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Soviet Union's KV-1¹ (Kliment Voroshilov) heavy tank

KV-1 Heavy Tank in 1941.	KV-1 Heavy Tank:	KV-1 Heavy Tank:	KV-1 Heavy Tank:
KV-1 Heavy Tank:	KV-1 Heavy Tank in Leningrad going to the front.	KV-1 Heavy Tank:	KV-1 Heavy Tank:
KV-1 Heavy Tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum		KV-8 Heavy Tank with flame thrower:

1/72 Diecast Models of KV-1
Hobby Master:			Easy Models:
3001:	3003:	3005:	36289:

Design

After experience in the Russio-Finnish War with the T-100 and the SMK, it was found that they were too large and complex.¹ Kotin showed design plans for a single turreted heavy tank to Stalin in August 1939 and it was approved to construct a KV prototype.¹

This vehicle was originally called the Kotin-Stalin but was officially changed to the Klimenti Voroshilov⁹ / Klementi Vorishilov / Marshal Klimenti Voroshilov^8,11/ Kliment Voroshilov¹² (KV) after the Defense Commissar.

The KV-1 borrowed the hull, transmission, optics, and torsion bar suspension from the SMK.¹

The engine was the same as the T-34 but with minor modifications. Initially the armor was welded.⁹

The driver sat in the middle.^8,9 The radio operator / machine gunner sat on the left.^8,9

Drive sprocket was at the rear.⁸

Type	Name	Weight	Muzzle Velocity	Penetration
Type	Name	Weight	Muzzle Velocity	500 m
AT²	BR-350²	6.3 kg²	612 m/sec²	66 mm²
HE²	F-34²	6.23 kg²	610 - 635 m/sec²

Prototype

N. L. Duchov was the responsible designer from the S. J. Kotin design bureau that started development of the KV-1 in February 1939.²

The prototype was built at the Kirov Factory in February 1939.^9,12 A wooden mockup was ready in April 1939.⁹ By September 1939 the first prototype was show to the General Staff.^2,9,12 It was accepted in December 1939 / December 19, 1939^2,12, with production starting in February 1940.⁹

The KV-1 prototype was tested at the Kubinka test grounds outside of Moscow alongside the SMK and T-100.¹

Production

They came from the production lines in Leningrad and went straight to the front at Karelian.² The factory was later moved to Chelyabinsk.²

KV-1: 3,015²
- Production: February 1940-:⁹
  - 1940: 141², 243¹²
  - 1941: 1,121¹^,2
  - 1942: 1,753^1,2

Variants

KV-1: The first models were prone to clutch and transmission faults.
KV-1A, KV-1 1940:
KV-1B, KV-1 1941:
KV-1C, KV-1 1942:
KV-1 S:
KV-8: Had 45 mm M32 gun installed in place of main gun and an ATO-41 flame-thrower installed coaxially.⁷ It had 670 liters of oil and gave 52 - 55 bursts of flames.² It's range was about 46 meters. Used KV-1C chassis. Had 116 round of 45 mm, 2,772 rounds of MG, and weighed around 44 tons.
KV-85:

Usage

Finland Trials

In February 1940, 2² / a platoon of KV-1s were sent to Finland¹¹ for trials.

The T-100, SMK, and KV-1 prototypes were apart of the 91st Tank Battalion of the 20th Heavy Tank Brigade and had their first combat near Summa from December 17 to 19.¹

Despite hits from Finnish antitank weapons none were knocked out.¹² It was also found that the diesel engine proved to be very reliable.¹² The wide tracks allowed it to have excellent cross country performance.¹²

Invasion of the Motherland

By June 1941 there were 636 produced. By the Battle for Moscow (December 1941) 1,364.

	KV-1
Crew	Commander, gunner, auxiliary driver, driver/mechanic, radio-operator Commander/loader, gunner, 2nd driver/mechanic, driver/mechanic, hull gunner/radio operator⁸ 5^{1,6,8,9,11,12}
Physical Characteristics
Weight	102,200, 104,719 lb, 104,791 lb⁹ 42,910 kg¹, 43,000 kg¹¹, 47,500 kg⁹ 42.23 tons¹, 42.3 tons¹¹, 43.5 tons⁸, 46.35 tons^6,12, 47.5 tons⁷
Length w/gun	20.6'⁹, 21' 11"¹¹, 22.6'^6,12, 24' 3"¹ 6.3 m⁹, 6.68 m¹¹, 6.9 m⁷, 7.41 m¹
Length w/o gun	22' 1"
Height	7.9'⁹, 7' 11", 8' 8"'^6,12, 8' 10", 8' 11"¹¹, 9' 5"¹ 2.4 m⁹, 2.71 m^7,11, 2.87 m¹
Width	10.2'⁹, 10' 2", 10.65'^6,12, 10' 10", 10' 11"¹¹, 11' 5"¹, 3.1 m⁹, 3.32 m^7,11, 3.49 m¹
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	1' 2.5"
Ground contact length	14.2'¹²
Ground pressure	10.68 psi, 10.7 psi⁹, 11.23 psi 0.7 kg/cm² ⁹
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	76.2 mm M1938/39 L/30.5¹² 76.2 mm L/30.5⁸ 76.2 mm¹ 76.2 mm L-11² 76.2 mm F-34⁹ 76.2 mm L/41 ZiS-5¹¹
Secondary
MG	3: 7.62 mm MG¹ 3: MG^6,12 up to 4: 7.62 mm MG¹¹
MG - coaxial	1: MG⁸ 1: 7.62 mm DT MG^2,9
MG - rear	1: MG⁸ 1: 7.62 mm DT MG² (some models)⁹
MG - hull	1: MG⁸ 1: 7.62 mm DT MG^2,12
Side arms
Quantity
Main	111^9,12, 114
Secondary
MG	3,000⁹, 3,024¹²
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	75¹¹ 30 - 70⁶, 75+25⁶, 75 - 100⁹, 90-110⁸ Front: 75⁷ Side: 75⁷
Hull Front, Upper	75⁹, later models: 75+35⁹, 106¹²
Hull Front, Lower
Hull Sides, Upper	75 - 77¹², 90+40, 90-130
Hull Sides, Lower	90
Hull Rear	75, 60-75
Hull Top	30 - 40¹², 30, 35
Hull Bottom	30 - 40¹², 30
Turret Front	30 - 100¹², 120
Turret Sides	120
Turret Rear	90
Turret Top	40
Engine (Make / Model)	W-2-K² V-2⁸, V-2-K IS⁹ V2K¹¹, V-2K¹²
Bore / stroke
Cooling	Water⁹
Cylinders	V-12¹¹, 12^9,12
Capacity
Net HP	550^6,11,12, 600^7,8 600@2,000 rpm⁹
Power to weight ratio	12.6 hp/ton⁹
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	5 forward, 1 reverse
Steering
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Diesel^6,9,11,12
Octane
Quantity	158.5 gallons
Road consumption
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°
Max speed	21.7 mph¹¹, 21.8 mph¹, 22 mph^6,8,12 35 kph^1,7,11
Cross country speed	12.4 mph
Road radius	93 miles¹¹, 140 miles^1,12, 156 miles, 210 miles⁸ 150 km¹¹, 225 km¹
Cross country radius	94 miles¹²
Turning radius	31'
Elevation limits	-4 to +24.5
Fording depth	4' 8"
Trench crossing	8' 6"
Vertical obstacle	3' 8"
Climbing ability
Suspension (Type)	Torsion bar¹²
Wheels each side	6 twin steel⁸
Return rollers each side	3⁸
Tracks (Type)
Length
Width	2' 3.5"^8,12
Diameter
Number of links
Pitch
Tire tread
Track centers/tread

Sources:

Russian Tanks of World War II Stalin's Armored Might, by Tim Bean & Will Fowler, 2002
Russian Tanks and Armored Vehicles 1917-1945, by Wolfgang Fleischer, 1999
The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1943-1945, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
Airfix Magazine Guide 22 Russian Tanks of World War 2, John Milsom and Steve Zaloga, 1977