T34
Soviet Russian Tank (medium)
T34 |
The
ancestry of the T-34 derives from prototype fast tanks
built by American tank
designer J. Walter Christie, which were sold to the
Soviet Union after the American military declined to buy
them. In particular the T-34 incorporates the Christie
suspension.
Also See:
| Stalingrad IS-2_Soviet_Tank, ISU-152, T-35
Soviet Heavy Tank, T-55
Tank, T-62
Soviet Medium Tank, T80
Main Battle Tank, T-90
Main Battle Tank T-72
Tank M60
Patton M1
Abrams M1A1 M1A2 Tank Tank
history WW1 WW2 List
of tanks WW1, WW2, Modern US
Army List of Tanks WW2 M4_Sherman US
Tank Production World War 2 WW2
German Tank Production Panzer
3 III, Panzer
4 IV Pz4, Tiger
1, King
Tiger 2 Maus
(Tank) - Panzer VIII WW2 world largest tank Matilda
Infantry Tank |
| General
Characteristics T34 |
| T34 Length: |
8 m |
| T34 Width: |
3.0 m |
| T34 Height: |
2.7 m |
| Weight: |
26 T |
| T34 Speed: |
55 km/h
(road)
- (off-road) |
| Range: |
185 km |
| Primary
armament: |
76 mm gun |
| Secondary
armament: |
two 7.62 mm
machine guns |
| Power plant: |
370 kW (500
hp) Diesel |
| Crew: |
4 |
| |
| General Characteristics
(T-34 /85) |
| Length: |
8.0 m |
| Width: |
3.0 m |
| Height: |
2.7 m |
| Weight: |
32 t |
| Speed: |
55 km/h
(road)
- (off-road) |
| Range: |
360 km |
| Primary
armament: |
85mm gun |
| Secondary
armament: |
two 7.62 mm
machine guns |
| Power plant: |
373 kW (500
hp) Diesel |
| Crew: |
5 |
Development proper commenced in
1936, and a prototype was completed in 1939. Full scale
production started in 1940.
Between 1940 and 1944 over 35000
T-34/76 tanks were produced. The T-34 was produced in two
major variants, the T-34/76 with a 76 mm gun and a
T-34/85 with an 85 mm gun. After the war the T34 was
followed by the T-44 and the T-54.
- T-34/76A
- Production model of 1940
- T34
/76B - Production model of 1941 with
heavier armor and a
cast turret.
- T-34 /76C -
Production model of 1942 with heavier armor and a
redesigned turret.
- T34 /76D -
Production model of 1943 with welded turret.
- T-34 /76E -
Production model of 1943 with a commanders
cupola.
- T-34 /76F -
Production model of 1943 with a cast version of
the T-34/76D turret.
- T34 /85 -
Production model of 1943 with a 85 mm gun and
improved turret.
- Panzerkampfwagen
T-34(r) - T-34s captured by Germany.
The T-34 chassis was used as the
basis for a series of self-propelled guns such as the
SG-122 and SU-85.
Some T-34 were fitted as
self-propelled gunss by Syria.
The T-34
is often used as a symbol for Soviet resistance and
German arrogance. As such, its actual performance and
impact on the war is often overrated. Nevertheless, the
appearance of the T34 definitely was an unpleasant
surprise for the German commanders, as it could combat
all 1942 German tanks effectively. It was faster, had
better armament (50mm was the predominant calibre of
German tanks guns) and better armour protection, due to
the technical innovation of sloped armour.
However,
direct tank to tank combat was a rather rare occurrence;
the vast majority of losses suffered were from logistical
and mechanical troubles (50% of Soviet tanks at the start
of the German invasion), artillery and air strikes and
(self-propelled) anti-tank guns. At the outset of the
war, only about 10% of all Soviet tanks were T-34
variants, this number increased to 50-60% percent till
mid-1943. By the time the T-34 had replaced older models
and became available in greater numbers, new German tanks
(including the improved German design based on the T-34,
the Panzer-V 'Panther') outperformed it.
Still, the
T-34 was an adequate and effective tank and played a big
part in the defeat of the German invaders.
"The
finest tank in the world" - Field-Marshal
Ewald von Kleist
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