Kalashnikov's Contributions
"Award OrderName: Kalashnikov, Mikhail TimofeevichRank: nonePosition: Veteran of the Patriotic Waris nominated for the Order of the Red Star.Year of birth: 1919Nationality: RussianParty affiliation:...
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Kreslavskiy's KV-4
"Tactical-technical characteristics1. Combat characteristicsCombat mass: 92.6 tonsFull length: 9 metersFull width: 4 metersFull height: 3.225 metersTrack gauge: 3.15 metersClearance: 0.6 metersContact...
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Cruiser Tank Mk.II: With Best Intentions
The British army met the start of WWII in a difficult position. The policy of appeasement allowed it to win a year to set up tank production, but it was hard to call the British army prepared for war....
View ArticleFactory #183 Experiments
"July 2nd, 1940To ABTU 8th Department Chief, Military Engineer 1st Class, comrade AfoninReport on experimental work performed at factory #183 in June 1940The following experimental work was performed...
View ArticleUpgunning the A-34
"ActWe the undesigned, designer of plant 520 comrade A.A. Maloshtanov, representative of the Kirov factory comrade L.N. Kondrashev, representative of the AU comrade M.R. Vorzheinov, representative of...
View ArticleDay by Day
"Order of the People's Commissariat of Defense #80-MssMoscowDecember 27th, 1941Referring to the decree of the State Committee of Defense #GKO-1043ss issued on December 19th, 1941, I order to:1....
View ArticleSpring HEAT
"State Committee of Defense Decree #GOKO-1537ss issued on April 4th, 1942Moscow, KremlinOn armour-burning shellsTo perfect armour-burning shells, perform the following:Order the NKV (comrade Vannikov)...
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A Turret for Three
The first project of a light infantry tank, which later transformed into the Valentine, was presented to the War Ministry on February 10th, 1938. The tank that Leslie Little developed was rejected by...
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T8 Periscopic Sights
"Periscopic T8 sightThe principle of the T8 periscope does not differ from previously examined periscopes. It combines an observation periscope with a telescopic system. This design is a further step...
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New Year, New Valentines
"December 30th, 1942To the Deputy Chief of the GABTU, Major-General of the Tank Forces, comrade KorobkovOur representatives in England say that 70 Valentine-9 tanks are being sent with the next...
View ArticleAcceptance of the T-34-85
"State Committee of Defense Decree #4776ssDecember 15th, 1943On the production of the T-34-85 tank with an 85 mm gun at factory #112The State Committee of Defense decrees:TheT-34-85 tank designed at...
View ArticleRadio Trucks
"To the People's Commissar of Defense, comrade I.V. StalinAugust 5th, 1941I report on the execution of NKO order #0243s issued on July 23rd, 1941, on the issue of producing armoured carriers for Army...
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Valentine With a Long Gun
In the spring of 1943 the variety of British tanks sent to the USSR dropped radically. Matilda tanks were no longer sent, the Churchill nearly vanished from shipping manifests. The Valentine remained...
View ArticleNew Year, New Weapons
"Decree #443ss of the Committee of Defense of the Council of CommissarsDecember 19th, 1939Moscow, KremlinOn the acceptance of tanks, armoured cars, and artillery tractors into service in the Red Army...
View ArticleTrial and Error
"To the Chair of the Committee of Defense of the Council of Commissars, Marshal of the Soviet Union, comrade VoroshilovNovember 6th, 1940Experimental exercises held by tank and mechanized units and...
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PzIV Penetration Trials
I previously posted about some dodgy quality armour the British found in PzIII tanks. Samples obtained from various tanks tended to behave in a similar fashion, but other trials showed that this...
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T-64's Birthday
"Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSRDecree dated December 30th, 1966Moscow, KremlinOn the acceptance of a new medium tank into service with the Soviet ArmyThe Central...
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Modernization, Polish Style
The 7TP, a Polish modernization of the Vickers Mk.E, was the pride of Polish tank building in the interwar period. Skilfully combining products of the Swiss Saurer company (who made the engine) and the...
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Panther's Side
The Panther's thick front armour could not be penetrated by any Soviet tank gun in use in 1943. This immunity, however, did not apply to the side armour, which turned out to be vulnerable to even the...
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A Different Angle
There is a strangely prevalent opinion in some circles that everything there was to know about WWII was already known, and that any new information is completely unnecessary revisionism. Those people...
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