to those made by the French Komissan factory) was discovered during combat.
   The shot consists of a body, a tungsten core, and a ballistic cap. The cap can be made from either plastic or from a light metal.
   Captured documents show that when an armour piercing shot with a cap made from a light metal (Elektron) hits a target, a flash of light can be seen.
   This message was not checked or verified.

Assistant Chief of the 1st Department, 2nd Directorate, Military Engineer 3rd Class, Krutik

_ April 1942

Via Andrei Ulanov.

Mine Roller Trials

"Report on the use of PT-3 mine rollers in combat from July 12th to 16th, 1943

29th Guards Independent Tank Brigade

The use of two mine rollers was planned during the penetration of enemy defenses near the eastern forest clearing 1.5 km east of Dudino to the southeast outskirts of Seraya. As of July 11th the brigade only had one roller.

A roller was towed via tractor to initial positions before the operation.

Christie Negotiations

"Discussion between comrade Khalepskiy and Mr. Christie in comrade Petrov's office on April 18th, 1930 at 3 pm.

Christie: We had a board of directors meeting and the following proposal was arrived at: $15,000 monthly over the course of 4 months for the sale of 2 tractors worth $60,000

Khalepskiy: I consider that the price of $60,000 is high. I propose $50,000 with the following conditions of payment: 10% on signing, 15% after the materials are produced, 25% after assembly is finished, and 50% after trials and acceptance.

An IS in the Hand

An experimental prototype of the IS-1 tank, formerly called KV-13, was sent to factory trials on March 9th, 1943. This was a fully fledged heavy tank, a little lighter than the KV-1S, but much more mobile and protected. However, during the government trials in the spring of 1943, it became clear that it needs a number of improvements, some of them quite serious. The German Tiger tank was the last nail in the coffin of the IS-1. It turned out that an 85 mm gun was necessary to combat this tank, which would not fit into the turret of the experimental Soviet vehicle. This was the start of the story of the Object 237, the last step towards the creation of the heavy IS tank.