"To the Deputy People's Commissar of Tank Production, comrade Goreglyad
CC: factory #37 director
The question of adding applique armour to T-38 and T-37 tanks during their repair and turning them into land tanks has arisen.
I ask you to instruct factory #37 to develop blueprints for applique armour for the T-38 and T-37 with calculations of change in mass and other parameters.
GABTU BTU Chief, Military Engineer 1st Class, Korobkov
GABTU BTU Military Commissar, Regimental Commissar [illegible]"
To the Chief of the Production Department of the People's Commissariat of Tank Production, comrade Gnesin
CC: GABTU BTU Chief, comrade Korobokov
Re: applique armour for the T-37 and T-38 tanks
Development of blueprints for applique armour for T-37 and T-38 tanks is underway at repair base #2, as instructed by the GABTU BTU in letter #148864s sent on September 19th, 1941.
As the hulls of the tanks are not the same, blueprints for applique armour can only be produced for one type of tank within the deadline you have given us.
We must also inform you that the maximum acceptable increase in weight for the T-38 tank is 400-500 kg. As for the T-37 tank, this kind of increase in weight can cause breaking of the differential, which can be observed even at the tank's regular weight.
Factory director Frezerov
Deputy chief of the 22nd Department, Astrov"
"On October 1st, 1941, in the presence of Repair Base #2 Chief, Brigade Engineer comrade Burakov, Military Engineer 2nd Class comrade Nenarokov, Major comrade Efimov, Military Engineer 3rd Class comrade Lisin, and Military Technician 1st Class comrade Zavidonov, penetration trials of the T-37 tank with applique armour were performed at the Kuskovo proving grounds.
Main armour thickness: 8 mm
Applique armour thickness on the hull: 7 mm
Applique armour thickness on the turret: 6 mm
A DT machinegun was used to fire at the tank from distances of 200, 150, 100, and 50 meters in single shots with 7.62 mm armour piercing bullets at 90 degrees.
The results are attached.
Conclusions: the T-37 tank with applique armour cannot be penetrated with a 7.62 mm armour piercing bullet."
Via Yuri Pasholok
CC: factory #37 director
The question of adding applique armour to T-38 and T-37 tanks during their repair and turning them into land tanks has arisen.
I ask you to instruct factory #37 to develop blueprints for applique armour for the T-38 and T-37 with calculations of change in mass and other parameters.
GABTU BTU Chief, Military Engineer 1st Class, Korobkov
GABTU BTU Military Commissar, Regimental Commissar [illegible]"
To the Chief of the Production Department of the People's Commissariat of Tank Production, comrade Gnesin
CC: GABTU BTU Chief, comrade Korobokov
Re: applique armour for the T-37 and T-38 tanks
Development of blueprints for applique armour for T-37 and T-38 tanks is underway at repair base #2, as instructed by the GABTU BTU in letter #148864s sent on September 19th, 1941.
As the hulls of the tanks are not the same, blueprints for applique armour can only be produced for one type of tank within the deadline you have given us.
We must also inform you that the maximum acceptable increase in weight for the T-38 tank is 400-500 kg. As for the T-37 tank, this kind of increase in weight can cause breaking of the differential, which can be observed even at the tank's regular weight.
Factory director Frezerov
Deputy chief of the 22nd Department, Astrov"
"On October 1st, 1941, in the presence of Repair Base #2 Chief, Brigade Engineer comrade Burakov, Military Engineer 2nd Class comrade Nenarokov, Major comrade Efimov, Military Engineer 3rd Class comrade Lisin, and Military Technician 1st Class comrade Zavidonov, penetration trials of the T-37 tank with applique armour were performed at the Kuskovo proving grounds.
Main armour thickness: 8 mm
Applique armour thickness on the hull: 7 mm
Applique armour thickness on the turret: 6 mm
A DT machinegun was used to fire at the tank from distances of 200, 150, 100, and 50 meters in single shots with 7.62 mm armour piercing bullets at 90 degrees.
The results are attached.
Conclusions: the T-37 tank with applique armour cannot be penetrated with a 7.62 mm armour piercing bullet."
Via Yuri Pasholok