The Germans developed a number of different tanks in response to the Soviet Union’s KV-1 and T-34, and the Soviets, in turn, responded to these German developments by creating the JS (Joseph Stalin)-1 Heavy Tank. Design of the JS -1 commenced in 1941. The Soviets wanted the JS-1 to be a four-man tank that didn’t …
Category Archives: Soviet Union World War Two Tanks
JS-2 Heavy Tank
The JS-2 Heavy Tank, which was also known as the Victory Tank, was an upgraded version of the JS-1, with a larger main gun. Production of the JS-2 began at the end of December 1943. By the beginning of 1944, about 100 JS-2s were in service. A 4.8 inch (122mm) main gun was fitted onto …
KV-1 Heavy Tank
When the KV-1 heavy tank entered World War II, out of all the Allied tanks, it and the Soviet T-34 were the best matches for the German tanks of the time. The KV-1, which resembled the T-100 with one turret removed, first entered service in the Russo-Finish war in 1939. It was the first Soviet heavy tank …
KV-2 Heavy Tank
The KV-2 was designed to break through fortifications. It had an enormous turret which carried a gigantic 5.98 inch howitzer. Anti-concrete shells the size of garbage cans were fired from the howitzer. These shells were used to knock down pillboxes and bastions. As a specialized version of the KV-1, the KV-2 played a role similar …
T-34/76 Medium Tank
The T-34/76 medium tank was the main Soviet medium tank used during World War II. During Operation Barbarossa, the attempted Nazi invasion of Russia, it was used successfully against German PzKpfw IIIs and PzKpfw IVs. The Germans were so impressed with the T-34 that they decided to copy it. The German PzKpfw V Panther heavy …
T-34/85 Medium Tank
The T-34/85 medium tank was an improved version of the T-34 that was built in 1943. It had a larger turret and more powerful gun than the T-34/76. A commander’s cupola was added to the turret, which was large enough to hold three crewmembers, increasing the size of the entire crew from 4 to 5. …
T-70 Light Tank
The T-70 light tank played an important role during World War II because it was cheap and easy to mass produce. In the 1930s, the Soviet Union purchased some British Carden-Loyd Light Amphibious Tanks from Vickers-Armstrong. These were used as a model for a Soviet light amphibious tank that became known as the T-37. This …