The T-150 was built on the basis of the serial KV and differed from it only in the increased thickness of the hull armor, which was increased from 75 to 90 mm. Since the armor plates were thickened outward, all the internal dimensions of the vehicle remained the same. In addition, the T-150 had modified chassis brackets and a commander's cupola with a periscope and three viewing devices. Due to the increased weight of the tank, which reached 50 tons, a V-2 engine was installed on it, boosted to 700 hp.
From January 15 to February 14, 1941, the vehicle underwent field tests (199 km covered in total), which revealed a number of significant shortcomings in engine operation. So, when driving on the highway in 3rd and 4th gears at an outside temperature of -9°...-12°, the oil in the engine overheated greatly. For this reason, the tank was removed from testing, and the Kirov Plant and Plant No. 75 in Kharkov were tasked with improving the cooling system and reducing the temperature difference of the oil passing through the engine.
Life-size wooden model of a KV-3 tank with a 107-mm ZiS-6 gun.
The KV-220 was externally different from other KVs due to its large hull length, increased by one road wheel chassis and a new turret with an 85-mm F-30 gun. The gun was specially designed for arming this tank in the design bureau of plant No. 92 under the leadership of Grabin and in the fall of 1940 it was successfully tested in the T-28 tank. Due to the greatly increased mass of the tank, which reached 62 tons, a V-5 engine with a power of 700 hp was installed on it. On January 30, 1941, the KV-220 entered testing, which was stopped the very next day due to engine failure.
On March 15, 1941, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, by their resolution No. 548-232ss, obliged the Kirov Plant from June to switch to mass production of the T-150 tank, designated KV-3. The following characteristics were established for it:
"Combat weight - 51-52 tons, length - 6760 mm, width - 3330 mm, height - 3000 mm, ground clearance - 400 mm, armor - 90 mm, armament - one 76-mm F-34 cannon, three DT machine guns, one PPSh submachine gun, ammunition - 114 shells, 2900 rounds of ammunition, maximum speed on the highway - 35 km/h, combat speed on terrain - 15-20 km/h, maximum elevation 40 degrees, cruising range - 250 km (10 hours), V-5 engine with a power of 700 hp, a turret with a commander's cupola, a KRSTB radio station (with the possibility of installing 71-TK-Z), a warranty mileage of 2000 km."
Unlike the artillerymen, the tankers were very late in developing a new heavy tank. Therefore, to speed up work on testing new components and assemblies of the KV-3 tank, they decided to use the KV-220 (especially since they were structurally similar in many ways). On April 20, 1941, a new engine was finally installed on the KV-220 and the tank, loaded to 70 tons - the estimated weight of the KV-3 - went out for testing. By the end of May 1941, he had covered 1,330 kilometers. The report of factory testers noted that the tank “gears shift poorly, the axles of the road wheels and balancers bend, the suspension torsion bars twist, the engine power is not enough for a 70-ton tank.”
On May 20, the KV-220 underwent repairs, during which the vehicle received diesel engine supercharged V-2SN with 850 hp. On May 30, the tank went out for testing again, and by June 22, 1941, the vehicle's total mileage was 1,985 km. As for the KV-3 itself, by June 22, 1941, the chassis with the engine was manufactured, but due to problems that arose with the production of the stamped turret, the work was delayed.
The plant began preparations for serial production of the tank, but then “His Majesty chance” intervened. The fact is that in March 1941, the command of the Red Army received intelligence information that work on creating tanks with powerful armor had been completed in Germany, and they were already entering service with the troops. Moreover, intelligence reports especially emphasized that Soviet tank and anti-tank guns would not be able to penetrate their armor. Much later it turned out that Soviet intelligence fell victim to German disinformation that all this was not true - the development heavy tanks they didn’t do it in Germany at that time. Most likely, it was the following: in the spring of 1941, captured weapons began to arrive in the German Panzerwaffe. french tanks B-1, which had 80 mm thick armor. In addition, according to the experience of France, V-1 and Matilda tanks were destroyed by fire from German anti-tank guns (much later it became clear that these were not anti-tank guns, but 88-mm Flak-18 and Flak-36 anti-aircraft guns). Apparently, this was the reason for the rumors about “new German tanks with powerful armor.”
But then the top leadership of the USSR and the Red Army, concerned about this information, decided to take adequate measures. On April 7, 1941, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks adopted resolution No. 827-345ss, which determined new parameters of the KV-3 tank and set the task of designing super-heavy tanks KV-4 and KV-5. On April 9, the resolution was duplicated by order No. 231 of the People’s Commissariat, which was more expanded in content. heavy engineering:
"About the KV-3 tank.
1. In amendment to the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks No. 548-232ss of March 15, 1941, I order:
a) install KV-3 armor: forehead 115-120 mm, turret 115 mm;
b) equip the KV-3 with a 107-mm ZIS-6 cannon with an initial projectile speed of 800 m/s.
2. KV-3 turrets should be made stamped with inclination angles of at least 30 degrees for installation of the 107-mm ZIS-6 gun, for which the director of the Kirov plant, Comrade Zaltsman:
a) by April 15, 1941, together with the Izhora plant, produce and submit to the Izhora plant drawings for the modified turret and hull of the KV-3;
b) by April 25, 1941, together with the Izhora plant, present a model of the KV-3 turret for approval by the USSR NPO.
3. The Kirov plant set a plan for the production in 1941 of 500 KV-3 tanks with 107-mm ZIS-6 guns.
4. The director of the Kirov plant, Comrade Zaltsman, should take note and management that:
a) The Izhora plant is obliged by May 20, 1941 to submit to the Kirov plant the first stamped turret and hull of the KV-3 tank with full machining and artillery system armor. In the future, the Izhora plant is obliged to ensure the production and processing of these turrets and hulls according to the production schedule of KV-3 tanks approved by the Government;
b) People's Commissariat of Armaments (comrade Vannikov), plant No. 92 (comrade Elyan) and chief designer Plant No. 92 (Comrade Grabin), together with the Kirov Plant, are required to develop drawings for installing a 107-mm ZIS-6 cannon in the KV-3 turret and submit it to the USSR NPO for approval by May 30, 1941;
c) Plant No. 92 is obliged by May 25, 1941 to supply the Kirov Plant with a 107-mm ZIS-6 cannon with mounting parts, install it in the KV-3 turret and, together with the Kirov Plant, work out the armoring of the system;
d) Plant No. 92 NKV is obliged to ensure the supply of 107 mm ZIS-6 guns to the Kirov Plant for the 1941 program within the following terms:
July - 45
August - 80
September - 110
October - 110
November - 110
and until December 15 - 65.
About the KV-4 tank.
1. To design and manufacture, according to the tactical and technical requirements approved by the USSR Non-Commercial Organization, a KV-4 tank (with an extended base), armed with a 107 mm ZIS-6 cannon and 125-130 mm main armor, providing for the possibility of increasing the thickness of the armor in the most vulnerable places up to 140-150 mm.
2. By October 1, 1941, produce one prototype, for which:
a) produce and submit drawings for the KV-4 hull and turret to the Izhora plant;
b) by June 15, 1941, submit a model for approval to the NPO of the USSR and technical project KV-4 tank;
c) take into account that the Izhora plant is obliged to manufacture and deliver the KV-4 hull and turret to the Kirov plant by August 15, 1941.
About the KV-5 tank.
To the director of the Kirov plant, Comrade Zaltsman:
1. Design and manufacture the KV-5 tank by November 10, 1941. The design of the tank hull and stamped turret will be developed jointly with the designers of the Izhora plant based on the following main characteristics of the KV-5:
a) armor - frontal 170 mm, side - 150 mm, turret - 170 mm;
b) armament - 107 mm ZIS-6 cannon;
c) engine - diesel with a power of 1200 hp;
d) width no more than 4200 mm.
When designing, provide for the possibility of transportation by railway under all driving conditions.
2. By July 15, 1941, produce and submit drawings for the KV-5 hull and turret to the Izhora plant.
3. By August 1, 1941, submit the layout and technical design of the KV-5 for approval to the NPO of the USSR and the GABTU KA.
4. Take into account that the Izhora plant is obliged to manufacture and submit to the Kirov plant by October 1, 1941 the KV-5 hull and turret.
Artillery armament of the KV-3, KV-4, KV-5 tanks.
1. The director of plant No. 92, Comrade Elyan, and the chief designer, Comrade Grabin, were instructed to develop a 107-mm tank gun with an initial projectile speed of 800 m/s under a unitary cartridge with an armor-piercing projectile weighing 18.8 kg and, according to the developed project, to manufacture, test and deliver by June 1, 1941, a prototype of this gun was to be tested in the KV-2 tank.
2. The People's Commissariat of Ammunition is obliged to:
a) by June 1, 1941, practice a shot with armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation shells;
b) by May 15, 1941, produce 2,000 rounds with a fire-test projectile, by June 10, 1941 - 2,000 rounds with a high-explosive fragmentation projectile, and by June 15, 1941 - 500 rounds with an armor-piercing projectile.
3. The director of the Kirov Plant, Comrade Zaltsman, and the chief designer of department No. 5 of the Kirov Plant, Comrade Yakovlev, should design and manufacture two experimental diesel engines with a power of 1200 hp for KV tanks by October 15, 1941. based on M-40 or M-50 engines. Please note that a similar task was given to plant No. 75 of the People's Commissariat of Medium Engineering.
People's Commissar of Heavy Engineering /signature/"
It is interesting to add here that when analyzing the non-combat losses of KV tanks, it turned out that they were comparable to combat losses, and not least due to breakdowns of an overloaded engine and gearbox. Therefore, when designing the “Object 223” (KV-3), it was specifically stipulated that the new gearbox should be installed in place of the old one (to replace them in the future on KV-1 tanks). Unfortunately, it was not possible to create a new checkpoint on time.
KV-220 layout: copy from factory drawing.
KV-3 – heavy soviet tank KV family, released in a single copy in 1941. It was destroyed in Leningrad by German troops.
The history of the creation of the KV-3 tank.
Before the start of the Second World War, Soviet engineers tried to increase firepower heavy tanks by installing a more powerful gun and, accordingly, more powerful armor. The basis was taken, the production of which was suspended in 1941.
Colonel General Pavlov was appointed project manager, but he was safely shot due to delays in the design of the 122 mm. guns for the tank.
As a result, a 122 mm caliber gun for the KV-3 tanks was never designed; instead, the engineers proposed a less powerful ZiS-6 gun with a 107 mm caliber. Having heard all the arguments in favor of this weapon, the command issued a decree on April 7, 1941 on the development and production of a new heavy tank KV-3 under the designation “Object 223” with a ZiS-6 gun and 115-120mm frontal armor and 115mm turret armor.
But soon, when the main components of the tank were already ready, the production of the tank was stopped. The work was stopped due to intelligence reports that the Nazi troops did not have guns and armored vehicles capable of hitting the armor of the KV-1 heavy tanks, which at that time constituted the main striking power of the USSR armored forces. Moreover, in the short-sighted opinion of the top authorities, a 76mm caliber gun was more than enough to destroy Wehrmacht tanks (at that time it was so, before the advent of the German Tigers).
The project was frozen after the release of a single prototype, which saw its first and only battle with a KV-1 turret near Leningrad.
Armament of the KV-3 heavy tank
The KV-3 tank was equipped with a ZiS-6 cannon, which was also planned to be installed on the KV-2, KV-4 and KV-5 tanks.
- Weight of the gun, kg – Unfortunately, not known.
- Ammunition, sn. — 90
- Initial flight speed of an armor-piercing projectile, m/s, - 830
- Sighting range, m, — 1000
- Vertical aiming angles, degrees: Not known.
Armor penetration
- Degrees of inclination are measured in relation to a horizontal surface.
- Armor-piercing, At a distance of 500 m, mm/deg. — 140/90°
- Armor-piercing, At a distance of 1 km, mm/deg. — 130/90°
- Armor-piercing, at a distance of 2 km, mm/deg. — 95/90°
- Rate of fire, rds/min – From 3 to 4.
Additional weapons
Three DT machine guns, 7.62 mm caliber. One is a coaxial machine gun, another is a course machine gun mounted in the front of the hull, and the third is installed in the rear of the turret.
Tactical and Technical Characteristics of the KV-3
- Weight, t - 68
- Crew, h. - 5. Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver, Gunner-Radio Operator.
Dimensions of KV-3
- Case length, mm — 7850
- Case width, mm — 3410
- Height, mm — 2950
Reservation. Unfortunately, this is all that is known:
- Body forehead, mm/deg. — 115-120/Unknown
- Hull side, mm/deg. — 90/Unknown
- Hull feed, mm/deg. — 90/Unknown
- Bottom, mm - 30-40/Unknown
- Hull roof, mm - 40/Unknown
- Turret front, mm/deg. — 115/Unknown
Running characteristics
- Engine power, l. With. — 600
- Maximum speed, km/h - 30
- Cruising range on the highway, km - 155-220
- Specific power, l. s./t - 8.8
- Climbability, degrees. - Unknown.
The KV-3 heavy tank was another attempt by domestic designers to enhance the power of vehicles of this type by using thicker armor and a more powerful gun. The basis for the project was the KV-2 tank, which was essentially a self-propelled gun. Despite the fact that the 152-mm M-10 howitzer gun had excellent ballistic characteristics, it was too heavy to be mounted in a rotating turret mounted on a conventional tank chassis. As a result, D.P. Pavlov, head of the ABTU, recommended stopping production of the KV-2 in 1941 in favor of a tank that would be equipped with a 122 mm gun. However, a gun of this caliber, adapted for mounting in a tank turret, simply did not exist at that time. The choice was made in favor of the recently developed 106.7 mm F-42 (ZiS-6) gun.
In accordance with the resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR No. 548-232ss dated March 15, 1941, it was prescribed to develop a heavy tank with a turret and frontal part of the hull that would have armor of 115-120 millimeters. It was planned that the turret would be stamped, with tilt angles of more than 30 degrees and adapted for mounting a 107-mm cannon. More specific requirements were formulated in Resolution No. 827-345ss. This resolution determined the parameters of the KV-3 and also set the task of designing the super-heavy tanks KV-4 and KV-5:
"About the KV-3 tank.
1. In amendment to the Resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks No. 548-232ss of March 15, 1941, I order:
a) install the armor of the KV-3 tank: turret 115 millimeters, forehead 115–120 millimeters;
b) arm the KV-3 tank with a 107-mm ZIS-6 cannon, the initial projectile speed is 800 meters per second.
2. The turrets of the KV-3 tanks should be manufactured using stamping with tilt angles of more than 30 degrees for mounting 107 mm ZIS-6 guns. Why does Comrade Zaltsman, director of the Kirov plant:
a) by 04/15/1941, produce together with the Izhora plant and submit to it drawings for the modified turrets and hull of the KV-3 tanks;
b) by 04/25/1941, submit, together with the Izhora plant, a model of the turret of the KV-3 tank for approval by the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR.
3. The Kirov plant to develop a plan for the creation in 1941 of 500 KV-3 equipped with 107-mm ZIS-6 guns.
4. Comrade Zaltsman, director of the Kirov plant, take into account and take note of the following:
a) The Izhora plant must, by May 20, 1941, transfer to the Kirov plant the first KV-3 hull and a stamped turret with full armor for the artillery system and mechanical processing. The Izhora plant is subsequently obliged to ensure the production and processing of these hulls and towers according to the KV-3 production schedule, which is approved by the Government;
b) The People's Commissariat of Armaments (Comrade Vannikov), Plant No. 92 (Comrade Elyan) as well as the chief designer of Plant No. 92 (Comrade Grabin), together with the Kirov Plant, must develop drawings for installing a 107-mm ZIS-6 gun in the tank turret and by 30.05. 1941 to be submitted to the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR for approval;
c) by May 25, 1941, Plant No. 92 must transfer to the Kirov Plant a 107-mm ZIS-6 cannon equipped with mounting parts, install it in the KV-3 turret and work out the armor system together with the Kirov Plant;
d) Plant No. 92 NKV must ensure the transfer of 107-mm ZIS-6 guns to the Kirov Plant for the 41st year program within the following terms:
July - 45 pcs.
August - 80 pcs.
September – 110 pcs.
October - 110 pcs.
November - 110 pcs.
and until December 15 - 65 pieces."
general views of the KV-3 with a 107 mm cannon
According to the documentation, the new tank was designated "Object 223", but later the designation KV-3 was used.
Production of the first prototype of the KV-3 tank began in the spring of 1941. For the new artillery system, which did not fit into the turret of the serial KV-1 tank, we had to start developing a new one with a wider shoulder strap. In addition, the turret acquired a conical shape, which increased the turret's projectile resistance. Due to the increased weight, the chassis had to be lengthened by adding one track roller and a fourth support roller. At the same time, the most important components of the tank, such as the suspension, engine, transmission, as well as cooling and lubrication systems, were transferred almost unchanged from the KV-1 tank. For a significantly heavier vehicle, this “continuity” would not be beneficial, especially if we take into account the problems with the operation of KV tanks of the first series, however, this factor indirectly influenced the design and progress of construction.
The outcome with the assault KV-3, equipped with a 106.7-mm gun, happened extremely unexpectedly. When the chassis and chassis were almost ready, an order was issued to curtail the work. The Automotive and Tank Directorate considered that the ZiS-6, a high-power gun, was not suitable for the KV tank, since there were plenty of 76.2-mm guns various types. Intelligence information confirmed that the Germans do not have tanks that are comparable to the KV, which means the “troika” will not have worthy opponents in the near future. No matter how V. Grabin, the developer of the ZiS-6, argued that a heavy assault tank should be equipped with a large-caliber gun, the leadership of the armored forces did not change their opinion. The later proposed option, having a 122-mm howitzer, developed by a group of engineers led by N. Kurin, also turned out to be unclaimed. The main argument was the presence of the heavy KV-2 in the troops, which was equipped with a 152.4 mm M-10 howitzer.
longitudinal section of a KV-3 with a 107 mm cannon
Thus, the Soviet version of the “tiger” was never created in 1941. The leadership of the armored forces learned how this step turned out already in 1942, when German tanks, equipped with 75- and 88-mm long-barreled guns.
As a result, the KV-3 tank, which does not have a turret, remained at the LKZ awaiting its further fate. When the war began, they proposed installing a turret from the KV-1 tank equipped with an F-32 on it. Before the start of the war, taking into account the experience of operating mass-produced heavy tanks, they planned to install a new engine and gearbox on the KV-3 tank, but did not have time to do this. The result was an interesting “hybrid” KV with thicker armor and standard weapons. On October 16, 1941, the tank, designated KV-220-2 in the military acceptance documentation, was sent to the 124th Tank Brigade. This is what happened to him later (from the memoirs of D. Osadchy, brigade commander):
“In the fall of 1941, our brigade received KV tanks for replenishment. One of them was named “For the Motherland.” This tank was manufactured at the Kirov plant in a single copy. It had the same capabilities as the standard KV, but was equipped with enhanced armor protection, weighing more than 100 tons and a more powerful engine equipped with a turbine. While moving in higher gears, the tank's engine whistled and the whistle was similar to the whistle of a diving Junkers. The first time after the tank was put into service, during its movement in the brigade there was even a sound "Air!" signal. The tank was received by my company and at first they wanted to appoint me as its commander, but then my deputy was appointed its commander, Lieutenant Yakhonin is an experienced tanker. The tank was considered practically invulnerable for enemy artillery. Its main purpose was to storm fortified positions.
In December '41 (unfortunately exact date I don’t remember) our brigade was ordered to break through German defense on the Ust-Tosno - Railway Bridge section, cross the Tosna River and develop an offensive on Mga, interacting with units of the 43rd Infantry Division. The first echelon of the attack consisted of: the 2nd tank battalion (commander - Major Pankina), a tank platoon of the 1st battalion of my company, as well as the “For the Motherland” tank. In this battle, the tank was tasked with capturing the railway bridge over the Tosna River and holding a bridgehead until the main forces arrived. The battle took place in open areas. Upper layer The tank could withstand the spruce peat bog. When the “For the Motherland” tank came close to the bridge, the Germans met it with heavy gunfire, after which radio contact with the tank was lost. At this time I was at the battalion command post. When the connection was lost, I attempted to make my way along the railway embankment to the battle site. When I succeeded, I saw that the entire crew had died, and the turret had been knocked off the tank."
Osadchy, when determining the mass of the tank, was mistaken - 100-ton KVs were not built, although he was very close to the truth. As for the loss of the KV-3, most likely the tank was hit by a 150-mm shell, causing the ammunition to detonate. In any case, this is the last mention of this car. After this, they did not return to projects for heavy tanks armed with a 107-mm cannon.