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Soviet Union's KV-2 heavy tank

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:
Russia'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

Was designed to attack fortifications.9 It could fire a special concrete busting shell.9

The turret and gun weighed 12 tons.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.10

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    

Production

Production of the KV-2 started in February 1940.10

Variants

Usage

Trials in Finland

Used against the Mannerheim Line in February 1940.7

It was found that the KV-2 was much to heavy and were eventually replaced by self propelled guns.10

  KV-2 KV-2A KV-2B KV-2 19402
Crew 61,3,4,8,9 65,10 610 62
Physical Characteristics        
Weight 116,845 lb,
53,963 kg3,9
52 tons4,6,8, 53 tons7, 53.1 tons3,9
53,850 kg1
53 tons1,5,10
57 tons5,10 52 tons2
Length w/gun 22' 2.25"8, 22' 3"3,9, 23' 11.75"
6.79 m3,9, 6.8 m4, 6.956
7.31 m1
22.3'5,10, 23' 11"1
22.3'10 6.8 m2
Length w/o gun 22' 4"     6.67 m2
Height 10' 7.5"8, 12'3,7,9, 12' 11"
3.25 m6, 3.28 m4, 3.65 m3,9
3.93 m1
12'5,10, 12' 11"1
13.7'5,10 3.25 m2
Width 10' 11"3,9, 10' 11.25"8, 11' 9"
3.32 m3,6,9, 3.35 m4
10.93'5,10 10.93'10 3.35 m2
Width over tracks        
Ground clearance 1' 2", 17"8     0.45 m2
Ground contact length 14' 5"8
0.52 m4
14.4'10 14.4'10  
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 M-10 M1938/406
152 mm howitzer7
152 mm M1938/408
152 mm L/20 howitzer9
152 mm howitzer1,5
152 mm M1938/40 howitzer10
152 mm M1938/40 howitzer10 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: MG5,10
2: MG10 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 3610 3610 362
Secondary        
MG 3,0554, 3,078, 3,0878 3,08710 3,08710 2,475-3,0872
Side arms        
Armor Thickness (mm) 1109, 30-1103
Front: 1106
Side: 756
35 - 1005    
Hull Front, Upper 3"@0°8, 754, 75+35 11010 11010 752
Hull Front, Lower        
Hull Sides, Upper 3"@0°8, 754, 75+35 75 - 7710 75 - 11010 752
Hull Sides, Lower 75      
Hull Rear 3"@0°8, 754     60-752
Hull Top 354 3510 3510 30-402
Hull Bottom 354 3510 3510 30-402
Turret Front 3"@0°8, 754, 100 35 - 10010 35 - 10010 1102
Turret Sides 3"@0°8, 754     752
Turret Rear 754     752
Turret Top 354     352
Engine (Make / Model) W-24,8
W-2-K2,3
V2K9
V-2K10 V-2K10 W-2-K2
Bore / stroke       4 stroke2
Cooling Water8      
Cylinders V-128,9 1210 1210 V-122
Capacity        
Net HP 5509, 6006,8 5505,10 55010 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 Diesel5,10 Diesel10 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°
Max speed 15 mph8, 15.9 mph3, 16 mph9, 16.2 mph
25.6 kph3, 26 kph9, 35 kph4,6
16 mph5,10, 16.2 mph1
26 kph1
16 mph10 26 kph2
Cross country speed 9.3 mph      
Road radius 87 miles3, 93 miles9, 99.4 miles, 150 miles8
140 km3, 150 km9, 220 km4
100 miles10, 125 miles1
200 km1
100 miles10 250 km2
Cross country radius 130 km4 84 miles10 84 miles10  
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"10 2' 3.5"10  
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. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
  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. Airfix Magazine Guide 22 Russian Tanks of World War 2, John Milsom and Steve Zaloga, 1977
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