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Torsion Bar Trials
"Methodology of Torsion Bar TrialsThe trials were split into stages:Motion trials of torsion bars.Lab tests of materials (static and spring fatigue).Lab static destruction tests of torsion bars (by...
View ArticleZIS-5, Take One
"May 30th, 1941To the Central Committee of the VKP(b)Comrade ZhdanovAccording to USSR SNK and Central Committee Decree #1216-502 issued on May 5th, 1941, two experimental T-44 tanks built by factory...
View ArticleThe One Without the Rifle Follows
"Moscow, KremlinTo Comrade PoskrebyshevOperational group of the Western Front HQ, Kransodar#0702/opDecember 21st, 1941, 11:30I ask you to report to the People's Commissar that out of all the weapons...
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T-60 in Difficult Times
On July 20th, 1941, the State Committee of Defense (GKO) passed decree #222ss "On the production of 10 thousand light tanks". Interestingly enough, the tank that was supposed to be built did not exist...
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T-60 From Stalingrad
The T-34 tanks built in Stalingrad became one of the symbols for the battle there. The last tanks produced where went straight into battle from the factories, crewed by factory workers. T-60 tanks were...
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Soviets vs M48 Patton
Fig. 2 Tactical diagram of complete penetration and satisfactory penetration limits when firing at an M48 tank with domestic 85 mm sharp tipped capped armour piercing shells.Muzzle velocities higher...
View ArticleFrench Tanks in German Service
"Use of French Armoured Vehicles by GermanyA series of low altitude photographs of large tank parks at Gien and La Brosse gave valuable information regarding the types of French armoured vehicles in...
View ArticleOn the Way to the SU-122
"To factory #8 director comrade FratkinCC: Chairman of the NKV Technical Council, regional GAU KA engineer at factory #8, Engineer-Colonel KascheevRE: development of self propelled howitzers.Regarding...
View ArticleTetrarch Delivery
"Contents: delivery of supplies to the USSR by the south routeDecember 27th, 1941To: General PanfilovCC: General FedorenkoI received a report that the light tanks which we delivered through Persia...
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Big Gun for a Small Turret
In June of 1940, the Red Army GABTU began working on modernizing the KV-1 heavy tank. Even though production had not yet fully began, the military already had issues with the tank. This is a fairly...
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Howitzer KV
So called artillery tanks, or support tanks, appeared in the mid-1920s. The British pioneered the concept, equipping their Medium Tanks Mk.I and Mk.IIÂ with 94 mm howitzers. Similar tanks were also...
View ArticleNew Gun for the T-34
"On arming the T-34 with an 85 mm gun instead of the 76 mm F-34 gunIn order to improve the artillery armament of the T-34 tank, the State Committee of Defense decrees that:The 85 mm tank gun designed...
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Truck Amphibian
"Towing barges with a ZIS-5 truckWhen crossing deep rivers, drivers of the Nth Front successfully used a ZIS-5 truck to tow a barge. Equipped with special wheels, the truck could easily tow 12 ton...
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KV Tank Markings
"To the chief of the "Balance" operational departmentIn order to more easily control and identify fighting and transport vehicles, the Commander of the Army's Armoured Forces gave the following...
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The Other M-30
"Technical data of the M-30 303 mm HE (chemical) rocketParameterTested variantIn production Total weight82 kg76 kgMass of explosive (nitrol)27 kg21 kgMass of poison (Yperite)24 kg21 kgVolume of...
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Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf. B: All Grown Up
The creation of the PzI light tank did not come easily for German tank building. The tank was redesigned several times while still in the development stage, starting out as a 3 ton tank with a 20 mm...
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Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf. C: Kniepkamp's Latecomer
Putting the PzI Ausf. B into production was the correct decision, albeit a late one. The problem wasn't only that the concept of a light tank with machineguns for armament was obsolete. The 6th...
View ArticleExperimental Tank Guns in 1940, part 2
We saw some Soviet pre-war prospective guns in a previous article, let's take a look at the rest of the list.NameMass Oscillating part massTop speed (kph)Practical rate of fire RPMHorizontal...
View ArticleT-37 and T-38 Applique Armour
"To the Deputy People's Commissar of Tank Production, comrade GoreglyadCC: factory #37 directorThe question of adding applique armour to T-38 and T-37 tanks during their repair and turning them into...
View ArticleT-37 Modernization
"Report on the modernization of the T-37 tankAfter the modernization, the T-37 becomes purely a land tank.The following components are removed:Hull buoysPropeller with transmissionRudder, carrier, and...
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