T-34 questions

The earlier versions had different mantlets and external fuel tanks as well as treads.

The T-34/85 had a much larger turret as well as a larger caliber gun.

There were different manufacturers, though I can't rattle of the names.

I know there was a plant in Stalingrad that was making tanks when the Germans were attacking and as the workers finished their jobs they manned the completed tanks and went to fight the Germans. I think there was aplant in Leningrad but it might have been just for rifles & MG's. No radios except for company commanders, correct?

Were the T-34/76's removed from service and converted to T34/85's or did they just shift production, or were both manufactured at the same time?

Can't remember the factories in Stalingrad off hand. The Tractor Works was one I believe and something October....., boy do I feel stupid without my resources with me. In Leningrad they did produce tanks and many went out without paint.

I believe that late in the war , especially after the Tigers and Panthers hit the front, the Soviets started to upgun their T-34's because the 76mm was pretty useless against them. I think the T-34/85 came out late 43 or early 44. Again without my references handy i feel blind.

I don't believe the commander had any internal communications with his crew, this was indeed a problem for them.

Steve Zaloga's T-34 in Action book by Squadron is a good starting reference on the T-34. Lots of exterior pix and differences between models and manufacturers.

Ron

The three factories were: The Tractor Factory, Red October Factory and the Barricades Plant.

The T-34/85 appeared to go into production in the winter of 43.

The last version of the T-34 armed with the 76mm gun seems to have been in production up to spring 1944, at which point I would imagine those factories either switched to producing the 85mm armed T-34, or perhaps some of the specialty vehicles based on the T-34 chasis.

The first # of a soviet tank is usually when the vehicle was released or developed , 1934 in this case , a T-72 would have been released for combat in 1972 and so on , The second # in the T-34 series is usually the gun caliber , the T-34/85 was the soviets answer to the tiger and panther tanks both of which outmatched the earlier T-34/76 , the T-34/85 had thicker armor as well as the larger 85mm Hi velocity tank gun, the 85's were used right thru the end of the war and beyond , I believe they also saw action against the USA during the korean war , probably a bit more modified , all of the T-34 series were fast easy for basically moderately trained crew to operate and easy to mass produce . It is said to be at the very least one of the best tanks of WW2, if not the best .

Yup spector822002, that's about the size of it. Good summary.

I beleive they also produced T-34/76 models at Tankograd(tank city). i am not sure where that is though. I think after Kursk, the Russians got hold of German propaganda saying how superior the tiger's armor and firepower was to the T-34. The Russians up gunned the main gun after that and made a larger three man turret( early-mid 1944). The new 85mm gun was used previously on an assult gun, the SU-85. I think that the T-34/76 was phased out after 1944 i think I would recommend the Squadron T-34 in Action book.

Good recommendation Hun Commander, I have the same book, and it comes with some nice line drawings and pre-post development.

try this site for some basic info on the different versions...a good all round ref site generally...

http://users.swing.be/tanks.tanks/complet/670.html#766

hope this helps,
nick

AikinutNY,

You are in luck bro. I just watched "Cross of Iron" yesterday and if you want to see T-34's, this movie's for you. A good website to check out would be www.wwiivehicles.com . Good luck.

Okieboy