U-18 Controversy
After the conclusion of the Great Patriotic War, People's Commissar of Tank Production Malyshev ordered each factory to write up a record of their activity during the war. This is what UZTM wrote about...
View ArticleAnti-Tank Gas
"Distribution:Supreme Command of the Land ForcesStaff of the Chief of Army Engineering Structures and Fortifications#5681/42SecretTranslated from GermanArmy Group A (General of Engineering Forces)The...
View ArticleFedorov Avtomat
"July 7th, 1924Minutes #222/23On weapons (Sheydeman):Categorically reject Fedorov's rifle if ammunition is not manufactured at the same time.As soon as possible limit the number of avtomats chambered...
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T-18: Mass Produced Answer to Chamberlain
The Red Army accepted the T-18 infantry support tank, better known as the MS-1, into service on July 6th, 1927. This tank was developed by Soviet specialists and was the first truly mass produced...
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Gold Rounds
"Results of experimental firing at a German King Tiger tank with a BP-460A HEAT shell from the 122 mm model 1938 howitzerFiring against the side of the hull (at 89 degrees 28 minutes). Distance 200...
View ArticleT-43 Level Up
"Approximate calculationsIncrease in mass of the T-43 tank as a result of new tactical-technical requirementsThe main changes in the tactical-technical requirements that will result in an increase in...
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Beginning of the ZIS-2
"People's Commissar of DefenseDecember 10th, 1940To:Central Committee of the VKP(b), comrade StalinCouncil of People's Commissars, comrade MolotovCommittee of Defense of the Council of People's...
View ArticleLocal Procurement
"HQ of the Northern Group of the Transcaucasian Front ABTU#0421September 10th, 1942To: Deputy Commander of Artillery of the Northern Group of the Transcaucasian FrontCC: Deputy Commander of the...
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Slow and Thick-skinned
Most British tanks built in the first half of the Second World War quickly became obsolete. Their war ended by mid-1943, after that they only served as a chassis for SPGs or ARVs. The only British tank...
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King Tiger Penetration Trials
"10th Tarnopol Order of Lenin Independent Guards Tank Destroyer BrigadeSeptember 3rd, 1944#0302To: Commander of artillery of the 1st Ukrainian Front, Colonel General of Artillery, BarentsovCC:...
View ArticleLesson Plan
"March 20th, 1945Syllabus for technical preparation of crews for usage of tanks and SPGs in spring-summer conditionsObjective: to teach the main rules of moving over to using tanks and SPGs in the...
View ArticleRoots of the SU-152
"Approved: Deputy People's Commissar of Tank Production, Major General of the Technical Forces, KotinApproved: Chief of the GABTU BTU, Major General of the Tank Forces, KorobkovJanuary 31st,...
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David vs Goliath
"Results of firing at the King Tiger tank with a 45 mm model 1943 gunFiring was done from 180 meters at the side of the tank. The results are as follows:Of 4 shots with armour piercing shells, none...
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Pocket Fury
British tank building developed differently from other nations. For instance, the British built tanks in one weight category that had vastly different characteristics. It is no less interesting that...
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T-34-85 Reliability, 1945
The service life of the T-34 tank continued to increase throughout the war. The engine could be expected to put out 250 hours of service by 1945, with individual drivers able to get to 300. These were...
View ArticleRules of Conduct
"Top SecretCipher #1141-1143From 65th ArmySubmitted August 10th, 1944, 21:00Accepted August 10th, 1944, 21:41Received by Ciphers Office on August 10th, 1944, 22:20Special priority#5270/ShTo commanders...
View ArticleDrive Me Closer
"Award OrderName: Shunkov, Sergei PetrovichRank: Guards SergeantPosition, unit: assistant driver, 45th Guards Tank Regimentis nominated for the Order of the Patriotic War 1st ClassYear of birth:...
View ArticleBS-3 Sight Adjustment
"Directorate of Artillery3rd Guards Tank ArmyDepartment of Artillery SupplyJanuary 31st, 1945#0170To the Commander of the 367th Field Artillery Regiment100 mm model 1944 guns are equipped with drum...
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Medium Assault Tank for the British
When the British Military Mission arrived in the United States in late 1940, they expected production of British tanks to begin in American factories. The plan was to repeat the situation in WWI, where...
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End of the Superheavies
"I order:My deputy, Chief of the Main Tank Directorate, comrade Maksarev, and Director of the Kirov factory in Chelyabinsk, comrade Zaltsmann:Cease further production of the IS-4.Correct defects...
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