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IS-2 Resilience
The IS-2 tank debuted in early 1943, and, judging by collected combat experience, still enjoyed relative immunity on the battlefield until the end of the year, both against enemy tanks and anti-tank...
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Intermediate IS
Joseph Stalin signed GKO decree #4043 "On the production of IS tanks" on September 4th, 1943. This was the end to a long process of the creation of a new Soviet heavy tank that could replace the KV-1...
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Weak Spots 2
I posted a pretty large collection of flyers showing weak spots of enemy tanks before, but here are a couple more.First, the Pz38(t).The symbols are the same: a target with an arrow shows where to...
View ArticleTank vs Train
"To the Chief of the 4th Department of the ABTU, Military Engineer 1st Class, comrade AlymovI report that at 18:15 on January 11th, 1940, during a QA run, a T-28 tank collided with a passenger train...
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Anti-Tiger Tactics
"Directorate of Armoured and Motorized Vehicles of the 6th ArmyJuly 21st, 1943#0694Only to: 212th Tank RegimentIn battle on the Voronezh Front on July 5th-6th the enemy used T-6 tanks in large amounts....
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Vampires
Some documents contain interesting information all on their own, some raise more questions than give answers. Then there's something like this."Intelligence Department of the Western FrontNovember...
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IS with a Heavy Gun
The tank that went into production under the name IS-85 was only a temporary solution. By the time GKO decree #4043 "On the production of IS tanks" was signed, the military already considered the 85 mm...
View ArticleWishlist
"Decree of the Committee of Defense of the Council of Commissars of the USSRNovember 1940Â Moscow, KremlinContents: on additional tactical-technical requirements for SP, T-34, and KV tanksThe Committee...
View ArticleHeavyweight
"To Chief of the 8th Department, Military Engineer 1st Class comrade AfoninNovember 18th, 1939SummaryA-34 vehicle (as of November 16th, 1939):Blueprints for 31 groups have been sent to the...
View ArticlePanzerfaust Shortage
"Recently, I have observed a senseless and completely unjustified expenditure of flares and Panzerfausts in the division. Despite a number of orders and directives regarding conservative use of...
View ArticleUp, Up, and Away!
"To director of factory #183, comrade LyashCC: ABTU Chief, comrade BokisNKOP Secretariat Chief, comrade KryukovWe send you tactical-technical specifications based on the personal orders of the People's...
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Struggle for the Assembly Line
The experimental Object 240 tank was accepted into service with the Red Army on October 31st, 1943. This was the end of the history of the KV, which started in 1939. The last touch applied to the new...
View ArticleFuture of Soviet Tanks
"February 21st, 1938To People's Commissar of Defense, Marshal of the Soviet Union, comrade Voroshilov...Using existing tanks in the Red ArmyExisting 862 T-18 tanks should be used as mobile anti-tank...
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New Turret, Old Gun
The 85 mm gun and enlarged turret for the T-34 were developed as separate projects. I already wrote about what happens when you put the 85 mm gun in the standard hex turret, but there was also the...
View ArticleDemobilization and Amnesty
"Encrypted message #909From: Leningrad FrontSubmitted: 2:10 July 15th, 1945Received: 3:10 July 15th, 1945Submitted for decryption: 3:20 July 15th, 1945Decrypted: 4:00 July 15th, 1945Decryptor's...
View ArticleFinancial Gratitude
One of the biggest issues with T-34 production was the use of new austenitic electrodes, which welders were not skilled at working with. A group of instructors from the NII-48 research institute had to...
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Modernization on Paper
Technical progress moves in giant leaps during large wars. This rule applied to nearly all types of weapons and armament during WWII, including tanks. Every year of war raised the bar of requirements,...
View ArticleThe New T-34
"Decree #428ss of the State Committee of Defense of the Council of Commissars of the USSRNovember 19th, 1940Moscow, KremlinOn changes and additions to the tactical-technical requirements of KV, T-34,...
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ZIS-S-53 Gunnery Trials
"VII. Trials of armamentFiring the 85 mm mod. 1944 ZIS-S-53 gun1. Determining accuracy and precision of fireAccuracy and precision trials were performed using steel HE grenades. Aiming was done with...
View ArticleZIS-30 in Battle
"To: Deputy GABTU Chief, Major-General of the Technical Forces, LebedevCC: Deputy Chair of the Automotive and Armoured Vehicles Council South-Western Direction, Lieutenant-General of the Tank Forces,...
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