Sunday 18 August 2013

SKB-2's Experiments

"Experimental Developments of the SKB-2 at the Kirov Factory:
  1. Installation of the 122 mm artillery system (M-30) into the regular KV-1 turret with a new armour scheme. Approximately 50 shells fit in the tank. A prototype is built at Uralmash, and will be tested in early January 1942.
  2. Installation of the 85 mm anti-aircraft artillery system into the regular KV-1 turret, with approximately 80 shells that fit in the tank. A prototype will be ready by January 10-15, 1942.
  3. A raiding T-34 is being developed, with a top speed of 70 kph, with lightened hull and suspension, as well as larger gas tanks for increased range.
  4. A tankette called "Rage of the People" is being developed, 2.5 tons in mass with 20-25 mm of armour, powered by two S-65 tractor engines, with a crew of 2 and machine gun armament.
  5. A pipe-less radiator made from sheet steel was tested separately, and soon will be tested on a car. There is no reason why we cannot mass produce this radiator.
  6. A heater for tanks that moves the air heated by the engine to the crew compartment. At a temperature of -25 degrees, the compartment is kept at 12-18 degrees. This invention is already in production, and will be installed on all vehicles starting in January 1942.
  7. Replacement bearings for idler wheels, road wheels, and suspension components with sliding bearings and ball bearings of local production.
Also, work is being done on replacement of steel casings of final drive gears and other non-worn components with cast iron, replacement of highly hardened 33xSA and 38xSA steels with high-carbon steel, stamping tracks with two halves in order to free up the heavy presses, cast tracks, and idlers with welded on cheeks for the track tension mechanisms."

CAMD RF 38-11355-870

The first item is quite obviously the KV-9, a KV-1 with the 122 mm U-11 howitzer. The second item is the somewhat lesser-known KV-10. Shashmurin's ridiculous tankette (who needs a tankette in 1942?) and the much more interesting raiding T-34 (I wonder if they saved the armour thicknesses) do not appear anywhere else. 

3 comments:

  1. Was that 'heater' actually implemented?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymousia De Bergerac21 August 2013 at 10:18

      Ofcourse not you silly numpty

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    2. The one that the document states is already in production and scheduled to be installed on all vehicles? I would say that it was.

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