Lessons Learned

"Secret

To Comrade Beria

January 27, 1944

Based on the recommendations given by the commander of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, Army General comrade Malinovskiy, we report that:

1. Item 1 in comrade Malinovsky's letter proposed installation of spaced armour 30-50 mm thick on the SU-85 and SU-122 SPGs.
   We consider that it would be unacceptable to install 30-50 mm thick spaced armour on the SU-85 and SU-122 SPGs on the T-34 chassis due to excess weight and overloading of the front suspension, which would radically reduce the lifespan of the transmission and running gear.
   An experimental SPG with a 100 mm gun is being built which will have 75 mm of front armour. Trials will show how feasible this undertaking is.
2. Item 2a proposes the installation of a telescopic or periscopic sight for the radio operator's hull machinegun on the T-34.
   The Kirov factory installed optical sights on machineguns in a batch of 50 T-34 tanks.
   After the GBTU comes to a conclusion on field tests of the sight a decision will be made regarding installing these sights in production T-34 tanks.
3. The same item proposes the installation of a periscope in the radio operator's hull side.
   The issue of feasibility of installing a periscopic observation device in the radio operator's station will be reviewed at factory #183. Factory #183 has been instructed to work on this issue and come to a conclusion within 10 days.
4. The same item proposes installing a large caliber machinegun in the T-34."

CAMD RF 81-12038-298 p.11