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Self-Centered
Typically, armoured vehicles have a tendency to sag forward, especially as they are modernized throughout their service life. Heavier cannons and frontal armour often strain the front suspension...
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The American Highrise
Many Russian publications give the Medium Tank M3, known in the USSR as M3Sr (sredniy - medium) a poor evaluation. It is often dubbed "a grave for six brothers". Indeed, reviews of the M3 were the...
View ArticleV-2 Woes
"February 1st, 1939To Military Representative at factory #183, Military Engineer 2nd Class, Comrade FedorovA telegram received from your deputy, comrade Kolesnik, and a message Military Engineer 2nd...
View ArticleReduce, Reuse, Recycle
"An inquiry from the State Planning Commission to the Head of the ABTU regarding the use of secondary metals in wartimeSeptember 20th, 1936The use of scrap metal and byproducts, especially of...
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Cabin on the Tanks
"Mechanic-driver's stationThe mechanic-driver is located to the left of the ammunition rack in the front of the tank. The driver's seat is immobile. The seat can flip back and its angle can be...
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Waste Not, Want Not
"16th Motorized Infantry DivisionUnit 1-bDivision HQ, September 1st, 1941Special supply order #29Dual shields for anti-tank gunsShields of Russian anti-tank guns can be easily adapted for German...
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A Bigger Howitzer on a Smaller Chassis
The American Ordnance Committee standardized the HMC T47 as the HMC M8 on May 15th, 1942. This vehicle was accepted into service even before a prototype was built and became the first American light...
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Even More MKb 42(H) Intel
"GAU Artillery Committee Information DepartmentInformation Summary #16July 1943...New German light machinegun and ammunition for itIn June of 1943, Red Army units captured a new 7.9 mm machinegun...
View ArticleBudget Tracks
"Order of the People's Commissar of Tank Production of the USSR #131-MMoscowApril 10th, 1942In order to preserve ferromanganese in T-34 and T-60 track links and improve production of steel in electric...
View ArticleMonstrous Regiment
Even as late as 1944, Red Army tank units were far from being populated entirely by T-34s. Sometimes colourful mixes like these went into battle, and their owners had to put up with a gently used...
View ArticleHeavyweight
"October 18th, 1945To the Deputy People's Commissar of Railways, Vice General Director 1st Class comrade ArutyunovA captured special tank weighing 160 tons (including a removable 40 ton turret)...
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A Fast Howitzer on a Light Chassis
Unlike American light tanks, which towards the war reached perfection in their class, light SPGs did not work out. The first successful design, the HMC M8, appeared towards the middle of the war. It...
View ArticleExperimental Work at Factory #183, February 1941
"Report on experimental work at factory #183 for February of 1941Work performed at workshop 500:Trials of two types of main clutches with a friction clutch for the fan. Tanks with these clutches drove...
View ArticleSabotage
"Commanders of the FrontsAugust 10th, 194219:50Our tank units and formations take heavy losses, and losses in tanks for technical reasons outweigh losses in battle. On the Stalingrad Front, over 6 days...
View ArticleDifference of Opinion
"A record of disagreement regarding contract #B1-221 signed on May 8th, 1941, between Comintern factory #183 and the GABTU regarding delivery of T-34 tanks in 1941Article 9 paragraph 1:GABTU version:...
View ArticleExpress Tank Destroyers
"Decree #252ss of the State Committee of DefenseJuly 23rd, 1941The People's Commissar of Armament (comrade Ustinov) is to install the first 100 57 mm anti-tank guns on Komsomolets tractors.The People's...
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Gorilla, King Kong's Sister
Like other members of the Light Combat Team based on the M24 Chaffee chassis, the 155 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M41 did not take part in WWII, but fought actively in Korea. Even though the Gorilla was...
View ArticleFactory #183 Experiments, January-February 1941
"Report on the execution of experimental work on armoured vehicles from January 1st to February 20th, 1941Tractor "42" on the T-34 chassisDue date: September 19402x prototypes were built in November of...
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Ferdinand Intel
"Captured enemy vehiclesFerdinand SPGCharacteristics: 88 mm gun with an elongated barrel on the Tiger tank chassis, immobile armoured turret. Mass: 67-70 tons. Chassis: width 3.5 meters, length (with...
View ArticleV-2 Improvements
I've written a lot about what the reliability of the T-34 tank was, but not as much about where the army wanted it to be. I don't have as much data on the expected lifetime of engines in 1942 as I do...
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