History of tank building. History of tanks, tank building

1

Trefilova I.L. (Tula, MBOUTSO No. 6)

1. “Fire training” part 2 – “Fundamentals of weapons devices”, ed. V.M. Shishkovsky.

2. “Training of reserve officers ground forces» by ed. Yu.A. Naumenko.

3. “Encyclopedia Terra”, section Tanks of the world.

4. Kochetkov D.I., “With closed hatches”, Moscow, 1962.

Like many modern children, I really love playing computer games. Thanks to one of the games, I became interested in studying military equipment. I became interested in learning about how tanks were created, who invented them and in what country, what tanks are installed in my city.

Relevance of the topic

The topic of my work is relevant today, because the defense and defense of our country directly depends on our military equipment. In the process of researching this topic, it is impossible not to touch upon the topic of the Great Patriotic War, the memory of whose heroes should always live in our hearts.

Hypothesis. I assume that the best battle tanks were created in the USSR and they played one of the main roles in the victory against the Second World War.

The main goal of my work is to learn about the history of the appearance of tanks, their role in the Great Patriotic War, to find out the features of tanks, to determine in which country the best tank was created.

• Analyze encyclopedic material on the research topic;
• Determine which tanks were the best;
• Find out which brands of tanks are installed in our city and region.

Object of study: military equipment.

Subject of research: tanks

Research methods:

• Literary - the use of materials from periodicals, scientific and educational literature, Internet resources.
• Search - work in library archives.
• Theoretical analysis.

Since ancient times, humanity has constantly invented and improved weapons with which to protect itself and destroy the enemy.

Rice. 1. Self-propelled gun" Blinov

Our country can rightfully be called the birthplace of world tank building. And although the first tanks were built not here, but in England, this statement is true. After all, the main distinguishing detail of any ancient and modern tank - the caterpillar - was born on the banks of the great Russian river Volga. A native of the village of Nikolskoye, peasant Fedor Abramovich Blinov, in 1878 received a patent (“privilege”) for a “Wagon with endless rails for transporting goods along highways and country roads.” This design became the ancestor of the caterpillar propulsion system. A talented student of Blinov, Yakov Vasilyevich Mamin, in 1903 also designed an internal combustion engine that ran on crude oil.

The author of the first Russian tank project was Vasily Dmitrievich Mendeleev, the son of Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev. This project went down in history as the “Mendeleev tank” and was submitted for consideration on August 24, 1916.

By all indicators, it was a formidable and majestic combat vehicle, which could handle the most difficult and dangerous combat missions. But neither the project itself nor its careful study interested the military department.

History of tank building

The Great Impetus for the development of tank building was the First World War. It was at this time that neither of the opposing sides could advance forward, as the defense lines became impregnable. They could only be overcome with the help of mobile and well-protected means. This is how the idea of ​​creating a tank came about. Although during the First World War, Russian tanks never appeared on the battlefields.

Soviet tank building began in the fall of 1919, when the Council of Military Industry of the RSFSR decided to establish the production of domestic tanks based on the model of the French Renault FT. At the end of 1919, the captured tank, which was to serve as a model, was brought to the Sormovo plant. Already in August 1920, production of the first Soviet tanks, developed on the basis of Renault, began. These tanks were called “Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin” (light tank M).

The first production tank of the USSR was the MS-1 (T-18) light tank, which was put into service in the summer of 1927.

In the thirties, the basis of Soviet tank formations were wheeled-tracked BT tanks, which had high combat and technical characteristics for that time. The experience gained during this time working on armored vehicles allowed us to rise to a new, better level. In 1938, the wheeled-tracked prototype A-20 (BT-20) appeared, and then the fully tracked tank A-32 (T-32). After sea trials, preference was given to the tracked prototype A-32, and it received the name T-34. This tank, created in the design bureau under the leadership of Mikhail Ilyich Koshkin, was destined to become the best medium tank of the Second World War.

The T-34 tank was first tested at the plant in early 1940. The main tests were to take place at a training ground near Moscow. According to the rules, before appearing before the commission, the tank had to travel at least 3,000 km. There was no longer time for this, and Koshkin decided to lead the tanks to Moscow under his own power.

In March 1940, two experimental T-34s set off and on March 17 appeared at the training ground before a commission headed by Stalin himself. The T-34 made a strong impression on him: its speed, maneuverability, maneuverability, firepower and armor power really seemed to prepare the tank for mass production.

Rice. 4. Tanks: A-8 (BT-7M) A-20 T-34 (model 1940) T-34 (model 1941)

As you know, the T-34 became a real legend of the Second World War, and none of the warring countries managed to create a more advanced tank in five years. “The Thirty-Four went through the entire war, from beginning to end, and there was no better fighting vehicle in any army. Not a single tank could compare with it - neither American, nor English, nor German... Until the very end of the war, the T-34 remained unsurpassed.” (I.S. Konev). Of all the types of military equipment that German troops encountered in World War II, none caused them such a shock as the Russian T-34 tank in the summer of 1941. In just the years of the Great Patriotic War Over 66,000 of these tanks were produced.

Of course, the T-34 was not the only tank of the USSR in World War II; besides it there were also light tanks: T-40, T-50, T-60, T-70; heavy - KV (Klim Voroshilov) and IS (Joseph Stalin) series. The development of the IS-3 tank, or as it was also called “Kirovets-1,” began in the summer of 1944. Two designers took up the project at once. The competitors were the chief engineer of the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ) Mikhail Fedorovich Balzhi and Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin, who was at the head of Pilot Plant No. 100.

Both projects were sent for approval to the People's Commissar of the Tank Industry V.A. Malyshev. After reviewing both, it was decided to take the tower from the project of M.F. Balzhi. Its peculiarity was its low silhouette and shape, which, combined with strong frontal armor, made it a very formidable weapon. And the building is from the project of Zh.Ya.Kotin. It was decided to make it from the top two plates of rolled, homogeneous armor at an angle, and in the middle it was covered with a small roof, triangular in shape, in which the driver's hatch was located. The lower armor plate was located at an angle. Then this arrangement of armor plates began to be called “pike nose” because of their similarity. It should be noted that the director of the plant, when writing a decree on the construction of a prototype, called the tank “Pobeda”, but this name was rejected in favor of the name of the IS-3 tank. The tests took place under the supervision of Marshal of the USSR Tank Forces P.A. Rotmistrov. At the end of the tests, he personally got into the tank and said the words: This is the kind of machine the army needs!

After the tests, Marshal Zhukov and Vasilevsky presented the project to I.V. Stalin, who signed a document on its adoption and production at ChKZ. The first batch of tanks rolled off the assembly line in May 1945. IS 3 heavy tanks did not see service during World War II.

The IS-3 was first shown at the Berlin WWII Allied Forces Parade on September 7, 1945. The IS-3 shown then against the backdrop of the American Pershings was simply magnificent, the Red Army then made it clear that they were not fooled and could do it again.

At present, there is no, and in the near future it is not expected, the emergence of a cheaper and more powerful weapon system that could be compared with a tank in its characteristics, and would be capable of providing high maneuverability, protection from enemy fire, firepower and the ability to operate in any conditions in various types of combat.

Tanks installed in the city of Tula and the region

\The Great Patriotic War passed through Tula land destructive hurricane. There were fierce battles here with German fascist invaders. Thirty-three districts Tula region were completely occupied by enemy troops, six were partially occupied.

Tula was supposed to become a springboard for an attack on Moscow. That's what Hitler wanted. He once again did not take into account the indomitable spirit of the Soviet people. The battles near Tula once again proved: there is only one warrior in the field, if he is Soviet.

A powerful group of 2 targeted Moscow from the north-west tank groups and some other parts. In the Tula-Kashira direction it operated tank army. It was operated by an army corps reinforced with tanks. In total, 51 divisions were allocated to capture Moscow, including 13 tank divisions. In the fall of 1941, Soviet troops withstood the heroic defense of Tula, and their feat went down in the history of the Great Patriotic War. General Guderian's tank armada fought its last battle here and lost.

The creation of the tank greatly helped our country in wars. In almost every city, different models of tanks were installed on pedestals in memory of the past war. Our city was no exception either.

There are 3 tanks installed in Tula and the Tula region:

1. IS-2 tank, located in Shchekino, Tula region, next to the Sokol cinema. As a result of the fighting in the Shchekino area, troops of the 50th and 10th armies defeated units of Guderian's 2nd Tank Army and the 296th Infantry Division "Deer's Head".

2. Tank IS - 3, located in Tula, Kosaya Gora village, next to the KMZ.

3. The legendary T-34 tank is installed in Mogelevsky Park in Tula.

These tanks were installed in memory of the 50th Army, 32 tank brigade and 112 divisions that liberated the Shchekinsky region and took part in the defense of Tula. Those who showed heroism during the defeat of the Nazi troops. Namely, the troops of Guderian, who tried to take Tula with a “frontal” blow and break through to Moscow. During the fierce battles, the troops of the 2nd German Army suffered heavy losses, were exsanguinated, and their striking force - tanks - was mostly destroyed. Their tank army could no longer not only advance, but also defend. This is confirmed by the fact that Guderian made a difficult decision for him “to withdraw his far advanced units to the Don, Shat, and Upa rivers.”

Conclusion

After analyzing the work done, I made a number of conclusions:

1. Main distinguishing feature a part of any tank - a caterpillar - was invented on the banks of the Volga River.

3. The first domestic tank began to be produced in August 1920 and was called “Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin”, and the first production tank was the MS-1 (T-18) light tank, which was put into service in the summer of 1927.

4. The best was to be the T-34 tracked tank, against which Hitler’s tanks were powerless.

5. With the help of the IS-3, the Red Army made it clear that they were not fools and could once again march across Europe.

6. Tank construction in the USSR made a huge contribution to the victory over Nazi Germany.

7. In our city, two legendary tanks are installed: T-34, IS-3 in memory of the heroic defense of the southern borders of the capital of the USSR.

Bibliographic link

Kozlov K. DEVELOPMENT OF TANK BUILDING IN THE USSR AND THE ROLE OF BATTLE TANKS IN WAR // International School Scientific Bulletin. – 2017. – No. 6. – P. 57-61;
URL: http://school-herald.ru/ru/article/view?id=459 (access date: 03/02/2019).

REASONS FOR THE APPEARANCE OF TANKS

The history of military art proves that only an offensive can lead to the defeat, encirclement and destruction of the enemy. During the First World War rapid fire weapon, artillery and engineering structures on the ground created an insurmountable barrier for the advancing troops. To break through such a defense, a new type of weapon was needed. Tanks were such a weapon. The emergence of tanks as a new type of weapon was certainly facilitated by the economic development of countries. In his work "Ati-Dühring" F. Engels said that nothing depends on economic conditions as much as the army and navy. Armed composition, organization, tactics and strategy depend primarily on the stage of production currently achieved and on the means of communication.

The creation of a tank, a complex modern combat vehicle, became possible only at the beginning of the 20th century, when science, technology and machine production reached a high level of development, when automatic weapons, reliable armor, internal combustion engines adapted for installation on vehicles, and tracked propulsion appeared. This is a huge merit of Russian scientists, engineers, and inventors.

Armament

An outstanding Russian scientist in the field of artillery, Maievsky N.V. developed the theory of rifled weapons, created a number of new artillery systems, which contributed to the rearmament of Russian artillery rifled weapons. In 1860 Russian metallurgist Obukhov cast a steel cannon. In 1877 the founder rapid-fire artillery Baranovsky V.S. created a 2.5-inch rapid-fire cannon, and in 1902 a three-inch cannon with a high initial projectile velocity was created at the Putilov plant. A significant step in the development of firearms was the creation of automatic weapons. In 1889, master Dvoeglazov made a sample of an automatic rifle. In 1907, the Russian inventor Roshchepey presented an automatic rifle to the artillery committee. In 1906-1907 Russian inventors Fedorov and Tokarev offer their self-loading rifles, which in 1910-1911. successfully pass the tests.

Armor protection

Outstanding Russian scientists P. P. Amosov, P. M. Obukhov, D. K. Chernov made greatest discoveries in the field of metallurgy, technology for the production of high-quality steels. The talented Russian metallurgist P.P. Amosov studied the influence of manganese, chromium, and titanium on the properties of steel, and developed the process of gas carburization.

Obukhov P.M. created the famous "Obukhovsky" steel-gun plant in St. Petersburg.

The works of Amosov P.P., Chernov D.K., Obukhov P.M. formed the basis for the production of steel armor. Obukhov invented bulletproof armor.

In 1865, the Ural master V.S. Pyatov was the first in the world to roll armor plates on a special machine, and in 1859 he also proposed a method for cementing armor plates.

In 1876, they began to produce armor from high-carbon steel, which had better projectile resistance. In 1877, production of two-layer carbon armor began. Since 1893, the Obukhov plant has organized the production of armor made of nickel steel, up to 10 inches (254 mm) thick. IN late XIX century, armor begins to be used on armored trains and armored cars.

Internal combustion engine

The work of Russian engineers and inventors B. G. Lutsky, E. A. Yakovlev, G. V. Trinkler, V. I. Grinevetsky, I. Ya. Trashutin played a large role in the creation and improvement of internal combustion engines in Russia. gas internal combustion engines were built. In 1879-1884. At the Okhten Shipyard, the world's first gasoline engine was built, with a power of 53 kW, multi-cylinder, carburetor, with ignition from an electric spark. In 1885, the young designer Lutsky B.G. built a carburetor engine with a vertical cylinder arrangement. In 1888, the master of the Baltic plant, Yagodzinsky, built a light, compact aviation gasoline engine. In 1899, the first stationary non-compressor internal combustion engine with compression ignition was built at the Putilov (now Kirov) plant in St. Petersburg.

In the same year, the first compressor internal combustion engine with compression ignition was built at the Russian Diesel mechanical plant in St. Petersburg.

In 1899-1903. Russian inventor Mamin Y. V. built and installed a compressor-free engine with compression ignition on a tractor. In 1900, a talented Russian engineer, professor at the Gorky Industrial Institute, G.V. Trinkler, developed a compressor-free internal combustion engine with compression ignition, running on heavy fuel. In 1910 According to the project of Professor Maliev, a two-stroke engine with direct-flow blowing was built.

Crawler mover

For the first time, the main elements of a caterpillar track were developed in 1837 by staff captain D. Zagryazhsky in his project for a carriage with moving tracks.

In 1876, Staff Captain Mayevsky proposed a method of moving a locomotive on ordinary roads using a “Rail chain”. At the same time, he provided a mechanism that made it possible to change the traction force on the track (the prototype of a modern gearbox).

In 1888, the Russian inventor F. A. Blinov built the world's first tractor with metal tracks. It was driven by two steam engines. In 1907-1917 industrial production of tractors with internal combustion engines was mastered.

Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century, the material and technical prerequisites for creating a tank were finally formed. All that remains is to combine the mobility inherent in cars with the maneuverability of tracked tractors in one vehicle, protecting it with armor and arming it with a cannon and machine guns. This was done during the First World War.

The history of the development of domestic tank building is usually divided into 5 periods:

• the first domestic tanks (1915-1917);
• the first Soviet tanks (1920-1931);
• the period of creation of a complete set of armored vehicles (1931-1939);
• armored vehicles on the eve and during the Great Patriotic War (1939-1945);
• period of post-war tank building:

The first domestic tanks (1915-1917)

In 1914, under the leadership of engineer A. A. Porokhovshchikov, an armored wheeled-tracked vehicle called the “All-terrain vehicle” was developed and in 1915 built in Riga. The weight of the vehicle was 3.5-4 tons, crew - 1 person, machine gun armament, bulletproof armor. A 15 kW engine, planetary transmission, and combined wheel-track propulsion unit (one track and two steered wheels) provided a maximum speed of 25 km/h. First prototypes British tanks appeared only in September 1915, and the French ones in 1916. Both British and French tanks were inferior to the all-terrain vehicle.

In 1915-1916, the talented engineer-inventor V.D. Mendeleev (son of the famous scientist D.I. Mendeleev) developed in detail the design of a super-heavy tank weighing 170 tons, a crew of 8 people, a 120-mm cannon and a machine gun installed in a rotating turret , anti-ballistic armor 100-150 mm, maximum speed 24 km/h, air suspension, the ability to move on railway rails is provided.

Drawing- Project of a super-heavy tank by engineer V.D. Mendeleev

Lengthwise cut: 1-120-mm Kane cannon, 2-movable armored mantlet, 3-shell feed winch, 4 - 7.62-mm Maxim machine gun, 5 - machine gun suspension bracket, 6 - machine gun turret, 7 - turret ring, 8 - “battery” ” air cylinders, 9 armored door, 10 batteries, 11 final drive, 12 gas tanks, 13 ammunition supply monorail, 14 projectile cart.

In the summer of 1917, not far from the city of Dmitrov, under the leadership of engineer N. N. Lebedenko, a wheeled tank weighing 40 tons was built. Famous Russian scientists N. E. Zhukovsky and B. S. Stechkin took part in its creation. They tried to provide the tank with the use of wheels with a diameter of 9 m. The rear wheel of a smaller diameter was for steering. Due to technical imperfections, the development of the tank was stopped; the built model was dismantled in 1923.

Drawing- Lebedenko heavy wheeled tank

Despite the presence of detailed projects and prototypes, presented much earlier than abroad, the tsarist army did not have tanks during the First World War. This is explained by the reactionary nature of rotten tsarism, low level industrial development pre-revolutionary Russia, the dominance of foreign capital, the corruption and indifference of tsarist officials to the fate of the Motherland. It is not surprising that the mass production of tanks and their use on the battlefield during the First World War was carried out not in the Russian, but in the English, and then in the French armies.

Tanks were first used by the British army on the Western Front in September 1916 in the operation on the Somme River (49 tanks). The use of tanks was prepared in strict secrecy. They were transported to the mainland disguised as large tanks; containers, in English tank. This is where their name comes from.

This period covers the years of the civil war, as well as the years of restoration and reconstruction. National economy young Soviet republic. It is characterized by the creation of the first samples of Soviet tanks and the accumulation of design and production experience.

At the III Extraordinary All-Russian Congress of Soviets in March 1918, V.I. Lenin said that in modern war “... the one who has the greatest technology, organization, discipline and the best machines prevails...” (PSS, vol. 27 , p. 167).

This Leninist position formed the basis for the activities of the party and government to create the armored forces of the young Republic of Soviets. At the beginning of 1918, the first central control body for armored units was organized - the Central Armor Directorate (Tsentrobron).

By October 1918, the Red Army had 23 armored trains and 38 armored detachments, which included 150 armored vehicles.

In 1919, V.I. Lenin set the task for machine builders to begin building their own Soviet tanks as soon as possible. At the end of 1919, the Krasnoye Sormovo plant in Nizhny Novgorod, on instructions from the government, began designing and producing a light tank. The tank was created jointly with the Izhora plant, which manufactured the armor, and the Moscow Automobile Plant AMO, which manufactured the engine.

Drawing- The first Soviet tank "Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin"

On August 31, 1920, the first Soviet tank, called “Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin,” came out of the gates of the Krasnoye Sormovo plant. It passed official tests and entered service with the Red Army. The tank had a mass of 7 tons, was armed with a 37 mm cannon, one machine gun, armor 8-16 mm thick, and a maximum speed of 8.5 km/h. This tank was superior in armament to similar foreign tanks, which had only machine gun armament. A total of 17 such tanks were built and each of them had its own name: " Paris Commune", "Red Fighter", "Ilya Muromets". They took part in battles on the fronts of the civil war.

By creating tanks, Soviet tank building was looking for new, original ways of development. In 1919, engineer Maksimov developed the world's first project for an ultra-light single-seat tank - the "shield carrier". This tank, armed with a machine gun and protected by bulletproof armor, was supposed to weigh 2-2.5 tons, with an engine power of 29 kW, the speed could reach 17 km/h.

In 1920, a competition was organized for best project tank. The first prize for the development of an amphibious tank was awarded to the Izhora plant project. However, the deployment of tank building for the destroyed industry was an unusually difficult task, since all forces were mobilized to restore the destroyed industry and raise agriculture.

In 1927, the MS-1 tank or a small infantry escort tank (T-18) entered service with the Red Army. It was armed with a semi-automatic 37 mm cannon and two machine guns located in a rotating turret. The thickness of the hull armor was 8-16 mm, the maximum speed of the tank was 16.5 km/h. The design of the engine-transmission group was original: the main clutch, gearbox, and turning mechanism (a simple differential with brakes on the axle shafts) were located in the same crankcase with the engine (monoblock) and operated in an oil bath. In view of this, the design was compact, which made it possible to reduce the size and weight of the tank. For its time, the MS-1 was a perfect combat vehicle.

Drawing- Light Soviet tank MS-1 (T-18)

During this period, the T-17, T-23 and medium tank TG. In 1929, the T-24 tank was created and in 1931 adopted. It had a three-tier arrangement of weapons, including one 45-mm cannon and 4 machine guns, a crew of 5 people, a powerful engine, and a planetary transmission, which ensured a speed of 22 km/h. Thus, during this period, the most popular were light tanks with small-caliber cannon and machine gun armament, bulletproof armor and relatively low speeds. Such tanks were adapted to perform direct infantry support tasks. During this period, experience in the design and production of tanks was gained and accumulated.

In 1928, the Department of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army was created. At the same time, the party and government raised the question of personnel for the new type of troops.

In 1930, at the Military Technical Academy named after. F. E. Dzerzhinsky formed the Faculty of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army, on the basis of which in 1932 the Academy of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army, now the Order of Lenin and the Order of the October Revolution, the Red Banner Academy of Armored Forces named after Marshal of the Soviet Union Malinovsky R. Ya. was established. the main training and scientific center of the tank forces of the Soviet Army. In 1930, on the basis of the Moscow School of Automotive Technicians, a school of tank technicians was established, which was later transformed into a school. Now this is the Kiev Higher Tank Engineering School of the Order of the Red Star named after Marshal of the Soviet Union I. I. Yakubovsky.

The period of creation of a complete set of armored vehicles (1931-1939)

This period covers the years of the first five-year plans, when heavy industry, the basis of the power and defense capability of our country, was created. Soviet designers, technologists, and production workers used the achievements of Soviet science and created the best tanks in the world. After completing the first five-year plan, with an automobile and tank industry, the Soviet Union was able to begin building tanks. The need for this was caused by the threatening international situation. From 1931 to 1933, the Red Army received light tanks T-26 (1931), T-27 tankette (1931), BT-2 (1931), BT-5 (1933), amphibious tank T-37 (1932), medium tank T-28 (1932), heavy tank T-35 (1932).

By 1933, the Red Army already had 5 types of modern tanks weighing from 2.5 to 50 tons. The maximum speed increased from 17 to 53 km/h. The speed of the wheeled-tracked BT tank increased especially, which reached 72 when moving on wheels. km/h Tanks of this period were characterized by high mobility and increased firepower. The T-28 and T-35 tanks are equipped with 76 mm guns. The reliability of mechanisms and vehicles in general has increased significantly compared to tanks of the second period. On tanks of this period, protection was improved (the thickness of the armor plates increased to 22 mm), the shape of the hull was improved, and welding of the armor plates was used.

Drawing- Light Soviet tank T-26 (model 1931)

Thanks to increased mobility and reliability, tanks could perform not only direct support tasks for infantry, but also independently break through enemy defenses and operate in operational depth.

During these years, a classification of tanks was developed. The classification is based on the weight indicator:

• light tanks - weighing up to 20 tons;
• medium tanks - weighing from 20 to 40 tons;
• heavy tanks - weighing over 40 tons.

Drawing- Light tank BT-7

The definition of a tank is given.

Tank is a tracked combat vehicle with firepower, armor protection and mobility. This emphasized the organic combination of the three most important combat qualities of a tank: firepower, protection, and mobility.

Firepower- the ability to hit targets on the battlefield. It is characterized by: the caliber of the weapon, the armor penetration of the projectile, the range of a direct shot, the perfection of guidance mechanisms, sights, targeted rate of fire, loading speed, amount of ammunition and type of shells, number and caliber of machine guns and ammunition for them.

Protection of a modern tank includes armor and special protection.

Armor protection- a set of parts of the tank hull and turret made from special materials, providing protection for the crew and internal equipment of the tank from enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, its missile weapons, shock wave, penetrating radiation, thermal and light radiation nuclear explosions. It is provided by the thickness and angles of the armor, its quality and design, the shape of the hull and turret, and the strength of the connection of the armor plates.

Special protection- designed to protect the crew from nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, achieved by sealing the armored hull and turret, using filter and ventilation units that provide air purification and the creation of excess pressure in an inhabited object.

Tank mobility- the ability to move in a given direction. It is characterized by maximum and average speeds, range, and high cross-country ability.

Patency characterized by average specific ground pressure, ground clearance, and the size of obstacles to be overcome.

The combat properties and technical qualities of tanks are reflected in its combat and technical characteristics. Combat and technical specifications defines a systematic list of the main parameters that characterize the tank.

Combat and technical characteristics have the following sections:

• Total information;
• weapons;
• protection;
• mobility;
• special equipment;
• general characteristics units.

After 1933, the main types of tanks were improved, especially the T-26 and BT.

Tanks of this period were characterized by weak armor, which was revealed during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), due to the rapid development of anti-tank weapons. The multi-turret layout did not justify itself. It prevents an increase in the caliber of weapons.

Table- Basic data of tanks of the second period

Main parameters of tanks	M a r k i t a n k o v
	T-27	T-37	T-26	BT	T-28	T-35
Combat weight, t	2,7	3,3	8-10	10-14	28	50
Crew, people	2	2	3	3	6	11
Weapons: - gun, caliber, mm; - number of machine guns	- 1	- 1	45 1-2	37-45 3-2	76 3-4	2-76 2-45 5
Armor protection, mm	6-10	7-9	13-15	13-20	20-30	20-30
Maximum speed, km/h	40	40	30	52-72	37	29

Armored vehicles on the eve and during the Great Patriotic War (1939-1945)

The period is characterized by the creation of single-turret tanks with projectile-proof armor and powerful weapons.

In 1939, the A-32 medium tank weighing 19 tons, with a 76 mm cannon and two machine guns was developed. Crew 4 people, maximum speed 65 km/h. In the same year, a project was developed for a multi-turret heavy tank SMK with a 76- and 46-mm gun. However, the tank did not go beyond the prototype.

Beginning in 1932, at the direction of the Soviet government, intensive work was carried out to create a powerful, economical tank engine. In 1936, such an engine was created. It was the world's first tank diesel engine of the Soviet brand V-2. In 1939, the engine was successfully tested on BT and A-32 tanks. In terms of its efficiency, the V-2 engine was significantly superior to gasoline engines.

Drawing- Medium Soviet tank T-34

On December 19, 1939, the T-34 medium tank, developed under the leadership of M.I. Koshkin, was put into service. For the first time in the world, a powerful, long-barreled (for that time) 76-mm cannon with an initial armor-piercing projectile speed of 662 m/s was installed on it. The gun's armor penetration capability was superior to all foreign tank guns of that time. The tank's powerful armor reliably protected against small-caliber shells anti-tank artillery and tank guns from all distances. The tank was distinguished by its original hull shape with large angles of inclination of the armor plates, the installation of a new high-speed V-2 diesel engine, a four-speed gearbox and turning mechanisms - side clutches. The tank had an individual spring suspension and wide tracks, ensuring good maneuverability. The mechanisms and assemblies of the tank were well developed and were easy to manufacture. This circumstance made it possible to quickly establish large-scale production of tanks during the war years.

Drawing- Heavy Soviet tank KV-1

Simultaneously with the T-34 tank, the KB heavy tank, created under the leadership of J. Ya. Kotin, entered service in 1939. The first model of the tank was equipped with a 76-mm cannon, and the second model of the KV-2, at the beginning of 1940, was equipped with a 152-mm howitzer. The KV tank was significantly superior in armor protection to the T-34 tank and had fairly high mobility parameters for its mass (47.5 tons) (maximum speed 35 km/h). There was a lot of new and interesting things in the design of the units and mechanisms of the KV tank. A torsion spring was used for the first time as a suspension. On the T-34 and KB, the engine and transmission were located in the rear of the vehicle. This made it easier to repair in the field.

In 1940, production of the T-40 light amphibious tanks began; in April 1941, the T-50 light tank was put into service, then the T-60 and T-70. These light tanks were developed under the leadership of N. A. Astrov. The T-40 tank had machine gun armament, and the T-50 had a 45-mm cannon. The T-60 and T-70 tanks were developed with extensive use of solutions tested on the T-40. Unlike the floating T-40, they were non-floating. The T-60 was armed with a 20 mm automatic cannon, and the T-70 with a 45 mm cannon.

Drawing- Light Soviet tank T-60

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, we had developed the designs of medium and heavy tanks with the most rational combination of weapons, armor and mobility. The Soviet Union had developed tank production and qualified tank builders. From the first days of the war, the superiority of the then still small T-34 and KB tanks over the tanks of the fascist army was revealed. This is what Lieutenant General of the German Army E. Schneider wrote after the war: “Russian T-34 tanks showed our tankers, accustomed to victories, their superiority in weapons, armor and maneuverability. The T-34 tank created a sensation... Having created an exceptionally successful and a new type of tank, the Russians have made a great leap forward in the field of tank construction."

During the war, as a result of the modernization of anti-tank artillery and tanks carried out by Germany, the need arose to strengthen the firepower and armor protection of Soviet tanks.

At the end of 1942, the production of self-propelled artillery installations SU-122 with a 122-mm howitzer, and in the summer of 1943 - SU-85 with an 85-mm cannon. In December 1943, the T-34-85 tank with an 85 mm caliber gun and an initial projectile speed of about 800 m/s was put into service. The tank had increased armor thickness (45-90 mm), a crew of 5 people.

In 1944, based on the T-34, they began to produce the SU-100 self-propelled gun with a 100 mm cannon.

At the end of 1943, the IS-1 heavy tank with an 85-mm cannon was developed and began to be produced, as well as the IS-2 tank and the ISU-122 self-propelled artillery mount with a 122-mm cannon on a common base with it.

Since 1943, based on the KV-1 and IS-2 tanks, self-propelled artillery mounts were produced to accompany the SU-152 and ISU-152 tanks with a 152-mm howitzer gun. This gun had enormous muzzle energy and, along with the 100 mm and 122 mm guns, was a formidable means of combating the new heavy German tanks. On the basis of light tanks, self-propelled artillery units SU-76 with a 76-mm cannon were produced.

Drawing- Medium Soviet tank T-34-85

Drawing- Heavy Soviet tank IS-2

In 1944, a new medium tank T-44 with an 85 mm gun and a transverse engine was developed. This made it possible to increase the reservation and made it possible to further increase the caliber of weapons and have a large ammunition load.

At the end of the war, the IS-3 heavy tank with a 122 mm cannon and two machine guns (one anti-aircraft) was adopted. The ship's hull nose shape and increased armor thickness provided it with high protection. The designers managed to reduce the height of the tank, improve smoothness, increase maneuverability and cross-country ability. The IS-3 tank, along with the T-34 tank, became a role model for many years.

In the development of Soviet tanks of this period, the following features should be noted:

1. Transition to single-turret high-speed tanks with anti-ballistic armor and long-barreled guns,
2. Increasing the power of weapons and improving armor protection with an almost constant tank weight (for example, KB, IS-2);
3. Adaptability of tank designs to large-scale production and field repair;
4. The use of powerful diesel engines, individual torsion bar suspensions, wide tracks, improvement of the transmission;
5. Creation of self-propelled artillery installations. The medium tank became a popular type of this period. The importance of the heavy tank has increased significantly.

The development of a promising Russian tank (object 195) was carried out by UKBTM (JSC Ural Design Bureau of Transport Engineering, N-Tagil) within the framework of the “Improvement-88” theme, but for a number of reasons it did not achieve success.

Also, the issue of equipping Russian tanks with thermal imaging surveillance and targeting devices (TVD) of a new generation corresponding to modern analogues has not been resolved. Now we can assume with reasonable confidence that developments within the framework of the federal target program “infravid” have not achieved success; Russian tanks are equipped with foreign-made products.

Along with the development of a promising tank, R&D work is also underway to modernize the Motoball and Slingshot-1, already created within the R&D framework. Leading contractors: OJSC VNIItransmash, FSUE UKBTM, FSUE KBTM, OJSC Spetsmash.

Research is aimed at comprehensive modernization of existing tanks in terms of firepower and mobility characteristics, but they have practically no implementation in mass production and modernization.

The key aspects of modernization under the above programs are the creation of a new transmission that will be able to provide superiority over mass-produced vehicles in all key indicators and improve the firepower of the tank, ensuring characteristics that give the probability of defeating modern enemy models with a probability close to 100%.

The problem of improving firepower includes both fire control systems and solutions to increase the power of ammunition.

Speaking on the radio station "Echo of Moscow", GABTU representative Vladimir Voitov said that "the so-called object 640 does not exist, and no development has been carried out." The continuation of the concept inherent in “object 640” was the development of “Burlak”.

Along with the development at UKBTM of a tank with a new layout “Object 195”, KBTM LLC (Omsk) was developing a less radical project for a promising tank within the framework of the “Burlak” theme, which, according to the latest data, has also been suspended.

The most easily implemented promising An option for the development of Russian tanks is the development of KBTM within the framework of creating a single fighting compartment with a two-flow automatic loader mechanism with full automation of the ammunition placed in the tank (36 rounds or more). TLC (transport-loading container) of various capacities has been developed - 14...32 rounds.

Unified combat compartment with two-stream AZ (OKR Burlak). The turret can be installed on new tanks, as well as on modernized tanks, such as T-72, T-80, T-90 and their modifications, increasing their security. A lightly armored compartment is attached to the side wall of the turret to accommodate an autonomous anti-aircraft machine gun installation, which is covered by a protective module from the front view.

The main advantage of solutions within the framework of the Burlak design and development work is an integrated approach to ensuring the security of the tank and its firepower.

This was achieved through innovative solutions that, within the existing layout and without fundamental changes to the chassis and fighting compartment, create a tank that has the characteristics of a promising tank based on existing technologies and profound changes in mass production. The layout solutions proposed within the Burlak framework make it possible to increase the survivability of the tank in the event of damage to the ammunition load, by placing it in an isolated compartment equipped with knockout plates.

Location of fuel filling complex in the rear part of the tank turret makes it possible to achieve balance in the turret and, therefore, further enhance the armor protection of the frontal projection.

Features of the new tower:

· modular armor - quick-detachable protective modules and can be replaced in the event of combat damage by repair units in the field. In addition, with further modernization of previously produced tanks, old protective modules can be replaced with new, more effective ones, created taking into account the latest technological advances in the field of armor protection.

· increased internal volume to 2.5 m3, due to which it is possible to accommodate a complex of on-board equipment that meets modern requirements for command control and improves the ergonomics of the fighting compartment.

· the turret is designed with the ability to install a removable armored transport-loading container with an automatic loading mechanism.

Quick-release protective modules are a combination of dynamic and “passive” protection. The protective modules do not worsen the conditions for the driver getting into and out of the tank.

The implementation of measures to strengthen the armor protection of the turret of the T-90A and T-80U tanks is difficult due to the large moment of imbalance of the turret.

The new combat compartment "Burlak" is designed for the production of newly manufactured tanks with a new turret and for the modernization of already created ones (T-90, T-80) without replacing the turret.

The refueling complex located behind the tank's turret is highly protected, but even if it is damaged, the crew will remain unharmed, and the tank can be repaired even in the field. Installing dynamic protection on the sides of the tank's turret will provide protection against enemy anti-tank weapons (RPGs) significantly exceeding the level of serial tanks.

The use of a new removable armored transport-loading container with an automatic loading mechanism allows the use of modern projectiles of increased power (increased length). Another advantage is the separate placement of ammunition from the crew, which significantly increases the safety of the crew and the tank as a whole. Works with both standard shots and new ones with increased power of separate loading.

This is what a modernized T-80U tank with the Relikt remote sensing system and a new automatic loader might look like. The automatic loader located behind the turret required the development of new equipment for underwater tank driving (OPVT).

In the AZ conveyor of the T-72B/T-90 tank, only 22 are placed, and the remaining 21 shots are in non-mechanized ammunition racks in the hull and turret; replenishing the conveyor with new shots is done manually, requiring significant effort and time (rate of fire when loading from a non-mechanized rack is 1. 5 – 2 minutes), which in a combat situation increases the likelihood of being hit by the enemy and is therefore a significant drawback.

The proposed modernization option solves the problem of increasing the combat effectiveness of the T-72, T-80 and T-90 tanks to the level of modern requirements by installing a turret-mounted AZ. In the turret of the tank with the fighting compartment there is a second automatic loader, equipped with a carousel-type conveyor (similar to the AZ of the T-72 tank) with cassettes for storing shells, located at the bottom of the tank hull.

Thus, in the modernized tank, the entire ammunition load of the tank is automated; if the turret-mounted AZ (TZK) is damaged, the tank is able to continue the battle using the AZ located at the bottom of the hull. In the presence of enemy tanks, loading is carried out with a shot of increased power from a turret-mounted automatic loader, in other cases with shots from an AZ located at the bottom of the hull.

To intensify the development of modernized (based on the results of the Burlak R&D) T-72B, T-72B1, T-80U, T-80BV, T-90 tanks (T-80 Burlak, T-90 Burlak), a complex of computerized teaching aids.

Modernization goals

T-72 tanks and their modifications, including the T-90, no longer meet modern requirements, based on the following: in modern domestic and foreign tanks, including Leclerc, Abrams, and Leopard-2 modifications, the protection of the frontal projection has significantly increased. The effectiveness of armor-piercing projectiles, in response to increased protection, was also increased by increasing, mainly the active part with a sub-caliber core made of a high-density metal, such as depleted uranium, and also by imparting a higher initial velocity to the projectile by using a more powerful charge. It is not possible to place such elongated projectiles, especially unitary shots, in the T-72 automatic loader.

The automatic loader T-72 and its modification T-90 is located in the turret at the bottom of the tank, equipped with a carousel-type conveyor and equipped with a mechanism for lifting shots. The length of the projectile is limited by the dimensions of the conveyor.

The search and targeting capabilities of the weapon system were increased by increasing the view of the tank commander using panoramic observation and targeting systems, including those that control the object’s additional weapons. Detection, recognition and tracking of a target in automatic mode until it is guaranteed to be destroyed by a tank's guided weapon system using automatic target tracking.

If in the developments of Burlak one can see an integrated approach to the issues of firepower and tank protection, then in the developments of UKBTM a different path was chosen.

In the new version of the AZ developed by UKBTM, the rotating conveyor cassettes are placed vertically; this not only will not improve the security and ergonomics of the tank's fighting compartment, but will also lead to the opposite result. The issue of further strengthening the armor protection of the tower will also remain unresolved due to the large moment of imbalance.

Advantages of the modernized tank:
A set of technical solutions aimed at increasing the level of security during modernization, incl. to increase survivability in the event of an ammunition explosion (insulated fuel compartments, knockout plates, etc.).
Fully mechanized ammunition in the refueling station and AZ at the bottom of the tank hull; if the turret-mounted AZ (refueling station) is damaged, the tank is able to continue the battle using the AZ located at the bottom of the hull.
Reliable protection of the tank crew from death when exposed to a kinetic or cumulative projectile.
Possibility of using high-power shots with increased elongation BPS with a core made of ultra-dense single-component and composite materials and improved missile launchers.
Increasing the effectiveness of combating manpower and air targets.
Use of modular combined armor complete with dynamic protection.
Increasing the level of command control, an information and control system has been installed, into which communications, control, diagnostics, computer information processing and reconnaissance tools are integrated.
Improved fire control system by expanding search and accuracy indicators, installing a panorama, and equally possible control systems for the commander and gunner to implement the “hunter-gunner” principle.

Materials from RF patents No. 2169 336, 2165617, 2233418, 43633, 2202756, 2215965, 2366882, 2204776 were used.

The term “tank” in Ozhegov’s dictionary is explained as “an armored self-propelled combat vehicle with powerful weapons on a tracked track.” But such a definition is not a dogma; there is no unified tank standard in the world. Each manufacturing country creates and has created tanks taking into account its own needs, the characteristics of the proposed war, the manner of upcoming battles and its own production capabilities. The USSR was no exception in this regard.

History of the development of tanks of the USSR and Russia by model

History of invention

The primacy of the use of tanks belongs to the British; their use forced military leaders of all countries to reconsider the concept of warfare. The use by the French of their Renault FT17 light tank determined the classic use of tanks for solving tactical problems, and the tank itself became the embodiment of the canons of tank building.

Although the laurels of first use did not go to the Russians, the invention of the tank itself, in its classical sense, belongs to our compatriots. In 1915 V.D. Mendeleev (the son of a famous scientist) sent a project for an armored self-propelled vehicle on two tracks with artillery weapons to the technical department of the Russian Army. But for unknown reasons, things did not go beyond design work.

The idea itself of installing a steam engine on a caterpillar propulsion device was not new; it was first implemented in 1878 by Russian designer Fyodor Blinov. The invention was called: “A car with endless flights for transporting goods.” In this “car”, a track turning device was used for the first time. The invention of a caterpillar propulsion device, by the way, also belongs to the Russian staff captain D. Zagryazhsky. For which a corresponding patent was issued in 1937.

The world's first tracked combat vehicle is also Russian. In May 1915, tests of the armored vehicle D.I. took place near Riga. Porokhovshchikov called “All-terrain vehicle”. It had an armored body, one wide track and a machine gun in a rotating turret. The tests were considered very successful, but due to the approaching Germans, further tests had to be postponed, and after some time they were completely forgotten.

In the same year, 1915, tests were carried out on a machine designed by the head of the experimental laboratory of the military department, Captain Lebedenko. The 40-ton unit was an artillery carriage enlarged to gigantic proportions, driven by two Maybach engines from a downed airship. The front wheels had a diameter of 9 meters. According to the creators, a vehicle of this design should easily overcome ditches and trenches, but during testing it got stuck immediately after it started moving. Where it stood for many years until it was cut up for scrap metal.

Russia ended the First World War without its tanks. During the Civil War, tanks from other countries were used. During the battles, some of the tanks passed into the hands of the Red Army, on which the workers’ and peasants’ fighters entered the battle. In 1918, in a battle with French-Greek troops near the village of Berezovskaya, several Reno-FT tanks were captured. They were sent to Moscow to participate in the parade. Lenin’s fiery speech about the need to build our own tanks laid the foundation for Soviet tank building. We decided to release, or rather completely copy, 15 Reno-FT tanks called Tank M (small). On August 31, 1920, the first copy left the workshops of the Krasnoye Sormovo plant in Nizhny Tagil. This day is considered to be the birthday of Soviet tank building.

The young state understood that tanks were very important for waging war, especially since the enemies approaching the borders were already armed with this type of military equipment. The M tank was not put into production due to its particularly expensive production price, so another option was needed. According to the idea that existed in the Red Army at that time, the tank was supposed to support the infantry during an attack, that is, the speed of the tank should not be much higher than the infantry, the weight should allow it to break through the defense line, and the weapons should successfully suppress firing points. Choosing between our own developments and proposals to copy ready-made samples, we chose the option that allowed us to organize the production of tanks in the shortest possible time - copying.

In 1925, the tank was launched into mass production, its prototype was the Fiat-3000. Although not entirely successful, the MS-1 became the tank that laid the foundation for Soviet tank building. At his production site, production itself and the coherence of the work of different departments and factories were developed.

Until the early 30s, several of their own models T-19, T-20, T-24 were developed, but due to the lack of special advantages over the T-18, and due to their high cost of production, they did not go into series.

Tanks of the 30-40s - a disease of imitation

Participation in the conflict on the Chinese Federal Railway showed the inadequacy of the first generation tanks for the dynamic development of the battle; the tanks practically did not show themselves in any way; the main work was done by the cavalry. A faster and more reliable car was needed.

To select the next production model, we went the beaten path and purchased samples abroad. The English Vickers Mk - 6 tons was mass-produced in our country as the T-26, and the Carden-Loyd Mk VI wedge was produced as the T-27.

The T-27, which at first was so tempting to produce due to its low cost, was not produced for long. In 1933, wedge heels were adopted for the army
amphibious tank T-37A, with weapons in a rotating turret, and in 1936 - T-38. In 1940, they created a similar amphibious T-40; the USSR did not produce more amphibious tanks until the 50s.

Another sample was purchased in the USA. Based on the model of J.W. Christie, a whole series of high-speed tanks (BT) was built; their main difference was the combination of two propellers, wheeled and tracked. To move when marching, BTs used wheels; when fighting, they used caterpillars. Such a forced measure was necessary due to the poor operational capabilities of the tracks, only 1000 km.

BT tanks, developing quite high speeds on the roads, fully suited the changed military concept of the Red Army: breaking through the defense and quickly deploying a deep attack through the resulting gap. The three-turreted T-28 was developed directly for the breakthrough, the prototype of which was the English Vickers 16-ton. Another breakthrough tank was supposed to be the T-35, similar to the English five-turret heavy tank “Independent”.

During the pre-war decade, a lot was created interesting designs tanks that did not go into production. For example, based on the T-26
self-propelled semi-closed AT-1 type (artillery tank). During the Second World War, they will again remember these cars without a cabin roof.

Tanks of the Second World War

Participation in the Spanish Civil War and in the battles at Khalkhin Gol showed how high the explosion hazard of a gasoline engine is and the inadequacy of bulletproof armor against the then nascent anti-tank artillery. The implementation of solutions to these problems allowed our designers, who had suffered from the disease of imitation, to create for real on the eve of the Second World War good tanks and KV.

In the first days of the war, a catastrophically large number of tanks were lost; it took time to establish production of the uncompetitive T-34 and KV at the only evacuated factories, and the front desperately needed tanks. The government decided to fill this niche with cheap and quick-to-produce light tanks T-60 and T-70. Naturally, the vulnerability of such tanks is very high, but they gave time to expand the production of Victory tanks. The Germans called them “indestructible locusts.”

In battle under the railway. Art. Prokhorovka was the first time that tanks acted as “cementers” of the defense; before that they were used exclusively as attack weapons. In principle, until today, there have been no more new ideas for the use of tanks.

Speaking about WWII tanks, one cannot fail to mention tank destroyers (SU-76, SU-122, etc.) or “self-propelled guns” as they were called by the troops. The relatively small rotating turret did not allow the use of some powerful guns and, most importantly, howitzers on tanks; for this purpose, they were installed on the bases of existing tanks without the use of turrets. In fact, Soviet tank destroyers during the war, except for weapons, were no different from their prototypes, unlike the same German ones.

There are several tank museums in the world, but none of them have such a huge collection of armored vehicles as at the 64th kilometer of the Minsk Highway in the village of Kubinka near Moscow. Not only the legendary T-34 and unique “tigers” are presented here in all their glory, but also the world’s only super-heavy German tank “Maus”. Modern types of domestic armored vehicles, which are in service in the armies of many countries, have not been forgotten either.

The emergence of the Military Historical Museum of Armored Weapons and Equipment is directly related to the history of domestic tank forces. The armored weapon system began to emerge in the Red Army in the late 20s and early 30s of the 20th century. The creation and development of such equipment is impossible without a testing base, and in April 1931, a Scientific Testing Armored Test Site was organized in Kubinka, where all generations of domestic tanks and armored vehicles were “baptized.” Foreign samples that came to the USSR under Lend-Lease, were specially purchased for study, or ended up at the disposal of our troops as a result of military operations were also tested at the test site. Over time, the collection of the test site, which was at the disposal of the Research Institute of Armored Vehicles (38 NIIBTTVT of the Ministry of Defense), increased. To ensure its better preservation, spacious hangars were erected. And on September 10, 1972, on the initiative of the Chief Marshal of the Armored Forces A.Kh. Babajanyan, based on this collection, a museum was opened.

Housed in pavilions, open areas and pedestals, the unique museum’s collection includes more than 300 specimens from 13 countries. Most of the exhibits about 130 are domestically produced. Here you can see the most significant vehicles in the history of armored vehicles from the First World War (the British Mk V in the “hermaphrodite” version and the “grandfather” of modern tanks, the French FT-17 Renault) to the modern generation of tanks of the T-64-72-80 family. From the first domestic armored vehicles(armored car "Austin Putilovsky", a model of the first tank of the "Russian Renault" type, a partially restored first serial Soviet tank MS-1) to tanks and armored vehicles now in service with the Russian army.

“Tanks war of minds,” liked to say prominent figure of domestic tank building Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin. And the Museum’s collection allows us to verify this. The exhibition presents not only vehicles demonstrating the main development paths of armored vehicles, but also samples of exploratory developments that did not lead, for one reason or another, to the emergence of fundamentally new models.

Tanks and armored vehicles are arranged in each pavilion in two lines, strictly divided by type and chronology, and in the “multilingual” pavilions by country. Museum exposition living history of tank building. After all, a number of vehicles are at full operational speed and look exactly as they did during their “actual” service in the army. There are also several rare specimens that were restored by the Museum’s search and restoration group.

The museum was opened in 1972 on Tankman's Day (the second Sunday in September), and since then many people interested in the history of armored vehicles come here. Traditionally, there are especially many visitors on May 9 and February 23. These days, at the former training ground, you can see the ceremonial “passing” of tanks, and enthusiasts from military history clubs, together with the Museum staff, stage reenactments of combat episodes with the participation of “live” vehicles. Since fans come to such places for the whole day, meals are organized on the territory of the Museum on days of mass visits, and military-historical literature and prefabricated models of military equipment can be purchased at stalls.

Describing the Museum's exhibition is the same as telling the entire military history of the last 90 years. Therefore, let’s take a look at just some examples from the Great Patriotic War and those machines around which many legends have developed. The Second World War and the Great Patriotic War as its main component became the “finest” hour of armored vehicles. Neither before nor after the army did they use tanks on such a scale. The colossal experience gained in those years still influences the development of this type of weapons. On the open area in front of the entrance to the Museum, tanks and self-propelled artillery units (SPGs) created during the Second World War and used by the Red Army are displayed.

"Land battleships"

Pavilion No. 1 houses serial and experimental Soviet heavy tanks and self-propelled guns, created between the 1930s and 1960s. Not far from the entrance, the five-turret T-35 immediately attracts attention. In the early 1930s, such heavily armed “land battleships” were used by the army to reinforce tank formations and infantry when storming prepared enemy defenses. It was a completely original machine, although in the process of its creation the designers used separate, already existing, foreign developments. The T-35 symbolized the military power of our army at that time; it is no coincidence that its image is embossed on the medal “For Courage”. But along with its advantages, this car also had serious disadvantages. For example, the difficulty of coordinating the firing of five guns; the tank was difficult to control while moving, and its many turrets and large size made it vulnerable to enemy fire. A total of 61 cars were produced. The museum's T-35 is the only surviving example. It must be said that, contrary to sometimes assertions, these tanks did not participate in the Soviet-Finnish War, and by the beginning of the Great Patriotic War they were considered completely obsolete. The last time two T-35s went into battle was during the counteroffensive near Moscow in 1941.

At the end of the 1930s, development of a new type of heavy tank began. The main task is to strengthen the anti-ballistic armor. Three developed prototypes single-turret KV and double-turret SMK and T-100 were tested during the Soviet-Finnish War; one of the T-100 chassis was used to build the 130-mm self-propelled artillery unit SU-100Y located in the same pavilion of the museum. But only the KV (“Kliment Voroshilov”), designed at the Leningrad Kirov Plant under the leadership of Nikolai Leonidovich Dukhov and Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin, entered service.

At the beginning of the war, the KV was the most protected production tank and the only heavy tank with an individual torsion bar suspension for road wheels. However, initially HFs were not distinguished by high technical reliability, and a lot of effort had to be made to improve them. This work was already carried out in Chelyabinsk (where the Kirov plant was evacuated). At the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ), which became the base for the famous “Tankograd”, a more reliable “high-speed” KV-1S was created. But the tank was still armed with a 76-mm cannon, which could not “pierce” the heavy German tanks that appeared at the front from the ranges required in battle. In September-October 1943, the KV-85 with an 85-mm cannon in a cast turret was produced (also presented in the Museum). This most successful version of the KV family completed the designers’ work on this family of tanks.

The demands of the time dictated the need for tanks with qualitatively better protection and greater firepower. At the same time, it was important not to increase their mass, so as not to reduce mobility and speed of movement, and to maintain the ability to cross bridges, especially temporary ones. This problem was solved in Chelyabinsk under the leadership of Kotin and Afanasy Semenovich Ermolaev. Using a cast hull and turret, widely varying the angles of inclination and the thickness of the armor depending on the probability of being hit by shells, the designers created the heavy IS tank (Joseph Stalin), which laid the foundation for a new tank family. Following the IS-1 with an 85-mm cannon, the IS-2 appeared in January 1944; it was possible to install a powerful 122-mm cannon in its turret, which made it possible to fight even the “royal tiger” at a range of up to 1,000 m (despite the fact that the IS -2 was 22 tons lighter than the “Royal Tiger”, which was not much superior in combat qualities). True, the gun’s rate of fire and ammunition still left much to be desired. In the open area of ​​the Museum, visitors can see the post-war modification of the IS-2.

The development of German anti-tank weapons required, first of all, an increase in the thickness of the armor. As a result, the IS-3 appeared at the very end of the war, the degree of its armor and firepower had a significant impact on the development of armored vehicles in the first post-war decade.

"Thirty-four" and their successors

The exhibition of pavilion No. 2, dedicated to the most popular types of tanks - medium and main, logically begins with the legendary T-34 tank and self-propelled guns on its chassis. Here you can see the successors of the "thirty-four" (medium tanks T-44, T-54, T-55, T-62), and modifications of three Soviet main battle tanks (T-64, T-72 and T-80), except In addition, a number of little-known experimental post-war vehicles and a stand with samples of shots from the ammunition of post-war tanks.

The heavy KV tank, medium T-34 and light T-40, adopted by the Red Army on December 19, 1939, became the basis of its armored armament during the Great Patriotic War. T-34, developed in Kharkov by a team of designers under the leadership of Mikhail Ilyich Koshkin (Alexander Alexandrovich Morozov, Nikolai Alekseevich Kucherenko, Yakov Ionovich Barana, Vasily Grigorievich Matyukhin, Alexey Alexandrovich Moloshtanov, Mark Abramovich Nabutovsky and others), the most famous and at the same time the most “unknown” "a tank in the history of Soviet armored vehicles, which became one of the symbols of the Victory over Nazi Germany. From the very beginning, many legends appeared about this machine, primarily related to its combat qualities. There is, for example, a widespread version that the T-34 is a tank that cannot be destroyed, although it is quite obvious that such vehicles simply do not exist. However, at the beginning of the war, German front-line anti-tank weapons were indeed rarely able to hit the T-34 due to the quality and thickness of its armor, as well as its large angles of inclination (the rational form of armor became the general direction in Soviet tank building on the eve of the war).

The superiority of the T-34 over German tanks of 1941 would be undeniable if not for several important “buts”. Low quality optics, and most importantly, insufficient reliability of the machine. In addition, the tank commander, acting as a gunner, had a very limited overview and, therefore, could not fully assess the combat situation. In German medium tanks, the commander was relieved of the duties of a gunner and, thanks to the commander's cupola, had all-round visibility. Together with complete radio coverage, this gave the German tank units significant advantages. Although in terms of their armament and the quality of armor protection, until mid-1942 they were much inferior to the “thirty-four”. As for the mobility of the T-34, it can be said without exaggeration that the medium battle tanks of the German army never managed to beat the “thirty-four” in this indicator. The mobility and maneuverability of our tank was ensured by the V-2 diesel engine, developed by Ya.E. Vikhman and I.Ya. Trashutin, and a chassis with wide tracks. The main advantages of diesel were not so much “lower fire hazard” as high power per unit volume and lower fuel consumption. During the war years, the V-2 demonstrated its reliability and unpretentiousness; the quality of the fuel did not greatly affect its operation. It is no coincidence that the V-2 engine is presented separately in the Museum on a special stand.

A tank is a fighting vehicle, and there is no such thing as “comfortable” in battle. But the cramped working spaces of the T-34 certainly increased crew fatigue, especially on the march. Although it must be said that the tankers willingly forgave this shortcoming of their beloved vehicle.

The T-34 became the most popular tank of the Red Army only in 1943. However, by this time more powerful German tanks and anti-tank weapons had appeared at the front. There was only one way out: modernizing the T-34 (almost at the limit of the chassis capabilities) with the installation of an 85-mm gun. T-3485 it can be seen in front of pavilion No. 2 on a pedestal and on an open area next to the T-34 produced in 1941 appeared in the army in the spring of 1944. The new gun and sight significantly increased firing efficiency, allowing it to fight with “tigers” and “panthers” at ranges of 500 x 1,000 m. The turret on the T-34-85 became three-seater and received a commander’s cupola. The frontal armor of the turret protected the most common German 75-mm tank and anti-tank guns from shells at a range of 500 m.

T-34-85 tanks liberated Belarus, Ukraine, the Baltic states, European countries and brought the greatest glory to the famous “thirty-four”, and after the war they were in service in the armies of many countries around the world for many years.

The Thirty-Fours were also distinguished by their high production technology; during the war years they were built at 7 factories. 12 modifications of the T-34 and vehicles created on their basis entered service. But if you take into account differences in production and design changes, there were many more models. The T-34 became the first medium tank, the production of which was put into production. Casting turrets and automatic welding of armor under a layer of flux significantly speeded up and reduced the cost of production. The number of T-34s produced during the war turned out to be a record high: 33,805 T-34 tanks, 21,046 T-34-85 tanks and about 5,780 self-propelled guns on their chassis.

The ease of use of the machine made it possible to cook in a short time combat crews. The repairmen also loved the tank; the T-34 was surprisingly “tolerant” of repairs in the field. On average, each T-34 produced during the war and self-propelled guns at its base were restored 3-4 times.

The optimal combination of basic combat qualities, manufacturability, ease of development, and high maintainability ensured the T-34 the title of the best tank of the Second World War and one of the masterpieces of design work. It is worth recalling another merit of the T-34 - its appearance put an end to the opinion about the “backwardness” and “secondary nature” of Soviet armored vehicles in the world.

The hard fate of light tanks

At the beginning of the war, the bulk of Soviet tanks were light vehicles, the most common of which were various modifications of the T-26 infantry escort tank and maneuverable wheeled-tracked tanks of the BT series. Soviet lungs tanks different years, vehicles on their chassis and post-war airborne armored vehicles are located in pavilion No. 3.

The main feature of the BT tanks (“high-speed tank”), produced at the Kharkov plant named after. Comintern, there was the ability to move along roads on wheels with the tracks removed, and then install the tracks half an hour before the start of the battle. The idea of ​​such a chassis was developed by the American Walter Christie, which is why BT tanks were also called “Christie-type tanks.” But these vehicles were not intended for war “on the roads” (although such statements have often been found in the literature recently). Wheel travel was used only during operational transfers to preserve the chassis and road surface. The development of wheeled-tracked tanks actually stopped in 1939 after the creation of the A-32 tracked tank, the predecessor of the T-34. The designers retained the individual “Christie-type” suspension, and a little later used it in the development of the tracked T-34.

Most of the BTs were lost in the first months of the war, but the surviving vehicles continued to fight on the Soviet-German front back in 1944, and last time BTs took part in battles in August 1945 with Japanese troops.

In the difficult conditions of the beginning of the war, when the main tank-building enterprises were evacuated to the east, and other factories were just mastering the production of medium and heavy vehicles, the role of light tanks using automobile units could hardly be overestimated. One of them was the T-40 light amphibious tank. To increase the production of the T-40, it was also produced in a “land” version. At the same time, under the leadership of Nikolai Aleksandrovich Astrov, plant No. 37 used it to develop the T-60 tank with reinforced armor and a 20-mm cannon. Tanks created for reconnaissance were forced to support infantry attacks. The T-60's armament and armor were not powerful enough. Therefore, a 45-mm cannon was installed on the T-70 light tank, created under the leadership of Astrov already at the Gorky Automobile Plant in 1942, and the thickness of the frontal armor was increased to 40 mm. The T-70 also received an original power plant consisting of sequentially paired engines. The combat effectiveness of the T-70 was reduced by several significant features: the commander in the single-seat turret was both a gunner and a loader, and the carburetor power plant on the starboard side increased the vulnerability and fire hazard of the tank. However, the T-70 fulfilled its task - it maintained the combat effectiveness of tank units until they were saturated with T-34 tanks and thus turned out to be the second most popular Soviet tank that served in the army.

Although in the 1930s the USSR developed several sets of self-propelled artillery units (SPG), by the beginning of the war the Red Army did not have serial self-propelled guns in service, if you do not take into account the KV-2 tanks with a 152-mm howitzer in a high turret. Only at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War the need for the production of self-propelled guns became obvious.

First, they produced about 100 open ZIS-30s with a 57-mm anti-tank gun on the chassis of the Komsomolets tractor. And only at the end of 1942 and the beginning of 1943, the light SU-76 on the extended T-70 chassis (it is located in pavilion No. 3), the medium SU-122 on the T-34 chassis (it can be seen in pavilion No. 2 next to T-34) and a heavy SU-152 on the KV-1S chassis (standing, respectively, in pavilion No. 1). To install more powerful weapons than on the base tanks, the guns were mounted in fixed wheelhouses. The experience of military operations has shown that self-propelled artillery is indispensable for accompanying tanks and infantry in attack and a mobile anti-tank reserve in defense.

The average SU-100, developed under the leadership of L.I., turned out to be very successful. Gorlitsky and A.A. Kuzim on the T-34-85 chassis. It was produced at Uralmash starting in mid-1944. Thanks to the 100 mm cannon, good armor and improved visibility, it turned out to be one of the best anti-tank self-propelled guns from the Second World War.

The most successful heavy self-propelled guns were self-propelled 152-mm howitzer-guns; the guns were placed in a well-protected wheelhouse, first on the chassis of the KV-1S tank, and then on the IS chassis (ISU-152). ISU-152 with strong armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation shells was used for direct support of tanks, destruction of fortifications and obstacles. For their effective actions in battle against heavy enemy tanks, these self-propelled guns were nicknamed “St. John’s worts.” The well-proven ISU-152 and SU-100 continued their service after the war.

"Valentines" under Lend-Lease

The tanks delivered to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program from the USA, Great Britain and Canada were significantly less than the number of combat vehicles produced own factories. Nevertheless, they played an important role in a number of battles and operations on the Soviet-German front. The first British and American tanks They arrived in September-December 1941, significantly replenishing the tank fleet of the Red Army, which had been depleted by that time, consisting mostly of light vehicles. Some models of tanks and armored vehicles received from Great Britain, Canada and the USA are exhibited in pavilion No. 5 and in the open area.

Great Britain supplied infantry tanks to the USSR, designed for direct support of infantry and distinguished by powerful armor and good maneuverability at low speed. Most of all, the Red Army received Mk III Valentine tanks from England (this vehicle stands on the entrance site next to the Soviet tanks from the war). The Mk III had a relatively smooth ride, comfortable crew positions, and was well armored. The 40-mm cannon was not inferior in its armor-piercing effect to the Soviet 45-mm tank gun, but did not have a fragmentation projectile in its ammunition. With the saturation of the Red Army with T-34 and KV tanks, British tanks, like light American tanks, no longer played such a significant role in military operations. At the final period of the war, the only British tanks left in the army were “Valentines” with 57-mm cannons, which had good armor-piercing characteristics, but still did not have an effective projectile for fighting infantry and field fortifications.

Medium American tanks M3 "General Lee" were distinguished by a multi-tiered installation of weapons. By the beginning of the war, the Americans had no experience installing medium-caliber guns in the turret, so they placed a 75-mm cannon in the sponson on the starboard side, a 37-mm cannon in the turret, and a machine gun in the rotating commander's cupola. The gun stabilizers in the vertical plane made it possible to conduct aimed fire on the move, but the limited firing angle greatly reduced the effectiveness of the 75 mm gun. In addition, due to its layout and star-shaped engine, the tank turned out to be too high and vulnerable, so our tankers even nicknamed these vehicles “tower” or “mass grave for six.”

The American M4A2 General Sherman medium tanks with a 75- or 76-mm cannon in a rotating turret with a diesel power plant turned out to be much more effective. In terms of combat qualities, the “General Sherman” was not inferior to the T-34 with a 76-mm cannon.

On the other side of the front

Pavilion No. 6, where the armored vehicles of Nazi Germany are assembled, is of particular interest, since it provides an opportunity to see what a powerful military machine and advanced military industry our country had to face. And at the same time remember that about 75% of the German army’s losses in tanks and self-propelled guns occurred on the Eastern Front.

At the beginning of the war, the Germans relied on medium tanks Pz. III with a 50 mm cannon for “anti-tank” capabilities and Pz.IV with a short-barreled 75 mm support gun. The appearance of new Soviet medium and heavy tanks forced the Germans to rearm their combat vehicles and strengthen their armor. The constantly modernized Pz.IV became the main one in the German army. For example, already at the beginning of 1942 he received a long-barreled 75-mm cannon. German tanks were equipped with carburetor engines that ran on synthetic gasoline. For Germany, which did not have its own oil, this option was the most economical in war conditions.

Gradually, a change in priorities occurred in German tank building - by the middle of the war main role began to be given to strong armor and long-range guns with a high armor-piercing effect of the projectile. Work on heavy tanks, which was closed at the beginning of the war, resumed. Already in 1942, the heavy tank Pz.VI “tiger” appeared (created, by the way, not by Ferdinand Porsche, as is sometimes written about, but under the leadership of Erwin Anders at the Henschel company). It first appeared in September 1942 near Leningrad, then near Stalingrad. The “predator” turned out to be slow, but with a thick skin, long teeth and sharp eyesight. The 88-mm cannon, excellent optics, strong armor and good handling on the move made the Tiger an extremely formidable adversary until the appearance of the Soviet IS-2 at the front. The "Tiger" could hit all types of Soviet tanks within a radius of 1,000 m. But this vehicle also had disadvantages - for example, the staggered arrangement of the road wheels increased the tank's cross-country ability, but in spring and autumn the dirt that accumulated between the rollers deprived it of mobility. For transportation on a railway platform, this tank was “shoeed” with narrow “transport” tracks, and then “changed” with wide “combat” tracks. But most importantly, the Germans did not have the opportunity to produce "tigers" in required quantities. Nevertheless, self-propelled guns (like the Assault Tiger) and evacuation tractors were built on the “tiger” chassis. The Pz.VIE “tiger” standing on Kubinka is one of the few surviving in the world.

The Germans also placed a serious bet on the Pz.V Panther tank. It is characteristic that the Panther received an inclined installation of armor plates and wide tracks under the obvious influence of the T-34. A little later, the same features appeared in the design of the heaviest production tank of World War II Pz.VI B “tiger” II (or “royal tiger”).

By the beginning of the battle on the Kursk Bulge in the summer of 1943, in addition to the “tiger” and “panther”, the Wehrmacht also had a “heavy assault gun"Ferdinand" (also known as "elephant"). These self-propelled guns with a long-barreled 88-mm cannon in a fixed wheelhouse were built precisely on the chassis of the Porsche Tiger, which was not accepted for service, and therefore only 90x92 Ferdinands were built (although, judging by fiction and memoirs, there were much bigger). Therefore, this undoubtedly formidable machine did not play a special role in the war. At the far wall of the pavilion stand a huge self-propelled 600-mm mortar of the “Carl” type and the only super-heavy tank “Mouse” “mouse” preserved “in metal” (although we prefer a more humorous name “mouse”). They tried to build super-heavy tanks before, including in Germany, but it was the Mouse that finally demonstrated the dead-end of this idea. Its development was led by Ferdinand Porsche, and the design of the tank contains many interesting systems, for example, an original electromechanical transmission, control drives, an automatic fire extinguishing system, and devices for underwater driving (after all, a rare bridge could support a monster weighing 188 tons). Two prototypes of the Maus served as a kind of test bench for testing a number of design solutions, but in general they were stillborn machines. The stories about the “Maus” defending the General Staff building in Zossen and the “entrance to the Reich Chancellery” in Berlin are nothing more than legends. Both Maus remained at the test site near Kummersdorf and when approaching Soviet troops were blown up. From their remains and the remaining stock of spare parts, Soviet specialists assembled one tank and, after testing at the test site, handed it over for storage.

Near the giants perched much more interesting “dwarfs” - Goliath wedges controlled by wires and radio. Such wedges “land torpedoes” with an electric or motorcycle engine were intended to break through barriers and undermine fortifications, but already in the summer of 1943 they were tried to be used against tanks. Although not very successful, since the cross-country ability of low wedges was acceptable only on flat terrain without bumps and stumps. The more respectable tank carrier of the B-IV “Borgward” demolition charge was controlled by a driver on the march, and moved towards the target using radio control (it could leave a charge of 500 kg of explosive at the target or explode along with it). The Germans were not pioneers in creating such machines. In the USSR in the 1930s, several units of radio-controlled “teletanks” were formed, although, unlike the Germans, they were never used in battle.

In the adjacent pavilion No. 7 (where armored vehicles from Hungary, Italy, China, Poland, France, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, and Japan are collected), you can see two more vehicles that were successfully used by the Wehrmacht: the LT-38 Prague light tank and the Hetzer self-propelled gun. After the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the LT-38 the best light tank of the late 1930s continued to be produced for the needs of the German army, in which it received the designation Pz. 38(t). Like other tanks, it served as the basis for several self-propelled guns, and it is worth noting that since 1943, self-propelled guns began to occupy all bigger place in German tank building, and in 1944 their production exceeded the production of tanks. 38(t) units were also used to create the Hetzer light tank destroyer with a 75 mm cannon. The squat hull with large angles of inclination of the armor plates provided good protection from shells, and the 75-mm cannon ensured effective combat against medium tanks, especially from ambushes. Small, agile and relatively easy to manufacture, the Hetzer was a dangerous adversary and is not without reason considered one of best self-propelled guns Second World War. Fortunately for the Red Army, he appeared at the last stage of the war.