Experimental tank T-34-85 model 1960 “Object 135”

The defeat of German troops at Stalingrad in the winter of 1943 marked the beginning of a radical change in the course of the entire Eastern Company. Soviet troops managed not only to stop the advance of German troops to the East, but also to inflict a heavy defeat on Germany. The T-34 medium tank of the 1940 model, armed with 76 mm, became a symbol of the fortitude, courage and perseverance of the Soviet troops of the first period of the war. cannon. Despite the fact that this vehicle bore the brunt of the armed confrontation with the Panzerwaffe, the T 34 85 tank became the victorious symbol. It is this tank that today can be found on pedestals and obelisks in almost all corners of the country, in museum exhibitions and in private collections.

This situation occurs quite often in military history. Some types of weapons and types of military equipment were given the role of becoming the main workhorse, while others had the honor of accepting the laurels of the winners. This is approximately the fate of the T 34 85, the best tank of the Second World War, which appeared at the front at the final stage of the war.

Preparing your desktop

First of all, you need to prepare your table on which you will work. There should be no unnecessary things on it and every tool should be at hand. Not everyone has their own desktop and has probably already thought about creating one. Making a table is not difficult, but choosing a place for it in the house is difficult. The ideal option is an insulated balcony, on which you can do crafts at any time. I have already written about preparing the table in a separate article and tried to describe in as much detail as possible the entire process of creating it. If you don’t know how to prepare your workplace, then read the following Article. After you have completed the process of creating a table, try to start choosing your future craft.

Layout

The T-34 tank was configured according to the classical design with a rear-mounted engine and transmission. The shape of its hull and turret was recognized by both opponents and allies as the most successful for its time in terms of projectile resistance and was considered a role model. But miracles don’t happen, and you have to pay for everything. In this case, by the booked volume. The large slope of the frontal armor, advantageous from the point of view of projectile resistance, coupled with the unsuccessful, although structurally simpler - longitudinal - arrangement of the massive 12-cylinder engine and transmission, reduced the volume of the fighting compartment and did not allow the driver's hatch to be placed on the turret plate of the hull.

Medium tank T-34 STZ manufactured in 1942. 3rd Guards Tank Brigade, Kalinin Front, spring 1942.

Characteristic features of the T-34 tank produced by STZ in 1942.

As a result, the hatch was made in the front plate, which significantly reduced its resistance to projectiles. The fighting compartment of the T-34 was the smallest compared to all medium tanks that took part in World War II! In addition, due to the displacement of the fighting compartment to the bow of the hull, the crew and weapons were exposed to the effects of longitudinal vibrations of the hull to a greater extent than with the front transmission.

The tightness of the turret and the fighting compartment as a whole significantly reduced all the advantages of the powerful 76-mm gun, which was simply inconvenient to maintain. But the main thing is that the limited volume of the turret did not allow placing a third crew member in it, and the gunner combined his duties with those of a tank commander, and sometimes even a unit commander.

Cast “improved” turret of Uralmashplant. 1942

Tanks accepted by the crews on railway platforms in the delivery shop of plant No. 183. Nizhny Tagil, winter 1943.

T-34 tank with an “improved” turret from the 106th Tank Brigade. September 1942.

In fairness, it must be said that the undoubted advantage of the aft location of the engine and transmission compartments is the ease of access and maintenance of the engine and transmission units. Thus, on the T-34, the entire roof of the MTO consisted of either removable parts, fastened with bolts, or hinged.

T-34 mod. 1942

T-34 tank with an “improved” turret.

A T-34 tank with a stamped turret manufactured by UZTM leaves the assembly shop of the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant, August 1943.

T-34 tank produced in 1943 with a commander's cupola during training in one of the units of the Soviet Army. 1950s.

In addition, the proximity of the engine and transmission compartments made it possible to place in the latter a number of units of power, lubrication and cooling systems. In the T-34, for example, in 1942, two rather large Cyclone air cleaners were placed in the transmission compartment.

At the same time, the rear location of the transmission significantly complicated the control drives. The rods to the main clutch, gearbox and tank turning mechanisms ran along the entire length of the hull, and access to them was difficult.

One of the first T-34-85 tanks with a D-5T cannon at the Kubinka training ground. The gun mantlet, typical only for this modification, the location of the commander's cupola and additional fuel tank, which are strongly shifted forward, are clearly visible, as well as the eyelets made of rods for dismantling the turret. The viewing slot in the left side of the turret is typical only for Sormovo vehicles with the D-5T cannon.

Soviet tanks in the mountains of Transylvania. 2nd Ukrainian Front, Romania, summer 1944. This is an early production vehicle, as can be judged by the S-53 cannon, the absence of lugs for attaching spare tracks on the frontal armor of the hull, and the MK-4 surveillance devices without covers.

To protect them from transverse bending, they were made massive and divided by a system of transition rollers into a number of sections. An increase in play in the articulated joints and minor misadjustments of the drives disrupted the correct gear shifting. It was also possible that the control drives could fail due to accidental causes: foreign objects (for example, spent machine gun cartridges) getting in between the rods and the bottom. Based on experience in operating tanks with a stern-mounted transmission, over 50% of all malfunctions were due to misadjustment of control drives.

The side arrangement of the fuel tanks, especially in the fighting compartment and without enclosures, cannot be considered a successful layout solution. It was not because of a good life that the tankers tried to fill their tanks to capacity before the battle - diesel fuel vapors explode no worse than gasoline, but diesel fuel itself never does.

In the T-34-85, the main drawback was eliminated - the cramped fighting compartment and the associated impossibility of complete division of labor among the crew members. This was achieved by increasing the diameter of the turret ring from 1420 to 1600 mm, as well as installing a new three-man turret of significantly larger dimensions than the T-34.

Turret with D-5T cannon. The first vehicles produced had only one tower fan.

T-34-85 late production 1944. Non-standard mud flaps were installed, apparently during repairs. Quite a rare photograph in which the completely open “eyelashes” are clearly visible - the armored covers of the prisms of the driver’s observation devices.

At the same time, the design of the body and the arrangement of components and assemblies in it have not undergone any significant changes. Consequently, all the shortcomings characteristic of vehicles with a stern-mounted engine and transmission were preserved, and in part even worsened. If the T-34 had a more or less uniform distribution of the weight load on the road wheels, then the T-34-85 had overloaded front rollers due to the large and heavy turret shifted towards the nose. The gun's overhang beyond the dimensions of the tank led to the danger of sticking it into the ground when the tank moved through natural and artificial obstacles, and also limited the freedom of maneuvering in narrow passages.

There are two ways out of this situation: either increase the length of the control (or combat) compartment, which will inevitably lead to an increase in the overall length of the tank and a deterioration in its maneuverability due to an increase in the L/B ratio - the length of the supporting surface to the track width (for the T-34- 85 it is close to the optimal - 1.5), or radically change the layout of the engine and transmission compartments, for example, turning the engine across the body.

T-34-85 tank manufactured in 1945 on display at the Imperial War Museum in London. 2005 year.

This was done on the domestic T-44 and T-54 medium tanks, which were put into service in 1944 and 1945, respectively. During the war they did not go for such a radical rearrangement of the T-34 tank, and, probably, this was the right decision. At the same time, the diameter of the turret ring, while maintaining the same hull shape, was practically maximum for the T-34-85, which did not allow placing a larger caliber artillery system in the turret. With the advent of the T-34-85, the possibilities for modernizing the T-34, at least in terms of armament, were completely exhausted.

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The main material is plywood. The choice is always difficult. Each of us has probably encountered such a problem as delamination of plywood from the end part and asked the question, what causes this delamination? Well, of course, this is mainly due to low-quality plywood. If this is not the first time you have picked up a jigsaw, then you can select plywood from the remnants of a previous craft. If you are new to sawing and you don’t have plywood, then buy it at a hardware store. Choosing material for sawing is always difficult. You should always choose plywood carefully, often look at the defects of the wood (knots, cracks) and draw conclusions. The difficulty in choosing plywood lies in the fact that no matter how you guess at its defects and shelf life. For example, you bought plywood, cleaned it, translated the drawing and suddenly it began to delaminate. Of course, this has happened to almost everyone and it’s oh, how unpleasant. So it is better to pay attention when choosing and choose good plywood. I wrote a special Article in which all the principles of choosing plywood are described step by step.

The situation in which the new “thirty-four” was born

One of the main factors of the achieved victory is the technical condition of the Red Army, which by this time had managed to restore its combat effectiveness. In the difficult conditions that prevailed in the country in 1941-42, the Soviet economy managed to put the production of basic weapons on stream, achieving quantitative superiority over the enemy. Soviet T-34-76 tanks began to enter the army en masse, becoming the main striking force of the Red Army. However, soon the number ceased to play into the hands of the Soviet command.

The appearance of new models of German armored vehicles on the Soviet-German front in 1943 immediately affected the combat effectiveness of Soviet tank units. First, the Germans modernized their Pz.IV tank by installing a long-barreled 75 mm. gun and increasing armor. Then new and modern vehicles, the Pz.V “Panther” and Pz.VI “Tiger” tanks, began to enter the troops. It was a completely new technique, with strong armor and high firepower. With the help of new tanks, the German command hoped to turn the tide of the struggle at the front and regain their lost military-technical superiority. The apotheosis of the German armored forces was to be Operation Citadel, during which German troops were to defeat the main forces of the Red Army.

To solve the assigned tasks, the main forces of the Panzerwaffe were concentrated near Kursk. All German tank and grenadier divisions that were supposed to take part in the operation were equipped with new tanks and self-propelled artillery units. At the forefront of the main attack, the Germans concentrated tank units equipped with modernized Pz.IV vehicles, brand new Panther and Tiger tanks and Ferdinand self-propelled guns.

The Soviet command had full-fledged tank armies and could counter this steel avalanche with quite impressive forces, but only quantitatively. The basis of the tank fleet of the Soviet troops near Kursk was the T-34 medium tank. A review of the results of the Battle of Kursk, a comparison of the size of the losses suffered by the Soviet tank armies during tank battles on the battlefield, showed the extent of the gap between Soviet armored vehicles and the new German tanks. It became obvious to the Soviet military leadership that the main Soviet tank, the dear and reliable thirty-four, was losing to its competitors in a direct clash. Armored units needed a new vehicle capable of fighting on equal terms with heavy German tanks.

Not immediately and not at one moment, such a machine appeared at the front. On the basis of the thirty-four, a new medium tank T 34 85 was created, a vehicle with an 85 mm caliber gun. This tank became a worthy opponent to the German menagerie on the battlefields of subsequent companies in the final stage of World War II.

Stripping plywood

We clean our plywood with sandpaper. As you already know, “Medium-grained” and “Fine-grained” sandpaper is used for cleaning plywood when sawing. You've probably seen sandpaper in hardware stores, and that's what we'll need. In your work you will need “Coarse-grained”, “Medium-grained” and “Fine-grained” sandpaper. Each of them has its own property, but a completely different coating, by which it is classified. “Coarse-grained” sandpaper is used for processing rough plywood, i.e. which has many defects, chips, and cracks. “Medium-grained” sandpaper is used for processing plywood after “Coarse” sandpaper and has a slight coating. “Fine-grained” or otherwise “Nulevka”. This sandpaper serves as the final process for stripping plywood. It gives the plywood smoothness, and therefore the plywood will be pleasant to the touch. Sand the prepared plywood in stages, starting with medium-grain sandpaper and ending with fine sandpaper. Sanding should be done along the layers, not across. A well-polished surface should be flat, completely smooth, glossy in the light and silky to the touch. How best to prepare plywood for sawing and which sandpaper is best to choose Read here. After stripping, check the plywood for burrs and small irregularities. If there are no visible defects, then you can proceed to the process of translating the drawing.

T-34/85 model 1944, Medium tank

Since the T-34 tank was produced at different enterprises, there were differences between the manufactured models and samples. In August 1939, the Main Military Council adopted the T-34 as the main medium battle tank of the Red Army. The new project was completed during December 1939 and became known as the T-34 tank of the 1940 model. On December 19, 1939, drawings and models of the new T-34 were presented to the High Command, which recommended the new tank for production, despite the fact that a prototype had not yet been manufactured.

Diesel engines. The first production samples of T-34 tanks were equipped with V-2 diesel engines, but due to their shortage, the old M-17 gasoline engine began to be installed on the tanks. The T-34 tank experienced such problems with the transmission that the tanks often went into battle with spare transmission parts bolted to the power compartment cover with steel cables. The T-34 of the 1940 model had a turret made of rolled armor plate and a short-barreled 76.2 mm L-11 gun of the 1938 model. The gun was installed in a cast cradle, which was welded to the casing. The T-34 model of 1940 became the standard model for all variants of the tank. They had interchangeable elements, including the engine, weapons, transmission and periscopes. The designers' main concern was simplicity of design. The tank had a welded hull made of rolled steel sheets. The designers used a Christie suspension with five large twin steel rollers on each side and a large gap between the second and third pairs. The drive wheel, located on the stern side for safety reasons, was a gear drum used on BT series tanks. It drove cast manganese steel tracks with central guide pins located on alternating tracks. The first T-34 models had a turret with a noticeable protrusion and a massive hatch that occupied the entire rear of the turret. The T-34 tank of the 1940 model was equipped with one periscope located in the front left. At the end of 1941, a small number of tanks were produced equipped with a long-barreled 57 mm ZIS-4 cannon, designed to engage lightly armored targets at greater distances than the 76.2 mm L-11 cannon.

T-34 model 1941. The second model of the T-34 appeared in 1941. Essentially, it was a command tank of the 1940 model with a turret made of rolled armor plate, equipped with a more powerful 76.2 mm L/41.5 gun of the 1940 model. The same bulky hatch remained on the turret, but some versions of the tank had two observation devices. The hull design remained the same, but a box for property was now installed on the right fender. The most notable feature of the T-34 tanks of the 1941 model was the replacement of the cast cradle with a corner one, which was secured with bolts. In 1942, tanks with a cast turret and new, wider tracks appeared. Some tanks were equipped with flamethrowers (ATO-41) and armored gas tanks mounted on the stern.

T-34 model 1942. In 1942, a cast turret (as opposed to a rolled sheet turret) became standard. The new turret weighed 4.4 tons with a ring diameter of 1.38 m. The tank had various improvements made taking into account the experience of combat use. The tank commander and gunner now each had a separate hatch. In addition, a new hull-mounted 7.62 mm DT machine gun was installed, which was more effective in close combat. At the beginning of 1942, designers developed a new model of the T-34 - T-34M. It had a chassis similar to that of the KV heavy tank (but with smaller diameter rollers), and a completely new hull and turret shape. However, this tank was not accepted for production. The only element of its design that was used for the next model, the T-34/76 model of 1943, was the hexagonal turret. As mentioned above, the T-34 tank of 1943 was designed taking into account information from the battlefield, which stated that one of the shortcomings of the T-34 was the turret protrusion overhanging the rear of the hull. This made the tank vulnerable to German anti-tank infantry who would climb onto the tank and place flat mines under the turret ledge. A new cast hexagonal turret without a projection appeared on the T-34 of the 1943 model. The new model had other innovations, including increased fuel capacity and weldable armor plate components.

Tank T-34/76E. Subsequent models of the T-34/76 are better known in the West by their British classification. Models E and G were produced in 1943. The hull and turret of the T-34/76 remained the same, but the tank received new, more efficient air purification and lubrication systems. The hull design was improved by using an automated welding technique for higher quality materials, which produced higher quality joints. Model E clearly demonstrated the success of Soviet industry. It became clear that each new T-34 model would be stronger and better armed.

Tank T-34/76F. Model F had a different appearance from other T-34 models, in particular the commander's panorama. The main differences were, however, inside the tank the T-34/76F received an improved and more efficient chassis. The old four-speed gearbox has been replaced with a five-speed one. It became easier to change gears, the speed of the tank increased. Improved air filters were used. The mechanical part of the T-34/76F was significantly different from the earlier T-34 models. However, a small number of tanks of this model were produced, as the situation began to change dramatically. In 1943, it became obvious that the 76.2 mm gun installed on the T-34 tank did not meet the requirements of the time. The model received many improvements, including more powerful armor, but the weapons remained insufficient. The appearance of German tanks equipped with long-barreled 75-mm and 88-mm cannons with high muzzle velocity finally confirmed that the T-34 should receive more powerful weapons. The result was the appearance of the T-34/85 tank.

Tank T-34/85-1. Developed in 1943, the T-34/85 was a rearmed T-34 tank with an 85 mm cannon. The tank had a new turret, originally developed for the KV-85 tank with a ring diameter of 1.56 m. The enlarged turret provided space for one more crew member, and the tank commander was able to concentrate on performing his immediate duties, without being distracted by gunfire. . The first T-34/85-1 were sent to the elite guards tank units. The new guns quickly proved their usefulness. They were developed on the basis of the pre-war 85-mm M1939 anti-aircraft gun, had an effective firing range of 1000 m and, it was claimed, could penetrate the frontal armor of Tiger and Panther tanks.

Chassis and suspension. The T-34 tank chassis, based on the Christie system, had five pairs of large rollers with a gap between the second and third pairs. The suspension of each roller was independent and suspended perpendicularly on a coil spring inside the housing. The drive sprocket was mounted at the rear, which reduced vulnerability. The same system was used on BT series machines. The drive sprockets rotated wide cast manganese steel tracks with central guide pins located on alternating tracks. Wide tracks gave a small specific pressure on the ground, not exceeding 0.7-0.75 kg/cm2. For British, German and American tanks, the value of this parameter was 0.95-1.0 kg/cm2. The fenders covered the upper part of the suspension system and protruded 25 cm in the front of the hull and 10 cm in the rear. The suspension allowed the T-34 tank to maintain high speed even when moving over very rough terrain, while the wide tracks of the tank weighing 28.3 tons made it possible to move through mud and deep snow.

Hull and armor. The hull, designed by Nikolai Kucherenko, hung over the tracks and had sloping sides. It was welded from rolled sheets of homogeneous steel. The thickness of the hull armor at the front was 45 mm, 40 mm at the rear and 20 mm at the top. The quality of the welding was very poor, but not so bad as to allow the welds to fail. The front armor plate, 45 mm thick, mounted at an angle of 60 degrees, had no openings, with the exception of the driver's hatch and the embrasure of the ball machine gun mount. There was a periscope in the driver's hatch. The sloped armor provided excellent protection from projectiles and was equivalent in protective properties to a 75 mm thick vertical armor plate. In fact, the T-34 tank was the most invulnerable in 1941. The roof of the rear part of the hull behind the turret was slightly raised, and the engine compartment louvers and exhaust pipes were placed on it. The upper rear plate and engine cover were secured with screws. If it was necessary to replace the engine or transmission, they could be removed.

Engine. The engine was located in the rear of the hull and was a V-shaped four-stroke 12-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine, originally developed for the BT-7M tank. This version of the 3.8 liter engine was upgraded for the T-34. At 1800 rpm it developed power of 493 hp. The power/weight ratio was 18.8 hp. per ton, which allowed the T-34 tank to reach a speed of 54 km/h on the highway and 25 km/h over rough terrain, depending on its nature, with an average fuel consumption of 1.84 l/km. When driving on the highway, this parameter improved significantly. The V-2 engine also made it possible to significantly increase the cruising range of the T-34 (up to 464 km) compared to tanks that had conventional gasoline internal combustion engines. The main fuel tank was located inside the hull, four cylindrical auxiliary tanks were on the sides and two smaller tanks were at the stern. The transmission was located in the rear of the hull and did not clutter up the fighting compartment and control compartment. At the beginning of the war, the transmission was unreliable, so some crews carried spare transmissions, tying them to the engine compartment with cables.

Tower. All models of the T-34 tank had a low turret. Although the low silhouette of the turret was useful in combat, it limited the deflection of the main and secondary armament barrels, especially on a reverse slope or when firing at short range. In addition, it was cramped inside the tower. From the control room one could immediately get into the tower. On later models, handrails for landing began to be welded to the turret and hull.

Driver and controls. The control area was separated from the engine compartment by a partition. The driver's workplace was located on the left side of the hull. It was equipped with a large hatch mounted on hinges. The hatch had a periscope for observation. The driver controlled the tank using a system with an onboard clutch and brake. The system was controlled by two control levers and a gear shift lever, as well as clutch pedals and a foot brake. The levers were connected to the transmission in the stern using metal rods running along the bottom of the gunk. To control the T-34 tank, it was necessary to exert more physical effort than to control Western-made vehicles, on which the transmission and gearbox were located next to each other. Driver mechanics of T-34 tanks often had to use a wooden hammer if the levers jammed. The four-speed gearbox on the last 100 T-34 tanks of the 1943 model was replaced by a five-speed one. As a result, it became easier to change gears and increase the speed of the tank. The floor contained the fuel injection, clutch and brake pedals. There was a pedal in the bottom (often called a “landing pedal”) that made it possible to stop the tank. There were also two compressed air cylinders for starting the engine at low temperatures.

Gunner-radio operator. The radio operator's workplace was located on the right in front of the hull. The hatch for leaving the vehicle was located in the bottom directly in front of the radio operator. The gunner-radio operator's armament consisted of a 7.62-mm Degtyarev tank machine gun in a ball mount with a horizontal aiming angle of 24 degrees and vertical aiming from -6 to +12 degrees. Machine guns mounted on tanks of the 1942 model were equipped with an armored mask. Despite the fact that at the beginning of the war there were no radio stations on most T-34 tanks and, due to an acute shortage of personnel, the radio operator’s position was empty, the number of tanks equipped with radios was constantly growing. In 1941, the vehicles of tank company commanders were equipped with the 71-TK-Z radio station. Efforts were made to equip platoon commanders' tanks with radios. During the first two years of the war, 71-TK-1 radios were also used. The situation improved when, at the end of 1942, the mass use of 9-P radio stations began. Although the range of these radios was 24 km, when moving they were effective at a distance of 8 km.

The Germans, who paid increased attention to providing crews with stable radio communications, noted the low quality of tactical interaction between Soviet vehicles. Due to the lack of radio communications, the Russians had to rely on flag signals. There was even a special hole in the tower hatch for giving signals using flags. In practice, this was very inconvenient - the platoon commander was too busy controlling his own tank and shooting. Often he simply gave the command to other crews to follow him. The situation improved as radio production increased, and by the summer of 1943, 75-80 percent of all vehicles were equipped with them. Internal communication between crew members was carried out using the TUP system. Tank helmets were equipped with headphones and throat microphones.

Tank commander and loader. The main drawback of all T-34 tanks was the poor ergonomics of the turret. There were three people in the turrets of the German vehicles: a gunner, a loader, and a tank commander, who was responsible for observing the terrain, managing the crew, and coordinating actions with the rest of the unit’s tanks. A completely different situation took place in the cramped, two-person turrets of the T-34. The commander had the same tasks as the German, in addition, he had to fire the cannon. This in itself is a serious matter, which distracted the commander from fulfilling his command duties. Loading also took a long time. Despite this, the Soviet command conducted a short and unsuccessful experiment, placing the responsibility for loading the gun instead of firing on the tank commander. The crew members who were on duty in the turret sat on seats hanging from the turret shoulder strap. The commander sat to the left of the gun, and the loader, who was also supposed to fire from the machine gun coaxial with the gun, to the right.

The quality of the optical equipment of the T-34 tank was inferior to the quality of the equipment of German tanks. The main 2.5x telescopic sight TOD-6, which was installed on the first T-34 models, was later replaced by the TMFD sight. Tanks that went into battle straight from the assembly line of the Stalingrad Tractor Plant in the fall of 1942 often did not have sights at all. They could only fire directly. Aiming was carried out by the loader directly through the barrel. To observe the surrounding area, the commander and loader used a PT-6 periscope. Later, periscopes PT-4-7 and PT-5 began to be used. Due to war-related shortages, periscopes were often not installed for loaders. The periscope's field of view was very narrow, and it could not be increased by holes in the armor made at the level of the commander's and loader's shoulders. Under the observation holes there were embrasures for firing a pistol, another embrasure. On later T-34 models these embrasures were absent.

Many German crew commanders preferred to fight with their heads out of the hatch. This provided them with a 360 degree view. If the T-34 commander tried to do this, the large forward-opening hatch would almost completely block his view. He would have to sit directly on the turret, not only risking coming under enemy fire, but also being hit by a very heavy hatch. The size of the hatch was such that, when opened, it also revealed the loader. T-34 tanks of the 1943 model had separate hatches for the commander and loader, but only the latest models were equipped with surveillance devices that provided a 360-degree view. The tower itself was originally made of rolled sheets with a cannon in a cast cradle. On the 1941 model, the cast cradle was replaced with a bolted corner cradle. In 1942, a cast turret with an armor thickness of 52 mm was adopted for service, although it was no different from a turret made of rolled sheets.

Main weapons. The first T-34 tanks of the 1940 model were armed with a short 76.2 mm L-11 gun of the 1938 model with a barrel length of 30.5 calibers. In 1941, a very small number of T-34s were armed with the 57mm long-barreled high-power ZIS-4 cannon, designed to engage lightly armored targets at long ranges. The greater power of the gun compensated for the reduction in caliber. But the L-11 remained the standard gun for the T-34 model of 1940.

However, the engineers had a more successful gun, although there were bureaucratic difficulties in installing it. The OKB of Plant No. 92, headed by designer V. Grabin, developed a new 76.2 mm F-32 cannon. It was installed on new heavy KV tanks. When firing at armored targets, due to the longer barrel, the gun showed much better results compared to the L-11, which was equipped with the T-34 tanks of the 1940 model. By the end of 1940, an employee of the V. Grabin Design Bureau, P. Muravyov, adapted the F-32 cannon for installation on the T-34 and on its basis developed a new cannon (F-34 with a barrel length of 42 calibers), significantly superior to the L-11. On their own initiative, V. Grabin and the director of plant No. 92, A. Elyan, began production of the F-34 along with the L-11 and sent both guns to the Kharkov plant, which was engaged in the production of T-34 tanks.

Tanks of this model (T-34 model 1941) were mainly used as tanks for platoon and company commanders and after the start of the German invasion they performed very well in battles, thanks to their increased firepower. Stalin became aware of this from reports of war correspondents from the front line. Units fighting on the front line required more tanks equipped with the effective F-34 gun than the L-11, so in the summer of 1941 the State Defense Committee finally approved the F-34 gun as standard for the T-34 tank. The F-34 had a conventional semi-automatic breech. The commander could fire either manually or using a pedal; he was responsible for the horizontal rotation of the tower manually or using an electric drive. When fired from the F-34, these shells penetrated the armor of the German PzKpfw III and IV (the thickness of the frontal armor was 50 mm) from almost any distance.

The F-34 gave the T-34 such an advantage in range and destructive power that the Germans had great difficulty resisting the T-34 tank. The PzKpfw IV with frontal armor 80 mm thick was put into service only in the spring of 1943. The Red Army continued to remain in a leading position - the BR-350P armor-piercing projectile was adopted. It penetrated 92 mm armor when fired from a distance of 500 m - approximately the same distance as firing in a tank battle. However, the appearance at the front in 1943 of new German tanks, specially designed to fight the T-34, radically changed the situation. When firing from a normal distance, the F-34 could not penetrate the frontal armor of the Tigers and Panthers. During the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, T-34 tanks were forced to approach German tanks at direct fire range or maneuver in such a way as to reach their flank or rear. The problem was solved when the 85-mm gun was adopted at the end of 1943. Initially, the T-34's ammunition capacity was 77 rounds. On the T-34 model 1943 it was increased to 100 rounds. The standard ammunition consisted of 19 BR-350AAP rounds, 53 F-354 or OF-350XE rounds and 5 SH-350 rounds.

Additional weapons. The first 115 T-34 tanks of the 1940 model were armed with a DT machine gun in the rear of the turret for rearward firing. The 1928 model machine gun had an effective firing range of 800 m and a rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute. To avoid jamming and overheating, the rate of fire was reduced to 125 rounds per minute. The machine gun had a retractable metal butt, a wooden pistol grip and a separate optical sight instead of the diopter sight mounted on the infantry machine gun. The disk-type magazine contained 60 cartridges, placed in two rows. In total, the ammunition load contained 35 disks, one half of which was stored in racks on the rear wall of the turret, and the other in the front part of the hull next to the gunner-radio operator.

New hexagonal tower. Deputy People's Commissar of Defense and Head of the Main Artillery Directorate G.I. Kulik did not like the T-34 tank, so he insisted on making various changes. As a result, production of T-34 tanks was interrupted in the early stages, and the Council of People's Commissars ordered the development of a program to improve the T-34. The improved vehicle received the designation T-34M. The project was terminated. Morozov developed a new turret for the T-34M, taking into account the shortcomings identified during the combat use of early model vehicles. For example, German infantrymen from anti-tank teams climbed onto a combat vehicle from the rear and installed an anti-tank disc mine under the turret ledge. In addition, the ledge formed a trap, from which incoming shells bounced directly into the vulnerable turret ring. The new cast hexagonal turret developed by Morozov was first installed on the T-34 tank of the 1943 model. It was devoid of many shortcomings: it had no protrusion, was much simpler to manufacture and larger than the towers of earlier models. Consequently, there was slightly more space in the turret for the crew. However, the problem of a small and overworked crew was finally solved only with the appearance of the three-seat turret of the T-34/85 tank, production of which began in the winter of 1943.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the T-34-85 mod. 1944

Length, m – 5.92 Length with gun, m – 8.1 Width, m – 3.0 Height, m – 2.72 Combat weight, t – 32.0 Armament: Gun – 1 x 85 mm S-53 Machine guns – 2 x 7.62 mm DT Mobility: Max speed on the highway, km/h – 54 Cruising range on the highway, km – 300-400 Reservations: Front of the hull, mm – 45 Sides and rear of the hull, mm – 45 Front tower, mm – 40-90 Sides and rear of the tower, mm – 52-75 Roof, mm – 16-20 Bottom, mm – 13-20

Translation of the drawing

For me, drawing translation has always been the main process in my work. I will tell you a couple of rules, as well as tips for high-quality translation of a drawing. Many people transfer the drawing onto plywood not only using a pencil and copying, but also using “Black Tape”, glue the drawing to the plywood, then wash off the drawing with water and the markings of the drawing remain on the plywood. In general, there are many ways, but I will tell you about the most common method. To transfer the drawing onto prepared plywood, you must use a copy, a ruler, a sharp pencil and a non-writing pen. Fasten the drawing in plywood using buttons or simply hold it with your left hand. Check if the drawing fits the dimensions. Arrange the clock drawing so that you can use a sheet of plywood as economically as possible. Translate the drawing using a non-writing pen and ruler. There is no need to rush, because your future craft depends on the drawing.

Stages of the birth of a new car

The main requirement that the military presented to the tank designers was to increase the firepower of the vehicle. The short-barreled 76-mm cannon found on Soviet vehicles could not effectively combat the thick armor of the new German tanks. The initial velocity of the projectile was not sufficient to penetrate armor at optimal distances for tank combat. The tank needed a more powerful gun, the shells of which could hit enemy armored vehicles at long distances.

It cannot be said that Soviet tank builders sat idly by all this time. The designers had ready-made technical documentation at their disposal for the new T-43 tank, which was a continuation of the T 34-76 model. However, it turned out to be impossible to use this vehicle for installing a more powerful gun. It was decided to make changes to the standard design of the vehicle that would allow the installation of a powerful long-barreled gun on the tank. The main modernization affected the tank turret. They decided to leave the car body unchanged, trying not to reduce the main production with the advent of a new modification. They didn’t touch the power plant either.

The maneuverability of the Soviet T-34-76 tank was satisfactory, the engine base met the operating conditions in the field. The chassis of the car also had good characteristics.

The new vehicle received the new designation T 34 85, to which the numbers 85 were added - the caliber of the new gun. In the first drawings, the model had an enlarged turret, in which an 85-mm D-5T gun was installed instead of a 76-mm cannon. Later, when designing the turret, it turned out that the breech of this gun occupied a lot of the internal turret space. In the final version, the tank began to be produced with a ZIS-S-53 cannon or simply S-53. Experimental firing showed that S-53 cannon shells fired from a distance of 1500-2000 meters could penetrate armor plates 100 mm thick. Sub-caliber shells successfully dealt with the frontal and side armor of German Pz.V and Pz.IV tanks at shorter distances, 500-700 meters.

During the battle with German heavy tanks during Operation Bagration (summer 1944) and on Lake Balaton (March 1945), it became clear that the T 34 85 with the S-53 gun could not conduct artillery duels with German tanks. To effectively defeat German armored vehicles at direct combat distances, a larger caliber, 100 mm, was required. and higher. The participation of Soviet SU 100 self-propelled guns in operations clearly showed how important an increase in caliber is in this case. Soviet “saushki” from a distance of 1.5-2 km. stitched the armor of German “Panthers” and “Tigers”.

While the issue with the gun was resolved quickly enough, the designers had to tinker longer with the design of the turret. The problem was the technical need to increase the shoulder strap. The tank turret of the new "thirty-four" had a cast construction, significantly greater mass and increased dimensions. The shape of the hull did not provide much room for technological maneuver. The turret ring parameters for the new T 34 85 turret were extreme. In this case, the limited technological resource of the machine design for subsequent modernization affected it.

The new turret had increased internal space, which made it possible to increase the vehicle's crew by one person. Next to the vehicle commander was now the fifth crew member - the gunner. This, in turn, improved the quality of control of the tank in battle and significantly reduced the time to prepare for a shot.

The new car has significantly improved the habitability of space. To remove powder gases from the turret, the vehicle was equipped with powerful fans. A commander's cupola was installed on top of the turret, which improved the vehicle commander's visibility. Unlike its predecessor, the T-34-76, the new thirty-four looked like a more modern machine.

For mass production, many machine components and equipment of the T 34 85 tank were standardized. This made it possible to maintain high production rates of the main Soviet tank throughout the subsequent period.

The main tactical and technical characteristics of the new tank were as follows:

vehicle weight 32 tons;
the height of the tank was 2700 mm;
V2 diesel engine with a power of 500 l/s;
the speed on rough terrain was 30 km/h, on the highway – 55 km/h;
power reserve 250 km;
the vehicle's armament consisted of an 85 mm S-53 cannon, two 7.62 mm machine guns;
tank crew of 5 people.

Reviewing the tactical and technical characteristics of the vehicle, we can say that Soviet tank building has moved to a qualitatively new level. Drawings of the T 34 85 show how the new vehicle was adapted for mass production in wartime conditions.

Drilling holes in the parts

As you have already noticed, the parts contain parts of the grooves that need to be cut out from the inside. To cut out such parts, you need to drill holes in them using a hand drill or, as in the old fashioned way, make holes with an awl. By the way, the diameter of the hole must be at least 1 mm, otherwise you can damage the elements of the drawing, which, alas, are sometimes difficult to restore. To avoid damaging your work table when drilling holes, you must place a board under the workpiece so as not to damage the work table. It is always difficult to drill holes alone, so ask a friend to help you in your task.

Sawing parts

There are many rules for cutting, but you need to stick to the most common ones. First of all, you need to cut out the internal parts, only then according to the external pattern. There is no need to rush when cutting. The main thing is to always keep the jigsaw straight at a 90-degree angle when cutting. Cut out the parts along the lines you accurately marked. The movements of the jigsaw should always be smooth up and down. Also, do not forget to monitor your posture. Try to avoid bevels and unevenness. If you go off the line while cutting, don't worry. Such bevels and irregularities can be removed using flat files or “coarse-grained” sandpaper.

Cleaning Parts

You should always clean the parts of a future craft carefully. At the very beginning of the work, you already sanded the plywood with sandpaper. Now you have to do a small part of stripping the plywood. Using medium-grain sandpaper, sand the edges of the parts and the back of the plywood. “Fine-grained” sandpaper is considered the final stage of cleaning parts. It is better to clean the front part of the parts with fine sandpaper. When processing plywood, take your time. You can also use a rounded file, which is convenient for cleaning the inside of the holes. Try to ensure that the parts come out without burrs or irregularities.

Creative projects and student work

The creative work proposed by the author using the technology “Model of the T-34 tank with your own hands” will be of interest to students in grades 3, 4, 5, as well as for everyone who likes to create interesting models of tanks from wood with their own hands. This work contains information about calculations and planning for modeling the T-34.

More details about the project:

created by a 3rd grade student using the “DIY T-34 Tank Model” technology contains the stages of designing a T-34 tank model from hardwood: aspen and birch, using wood processing tools that are presented in the school workshop.
In the presented creative project on technology for modeling the T-34 tank, the author uses a diagram to make this product - a model of a tank from scrap materials (wood), which will be a wonderful gift. The project selects tools, accessories and equipment for work, and correctly describes the technological sequence of modeling the T-34 tank (tank).

Introduction 1. Sketches of parts for the tank. 2. Advertising brochure for the tank. 3. New skills and knowledge acquired in the manufacture of a tank model. 4. Self-assessment of the tank model. Literature Appendix

Introduction

The goal of the creative project is to complete a product that most fully represents my knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired during the learning process in technology lessons.

objectives :

Make a model of the T-34 tank.
Improve the skills and techniques learned in technology lessons.
Learn more about methods of calculation and planning and work.
Evaluate the work done.

Justification of the project topic .
I decided to make a model of the tank. You can find a wide variety of models in stores, but those made of metal are very expensive, and plastic ones break quickly. So I decided to make a model with my own hands. The most interesting model for me was the T-34 tank. To make it, you can use any materials: thick cardboard, tin, wire or wood. I chose aspen and birch hardwood, it is easy to process, individual parts of the product can be joined using PVA glue, and the surface can be coated with oil paint. Tools for wood processing are available in our workshop.

Very little material will be used to make the model; it will not be expensive. In order for the model to be easy to produce, it is necessary to develop a simple technology for its production. If something in the finished model does not look good enough, there is always the opportunity to modify it.

Main problems of project implementation

When choosing and executing a product, I must take into account:

level of your abilities;
the need for such a product;
costs of purchasing materials and tools for work;
the amount of time required to complete a product.

When manufacturing a car, the following factors must be taken into account:

Selecting a tank model design

We often see tanks in magazines, on the TV screen, and their appearance is familiar to us. But it is very difficult to make a model that exactly replicates the shape of a real tank. Therefore, it is better to stick to a simplified tank design. I found a drawing of the tank on the Internet in the attachment Fig. 1.

Sketches of parts for the tank

Product development began with the selection of available material. The block is 50 mm thick. We choose the height of the body as a basis. Using the angular coefficient, we calculate the dimensions of our tank. The angular coefficient is 1.6, i.e. We increase the size from the drawing by 1.6 times.

We make markings on the workpiece: we mark the length, width and height of the tank. We cut out the tank along the contour. We measure all other dimensions according to the drawing and try to make a tank according to our dimensions. We will make the tracks from wooden blocks. We make the wings from tin.

We attach these parts to the body using nails. The tower is made of boards. We take the shape and dimensions from the drawing. The tank cannon is turned on a machine. We drill a hole in the tower for the cannon. We hammer the cannon into the hole, having previously lubricated it with glue. I attach the tower to the body using a self-tapping screw. We paint the tank with oil paint. I made a box, a tank, a two-hand saw, and a cable. I attach all this to the tank.

Clean the entire product with fine-grained sandpaper and coat with oil paint.

Sketches of parts for the tank

To make the body of the tank model, a blank measuring 220x100x50 mm, 2 blanks for tracks 220x30x20 mm, a turret 80x 70x50 mm made of aspen, a cannon barrel made of birch measuring 150x20x20 mm, costing 12 rubles .

The cost of one screw per piece is 0.4 rubles.

To assemble the product using glue, I needed a tube of glue, nails for attaching the tracks and wings, a strip of tin, paint for finishing the product, everything I brought from home.

The cost of materials for making the tank model was: 12 + 0.4 = 12.4 rubles.

Tank advertising brochure

The IGRUSHKA company offers a variety of wooden toys. They are simple, reliable, made from environmentally friendly materials.

Buy toys from us and you will be pleasantly surprised by the quality and our prices.

New skills and knowledge gained in the manufacture of a tank model

While doing this work, I learned the names of many plants, their flowering time, and place of growth.

While preparing the project, I learned how to do the work carefully, developed my aesthetic taste, and acquired the skill of designing a project.

Self-assessment of the tank model

I really like my tank. When I look at him, I see in front of me the tank of my great-grandfather, on which he fought. When I serve in the army, I will also drive a tank, only a modern one.

My friends liked the project. This tank will serve as a wonderful interior decoration. Appendix Fig. 2.

Literature

Kovalenko V.I., Kulenyok V.V. “Objects of labor” Moscow, “Enlightenment” 1990.
School and production 2006 No. 4.
School and production 2001 No. 7.
Technology. Textbook for 5th grade. general education institutions: Option for boys Under. ed. V.D. Simonenko. – M.: Education, 2010

Application

Fig.1

Rice. 2

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Varnishing crafts

If desired, you can transform our craft by covering it with Wood Varnish, preferably colorless. Read how best to varnish a craft. Try to choose a quality varnish. Varnishing is carried out using a special brush “For glue”. Take your time. Try not to leave visible marks or scratches on the craft.