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Soviet Union's KV-2 heavy tank

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:

1/72 Armor
Easy Models	Hobby Master
36283:	3004:	3006:

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

• KV-2, KV-2A: 330²
  • Production: 1940 - 1941²
    • ? - 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

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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