Tuesday 9 September 2014

T-70 Bug Report

"List of suggestions for the T-70 composed at the technical conference of the 85th Independent Tank Brigade

  1. Engine Compartment
    1. The tanks have a grille for airflow, which can regulate engine temperature. In combat, it is not known how to set it in advance, which leads to overheating or overcooling of the engine. Opening and closing the grille should be done from within the tank. It is necessary to make a control for this on the driver's panel.
    2. The clutch disk splinting design is unreliable. Vibrations de-splint the bolts, and the engines jam. In order to tighten them, the engine must be removed, which is impossible in combat conditions. Tightening them though the access hatch is impossible, as it is too small. Redesign the splinting.
    3. In combat conditions, the tanks are filled with all available unfiltered water. There is no opportunity to do it otherwise. The honeycomb radiator gets plugged and the engine begins to heat up. There is no way to clean this during battle, and the effect shows within 20-25 hours. A pipe radiator is necessary.
    4. The carburettor does not allow for rapid enriching of the mixture when the engine is started, which leads to difficulty in starting. Use the MKZ-6 carburettor, it will ensure an easier start.
    5. The lifter shaft knob is welded to the case in three points, and can fall off at the welding seams. Welding it back on required removing the engine, which cannot be done in battle conditions.
    6. The engine cover is bolted on, and takes too much time to remove. It must be held on with clips.
    7. Increase the steam chamber socket for intake, and increase the size of the exhaust valve.
    8. Latest model tanks have the exhaust pipe and muffler on top of the engine compartment. The exhaust pipe heats up, and does not allow for transport of submachinegunners and makes the tank difficult to fuel up. Cover it with a casing.
    9. Latest model tanks have weak side armour. Near Kudinovo, a 100 kg bomb fell 25-30 meters from a tank and punctured its side on the right, the engine casing was penetrated, three cylinders were knocked off, the fragment punched through the other side of the casing and was embedded in the ammunition rack. The tank completed its combat mission with one engine. 
  2. Transmission compartment:
    1. The hatch above the final drives is too small and does not allow for rapid servicing of the final drives and brakes. Increase the size of the hatch by 40-50 mm.
    2. In battle, tanks carry submachinegunners on top. The tank's design should include handles or at least straps for them to hold onto, as many must be transported. For instance, in battle for Kudinovo, 20 submachinegunners rode on the tank
  3. Fighting compartment:
    1. Strengthen the turret turning mechanism carrier, as it easily snaps.
    2. It is hard to observe using the periscope. The seat does not turn, and the turret is cramped, so you can only look forward. It is necessary to enable observation in the direction opposite of the gun.
    3. The commander's seat is affixed to the turret and turns with it. If the turret is knocked off by a bomb, the commander is lifted with it, and dies. It is necessary to affix the seat to a rotating floor.
    4. The microphone in the tank does not allow for reliable communication with the driver, as the speech is drowned out by noise. Replace the microphone with a throat microphone.
    5. When the tank moves, it constantly "dips" down, making firing on the move difficult. It is necessary to equip the front wheels with shock absorbers.
    6. The radio is powered by engine batteries. It has insufficient capacity and rapidly depletes. It is necessary to install a separate battery for the radio.
  4. Suspension:
    1. The tanks typically carry submachinegunners, up to 20. The clearance of the vehicle is low, and under such weight, decreases further. Increase the clearance of the tank.
    2. The tow cable is short and cannot loop through both hooks of the tank being towed. Hooking it up to only one tank, the towed tank does not go straight. It is necessary to lengthen the cable, or better yet, add a second hook.
    3. Driving over ice leads to tracks slipping. The tracks need spurs. 
  5. Driver's compartment:
    1. An observation device exists to observe with closed hatches. The field of view is small, and does not let the driver see to the left or right of the tank, which leads to having to open the hatch in battle. It is necessary to use a periscope with a range of 180-220 degrees.
    2. The driver's seat back is at too low an angle, and the cushion is too high up. The driver is tilted backwards, which tires him out and negatively impacts the quality of driving and observation. The effect is the same for all body builds.
    3. Driving in a straight line does not require the driver's hands, which means he can fire at infantry with a machinegun. It is necessary to equip the tank with a machinegun ball mount, increasing its firepower.
    4. The hatches have high tolerances, and there is no liner, which leads to water leaking in during the fall. It is necessary to introduce a liner to prevent leaks.
Technical Department Chief of the Tatishev Tank Camp, Lieutenant-Colonel Vasiliev"

CAMD RF 38-11355-1420

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