Interesting facts about t 34. Interesting facts about tanks

Everyone knows the banal phrase that history does not like the subjunctive mood. But how you sometimes want to simulate its course by introducing a new term into formulas already known to everyone. Let the reader not think, after reading the title of the article, that the author tried to become the same prophet. His task was to tell you about the appearance of the Soviet medium tank, the work on which was carried out in the winter and spring of 1941 and which the German Panzerwaffe would have encountered if they had invaded the USSR not in June 1941, but on six months later. The story is based on factual documents and therefore cannot be classified as “non-science fiction”.

Tanks A-8, A-20, T-34 (model 1940), T-34 (model 1941)
The T-34 tank was adopted by government decree on December 19, 1939, before the production of prototypes. First experienced tanks were manufactured in January 1940 and during testing fully confirmed their high technical and combat qualities.


In March 1940, two T-34 tanks made a run to Moscow and back, demonstrating high reliability of all components. M.I. took a direct part in this run. Koshkin.

Serial production of T-34 tanks began in June 1940, and by the end of the year 115 vehicles were produced.

In June 1940, the government decided to expand production of T-34 tanks to other large enterprises countries. In connection with this, the design bureau of plant No. 183 urgently produced complete sets of drawing and technical documentation for the T-34 tank and sent them in the required quantities to the Stalingrad tractor and Sormovo shipbuilding plants.

The start of serial production of T-34 tanks, which was the final stage of three years of hard work by the designers and the entire factory team, almost coincided with a heavy loss. After a long illness, M.I. died on September 26, 1940. Koshkin. His premature death was a heavy loss for the design team and the plant. Student and colleague M.I. was appointed chief designer of the tank design bureau. Koshkina - A.A. Morozov.

It seemed that the Red Army received the same combat vehicle, which she desperately needed, but carried out in April-September 1940. military tests two prototypes of the A-34 and the first two production T-34s, made according to new program, approved in October 1939, revealed so many shortcomings in production tanks that their combat value was called into question. It seemed that there was not a single unit in them that would not break during testing.
The joint tests of the serial T-34 and two German tanks carried out in the summer and autumn of 1940 (in August, October and November) added fuel to the fire. PzKpfw III, purchased from Germany in 1939 (another PzKpfw III was stolen from under the noses of German troops during the Polish campaign). Many authors claim that these tests ended in complete triumph of the Soviet machine, but this is far from the case. Of course, our tank was more successful in terms of armament and armor, but...

Tests of the first T-34 on the Karelian Isthmus. 1940


The T-34 turret could hardly accommodate two tankers, one of whom combined the functions of tank commander and gun commander, and in some cases also unit commander. The turret of the German tank easily accommodated three crew members, each of whom had his own escape hatch. The tank commander also had a convenient turret with all-round visibility, and all crew members were equipped with their own intercom device (in the T-34 manufactured in 1940, only two tank crews - the commander and the driver - had intercom). The German car also performed better in terms of smoothness, it made much less noise (at full speed on a gravel highway, the T-34 could be heard at a distance of 400-500 m or more). It was a complete surprise for the Soviet military that one of the German tanks on a gravel highway (on the Kubinka-Rechitsa stretch) accelerated at a measured kilometer to a speed of 69.7 km/h, while the best figure for the T-34 was 48. 2 km/h, and the BT-7 on wheels, selected as a standard, could only get closer to the German, showing 68.1 km/h. The commission, chaired by Kulchitsky, noted the more successful suspension of the German tank, good quality optical instruments, convenient placement of ammunition and radio, the presence of a commander's cupola, good quality engine and transmission.

Throwing bottles of burning gasoline onto the engine hatch of a tank


Layout of the T-34 medium tank, model 1940

Tank A-41

The first T-34 modernization project was completed by OKB-24 in the summer (work began in July) 1940. It had the factory designation A-41. Formally, the head of the work on it was, apparently, the still seriously ill M. Koshkin. In the correspondence on the NKSM (and NKTP), the first mention of the A-41 occurs on September 12, when the interim results were summed up. The A-41 tank (T-34 improved) was a development of the T-34 “second prototype” (apparently, this refers to the installation of a driver’s observation turret on the front of the hull). The tank differed from the prototype by a three-seat stamped turret on the shoulder strap with a diameter of 1700 mm, in which a 76-mm long-barreled gun, ordered from OKB No. 92 (meaning the F-34 gun), was to be installed; instead of the V-2 diesel engine, the MTO of the new tank should the M-250 diesel engine was accommodated. But the hull and chassis had to remain the same. It was assumed that a spacious three-man turret with an observation turret would immediately eliminate most of the tank’s problems with visibility and comfort inside; will simplify the control of the tank in battle.

Among other improvements to the car, it was planned to install a new six-speed gearbox with a reinforced main clutch, as well as increase it by 60-80 hp. capacity of fuel tanks and provide for the possibility of installing a pneumatic flamethrower instead of a course machine gun (based on the experience of the Soviet-Finnish warrior).

Judging by V. Malyshev’s certificate, the A-41 project was completed on October 15. And on November 1, it was decided to stop work on it, since the mock-up commission doubted the compliance of the project parameters with the requirements of the technical specifications (it was considered impossible to install a tower with a service circle of 1700 mm on the existing hull without altering the hull). The possibility of manufacturing a fundamentally new gearbox within the allotted time was also considered unrealistic, and the design of all-stamped towers was rejected.


Tank A-43 (T-34M)

According to the order of the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated October 7, the KhPZ Design Bureau began work on a major modernization of the T-34 tank in the fall. This tank had the factory designation A-43 and was a kind of hybrid of the T-34 and the German PzKpfw III. When implementing the project, the designers hoped to kill all the claims of the military with one blow and therefore tried to please them in everything. The new A-43 was supposed to be slightly longer (taking into account the longer barrel of the F-34 gun), narrower and taller than the T-34, and its ground clearance was increased by 50 mm to facilitate movement on snow. A version of the V-5 diesel engine with a power of 600 hp was designed specifically for this tank. In order not to spend a lot of time creating a new gearbox, on a new tank, to improve it dynamic characteristics, installed the old one, supplementing it with a range multiplier. Thus, the A-43 was able to move with 8 forward speeds and two reverse speeds. The Christie-type spark plug suspension gave way to an individual torsion bar suspension, which had proven itself on the German PzKpfw III and domestic SMK and KV. At 140 l. The volume of fuel tanks was increased.


To improve habitability, the tank was reconfigured. The tank driver (who also began to combine the duties of a mechanic) moved from the left side of the control compartment to the right, and accordingly, the gunner (who had now become a radio operator) took the place to his left. The tank received a three-man turret with a 1700 mm shoulder strap, which was required by the military, and was also equipped with an observation turret with hidden viewing devices. Since the turret design was carefully worked out for the A-41, there were no issues with it in the A-43. To improve the placement of ammunition, the radio station was moved from the turret to the tank body closer to the gunner-radio operator. This made it possible to slightly increase the ammunition load of the gun and machine guns. For the first time in the history of domestic tank building, a PPD submachine gun, and instead of a course machine gun, it was possible to install a pneumatic or powder flamethrower.


Despite all these “additives”, while maintaining the same armor thickness, the tank turned out to be 987 kg lighter than the T-34 and therefore (with the use of a new engine and two gearboxes) its speed should have increased from 50 to 53-56 km/h, but it increased slightly also specific ground pressure, since the tracks were narrowed by 100 mm (to 450-460 mm).


The project seemed so good that in February 1941 it was approved by the CO under the Council of People's Commissars and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, from which an order was received for the production wooden models in scale 1:10 and full size. The meeting of the mock-up commission did not bring any surprises. The only modification recommended by “high authorities” was to increase the thickness of the tank’s frontal armor to 60 mm (with the possibility of further increasing it to 75 mm), since the mass reserve of almost one ton easily allowed this to be done.

In March, production began on two reference samples of the tank, which for secrecy purposes was called the T-34M. At the same time, related companies began to master mass production of tank components. The first of the related companies to enter the design mode was Plant No. 92 NKV, which on March 1, 1941 began shipping F-34 guns for both the A-43 and the T-34 series.


Under the leadership of the chief metallurgist of the Mariupol plant named after. Ilyich - V. Nitsenko, a “stamped-welded turret” was developed for the A-43, and in May 1941 the plant not only produced the first 5 units, but also prepared their mass production. By May 17, the production of three hulls of the new tank was also completed.

Torsion bars, rollers and a number of other chassis elements for six sets of the tank were submitted by April 21 by the Kharkov Tractor Plant. It seemed that a little more and the tank would finally see the light of day, but the stumbling block for it was the V-5 engine, which was never delivered by May 1, June 15, or July 25, 1941.

During the evacuation of plant No. 183 from Kharkov to Nizhny Tagil, 5 complete (fully assembled with weapons) turrets, 2 complete armored hulls with suspension, but without engines, three incomplete hulls, and three additional sets of spare parts were sent. The Mariupol plant exported 50 (or 46) almost completed towers.

But work on the tank was not continued. A-43 died without being able to be born.




Tank A-44

During the work on modernizing the T-34 tank, the design bureau of plant No. 183 (Kharkov) under the leadership of A.A. Morozov back in March 1941 carried out constructive development of projects for the A-44 tank with various versions of the main armament and more powerful armor.


In the appendix to the order of the NKSM No. 192 of May 10, 1941 (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 of May 5, 1941) “On the production of T-34 tanks in 1941.” specifications for the A-44 tank were determined, according to which it should have a combat weight of 29-29.5 tons, armor protection of the hull: frontal armor 75 mm at an angle of 60", side - 60 mm, rear - 55 mm at an angle of 35". -45", bottom - 20-25 mm, roof - 30° mm, turrets: front - 75 mm at an angle of 25°, rear 75 mm at an angle of 15°, artillery system armor - 60 mm.

It was planned to install a 76.2-mm ZIS-5 cannon or a 57-mm ZIS-4 cannon, coaxial with two DT machine guns, as the main weapon, and two coaxial DT machine guns in the frontal part of the hull as an auxiliary weapon. Instead of DT machine guns, a flamethrower with a reserve of fire mixture for 10-15 rounds was also installed in the frontal part of the hull. The ammunition load of tanks with a radio station included 100 rounds for a cannon and 6,000 rounds of ammunition for DT machine guns, for a flamethrower tank - 90 rounds and 4,500 rounds of ammunition, respectively. To conduct targeted shooting, use periscopic (PT) and telescopic (TOD) sights.

The tank was equipped with a 600 hp diesel engine. (441.2 kW), providing maximum speed up to 55-60 km/h. Fuel capacity 600 l. The track propulsion system included an individual torsion bar suspension, support and support rollers with internal shock absorption, and a lantern track. To ensure communication, install a KRSTB radio station with TPU-3 and a light alarm between the tank commander and the driver.

The same order ordered plant No. 183 “to produce two prototypes of the A-44 tank by October 15, 1941, two sets of armored parts by September 1, 1941, to test the A-44 in November 1941, and by November 25, 1941. test results to be reported to the Defense Committee.”


Perhaps the idea of ​​creating a new unusual tank arose from its author when he analyzed the results of firing a prototype T-34 from a PTA from all sides. In conclusion, based on the results of shelling the T-34, A. Morozov especially noted: “The least dangerous when shelling the T-34 are its rear angles. Even if the armor is penetrated here, the tank can fail only as a result of the destruction of transmission or engine components... In the event of a fire engine, the crew leaves the car without injury..."

Detailed designs for various variants of the A-44 tank (instead of two, three options for installing the main armament and armor protection were worked out) with wooden models of the vehicles made were approved by the Marshal Soviet Union K.E. Voroshilov. During design work due to the installation of more powerful weapons and armor protection, the combat weight of the vehicles specified by the TTT was exceeded, as a result of which, according to the classification that existed at that time, they already fell under the category of heavy tanks.

The layout of the A-44 project provided for the rear location of the fighting compartment. In the front part of the hull there were compartments: transmission, control and engine. In the bow of the hull on the left in the control compartment, the driver and gunner-radio operator were located one behind the other. In the rear part of the hull and in the turret there was a fighting compartment, which housed: to the left of the gun was the gunner, behind him was the commander, and to the right was the loader. To monitor the battlefield, a rotating commander's cupola was installed on the roof of the tower, which housed a closed twin anti-aircraft installation of DT machine guns. The crew embarked and disembarked through the driver and radio operator's hatch located in the hull roof and two hatches in the turret roof. The commander's turret did not have an entrance hatch; there was only a signaling hatch in its roof. Three versions of the vehicle were developed, which differed in the installation of weapons and armor protection.

The main weapons on the tank could be installed: a 57 mm ZIS-4 tank gun, a 76.2 mm ZIS-5 tank gun or a 107 mm ZIS-6 gun (!) coaxial with two DT machine guns. As an auxiliary weapon, except for twin anti-aircraft installation in the commander's cupola, two twin installations of DT machine guns were used in the frontal part of the hull near the radio operator and in the rear of the tower. The vehicle's ammunition consisted of 160 rounds for a 57-mm or 76.2-mm cannon, 60 rounds for a 107-mm cannon, and 2,600 rounds for DT machine guns. TOD and PT-7 sights were used for firing. To remove powder gases from the fighting compartment, an exhaust fan was installed in the roof of the turret.

Armor protection - anti-ballistic. The welded hull and turret, made of rolled armor plates, had frontal armor thicknesses of 75, 90 and 120 mm, respectively, depending on the installed weapons. The angle of inclination of the armor plates was 60" for the hull and 25° for the turret. The armor thickness of the sides was 60, 75 and 100 mm, respectively, and the roof and bottom - 30, 35 and 40 mm. The weight of the vehicles was 36, 40 and 50, respectively T.


In the bow of the vehicle it was planned to install a mechanical transmission, consisting of a multi-disc main dry friction clutch, a mechanical gearbox providing 6 forward gears and 1 reverse gear, two multi-disc dry friction side clutches with band brakes with ferodo linings and two single-stage final drives. Depending on the weight of the vehicle, V-5 diesel engines with a power of 600 hp could be installed in the middle part of the tank hull along its longitudinal axis. (441 kW) or V-6 with 850 hp. (625 kW) with supporting systems.

The tank's suspension is individual, torsion bar. The tracked propulsion system used 8 supporting and 14 small-diameter road wheels with internal shock absorption. The front drive wheels had lantern engagement with the tracks. Guide wheels with tension mechanisms were located at the rear.

The tank, depending on the installed weapons and combat weight, was supposed to reach a maximum speed of 59, 65 and 53 km/h and have a cruising range on a dirt road of 300, 270 and 250 km, respectively.


As a means of communication on the vehicle, it was planned to use the 71-TK-Z radio station with a communication range of 18 km in motion and the TPU-2 tank intercom.

The preliminary design of the A-44 was completed by leading designer A. Behr by April 20, 1941, and in May of the same year, a model of the tank on a scale of 1:10 was presented at a meeting of the mock-up commission. The A-44 project received approval and in the second half of the year it was planned to continue work in this direction, and by 1942 to build a prototype. However, due to the outbreak of war and the subsequent evacuation of enterprises, the A-44 project did not receive further development.

The legendary T-34, in terms of its tactical and technical characteristics, is considered one of the best tanks of the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War. Soviet designer Mikhail Koshkin managed to create a vehicle that had not only impressive armor and great firepower, but also high maneuverability, while the T-34 tracks handled both snow and liquid mud equally well. With all these advantages, the tank was easy not only to maintain, but also to manufacture, which was also important factor in the cause of Victory over fascism. The Germans nicknamed the thirty-four Wunderwaffe - “miracle weapons”, a meeting with these modern cars turned out to be a complete surprise for them. After all, in the Wehrmacht pocket guide about Soviet armored vehicles, only outdated models were discussed. This is what one of the best German tank aces wrote about the T-34 in his book “Tigers in the Mud” Otto Carius:

“Another event hit us like a ton of bricks: Russian T-34 tanks appeared for the first time! The amazement was complete. How could it be that those at the top did not know about the existence of this excellent tank? The T-34, with its good armor, perfect shape and magnificent 76.2 mm long-barreled gun, awed everyone, and all German tanks were afraid of it until the end of the war. What could we do with these monsters, thrown against us in great numbers?

See the infographics from AiF.ru to see what the T-34 tank looks like in cross-section.

The T-34 became the main design brainchild of Mikhail Koshkin. At the beginning of 1940, Koshkin almost personally assembled two prototypes of the tank in his design bureau at the Kharkov plant. Such thoroughness of the designer had a positive impact on the operation of all components of the machine and almost disrupted the display of the equipment in the Kremlin.

The demonstration of the new tank in front of the country's top leadership was scheduled for March 17, by which time the prototype's mileage, according to the standards of those years, should have been at least two thousand kilometers. But in the first days of this month, the armored vehicles managed to cover only about a thousand kilometers. In such a situation, Koshkin made a strong-willed decision to refuse to deliver tanks via railway and go to Moscow on your own.

Two prototypes began their journey from Kharkov to the capital on the night of March 5-6. The designer took a big risk - prototypes of armored vehicles were a state secret. Therefore, Koshkin carefully camouflaged the tanks, and movement, in order not to attract attention, was carried out not along busy highways, but along country roads and fields. The prototypes performed well in the snow and were already in Moscow on March 12.

On March 17, Koshkin presented two of his tanks in the Kremlin. The armored vehicles really pleased both the generals and Joseph Stalin. In early April, testing of prototypes at the test site in Kubinka near Moscow ended, and it was time to return back to Kharkov. Koshkin decided this time to cover a thousand-kilometer distance under his own power in order to check how the tanks would perform in the spring thaw conditions. On the way back, one of the cars almost drowned in a swamp, Koshkin got wet and was very cold. His condition worsened; doctors persuaded the designer, who was hospitalized, to agree to have his right lung removed, but the operation did not help. On September 26, at the 42nd year of his life, Koshkin died. The USSR State Prize of the first degree for the creation of the T-34 tank was awarded to him posthumously.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the T-34 tank was produced in two modifications. The T-34/5, produced in small quantities, was armed with the ZiS-4 artillery system. The T-34/76 tank was a medium and large-scale tank with an F-34 cannon. By the middle of the war it had become the main Soviet model. The lifting of the T-34/76 tank, which occurred in July 2016 in Voronezh region, helps remind the current generation of its significance and legendary status. It was largely thanks to this machine that the Red Army managed to break the back of the German enemy. In this article we will look at interesting facts about it.

Production

In 1941, the famous modification was produced at three factories: in Kharkov, Stalingrad and at Krasnoye Sormovo in Gorky. At the beginning of the war, June 25, in the Council people's commissars The USSR adopted a resolution according to which Soviet industry had to significantly increase the production of tanks.

Actually created new system production. The leading role in it was given to plant No. 183 in Kharkov and its design bureau. The military assumed that other industrial facilities that produced the tank and made changes to its design would consult with this particular enterprise. In practice, everything turned out differently. The turmoil of the war, the evacuation of the Kharkov plant to Nizhny Tagil and other circumstances led to the fact that only performance characteristics models. In other details, products from different factories could differ slightly. The name of the modification, however, was generic. Number 76 was adopted because of the distinctive 76 mm gun.

Appearance in the army

Wartime forced us to somewhat simplify and modernize production in accordance with changing market conditions. In September 1941, after the fever of the first months of the war, the T-34-76 tank began to arrive en masse. active army. Least of all this military equipment ended up in the northwestern theater of military operations.

Firstly, this theater of operations was only secondary for a long time (the main events unfolded in the Moscow direction). Secondly, the Leningrad Front found itself isolated from the rest of the USSR. Sending tanks to a blockaded city on the Neva was extremely difficult. As a result, the Lenfront fleet mainly consisted not of the mass-produced T-34/76, but of light T-26s and heavy KVs (Klim Voroshilov).

From tractors to tanks

By October 1st Western Front there were 566 tanks (65 of which were T-34/76). As can be seen from these figures, the share of modifications has so far remained insignificant. The T-34/76 tank was produced and produced most of all in 1943, when it became the most popular and recognizable Soviet tank. Towards the end of the war, it was supplanted by the next modification - the T-34/85.

In the fall of 1941, the Stalingrad plant became the main tank manufacturer. In pre-war times, it was created as a tractor. During Stalin's industrialization, several such enterprises appeared, and all of them were built with an eye to a possible armed conflict. If in peacetime the Stalingrad plant produced tractors, then after the German attack, due to the peculiarities of production, it was quickly retrained as a tank plant. Military equipment replaced agricultural machinery.

Winter test

The T-34/76 first announced itself as a universal tank in the fall of 1941. In those days, the Germans were rushing towards Moscow with all their might. The Wehrmacht hoped for a blitzkrieg and threw more and more reserves into battle. Soviet troops retreated to the capital. The fighting was already taking place 80 kilometers from Moscow. Meanwhile, snow fell very early (in October) and snow cover appeared. Under these conditions, the T-60 and T-40S light tanks lost their ability to maneuver. Heavy models suffered from shortcomings in their gearbox and transmission. As a result, at the most decisive stage of the war, it was decided to make the T-34/76 the main tank. In terms of weight, this car was considered average.

For its time, the Soviet T-34/76 tank of the 1941 model was an effective and high-quality vehicle. The designers were especially proud diesel engine AT 2. The anti-ballistic armor (the most important protective element of the tank) fulfilled all the tasks assigned to it and reliably protected the crew of 4 people. The F-34 artillery system was distinguished by its high-speed firing, allowing it to quickly deal with the enemy. It was these three characteristics that the specialists were primarily concerned with. The remaining features of the tank were changed very last.

Tank Heroes

The tankers who fought on the T-34/76 glorified themselves as such big amount feats that it is simply impossible to list them all. Here are just some examples of the bravery of the crews during the Battle of Moscow. Sergeant Kaforin continued to fire at the enemy, even when all his comrades were killed and the tank was hit. The next day he switched to another vehicle, destroyed two infantry platoons, a machine gun nest and an enemy command post. IN last time Sergeant Kaforin was knocked out in the village of Kozlovo. He fired back until he burned down along with the tank.

In the same way, the crews of Lieutenant Timerbaev and political instructor Mamontov fought in vehicles engulfed in fire. The commander of the tank company, Captain Vasilyev, was wounded, but continued to fire back. He miraculously managed to get out of the car a few minutes before the explosion. Later, Vasiliev received the well-deserved title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The Red Army soldiers of the 28th Tank Brigade were also particularly persistent.

Defense of Moscow

The armored forces played exceptionally important role in disrupting the decisive German offensive on Moscow. They acted in ambushes, intercepted and defended the most important routes to the capital, holding the roads until reinforcements arrived. At the same time, the command often did not know how to handle tanks. Inexperience and lack of understanding of realities affected the latest technology, while the Red Army personnel, on the contrary, amazed the enemy with their courage and tenacity.

During this period, the group that operated most effectively was five tank brigades(tbr): 1st Guards, 27, 28, 23 and 33 tbr. They were subordinate to the 16th Army and covered the Volokolamsk direction. The attacks on the Germans were carried out mainly from ambushes. An indicative case occurred on November 16 in the town of Sychi near Moscow. Soviet troops took up defensive positions in the village. The tanks disappeared into ambush. Soon the enemy tried to establish control over Sychy. 80 were crushed by detachments of Red Army infantry and motorized rifle brigade. At the most crucial moment, Soviet vehicles emerged from the ambush and restored the status quo. Almost everyone was destroyed in the battle German tanks and two more infantry companies.

Model 1943

The main battles of 1943 took place in the region of the southern Russian steppes, where there was scope for conducting maneuverable military operations and using a large mass of equipment. It was then that the T-34/76 tank became the main Soviet tank. The model ceased to be produced in Stalingrad. Instead, its production was moved to Omsk, Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk.

By the middle of the war, another (albeit minor) modernization of the T-34/76 was completed. Stamped and hexagonal turrets appeared, and a new gearbox was introduced. Each design bureau was racking its brains over how to increase the gross production of the machine while maintaining the quality of its functioning. In fact, on the eve of the Battle of Kursk, the T-34/76 tank of the 1943 model remained a minor modification of its predecessor, which appeared at the beginning of the war.

Flaws

Meanwhile, during the fighting during the counter-offensive of the Red Army, significant design flaws that distinguished the Soviet T-34/76 tank began to appear. Its quality began to be inferior to its German competitors shortly after the defeat of the Wehrmacht at Stalingrad. The Reich realized that it was time for the country to prepare for a long total war (and not a blitzkrieg). Due to the deterioration of the population's well-being more resources began to flow into military budgets. New modifications of German technology have appeared.

The primary problem for the T-34/76 was the tank's insufficient maneuverability. Without it, the model became extremely vulnerable. The cause of the flaw was insufficient speed of transmission control. Already the T-34/76 tank of the 1942 model had a 4-speed gearbox, while foreign vehicles had 5-6-speed gearboxes. In addition, Soviet gearboxes were difficult to operate. It required a lot of skill and strength from the driver to cope with it, while the German tank crews were not aware of such inconveniences.

New opponents

Preparing for the most important Battle of Kursk, the Soviet command hoped that domestic tanks would cope with the new German models without any serious, revolutionary changes in their design. This confidence was reinforced by new sub-caliber armor-piercing ammunition, which appeared in service with the Red Army in April 1943. However, by that time the T-34/76 began to regularly lose duels with their main opponents, the German Panthers.

Finally dispelled the Kremlin’s illusions. The newest Tigers, Ferdinands and Panthers turned out to be much better Soviet technology, two or three years behind them. It seems that this difference is insignificant. In fact, during the war, technological progress in the army gained enormous speed, which is why even the slightest lag behind the enemy could become fatal.

Work on mistakes

All of the above problems of the T-34/76 tank became the most serious challenge for Soviet designers. Work on bugs began immediately. The plant in Sverdlovsk was the first to start producing new gearboxes. New 5-speed gearboxes have appeared, and the previous 4-speed ones have been modernized. Production began to use improved wear-resistant steel. The specialists also tested a new transmission design (bearings, transmission units, etc. were updated). The Sverdlovsk team of inventors managed to introduce into production a servo drive for the main clutch, which significantly facilitated the work of the driver.

The modernized chassis turned out to be another improvement that the updated tank T-34/76. Photos of cars from different series may not differ in appearance, but their most important difference was internal structure. The track roller disks and idler were strengthened, the reliability of the design was increased, etc. In addition, all tanks began to undergo additional factory tests.

Back in business

In July 1943, the improvements that the T-34/76 tank had undergone over the past few months began to show for the first time. Interesting facts left behind by the famous 5th Guards tank army made a hitherto unprecedented forced march.

In three days, the corps covered about 350 kilometers with minimal losses in personnel. Quite unexpectedly for the Germans, these formations forced a battle and thwarted the German attack. The enemy lost about a quarter of his tanks.

End of operation

Another serious test for Soviet technology was the Belarusian offensive of 1944. Previously, here, as in northwestern Russia, there were news about drowned people being found in the swamps. Including the recovery of the T-34/76 tank several times.

In Belarus, equipment had to move along sandy and dirt roads, not very High Quality or even through forests and swamps. At the same time, there was a catastrophic lack of time for maintenance. Despite the difficulties, the new T-34/76 transmission coped with its task and withstood a voyage of 1000 kilometers (50-70 kilometers per day).

After the Belarusian operation, this model finally gave way to the next, 85th modification. The last surviving T-34/76 tank was discovered at the bottom of the Don River in the Voronezh region. It was brought to the surface in July 2016. The find will be exhibited in the museum.

Appearing almost 100 years ago and playing decisive role In many battles, tanks today still remain one of the main types of weapons, without which it is difficult to imagine successful offensive operations on land. This post contains interesting facts about tanks.

The very name “tank” in English means “tank” or “tank”. The tanks received such a strange name because the British, who first used tanks in the First World War, carefully concealed the presence of new weapons until the start of the operation. When the first tanks were sent to the front, British counterintelligence started a rumor that the Russian government had ordered a batch of tanks from England for drinking water. And the tanks went by rail under the guise of tanks. It’s interesting that at first we translated this word and called the new combat vehicle “tub.”

The British began building tanks in 1915. By the end of the summer of 1916, the number of vehicles ready for battle reached fifty. These diamond-shaped armored tracked monsters were called Mark I or Mk I and were produced in two versions. Tanks with purely machine gun armament were called “females” and were intended only for combating manpower. The "males" were equipped with a machine gun and two 57 mm cannons. After transporting the tanks to the mainland, they began moving with maximum secrecy to assembly points at the front line. Night crossings along unexplored routes turned out to be a serious test for Mk I - 17 vehicles got stuck in the mud or stopped due to mechanical failures. 32 tanks arrived at their original positions.

Tank Mk I in the Battle of the Somme

The first appearance of tanks shocked the German troops. When one of the German soldiers in the first line of trenches shouted the phrase “The devil is coming!”, his words spread through the trenches like wildfire. From the tank's viewing slots, figures in gray Feldgrau uniforms could be seen running from their positions. Attempts by individual brave men to open fire on the steel monsters were useless.

The tanks were advancing. The still imperfect vehicles crashed into German shelters or got stuck helplessly in shell craters. The crews had to urgently leave the fighting compartment of the stuck vehicles to try to return them to service. However, those Mk Is that escaped this fate performed well.

For example, the “male” tank D17 “Dinnaken” of Lieutenant Hastie was the first to enter the village of Fleurs, slowly following the Germans running away and hiding in the cellars. A British air reconnaissance aircraft flying over the battlefield reported: “The tank is moving along the main street of the village of Fleurs, and the British soldiers are following it in a good mood.”

Other vehicles provided great assistance to the infantry, making passages in wire fences and crushing machine-gun nests. One of the Mk Is stopped over the German trench and cleared it with machine gun fire, and then moved along the trench. With his help, it was possible to capture about 300 enemy soldiers. In total, during the attack on various reasons 10 tanks were disabled. Another 7 received minor damage.

Most of the approximately 20 thousand tanks in service with the Red Army in 1941 were outdated, but the new models of T-34 and KV tanks were significantly superior to the German ones. The T-34 medium tank was later recognized as the best tank of the Second World War. It owes its fame largely to its excellent driving characteristics. They were provided by the V-2 diesel engine with a power of 500 Horse power. Thanks to him medium tank with anti-ballistic armor, it was practically not inferior to lighter vehicles in speed: 54 km/h on the highway and 25 km/h over rough terrain. The good ratio of engine power to combat weight of the tank, combined with wide tracks, made it unusually maneuverable and capable of passing through the most viscous mud and huge snowdrifts without any problems. During the Great Patriotic War, the maneuverability of the T-34 largely decided the fate of their confrontation with the German Tigers and Panthers. Norman Davies, professor at Oxford University and author of Europe at War. 1939-1945. Without an easy victory,” assessing Soviet car, wrote: “The maneuverable Soviet T-34s “hunted in packs” like wolves, which gave no chance to the clumsy German “Tigers.” American and British tanks were not so successful in opposing German technology.” But the T-34 was distinguished not only by high speed and maneuverability, but also good armor, powerful weapons, high maintainability. “The T-34, with its good armor, perfect shape and magnificent 76.2 mm long-barreled gun, awed everyone, and all German tanks were afraid of it until the end of the war,” recalls tank ace Otto Carius. - “At that time, the 37 mm gun was still our strongest anti-tank weapons. If we were lucky, we could hit the T-34 turret ring and jam it. If you are even more lucky, the tank will then not be able to operate effectively in battle. Certainly not a very encouraging situation! The only way out was an 88-mm anti-aircraft gun. With its help it was possible to act effectively even against this new Russian tank.”

The American TV channel Military Channel published a ranking of the best tanks. American and British experts made assessments based on five parameters: “ firepower", "quality of armor" (security), "agility" (mobility), "ease of production" and the so-called "intimidation factor" ( psychological impact on the enemy). The sum of points for all parameters gave overall assessment tank. It is stipulated that each tank was compared with others and evaluated based on the technical requirements of its time. The T-34 received almost the highest marks for firepower, mobility and protection, which took first place in the ranking. In addition, this model is the easiest to manufacture, so it received maximum amount points in the “ease of production” category. However, the “intimidation factor” also turned out to be practically unattainable - the tank alone sowed terror and panic among the enemies.

The Soviet KV-1 and KV-2 tanks, which met the Germans immediately after the start of Operation Barbarossa, turned out to be a serious threat to the Wehrmacht. The fact is that the armor of these heavy tanks was not penetrated by German anti-tank guns 37 mm caliber, no guns Pz-III tanks, Pz-IV and Pz-38, which were in service with the Panzerwaffe. The Germans had to use a method of fighting against the KV that was very similar to hunting primitive people on a mammoth. German tanks only distracted the attention of the KV crew while the crew behind them installed and aimed an 88-mm anti-aircraft gun. Only after this, and only by hitting a shell in the gap between the hull and the turret, was it possible to knock out a Soviet tank.

Tank KV-2

From memories German officers about the problem that only one Soviet tank created for the German army at the beginning of the war: “One of the KVs managed to block the supply route for German troops in the area of ​​the northern bridgehead. He blocked it for several days. First, he burned a convoy of trucks carrying ammunition and food. It was impossible to get close to this monster - the roads passed through swamps. The advanced German units were deprived of supplies. The seriously wounded could not be evacuated to the rear and died. An attempt to destroy a tank with a 50 mm anti-tank battery from a distance of 500 m resulted in heavy losses of personnel and guns. The KV remained unharmed, despite, as it turned out later, 14 direct hits - but they left only blue spots on its armor. An 88-mm anti-aircraft gun was pulled up, the tank allowed it to take a position 700 m away, and then shot it before the crew could fire even one shot. Miners were sent at night. They planted explosives under the KV tracks. The charges exploded as expected, but were only able to tear out a few pieces from the tracks. The tank remained mobile and continued to block the supply route. In the first days, the tank's crew was supplied with supplies by the encirclement and local residents, but then a blockade was established around the tank. However, even this isolation did not force the tankers to leave their position. As a result, the Germans used a trick. 50 German tanks began to fire at the KV from three directions in order to divert its attention. At this time, the 88th anti-aircraft gun was secretly installed in the rear of the KV. It hit the tank 12 times, and three shells penetrated the armor, destroying it.”

However, not all pre-war developments of Soviet designers were successful. For example, the idea of ​​​​creating heavy multi-turret tanks T-28 and T-35 did not justify itself. The T-28 had three turrets, and the T-35 had five turrets. Unfortunately, they turned out to be too slow, unreliable and vulnerable.

Multi-turreted tank T-35

Another idea that was never completed was the A-40 flying tank. In the summer of 1942, a prototype of the A-40 or LT (“flying tank”) flying tank based on the serial T-60 was produced. The tank was equipped with a biplane wing box with a double-boom tail unit, which had a span of 18 meters and a total wing area of ​​85.5 square meters. m, according to calculations, the tank was supposed to take off, towed by a TB-3RN heavy bomber. Upon landing, the tank was easily freed from the wings and could immediately enter the battle. The first flight took place on September 2, 1942, but the TB engines suddenly began to get very hot and the tank had to be uncoupled. The A-40, gliding, landed at the nearest airfield, which caused considerable commotion, and a combat alert was announced. This is how the story of this unusual tank ended.

Flying tank A-40

Unrivaled maneuverability

The Thirty-Four owes its fame largely to its excellent driving characteristics. They were provided by a V-2 diesel engine with a power of 500 horsepower. Thanks to it, a medium tank with shell-resistant armor was practically not inferior to lighter vehicles in speed: 54 km/h on the highway and 25 km/h over rough terrain. The good ratio of engine power to combat weight of the tank, combined with wide tracks, made it unusually maneuverable and capable of passing through the most viscous mud and huge snowdrifts without any problems. During the Great Patriotic War, the maneuverability of the T-34 largely decided the fate of their confrontation with the German Tigers and Panthers. Norman Davies, professor at Oxford University and author of Europe at War. 1939-1945. Without a simple victory,” assessing the Soviet machine, he wrote: “Maneuverable Soviet T-34s “hunted in packs” like wolves, which gave no chance to the clumsy German “Tigers.” American and British tanks were not so successful in opposing German technology."

Slanted armor

Another secret of the T-34's success lay in its armor. Its thickness was not a record: on samples from 1940 it was 40-45 millimeters. Mikhail Koshkin’s decision to place the armor plates at angles rather than strictly vertically turned out to be extremely successful. Thus, the bulk of the shells hit the vehicle along a tangential trajectory and could not penetrate it. Rational angles of inclination of the armor increased its effectiveness by one and a half to two times compared to if they were not there. This allowed the creators of the machine to provide huge savings in its weight, creating a structural foundation for the future. Over time, the thickness of the armor plates had to be increased, but the actual cross-country ability and maneuverability of the vehicles did not become worse.

The Germans also noted the excellent security of the T-34 with great reluctance.

The T-34, with its good armor, perfect shape and magnificent 76.2 mm long-barreled gun, awed everyone, and all German tanks were afraid of it until the end of the war, recalls tank ace Otto Carius. - At that time, the 37 mm gun was still our strongest anti-tank weapon. If we were lucky, we could hit the T-34 turret ring and jam it. If you are even more lucky, the tank will then not be able to operate effectively in battle. Certainly not a very encouraging situation! The only way out was an 88-mm anti-aircraft gun. With its help it was possible to operate effectively even against this new Russian tank.

Firepower

The T-34's armament was truly revolutionary. It was equipped with a long-barreled 76-mm gun. The first copies were equipped with the L-11 cannon, and then it was replaced by the more advanced F-34. In the initial period of World War II, not a single foreign tank could boast of anything even close to this. This gun could destroy any enemy armored vehicle from a long distance without any problems. If the tank ran out of ammunition, it could also use shells from field guns of the appropriate caliber for battle. The armament of the "thirty-four" ceased to satisfy the military only in 1942-1943, when the Germans acquired "Panthers" and "Tigers". And then the tank’s structural reserves came to the rescue. IN a short time production of the T-34 with 85-mm guns was mastered. The installation of heavier guns did not require sacrificing the maneuverability of the vehicles, and as a result, the new “thirty-fours” again became a threat to enemies on the battlefield.

Simplicity and high maintainability

Like many other Russian weapons, the T-34 has become a standard for ease of maintenance and reliability. It was actually a virtually indestructible machine. Yes, it could be knocked out and disabled, but with the right skills it could be repaired right on the battlefield with minimal availability of spare parts. The maintainability of the T-34 was largely determined by the design of the armored hull, the top sheet of the stern of which was hinged and the roof was removed. This made it possible to access transmission units or the engine without any problems, as well as replace them. The Thirty-Fours were truly design tanks: from two vehicles that were not suitable for restoration, one combat-ready one was easily assembled. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, when there was a catastrophic shortage of new tanks, it was the high maintainability of the existing tanks that largely made it possible to stop the German advance.

Ease of operation was also very helpful. At the beginning of the war, very little time was allocated for training crews, and the people sent for training, as a rule, did not have any technical skills. Naturally, the trainees did not become aces, but still they could and did fight.

A little about the disadvantages

Like everything in this world, T-34 tanks cannot be called perfect. One of its main drawbacks is the cramped space in the tower. Ergonomics have been given the utmost priority to ensure superiority in other areas. Thus, the loader had to work standing on boxes with shells and constantly move behind the breech of the gun. At the same time, spent cartridges always fell right under our feet. It was also negatively affected by the fact that the commander often had to work as a gunner and during aiming he was not able to assess the whole picture of the battle.

The optics on the T-34 were also very mediocre. It did not allow accurate aiming at long distances and was inferior to the German “Zeiss” models in almost all respects.