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

Photos

KV-2 heavy tank: Aberdeen Tank Museum	KV-2 heavy tank:	KV-2 heavy tank:	KV-2 heavy tank:
KV-2 heavy tank:		KV-2A heavy tank:
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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: 232^1,2
    • 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