Development of Russian tank building. The development of tank building in the USSR and the role of battle tanks in war

A tank is a tracked armored combat vehicle, usually with cannon armament as its main armament.

At the very beginning, when tank building first appeared and developed, tanks were produced exclusively with machine gun armament, and after the Second World War ended, experiments began to create tanks with missile weapons. There are even tanks with a flamethrower. There is no exact definition of a tank, since its concept was constantly changing and varied in different armies. Tanks from the First World War, when meeting them for the first time, you may not recognize them at first; it seems that these are not tanks at all (for example, Saint-Chamond), or, take, for example, the Swedish Strv-103 vehicle, which is not classified like a tank, but like a tank destroyer. Some vehicles (for example, Type 94), which are called “small tanks” in Russian literature, are called wedges in Western literature. Despite the fact that the heavy assault tank Tortoise (A39) is called a tank, it does not have a rotating turret, and therefore some experts classify it as a super-heavy self-propelled gun.

Tanks differ from other cannon-armed tracked combat vehicles mainly in their ability to quickly transfer fire over a wide range of elevation and horizontal angles. In most cases, they achieve this by installing a cannon in a turret rotating in a horizontal plane, although there are a few exceptions. For example, a self-propelled artillery unit, it is similar to a tank in its design, but is intended to solve completely different tasks: destroying enemy tanks from ambushes or fire support for troops from a closed firing position, so it has some differences, and this primarily concerns balance of “firepower/security.” The composition of armored forces is specially divided into tanks and “specialized combat vehicles” in order to distinguish “specialized combat vehicles” in special units in accordance with the applicable military doctrine. For example, during WWII, the American army used the doctrine of General McNair, which assigned the role of fighting enemy tanks to “tank destroyers” (M10 Wolverine, M18 Hellcat) - as combat vehicles were called, structurally similar to light or medium tanks with effective anti-tank weapons, while while the tanks themselves had a different task - to support the infantry in battle. In domestic literature, the same vehicles are called anti-tank self-propelled guns.

Where did the name itself come from?

The word "tank" comes from English word tank, and is translated as “tank” or “tank”. Its name comes from here: when the time came to send the first tanks to the front, British counterintelligence started a rumor that the Russian government had ordered a batch of fuel tanks from England. And the tanks were sent by rail under the guise of tanks (lucky that the gigantic size and shape of the first tanks were quite consistent with this version). They were even written in Russian, “Caution. Petrograd". That's how the name stuck with them. It is curious that in Russia the new combat vehicle was called “lokhan” from the very beginning (another translation of the word tank).

History of the development of the design and combat use of tanks

The appearance of tanks
Tanks appeared during the First World War. After the immediate initial maneuvering stage of combat operations, balance was established on the fronts (the so-called “trench warfare”). It was almost impossible to break through the enemy's deeply layered defense lines. The only way to prepare an offensive and break into the enemy’s defenses was to powerfully use artillery to destroy defensive structures and destroy manpower, and then bring your own troops into the breakthrough. But it turned out that it would not be possible to bring troops into the “clean” breakthrough area quickly enough due to the roads being plowed up and destroyed by explosions, and besides, the enemies along the existing railway and dirt roads in the depths of their defense managed to bring up reserves and block the breakthrough. Build tanks decided in 1915 almost simultaneously by Great Britain, France and Russia. The first English model of the tank was completely ready in 1916, and when the tank passed tests, production received the first order for 100 vehicles. It was a Mark I tank - a rather imperfect combat vehicle, which was produced in two modifications - “male” (with cannon armament in the side sponsons) and “female” (only with machine gun armament). It soon became known that the machine gun “females” had rather low efficiency. They could not fight enemy armored vehicles and had great difficulty destroying firing points. After that, they released a limited series of “females”, which still had a machine gun in the left sponson, and a cannon in the right. The soldiers immediately aptly called them “hermaphrodites.”
For the first time tanks (model Mk.1) were used by the British army against German army September 15, 1916 in France, on the Somme River. During this battle, it was determined that the design of the tank was not sufficiently developed - of the 49 tanks that the British prepared for the attack, only 32 moved to their original positions (and 17 tanks broke down), and of these thirty-two that launched the attack, 5 got stuck in the swamp and 9 failed due to technical reasons. However, even these remaining 18 tanks managed to advance 5 km deep into the defense, and the losses in this offensive operation were 20 times less than usual.

Despite the fact that, due to the small number of tanks, it was not possible to completely break through the front, the new type of military equipment still showed its capabilities and it turned out that tanks had a great future. When tanks first appeared at the front, German soldiers were terribly afraid of them.
The main allies of the British on the Western Front, the French, developed and produced a very successful (so successful that it was still used at the beginning of World War II in the armies of Poland and France) light tank Renault FT-17. While this tank was being designed, many solutions were used for the first time, which later became classic. It had a rotating turret with a light cannon or machine gun installed in it (unlike the “sponsonal”, that is, in the protrusions on the sides of the hull, weapon arrangement in the Mk.1), low specific ground pressure (and, as a result, high maneuverability ), relatively high speed and good maneuverability.

In Russia, one of the first to be created was the Porokhovshchikov tank (“Russian all-terrain vehicle”) and the Lebedenko wheeled tank, each of which was made in only one (experimental) copy. The designers explain this either by the impracticality of the design or by the “inertia of the tsarist government.” The Russian army in the First World War had neither domestic nor imported tanks. Already during the Civil War, the White Army used the tanks that it received from the Entente countries in small quantities. One of the Renault FT-17 tanks captured by the Red Army in the spring of 1919 was sent to Moscow, where it was dismantled and examined. Thus, the problem of creating a domestic tank was solved by creating M-type tanks based on the design of the French Renault FT-17. The first of the M-type tanks was called “Freedom Fighter Comrade. Lenin." In the period from 1920-1921, 15 tanks were produced, but in the spring of 1921, due to the end of the civil war and intervention, the project was closed. These tanks did not participate in battles; they were used only in agricultural work (like tractors) and in military parades.

Tanks of the interwar period (1919-1938)

In the period between the world wars, other states, in addition to Great Britain, France and Germany, decided to develop tanks. At the same time when general staffs and the governments of major world powers, discussed the results of the First World War, and understood the inevitability of a future, even bloodier war, they also developed global combat strategies. The General Staffs adopted a strategy that attached great importance tank troops and set appropriate tasks for weapons designers and factories producing tanks.
In the interwar period, tank builders and the military did not yet have a consensus on the optimal tactics for using tanks and their design. As a result, tanks of such designs were produced, which subsequently proved their unviability, due to their narrow specialization, and due to the fact that they were not always used for their intended purpose. Thus, light tanks were relatively lightly armored, although quite often high-speed (for example, the Soviet BT-7).

Their armor served only as protection against bullets small arms and shell fragments, and at the same time it could easily be penetrated by anti-tank rifle bullets and anti-tank gun shells, starting with a caliber of 37 mm. The armament of these tanks of this period was also too weak (artillery calibers 25-37 mm), the number of its crew was insufficient (2-3 people), and the living conditions were at the limit of the physiological capabilities of tankers. At the same time, in the early 1930s, the talented American tank designer J. Christie created an original independent suspension scheme. At that time, designs for amphibious and even air transportable tanks were being quite actively developed.
The inactive multi-turret giants, which carried several different-caliber cannons and machine guns, such as the French
70 ton Char 2C

and Soviet 50-ton

This scheme also included a larger number of crew (up to 10-12 people), which led to the difficulty of centralized fire control in a combat situation and slightly complicated the design. Big sizes(especially the length and height) could expose him and, as a result, increased his vulnerability on the battlefield. The then adapted aviation-type carburetor engines solved the low traction and dynamic qualities of such “supertanks,” especially when turning. During the interwar period, the first tanks with diesel engines were developed, for example, in Japan in 1932 (Mitsubishi diesel, 52 hp). In the USSR, already in the mid-1930s, they developed a program for the widespread dieselization of tanks of all classes, but only medium and heavy vehicles were actually equipped with such engines (V-2 diesel, 500 hp). In other countries, diesel engines were installed on tanks on a relatively limited basis until the 1950s.

Tanks of the war period (1939-1945)

The Second World War became an occasion to increase and improve the production of tanks. In just 6 years, tanks have made a huge leap forward than in the previous twenty. At this time, many tanks already had anti-ballistic armor, powerful long-barreled guns (caliber up to 152 mm), and at the end of the war they already had the first night (infrared) sights (although experiments on installing them on tanks were carried out in the USSR even before the war) , and the radioification of tanks began to be considered a necessary part of them. The tactics of using tanks have also improved significantly. Already in the first period of the war (1939-1941), German military leaders showed the whole world how the use of tank formations makes it possible to carry out operations for operational and strategic encirclement and quickly win the war (the so-called “blitzkrieg”). Nevertheless, other states (Great Britain, France, Poland, the USSR, etc.) created their own theories of tactics for using tanks, in many ways similar to the German one. During the Second World War, the German school improved by increasing the armor and length of guns, surveillance devices (including infrared night vision devices), habitability, and the Soviet school took advantage of manufacturability and mass production, making major changes to the design of basic types of tanks only when absolutely necessary.
T-34

IP

The Soviet tank school also created quite successful models of other types of armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery units and tank destroyers. The American school lagged behind in terms of layout and technology from the very beginning, but it still managed to catch up by the end of the war due to the deployment of mass production of a few selected models, good quality steel and gunpowder, as well as radio equipment (at least two radios per tank). The most successful German tanks were:
PzKpfw IV

"Tiger"

"Panther"

And "Royal tiger".

But the best Soviet tanks that took part in World War II were recognized as the T-34 medium tank (in different versions, including its late version T-34-85

with different modifications of 85 mm guns) and a heavy tank IS-2.

And the best American tank was M4 Sherman, which was widely supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease.

Tanks of the post-war period

Tanks of the post-war period are divided into three generations.
The first generation of post-war tanks began to be created directly during the Second World War, although they did not take part in hostilities: these are Soviet medium T-44

T-54

and heavy tanks:
IS-3

IS-4

IS-7

T-10

American:
M26 Pershing

M46 "Patton"

M47

English A41 "Centurion" and others.

Light tanks are finally turning into specialized combat vehicles: amphibious (Soviet PT-76), reconnaissance (American M41 Walker Bulldog) and later air transportable (American M551 Sheridan). Since the mid-1950s. medium and heavy types of tanks are giving way to the so-called. "standard" or "basic" battle tank». Characteristic Features These tanks are equipped with reinforced shell-proof armor, large-caliber guns (minimum 90 mm), including smooth-bore guns suitable for launching rockets, powerful diesel engines, and later the first means of protecting the crew from weapons of mass destruction. This type of tank (but still first generation) includes the Soviet ones:
T-55

T-62

American M48

English Chieftain

French AMX-30 and others.

The second generation of post-war tanks was created in the 1960-1970s. for actions in conditions of enemy use of weapons mass destruction(WMD) and taking into account the emergence of new powerful anti-tank weapons. These tanks receive improved armor, a full range of crew protection from weapons of mass destruction, are equipped with electronics (laser rangefinders, ballistic computers, etc.), their firepower is increased through the use of larger caliber guns, and high-power multi-fuel engines are beginning to be used. Soviet tanks of this period are equipped with an automatic loader. The second generation tanks include Soviet ones:
T-64

American M60

West German Leopard-1

During this time, a number of extensive programs were also undertaken to upgrade first-generation tanks to the level of second-generation tanks, such as the M48A5 (US Army) and M48A2G (Bundeswehr) upgrades to the M60 level.

In terms of performance characteristics of tanks of the first and second generations, the USSR was able to get ahead of its potential opponents, but the need to limit the mass and size of the main type of tank (due to the need to fit into the standard railway dimensions) and some lag in equipping with electronics led to the rapid obsolescence of the Soviet tanks of the first and second post-war generations, which was confirmed in the wars of the 1960-1990s. in the Middle East.
Third generation tanks were created in the 1970s-1980s, and began to enter service with the troops in the 1980s. Tanks of this generation are characterized by the use of new, high-tech means of protection (active protection, dynamic protection), saturation with advanced electronics, and some models of tanks are beginning to be equipped with heavy-duty and compact gas turbine engines.
Tanks of this generation include Soviet and Russian:
T-72B

American M1A2 Abrams

West German "Leopard-2"

French "Leclerc"

Tank design

Layout
Currently, the vast majority of tanks are created according to the so-called classical layout scheme, the main features of which are the installation of the main armament (gun) in a 360° rotating turret and the rear location of the engine and transmission compartment. The exception here is the Swedish tank Strv-103

(crazy scheme) and Israeli tanks "Merkava"

models 1, 2, 3 and 4 with a front engine compartment.

Tank engine

In the early stages of tank building development, a gasoline carburetor engine of the automobile type, and later of an aviation type (including radial engines) was usually used. Immediately before the Second World War, as well as during it, diesel engines became widespread (mainly in the USSR and the USA), becoming the main type of tank engines throughout the world from the second half of the 1950s, later replaced by multi-fuel engines, and in the last two -three decades and gas turbine engines (GTE). The first production tank with a gas turbine engine as the main engine was the Soviet T-80

In the 1930-1950s. There were disputes between supporters and opponents of the use of two types of internal combustion engines as the power plant of tanks - carburetor and diesel. This dispute ended in a final victory for the diesel engine supporters. Nowadays, the main debate is between supporters and opponents of the use of diesel engines and gas turbine engines in tanks. Both types of engines have their own advantages and disadvantages. During the First World War, a steam tank was built, and in the 1950s, a number of nuclear tank projects were developed in the United States, but all these types of power plants ultimately did not become widespread.

Advantages of gas turbine engines over diesel engines:
Less consumption of lubricating fluids.
Less preparation time for launch, especially in cold weather.
Exhaust gases from gas turbine engines are much less toxic and can be directly used to heat the tank, while tanks with diesel engines require a special heat exchanger.
The application of torque is more favorable for a transport vehicle, the adaptability coefficient is 2.6. This coefficient determines the reduction in the number of shifts when driving over rough terrain.
A simpler transmission system.
Better “non-stalling”, that is, the ability of the engine to continue working even if the tank hits an obstacle or gets stuck in deep mud.
The level of unmasking noise is 1.75-2 times lower.
The service life of gas turbine engines is 2-3 times higher than that of piston engines, due to the balance and minimization of rubbing surfaces in the engine.
Great compactness.
More power for the same size (weight)

Advantages of a diesel engine over a gas turbine engine:

Greater reliability in dusty conditions. Unlike aircraft turbines, a tank turbine operates close to the ground and per minute passes through several cubic meters of air, often containing large quantities dust raised by the tank. Hence, the requirements for the incoming air purification system are much higher.
Slight power drop when high temperatures environment.
Fuel consumption is 1.8-2 times lower, that is, on the one hand, cheaper operation, on the other, a greater range with the same amount of transported fuel
The cost of a diesel engine is up to ten times less.
Better fire safety due to the use of low-flammability diesel fuel.
Possibility of repair in the field.
Another important advantage is the ability to start a tank’s diesel engine from a tug, i.e., “from a pusher”, so a tank with such an engine has a high probability of continuing its task with the help of another tank
Diesel engines heat up less and are therefore less noticeable to thermal imagers.
To overcome water obstacles along the bottom, a tank with a gas turbine engine requires an exhaust pipe - exhaust into the water is impossible for it. Comparative military tests tanks T-64A and T-72 with diesel engines 5TDF and V-46, respectively, and T-80 with a gas turbine engine GTD-1000T, carried out by a government commission, showed
T-80 tanks, whose rated specific power exceeded the T-64A and T-72 by 30 and 25%, respectively, have an advantage in tactical speeds in European conditions by only 9-10%, and in Central Asia - no more than 2% .
The hourly fuel consumption of gas turbine tanks was 65-68% higher than diesel tanks, the kilometer consumption was 40-50% higher, and the fuel range was 26-31% less; this led to the need, when organizing marches, to provide for the possibility of refueling T-80 tanks during daily marches.
At an altitude of 3 km above sea level, the power loss for the 5TDF engine reached 9%, for the V-46 - 5%, for the GTD-1000T - 15.5%.

Diesel tanks are currently in tank fleets in 111 countries, and gas turbine tanks in tank fleets in 9 countries. Developers, manufacturers and suppliers of gas turbine tanks are the USA and Russia ( Soviet Union). Diesel tanks form the basis of the tank fleets of the armies of all countries of the world, with the exception of the United States. Development of global tank construction and the tank market in 2003-2012. determine 25 special programs, of which 23 are diesel tanks, only 2 are gas turbine tanks. In Germany, MTU Friedrichshafen is currently developing new high-tech fourth-generation 890 series diesel engines for future armored fighting vehicles. Many countries buying tanks prefer models with a diesel engine and even require the replacement of gas turbine engines with diesel engines as a condition for admission to the tender. So, in 2004, Australia chose the M1A2 Abrams tank as its future tank, but on the condition that the tank’s gas turbine engine would be replaced with a diesel engine. In the USA, a tank was even developed specifically for export purposes M1A2 Abrams with a diesel engine.

There are design solutions that can significantly improve the performance of diesel engines. In general, despite the statements of supporters of each type of engine, at present it is impossible to talk about the unconditional superiority of one of them.
Modern diesel engines, as a rule, are multi-fuel, can operate on the entire spectrum of fuels: gasoline of all types, including high-octane aviation gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel with any cetane number, but the nominal fuel for them in peacetime is aviation kerosene. The vast majority of diesel engines are equipped with a turbocharging system, and in recent years, with intercoolers (intercoolers).

Chassis
All tanks have a tracked propulsion system, the prototype of which was patented back in 1818 by the Frenchman Dubochet. This design of the chassis allows the tank to easily move in off-road conditions on various types of soil. The tracks of modern tanks are made of steel, with a metal or rubber-metal hinge (RMH), along which the tank rides on road wheels (usually rubber-coated; in modern tanks their number is from five to seven). In some models, the upper part of the caterpillar, sagging, rests on the support rollers; in others, special support rollers of small diameter are used. As a rule, in the front part there are guide wheels, which, together with the tension mechanism, provide the required track tension. The tracks are driven by engaging their drive wheel, the torque to which is supplied from the engine through the transmission. By changing the rewinding speed of one or both tracks, the tank can turn, including turning on the spot.

An important parameter is the area of ​​that part of the caterpillar that is in contact with the ground (the supporting surface of the caterpillar), more precisely, the ratio of the mass of the tank to this area - the specific pressure on the ground. The smaller it is, the softer the soil the tank can move on, i.e., the higher its cross-country ability.

Specific ground pressure of some modern tanks

All tanks have a suspension system - a set of parts, components and mechanisms connecting the vehicle body with the axes of the road wheels. The suspension system is designed to transfer the weight of the tank through the road wheels and caterpillar track to the ground, to soften shocks and impacts acting on the tank hull, and to quickly dampen hull vibrations. The quality of the suspension system largely determines the average speed of tanks moving across the terrain, the accuracy of fire on the move, the performance of the crew, and the reliability and durability of the tank's equipment.

Not everyone knows that the idea of ​​a tracked vehicle first appeared in Russia, back in 1878. In May 1915, tests began on Porokhovshchikov's armored vehicle called the All-Terrain Vehicle. Frankly speaking, it didn’t look much like a tank. Despite the armor and rotating turret with a machine gun, the vehicle was driven by one wide track and controlled by wheels on the sides. The cross-country ability turned out to be excellent.

In the same year, tests began on an extremely unusual Soviet tank designed by Lebedenko. It looked like a giant gun carriage with huge wheels that set it in motion. The designer believed that the tank would easily overcome trenches, holes, trees and other obstacles, however, this did not happen. The giant got stuck right during testing, after which it stood for many years, waiting to be sent for scrap.

Stagnation

It seemed that USSR tanks would take leadership in the world, but this did not happen. The First World War took place without domestic vehicles; foreign ones were used in the Civil War. In 1918, there was a clear awareness of the need to develop and produce domestic tanks. Captured French Reno-FTs, shown at a parade in Moscow, were copied at the Krasnoye Sormovo plant, creating the first example on August 31, 1920 under the name Tank M.

In 1925, production of the MC-1 began, which was distinguished by its low price and copied from the Fiat-3000. Other models were also developed. Higher in price, more difficult to manufacture, but without significant advantages.

The vicious time of imitation began, when foreign models were taken as the basis for Soviet tanks. Vickers Mk became T-26, Carden Loyd Mk VI became T-27, Vickers Medium Mark III became T-28, Independent became T-35.

A series of high-speed BTs was created on the basis of the Christie tank. They had excellent mobility due to the possibility of wheel travel, but were extremely unreliable.

USSR tanks of World War II

The USSR entered World War II with a huge tank army, which turned out to be powerless against the much smaller, but experienced, organized and modern German one.

But the imitation stopped and truly unique Soviet tanks began to appear. The heavy KV was practically invulnerable and could single-handedly hold off numerous enemy forces, but its mobility and reliability left much to be desired. The T-34, which appeared later, became a revolution in tank building, combining mobility, firepower and sloped armor. At the same time, the tank was cheap and easy to manufacture. Yes, at first there were many shortcomings, the disgusting quality of the components, and towards the end of the war there was not enough firepower and armor, but manufacturability, mass production and a set of characteristics left all competitors far behind.

The heavy IS-2, which appeared at the end of the war, fought on equal terms with the best examples of Wehrmacht equipment, and the IS-3, which did not have time to fight, was head and shoulders above all its contemporaries. The decline of heavy tanks was approaching, but the USSR managed to create the IS-7 and Object 279, which are surprising even now.

First in the world

The T-54 was born, which later became the T-55 - the most popular post-war tank, which was in service with more than 30 countries.

In 1964, the T-64 was released, which became the ancestor of modern MBTs and the world's first tank with multi-layer composite armor. The loading mechanism provided an amazing rate of fire and a very tight layout that made the silhouette extremely low.

1974 gave the world the T-72 - the second most popular modern tank after the T-55, which is still in service today.

In 1976, the T-80 was created - the world's first serial MBT with a gas turbine power plant, which has excellent mobility and good armor.

Also, projects and experimental machines constantly appeared, the ideas of which are still relevant in our time. For example, the Kharkov Boxer, aka Hammer, received an uninhabited turret with a 152 mm cannon.

During their development, tanks of the USSR acquired distinct features that made them stand out among the equipment of all other countries. Maximum manufacturability and simplicity, sharply differentiated armor, low silhouette, high mobility, automatic loader and the ability to fire guided missiles through the barrel of the main gun.

All this made Soviet tanks extremely popular in many countries and, as a result, frequent participants in hostilities.

History buffs often study cars in isolation from the conditions in which they were created and the reasons that prompted the designers to develop them. Meanwhile, military equipment is not a cheap pleasure, and behind every innovation introduced in a particular tank, and every model that went into production or remained in a single copy, there is far more than just the research passion of the designer. The reasons for implementing or, on the contrary, refusing to put them into service can be very different - from the political situation in the country and the world to the “fashion” for certain technical solutions. Understanding these nuances allows us to create a more harmonious and meaningful picture of the development of tank building.

The first stage of development of tank building in the USSR (1920–1929) – “Russian Renault”, MS-1 (T-18), T-12 and T-24

The history of Soviet tank building began during Civil War, when in 1920–1921 the Sormovsky shipyard in Nizhny Novgorod produced the Russian Renault tank in a series of 15 vehicles, which was an almost exact copy of the French Renault FT-17.

By 1925, these machines had become outdated, and the Main Directorate of Military Industry (GUVP) of the USSR set the task of creating new tank. It was developed by the Leningrad Bolshevik plant, using as a basis the Italian Fiat-3000 specially purchased for this purpose (according to other sources, captured from the Poles). The suspension was copied from the French Renault NC27.

Both vehicles used were technical developments of the Renault FT-17 design, so the MS-1 tank designed by 1927 (T-18 index is often used) was very similar in appearance to the “Russian Renault”.

MS-1 differed from the prototype in a number of innovations. In particular, the transverse engine arrangement made it possible to significantly reduce the length of the tank. The next time Soviet designers returned to this technical solution only when designing the T-44 in 1944. The tank's suspension was also improved. Since the late 1920s, instead of the outdated coaxial 6.5 mm Fedorov machine gun, the T-18 began to be equipped with a 7.62 mm DT machine gun (designed by Degtyarev), which faithfully served Soviet tankers for the next 20 years, until the end of the 1940s

Light tank MS-1 on display at the Museum military equipment“Military glory of the Urals” in Verkhnyaya Pyshma (Sverdlovsk region)
Source – wikimedia.org

Also in 1927, the GUVP formulated the final requirements for a tank weighing 12 tons. This more powerful and faster escort vehicle, which was specified in the documents as a “maneuverable tank,” was entrusted to the design bureau of the Kharkov Locomotive Plant (KhPZ). The result was a completely new medium tank, the T-24, and in 1931 KhPZ received an order to produce 300 units. True, very soon the order was canceled - the plant was ordered to switch to the production of BT-2 tanks.

In fact, during the 1920s, three main design centers of Soviet tank building were formed in Leningrad, Kharkov and Moscow, which subsequently determined all trends in its development.

Foreign contracts - 1930

The work of Soviet engineers on the creation of tanks and wedges (T-12, T-17, T-19, T-20, T-21, T-23, T-24, T-25) showed that the Soviet Union lacks design experience activities of this scale, personnel and basic production culture. In order not to waste time on solving these issues by domestic specialists, the head of the Department of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army, corps commander Innokenty Khalepsky, suggested that the country's top leadership purchase samples of suitable tanks and licenses for their production abroad, and also invite foreign specialists to work in the USSR. On December 5, 1929, an official decision was made to send a special commission headed by Khalepsky abroad. In 1930, she visited several tank-producing countries, among which England, Germany and the USA were of particular interest.

The first deal was concluded on April 28 between the American company U.S. Wheel Track Layer Corp., owned by designer John Christie, and Amtorg Trading Corp. - a company through which equipment and weapons were exported to the USSR. According to the agreement, the Soviet Union acquired two M1931 tanks and the right to produce them.

May 28 with the British company Vickers & Armstrongs Ltd. a contract was signed for the supply of fifteen Mk.E “Model A” tanks to the USSR in a version with two machine gun turrets for 7.7 mm Vickers machine guns (future T-26). In addition, 20 Carden-Loyd Mk.IV tankettes (the basis of the T-27) and 15 Medium Mk.II vehicles were purchased. The British refused to sell the three-turreted Medium Mk.III.

Khalepsky cheated: he told representatives of the British manufacturing company that he had already received permission to purchase this vehicle from the British Defense Department and now he needed more information about the tank to report to management. So the Soviet side received maximum amount materials thanks to which the T-28 tank was later created in Leningrad

English medium three-turreted tank Medium Mark III from Vickers-Armstrong in the factory workshop
Source – wikimedia.org

Multi-turreted tanks (1930–1940) – TG-1, T-35, T-28

After defeat in the First World War, Germany did not have the right to produce tanks, so purchases of armored vehicles were not carried out from it. Instead, Khalepsky invited an entire design bureau to the USSR under the leadership of Edward Grote. Soviet developers had already turned to these specialists for advice when designing the T-17 wedge and the T-20 tank.

In March 1930, the AVO-5 design bureau was created, and within a year its employees developed a new vehicle, the TG-1, the two turrets of which were mounted on top of each other. But the tank turned out to be too expensive: its cost was 1.5 million rubles, while the BT-2, created on the basis of the American M1931, cost only 60 thousand. As a result, the car did not go into production, and the German engineers went home. The Soviet part of the design bureau at plant No. 185 began creating a heavy five-turret T-35, the layout of which the designers borrowed from the British A1E1 “Independent”.

However, over time it became clear that multi-turreted tanks, for a number of design reasons, had no prospects for development, and they were later abandoned.

T-35 on display at the Museum of Armored Vehicles in Kubinka
Source – wikimedia.org

In parallel with the development of the T-35, the design of a Soviet medium three-turreted tank began, taking into account information about the English Medium Mk.III brought by the Khalepsky commission. The work was supervised by designer Semyon Ginzburg. As a result, by 1933, the T-28 was designed - one of the most well-armed and armored medium tanks in the world in the mid-1930s. During the development of its production, a tank school was formed at the Kirov Plant (formerly Putilovsky), and a specialized design bureau SKB-2 was formed, which played a huge role in the subsequent development of the design of heavy tanks in the USSR

BT series tanks (1931–1940)

After the cancellation of the order for the T-24, the Kharkov Locomotive Plant began production of BT-2 tanks, created on the basis of the American M1931 designed by engineer Christie. This vehicle was of great importance for the subsequent development of Soviet tank building: it was the first to use Christie suspension and inclined front armor parts. The tank was built according to the classical design, had a welded hull and moved on both caterpillar and wheeled tracks. Further development of the BT-2 resulted in the creation of the BT-5 with a more spacious elliptical turret on an extended shoulder strap, in which a twin 45-mm tank gun and a 7.62-mm machine gun were mounted. The hull and chassis of the BT-5 were practically no different from the BT-2.

BT-5 in the exhibition of the diorama museum “Breaking the Siege of Leningrad” near Kirovsk
Source – wikimedia.org

In 1935, the Kharkovites took a step further, creating the BT-7 tank - its chassis was already significantly different from the M1931. The designers installed the V-2 tank diesel engine on the BT-7M model. In the process of working on this tank, they came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a fundamentally new vehicle, which was later to become the legendary “thirty-four”.

Europe's first tank diesel V-2 (1939)

On September 1, 1939, at the Kharkov plant No. 75, separated from the KhPZ, the legendary 12-cylinder V-2 diesel engine was put into serial production, modifications of which were installed on almost all medium and heavy Soviet tanks up to the T-64. The first machine on which it began to be mounted was BT-7M. Over time, minor changes were made to the engine, but the main design solutions remained the same as those found in Kharkov in the late 30s of the last century.

Tank diesel V-2 in the museum of the history of the T-34 tank
Source – wikimedia.org

Heavy tanks of the KV series (1939–1943) – KV-1, KV-2, KV-13, KV-1S

By the end of the 1930s, the T-35 was completely obsolete. A struggle developed between the design bureaus of Leningrad tank factories for the creation of a Soviet serial heavy tank. Experimental Plant No. 185 was working on a two-turret T-100 weighing 58 tons, the turrets of which were placed one after the other at different levels, which should have allowed simultaneous firing from them. This arrangement was determined by the performance characteristics provided by military customers. At the Leningrad Kirov Plant they created the SMK tank (Sergei Mironovich Kirov) with a similar layout and weighing 55 tons. But, realizing that a single-turret vehicle could be equipped with thicker armor, the Kirov team proactively created another heavy tank - the KV (Klim Voroshilov).

All three tanks were tested during the Winter War with Finland in battles on the Karelian Isthmus in a combined tank company. Based on the test results, the military chose the KV tank, which, with the advent of its 152-mm version KV-2, received the index KV-1.

KV-1 at Aberdeen Proving Ground
Source – wikimedia.org

Kirovsky plant continued research papers. The improvement of the KV-1 resulted in the creation of the KV-1S model - a lightweight version of its predecessor; new models were designed using already developed components.

Further development of heavy tanks moved towards reducing their mass and bringing it to the level of medium tanks. At the same time, the thickness of the armor remained the same due to more efficient use of the reserved volume. The result of this work was the creation of the experimental medium tank KV-13, which the Leningraders designed while already in evacuation in Chelyabinsk. However, in terms of overall performance characteristics and manufacturability, the vehicle could not compete with the T-34 medium tank that had already been created by that time, although the thickness of its frontal armor of 120 mm was very attractive.

Medium tank KV-13 and its design development “Object 234” (an intermediate version before the IS tank). It also had five rollers (a sixth was added to the IS), and a 122-mm U-11 howitzer was installed in the turret
Source – inarms.ru

When, by mid-1943, heavy German Tiger and Panther appeared at the front en masse, they remembered the KV-13. As a result of its refinement, a new line of Soviet IS heavy tanks appeared. During the restructuring of production to new vehicles, a transitional version was produced for some time - the KV-85, which was a modernized KV-1S with an 85-mm gun installed in its turret instead of a 76-mm cannon.

Medium tank T-34 (1940–1943)

In September 1938, the design bureau of the Kharkov plant received an order to design a new light tank A-20. It was planned to use the V-2 tank diesel engine as a power plant. The upper frontal part had to be made straight, inclined at an angle close to 60°, which significantly increased the likelihood of a projectile ricocheting from a 45-mm plate. This tank, like all vehicles of the BT series, was required by Moscow to be made on a wheeled-tracked vehicle. But the KhPZ designers, led by Mikhail Koshkin, had their own point of view on this matter. In the end, Stalin, who personally oversaw the development of Soviet tank building, allowed the Kharkovites to develop their own version of the tank with anti-ballistic armor and a fully tracked propulsion system.

Pre-war tanks produced by plant No. 183 (Kharkov). From left to right: BT-7 (A-8), A-20, T-34–76 with L-11 cannon (1940), T-34–76 with F-34 cannon (1941)
Source – wikimedia.org

This is how the A-32 tank project appeared, which later became the A-34 project, and after a convincing victory in comparative field tests (including over the A-20) - the famous T-34. It differed from the vast majority of its Western counterparts in its sloping frontal armor, 76-mm F-34 cannon, V-2 tank diesel engine and Christie suspension. Taken together, all this made it a fast and well-armored vehicle with high maneuverability and a powerful, reliable gun. Before the appearance of the Tigers and Panthers, as well as the Pz.Kpfw. IV with modernized T-34 guns was superior to German tanks in its characteristics. Wehrmacht tankers were saved in battles only by experience and coordination of actions.

Heavy tanks of the IS series during the war (1943–1945) –IS-1 and IS-2

The IS-1 was designed as a replacement for the KV-1. With the appearance of the German "Tigers" at the front, work accelerated. The originally planned 76 mm gun was replaced with an 85 mm one. This led to an increase in the size and weight of the structure, and the vehicle moved from the category of medium (prototype of the KV-13 tank) to the category of heavy. The plant produced only 130 of these vehicles - they were soon replaced by IS-2, which were armed with a 122-mm gun and could fight on equal terms with the German Tigers and Panthers.

IS-1 on display at the Kyiv Museum of the Great Patriotic War
Source – author’s photo archive

Many German tankers admitted that the heavy IS-2 was a worthy opponent. Its 122 mm cannon easily penetrated the armor of Panthers and Tigers and was effective in assaulting fortified areas. The tank performed so well that it was completely withdrawn from service. Russian army only in 1995. Work to strengthen its armor led to the creation of new IS-3 and IS-4 tanks.

Medium tank T-34–85 (1944–1958)

The need to counter the Tigers and Panthers forced Soviet designers not only to speed up the development of heavy vehicles, but also to increase the power of guns and the protection of medium tanks. As a result, the T-43 tank was developed with more powerful hull armor, a new turret with an 85 mm gun and torsion bar suspension. However, the transition to the production of a new car would lead to a decrease in total output. In addition, the permissible weight of the structure was exceeded, so they decided to continue production of the T-34 with the turret from the T-43. The new tank received the index T-34–85.

T-34–85 on display at the Kyiv Museum of the Great Patriotic War
Source – author’s photo archive

The vehicle proved itself to be excellent and - in parallel with the new models T-44 and T-54 - was produced in the USSR until 1950, and in the world until 1958, including at Polish and Czech enterprises. In addition to the Second World War, this tank participated in many local conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Its last use in battles was the wars in the Balkans, which broke out in the 90s of the last century after the collapse of Yugoslavia.

Heavy tanks of the IS series in the post-war period (1945–1966) – IS-3, IS-4, T-10 (IS-5, IS-8)

Simultaneously with the production of the IS-2 tank, work was underway at Experimental Plant No. 100 and the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ) to create new heavy tanks. Engineers designed the IS-4, which was a logical continuation of the IS-2 design. But military receivers gave preference to the IS-3, the body of which with the famous “pike nose” was designed at factory No. 100. The tower was designed at ChKZ, and mass production was also established there. However, the first months of operation of the IS-3 in the army revealed a number of shortcomings, and its production was stopped.

IS-3 on display at the Kyiv Museum of the Great Patriotic War
Source – author’s photo archive

The development of heavy tanks continued actively after the Second World War. The most successful was the IS-8 - a project by Chelyabinsk designers of plant No. 100 (at the initial stage of work in 1944, the tank had the index IS-5). The combat weight of the vehicle was 50 tons. The IS-8 was also a development of the IS-3 design, so it retained its “pike nose”. It acquired the final index T-10 in 1953 after the death of Joseph Stalin, after whom the entire line of IS tanks was named. The number “10” meant that this was the tenth heavy tank put into service in the USSR. The vehicle turned out to be so successful that it was removed from service only in 1993. The frontal armor of the T-10 reached 120 mm. It was the last mass-produced heavy Soviet tank - it was soon replaced by fast, well-armed medium tanks, called "main" tanks.

T-10 on display at the Kyiv Museum of the Great Patriotic War
Source – author’s photo archive

Medium tanks T-54 and T-55 (1946–1979)

After the end of the Second World War, the armament of the T-44 tank did not fully meet modern requirements: its turret, taken from the T-34-85 with an 85-mm cannon, was already outdated at that time. By 1946, a new turret with a 100 mm gun was developed. In this form, the tank, designated T-54, went into production. However, service with the troops revealed a number of shortcomings, and in 1949 the vehicle underwent a deep modernization: the shape of the turret was changed and the armor was reduced to make the structure lighter. In 1951, the T-54 turret was replaced again, this time with a hemispherical one, after which the tank acquired its final, familiar silhouette. Further modernization concerned the improvement of the design of the gun stabilizer, ejector, anti-nuclear protection, ammunition racks, instruments, equipment, etc. The result of all these changes was the T-55 tank, created under the leadership of Leonid Kartsev at the Nizhny Tagil plant No. 183.

T-55 on display at the Kyiv Museum of the Great Patriotic War
Source – author’s photo archive

The predecessor of the T-54 was the T-44 tank, produced in 1944–1958 It did not take part in combat operations during the war, largely due to the fact that the latest technical solutions implemented in the T-44, which allowed the USSR to be decades ahead of its competitors, could fall into the hands of the enemy. The transverse rather than longitudinal arrangement of the power plant reduced the length of the tank, and a different arrangement of some of the units on the B-44 diesel engine made it possible to reduce the height of the vehicle. Starting with the T-44, torsion bar suspension appeared on Soviet medium tanks. In addition, they abandoned the directional machine gun and the radio operator gunner.

T-44 in the Museum of the city of Volsk
Source – wikimedia.org

Main tank T-62 (1961–1975)

The creation of the T-62 actually put an end to the development and production of heavy tanks in the USSR. The installation of the 2A20 smoothbore 115-mm cannon brought medium tanks closer to heavy tanks in terms of weapon power (the latter were equipped with 122-mm rifled guns). At the same time, the rate of fire of the T-62 was higher. In addition, it was planned to install an automatic loader on subsequent models, which would make heavy tanks completely useless. The frontal armor of the T-62 was also close to heavy (100 mm), and its maneuverability was significantly higher.

T-62 on display at the Kyiv Museum of the Great Patriotic War
Source – author’s photo archive

The time has come for the main tanks. Soon after the T-62, the T-64 was created in Kharkov at the Morozov Design Bureau. Subsequent Soviet tanks - T-72, T-80, as well as the Russian T-90 and Ukrainian "Oplot" and "Bulat" use design solutions implemented in this vehicle

The traditions of Soviet tank builders did not disappear after the collapse of the USSR. In 2015, the creation of the main Russian tank of the new generation T-14 "Armata" with an uninhabited turret and no foreign analogues. On May 9, he will take part in the parade on Red Square dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Victory, after which he will enter the Russian Armed Forces. This machine is intended to finally replace the well-served machines of the T-64, T-72, T-80 and T-90 series.

Before the advent of tanks, the army already used armored vehicles, such as armored cars and armored trains. However, these machines were quite limited in application. The former lacked cross-country ability even if they had a combined wheeled-tracked undercarriage, while the latter were tightly tied to railways. The need to create an armored self-propelled combat vehicle with all-terrain capability was understood by the military of each of the leading powers in Europe.

The Russian Empire was no exception. At the beginning of the 20th century, tanks were also invented here. Even those who are fairly superficially interested in the history of armored vehicles are well aware of such projects as Porokhovshchikov’s “All-terrain vehicle”, Lebedenko’s “Tsar Tank” or Vladimir Mendeleev’s super-heavy tank. And there were other developments: Gunter Burshtyn’s tank, Demyanenko’s “Ground Battleship”, Kazansky’s “Armored Tractor”. In general, there were enough ideas - both quite sane and frankly erroneous. Another thing is that there was no time for their implementation. In 1917, two revolutions happened in Russia, after which the country, frankly speaking, had no time for tanks.

But not for long. In August 1919, the Council of People's Commissars and the Council of Military Industry of the RSFSR decided to organize the production of Renault FT tanks at the Krasnoye Sormovo plant in Nizhny Novgorod. From this time begins the history of the tank building industry of the Soviet Union.

The Soviet version of the Renault tank was not a 100% copy of its French prototype. When the sample arrived at the plant, it turned out that some parts had not reached their destination. The most unpleasant surprise for the engineers was that the gearbox was among the missing components. The plant engineers, headed by N.I. Khrulev and P.I. Saltanov, were forced to design the lost parts on their own. Their work was successful, and in 1920 the very first Soviet tank, “Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin,” rolled off the assembly line.

Only 15 Russian Renaults were produced. There was not enough industrial resource for more. At that time, the USSR was still a rather backward state from an industrial point of view, and a lot of effort had to be made to change the situation.

Despite the weakness and inadequacy of the industry, work on the design of tanks in the USSR was carried out quite actively. First competition for best project carried out in 1920. Its winner was a ten-ton amphibious tank designed by engineer Kondratiev. This was an independent development, not based on imported prototypes. At a similar competition in 1922, 7 projects were already presented.

In 1923, the Main Directorate of Military Industry became in charge of issues of armored vehicles. In 1924, a special Tank Bureau was created under him, which began work on May 6. The bureau was supposed to collect and systematize existing experience, study tank construction, train human resources and, finally, develop its own tank model. The latter was especially relevant in the conditions of the difficult political situation in which the USSR was located, and the fact that the state of the fleet of foreign equipment in service with the Red Army could not be called anything other than deplorable.

At the initial stage of work, it was planned to design three types of tank: a heavy breakthrough vehicle, a maneuverable tank for mobile units, and a small one to support infantry. In October 1925, after a meeting on the problems of tank construction in the Mobilization and Planning Directorate of the Red Army, work on the heavy tank was practically stopped.

The “small” tank was made in metal already in 1927. It still very much resembled the Renault Russian, but the design also included a number of borrowings from the Italian Fiat 3000. The new Soviet tank, assembled at the Leningrad Bolshevik plant, received the T-16 designation and went for testing in March. It turned out that the car has many shortcomings in the chassis and power plant. Until the summer, improvements were underway, and after state tests on June 11-17, 1927, the improved tank, already with the new T-18 designation, was adopted by the Red Army under the designation “Small Escort Tank Model 1927” (MS-1).

The technical specifications for the “maneuverable” tank were formulated in November - December 1927. The development was entrusted to the Ordnance Arsenal Trust together with the design bureau of the Kharkov plant, which opened in October of the same year. The trust did not react too warmly to the task and tried to shift most of the work to the Kharkovites, although they did not yet have experience in designing armored vehicles. The result was something like this. Muscovites were to develop the hull and turret, and Kharkovites were to develop the transmission and chassis. But since the Muscovites did not show zeal, several employees of the Kharkov plant went to the capital and worked with them.

It is appropriate to mention here that starting from October 1928, a young draftsman A. A. Morozov, a future outstanding tank designer and twice Hero of Socialist Labor, joined the design bureau of the Kharkov plant.

The T-12 was designed taking into account the experience gained during the creation of the MS-1, as well as using the idea of ​​​​a multi-tiered arrangement of weapons, which in the mid-20s was actively developed by the Americans on experimental medium tanks. The T-12 was supposed to have two rotating turrets. The gun room should have contained a 45 mm gun or a 57 mm howitzer. The small turret, located on the roof of the cannon house, housed a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun mount.

This scheme had two drawbacks at once. Firstly, when the main turret rotated, the sight of the small turret inevitably got lost. Secondly, due to the two-tier layout, the height of the vehicle was almost three meters, which was a bit much for a tank even at that time.

Construction of the experimental T-12 took place from October 13, 1928 to October 15, 1929. Official acceptance of the prototype took place in February 1930, and the first stage of testing began in April.

As in the case of the MS-1, the first tests showed serious shortcomings in the engine and chassis. After they were eliminated, the tank was demonstrated to a commission headed by K.E. Voroshilov, I.A. Khalepsky and G.G. Bokis. Here the car performed well, but the designers were instructed to modify the T-12.

The development of the car was, in fact, a deep modernization. The design bureau of the Kharkov Locomotive Plant completely redesigned the arrangement of internal modules, changed the design of the tower, and achieved an increase in power reserve. The modernized tank, designated T-24, was adopted by the Red Army in August 1930, but mass production was not possible due to technical and economic reasons. Only 25 copies of the T-24 were delivered to the troops. They did not take part in hostilities and were used only as training ones. Already in 1931, the design bureau of the Kharkov plant switched to work on the design of wheeled-tracked tanks of the BT series. Because of this, his boss left the design bureau, who did not agree with such a change in the vector of activity. Shortly thereafter, the T-24 was finally dropped from production plans.

The technical prerequisites for creating a tank appeared at the end of the 19th century; by that time, a caterpillar propulsion system, an internal combustion engine, armor, rapid-fire guns and machine guns. The first steam-powered caterpillar tractor was created back in 1888 by the American Beterom. On the eve of the First World War, as already noted, the Holt industrial tracked tractor appeared, which can be considered the direct predecessor of the tank.

But the prerequisites alone were not enough—there was a lack of urgent need. The First World War, which only began in 1914, harshly determined this need. When the opponents launched millions of armies on the offensive, they never imagined that machine guns and cannons would literally sweep away the regiments and divisions going on the attack. Enormous losses forced the soldiers to eventually hide in trenches and dugouts. In the West, the front froze and turned into a continuous line of fortifications stretching from the English Channel to the border with Switzerland. The war has reached a so-called positional deadlock. They tried to find a way out of it with the help of artillery - thousands of guns plowed every meter of enemy positions with shells for several days, or even weeks. It seemed like there was nothing alive left there. But as soon as the attacking infantry got out of the trenches, the surviving cannons and machine guns of the defenders again inflicted terrible losses on them. That's when tanks appeared on the battlefield.

The idea of ​​​​creating a combat tracked vehicle capable of moving over rough terrain through trenches, ditches and wire fences was first expressed in 1914 by the English Colonel Swinton. After discussion in various authorities, the War Ministry generally accepted his idea and formulated the basic requirements that should answer combat vehicle. It had to be small, have a caterpillar track, bulletproof armor, overcome craters up to 4 m and wire fences, reach a speed of at least 4 km/h, have a cannon and two machine guns. The main purpose of the tank was to destroy wire barriers and suppress enemy machine guns. Soon, Foster's company created in forty days on the basis of the Holt tracked tractor combat vehicle, called "Little Willie". Its chief designers were Engineer Tritton and Lieutenant Wilson.

"Little Willie" was tested in 1915 and showed good driving performance. In November, the Holt company began manufacturing a new machine. The designers were faced with the difficult problem of increasing its length by 1 m without making the tank heavier, so that it could overcome four-meter trenches. In the end, this was achieved due to the fact that the outline of the caterpillar was given the shape of a parallelogram. In addition, it turned out that the tank had difficulty taking vertical embankments and steep elevations. To increase the height of the toe, Wilson and Tritton came up with the idea of ​​running a caterpillar on top of the body. This significantly increased the vehicle's cross-country ability, but at the same time gave rise to a number of other difficulties associated, in particular, with the placement of cannons and machine guns. The armament had to be distributed along the sides, and so that the machine guns could fire to the side and backward, they were installed in the side protrusions of the sponsons. In February 1916, the new tank, called "Big Willie", successfully passed sea trials. He could overcome wide trenches, move across a plowed field, climb over walls and embankments up to 1.8 m high. Trenches up to 3.6 m did not pose a serious obstacle for him.

The tank's hull was a frame box made of corners to which armored plates were bolted. The chassis, which consisted of small unsprung road wheels (the shaking in the car was terrible), was also covered with armor. Inside, the “land cruiser” resembled the engine room of a small ship, which you could walk around without even bending down. There was a separate cabin in the front for the driver and commander. Most of the rest of the space was occupied by the engine

Daimler, gearbox and transmission. To start the engine, teams of 3-4 people had to rotate a huge starting handle until the engine started with a deafening roar. The first brands of cars also had fuel tanks inside. There were narrow passages left on both sides of the engine. The ammunition was on the shelves between top part engine and roof. While driving, exhaust gases and gasoline vapors accumulated in the tank. Ventilation was not provided. Meanwhile, the heat from the running engine soon became unbearable; the temperature reached 50 degrees. In addition, with each cannon shot, the tank was filled with caustic powder gases. The crew could not stay in combat positions for a long time, they burned out and suffered from overheating. Even in battle, tankers sometimes jumped out to breathe fresh air, not paying attention to the whistling of bullets and shrapnel. A significant drawback of “Big Willie” was its narrow tracks, which bogged down in soft soil. Wherein heavy tank sat on the ground, stumps and stones. It was bad with observation and communication - the viewing slots in the sides did not provide inspection, but the spray from bullets that hit the armor near them hit the tankers in the face and eyes. There was no radio communication. Carrier pigeons were kept for long-distance communication, and special signal flags were used for short-range communication. There was no intercom either.

Controlling the tank required significant effort from the drivers and commander (the latter was responsible for the brakes on the right and left side tracks). The tank had three gearboxes - one main and one on each side (each of them controlled a special transmission). The turn was carried out either by braking one track, or by switching one of the onboard gearboxes to the neutral position, while on the other side they engaged first or second gear. With the track stopped, the tank turned around almost on the spot.

Tanks were first used in battle on September 15, 1916, near the village of Flers-Courses during the great Battle of the Somme. The British offensive, launched in July, produced insignificant results and very significant losses. It was then that the commander-in-chief, General Haig, decided to throw tanks into battle. There were 49 of them in total, but only 32 reached their original positions, the rest remained in the rear due to breakdowns. Only 18 took part in the attack, but in a few hours they advanced along with the infantry into the German positions 5 km on a front of the same width. Haig was pleased - in his opinion, it was the new weapon that reduced infantry losses by 20 times compared to the “norm”. He immediately sent a demand to London for 1000 combat vehicles at once.

In subsequent years, the British released several modifications of the Mk (that was official name"Big Willie") Each subsequent model was more perfect than the previous one. For example, the first production tank Mk-1 weighed 28 tons, moved at a speed of 4.5 km/h, and was armed with two cannons and three machine guns. Its crew consisted of 8 people. The later MkA tank had a speed of 9.6 km/h, a weight of 18 tons, a crew of 5 people, and armament of 6 machine guns. The ISS, weighing 19.5 tons, had a speed of 13 km/h. This tank had a crew of four people and was armed with four machine guns. The last amphibious tank, Mkl, created already in 1918, had a rotating turret, a crew of four and an armament of three machine guns. Weighing 13.5 tons, it reached a speed of 43 km/h on land and 5 km/h on water. In total, the British produced 3,000 tanks of 13 different modifications during the war years.

Gradually, tanks were adopted by other warring armies. The first French tanks were developed and produced by Schneider in October 1916. Outwardly, they bore little resemblance to their English counterparts - the tracks did not cover the hull, but were located along its sides or under it. The chassis was sprung with special springs, which made the work of the crew easier. However, due to the fact that the upper part of the tank hung strongly over the tracks, the Schneider's maneuverability was worse, and they could not overcome even minor vertical obstacles.

The best tank of the First World War was the Renault FT, produced by the Renault company and weighing only 6 tons, a crew of two, armament - a machine gun (cannon since 1917), maximum speed- 9.6 km/h.

Renault FT became the prototype of the tank of the future. On it, for the first time, the layout of the main components was resolved, which still remains classic: engine, transmission, drive wheel - at the rear, control compartment - in front, rotating turret - in the center. For the first time, on-board radio stations began to be installed on Renault tanks, which immediately increased the controllability of tank formations. A large diameter drive wheel helped to overcome vertical obstacles and get out of craters. The tank had good maneuverability and was easy to operate. For 15 years it served as a model for many designers. In France itself, Renault was in service until the end of the 30s, and it was produced under license in another 20 countries.

The Germans also tried to develop new weapons. Since 1917, the Bremerwagen company began production of the A7V tank, but the Germans were never able to organize their mass production. P1x tanks took part in some operations, but in quantities not exceeding several dozen vehicles.

On the contrary, the Entente countries (that is, England and France themselves) had about 7 thousand tanks by the end of the war. Here armored vehicles gained recognition and became firmly established in the weapon system. Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister during the war, said: “The tank was an outstanding and stunning innovation in the field of mechanical aid to war. This final English response to German machine guns and trenches no doubt played a very important role in hastening the Allied victory." Tanks were widely used by the British in combat. In November 1917, a massive tank attack was carried out for the first time. 476 vehicles took part in it, supported by six infantry divisions. It was a huge success of a new type of weapon. Firing from cannons and machine guns, the tanks demolished the wire fences and overcame the first line of trenches on the move. In just a few hours, the British advanced 9 km deep into the front, losing only 4 thousand people. (In the previous British offensive near Ypres, which lasted four months, the British lost 400 thousand people and managed to penetrate the German defense by only 6-10 km). The French also used tanks extensively several times. Thus, in July 1918, more than 500 French tanks took part in the battle near Soissons.