Prospective Tanks
"To the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, Marshal of the Soviet Union, comrade VoroshilovI report that the director of factory #183, comrade Maksarev, reported that he can produce the T-32...
View ArticlePrecious Metals
"Order of the People's Commissar of Medium Machinebuilding of the USSRMoscowSeptember 4th, 1941To carry out decree #9165-RS of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR issued on August 30th,...
View ArticleT-34 Improvements
"May 20th, 1940#730034sTo the People's Commissar of Defense, Marshal of the Soviet Union, TimoshenkoI present to you the conclusions of the trials commission for the T-34 tank, approved for service in...
View ArticlePlanetary Transmission
"Attachment #2 to NKSM order #192ssMay 10th, 1941Tactical-technical requirements for a mechanical planetary transmission for the T-34 tankThe planetary transmission is to be installed into the T-34...
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GMC M12: King Kong on Tracks
One of the best weapons of French origin adopted by the US Army in WWI was the 155 mm GPF cannon, designed by Captain Filloux in 1917. The gun had a simple, easy to service, reliable, and effective...
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Object 240 Ergonomics
There is a common misconception that the Soviet army had no regard for the conditions of its crew. This is provably false. Just as with the US army, the Red army had a medical service, which would...
View ArticleGreen Light
"Record of inspection of the T-34 tank prototype produced by NKSM factory #183 as ordered by the Committee of Defense within the Council of Commissars in decree #443 issued on December 19th, 1939March...
View ArticleA-20 Characteristics
"A-20 tank (convertible drive)September 10th, 1939Tactical-technical characteristics of the A-20 tank(Convertible drive with 3 powered pairs of wheels)Mass: 18 tonsLength: 5.7 metersWidth: 2.65...
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Quantity Over Quality
This penetration table is fairly well known. It appears in several period publications and a translated version was even sent to the USSR. Nevertheless, it gives some information as to how well the...
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Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.J: Heavy Steps of a Light Tank
Rather unusual types of vehicles frequently appeared in WWII. Most of them remained on paper, but some of them made it to production. German tank builders were no exception, creating vehicles whose...
View ArticleRanks and Posts
"Order of the People's Commissar of Defense #0400 regarding commanders of heavy and medium tanksOctober 9th, 1941To increase the combat ability of the tank forces and improve their cooperation in...
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Hetzer from Aquino
The fine lads from Base Borden are restoring a Jagdpanzer 38(t), and I had the luck to see it at Aquino Tank Weekend at the Ontario Regiment Museum last weekend. The tank is coloured like this only...
View ArticleIssue with Comments
I recently noticed that I stopped getting notifications for newly added comments, both requiring moderation and not. As a result, I will have to check for new comments manually until this is corrected...
View ArticlePrewar Prototypes
"November 11th, 1939#0830/sTo the Chief of the 8th Department of the ABTU, Military Engineer 1st Class comrade AfoninReport on the trials of the A-32 (weight down) and preparations for trials of the...
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SKS Trials Attempt
Prototypes of the SKS carbine were ready by mid-1944. The logical step after that was to send them to the front for trials on the real battlefield. The weapons were sent to the 1st Belorussian Front,...
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Porsche's Leopard
Rumours and fabrications surround the history of tanks developed by Porsche K.G. Many of them were caused by incorrect information that appeared in reports made by American and British militaries right...
View ArticleMousetrap
The Maus tank that was recovered by Soviet specialists did not sit idle in the Soviet Union. It was picked apart and its components were sent out for study. The armour composition and hull design were...
View ArticleT-44 (A-44) Requirements
"Order of the People's Commissariat of Medium Machinebuilding #192sMay 10th, 1941Moscow"On the production of the T-34 tank in 1941...6. Factory #183 director Maksarev must:Produce two experimental T-44...
View ArticleAmerican Armour Quality
"Report on the quality and robustness of American armour plateAbout 1500 tons of armour plate (excluding the plate arrived in recent months), 10, 15, and 35 mm thick, arrived from the USA to the...
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Flakpanzer IV at Aquino
This Flakpanzer IV is currently being restored by the fine folks at the Flakpanzer Restoration Project. I had a chance to see it both last year at the Aquino Tank Weekend and this year, but only in...
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