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Soviet Union's KV-2 heavy tank
Nickname: Dreadnought

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KV-2 heavy tank:
Soviet Union's KV-2 Heavy Tank
Aberdeen Tank Museum
KV-2 heavy tank:
Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank
KV-2 heavy tank:
Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank
KV-2 heavy tank:
Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank
KV-2 heavy tank:
Soviet Union's KV-2 Heavy Tank
  KV-2A heavy tank:
Soviet Union's KV-2A Heavy Tank
 
1/72 Armor
Easy Models Hobby Master  
36283:
Easy Models 1/72 Armor 36283, Soviet KV-2
3004:
Hobby Master 3004 1/72 Armor, Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank
3006:
Hobby Master 3006 1/72 Armor, Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank
 

Design

During the Russo-Finnish War the commander of the 7th Army, K. Meretskov, made requests for a tank that had a large gun to attack Finnish bunkers.1

The KV-2 used the chassis and suspension of the KV-1 with an extra large turret that contained a 152 mm howitzer.10

The KV-2 was designed to attack fortifications.9 There was a special concrete busting shell that the KV-2 could fire.9

The turret and gun weighed 12 tons.1,7 The turret was 1.45 m tall.2

Main Armament

The 152 mm barrel was 3.7 m long.2 There was a drum sight that has a shortened aiming scope.2

Some may have had a 122 mm gun installed.8 The initial production run had 122 mm howitzers.6

Type Name Weight Muzzle Velocity Range Penetration
500 m
HE2   51.1 kg2 432 m/sec2 5,000 m2  
AP2   40 kg2 508 m/sec2    
APHE8   112 lb8 1,400'/sec8    

Prototype

It took two weeks to complete a prototype.1 Trials for the KV-2 prototype were conducted on February 10, 1940.1 Two prototypes were sent to the Finish front on the Karelian Isthmus.1 It is unclear whether they actually saw combat but Meretskov did report very good success against bunkers, which may have only been against captured ones.1

Production

Production of the KV-2 started in February 1940.6

  • KV-2, KV-2A: 3302
    • Production: 1940 - 19412, 1940 - October 19411
      • ? - October 1941: 3343
      • 1940: 1022
      • 1941: 2321,2
      • 1942: 7802
    • Manufacturer: Soviet arsenals (1942)8

Variants

  • KV-2A: Produced in 1940 to battle the Finnish defenses. Proved to be unwieldy as the turret was very heavy. The turret could only be moved when on flat ground. Construction was halted at end of 1941. Built on the KV-1 chassis at the Kirov works in Leningrad.
  • KV-2B: Larger mantlet with rounded shield and was 4 tons heavier. Some had flame throwers. Built on the KV-1A chassis.
  • LV-1 S: 122 mm gun.2
  • ?: 85 mm gun.2

Usage

It was found that the KV-2 was much to heavy and were eventually replaced by self propelled guns.6

Trials in Finland

Used against the Mannerheim Line in February 1940.7

Mechanical Problems

The KV-2s suffered from mechanical problems and often broke down.1 The 41st Tank Division reported that it lost 2/3 of its 33 KV-2s, but only five of those were due to combat.1

Moscow Defense

KV-2s were used in the defense of Moscow in late 1941.1

Stalingrad

The 62nd Army, commanded by Major-General V. Chuikov, had KV-2s to help in the defense of Stalingrad.1

Specifications

  KV-2 KV-2A KV-2B KV-2 1940
Crew 61,3,4,8,9 61,5,6 66 62
Physical Characteristics        
Weight 116,845 lb,
53,963 kg3,9
52 tons4,8, 53 tons7, 53.1 tons3,9
53,850 kg1
53 tons1,5,6
57 tons5,6 52 tons2
Length w/gun 22' 2.25"8, 22' 3"3,9, 23' 11.75"
6.79 m3,9, 6.8 m4
7.31 m1
22.3'5,6, 23' 11"1
22.3'6 6.8 m2
Length w/o gun 22' 4"     6.67 m2
Height 10' 7.5"8, 12'3,7,9, 12' 11", 16'1
3.28 m4, 3.65 m3,9, 4.9 m1
12'5,6, 12' 11"1
3.93 m1
13.7'5,6 3.25 m2
Width 10' 11"3,9, 10' 11.25"8, 11' 9"
3.32 m3,9, 3.35 m4
10.93'5,6 10.93'6 3.35 m2
Width over tracks        
Ground clearance 1' 2", 17"8     0.45 m2
Ground contact length 14' 5"8
0.52 m4
14.4'6 14.4'6  
Ground pressure 12.23 psi, 12.3 psi8
0.84 kg/cm2 4
    0.9 kg/cm2 2
Turret ring diameter        
Armament        
Main 152 mm 1938/40 L/24.52
152 mm M1938/40 L/203
152 mm L/244
152 mm howitzer7
152 mm M1938/408
152 mm L/20 howitzer9
152 mm howitzer1,5
152 mm M1938/40 howitzer6
152 mm M1938/40 howitzer6 152.4 mm 1938/40 howitzer2
Secondary        
MG 2: 7.62 mm DT MG3
3: MGs4
2: 7.62 mm MG9
2: 7.62 mm MG1
2: MG5,6
2: MG6 3: 7.62 mm DT MG2
MG - coaxial 1: 7.62 mm DT MG8      
MG - rear turret 1: 7.62 mm MG
1: 7.62 mm DT MG8
     
MG - hull 1: 7.62 mm MG
1: 7.62 mm DT MG8
     
Side arms        
Quantity        
Main 364,8 366 366 362
Secondary        
MG 3,0554, 3,078, 3,0878 3,0876 3,0876 2,475-3,0872
Side arms        
Armor Thickness (mm) 1109, 30-1103 35 - 1005, 1101    
Hull Front, Upper 3"@0°8, 754, 75+35 1106 1106 752
Hull Front, Lower        
Hull Sides, Upper 3"@0°8, 754, 75+35 75 - 776 75 - 1106 752
Hull Sides, Lower 75      
Hull Rear 3"@0°8, 754     60-752
Hull Top 354 356 356 30-402
Hull Bottom 354 356 356 30-402
Turret Front 3"@0°8, 4.3"1
754, 100, 1101
35 - 1006 35 - 1006 1102
Turret Sides 2.9"1, 3"@0°8
751,4
    752
Turret Rear 754     752
Turret Top 354     352
Engine (Make / Model) W-24,8
W-2-K2,3
V2K9
V-2K6 V-2K6 W-2-K2
Bore / stroke       4 stroke2
Cooling Water8      
Cylinders V-128,9 126 126 V-122
Capacity        
Net HP 5509, 6008 5505,6 5506 600@2,000 rpm2
Power to weight ratio       11.5 hp/ton2
Compression ratio        
Transmission (Type) 5 forward, 1 reverse4,8
Sliding mesh8
     
Steering Clutch brake8      
Steering ratio        
Starter        
Electrical system        
Ignition        
Fuel (Type) Diesel8,9 Diesel5,6 Diesel6 Diesel2
Octane        
Quantity 131.2 gallons8
650 liters4
    610 liters2
Road consumption 1.3 mpg8      
Cross country consumption        
Performance        
Traverse 360°8
Power and manual8
360°   360°
Speed - Road 15 mph8, 15.62 mph1, 15.9 mph3, 16 mph9, 16.2 mph
25 kph1, 25.6 kph3, 26 kph9, 35 kph4
16 mph5,6, 16.2 mph1
26 kph1
16 mph6 26 kph2
Speed - Cross Country 7.4 mph1, 9.3 mph
12 kph1
     
Range - Road 87 miles3, 93 miles9, 99.4 miles, 150 miles8
140 km3, 150 km9, 220 km4
100 miles6, 125 miles1
200 km1
100 miles6 250 km2
Range - Cross Country 130 km4 84 miles6 84 miles6  
Turning radius 31'
9.5 m4
     
Elevation limits -4° to +24.5°, -5° to +12°8      
Fording depth 3' 9"8, 4' 9"
1.45 m4
    1.6 m2
Trench crossing 8' 6", 9' 2"8     2.7 m2
Vertical obstacle 3'8, 3' 8"     1.2 m2
Climbing ability       30°2
Suspension (Type) Torsion bar4
Christie type coil spring torsion arm8
     
Wheels each side 64,8      
Return rollers each side 38      
Tracks (Type) Steel skeleton, dry pin8      
Length        
Width 2' 3.5"8
700 mm4
2' 3.5"6 2' 3.5"6  
Diameter        
Number of links        
Pitch 6.25"8      
Tire tread        
Track centers/tread        

Sources:

  1. Russian Tanks of World War II Stalin's Armored Might, by Tim Bean & Will Fowler, 2002
  2. Russian Tanks and Armored Vehicles 1917-1945, by Wolfgang Fleischer, 1999
  3. 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
  4. Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
  5. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
  6. Airfix Magazine Guide 22 Russian Tanks of World War 2, John Milsom and Steve Zaloga, 1977
  7. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
  8. Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
  9. The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
  10. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998

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