Soviet Union's KV Heavy Tanks (original) (raw)

KV-1 Heavy Tank in 1941.	KV-1 Heavy Tank:	KV-1 Heavy Tank:	KV-1 Heavy Tank:
KV-1 Heavy Tank:	KV-1 Heavy Tank in Leningrad going to the front.	KV-1 Heavy Tank:	KV-1 Heavy Tank:
KV-1 Heavy Tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum		KV-8 Heavy Tank with flame thrower:

1/72 Diecast Models of KV-1
Hobby Master:	Easy Models:
3001:	3003:	3005:	36289:

Design

In 1938 the SMK (Sergius Mironovitch Kirov) and the T-100 were designed by S.J. (Z.?) Kotin / I.S. Kotin8 (chief engineer of the Kirov-Zavod tank factory in Leningrad) to replace the T-35. The prototypes were tested in the Russo-Finnish War and were found to be too large and too complex. At Stalin's suggestion Kotin modified the T-100 by removing the small front turret which had a 45 mm gun and was able to design a more compact vehicle and increase the armor based on the weight savings.

The design work started in February 1939 at the Kirov Factory in Leningrad.9 A wooden mockup was ready in April 1939.9 By September 1939 the first prototype was show to the General Staff.9 It was accepted in December 1939, with production starting in February 1940.9

This vehicle was originally called the Kotin-Stalin but was officially changed to the Klimenti Voroshilov9 / Klementi Vorishilov / Marshal Klimenti Voroshilov8,11 (KV) after the Defense Commissar.

The first prototype first appeared in September 1939 and it was accepted on December 15, 1939, for introduction to the Red Army. In the summer of 1940 production started.

They came from the production lines in Leningrad and went straight to the front at Karelian. The factory was later moved to Chelyabinsk.

The engine was the same as the T-34 but with minor modifications. Initially the armor was welded.9

The driver sat in the middle.8,9 The radio operator / machine gunner sat on the left.8,9

Drive sprocket was at the rear.8

Prototype

Production

• KV-1:
  • Production: 2/1940-:9
  • 1939-: 3,000
  • 1940: 1412, 243
  • 1941: 1,1211,2
  • 1942: 1,7531,2

Variants

• KV-1: The first models were prone to clutch and transmission faults.
• KV-1A, KV-1 1940:
• KV-1B, KV-1 1941:
• KV-1C, KV-1 1942:
• KV-1s:
• KV-8: Had 45 mm M32 gun installed in place of main gun and an ATO-41 flame-thrower installed coaxially.7 It had 670 liters of oil and game 52-55 bursts of flames. It's range was about 46 meters. Used KV-1C chassis. Had 116 round of 45 mm, 2,772 rounds of MG, and weighed around 44 tons.
• KV-85:

Usage

In Feb. 1940 a platoon of KV-1s were sent to Finland11 for trials. Despite hits from Finnish antitank weapons none were knocked out. By June 1941 there were 636 produced. By the Battle for Moscow (December 1941) 1,364.

| | KV-1 | | | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Crew | Commander, gunner, auxiliary driver, driver/mechanic, radio-operator Commander/loader, gunner, 2nd driver/mechanic, driver/mechanic, hull gunner/radio operator8 51,6,8,9,11,12 | | Physical Characteristics | | | Weight | 102,200, 104,719 lb, 104,791 lb9 42,910 kg1, 43,000 kg11, 47,500 kg9 42.23 tons1, 42.3 tons11, 43.5 tons8, 46.35 tons6,12, 47.5 tons7 | | Length w/gun | 20.6'9, 21' 11"11, 22.6'6,12, 24' 3"1 6.3 m9, 6.68 m11, 6.9 m7, 7.41 m1 | | Length w/o gun | 22' 1" | | Height | 7.9'9, 7' 11", 8' 8"'6,12, 8' 10", 8' 11"11, 9' 5"1 2.4 m9, 2.71 m7,11, 2.87 m1 | | Width | 10.2'9, 10' 2", 10.65'6,12, 10' 10", 10' 11"11, 11' 5"1, 3.1 m9, 3.32 m7,11, 3.49 m1 | | Width over tracks | | | Ground clearance | 1' 2.5" | | Ground contact length | 14.2'12 | | Ground pressure | 10.68 psi, 10.7 psi9, 11.23 psi 0.7 (kg/cm2)9 | | Turret ring diameter | | | Armament | | | Main | 76.2 mm M1938/39 L/30.512 76.2 mm L/30.58 76.2 mm1,2 76.2 mm F-349 76.2 mm L/41 ZiS-511 | | Secondary | | | MG | 3: 7.62 mm MG1 3: MG6,12 up to 4: 7.62 mm MG11 | | MG - coaxial | 1: MG8 1: 7.62 mm DT MG9 | | MG - rear | 1: MG8 1: 7.62 mm DT MG (some models)9 | | MG - hull | 1: MG8 1: 7.62 mm DT MG12 | | Side arms | | | Quantity | | | Main | 1119,12, 114 | | Secondary | | | MG | 3,0009, 3,02412 | | Side arms | | | Armor Thickness (mm) | 7511 30 - 706, 75+256, 75 - 1009, 90-1108 Front: 757 Side: 757 | | Hull Front, Upper | 759, later models: 75+359, 10612 | | Hull Front, Lower | | | Hull Sides, Upper | 75 - 7712, 90+40, 90-130 | | Hull Sides, Lower | 90 | | Hull Rear | 75, 60-75 | | Hull Top | 30 - 4012, 30, 35 | | Hull Bottom | 30 - 4012, 30 | | Turret Front | 30 - 10012, 120 | | Turret Sides | 120 | | Turret Rear | 90 | | Turret Top | 40 | | Engine (Make / Model) | W-2-K2 V-28, V-2-K IS9 V2K11, V-2K12 | | Bore / stroke | | | Cooling | Water9 | | Cylinders | V-1211, 129,12 | | Capacity | | | Net HP | 5506,11,12, 6007,8 600@2,000 rpm9 | | Power to weight ratio | 12.6 hp/ton9 | | Compression ratio | | | Transmission (Type) | 5 forward, 1 reverse | | Steering | | | Steering ratio | | | Starter | | | Electrical system | | | Ignition | | | Fuel (Type) | Diesel6,9,11,12 | | Octane | | | Quantity | 158.5 gallons | | Road consumption | | | Cross country consumption | | | Performance | | | Traverse | 360° | | Max speed | 21.7 mph11, 21.8 mph1, 22 mph6,8,12 35 kph1,7,11 | | Cross country speed | 12.4 mph | | Road radius | 93 miles11, 140 miles1,12, 156 miles, 210 miles8 150 km11, 225 km1 | | Cross country radius | 94 miles12 | | Turning radius | 31' | | Elevation lLimits | -4 to +24.5 | | Fording depth | 4' 8" | | Trench crossing | 8' 6" | | Vertical obstacle | 3' 8" | | Climbing ability | | | Suspension (Type) | Torsion bar12 | | Wheels each side | 6 twin steel8 | | Return rollers each side | 38 | | Tracks (Type) | | | Length | | | Width | 2' 3.5"8,12 | | Diameter | | | Number of links | | | Pitch | | | Tire tread | | | Track centers/tread | |

Sources:

1. Russian Tanks of World War II Stalin's Armored Might, by Tim Bean & Will Fowler, 2002
2. Russian Tanks and Armored Vehicles 1917-1945, by Wolfgang Fleischer, 1999
3. The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
4. Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
5. Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1943-1945, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
6. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
7. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
8. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
9. Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
10. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
11. The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
12. Airfix Magazine Guide 22 Russian Tanks of World War 2, John Milsom and Steve Zaloga, 1977