T-34/85 Medium Tank:

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T-34/85 1/72 Armor
Dragon Armor	Easy Models	Forces of Valor
60248: 60249:	36271: 36274:	85018:

The modernization of the T-34 was decided upon at a meeting of the State Defense Committee on August 25, 1943, after the severe losses at the battle of Kursk. V. G. Grabin, chief designer at Artillery Factory No. 92, suggesting in the spring of 1943 to us a long barrelled 85 mm tank gun to uparm the T-34. He used an 85 mm gun that was going to be installed in the KV-3 heavy tank. It had to be modified to fit the T-34 and it was designated the 85 mm Tank Gun ZIS-53.

During the 1st half of 1943 another group under General F. F. Petrov work on 2 variants of the 85 mm that was later used in the KV-85, IS-1, and SU-85.

At Factory No. 92 in Gorki, A. Savin made a 3rd variant of the 85 mm gun. It was mounted in a modified T-34 turret for testing. During testing it was realized that the turret would have to be enlarged to accommodate 3 crew members to allow for maximum possible rate of fire. The People's Commissariat for the Armor Industry assigned the task to a development bureau in the Krasnoye Sormovo factory. A cylindrical cupola for the commander was installed. However, when the 85 mm gun from V.G. Grabin was installed it was discovered that it had a limited elevation. New guns were developed and were tested at the end of 1943. The State Defense Committee approved it for introduction to the army on December 15, 1943.

Gun	Ammo Type	Weight	Muzzle Velocity	Penetration
88 mm Model 1944, L/538	AP8	20.3 lb8	2,600'/sec8	4.7"@0° at 100 yards11

Other faults in the 85 mm gun from V.G. Grabin were discovered and it was decided to use the gun from General Petrov. This gun had bad ballistic performance and work continued on the ZIS-53. It was tested in January 1944 and were shortly thereafter put into production. By the end of 1944 11,778 85 mm Tank Gun ZIS S-53 were produced.

A Tsch 16 scope was installed and it had a 16 degree field of view and 4x manification.

Production started in late 1943 and entered service in Guard units in March 1944. To combat the German Panthers & Tigers a more powerful gun was needed. The 85 mm was selected and was based on an Anti-Aircraft gun. The turret was modified from the KV-85 and held a crew of 3. Hand rails were welded onto the hull for infantry to hold on to. Gun could penetrate 100 mm at 1,100 yards. A special "Arrowhead" round was produced but was inaccurate at longer ranges.

OT-34/85:

Had an AT-42 flame-thrower mounted in place of the hull MG. Could shoot a flame 60-100 meters.

PT-3:

Had a mine removal roller attached. Engineer regiments had 22 T-34s and 18 PT-3 min removal devices.

There was a bridgelayer and mine-roller version too.

	T-34/85	T-34/85 1944
Crew	Commander, driver, hull gunner, turret gunner, loader 51,3,4,5, 4-58	52
Physical Characteristics
Weight	70,000 lb, 70,548 lb, 31.5 tons1,3,5, 30 tons4, 32 tons6 32,000 kg1,3	32 tons2
Length w/gun	24.6'5, 26' 5.75", 26' 8", 26' 7"3 7.53 m4, 8.15 m3,6	8.15 m2
Length w/o gun	19' 5.25", 20', 6.29 m1	6.1 m2
Height	7.8'5, 8' 5", 8' 6", 9' 10"1, 9' 7"3, 9'3 2.5 m4, 2.6 m6, 2.74 m1,3	2.72 m2
Width	9.8'5, 10' 6.25", 9' 10", 9' 7"1 2.99 m1, 3 m4,6	3 m2
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	1' 4" 0.4 m4	0.4 m2
Ground contact length
Ground pressure	10.8 psi8, 12.37 psi 0.87 (kg/cm2)4	0.81-0.85 (kg/cm2)2
Turret ring diameter	5' 2", 1.6 m
Armament (mm)
Main	85 mm ZiS-S-533 85 mm1,5 85 mm L/534 85 mm D5-T (1st 300 production)6 85 mm ZiS S-53 (rest of production)6 85 mm M1944 S53 (D-5T)7 85 mm Model 1944, L/538	85 mm ZIS S-53 1944 L/51.52
Secondary
MG	2: 7.62 mm DT MG3 2: 7.62 mm DT MG, coaxial, hull7,8 2: 7.62 mm MG1 2: MGs4 1: MG5	2: 7.62 mm DT MG, coaxial, hull2
Side arms
Quantity
Main	55, 564,8, 60, 767	56-602
Secondary
MG	1,8908, 1,9554, 2,394	1,8902
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	903 18 - 755 Front: 1.8"@60°8, 906 Side: 1.8"@40°8, 756
Hull Front, Upper	454, 90, 471	602
Hull Front, Lower	45
Hull Sides, Upper	454, 601	452
Hull Sides, Lower	45
Hull Rear	30, 40-454, 471	452
Hull Top	201, 304	20-232
Hull Bottom	18, 201,4	222
Turret Front	3.7"8, 45-554, 901 Mantlet: 2.3"8	45-75
Turret Sides	3.5"8, 50-554, 751	752
Turret Rear	504, 601	752
Turret Top	201,4	202
Engine (Make / Model)	W-2-343 W-24
Bore / stroke	4 cycle8
Cooling	Water4,8
Cylinders	V-128
Capacity
Net HP	5005,6, 500@1,800 rpm8
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio	15:18
Transmission (Type)	Constant mesh spur gear8 4 forward, 1 reverse4,8
Steering	Clutch brake8
Steering ratio
Starter	Air and electric8
Electrical system	24-volts and 12-volt8
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Diesel5,8
Octane
Quantity	147 gallons (8 internal tanks)8, each external tank 25 gallons8 480 liters4 Internal: 127 gallons, 214 gallons, 144 gallons External: 71 gallons	840 liters2
Road consumption	1.7 mpg8
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360° Hand and electric8	360°
Max speed	31 mph1,5, 33 mph8, 34 mph3 47 kph4, 55 kph3,6, 50 kph1	50 kph2
Cross country speed	5-10 mph8, 18.6 mph, 21.8 mph
Road radius	186.4 miles, 190 miles1,3, 224 miles1, 250 miles8 360 km1, 300 km1,3,4	300 km2
Cross country radius	160 km4, 310 km1 155 miles8, 193 miles1
Turning radius	25' 4" 7.7 m4
Elevation limits	-5° to +25°
Fording depth	47"8, 4' 4", 4' 3" 0.9 m4	1.3 m2
Trench crossing	8.2'8, 8' 3"	2.5 m2
Vertical obstacle	30"8	0.73 m2
Climbing ability	35° (70%) slope8
Suspension (Type)	Christie4,8 Each wheel suspended on movable arm working against a coil spring located in the hull8
Wheels each side	54,8
Return rollers each side
Tracks (Type)	Dry pin8
Length
Width	1' 10" 560 mm4
Diameter
Number of links	728
Pitch	7"8
Tire tread	Steel4
Track centers/tread
Production	1943: 2831, 1002 1944: 11,7781, 11,0002,3 1945: 7,2301, 18,3302

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 1943-1945, 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. Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
8. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?

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