The tanks of World War II played a very importantrole in achieving such a desired victory. It was a time of confrontation between two different worldviews and the competition of both technical means and the fighting spirit of the soldiers. This article will discuss the most popular tanks of the Second World War: KV-1, IS-2, T-34, "Panther", "Tiger" and "Sherman".
They first appeared during the First World War.These armored vehicles had enormous weight and dimensions, which terrified their enemies, who often lost their composure and began to panic at the sight of these iron monsters. The first tanks were relatively easy to break through the enemy defenses, breaking trenches, trenches and wire barriers. However, having all the above advantages, they had low speed, maneuverability and poor maneuverability.
By the beginning of World War II, heavy tanks becamemore refined. The designers took into account the blunders made when creating the first machines, and now sought to endow them with high speed and maneuverability. In addition, the priority was considered to provide tanks with reliable frontal armor that would be able to withstand the impact of artillery and anti-tank shells. The main producers of heavy machinery were Germany, the Soviet Union and several countries belonging to the anti-Hitler coalition.
Our country was the only hostparticipation in the Second World War, which by 1940 already had such a machine in service. It was the assault tank Kliment Voroshilov, or KV, which weighed 52 tons. The thickness of its onboard and frontal armor ranged from 70-75 mm. It was equipped with 36-round 152-mm guns and three 7.62 mm machine guns. A total of 204 KV tanks were produced, and almost all of the vehicles were lost during the first battles in 1941.
The following similar tanks of the Second WorldWar, released in the USSR, became a machine called "Joseph Stalin" (IS-2). Their mass was only 46 tons. They were not the heaviest, but they are still deservedly called “Victory tanks”. The thickness of armor IS-2 was in the range of 90-120 mm. He had high maneuverability and in some of his characteristics surpassed even the best heavy German tanks of the Second World War, including the “Panther”, which weighed 44.8 tons, and the “Royal Tiger” weighing 60 tons. The list also included heavy tank - SAU. Its weight was 75.2 tons.
In nazi Germany, developed andsuper heavy machinery. These were the experimental tanks E-100, Maus and Rat. The last of them was never embodied in the metal, however, judging by its description, it should have a truly amazing size.
Как только Гитлер захватил власть в Германии, он immediately began to pay great attention to the development of the country's tank industry. Two years later, began mass production of light German tanks with the strange abbreviation Pz. Kpfw. I Ausf. A. It was unsuccessful due to the poor quality of armor and weak weapons, but laid the foundation for the creation of the Panzerwaffe, the armored forces of the Hitler Third Reich.
Unusual, incomprehensible and long name of tanksWorld War II, produced in Germany, deserves a separate topic. The fact is that in German it is allowed to combine several words into one. So, the phrase panzer kampf wagen, which translates as “armored fighting vehicle,” was joined together, then shortened, and then the following abbreviation was inserted into the name of the car: Pz. Kpfw. After this, the model number, denoted by the Roman numeral, and the modification were added.
German tracked vehicle was calledVolkettenkraftfahrzeug. This long word was abbreviated and a figure was added to it, indicating the mass in tons, as well as the number of the prototype, for example, VK 7201.
The most famous German tanks SecondWorld War II are considered "Tigers". It is known that the technical manual for this machine was compiled with the personal participation of Goebbels himself. At his request, a text was added to the memo, intended for German tankers, which said that the car cost the Third Reich 800 thousand Reichsmarks and everyone is obliged to take care of it. And indeed, a multi-ton tank, equipped with a 10 cm thick frontal armor sheet, was guarded immediately by six people.
У «Тигра» были широкие гусеницы, что давало the car the ability to move smoothly and destroy their enemies while in motion. The anti-aircraft gun of the KwK 36 modification could hit a target 40 x 50 cm in size, being at a distance of 1 km from it.
These tanks of World War II were a massversion of the more advanced "Tiger". By comparison, the Panthers were equipped with the main guns of a smaller caliber and significantly less light armor. Due to this, they had high speed and, moving along the highway, turned into a serious maneuvering enemy who was easily maneuvering.
It is known that from a distance of 2 km a projectile fired from his KwK 42 can penetrate the armor of almost any Allied combat vehicle.
World War II took the US Army by surprise,since it was armed with only 50 heavy vehicles. These were the M4 Sherman tanks, which weighed 35 tons. However, by 1945, American designers were able to create the most balanced machine and launch it into mass production. By that time there were already about 49 thousand units produced in various versions. There were cars whose engines worked on high-octane gasoline, and, for example, the Marine Corps units had at their disposal M4A2 tanks that worked on diesel fuel. The last of the above-listed modifications of the “Sherman” American government and supplied to the USSR. These machines were so much liked by the high command that it almost completely transplanted to them such elite Soviet units as the 1st and 9th Guards Corps.
Such American tanks of World War II,as M4A4 "Sherman", were designed for a crew consisting of five people. Two of them were located in front of the car, and three - in the tower. Armor on its frontal part was 50 mm, and on the case - 38 mm. Initially, the engine has a capacity of 350 liters. p., which was put on the "Shermans", was designed for aviation, hence the considerable height of the tank. The "Americans" were equipped with an instrument model M1 with a caliber of 76.2 mm. In addition, there were also several machine guns on board.
The most massively produced Soviet tanks of the Second World War are the T-34. All were collected more than 84 thousand of these machines of various modifications. They were distinguished by a kind of grace, power and overspeed. At that difficult time, it was precisely such a machine that the Red Army needed.
In 1941, the T-34 had no analogues.The tank was equipped with a 500 l diesel engine. with., f-34 caliber 76 mm, a truly unique armor and wide tracks. Such an optimal ratio made this machine sufficiently secure, as mobile as possible and powerful.
The best tank of the Second World War in the USSRwas recognized by the t-34-85. It was a modernization of the “thirty-three”, where its main drawback was finally eliminated - the tightness that made impossible the division of labor of all crew members. To do this, the designers had to increase the diameter of the tower, and neither the layout nor the housing has undergone significant changes. However, this allowed to place in it an artillery system of a larger caliber. Now he was 85 mm.
The great merit of these Soviet tanks is the SecondWorld War II is that they differed very convenient maintainability. They quickly enough could replace any units, parts or assemblies. All this was made possible thanks to their proper layout. It is worth noting that at the beginning of the war, this factor was of paramount importance, as due to numerous technical faults, more machines failed than from damage caused by the enemy.
Despite all the shortcomings of the T-34-85, he wassimple in management, quite convenient not only in operation, but also in maintenance. And this, together with excellent maneuverability, good armor protection and powerful armament in many ways served the success that the “thirty-four” had from the Soviet tank crews.
