Nickel-Free Armour

"Decree of the State Committee of Defense #1586
RE: trials of the new nickel-free armour for T-34 hulls

The State Committee of Defense decrees that:

1. The People's Commissariat of Ferrous Metals (comrade Tevosyan), People's Commissariat of Tank Production (comrade Malyshev), and GABTU are to be informed that trials of nickel-free armour and cast T-34 turrets from MZ-5 gave satisfactory results, matching the technical requirements for MZ-2 nickel armour.
2. The People's Commissariat of Tank Production (comrade Malyshev) must:
1. Begin production of cast turrets and cast armoured components for T-34 tanks from nickel-free MZ-5 steel instead of MZ-2 steel at factories #112, #183, #178, and Uralmash by May 10th of this year
2. Produce 15 hulls at factory #112 by May 10th of this year from nickel-free MZ-5 steel and perform ballistic trials by May 10th in cooperation with GABTU.
3. In the event of satisfactory welding and trials results, allow the People's Commissariat of Ferrous Metals, People's Commissariat of Tank Production, and GABTU to begin using MZ-5 nickel-free steel instead of MZ-2 in production of tank hulls, according to technical requirements.
4. The People's Commissariat of Ferrous Metals (comrade Tevosyan) must provide the necessary amount of low carbon ferrous chrome for production of MZ-5 armoured steel.