Tanks of the Great Patriotic War

The decisive role in the Second World War was played by tanks. Enumerate all models and modifications will be too long, so I would like to present to your attention a small top of the most significant tanks of the Second World War. The order in the list is conditional and rather tied to the chronology of the appearance of the tank, the activity of its participation in battles and the general significance for the armies.

The tank Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw III)

PzKpfw III, or T-III - light tank with 37 mm gun. The main advantages of the car were the speed (40 km / h on the road) and maneuverability. Also, the distinctive features were the presence of a beautiful Carl Zeiss optics, a decent reservation of 30 mm from all sides and a successful internal layout, which ensures the convenience of the crew. However, progress does not stand still and with time the three became morally obsolete. The Germans solved the problem quickly - replaced the gun by 50 mm and hung the screens on the machine. These measures allowed the troika to war a little more until 1943, when their release was completely discontinued. A total of 5,000 tanks were built.

PzKpfw III, better known as the T-III - light tank with 37 mm gun. Booking from all angles - 30 mm. The main quality is speed (40 km / h on the highway). Thanks Carl Zeiss good optics, ergonomic workstations of a crew and the presence of the radio station, T-III could successfully fight with the heavier machines. But with the advent of new enemies, T-III problems opened more clearly. The Germans replaced the 37 mm cannon with a 50 mm cannon and a covered tank with a mounted screens - have been measured, T-III was in a line several years. By in 1943, the production of the T-III was discontinued due to the exhaustion of its resources for modernization. In general German industry produced 5000 T-III.

Tank Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV) The elder brother of the troika became PzKpfw IV, the most massive Panzerwaffe tank - 8700 cars were built. Having absorbed in itself all the best from the predecessor, the four had an excellent piercing 75 mm gun, as well as a considerably strengthened frontal detail of 80 mm. However, the weak points of the machine were too small - too thin sides and feed (30 mm - children's disease of the pasika), and designers neglected the tilt of the armored plates, which in turn positively affected the crew's comfort, but good security could be forgotten. Panzer IV - the most massive tank of the Wehrmacht, which was in serial production throughout the Second World War. By popularity, he competes with the T-34 from the Red Army and Sherman from the Americans. The pasik was relatively inexpensive, massive, reliable, pleasant to use and deadly at the same time. It is safe to say that he became a "workhorse" of the Panzerwaffe.

A much more serious look had PzKpfw IV, which became the most massive tank of the Panzerwaffe - the German industry produced 8700 cars. Combining all the advantages of a lighter T-III, T-IV had high firepower and protection - the thickness of the front plate was gradually brought to 80 mm, and the gun-shells of its 75 mm long-barreled weapon pierced the armor of Enemy tanks, as a foil. Weaknesses machine - too thin boards and stern (only 30 mm in the first versions), the designers ignored the slope of armor plates. Panzer IV - the only German tank, was in series production all Second World War and became the most mass tank the Wehrmacht. His popularity among the German tank was comparable with the popularity of the T-34 and "Sherman" from the Americans. Good structurally and extremely reliable in operation, this war machine in the full sense of the word was "workhorse" of Panzerwaffe. Tank KV-1 (Klim Voroshilov)

KV-1 - steel invulnerable monster of the beginning of the war. Invulnerable, invincible and beyond powerful. In the summer of 1941, he was the only one who could counter anything against the Wehrmacht and did it with great success. Until the end of 1941, all armies in the world generally lacked weapons capable of successfully coping with the Russian 45-ton giant.

The main advantage of KV was the armor - 75 millimeters of steel in all projections. In the forehead, the armored men had an inclination angle, which increased the resistance to attack. German 37 mm anti-tank guns did not take KV even at point-blank range, and 50 mm of guns - no more than 500 meters. Also worth noting is the fine at that time instrument itself KV - long barrel 76 mm F-34 (ZIS-5), which allowed to hit the German tanks of the initial stage of the war from a distance of 1.5 kilometers. Wide caterpillars and 600 strong diesel engine provided good cross-country ability and tolerable mobility for this heavy tank. Among the shortcomings can be classified as unsatisfactory visibility, the overall tight layout of the tank and the problematic transmission on the first machines of the car. Crews KV were equipped mainly officers, only mechanics, drivers could be sergeants. The level of their training was much higher than the level of the rest of the tank. They fought more skillfully, and therefore remembered the Germans ... In all, 3539 tanks were produced