27-03-2015, 15:29

Good day everyone, welcome to the site! Today we will talk about one of the most armored tanks at its level, and we will talk about the Soviet fifth-tier heavy tank KV-1.

Brief information

The fifth level heavy tank KV-1 was once a stock version of the KV tank. But in one of the patches it was decided to split the KV into two vehicles, the KV-1 and KV-2. The KV-1, like the KV, remained at the fifth level, and the KV-2 was moved to the 6th level.

On this moment The KV-1 can be opened using the fourth-tier medium tank T-28 for 13,500 experience, and its cost at the time of purchase will be 390,000 credits.

TTX KV-1

Pros and cons of the car.

Pros:
Good all-round armor for its level;
Small sizes;
Large selection of weapons.

Minuses:
Weak dynamics;
Very bad review;
Very weak stock gun.

Let's talk about guns, and the KV-1 has four of them.

The first 76 mm ZiS-5 gun. Unfortunately, this is our stock gun which has a very weak penetration and very poor accuracy, but it is with it that we will have to open the first guns for a more or less comfortable game. Therefore, you will have to be patient. Or, open them for free experience, which will save you nerves and time.

The second gun is 57 mm Project 413. Compared to the previous gun, it has everything you need for a comfortable game, including accuracy and penetration, and with premium shells we are not afraid of any tank of the seventh level. The only negative is the low average damage per shot, which, coupled with our rate of fire, will force us to be in sight of the enemy all the time, and therefore expose ourselves to enemy shots.

The third gun is 122 mm U-11. It has 2 types of projectiles, land mines and cumulative ones. Land mines are practically useless projectiles at the moment; due to their low armor penetration and lack of versatility, they are only suitable for firing at tanks that have no armor at all. A cumulative shells with their penetration of 140 mm, they are excellent for destroying enemies, if you take into account the mechanics of the cumulative projectile and know how to use it.

And the last and most important gun is the 85 mm F-30. It has normal armor penetration for the basic projectile and good average one-time damage, as well as acceptable accuracy for its level.

To other parameters.

The number of strength points we have is 640 units, which is quite enough for a heavy tank of the fifth level. The armor of the tank is quite good; when positioned in a diamond formation, not a single tank up to the fifth level will be able to penetrate us; tanks with high-explosive guns do not count. The tank also has a very strong top turret. If we talk about dynamics, then the KV-1 lacks it. The tank reaches the 34 km/h stated in the performance characteristics very reluctantly, and only if the tank is driving from a mountain or on normal ground. Also, the tank, like many Soviet vehicles, has very poor visibility. Therefore, we will often snatch away from enemies who will shine on us from the bushes.

Skills and abilities of the KV-1 crew

Standard and good choice will:

Commander - Sixth Sense, Repair, Brotherhood.
Gunner - Repair, Smooth rotation of the turret Combat Brotherhood.
Driver - Repair, Smooth ride, Combat brotherhood.
Radio operator - Repair, Radio interception, Combat brotherhood.
Loader - Repair, Non-contact ammo rack, Combat brotherhood.

Installation of modules on KV-1

Now we will talk about selecting modules for the tank. It is necessary to install a medium-caliber gun rammer, improved ventilation and reinforced aiming drives

KV-1 equipment

Here is another standard, namely: a small repair kit, a small first aid kit and a hand-held fire extinguisher. I advise you to use premium equipment, which is quite expensive, but can significantly increase the survivability of your vehicle in battle. So feel free to equip your tank with a large repair kit, a large first aid kit and an automatic fire extinguisher or extra ration.

Tactics and use of the KV-1

The KV-1 can be considered a real heavy tank; its lack of dynamics is compensated by good all-round armor. Of course, our armor is unlikely to save us from some vehicles of the sixth and seventh levels, but for most vehicles of the fifth and lower levels we will be an impregnable fortress, especially if we use it correctly: play from the side or position the tank in a diamond shape. But in general, the tactics of playing the KV-1 largely depend on the choice of gun.

So, for example, if we choose the 57 mm Project 413 gun, then we turn our tank into a kind of premium Churchill 3. Having excellent armor penetration, accuracy and rate of fire, we will simply fill the enemy with shells, not allowing him to come to his senses. This gun also has very good premium cumulative shells. Their penetration of 189 mm will be enough for us for any tanks of the fifth to seventh levels, of course, if you know where to shoot. The best tactic for the KV-1 will be to push through directions with allied vehicles; due to our rate of fire, we can not only inflict damage on the enemy, but also try to knock down his tracks, as well as finish them off.

When choosing the F-30 85 mm gun, we can both push through directions and defend them. A good rate of fire, acceptable accuracy and good average damage per shot will make low-level enemies wonder whether it’s worth coming at us. But with higher level cars we will have to work a little harder. Although you can easily deal with them by shooting them at pressure points, while trying not to expose yourself to their shots.

And finally, by choosing the U-11 122 mm gun, we get the KV-1 with the highest single damage per shot. We can simply one-shot small and weakly armored vehicles or inflict huge damage. And we play against tanks with armor by targeting them weak spots. But due to the accuracy of the weapon, we will not always be able to do this. The best tactic for us would be to shoot at enemies at medium and close distances.

Also, when playing on the KV-1, you should always remember about the enemy’s artillery; for them we are a tasty target due to our weak dynamics and clumsiness. Therefore, always try to be close to various types of shelters.

One more thing. Remember, never fly forward in a KV-1 open area. Because because of poor visibility you become an easy target for more sighted enemy machines. As a result, they can simply make you out without even getting caught in the light.

Bottom line

The KV-1 is a very good heavy tank at its level. Thanks to the large selection of weapons, it is always fun to play. It is great for inexperienced players, since often, thanks to its armor, it will forgive them mistakes. In general, the machine is very well balanced, and with proper play it can bring not only beautiful numbers of experience and credits gained, but also a lot of pleasure to its owner.

The experience of using medium and heavy tanks in the war with Finland showed that 30-40 mm armor can no longer provide protection from anti-tank gun fire and that controlling multi-turreted tanks in battle is very difficult. For this reason, the new heavy tank KV-1 received shell-proof armor and was made with a single turret, with a classic layout. The control compartment was located in the front part of the welded box-section hull, the fighting compartment was in the middle, and the power plant was located in the rear part of the hull.

The tank was produced with two types of turret: welded from sheets 75 mm thick or cast with a wall thickness of 95 mm. During production, the armor protection of the hull was reinforced with additional 25 mm screens, and the wall thickness of the cast turret was increased to 105 mm. Therefore, it is not surprising that the KV-1 emerged victorious from the battle, sometimes bearing dozens of dents from shells on its armor. Initially, a 76.2 mm L-11 cannon was installed, then an F-32 of the same caliber, and since 1941 the KV was produced with a 76.2 mm ZIS-5 cannon. The KV-1 was mass-produced from 1940 to 1942. A total of 4,800 KV vehicles of various modifications were produced. On the basis of the KV-1, the KV-2, KV-3, KV-8, KV-9 and others tanks were created.

Combat use of the KV-1 tank

In places!

"BUILDING AND OPERATION OF THE CREW AT THE TANK (*)

1. At the command (signal) “To the vehicles,” the crew lines up in front of the tank, facing the field, in one line, one step ahead of the tracks, in the following order: tank commander - CT, gun commander (firing) - KO, driver junior (loader) - M, senior driver - MV, radio telegraph operator - R, and receive the command "Attention".

2. At the command (signal) “Take your seats,” landing is carried out in the following order: everyone turns around, the senior driver climbs into the tank through the front hatch and sits down in his place, followed by the radiotelegraph operator and closes the hatch behind him; the tank commander takes a step to the left and lets the gun commander pass ahead of him, who climbs onto the tank and, on the starboard side, runs to the turret, opens the hatch and sits down in his place; he is followed by the tank commander; The last to get in is the junior driver, who closes the hatch behind him.

3. After the crew has boarded the tank, the tank commander gives the command: “Prepare for loading.” At this command, the senior mechanic-driver opens the central fuel valve, creates pressure in the fuel system, and turns on the “mass”. The junior driver opens the fuel and oil valves, after which the senior driver reports that the engine is ready to start.

At the “Start” command, the senior driver presses the main clutch, gives a signal and starts the engine. After starting the engine, the tank commander gives a signal that the tank is ready to move.

4. At the command (signal) “To the machines,” exit from the tank is carried out in the following order: the radiotelegraph operator is the first to exit through the front hatch, followed by the senior driver, who closes the hatch; The junior driver (motor operator) comes out first through the turret hatch and stands in front of the tank, followed by the tank commander, then the gun commander, who closes the turret hatch.

Upon exiting the tank, the crew lines up in the order shown in the diagram in Fig. 109, and remains in this position until the command (order) of the platoon commander.
=======================

(*) The crew of a tank with a large turret consists of 6 people: a tank commander, a gun commander, a foremen driver, a junior driver, a radio telegraph operator and a castle officer."

The German offensive, launched on June 22, 1941, caught the Red Army by surprise - it was not properly deployed and was in the middle of a process of global reorganization. During 1941, the USSR army suffered enormous losses in manpower and equipment, losing most of its gigantic tank fleet. Despite the bad overall efficiency actions of the Soviet troops, the invulnerability of the KV-1 and KV-2 came as a shock to the Germans. They did not have at their disposal tanks comparable to the KB in terms of armor and armament, and they had a small number of anti-tank guns capable of destroying them. In his memoirs "A Soldier's Duty" Marshal K.K. Rokossovsky wrote: "KB tanks literally stunned the enemy. They withstood cannon fire from absolutely all German tanks. But in what form did they return from the battle! Their armor was full of dents from enemy artillery fire."

In July 1941, Soviet troops had 500 KV-1 and KV-2 tanks. In October 1941, production of KV-2 tanks was suspended as the evacuation of tank factories to the east began. By this time, only 434 cars had been produced. They were used in positional battles during the defense of Moscow in the winter of 1941 and near Stalingrad as part of the 62nd Army of Major General V. Chuikov. An effective remedy The KB was capable of firing 88 mm Flak 35/36 anti-aircraft guns. For example, this is how the commander of the 41st German Tank Corps, General Reinhart, describes a collision with KB tanks from the 2nd Panzer Division ( we're talking about about the battles of June 23-24 in the Rossiniai area.

“About a hundred of our tanks, a third of which were Pz.IV, prepared for a counterattack. Some of them were directly in front of the enemy, but most were located on the flanks. Suddenly, they were sandwiched on three sides by steel monsters, trying to destroy them was a futile task. On the contrary , soon some of our tanks were disabled... The giant Russian tanks were coming closer and closer. One of them approached the shore of the swampy pond where our tank was standing. Without hesitation, the black monster pushed it into the pond. The same thing happened to a German cannon, which failed to quickly dodge.

Its commander, when he saw the approaching enemy heavy tanks, opened fire on them. However, this did not cause them even minimal damage. One of the giants quickly rushed towards the cannon, which was located 100 meters away from him. Suddenly one of the fired shells hit the tank. He stopped as if struck by lightning. “He’s ready,” the gunners thought with relief. “Yes, he’s ready,” the gun commander said to himself. But soon their feelings were replaced by a cry: “He’s still moving!” Without any doubt, the tank was moving, its tracks were creaking, it was approaching the gun, threw it away like a toy and, pressing it into the ground, continued on its way."

General Reinhart's story is complemented by the memories of one of the officers of the 1st Panzer Division:
“KV-1 and KV-2 were 800 meters away from us. Our company opened fire - to no avail. We moved closer and closer to the enemy, who continued to move forward. For several minutes, only 50-100 m separated us. Each one opened fire, but to no avail: the Russians continued on their way, all our shells bounced off them. We found ourselves in a threatening situation: the attacking Russians overturned our artillery and penetrated our battle formation. Only by bringing up anti-aircraft guns and firing from short distances was it possible to stop the onslaught of enemy armor. Then Our counterattack pushed back the Russians and established a line of defense at Vasiliskis. The fight was over."

According to the memoirs of D. Osadchy, commander of a company of KV-1 tanks in the 2nd Tank Division, “On June 23-24, even before entering the battle, many KB tanks, especially the KV-2, broke down during the marches. There were especially big problems with the gearbox and air filters. June was hot, there was dust on the roads of the Baltic states great amount and the filters had to be changed after an hour and a half of engine operation. Before entering the battle, the tanks of my company managed to replace them, but those of the neighboring ones did not. As a result, by mid-day, most of the vehicles in these companies had broken down."

Near Leningrad, perhaps the most famous battle took place with the participation of the KV, in which he had the opportunity to demonstrate all his positive qualities in the most vivid way. On August 19, 1941, in the Krasnogvardeets area, a KV company under the command of Z.G. Kolobanova, consisting of five KV tanks, destroyed 43 German tanks in one battle, three of them by ramming. The crew of Z.G. himself Kolobanova burned 22 tanks within an hour. The KV safely survived the impact of 156 armor-piercing shells fired from tank guns from a distance of less than 200 m. To be fair, it should be noted that the Soviet tank acted from an ambush, and the enemy vehicles were “locked” in the marching column and were deprived of maneuver.

The fate of the KB from the 6th Mechanized Corps of the Western Military District is sad. Having practically failed to fire a single shot at the enemy, these KBs were either blown up by their crews or simply abandoned due to lack of fuel.
KB tanks were more active on the Southwestern Front. But here, too, the main losses of these vehicles were not from enemy fire, but due to illiterate operation, lack of spare parts and technical malfunctions. And of course, one cannot ignore the actions of the KB tanks in light of the general condition in which they were tank forces Red Army by June 1941

Heavy tank KV-2

The tank was adopted by the Red Army in 1940 and was a modification of the KV-1, designed to combat long-term firing points. The prototype, released in February 1940, took part in the war with Finland and proved to be a positive one. In accordance with its intended purpose, the KV-2 was armed with a very powerful 152-mm M-10 gun mounted in a high armored turret of circular rotation. This gun was fired with separately loaded rounds, so the combat rate of fire was low.

In addition, the KV-2 could only fire from a standing position. Fire control was carried out using a T-5 telescopic tank sight and a PT-5 panoramic tank sight. Radio station 71-TK-Z was installed on all vehicles. To protect against air attack, some KV-2s were armed with an anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on the roof of the turret. Production was stopped with the outbreak of World War II. In total, about 330 KV-2 were produced.

The KV-2 serial heavy tank with anti-shell armor was designed in Leningrad at the Kirov plant under the leadership of Zh. Ya. Kotin and manufactured in February 1940. The senior design team was N.L. Dukhov. The KV-2 was intended to break through heavily fortified defensive lines (destroy pillboxes and bunkers with direct fire) and to reinforce units armed with light and medium tanks.

A special feature of this vehicle was the installation in the turret of an increased size (compared to the KV-1) of a 152-mm M-10 howitzer of the 1938-1940 model. In the world practice of tank building at that time, this was a unique case. To install such a large system, it was necessary to develop a new tower. The turret with the M-10S howitzer for the KV received the factory designation MT-1, and the tank itself received the KV with a “big turret” (the designation KV-2 appeared only in 1941)

Live-fire tests were carried out on a trench stand right on the factory premises. No one knew how the tank would behave after being fired from a gun of this caliber. They shot from a position along the side, that is, the most dangerous for capsizing the car. The experiment was successful, the car did not tip over, and the engine started on the first try.

In addition to the howitzer, the KV-2 tank was also armed with three 7.62-mm DT tank machine guns (coaxial with the howitzer; in a ball joint in the rear wall of the turret; in the front plate of the turret box to the left of the driver). The howitzer had relatively high performance at that time. Its armor-piercing projectile (naval grenade) weighing 52 kg with an initial speed of 436 m/s pierced an armor plate 72 mm thick at a distance of 1500 m, at an angle of 60°. For firing at reinforced concrete fortifications there was a concrete-piercing projectile weighing 40 kg with an initial speed of 530 m/s. The howitzer's pointing angles are horizontally 360, vertically from -5° to +12. For vertical aiming, a sector mechanism was used. The shooting was carried out using a T-5 telescopic sight (TOD-9) or a PT-5 periscope sight (PT-9). The ammunition consisted of 36 separate-loading artillery rounds and 3,087 rounds of ammunition for DT machine guns (49 magazines).

At the rear of the turret there was a hatch for loading ammunition; on the roof there were hatches for landing the crew, observation devices and fans. On the side walls there are brackets for climbing to the roof and embrasures for firing personal weapons, closed from the inside with conical plugs. The same embrasure was on the door of the rear wall of the tower. The rotation of the turret was controlled using mechanical and electric drives.
The armor has been changed compared to the KV-1. It consisted of rolled armor plates with a thickness of 75 mm (frontal part, sides and turret), 60 mm (aft part), 40 mm (bottom) and 30 mm (roof), connected by electric welding. Engine, transmission and chassis, as well as external and internal communication means are unified with the KV-1.

With a combat weight of 52 tons, the tank had good cross-country ability for its type, comparable to the KV-1.
The crew consisted of six people: a commander, a driver, a gun commander (gunner), a castle officer, a junior driver and a gunner-radio operator. The driver and gunner-radio operator were located in the front part of the hull (control compartment), and the remaining crew members were located in the turret (combat compartment).

In November 1940, a vehicle with the so-called “lowered turret” was put into production. Compared to the MT-1, the new turret (armed with the same 152-mm howitzer and designated MT-2) had smaller overall dimensions and was easier to manufacture. At the rear of the turret, a 7.62 mm DT machine gun was mounted in a ball mount. To dismantle the gun, there was a hatch in the rear wall of the turret, which was also used for loading ammunition and boarding and disembarking the crew.

The gun mask has been changed. As a result of the alterations, it was possible to reduce the weight by 2 tons. The tank had standard external fuel tanks, a radio station and an intercom system for four crew members. Some of the vehicles received anti-aircraft machine guns on the turrets. The gun was fired only from a standing position, which is why the vehicle is often classified as a “self-propelled gun with a rotating turret.”

Several KV-2s were tested during the breakthrough of the Mannerheim Line in mid-February 1940. With the help of artillery fire, they made passages in the granite gouges and destroyed them with close range pillboxes that hindered the advance of rifle units. The armor withstood heavy fire anti-tank artillery enemy. In particular, one of the vehicles received 48 dents from being hit by shells, but remained in service. After successful completion of the tests, the KV-2 was put into service and was in mass production until the second half of 1941. With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the tank was discontinued.

In the early years of the war, the KV-2 remained virtually invulnerable to almost all types of anti-tank artillery, with the exception of guns with high muzzle velocity, which fired direct fire from a dangerously short distance. The only thing the enemy could do was force the crew to abandon the vehicle by disabling the rollers or tracks. Because of large sizes and the thickness of the armor of the KV-2 and its crew of 6 people, the tank received the nickname “Dreadnought”.

However, the KV-2 paid dearly for its powerful gun and impenetrable armor. Its mobility on the move and in combat was severely limited by problems with the clutch, transmission and crew accommodations it inherited from the KV-1. The situation was aggravated due to the increased weight (53.8-57.9 tons depending on the modification), as well as due to the use of an unimproved 500 hp engine.

Problems with turret rotation, which arose when the tank was not on a relatively flat surface, affected its effectiveness in combat. The KV-2 was a formidable opponent when stationary, but it lacked mobility and speed, both of which were vital in the first year of the war on the Eastern Front.

The Germans first encountered the KB-2 on June 23 during fighting in Lithuania. According to the recollections of servicemen from the 1st Tank Division, this is recorded as follows: "Our companies opened fire from 700 m. We were getting closer. Soon we were already 50-100 m apart. But we could not achieve success. Soviet tanks continued to advance, and our armor-piercing shells they simply bounced off their armor. The tanks withstood direct fire from 50 mm and 75 mm guns. The KV-2 was hit by more than 70 shells, but not a single one was able to penetrate its armor. Several tanks were disabled when we managed to hit the tracks and then shoot them from a short distance with cannons. Then they were attacked by sappers with backpack charges." .

From the memoirs of G. Penezhko, an officer of the 8th Mechanized Corps: “Several KVs appeared from behind the forest. One of the tanks stopped on a hill. The gun in the giant turret turned in our direction. The thunder of a shot rang out. Where a German tank had been a second ago, now lay a twisted pile of armor. Slowly the turret turned to the right. The tank took on another fascist. A shot, an explosion, the turret of the German tank was torn off its shoulder strap, and the hull came apart at the seams.".

Most of the KV-2 losses in 1941 were caused by the lack or shortage of fuel, which is why they had to be simply abandoned. The 41st Panzer Division lost two-thirds of its 33 KV-2s, with only five of them lost in action.

Performance characteristics

Read also: "Heavy tank T-35"	KV-85	"big tower"	"lowered tower"
Combat weight, t
Crew, people
Case length, mm
With the gun forward, mm
Width, mm
Tower roof height, mm
Clearance
Armament
Machine gun	Zx7.62-mmDT		4 x 7.62 mm DT
A gun	85-mm D-5T-85 Model 43	152.4 mm M-10 mod. 1938/40	152.4 mm M-10 mod. 1938/40
Ammunition:
shells
cartridges
Booking, mm:
forehead of the body
hull side
roof
tower
Engine
power, l. With.
Max speed on highway, km/h
Cruising range on the highway, km

Read also:
	Magazine "Russian Tanks". KV-2.
	Operation Barbarossa - KV tanks in battle
	Magazine "Russian Tanks". KV-1.
	Tank KV. Service manual.

KV tanks in the first battles Production of the KV-2 was just beginning when, in the summer of 1941, German troops attacked the USSR, beginning the implementation of Plan Barbarossa. Therefore, the number of tanks available in the Red Army units was small. By the time the Great Patriotic War began, only some units received the number of KB tanks that were assigned to them according to the state, while the rest had only a few vehicles. In addition, the supply system for spare parts and especially ammunition for the 152 mm howitzer was not developed. Some units had no ammunition at all, and some did not know that 09-30 concrete-piercing shells could also be used as armor-piercing shells. As a result, the command of the Red Army had at its disposal only a very small number of fully combat-ready units with a regular number of tanks, trained crews, provided with transport and ammunition that would be able to fully realize the combat potential of their mighty vehicles. The KV-2 was originally designed to combat field fortifications, both wooden and concrete, which it could approach at low speed, being protected from enemy fire by its powerful armor. A significant limitation in this tactical use was that the KV-2's main armament, a 152 mm howitzer, could only be fired when the tank was standing on more or less level ground. Even a slight tilt made it much more difficult to turn the heavy turret and made combat almost impossible. In addition, the low mobility of the KV-2 did not correspond to the highly mobile nature of the fighting imposed on the Red Army during Operation Barbarossa. The consequences of this situation that developed in the summer and autumn of 1941 became catastrophic for the KV-2. For example, on July 6, 1941, only 9 of the original 32 KV-2 tanks remained in the 41st Tank Division. Five were destroyed in battle with German troops, 12 were abandoned by their crews due to breakdowns and 5 required major repairs. The use of KV-2 tanks was contrary to their original purpose and intended tactics, as a result they had to fight German infantry and armored vehicles in frontal attacks or serve as a mobile firing point when defending key positions on the battlefield. The main areas of use of the KV-2 were Ukraine (Kiev region), the Baltic states and Belarus. Photo of a KV-2 tank destroyed in battle. Apparently the tank was from the 3rd TD of the 1st MK and was knocked out at the entrance to the city of Ostrov. However, despite everything, the KV-2 performed these tasks very well, presenting German troops unpleasant surprises. Considering that the Wehrmacht units were armed with anti-tank guns of only 37 and 50 mm caliber and tanks with guns of 37, 50 and 75 mm caliber, they had to face an almost invulnerable tank, which delayed and slowed down the advance of even large German units. But it was timing that was the critical moment in German strategy, since reaching Moscow before the onset of winter determined the success of the entire campaign. Although German troops had problems in direct contact with the KV-2, this was compensated for by the German tactics of quick detours, breakthroughs and encirclements used in 1941. As a result, most KV-2 tanks were lost during the retreat due to mechanical failures, rather than in battle. During combat, the Russische Kollloss and its crew often put up fierce resistance. Its destruction was possible only with the involvement of heavy field artillery or in close combat by special assault groups. Very indicative in this regard is the battle with the participation of the KV from the 2nd Tank Division, which took place on June 24-25, 1941 at the turn of the Dubissa River, in the offensive zone of the 6th German Tank Division. On June 25, 1941, the following entry appeared in the combat diary of the 11th Tank Regiment of the 6th Panzer Division: “In the morning, the 2nd battalion of the regiment, together with von Seckendorff’s battle group, moved forward in a column. Throughout the day, the column was attacked several times by units of the Soviet 2nd Panzer Division. As it turned out, Soviet 52-ton tanks are completely insensitive to the fire of our 10.5-cm howitzers. Even several hits from 150-mm shells did not cause any harm to the enemy. However, the attacks of our PzKpfw IV tanks caused heavy losses to the enemy, which allowed our units to advance 3 km east of Dubissa. The bridgehead captured by Kampfgruppe Routh remained behind us. After noon, a reinforced company and the headquarters of the 65th Tank Battalion advanced to the crossroads northeast of Rasseiny. Meanwhile, a Soviet heavy tank blocked the road, cutting off Kampfgruppe Routh from the main forces. During the night it was not possible to destroy the tank. A battery of anti-aircraft 88s moved forward to fight the tank -mm cannons. However, the 88-mm cannons turned out to be no more effective than the 105-mm howitzers. The sappers' attempt to blow up the tank with a landmine also failed." A damaged KV-1 tank, probably from the 2nd Tank Division The Germans are towing a captured KV tank. Lithuania. June 1941 Somewhat earlier, from the direction of Keidan, the Soviet 2nd Tank Division attacked the Germans, with the goal of not only stopping, but also destroying the enemy. A tank battle took place near Raseiniai and above Dubissa, which lasted two days. For the first time, the Germans encountered Soviet KV-1, KV-2 and T-34 tanks, paving the way for the lighter and more numerous T-26 and BT tanks. The crew of the KV-1 tank, who died heroically in June 1941 near the village. Give me... A German tankman from the crew of the PzKpfw IV (1st Tank Regiment of the 1st Tank Division, operating on the left flank of the 6th Panzer Division) spoke about the battle over Dubissa: "The KV-1 and KV-2, which we met for the first time, were very different in appearance. Our companies opened fire from a distance of 800 meters, but to no avail. We got closer, and soon we were separated by 50-100 meters. We shot point-blank, but: our the armor-piercing shells simply ricocheted. We circled around the enemy tanks, firing from a distance of 60-30 meters with special PzGr 40 armor-piercing shells. By sunset, more than 180 vehicles were burning on the battlefield." German soldiers inspect a damaged KV-2 (U-4) tank, probably from the 3rd Mechanized Corps. Lithuania, summer 1941 On the bridgehead occupied by the 6th Panzer Division, they managed to take several dozen prisoners. The commander of the German detachment ordered the prisoners to be escorted to the division headquarters in Rasseiniai. The prisoners were loaded onto a truck, with the village and several guards in the back. But less than an hour later, the truck driver returned and reported that halfway between the river and Rassein, the car had been fired upon by a giant Soviet tank. The truck caught fire. The prisoners, taking advantage of the confusion of the convoy, fled. It seemed that the only road along which the bridgehead was supplied was cut off. Of course, one tank didn’t mean anything, but others could have come up. The night passed peacefully, and reconnaissance sent out in the morning found the tank in the same place. Around noon, the bridgehead received a radiogram from headquarters that twelve trucks with ammunition and food had been sent to them. Soon, several powerful explosions were heard from Rasseiny. It was a Soviet tank that knocked out the first and last vehicle in the column. Cars on fire blocked the road. Within a few minutes, the entire column turned into a pile of flaming rubble. The commander of the 6th Panzer Division, Major General Landgraf, ordered the mysterious tank to be immediately neutralized. The commander of one of the companies of 50 mm anti-tank guns was ordered to approach and burn the tank. Using folds in the terrain, four half-track tractors with anti-tank guns in tow approached the tank and stopped 600 meters from it. The artillerymen rolled out their guns in their arms to their combat positions. The tank stood in the small forest and was silent. The battery commander thought that the crew had abandoned the tank, but still ordered fire on the vehicle. The first three shells hit the target. But the tank was still silent. Just to be sure, let's get a few more hits and we'll be done! - ordered the battery commander. The gunners opened rapid fire, no longer observing any camouflage rules. All the battery's guns were firing. After the eighth hit: the tank returned fire. It was so unexpected that the Germans were simply taken aback. Around the unmasked German guns the ground rose in fountains. Smoke obscured the positions, and powerful explosions shook the air. The tank fired three shots in total. When the ground settled and the smoke cleared, the surprised Germans discovered that two of the battery’s guns were simply nowhere to be found, and the rest were disabled. The surviving artillerymen immediately left the battlefield. Since the 50 mm RAK 38 cannons were unable to knock out the Soviet tank, General Landgraf decided to use the 88 mm FLAK 37 anti-aircraft guns. At noon, one 88 mm cannon from the 298th anti-aircraft battalion was delivered to the scene by a half-track tractor. 900 m from the tank, the cannon was unhooked from the tractor and they began to roll it out to the firing position. Suddenly the tank began to deploy the turret. The first 152-mm shell exploded 2 meters from the gun, and with the second shot, the Soviet tank crews smashed the anti-aircraft gun to smithereens. Seeing no way out of this situation, General Landgraf ordered the tank to be simply destroyed with a high-explosive charge. At about one o'clock in the morning, a platoon of sappers from the 57th sapper began to carry out their plans. Half an hour later there was a dull explosion, after which the machine guns immediately started talking. However, the machine guns quickly fell silent. However, the commander of the returning sappers reported that the charge was too weak. The explosion only tore off the tank's track. So three attempts to destroy the KV-2 tank ended in complete failure. "Russische Kollloss" continued to stand in the woods, ready to open fire at any moment. Then it was decided to carry out a diversionary attack and, under its cover, move another 88-mm anti-aircraft gun into a firing position. On the morning of June 25, the KV-2 was attacked by several dozen PzKpfw 35(t) from the 11th Tank Regiment. The German vehicles fanned out and opened hurricane fire, diverting the attention of the Soviet tankers while another 88-mm anti-aircraft gun was brought up from the direction of Rasseiny. Only after the first shot did the tank crew notice the danger. The turret began to turn in the direction of the German gun when the anti-aircraft gunners scored two more hits. Taught by bitter experience, the Germans fired a few more shots, after which silence reigned. When the German soldiers approached the silent tank, they found only two holes in its armor. Five other shells only pierced the armor. The 50mm shells left only eight pockmarks. A landmine, detonated at night, smashed the track, tore off part of the wing and slightly damaged the cannon barrel. A German Pz 35(t) tank destroyed in June 1941 in the vicinity of the city of Raseiniai Despite their power, by the end of 1941 almost all KV-2 tanks were lost. In 1942, there were still a number of these tanks, but their actual number is unknown, mainly due to the fact that in the reports and reports of that time, which can be found in the archives, the calculations did not make a distinction between the KV-2 and the KV-2. One German archival photo shows a KV-2 tank still in service in 1943, but it remains unclear whether this is true or whether the photographer simply made a mistake in dating the photo. Thus, combat use The KV-2 was limited to only the first year of the war. After 1941, the KV-2 was no longer assigned any tactical or strategic role. When in 1943 during offensive operations When the need for a heavy breakthrough tank and a means of combating long-term enemy fortifications arose again, the role of the KV-2 was transferred to the SU-152 self-propelled gun, and then the ISU-152. Both were armed with a 152 mm howitzer, but the design of the first was based on the chassis of the KB tank, and the second on the more advanced chassis of the heavy IS tank. Based on materials from the series "War Machines"

The first clashes of the Wehrmacht with KV-2 tanks

pro-tank.ru

2011-05-08T01:44

The first clashes of the Wehrmacht with the KV-2 = "KW-SHOCK" When, in the morning hours of June 22, 1941, the German army launched Plan Barbarossa, an attack on the Soviet Union, Soviet troops were taken by surprise. And although the Red Army was armed with a large number of types armored vehicles, which were completely unknown to the Germans, however, this technical superiority could not compensate for the catastrophic tactical mistakes of the army command. An unexpected fact for the Wehrmacht was not only the large number of Soviet tanks that the German troops had to face, but also their high combat qualities, especially the latest tank designs. Although produced in limited quantities, literally in recent months before German attack, new types of Soviet tanks - T-34 and KV, were a very serious opponent. Even before the start of Operation Barbarossa, their number and combat characteristics, and in some cases even their very existence, were not discovered by the German military intelligence services. KV-2 tank captured by the Germans About what's new soviet tanks, including the KV-2, turned out to be a surprise for the German command, as evidenced, for example, by an entry in the diary of Colonel General Franz Halder, who wrote on June 24, 1941: “New Russian heavy tanks have appeared on the front of Army Group North, which are most likely armed with an 80 mm gun, or even a 150 mm gun, which, however, is unlikely.” But the very next day, when new updated reports arrived, Halder was forced to agree with reality. He wrote: “Scattered information is being received about new Russian tanks: weight 52 tons, armor front 37 cm (?), sides 8 cm, armament 152 mm cannon and three machine guns, crew 5 people, speed 30 km/h, cruising range 100 km. Capabilities for combat: 50 mm cannons penetrate armor under the turret, 88 mm cannons probably also penetrate side armor (not known for sure)." An excellent example of such complete ignorance is a conversation that took place in early August 1941 between Adolf Hitler and the commander of Panzergruppe 2, General Guderian: Hitler: "If I had known that the data on the number of Russian tanks given in your book ( Guderian "Achtung Panzer", 1937) were true, then I think that I (perhaps) would never have started this war." Guderian in his book estimated the number of Soviet tanks at 10,000, which caused a sharp reaction from German censors. However, it turned out that Guderian's estimates were even too low. On August 6, 1941, the command of the German army officially announced that total destroyed Soviet tanks amount to 13,145 units. This figure seems to be true, given that between 1933 and 1941 the USSR built more than 30,000 armored vehicles of all types (including armored cars). Approximately 20,000 of this number were light tanks, while the number of heavy tanks was only 1,800, including the latest types. This number seems relatively small compared to the production of tanks in the USSR (for example, T-26 light tanks), but compared to the tank fleet of other European armies it is quite significant. Quite recent Russian sources provide the following data on the composition of the Red Army on June 1, 1941: personnel - 5,224,066; field artillery - 48 647; mortars - 53,117; anti-aircraft guns - 8,680; tanks and other armored vehicles - 25,932; trucks - 193,218; tractors and tractors - 42,931; horses - 498,493. The German High Command quickly realized the danger of the situation. The fight against the new T-34 and KB tanks required enormous efforts and led to heavy losses. Therefore, just a month after the outbreak of hostilities, the army information leaflet "D 343 Merkblatt fur die Bekampfung der russischen Panzerkampfwagen" was issued to instruct German soldiers on methods of fighting Soviet tanks. We can say that it was a symbol of shock from the collision with the T-34 and KV. By the way, it is interesting that when faced with KV-2 tanks, the Germans initially believed that the KV-2 tank of the 1939 model is a later version of the vehicle, and accordingly assigned it the index KW-IIB, i.e. an improved version compared to the 1940 model, which received the KW-IIA index. Despite the fact that most KV-2 tanks were lost not in battle, but due to mechanical failures, as a result of which they had to be abandoned due to the impossibility of repair and restoration, the German offensive was significantly slowed down. Sometimes only one single KV-2, occupying a key position on the front line and supported by infantry, was able to stop the enemy advance. The powerful armor of this tank and the weakness of German anti-tank weapons of that time made it possible to delay even large units for many hours or even days. Some KV-2s withstood up to 20 direct hits before being destroyed by 88mm anti-aircraft guns acting as anti-tank guns or calling in Ju-87 "Stuka" dive bombers to attack. Another way to fight the "Russischer Koloss" was to attack with infantry and conduct close combat, which usually involved heavy losses. Heavy field artillery could also play a role in solving the "KV-2 Problem". However, only 10 cm Kanone 18, lFH 10.5 cm and sFH 15 cm had a limited number of anti-tank shells in their ammunition for direct fire. Other field guns had to rely mostly on luck in trying to achieve a direct hit when firing the KV-2 along ballistic trajectories. The main German tanks of that period, which were at the forefront of the offensive, were rarely used to combat the KV-2. They were too poorly armed to effectively fight the Soviet heavy tank: PzKpfW III had a 3.7 cm KWK gun; PzKpfW III - 5 cm KWK L/42; PzKpfW IV -7.5 cm KWK L/24; PzKpfW 38 (t) - 3.7 cm; PzKpfW 35 (t) - 3.7 cm. Despite the fact that the number of KV-2 tanks in the first months of hostilities remained relatively small and many of them were lost without effort on the part of the enemy, in the technical aspect its influence can hardly be overestimated. The consequence of the "T-34, KW Shock" for the Wehrmacht was the adoption of much better armed and armored tanks PzKpfW VI "Tiger" in 1942 and PzKpfW V "Panther" in 1943. KV-2 training models for training Wehrmacht soldiers After the Wehrmacht encountered medium and heavy Soviet tanks in the first days of the Barbarossa plan, the German command took urgent measures to effectively prepare its troops to fight this new unexpected enemy. The German infantry and panzergrenadier units quickly adopted a new training program that was adequate to the current situation. Using a large number of different models to train soldiers since the early 1930s, German units also built their own wooden models of Soviet tanks on a 1:1 scale. They were often extremely detailed and precisely executed. High level and good quality of model work, made it possible to create models of a combat vehicle corresponding to a real tank not only in size, but also to reproduce on it various angles of inclination of armor protection sheets, for training in the use of magnetic anti-tank mines, handrails and steps for climbing onto the tank, the location of hatches and viewing devices, firing angles, not only the main weapons, but also machine guns. Training mock-ups of tanks were often mounted on four-wheeled chassis so that they could simulate their movement at the actual speed of tanks. Although most of these training mock-ups were built to imitate the average Soviet T-34 tank, some other much less common types of armored vehicles were also reproduced. Currently, the existence of only one wooden KB-2 can be documented. Capabilities of German anti-tank guns in the fight against the KV-2 The armament and tactics of the German Wehrmacht in 1939 were fully consistent with the tactics adopted by the German command for extremely mobile military operations during the Blitzkrieg. Particular attention was paid to quick breakthroughs over significant distances, bypassing enemy resistance centers. Despite the available information that the enemy, in particular the French armed forces, has heavy tanks of the Char B1 type, the German command believed that their use in battle would be offset by the tactical advantages obtained through close cooperation ground forces with Luftwaffe units. At the same time, special hopes were placed on the Ju-87 "Stuka" dive bombers, which were supposed to provide direct support to the advancing troops. In accordance with these provisions, the Wehrmacht anti-tank units were armed mainly with two types of anti-tank guns: the 3.7cm RAK 35/36 cannon of 37mm caliber and the 5cm RAK 38 cannon of 50mm caliber. The 50 mm anti-tank gun RAK 38 L/60 entered service with the Wehrmacht at the end of 1940 to replace the 37 mm anti-tank gun On June 22, 1941, with the start of Operation Barbarossa, the situation on the front line changed significantly for German soldiers. Firstly, the number of Soviet tanks that took part in the hostilities turned out to be significantly greater than expected, and secondly, the new tanks of the T-34 and KB type were well armored. In order to effectively fight against these unexpected enemies, the crews of the 37 mm and 50 mm anti-tank guns, due to their weak armor penetration, had to allow Soviet tanks to close distances - up to 30 meters. Such tactics were possible, but extremely dangerous and led to heavy losses. Schemes for conducting effective fire on the KV-2 from the 88 mm L/56 tank gun. A 1942 instruction sheet for German Tiger tank crews dating back to 1942. An even more difficult opponent was the KV-2, with its armor thickness reaching 75 mm at the front of the hull and 110 mm at the front of the turret. 37 mm and 50 mm German armor-piercing shells bounced off it without any visible effect, even when fired from very close distances. Their use was completely ineffective, except for those cases when the gunners managed to damage the tracks or jam the KV-2 turret. The Soviet concept of a "mobile fire bunker" turned out to be quite effective, although in a slightly different aspect than originally planned. The only German weapon capable of fighting the KB-2 at long distances was the 88 mm anti-aircraft gun, which in this case was used to fire at ground targets. The excellent characteristics of this weapon often saved the situation when it was used as emergency measure in critical combat situations that arose on the front line. The development of the 88 mm anti-aircraft gun began in 1928. By the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, a more advanced modification of this gun was in service - Model 36, which replaced the older one - Model 18 Given the negative combat experience with the use of 37 mm and 50 mm anti-tank guns in the first weeks of Operation Barbarossa, the Wehrmacht immediately made efforts to develop new, more powerful weapons, which ultimately culminated in the creation of the 7.5 cm RAK 40 (75 mm anti-tank gun), 8.8 cm RAK 43/41 (88 mm anti-tank gun) and 12.8 cm RAK K.44 (128 mm anti-tank gun). Although these guns were adopted too late to fight against the KV-2, they later fought quite successfully against a number of other Soviet tanks, the successors to the KV.

Modern battle tanks of Russia and the world photos, videos, pictures watch online. This article gives an idea of ​​the modern tank fleet. It is based on the principle of classification used in the most authoritative reference book to date, but in a slightly modified and improved form. And if the latter in its original form can still be found in the armies of a number of countries, then others have already become museum pieces. And just for 10 years! The authors considered it unfair to follow in the footsteps of the Jane’s reference book and not consider this combat vehicle (very interesting in design and fiercely discussed in its time), which formed the basis of the tank fleet of the last quarter of the 20th century.

Films about tanks where there is still no alternative to this type of weapon for the ground forces. The tank was and will probably remain for a long time modern weapons thanks to the ability to combine such seemingly contradictory qualities as high mobility, powerful weapons and reliable protection crew. These unique qualities of tanks continue to be constantly improved, and the experience and technology accumulated over decades predetermine new frontiers in combat properties and achievements of the military-technical level. In the eternal confrontation between “projectile and armor”, as practice shows, protection against projectiles is increasingly being improved, acquiring new qualities: activity, multi-layeredness, self-defense. At the same time, the projectile becomes more accurate and powerful.

Russian tanks are specific in that they allow you to destroy the enemy from a safe distance, have the ability to make quick maneuvers on off-road, contaminated terrain, can “walk” through territory occupied by the enemy, seize a decisive bridgehead, cause panic in the rear and suppress the enemy with fire and tracks . The war of 1939-1945 became the most difficult test for all humanity, since almost all countries of the world were involved in it. It was a clash of the titans - the most unique period that theorists debated in the early 1930s and during which tanks were used in large numbers by almost all belligerents. At this time, a “lice test” and a deep reform of the first theories of the use of tank forces took place. And it is the Soviet tank forces that are most affected by all this.

Tanks in battle that became a symbol of the past war, the backbone of the Soviet armored forces? Who created them and under what conditions? How did the USSR, having lost most of its European territories and with difficulty recruiting tanks for the defense of Moscow, was able to release powerful tank formations onto the battlefields already in 1943? This book is intended to answer these questions, telling about the development of Soviet tanks “during the days of testing”, from 1937 to early 1943. When writing the book, materials from Russian archives and private collections of tank builders were used. There was a period in our history that remained in my memory with some kind of depressing feeling. It began with the return of our first military advisers from Spain, and only stopped at the beginning of forty-three,” said former general designer of self-propelled guns L. Gorlitsky, “some kind of pre-storm state was felt.

Tanks of the Second World War It was M. Koshkin, almost underground (but, of course, with the support of “the wisest of the wise leaders of all nations”), who was able to create the tank that a few years later would shock the German tank generals. And not only that, he not only created it, the designer managed to prove to these military fools that it was his T-34 that they needed, and not just another wheeled-tracked "motor vehicle." The author is in slightly different positions, which formed in him after meeting the pre-war documents of the RGVA and RGEA. Therefore, working on this segment of the history of the Soviet tank, the author will inevitably contradict something “generally accepted.” This work describes the history of Soviet tank building in the most difficult years - from the beginning of a radical restructuring of the entire activity of design bureaus and people's commissariats in general, during the frantic race to equip new tank formations of the Red Army, transfer industry to wartime rails and evacuation.

Tanks Wikipedia, the author would like to express his special gratitude to M. Kolomiets for his assistance in selecting and processing materials, and also thank A. Solyankin, I. Zheltov and M. Pavlov, the authors of the reference publication “Domestic armored vehicles. XX century. 1905 - 1941” , since this book helped to understand the fate of some projects that was previously unclear. I would also like to remember with gratitude those conversations with Lev Izraelevich Gorlitsky, the former chief designer of UZTM, which helped to take a fresh look at the entire history of the Soviet tank during the Great Patriotic War Soviet Union. For some reason today it is common for us to talk about 1937-1938. only from the point of view of repression, but few people remember that it was during this period that those tanks were born that became legends of the wartime...” From the memoirs of L.I. Gorlinky.

Soviet tanks, a detailed assessment of them at that time was heard from many lips. Many old people recalled that it was from the events in Spain that it became clear to everyone that the war was getting closer and closer to the threshold and it was Hitler who would have to fight. In 1937, mass purges and repressions began in the USSR, and against the backdrop of these difficult events, the Soviet tank began to transform from “mechanized cavalry” (in which one of its combat qualities was emphasized at the expense of others) into a balanced combat vehicle, simultaneously possessing powerful weapons, sufficient to suppress most targets, good maneuverability and mobility with armor protection capable of maintaining its combat effectiveness when fired upon by the most massive anti-tank weapons of a potential enemy.

It was recommended that large tanks be supplemented with only special tanks - amphibious tanks, chemical tanks. The brigade now had 4 individual battalions 54 tanks each and was strengthened by the transition from three-tank platoons to five-tank ones. In addition, D. Pavlov justified the refusal to form three additional mechanized corps in addition to the four existing mechanized corps in 1938, believing that these formations were immobile and difficult to control, and most importantly, they required a different rear organization. The tactical and technical requirements for promising tanks, as expected, were adjusted. In particular, in a letter dated December 23 to the head of the design bureau of plant No. 185 named after. CM. Kirov, the new boss demanded that the armor of the new tanks be strengthened so that at a distance of 600-800 meters (effective range).

The newest tanks in the world, when designing new tanks, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of increasing the level of armor protection during modernization by at least one stage...” This problem could be solved in two ways: Firstly, by increasing the thickness of the armor plates and, secondly, by “using increased armor resistance." It is not difficult to guess that the second way was considered more promising, since the use of specially strengthened armor plates, or even two-layer armor, could, while maintaining the same thickness (and the mass of the tank as a whole), increase its durability by 1.2-1.5 It was this path (the use of especially hardened armor) that was chosen at that moment to create new types of tanks.

Tanks of the USSR at the dawn of tank production, armor was most widely used, the properties of which were identical in all areas. Such armor was called homogeneous (homogeneous), and from the very beginning of armor making, craftsmen sought to create just such armor, because homogeneity ensured stability of characteristics and simplified processing. However, at the end of the 19th century, it was noticed that when the surface of an armor plate was saturated (to a depth of several tenths to several millimeters) with carbon and silicon, its surface strength increased sharply, while the rest of the plate remained viscous. This is how heterogeneous (non-uniform) armor came into use.

For military tanks, the use of heterogeneous armor was very important, since an increase in the hardness of the entire thickness of the armor plate led to a decrease in its elasticity and (as a consequence) to an increase in fragility. Thus, the most durable armor, all other things being equal, turned out to be very fragile and often chipped even from the explosions of high-explosive fragmentation shells. Therefore, at the dawn of armor production, when producing homogeneous sheets, the task of the metallurgist was to achieve the maximum possible hardness of the armor, but at the same time not to lose its elasticity. Surface-hardened armor with carbon and silicon saturation was called cemented (cemented) and was considered at that time a panacea for many ills. But cementation is a complex, harmful process (for example, treating a hot plate with a jet of illuminating gas) and relatively expensive, and therefore its development in a series required large expenses and improved production standards.

Wartime tanks, even in operation, these hulls were less successful than homogeneous ones, since for no apparent reason cracks formed in them (mainly in loaded seams), and it was very difficult to put patches on holes in cemented slabs during repairs. But it was still expected that a tank protected by 15-20 mm cemented armor would be equivalent in level of protection to the same one, but covered with 22-30 mm sheets, without a significant increase in weight.
Also, by the mid-1930s, tank building had learned to harden the surface of relatively thin armor plates by uneven hardening, known since the end of the 19th century in shipbuilding as the “Krupp method.” Surface hardening led to a significant increase in the hardness of the front side of the sheet, leaving the main thickness of the armor viscous.

How tanks fire video up to half the thickness of the slab, which was, of course, worse than cementation, since while the hardness of the surface layer was higher than with cementation, the elasticity of the hull sheets was significantly reduced. So the “Krupp method” in tank building made it possible to increase the strength of armor even slightly more than cementation. But the hardening technology that was used for thick naval armor was no longer suitable for relatively thin tank armor. Before the war, this method was almost not used in our serial tank building due to technological difficulties and relatively high cost.

Combat use of tanks The most proven tank gun was the 45-mm tank gun model 1932/34. (20K), and before the event in Spain it was believed that its power was quite sufficient to perform most tank tasks. But the battles in Spain showed that a 45-mm gun can only satisfy the task of fighting enemy tanks, since even shelling of manpower in the mountains and forests turned out to be ineffective, and it was only possible to disable a dug-in enemy firing point in the event of a direct hit . Firing at shelters and bunkers was ineffective due to the low high-explosive effect of a projectile weighing only about two kg.

Types of tanks photos so that even one shell hit can reliably disable anti-tank gun or machine gun; and thirdly, to increase the penetrating effect of a tank gun against the armor of a potential enemy, since in the example French tanks(already having an armor thickness of about 40-42 mm) it became clear that the armor protection of foreign combat vehicles tends to be significantly strengthened. There was a sure way for this - increasing the caliber of tank guns and simultaneously increasing the length of their barrel, since long gun larger caliber fires heavier projectiles with a higher initial velocity over a greater distance without aiming correction.

The best tanks in the world had a large-caliber gun, also had a larger breech, significantly greater weight and increased recoil reaction. And this required an increase in the mass of the entire tank as a whole. In addition, placing large-sized rounds in a closed tank volume led to a decrease in transportable ammunition.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that at the beginning of 1938 it suddenly turned out that there was simply no one to give the order for the design of a new, more powerful tank gun. P. Syachintov and his entire design team were repressed, as well as the core of the Bolshevik design bureau under the leadership of G. Magdesiev. Only the group of S. Makhanov remained in the wild, who, since the beginning of 1935, had been trying to develop his new 76.2-mm semi-automatic single gun L-10, and the staff of plant No. 8 was slowly finishing the “forty-five”.

Photos of tanks with names The number of developments is large, but mass production in the period 1933-1937. not a single one has been accepted..." In fact, none of the five air-cooled tank diesel engines, work on which was carried out in 1933-1937 in the engine department of plant No. 185, was brought to series. Moreover, despite the decisions At the very top levels of the transition in tank building exclusively to diesel engines, this process was restrained by a number of factors. Of course, diesel had significant efficiency. It consumed less fuel per unit of power per hour. Diesel fuel less susceptible to fire, since the flash point of its vapor was very high.

New tanks video, even the most advanced of them, the MT-5 tank engine, required a reorganization of engine production for serial production, which was expressed in the construction of new workshops, the supply of advanced foreign equipment (they did not yet have their own machines of the required accuracy), financial investments and strengthening of personnel. It was planned that in 1939 this diesel would produce 180 hp. will go to production tanks and artillery tractors, but due to investigative work to determine the causes of tank engine failures, which lasted from April to November 1938, these plans were not implemented. The development of a slightly increased six-cylinder gasoline engine No. 745 with a power of 130-150 hp was also started.

Brands of tanks had specific indicators that suited tank builders quite well. The tanks were tested using a new method, specially developed at the insistence of the new head of the ABTU, D. Pavlov, in relation to combat service in wartime. The basis of the tests was a run of 3-4 days (at least 10-12 hours of daily non-stop movement) with a one-day break for technical inspection and restoration work. Moreover, repairs were allowed to be carried out only by field workshops without the involvement of factory specialists. This was followed by a “platform” with obstacles, “swimming” in water with an additional load that simulated an infantry landing, after which the tank was sent for inspection.

Super tanks online, after improvement work, seemed to remove all claims from the tanks. And the overall progress of the tests confirmed the fundamental correctness of the main design changes - an increase in displacement by 450-600 kg, the use of the GAZ-M1 engine, as well as the Komsomolets transmission and suspension. But during testing, numerous minor defects again appeared in the tanks. Chief designer N. Astrov was suspended from work and was in custody and under investigation for several months. In addition, the tank received a new turret with improved protection. The modified layout made it possible to place on the tank more ammunition for a machine gun and two small fire extinguishers (previously there were no fire extinguishers on small tanks of the Red Army).

US tanks as part of modernization work, on one production model of the tank in 1938-1939. The torsion bar suspension developed by the designer of the design bureau of plant No. 185 V. Kulikov was tested. It was distinguished by the design of a composite short coaxial torsion bar (long monotorsion bars could not be used coaxially). However, such a short torsion bar did not show enough in tests good results, and therefore the torsion bar suspension during further work did not immediately pave the way for itself. Obstacles to be overcome: climbs of at least 40 degrees, vertical wall 0.7 m, covered ditch 2-2.5 m."

YouTube about tanks, work on the production of prototypes of the D-180 and D-200 engines for reconnaissance tanks is not being carried out, jeopardizing the production of prototypes." Justifying his choice, N. Astrov said that the wheeled-tracked non-floating reconnaissance aircraft (factory designation 101 or 10-1), as well as the amphibious tank variant (factory designation 102 or 10-2), are a compromise solution, since it is not possible to fully satisfy the ABTU requirements. Option 101 was a tank weighing 7.5 tons with a hull according to the type of hull, but with vertical side sheets of cemented armor 10-13 mm thick, since: “The inclined sides, causing serious weighting of the suspension and hull, require a significant (up to 300 mm) widening of the hull, not to mention the complication of the tank.

Video reviews of tanks in which the tank’s power unit was planned to be based on the 250-horsepower MG-31F aircraft engine, which was being developed by industry for agricultural aircraft and gyroplanes. 1st grade gasoline was placed in the tank under the floor of the fighting compartment and in additional onboard gas tanks. The armament fully corresponded to the task and consisted of coaxial machine guns DK 12.7 mm caliber and DT (in the second version of the project even ShKAS is listed) 7.62 mm caliber. The combat weight of the tank with torsion bar suspension was 5.2 tons, with spring suspension - 5.26 tons. Tests took place from July 9 to August 21 according to the methodology approved in 1938, with special attention being paid to tanks.

KV-1 manufactured by LKZ, model 1939 (armed with L-11 cannon installed in a welded turret)

The first production vehicles, produced from April 1940, were in many ways similar to the prototypes with the L-11 gun (project 1939), mounted in a “pig snout” mask, which is very similar to the German “Saukopfblende”. True, the latter appeared a little later.

Practice has shown the extreme unreliability of this gun and its lack of power. The cannon barrel was suspended under its cradle, which significantly reduced the accuracy of firing. It was almost impossible to get to the same place twice.

The experimental vehicles were equipped with a turret that had a bent rear sheet. On serial ones it was replaced with a flat armor plate. The turret design became riveted-welded and received a box-shaped shape, which greatly facilitated its manufacture. Real serial production tanks began in November-December 1940.

The KV with a small turret of the 1939 project had an embrasure in the frontal armor plate of the hull for firing from the crew's standard weapons, which was located next to the driver's hatch (inspection hatch). On later tanks, a 7-caliber DT machine gun was mounted in this place in a ball mount .62 mm. All KVs subsequently retained this placement of the machine gun.

The first KVs had a turret machine gun mounted in the rear, installed in a simplified version. This mount was later replaced with a standard ball mount.

The tanks of the 1939 project were quite different high quality manufacturing and processing of almost all parts and clarity of shapes. The track rollers (double) were made of steel and equipped with rubber bushings, and the support rollers were equipped with rubber bands, which significantly contributed to the smooth running of the machine.

Problems with rubber led to the fact that after 1941 tanks lost all rubber parts.

The Project 1939 HF was produced only by the Kirov plant. In the documentation of the People's Commissariat of the Tank Industry and the manufacturing plants of the KV tank from 1939 to 1941, there are practically no differences between the versions of the vehicle that were produced. All tanks were called “heavy tank KV” or “KV with a small turret”. Only in the summer of 1941 did the KV-1 and KV-2 gradations appear. But the latter also did not take into account significant changes in their production and design.

Therefore, in this material, to distinguish between various modifications of the tank and the plant that manufactured the latter, the year of development of a specific project (not to be confused with the year of launch into series) and its main manufacturer will be indicated. LKZ, for example.

KV-1 manufactured by ChTZ and LKZ, model 1940 (armed with F-32 cannon installed in a welded turret)

At the end of 1940, a decision was made on the need for a radical redesign of the entire design of the KV-1 tank. The motivating reason for this was the installation of new weapons on the tank and the establishment of its mass production.

The Project 1940 tank began mass production in January 1941. Initially only at LKZ. Unlike the previous project, this vehicle received a new turret (a modified turret of the 1939 project), in which an F-32 cannon was installed, which had a barrel length of 31.5 calibers. To install it, a new mask was developed, similar to that used on the T-34 tank.

The F-32 gun was a modernization of the F-22 type tank gun, which was tested on the BT-7A. although at the same time the T-34 was already equipped with the F-34 cannon, which was more powerful and effective than the F-32. As a result, a paradoxical situation arose when medium tank was armed more powerfully than heavy.

To change the existing imbalance, experimental work was carried out on arming the KV-1 tank with 85 or 95 mm caliber guns, but no practical result was achieved. F-27 gun, with the best ballistic characteristics, also did not fit into the design.

Starting from 07/01/1941, in order to increase the number of KV-1 tanks produced, the KV-2 was discontinued from production at LKZ. The next step was to simplify the design of the turret installed on the KV-1 and install new reinforced road wheels.

An analysis of the KV's participation in the first battles with the Wehrmacht showed that it was not sufficiently protected from fire from 57 mm anti-tank and, especially, 88 mm anti-aircraft guns, which were in service with the German army. Therefore, despite the overload of the tank’s transmission, its weak engine and suspension, it was decided to strengthen the KV-1’s armor as a temporary measure to increase its security.

On tanks of the 1940 project, produced from the end of 1941 (October), armor plates with a thickness of 20 mm began to be additionally welded onto the front wall of the control compartment and the front inclined plates of the hull. The turret shoulder strap was protected by additionally installed armor plates 50 mm thick.

After the evacuation of the plant from Leningrad to the Urals (Chelyabinsk), the KV-1 of the 1940 project began to be produced here. The first car rolled off the assembly line in February 1941. Production of tanks of this type continued until October 1941, until the existing F-32 tank guns ran out.

Chelyabinsk designers, reducing labor costs, made many changes to the project. For example, in July 1941 alone there were 349 of them, and in August there were already 1322. The Leningrad plant, under siege conditions, could not afford this. Therefore, until the end of September 1941, they produced the tank according to the old documentation.

KV-1 tank with M-17 engine

The mass evacuation of enterprises led to disruption and irregularity in the supply of required equipment and materials. In this regard, in order not to reduce the number of tanks produced, the designers had to quickly decide engineering problems"with what is." This explains the appearance of several very unusual modifications of the KV-1.

Moreover, the differences concerned not only the shape of the hull, turret or weapons, but also the engine. Kharkov plant No. 75, which produced the V-2 diesel engine, began evacuation to the Urals in July 1941. There was a sharp shortage of engines for newly produced tanks. which the LKZ designers decided to install on 35 KV vehicles (project 1940) manufactured in September 1941, the M-17 engine, developed for the T-35, instead of the missing V-2 diesel engine.

The external difference between these tanks and other vehicles was expressed in the appearance of five fuel tanks on the fenders, with a capacity of 160 liters each. Tanks were required to compensate for the increased fuel consumption of the M-17 (4.7 - 9.5 liters per kilometer, versus 2.7 - 5.0 liters for the V-2). The same issue had to be resolved at ChTZ in November-December 1941. During this time, 130 KV-1s were shipped to the troops of this project, equipped with M-17 engines.

KV-1E. KV-1 produced by LKZ and ChTZ of the 1941 project, armed with an F-32 cannon installed in a welded turret with additional armor (screens).

This modification was considered as a temporary measure, used until a model with better protection was created and put into production.

For these purposes, specially designed screens (armor modules) were used, which were attached to the sides of the hull and turret of the KV-1 tank. This made it possible to use existing tanks without changing their design. Moreover, the Izhora plant, located in Leningrad, did not have the appropriate machine park for processing thicker armor and producing heavier tanks.

The decision to install screens on tanks was made at the end of June 1941. The additional armor kit consisted of armor screens of different thicknesses (from 20 to 35 mm). The screens were installed on metal booms, previously welded to the hull and turret of the tank. They were attached to the latter with bolts. That is, there was an air gap between the additional armor and the main one. Such tanks began to be called shielded or tanks with mounted armor.

There are quite a lot of photographs of similarly modified KV-1 of the 1941 project. But there are no official documents about which enterprises carried out such modernization.

By August, the program was canceled due to the fact that the tank’s weight, which had increased to 50 tons, was an unacceptable overload for the power plant and chassis of the vehicle. The front road wheels began to fail, unable to withstand the sharply increased loads.

From the photographs that have reached us, we can make a preliminary conclusion that only vehicles manufactured in July 1941 (before the simplified turret design was introduced) were shielded; shielding kits did not always arrive “assembled.” Therefore, some KV-1s have additional screens only on the turret. Moreover, the shape of the screens, manufactured hastily, was very diverse.

It is worth noting that shielded KV-1s are found only on the Leningrad and Northwestern fronts.

Modification of the KV-1 project of 1941, produced by ChTZ. The tank was armed with F-32 or ZiS-5 cannons installed in a welded turret with a simplified design

In September 1941, the Izhora plant was actively working on creating a project for a new welded turret, which was planned to replace all previously produced turrets for the KV-1 tank.

From the end of October 1941, ChTZ began production of the KV-1 Project 1941 (ChTZ), which had a welded turret with improved rear armor. It differed from the turret “Part No. 157” in a number of introduced simplifications, which made it possible to increase the production of tanks. This design managed to eliminate almost all the design flaws that were inherent in previously produced projects.

Visually, the difference between the tower was that back The shoulder strap was completely integrated into the armor. As a result, the aft niche began to look noticeably shorter. The observation devices used by the rear gunner were moved closer to the rear of the turret, thereby eliminating the dead zone that previously existed above the MTO.

These tanks were mainly equipped with a modified F-34 (ZiS-5) cannon. But in the early releases they still installed the F-32 (Until the release of the ZiS-5 began to completely cover the needs for tank guns for the KV-1).

In the latest batches of these tanks, the use of 1942 model hulls, which had straight armor plates at the rear, is already visible.

Modification of the KV-1 (ChKZ) of the 1941 project, armed with a ZiS-5 cannon mounted in a cast turret.

Work on creating a cast turret for the KV has been going on since the KV-1 project of 1939 went into mass production. In June 1940, several prototypes were created at LKZ. But they couldn’t put it into production, which was explained serious problems of a technical nature that arose during large-scale production of a tank with such a turret.

They also failed to prepare pilot production of these towers at the Izhora plant in 1941.

The next version of a similar turret was manufactured in March 1941 already at plant No. 78. But they could not debug technological process casting parts of this size. N The problem was aggravated by the evacuation of the LKZ. Serial production was postponed again.

LKZ and ChTZ at the end of 1941 constantly increased the production of the KV-1 tank with a welded turret. At the same time, ChKZ continued to work on improving the technology for manufacturing a cast turret, since the possibility of producing “part No. 257” (that’s what the cast turret with 100 mm armor was called) made it possible to obtain a number of serious advantages. Having gained the opportunity to use the design potential of several tank design bureaus at once, Tankograd could begin producing a turret with better ballistic shapes and increased projectile resistance with the same armor thickness as welded turrets. Even when firing at a tank from 88 mm Wehrmacht anti-aircraft guns.

In January 1941, the KV-1 version with such a turret went into mass production and was produced by ChKZ until August 1942. But at that time they were unable to resolve the issue of developing the technology for manufacturing cast hulls of the KV-1. They were able to solve it only in 1943, already on tanks of the IS series (IS-2).

Modifications of the KV-1 tank manufactured by ChKZ in 1942, equipped with a reinforced cast turret and armed with a ZiS-5 cannon.

The designers of plant No. 200 created in December 1941 Alternative option cast turret for the KV-1, designated “part no. 957.” All areas of the turret that were considered insufficiently protected in the previous design were protected with armor reinforced to 120 mm. At the same time, the mass of the new tower did not increase. Tank in official documents became known as the “KV Project 1942 with a reinforced cast turret.” The vehicle was in mass production from January to August 1942.

Externally similar to the previous one, the new turret had thicker armor in the area of ​​the shoulder strap, a collar (ring tide) of armor in the area of ​​​​attaching the ball mount of the machine gun installed in the aft niche. The last tanks of this project received a new type of hull, with a straight armor plate in the rear. The first hulls of the new form still retained a convex hatch cover, through which access to the engine was provided (on the roof of the MTO), then it became flat. The machines of this project have already begun to be equipped with reinforced cast road wheels with an improved design.

Visually, cast towers manufactured at UZTM look wider in frontal projection, while the towers of plant No. 200 are narrower and have clearly visible casting parts.

Heavy tank KV

Heavy HF

In accordance with the resolution of the USSR Defense Committee, at the end of 1938, SKB-2 of the Kirov plant in Leningrad (Chief Designer Zh.Ya. Kotin) began designing a new heavy tank with projectile-proof armor, called (Sergei Mironovich Kirov). (The development of another heavy tank, called the T-100, was carried out by the Leningrad Experimental Engineering Plant named after Kirov - plant No. 185).
The leading designer of the SMK tank was A.S. Ermolaev. The initial project envisaged the creation of a three-turreted vehicle, with its mass reaching 55 tons. During the work, one turret was abandoned, and the saved weight made it possible to increase the thickness of the armor. In parallel with the QMS, a group of graduates from the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization named after Stalin, who studied under the leadership of N.F. Shashmurin practiced at the Kirov plant, a project was developed for a single-turret heavy tank KB (Klim Voroshilov). In fact, the KB was a SMK roadwheel reduced in length by two with one turret and a diesel engine. At the final stage of designing a single-turret tank, N.L. was appointed lead designer of the project. Spirits.
In August 1939, SMK and KB were manufactured in metal. At the end of September, both tanks participated in the display of new models of armored vehicles at the NIBT training ground in Kubinka. On December 19, 1939, the KB heavy tank was adopted by the Red Army.
Somewhat earlier experienced heavy units were assigned to the 20th Tank Brigade, which took part in the battles on the Karelian Isthmus. They fought their first battle on December 17 during an attempt to break through the Khottinensky fortified area of ​​the Mannerheim Line. At the same time, the SMK tank hit a mine and was abandoned by the crew.
The KB tank showed its best side, however, it quickly became clear that the 76-mm L-11 was weak for fighting pillboxes. Therefore, the tank was developed and built in a short time
KV-2 with a larger turret, armed with a 152 mm howitzer. By March 5, 1940, three KV-2s were sent to the front.
In fact, serial production of the KV-1 and KV-2 tanks began in February 1940 at the Leningrad Kirov Plant (LKZ). In accordance with the resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks dated June 19, 1940, the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (ChTZ) was also supposed to join the production of KB. On December 31, 1940, a pilot assembly of the first Ural-made KB was carried out. At the same time, construction of a special building for the assembly of heavy tanks began in Chelyabinsk.
The experimental work plan for 1940 provided for the creation of new models of the KV tank. So, by November 1, it was planned to produce two KB with 90 mm armor, one with an F-32 cannon, the other with an 85 mm cannon. By December 1, two more KBs with 100 mm armor and similar weapons were supposed to be ready. These tanks were built and designated KV-3 (objects 220, 221,222).
The production plan for 1941 provided for the production of 1,200 KV tanks. Of these, at the Kirov Plant-1000 (400 KV-1, 100 KV-2, 500 KV-3) and 200 KV-1 at ChTZ. However, the war made adjustments to this plan; in particular, production of the KV-3 never began. As for the production of the KV-1 at ChTZ, before June 22, 1941, only a few tanks were assembled there. In total, 243 KV tanks were built in 1940, and 393 in the first half of 1941.
The tank's hull was welded from rolled armor plates, the maximum thickness of which reached 75 mm. The tower was manufactured in two versions - welded and cast. In turn, there were also two welded towers - with a rectangular and a rounded stern. Maximum thickness armor for welded towers reached 75 mm, for cast ones - 95 mm. In 1941, the armor thickness of the welded turrets was increased to 105 mm by installing 25 mm screens, which were secured with bolts. (It’s not entirely clear why this was done - in 1941, the KV-1’s armor was already excessive?).
The first production tanks were equipped with a 76-mm L-11 cannon, then an F-32 of the same caliber, and from the fall of 1941 - a 76-mm ZIS-5 cannon. In addition, the tank was armed with three machine guns - coaxial, forward and stern. A DT anti-aircraft machine gun was also installed on some of the vehicles. consisted of 135 cannon shots and 2772 rounds of machine gun ammunition. The tank was equipped with a TOD-6 telescopic sight, a PT-6 periscope sight, and a PT-K commander's panorama.
The KV-1 was equipped with a 12-cylinder four-stroke V-shaped liquid-cooled V-2K with a power of 500 hp. (368 kW) at 1800 rpm. The transmission included a multi-disc dry friction main clutch, a five-speed tractor-type gearbox, very poor design, multi-disc final clutches, two-stage planetary final drives. The brakes were band, floating.
The chassis of the tank, applied to one side, consisted of 6 small-diameter road wheels with internal shock absorption and 3 rubberized support rollers. (Since the end of 1941, tanks began to be equipped with support rollers without rubber bands - due to the shortage of rubber.) The leading lantern gear had a removable ring gear. The suspension of the road wheels is individual torsion bar. The 700 mm wide track consisted of 87-90 tracks with a pitch of 160 mm.
The tank's maximum speed reached 34 km/h, and its cruising range on the highway was 250 km.
The KV-1 was equipped with a 71-TK-3 (later YUR) radio station and a TPU-4bis tank intercom.
The combat weight of the tank was 47.5 tons, the crew consisted of 5 people.
The main difference of the KV-2 tank was the installation of a new large turret. The total height of the machine reached 3240 mm. In the turret, in a mantlet covered on the outside with an armor casing, 152-mm tank M-10 mod. 1938/40 and a coaxial DT machine gun. Normally, the tower had a door, next to which another diesel engine was placed in a ball joint. The tank also retains a front-mounted machine gun in the front hull. For shooting, the TOD-9 telescopic sight, the PT-9 periscope sight, and the PT-K commander's panorama were used. The ammunition consisted of 36 separate-loading shots and 3087 rounds of ammunition. , power transmission, chassis, electrical and radio equipment - remained the same as on the KV-1. The KV-2 tank was produced in limited quantities; after the start of the Great Patriotic War its production ceased.
It should be noted that in 1940-1941, design studies were carried out on tanks with 107-mm fur: KV-4 (object 224) and KV-5 (object 225), a 152-mm self-propelled artillery mount (object 212), and a repair and recovery tractor ( object 214) and an electric minesweeper tank (object 218), in which components and assemblies of the KV-1 and KV-2 tanks were widely used.
In the second half of 1941, the production of tanks at the Kirov plant increased significantly. Such large Leningrad enterprises as the Izhora and Metal plants and others joined the production of many components and assemblies.
Due to the constantly deteriorating situation on the North-Western Front, starting in July 1941, the evacuation of people and equipment from Leningrad to Chelyabinsk was carried out in several stages. On October 6, 1941, the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant was renamed Kirov plant People's Commissariat of Tank Industry in Chelyabinsk (CHKZ). This plant, popularly nicknamed "Tankograd", became the main manufacturer of heavy tanks and self-propelled guns until the end of the Great Patriotic War.
Due to the shortage of V-2 diesel engines, the only manufacturer of which was plant No. 75 in Kharkov, KV-1 tanks, like the T-34, were produced for some time with M-17 gasoline engines.
In 1942, to replace the KV-1, production of a modernized version began - KV-1s ("s" - high-speed). The weight of the tank was reduced to 42.5 tons by reducing the thickness of the hull armor plates, the mass of the power transmission units and chassis (the caterpillar was narrowed to 608 mm), as well as reducing overall dimensions towers. The turret is cast, with a new streamlined shape, with a commander's cupola. The weapons remained the same. The ammunition load initially consisted of 94 rounds, later it was increased to 114. The KV-1s was also equipped with a new one with a range multiplier, designed by N.F. Shashmurin and provided eight forward and two reverse gears, and, in addition, a new main clutch and improved final drives. The KV-1s was put into service on August 20, 1942. Since September 1943, a new version began to enter the troops - the KV-85.
Its appearance was preceded by an attempt to install an 85-mm cannon in the standard KV-1s turret. However, installing a gun of this caliber required the creation of a new large cast turret and expansion of the turret box. Ammunition for the 85-mm D-5T cannon designed by F.F. Petrov was 70 shots. The tank's crew was reduced to 4 people due to the removal of the gunner-radio operator. The frontal machine gun was rigidly fixed in the front plate of the hull - the driver fired from it. The power plant and chassis remained completely unified with the KV-1s tank.
In 1942, prototypes of self-propelled guns were built on the basis of the KV-1. artillery installation KV-7 with two ZIS-5 cannons and three cannons - one ZIS-5 and two 45 mm caliber. According to the designers, doubling and tripling the armament was supposed to compensate for the lack of tanks in the troops. The KV-9 tank, armed with a 122-mm U-11 howitzer, was also built on a trial basis.
Based on the KV-1 and then KV-1s tanks, the KV-8 was produced from April 1942. The hull remained unchanged, but instead of a 76-mm gun, a 45-mm model was installed in the turret. 1934 with a camouflage casing that reproduces the external contours of a 76 mm gun. The ammunition load of the 45-mm gun consisted of 88 rounds. An ATO-41 (or ATO-42) flamethrower was installed next to the machine gun, coaxial with fur. The coaxial machine gun on the KV-8 tank based on the KV-1s was removed.
As for self-propelled guns, an article about the KB would be incomplete without mentioning the first heavy Soviet serial self-propelled gun, the SU-152 (KV-14), armed with a 152-mm ML-20 howitzer-gun. It was created in 1943 on the basis of the KV-1s tank. However, the history of its development and design deserve a separate story.
It should be emphasized that the KB tank itself has a rather contradictory fate. As paradoxical as it may sound, this tank was not needed in 1941 - it simply did not have a worthy opponent. It did not have any obvious combat advantages over the average T-34, with the exception of thicker armor. The armament was the same, but worse, than that of the thirty-four. Tankers did not really like this vehicle: the KB could smash any road to pieces (a wheeled one could no longer follow it), and practically no one could withstand it, with the exception of solid stone ones. But the most important drawback was the extremely unreliable main clutch, gearbox, side clutches and ineffective air cleaner. In short, the tank’s transmission left much to be desired; its failure was a widespread phenomenon.
As already mentioned, some of the transmission shortcomings were eliminated on the KV-1s. However, in this modification, in pursuit of maneuverability, the thickness of the armor was reduced, and in its combat properties the heavy KB came even closer to medium tanks.
Thus, the only justification for the release of the KB in 1941-1942 in parallel with the T-34 could only be a more powerful gun, for example an 85 mm. But this was not done for the reason that at that time a 76 mm caliber gun could cope with all enemy armored targets.
A tank of a similar KB class - the "tiger" - appeared among the Germans only at the end of 1942. And then fate played a second cruel joke on KB - it instantly became outdated. Our tank was simply powerless against the “tiger” with its “long arm” - an 88-mm fur-lined tank with a barrel length of 56 calibers. "Tiger" could hit KB at distances prohibitive for the latter. This was not slow to affect the battle. So, for example, on February 12, 1943, during one of the battles to break the blockade of Leningrad, three “tigers” of the 1st company of the 502nd heavy tank battalion destroyed 10 KB. At the same time, the Germans had no losses.
The appearance of the KV-85 allowed the situation to be somewhat smoothed out. But these vehicles were developed late, only a few were produced, and they were unable to make a significant contribution to the fight against German heavy tanks. A more serious opponent for the “tigers” could be the KV-122-serial KV-85, experimentally armed with a 122-mm D-25T cannon. But at this time, the first tanks of the IS series began to leave the ChKZ workshops. The latter, which at first glance continued the KB line, were already completely new machines.
From 1940 to 1943, 4,775 KB tanks of all modifications were produced. They fought on all fronts of the Great Patriotic War, first as part of mixed tank brigades, then as part of separate guards breakthrough tank regiments. Very few KBs survived until 1945 and were used as battle tanks. Basically, after the turret was dismantled, they served as evacuation tractors.
Few KB tanks of different variants have survived. The Central Museum of the Armed Forces in Moscow houses the KV-1 and KV-2; KV-1 tanks are installed on pedestals in the town of Ropsha, Leningrad region and the village of Parfino, Novgorod region. At the Museum of Armored Weapons and Equipment in Kubinka you can see a KV-1s with an experimental 85-mm S-18 cannon; Another experimental version, this time of the KV-85 tank, was installed in St. Petersburg in Avtovo. In the Finnish tank museum Parola, two KV-1s are preserved - one with an F-32 cannon and armored screens, the other with a ZIS-5 gun and a cast turret. The KV-1 with a cast turret is also located at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in the USA.
Bibliography:
Modeler-constructor No. 5 for 1995

Encyclopedia of tanks. 2010 .

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