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Home , 10th Army (RSFSR), A7V, Beutepanzer, BT tank, GAZ Tigr, Heavy tank

Russian and Soviet 1914-1941

English edition August 2013.

ISBN: 978-1-291-74954-0

After the appearance of the in the First World War, the use of this new was spread on a global scale. But in subsequent decades much interest in it, as the theories as to its use tactics, declined in most armies. Only a handful of visionaries raised their voices proclaiming the importance and possibilities that the use of these machines, integrated together in large formations, would have in the future. Very few nations would pay attention to those ideas and even less willing to invest their resources to implement them. Therefore, in the first half of the thirties come into regular service the first armored units equipped with medium and heavy tanks since the end of , these events did not take place in one of the western industrialized countries, but in the . This is a chronicle of the formation of these units and the development of the first material that would nurture them, as well as later models that would a milestone in the history and would directly influence the course of this. As the explanatory note contained in this book, it must be recognized that in the virtual absence of specific names for the various versions of the vehicles described here, since this was a constant in this time period in the Soviet Union, many of the references to these versions have been taken considering their entry into service or manufacture year.

Maximino Argüelles Martínez. Asturias, Spain in August 2013.

Acknowledgments: To my muses: Dori and Nidia. And to all the inhabitants of "Little " in the Hueria de Carrocera Valley.

CONTENTS

Genesis p. 2

The First Generation p. 16

The First Units p. 32

Dissolution and Reconstruction p. 38

Battle Horses p. 54

Factories and Testing Polygons p. 74

Situation at June 21, 1941 p. 78

Bibliography p. 97 The Baltic Russian firm was founded in the city of Riga in 1908. Becoming the industrial and technological forefront of the . And one of the leading European car manufacturers of the time. Compared with other European manufacturers by 1914 the firm had produced 300 cars, Alfa Romeo 200, Audi 210, Bugatti 150 and Mercedes around 100. The models of the C24 Torpedo Type C series took a clean sweep the first positions in sporting automobile competitions pioneers in Europe. In 1912 the journalist André Nagel at the controls of a Torpedo Type C gets the victory in the Rally St. Petersburg Monaco and that year is among the top positions in the Saint Sebastian race.

In this illustration appears an Austin first series armored vehicle, in service with an armored of the 4th Russian Army operating in during 1916.

Genesis

Technical studies on armored vehicles capable of independent movement of railways in Russia was initiated in the first decade of the twentieth century. After the defeat of 1905 in the war against , is launching a program to modernize its armed forces. The result of these plans is responsible construction in of which would be the first Russian armored vehicles. It would be eight armored cars designed by the Georgian engineer N. K. Nakashidze, model Nakashidze-Charron, known in the West as CGV Charron. Delivered in 1908, weighing 3 tons and 3 crew on a future disposition announcing the conventional composition of these vehicles: protected structure on a four-wheeled and armed with a 8mm in a rotating turret on top on the structure.

In dealing with the beginnings of the automobile in these latitudes is necessary to highlight the Baltic Russian firm (Russo Balt), founded in 1908 in the city of Riga, the main industrial center of the Russian Empire. As early as 1910 it began testing in the Russian army all-terrain vehicles manufactured by this firm. In the same bill is the 1913 draft one of the world's first half-tracks, with the assistance of the French firm Kegresse, it is the Russo-Balt D24/40 Kegresse high mobility vehicle used primarily as an . Different products of this factory supplied Russian army trucks as 1912 Type D and 1913 Type M and T. FIRST PROJECTS

Russo-Balt armored vehicle

This is the first armored vehicle manufactured in Russia shortly before the start of the first world war in 1914 over the chassis of a Type C car of this firm, installing on a protected structure with angular shapes, without rotating turrets, the various machine guns which is armed stand at the sides, and rear in some cases, run by its five crew members.

2 Gardford-Putilov armored vehicle

The design work Gardford-Putilov Putilov workshops began in St. Petersburg in 1914, production reached 48 copies in two versions, one for the Army and one for the Navy. About the Gardford truck chassis 4 tons imported was mounted armored structure capable of accommodating a crew of 8-9 men and an armament of several machine guns and field piece of 76.2 mm at the rear located on a tower with rotation capacity. naval version, designed for the defense of the main naval bases in the Baltic Sea, was equipped with more armor which raised the weight to 11 tons compared to 9 of the terrestrial version. Powered by an of only 30 horse power did not exceed 18 to 16 Km / h and its mobility off-road or was practically nil. Despite these limitations, the armament became a vehicle with more of their time and an efficient anti tank mobile weapon.

FIRST TANK PROJECTS

Mendeleev armored train

Recognized as one of the first projects created between 1911 and 1915 by Vasiliy Mendeleev Russian engineer, was never built.

3 The huge vehicle designed, with about 12 m long and weighing 100 tons, would have a suspension system consisting of gas cylinders that would allow him to lay his on the ground to protect the tracks and undercarriage. It would be powered by a 250 hp naval and same origin would be their armor plates and . The concept itself, it would be more of a self-propelled artillery piece or mobile fortress, which a tank itself.

There are some sources mention another armored vehicle project developed in Rybinsk tractor factory, known as Rybinsk Factory Tank, presented to the department of the Russian Army in 1916, weighing 20 tons shaped structure rectangular box mounted on a tracked chassis and armed with a 107mm piece at one end and a high-mounted machine guns at the other end, very similar in concept and size to French St Chammon .

Vezdekhod

Literally translated from Russian "Whoever can go anywhere." Developed by a young aeronautical engineer Aleksandr Porokhovschikov, it was to produce a prototype in the spring of 1915 and after being subjected to numerous tests during the rest of the year, finally in December 1915 did not continue with the project despite considering the technical department Russian Army could be a practical idea and of some use.

It was a small car under four meters long, equipped with a very wide single track in the middle and two small to facilitate movement by road. The prototype had no weapons, but was expected equipped with a turret armed with a machine gun operated by the sole occupant. The hull design diamond shape resembled that of the first British designs, with a forward lean and very low center of gravity which facilitated overcoming the various obstacles on the ground.

Currently there is still controversy as to whether this is the first tank built in the world, what is clear is that it is the first built in Russia.

4 Tzar Tank

In August 1915 a field test on the outskirts of Moscow maneuvered one of the strangest vehicles and curious how many have been produced to date. It was the Tzar battle tank, also known by the name of its principal designer Nikolai Lebedenko or Netopýr even bat (this name came from the resemblance to a bat sleeping hanging when carrying the scale model of the vehicle seized by rear ).

A 40-ton mill powered by two large wheels of 9 m in diameter at the front each driven by a 250 hp engine in the rear a roller with three wheels 1.5 meters in diameter served him support, a provision very unusual tricycle in armored vehicle design. The armament consisted of numerous machine guns and on a tower at the top of the helmet to 8 meters high, in side barbettes and also provided other armed tower in the bottom of the hull. After several unsuccessful attempts on the ground the project was canceled mainly due to poor off-road mobility, being vulnerable to artillery fire because of its height and its huge cost, 250,000 rubles of the time.

The prototype was abandoned in the field of tests and was finally dismantled in 1923. No doubt that this, together with the draft Mendeleev, is one of the most outstanding examples of the speculation on the land battleships theory that spread through much of Europe in the first half of this decade. This was in addition to project on land war scenario concepts and mobilities own naval resources, protection and great firepower. But these proved totally outdated concepts for the technical possibilities of the time.

5 ARMORED VEHICLES IN ACTION

After the start of the First World War and the first deliveries of armored vehicles is created in the fall of 1914 the first organic of Russian Automobile composed of 15 Russian-Balt armored cars armed with machine guns and 3 Gardford-Putilov armored trucks equipped 76.2 mm . The operational success of this unit, promoting the creation of new formations throughout 1915 and 1916 in terms of new vehicles receive both manufacturing and national assembly or purchased directly from abroad.

Emerges from this time the use of these vehicles in units that combine light vehicles armed with machine guns with more heavier-armed support vehicles like Gardford-Putilov. These units are of two types:

 Armored detachments consisting of two light vehicles and a heavy one armed with artillery support.

 Armored companies each composed of twelve light and three heavy vehicles.

This organization will remain in the Russian Army during the rest of the race, demonstrating the wider of the Eastern Front and mobile units such great utility and effectiveness than they did in other fronts.

As for the use of tanks, the purchase was made in Britain and France a certain number of these vehicles, roughly 32 Mark IV and Mark A Whippet and a hundred FT-17, was also acquired production license for FIAT 2000 tank in , but never come or the manufacture or delivery of this material because of the events that led to the exit of Russia from the war. Delaying the appearance of tanks in these lands until the intervention of Western at the start of the Civil War that followed the October Revolution of 1917.

6 During the course of the First World War the Russian Empire imported about 350 between armored vehicles and chassis for the manufacture of these, in turn produced in its factories 200 more. As a result, the Provisional Government that emerged from the uprising in February 1917 was the world's second largest number of armored vehicles, second only to Britain.

The armored vehicle characteristic of this period, as well as the most important and representative for the number of copies, was the Austin and Austin-Putilov series of armored vehicles. In September 1914 the Russian government tasked the Austin firm in Britain 48 manufacturing armored cars equipped with two revolving turrets each armed with a machine gun, so they could make fire on two different targets simultaneously, the result was the Austin Model 1914 first series, equipped with a 30 hp engine and a shield 7mm Izhorski workshops applied to replace the original.

In 1915 appears the second series of these vehicles, the Austin Model 1915, which begin to reach Russian territory from August. This version retains the disposition of the towers in parallel, but has a reinforced chassis, a more powerful engine of 50 hp and 8mm improved armor. The roof of the driver's compartment is tilted and improved visibility, the 60 copies are modified to add a cockpit and an access door in the back. Protecting at the same time the guns of the machine guns with metal shields.

Subsequently, in 1916 the Russian government orders the production of another 60 vehicles of the third series, the Austin Model 1916, which begin to be received in the summer of 1917. It had a helmet redesigned to incorporate all amendments and the second cockpit in the rear. These vehicles of the second and third series had five members: two conductors, two shooters and a chief of vehicle.

7 The armored vehicle characteristic of this time and later in the Civil War is the Austin- Putilov, also known as Russian Austin. It was designed in on the chassis of the third series austin. It had a redesigned hull with better visibility for driving position and a provision of the towers diagonally along the hull, armed with 7.62 mm Maxim machine guns and the possibility of using these to maximum for flak. Available 7.5 mm armor on vertical surfaces and a total weight of 5.2 tons, crew members 5 remained. 50 vehicles were built in the workshops Izhorski between summer 1919 and spring 1920. A variant of this vehicle was manufactured, a Halftrack equipped with a train Kegresse replacing the rear axle, known as the Austin-Kegresse to give it an enhanced mobility, about 12 vehicles were manufactured between 1919 and 1920.

A variety of armored vehicles were acquired by the Russian Government in small amounts, even some of them assembled under license in its territory, is reproduced below a brief description of the various models. The Renault-Mgebrow, produced in 1916, designed by Captain Mgebrow and built on the chassis of a 1915 Renault , fitted with a tower on the first copies and two in later versions. The placement of the armor plates with a large tilt angle made it look like an advanced design.

The Fiat-Izhorski, production of this vehicle starts at Izhorski workshops in 1917 with the supply of chassis 90 by the American Fiat Company, is a 5.3 ton vehicle armor, five crew members, 70 hp engine and armor 7mm, armed with two machine guns in separate turrets. About 22 Lanchaster armored cars were purchased in 1916, upon its delivery they were given 37mm Hotchkiss cannon, later replaced by Maxim guns. The Peerless armored truck equipped with a 40mm anti-aircraft gun and several machine guns, 16 vehicles of this model were purchased in Britain in 1916. About thirty Armstrong Whitwoth-Fiat, entered Russia between 1915 and 1916. 5- ton vehicle armed with two machine guns in two towers. There were also employed a certain number of other armored vehicles of the following models: Jeffrey Poplavko, Benz, White, Pierce-Arrow Navy, Armstrong-Whitworth- Jeffries, Fiber.

8 REVOLUTION AND CIVIL WAR

The Genesis of the Soviet Armored Forces dates back to armored units that fought during the Bolshevik Revolution. Sparse in number, their material, composed of the legacy of the Russian Army and the abandoned or captured international troops who intervened in the subsequent Civil War, this would be the first source of tanks in Russia. Surviving portion of this material formed the nascent Soviet Armored Forces. At first, the armored troops after the revolution were grouped into small units called inhomogeneous "Flying" Armored Detachments (Letuchy Broneotrya), following the tradition of the "flying columns" of Russian , their composition depended on available vehicles in every time and place. Regulatory organization of these units and their inclusion in the order of battle of the would not occur until the following decade. These detachments would consist of 2-4 armored vehicles or tanks.

It so happens that each of the facing sides in the civil war focuses on the use of armored means according to their own possibilities. In the case of the Bolshevik side control most of the major cities given the limited access to manufacturing facilities, but the international isolation that are subject precludes the reception of vital resources for the manufacture of new vehicles, using these workshops and factories for the repair and modification of various materials. As for the tactical employment is chosen, as noted above, for the deployment of small units such detachment to extend the use of armor as possible.

Moreover, the various White Russian forces that operate primarily on the margins of the former Russian Empire, lacking manufacturing centers or leading workshops, however enjoy lots of material support of all the nations involved in the fight against communism , among which are the , Britain and France. As for the tactical employment of these vehicles tend to be grouped into divisions composed of two or more armored detachments.

With the deployment of international troops intervened against the Bolshevik forces, there was the appearance in these parts of the early tanks. In December 1918, the 303rd Special Artillery Company of the French Army, a unit of FT-17 cars previously highlighted in Romania, was discharged at the port of . In February 1919, these cars first entered combat support counterrevolutionary forces in the south of , one of which was

9 abandoned due to mechanical problems, and despite having been burned would become the first Tank in the Soviet Army, was repaired and moved to Moscow as a present for Lenin, serving as a model for future achievements.

Five other cars FT-17 were knocked out and captured by an armored train and troops of the 1st Zadniepropetrovsky on March 21, 1919, four of these cars were rebuilt in the Kharkov Factory of Locomotives (KhPZ ), these cars constitute the same year the first unit to be equipped with Soviet armored tanks: Armored for Special Duties, composed of two sections of four armored vehicles and with four FT-17 tanks, these tanks were dubbed "Reno".

This unit would go into battle before any other in the summer of 1919 to support the Soviet 14th Army in Novomoskovsk sector in the fight against White Russian troops of General Deniken. There are many information about the history of this unit, it is even ignored in many Russian studies, since only aware of the date of its dissolution in September of 1919, so presumably the tanks of this unit were lost in battle that summer.

Still, this unit was the basis for the organization of the later formations, once new tanks fell into Soviet hands and were put back into operation, so that around 1920 are organized combat vehicle detachments (Avtotankovy Otryads) with between 81 and 113 fighters, consisting of sections or of three or four tanks (usually models "Reno" FT-17, the Mark A and Mark V medium tank), a unit with one or two pieces of artillery and 12 to 28 machine guns. Subsequently these formations were articulated with one or two of cars, a section of support with 30 riflemen and two machine guns, a headquarters, a reserve and signal sections, all carried on three or four cars and three or four trucks.

The 2nd Tank Unit, organized in the spring of 1920 around three medium British- made Mark V tanks (which included copies of the versions armed with artillery and machine guns, and only with the latter), is the often cited as the first to enter combat during July 1920 against the Polish troops in heavy fighting that broke out in Ukraine.

10

The uniformity of the crew of these armored vehicles mark the tradition within the Soviet forces and was characterized by using black leather garments, both breasted uniform jackets and blazers, pants, and boots and peaked cap, all in black. The specific distinctive these units remained the same worn by the old Tsarist armored forces, despite the emergence of new variants with communist symbols, these old badges were the most common and patches materialize in black cloth with gold embroidery, usually sewn on the sleeves or other parts of the jackets. Most strictly regulatory added a red star on the top and two separate branches of laurel around the drawing.

Once entrenched in the Revolution and Civil War, during 1920, the of the western borders by Polish forces, leading to loss of a portion of the Ukraine and other of European Russia, including the important city of Kiev. In the campaign that followed this attack, five Red Army led by General Tujachevskii young then, expelled the invaders and enter Polish territory, was finally stopped at the gates of . Both contenders cemented their formations in Cavalry units and highlighting the decisive victory of the Polish cavalry at the gates of its capital, they latter acquired a leading role in the armed forces still retain the beginning of the Second World War.

It should be noted participation in this campaign by his only Polish Armored commanded by future Marshal of General Pilsudski. Equipped with a handful of tanks, including five were ceded by Germany at the end of the first world war and nearly a hundred Renault FT-17 and some Mark V, the unit intervened effectively in the victorious battle of the Vistula and in Niemen and Szczara .

As we went by the fighting ended in 1922, a growing number of tanks fell into the Red Army hands, of these vehicles the most numerous were the Mark V and Renault FT-17, which were used in both number by international troops, and later transferred to the Russian troops that fought against the Bolsheviks, and for the Polish troops. Already in the early date of 1919 decides to make a copy of the tank "Reno" or FT-17, putting up the project under the direction of the engineer N.I. Jrulev and choosing as the Krasnoye Sormovo, manufacturing center (factory), located in Nizhny Novgorod entering service with the Soviet Army in December 1920 and in the following year the production was extended to approximately fifteen copies. The new car, the first to be manufactured in the Soviet Union, received several names: the class M of "Maily" or small, the Russkiy-Reno, or the KS Tank, by the name of the factory where it was manufactured, in any of these vehicles were added additional mounting a light machine gun in one side of the tower, in extreme discomfort inside the already small tower.

13 While this is the first embodiment of a tank in this country, it was obviously not an original design, let alone, the fact that proves almost identical to the French model, and the number of copies made was so small, almost similar to damaged vehicles captured suggests that they were more of a reconstruction existing armored starting material, rather than the manufacture of a new vehicle.

From 1922 the strength of tanks are grouped into three formations unique in that year several Mark V are employed as agricultural tractors in the South to try to alleviate the famine that is produced in that year. In 1927 he articulated as a trinary system, each of three of three companies with three sections, which in most cases had three vehicles, ending the organization in detachments.

Around 1925 adopting a standard paint scheme for armored green-gray tone in turn develops a system of badges and effective color to differentiate within each unit, this being the first example of this type adopted in the Soviet Union consisted of overlapping shapes and colors of these, red for the 1st unit, white for the 2nd and 3rd black for. For his part, a triangle indicated the , the circle and square squadron and section respectively, within the latter was painted the vehicle number.

The next step in shaping the Soviet Armored Weapon it would provide them the appropriate means.

14 The severity of the fighting that occurred during the Civil War pushed the top leaders in particular Lenin, visible head of the nation, to seek advice and help in the training and upgrading of their hosts. Such support was found in a neighboring nation and equally battered Germany, where at that time, General Hans von Seeckt came to the reorganization of its armed forces, having expressly forbidden by the the use and construction of tanks. Nevertheless, in Bavaria the (new germ) is instructed intensively using little material available, just a handful of (Mark IV and Mark V British tanks captured) and the few surviving A7V.

However, through collaboration with the Soviet Union might avoid such prohibitions. The number of meetings that took place between German and Soviet high command led to a policy of cooperation and collaboration: the call Abmachungen. The Russian delegation was headed by one of its youngest and most brilliant generals: Tujachevskii, who commanded the Soviet forces that had made their way into the heart of Poland, where they would be defeated in 1920.

Is created in the city of Kazan on the Volga plains, a center for experimentation and study of the use of tanks. With the official designation of "Traktor" are sent from Germany four prototypes components, called Grotte Tank, which are assembled in this place. These primitive vehicles would be the germ of later developments, the first of which was a 9.5 Tons light truck, equipped with a piece of 37 mm, the remaining three belonged to medium and heavy trucks, armed with 75 mm cannon main turret and secondary machine guns other. In the subsequent evolution of these prototypes were born future T-32 series predecessor of T-35 and the T-28 medium tank. These primitives Grotte Tank, tested the British multiple towers theory as most influential trend in the design of tanks and heavy media during the .

On the Soviet side put every effort to learn from the techniques treasured by the Germans, and that instructional plans taught at Berlin and the instructors were of the same origin. Thus, a first generation of former Tsarist officers received the first in- depth knowledge on this subject. The collaboration paid off, the ideas advocated in the West by the British General Fuller and Hobart and partly by Liddell Hart, had resonance in Germany and Russia than in the rest of the European powers more attached to traditional doctrines.

Blackprints, the T-26 series.

The first generation

During the decade of the thirties, the development and the impetus given to the theories of mechanization were clearly superior to those that took place in the rest of the world, from the early years resources for pregnancy and armored vehicle production were such that in that decade were manufactured in the Soviet Union more tanks than the rest of the nations of the world combined. This development had its expression not only in the number of vehicles produced, but also in the large number of versions of cars of all types, from bridges poses to racks vehicles for self-propelled artillery, for example.

The fruit of the limited but valuable experience gained in these early years, appears in 1927 the first and nation-building project undertaken in the Soviet Union. A team led by Professor V. Zaslavsky develops a heavily influenced by the Renault FT-17.

It was the Maily Soprovozdieniya Tank MS-1, better known as Light Tank T-18, of which 960 copies were produced between 1928 and 1931, opening production in the new factory in Kharkov city and being the first production test large quantities. He was endowed with brand new mechanical elements: an engine of 35 hp FIAT manufactured under license, displacing a weight of 5.5 tones to a maximum speed of 20 Kmh, was armed with a piece of 37 mm and a machine gun, the thickness of its ranged between 16 and 6 mm, its endowment was made by two men. Was a vehicle of small dimensions: 4.38 m long, 1.76 wide and 2.12 high. After its entry into service was classified as a light vehicle and to support the .

Its incorporation allowed replace the obsolete material that nourished the battleship park in recent years, with more than equivalent FT-17 light tanks and Mark A Whippet survivors. It was deployed in limited numbers on the border with Manchuria.

Still there would be a further development of the last T-18, appeared around 1929 T-12 prototype subsequently derive the T-24 medium tank, from which 24 specimens were

16 produced in 1931 was armed with a piece of 45mm machine guns and several of them in a small independent tower above the main tower. Upon its entry into service showed many shortcomings motor being used primarily in training missions.

But this first effort was in itself insufficient starting at this time, early thirties, finding new solutions, directing his attention to the acquisition of foreign material accessible for newly created industrial capacity, therefore, in 1930 starts shopping 60 vehicles in Britain, among which are the Vickers house 6 and 12 tons models and some Carden-Lloyd light tanks.

Two years later, in 1932, is in the United States where it makes the purchase of two units of 10-ton fast tank that produced Walter Christie, equipped with a new suspension system that would take the name of the manufacturer and that allowed achieve the amazing speed to 100 kph time, they may move with or without chains in the undercarriage. As for the exact date of this purchase in North America, the controversy arises references appear different according to the different authors who have written on the subject. Only by way of clarification should be highlighted that the production of the first BT Series tanks developed from models of Walter Christie, began precisely in the early thirties, which suggests that this purchase was to be made around 1930 or 1931.

Employment in intensive testing of this material and once that occurs the breakdown of cooperation with Germany, following the rise to power of , Soviet designs of tanks are influenced contemporary British models, emerging a long series of material, so came out in the early thirties a first generation of soviet tanks.

As for armored formations in these early thirties, having produced the effective concentration of tanks in only three units, that will expand the range of with three battalions, one of which acted as an instruction unit. According to reports published in The Spanish Army Journal of Military Studies around 1933, it is estimated that in early 1931 serving with the Soviet Union about 140 tanks, of which at least 60 percent belonged to the FT-17 and T-18.

17

T-26 Tank

Based on the British model Vickers 6 tons of types A and B, is developed accompanying T-26 tank, starting production in 1931 in Kharkov Komintern workshops of the first version, the T-26A crowned with twin towers mounted on parallel paths armed with machine guns, being basically similar to the British model. Later he was armed with a piece of 37 mm in one of the two towers, resulting in A5 version, but with the problems caused by the lack of space, installing a single and larger tower appearing T-26 model B in 1933, also called T-26 Model 1933, being the version that was produced in greater numbers during the years 1933-1937.

Intended for cavalry units as a means of support, soon demonstrated the inadequacy of his Armament and his poor mobility, so trying to alleviate the first aspect, it is replaced by a 45 mm cannon and the tower gives a compartment for in your back, becoming the standard since 1935. They completed their armament two 7.62mm machine guns, one mounted on a coaxial: this is dependent on your main gun azimuth and one light machine gun located in the rear of the tower. Her crew consisted of three members, two of them housed in the tower and the driver in the front of the body.

As for its engine: a GAZ engine 8-cylinder does not exceed 30 kph allowed at this low speed contributed decisively type suspension model Vickers unable to provide great mobility.

The experience gained in the fighting in Spain and Manchuria, and its role as a carriage return for support to the infantry or armored formations main medium, due to the high availability of the BT series models for cavalry units whose committed would be commended to machines lighter and faster, highlighted the need for greater protection that drove the development of a new cast tower with armor plates arranged conical trunk and a large ammunition depot in the rear, creating new versions of this car, the first one would be the

19 T-26 Model 1938, a number of vehicles in this series carried two additional spotlights above the barrel and replacing the machine gun mount on the back of tower antiaircraft ready for another on the roof of the tower.

A further application of this armor with the helmet shedders, gave rise to a new variant, the T-26 Model 1939, ultimately will apply additional armor plates bolted on the hull and turret, but increased shield this increase Turned weight more than 9 tons, seriously damaging their already poor mobility, since the design improvements did not extend to the suspension. These two latest versions are also encompassed in a single name as T-26S or C.

Production ended in 1939 for a total of 4,500 units, which would remain on active duty until 1942, date on which would be definitely replaced by later models of light tanks, such as the T-60 and T-70.

Versions as tank T-26, made up the bulk of the armored vehicles of this type used by the Soviet Army under the name of "chemicals tanks", remaining in service in June 1941 an approximate number of 500. These flamethrower vehicles received the designation OT-131 and OT-132.

Copies of this vehicles, along with the BT series, constitute the bulk of the tank park ranks of the Soviet Army during the decade of the thirties and only lose this leading role to be replaced by more modern vehicles in the early forties. So in June 1941 still were serving a significant number of T-26 tanks of different models and versions, a number that could be around several thousand copies, which would suffer terrible losses in the early stages of the conflict .

20 BT series fast tanks

As for the two fast cars model Christie T-3, after being tested in the Kazan test center decides making a copy, thus resulting BT series, Bjstrochodja Tank (literally fast tank), of light tanks and exploration vehicles: the BT-2, BT-3, BT-4, BT-5, BT-7 and BT-7M or BT-8 between 1931 and 1938 would follow the initial BT-1. These cars, built in large quantities form the bulk of the endowment parks in armored units, even at the beginning of the war. Conceived essentially as fast vehicles capable of speeds of 60 or 70 kph by slightly rough terrain, having relegated protection to second place.

The losses in Spain and forced an increase of shielding and protection to the detriment of overall mobility. In detail, the components of this series developed in a short period of time, since just takes three years from the purchase of the models in the United States and the start of manufacturing in a great many the fifth version of these, the BT-5, were:

The BT-1 was a mere copy of the original model bought from Christie, appeared in 1931.

The BT-2 was the first car in the series, when fitted the chassis of the BT-1 with a tower, was built in numerous versions, the first of which the tower was armed with three light machine guns, two of them on a double as main armament mounted on the front of the tower and the third in an assembly of independent shot on the right side. In 1932 appears the most widespread version of this model, in which the main armament was replaced by a piece of 37 mm that allowed him to open fire against both infantry and other vehicles, keeping the side machine gun mount, a number of these cars still in service in 1941 and saw combat against German troops, some of them as command vehicles in car units with BT-5 or BT-7. Among the many versions that were produced, included a 1936 bridge carrier, deep fording in lakes and rivers and step by special terrains with mats rolled sections, similar at the British "Funnies" tanks at Normandy, studies were also conducted for an airborne version.

The BT-3 tank, a variant of the previous model was fitted with a 45mm gun would not adopted due to not having enough space on the tower to comfortably accommodate the new heavier main armament.

The BT-4, a failed project type riding two towers armed with machine guns, as this provision does not allow the installation of larger weapons, similar in concept to the original T-26A, but decidedly outdated.

The BT-5, appeared in 1933, equipped with a new national production engine: the M.5 with 350 Hp. The main armament consisted of a 45 mm cannon in order to standardize production, rode the same tower as the T-26B. He entered combat in Spain, which would be the most powerful combat vehicle who intervened in this conflict, framed almost all about 50 copies in the Regiment on the Republican Spanish Army, in Manchuria and in the against Finland, demonstrating both times the power of weapons and virtues of the Christie type suspension, numerous copies were still in service in 1941. The ability to move without chains provided these vehicles a top speed of 72 kph on paved runways.

21 The BT-7, once abandoned the project of BT-6, appears in 1935 the new BT tank equipped with a mew and more powered engine (the aircraft source M.17T with 450hp) as well as new mechanical elements. The first copies had the same tower that the BT-5 model. In 1938, a new tower to be available with better armored conical shape developed for the T-26S, it was equipped with it, while the main armament remained 45 mm piece of previous models, although it had two machine guns.

As to the very different versions of the car were performed include models armed with flame throwers, different types of bridges carriers and a specially armed version provided with a short barrel 76.2mm gun called BT-7A used as support fire tank for the armored formations, as well as large numbers of amphibians and experimental vehicles with different tracks in order to improve mobility.

The latest development in this series would be the BT-7M or BT-8, appeared in 1938, was equipped with the same chassis as the previous car, but with a new power plant: the V-2 with 500 Hp. Maintaining the same weaponry than earlier versions. These tanks laid the foundations for the future design of such vehicles in this country.

22 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIUM TANKS

After the limited success of the T-24 developed in the Kharkov factory, and because of the interest by medium and heavy tanks awoke in the Soviet Army the tests with Germans Grosstraktors and British Vickers A6 at Kazan polygon, there was organized a new design team in the city of Leningrad in order to develop prototypes of a medium and a heavy tanks whose were feasible for manufacturing industry.

The teams are divided to tackle both tasks (medium and heavy), for the study of the medium tank will start two different projects. Under the direction of German engineer Grotte develops TG-1 (Tank Grotte-1) or T-22. The other half tank project is led by N. Tsiets whose work will lead to the prototype of the T-28.

As the prototype of the TG-1 or T-22, is undoubtedly one of the most advanced vehicles developed over these decades, applies the principle of multiple towers but in this case superimposed on the primary. Armed with a piece of 76.2mm, a 37mm mounted on a top and several machine guns on the sides and rear of the tower. Equipped with pneumatic suspension and , hull design and large running gear wheels give the appearance of a vehicle designed in more recent times. The complexity of the project was overkill for manufacturing capacity at the time, would finally only the T-28 entered production.

T-28 MEDIUM TANK

Once developed the prototype in 1932, goes into production in the Leningrad Kirov factory new medium battle tank T-28 with a weight of 20 tons. Like the British 16 tons design Vickers A6 the armament was located in three towers planned initially equipped with 45 mm cannon, but when dealing with a car was considered convenient means replace it with a piece of 76.2mm in the main tower, beside which there was a 7.62mm light machine gun equipped with a self shot gun carriage, in this first production version completed their armament both machine guns, the same caliber as the previous one, installed in two small separate towers in front of the helmet and another mounted over the back of the tower.

23 The tanks hull was divided into two separate compartments in the rear was the Liberty engine 500 Horsepower and the previous crew was staying six men in combat and driving compartment.

In later production versions were added a number of improvements and enhancements, among which mounting an anti-aircraft machine gun on the tower provided with a circulate gun carriage mounted on the hatch of the tank , and another improvements in the installation of the engine exhaust manifolds

In the late thirties appears an improved version, the T-28E, with greater protection in the front towers and a new main tower better protected and armed with a new 76.2 mm gun, the L-10. Turn available lighting elements in front of the tower and the hull.

24 A further development would adopt a new tower with sloping armor plates conical shape to increase their protection, and in 1940 appear as T-28S.

Of the tests performed with different undercarriages, in order to improve their mobility and Christie system specifically, the T-29 appears as a step towards all future media tanks of the Soviet Army. A final and unfinished development would find in the project called "Article 115", in which they tried to reflect all the progress that had been achieved in the inclination of the armor plates on both the hull and in the towers, since it kept the multi-tower system, all mounted on a suspension system of the type Christie.

The following table reflects the amounts of vehicles built and the years that were produced, total production reached 503 vehicles.

1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 41 50 32 101 39 96 131 13

The quantities of vehicles in service at the beginning of the following year and dated January first, except in 1940 when because of the winter fighting against Finland these data are from September 15, would be:

1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 41 91 123 224 263 359 443 411

Along with the main production version of this vehicle also developed many special versions. The first one dates from 1932 and it is studying the possibility of installing a piece of field artillery in a bunker on his vehicle chassis, appearing thus one of the first prototypes of self-propelled artillery of the Russian Army, these tests are performed with 76.2 mm pieces and 152mm, resulting wit called SU-8.

Between 1935 and 1937 tested this tank several minesweepers systems installed by a frame on the front of the vehicle and which rolls swept ahead of the chains. Also noteworthy is the evaluation of several major weapons systems, of which the most interesting would be held in 1940 to be equipped a T-28E with the barrel F-39 length tube and 85mm. A precursor of the further tank main armaments of 85mm.

But the most remarkable version of this vehicle would be that appeared in 1940 as IT- 28 and that it was a T-28 chassis E on which was mounted a bridge able to withstand the passage of other vehicles, as well as the system launch and recovery of this, becoming one of the first medium side bridges carriers in the Red Army, unfortunately only come to build one or two copies, despite having design features and extremely modern and successful operation far ahead of his time, being precursors of the designs of these means in the future.

The medium battle tank T-28 would be a major leap in the material integrated of Soviet armored formations because it is a real shock tank, the first to enter service. His main weakness lay in the poor mobility which gave the train, modeled on the British Vickers latter

25 factor overshadowed his role on the difficult Finnish terrain. However, took his place as the primary weapon of armored formations in 1941, paper it remained until its gradual replacement by the new T-34. Limited by their limited mobility and suffer significant losses armor.

T-35 Heavy tank

Also in the early thirties saw the first heavy truck model, it was the T-32, whose evolution led in 1933 to the appearance of the final T-35, one of the largest armored combat vehicles few have ever entered service. Heir to the thesis of multiple towers and land battleship concept or independent battle tank alone capable of facing any threat present in the .

The mechanical complexity and partly management and control in a combat armored vehicle of this size was very high, as it was a mass of 40 tons and five separate towers, a crew of 10 men and almost 10 meters in length hull, moved all for an engine of 500 horses. This low power to weight ratio gave it very poor mobility, which was barely road 29 kph and inconsistent land this was virtually nil, which added to inadequately shielded that no more than 30mm thick, set about this design to a lackluster career. It would be just this poor mobility which will would bring more serious consequences to their entry into combat.

The first production version would be the T-35 Model 1935, and his arsenal was composed of a short tubing piece of 76.2mm, two guns of 45mm and five 7.62mm machine guns, spread all for their five towers. Constituting this variant as the main production version and a larger number of copies were built.

Appearing at the end of the decade of the thirties the technique of the inclination of the armor plates in certain constructions resulting angle of conical appearance, in order to improve protection without increasing the weight, also applies to this car this technique, thus resulting in the T-35 Model 1938 with the armor of conical shaped towers, production reached 11 vehicles of this type.

26 A further improvement of this concept would lead to the final production version, the T-35 Model 1939 in which the conical structure shield also extended to the hull plating, this model would be manufactured only six copies. After the production in 1939, this rose to 61 copies of all versions. This vehicle inherited principles such that belonged to another era. The reality of his time to let soon obsolete both the ideas and the vehicle, which had no chance against the nimble German Panzer Forces.

In 1939 he studied enhanced and enlarged version of a heavy tank successor to this line, the project resulted in the T-39, which did not pass a concept in the drawing boards. It was a mastodontic vehicle with a weight of about 95 tons and equipped with three separate towers armed with artillery pieces 152, 107 and 45mm.

T-27 Light tank

One of the first models acquired during 1931 in Britain, was the light tank or little armored vehicle Carden Lloyd Mk IV. It was a small exploration tracked vehicle with capacity for two crewmen and armed with a machine gun. After overcoming an initial period of testing, it is clear that the apparent simplicity of the design and mechanics of the vehicle can be easily copied by the nascent local industry, approving the series production vehicle under the designation T-27.

At first ahead of the commissioning of this model, the machine gun is replaced British original model by national production. Following the basic model were performed numerous modifications, the hull was lengthened by adding another wheel on the running gear and giving it a new mate for the crew. In other versions was provided with several pieces of artillery, including a 76.2mm gun and a 37mm anti-tank piece. All models were built of plates riveted, carrying the motor and the gearbox at the front. There were produced 3328 copies between 1931 and 1933, were aimed at the support armored units of cavalry formations.

27 Amphibious light tanks T-37 and T-38

The development of Carden Lloyd light tanks A4E11 arises a series of amphibious light tanks, initiated by the T-33 model would be considered unsatisfactory and whose subsequent evolution would lead to the T-37 which will start production in late 1933 and early 1934, being a light with two crew and powered by a gasoline engine GAZ AA Horsepower 40 Hp, weighing around 3.2 tons, was armed with a single machine gun 7.62mm mounted on a small tower which was shifted to the left of the helmet, standing to the right driving position. Its fording capability was designed exclusively for inland waters and the water was driven by a propeller installed in the rear of the hull. The main deficiency of this vehicle was its extremely weak protection, so that its role as a pure exploration vehicle forced him to avoid combat, in cases where this was not possible, even fell under fire from small arms to piercing , the maximum thickness of the shield was 9mm and the rest of the surfaces of 3mm. The only noteworthy version of this vehicle was named T-37TU and it was a truck equipped with radio control loop antenna on the hull. Between 1933 and 1936 about 2,600 vehicles were manufactured.

Already in 1934 it appears that the T-37 amphibious car was outdated, so they immediately begin to redesign work intensely the resulting vehicle was named T-38 appeared in 1936 and in series production began the following year. Similar in concept to the previous car changed its configuration, the in the center of town tower, shifted slightly to the left and higher driving position and slightly to the right. Retained the same weight, the same power plant and same weapon. The production continued until 1939 reaching 1300 copies.

Throughout manufacture some modifications were made, the first of them which would lead to T-38M1, which consisted in replacing the original system for a new model, but the latter proved to be too complex, abandoning the project.

The next variant of the T-38M2 would be available to a new engine and transmission, in turn, a change that would take place on the ground was the replacement of the main armament of a 20mm automatic cannon in an attempt to provide this vehicle more power. The latter model would be the most widespread, occupying a prominent place in the park of the recognition units. When they tried to use these vehicles as cars direct combat support during the first months of fighting German forces suffered serious losses, being definitively withdrawn from active service in 1942.

28 Wheeled armored vehicles

The emphasis in this country the development of such vehicles never declined and this is why they developed numerous projects. Starting with the smaller models, we find the FAI Ford A Izhorski series light armored car with a weight 3.2 tons, manned by two or three men, armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun mounted on a tower on top of reinforced structure, which constituted the first attempt developed between 1931 and 1933 in the Izhorski Factory from primitive Austin Putilov, production began in 1933 and was based on the chassis of Ford A.

The evolution of these vehicles during 1935 would result in the model BA-20, to be mounted on a new chassis car, the M-1, a protected body topped by a small tower which housed a 7.62 mm machine gun and its crew was composed three members, this new frame structures also mounted FAI model variant resulting FAI-M. It was a small and agile vehicle, which would provide a great service in exploration units during the first years of the war until replaced by newer models. In this vehicle, as well as most of the armored wheels of different sizes who served in the Soviet Army, there was a variant for use on railways, being used both duties or as part of armored trains .

Regarding the development of heavy wheeled vehicles in 1932 appears a vehicle about 8 tons called BAD-2, in turn mounted on a wheeled chassis three axes with a crew of 4 and armed with two machine guns mounted 7.62 in separate front and rear towers to a central piece with a 37mm. There would be mass produced, unlike the rest of the wheeled armored described here.

But appears in 1933 the BA-3, basically a scanning means comprising a shield structure mounted on the chassis of a three-axle truck, at first and later on a Ford domestic one: the GAZ-AAA 6x4, with a crew of four men and about 5 tons of weight. The armament consisted initially front of a machine gun and a piece of 37mm mounted on a tower over the structure

A further development of this vehicle would be the BA-6, which was replaced by one main armament mounted 45mm higher on the same tower that had been developed for tanks T-26B and BT-5, the weapons was completed by two 7.62mm light machine guns in an arrangement similar to that of the majority of Soviet armored vehicles of its time, one of them in parallel to the main armament tower and one on the front of the helmet, with the position of driving. He kept his weight at around 5.2 tons and crew of four. The evolution of these led

29 to the armored vehicle BA-10 and BA-32, essentially similar to BA-6 except for the introduction of a new conical tower shield, which double equip the reconnaissance units of the Red Army at the beginning of the war . It was recognition means that for their size and strength very well adapted to the characteristics of extensive Russian territory.

A characteristic of all Soviet armored vehicles of the thirties was the installation of radio antennas mounted on metal racks along the top of the towers or those whose hull was too small split towers accommodate such structures. This provision of radio antennas, allowing the vehicle to immediately identify control within the different units, as these were the ones that were equipped with radios.

30 The culmination of the process of creating new formations and their integration into battle doctrine was developed in 1935 and 1936. In the summer of 1935 took place the biggest summer maneuvers that had taken place previously, in the Kiev were developed exercises involving the entire Volynian 45th Mechanized Corps and other mechanized and armored formations. Be allowed to attend military observers from Western nations, which came with prejudice of considering the Red Army as a force outdated. What witnessed there amazed the world. At that time the Soviet Union contained more armored units than the rest of the nations of the planet as a whole.

In 1936 appear as a result of all these experiences New Service Regulations PU- 36, which replaced the previous PU-29 as combat doctrine of the Soviet Army, therein is putting special emphasis on the use of mechanized formations and other concepts extremely innovative employment as paratroopers and airborne units (including airborne light armored vehicles).

Another factor tremendously beneficial to the Red Army combat effectiveness was profiled at this time and sponsored by General Tujachevskii, was the abolition of the control system controlled by the political commissars, who until then limited the orders issued by the head of a unit to the approval of these by the chief commissioner thereof; creating a duality in the decision step and an inevitable delay. The Commissioners training box within military units was based essentially on the purely political, so their knowledge of military matters and especially in the field of the theory and practice both tactical and strategic could not be at the height of the heads of the units to which they had control. It was a military command total submission to political leadership campaign that would determine the suitability of this dictate instructions. This gives us an idea of the importance of the disappearance of this standard and increasing the effectiveness assumed within the Armed Forces.

But all this extensive creative process would be stopped by events.

FAI Armored vehicle with indicative tactical maneuvers during summer of 1935 in the .

The first units

The doctrine of use of this material that begins to emerge from the factories, march partner to that developed in Germany and is the main thesis of his defense: the aforementioned General Tujachevskii, which turn it into tactical doctrine. The cult of the continuous offensive, uninterrupted, sustained by the use of armored vehicles able to go into depth and speed in deploying enemy starts here, in the early thirties.

The General mentioned, already at that time had reached a decisive position in the chain of command he foresaw at the same time, the concept of Total War: a conflict that would cover the entire economic life of the nation, this concept began to be addressed again by military thinkers worldwide. Such are the ideas that are reflected in regulations and standards become part of the philosophy of use of such weapon in the Red Army.

Thus begins the creation of the first armored units even before that in Germany and ahead of other Western nations (except the British experimental unit, the size of a that would soon be dissolved). Develop a mass human and material effort and a decided bet for this kind of material. Between 1930 and 1935 were manufactured 3500 light tanks the T-26 and BT, as well as significant quantities of trucks, mechanized vehicles, tractors and all kinds; indispensable for the design of such units to a size never seen before then.

The result of this productive effort and the application of these theories was the creation of the following armored units:

Around 1932, the contingent of tanks and armored vehicles were integrated within an size brigade mechanized experimental unit, named K. B. Kalinovsky. Subsequently, in 1933, this unit was renamed First Mechanized Brigade, being composed of five battalions, an organization similar to that would be repeated in later units. He had a large contingent of tanks comprising: 178 T-26, 32 BT-2 and 91 T-27. From this point begin to emerge the new formations, creating the same year the 11th and the 45th Mechanized Brigade, and the following year, in 1934 the 7th and the 5th Mechanized Brigade.

32

In the evolution of these arise greater mechanized units in the world on these dates:

They Moto Mechanized Army Corps created in 1933 and which in 1937 had been organized four. They were formed by two Mechanized Brigades composed each of three battalions of tanks (organized in ten vehicles companies, mostly BT series), an Armoured Battalion with little armored cavalry support vehicles (amphibious light tanks and armored wheeled vehicles) for scouting missions.

A battalion and engineering, signal and antiaircraft artillery companies. The full potential of the Corps was completed with a motorized infantry brigade, an entity battalion-sized cavalry weapon light trucks equipped with amphibians, complete sgnal and communications Battalion as well as logistics and transport unit.

The ratio of means armored and motorized infantry is well compensated, is remarkable in turn the important quota for the exploration and recognition unveiling the new mission of this great unit very close in function to the cavalry weapon, as well as the importance given to signal and communications elements. The unit was made up of about 8000 and about 500 tanks. This formation was created to be used as a mobile reserve, able to be used at the critical moment. Their deployment and subordination would be done at the level: the so-called Fronts in Russian terminology.

With a production of about 1,000 armored vehicles a year, as early as 1934 in the order of battle of Soviet Army included two Mechanized Corps, 6 independent mechanized brigades, 6 independent armored regiments, 14 mechanized cavalry regiments, 23 supporting armored infantry battalions and 37 tanks companies.

To be part of these new mechanized corps and independent units creates a new Mechanized Brigade in 1934 consisting of three battalions of tanks and a lightweight support battalion equipped with small amphibious tanks and light wheeled armored vehicles, intended to perform missions of exploration and recognition and motorized infantry battalion on trucks. Similar in spirit to the previous units, but with a smaller contingent of tanks.

34 A part of these large armored formations are organized smaller units to operate autonomously theory, which are:

- Armored Brigades were organized then in turn being the most numerous, approximately twenty number for the same dates in 1937. They were constituted as supporting forces on the second step of rupture and for it were endowed models medium and heavy trucks: T-28 and T-35 respectively who completed the rest of the combat vehicles theoretically amounting to a total of 128 tanks organized into four battalions of 32 units, starting an organization composed of ten companies of these vehicles: three sections or platoons three tanks and one of command, three of these companies along with two senior staff vehicles would meet the total battalion. They constituted the brigade-sized units with greater potential in the order of battle of the Red Army.

- In Motorized or Moto-Mechanized Brigade, the structure was similar to previous Mechanized unit with the only variation of the ratio of tanks battalions, which are reduced to two and the motorized infantry units on trucks that duplicated.

These brigades were a scale representation of Moto-Mechanized Corps, and were intended to be the third step of the rupture element, in addition to the initial attack forces and as a means to provide tactical depth to the assault. The main disadvantage of such units is that they were never tested in combat maneuvers used only pre-war rarely be added as complete

35 units used rather parceled as reinforcing other formations therefore would severely diminished their efficacy.

Along with the units described above also created other destined to be integrated into existing ones in order to strengthen and reinforce these:

- The Tanks Regiments were added to the Cavalry Divisions, theoretically 180 compounds BT type vehicles, giving these units first armored nucleus thereby increasing its potential and invaluable first experience to staff and command personal nearest if anything, the spirit of use of these weapons. Serving turn for the urgent modernization Cavalry formations except for the presence of a handful of light armored vehicles, their equipment kept unchanged from previous years.

- The Battle Tanks Battalions that were beginning to assign Infantry Divisions, these cars battalions composed essentially T-26 model, designed to strengthen and cooperate with infants. Since this is the theory that best resembled the traditional thinking, returning to this task each time the ideas of large mechanized units were called into question, more armored material.

36 The great creative process and the great innovation in armored units incorporating a scale never seen before, was cut short by violence. The same political system that was able to create the industrial and military capacity to operate these formations, eliminated many of the most prominent dashboards, decapitating the Red Army in one of the darkest episodes. If we think about it that evokes the name of one of the survivors: Timoshenko, Zhukov, Konev, Rokossosky, Vatutin ..., we can imagine the huge loss to the ability of command and control in the Soviet Army assumed these horrific crimes.

This significant boost reconstruction and creation of large formations coincided encompassed one or broader than that, a larger scale was carried out in all of the armed forces, so that was added to task as huge as the reorganization and enhancement of the Air Force, the entire air defense and special antiaircraft Artillery, media antitank fighting ground units, the empowerment own infantry formations, along with the slow but inexorable expansion of the Red Navy, and a whole long list of other jobs that involved almost all of the weapons and services all fighting forces.

Try to meet all these needs coincide in time absorbed an entire industrial production capacity was continuously growing, but that while beginning to lay the foundations for a takeoff unlimited potential in this historical period: first half of 1941, had a limited available resources, unable to adequately address all the requirements that were requested of him.

While starting a series of nationwide preparations for a future confrontation, although these are gradually accelerated, will not be finalized for the imminent start of this. Already noted the important role that he intended to give the enlistment and commissioning of armored units, but this effort did not arrive in time to give the desired results in a short term. Given the nature of the adversary that would deal, having much better armored units around the world: the dreaded "Panzer Divisionen", equipped with an effective team, led by combat veterans and experts in their handling Generals, responsibility hanging over his Soviet counterpart was huge. Caught in the middle stage of reorganization and growth would suffer a punishment as severe as that suffered by the rest of the Red Army during the early months of the war.

Dissolution and Reconstruction

The causes of this arrest was twofold: on the one hand, the fall from grace of the then Marshal Tujachevskii army chief, being the chief proponent and key player in the whole process of employment boom of large mechanized units, and their related collaborators. As consummated initiated by Stalin purge within the armed forces and given the appalling consequences that these measures were in training dashboards: qualified command personal and supporter of these theories practically disappears. Classified employment of that ideas westernized and mechanized units as dangerous. An estimate of the numbers of these purges: between 1937 and 1939 disappeared were arrested 3 out of 5 Marshals of the Soviet Union, 14 of 16 Army , 60 of 67 Corps commanders, 136 of 199 Division Commanders and half of all the Regiment commanders. A total of 80,000 staff officers all scales, 40,000 were arrested and 15,000 executed.

The second cause was motivated by the erroneous conclusions drawn in employment in combat units tanks. Following the outbreak of the are sent about 350 tanks of the T-26 and BT-5 series to support the Republican Government. At the front of these cars framed in the aforementioned Heavy Tank Regiment and were led by Soviet crews, was the General DG Pavlov. During this period participated in many battles, the main battles Esquivas in October of 1936, and Jarama River March of 1937 near the city of Madrid. In both Pavlov tanks and penetrations made significant breaks in the front, but completely neglecting routes organizing logistics and supply; simply pressing forward. This coupled with the lack of support motorized infantry or mechanized able to accompany their advance and consolidate their conquests, were forced to give up land previously taken to suffer the enemy counterattacks, given the inability to resist by themselves.

The combination of these factors leads to the disastrous decision to dissolve large armored units by dispersing its resources and distributing them among other army units. Even Brigades equipped with medium and heavy tanks were parceled into independent battalions and assigned directly to infantry units. This dark period develops over the years 1938 and 1939.

With special committees of the Army High Command studying the future of the four Mechanized Corps is produced in the battlefield experience that contradicted Pavlov's thesis.

In the month of August 1939 and in the Far East Japanese Imperial troops had penetrated the border Jalkin-Gol, located in the Republic of , which was one of the main allies of the Soviet Union in that area. Given the seriousness of these actions, it was necessary to give a strong response.

The Army lands featured in Siberia, according to Russian tradition, remained virtually autonomous training and the keeping with the times, after the hard experiences of 1904 and 1905 face to Japan there was only grown their potential. Throughout the early thirties, there had been a series of small border clash in this area between Soviet troops and units of the

38 Japanese Army, especially in 1934 and 1935, and this is where first occasions that would enter combat armored Soviet vehicles this time, although at a much reduced scale.

The forces were deployed in August 1939 in this sector, were organized into a Special Army Corps, in front of these troops was sent to the General Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov. Although the deployment of tanks was distributed on paper, among infantry units as in the rest of the Red Army at that time, remained under his direct command one Armored Brigade as main maneuver force. The nature of the operations, which were encircled and destroyed two Infantry Divisions of Japanese 6th Army, emphasized more evidence of the importance of using large armored units in outflanking and the subsequent destruction of enemy forces isolated . Being outstanding participation in these operations of the 11th Armored Brigade and 7th Motorized Brigade and Mongolian 8th Armored Cavalry Group.

These events took place in late August 1939. On the first day of September begins the first practical demonstration of the theories of mechanized warfare to full scale penetrate the German Army in Poland unleashing or the (as would be called for an Italian war journalist), amaze the world integer with the strength and speed of results; astonishment that would extend its primeval defenders.

In the Soviet High Command will consume a new change of direction and ideas of mechanization and the use of armored forces again soar in thought and method of operation of the Armed Forces. This appreciation comes too late, as a result of the events unfolding in Europe from September 17 the Red Army was ordered to penetrate the Polish eastern regions, thus completing German-Soviet Pact. Despite the weak resistance encountered, the two Mechanized Corps (15 º and 25 º both belonging to Belorussian Front), which form the vanguard in this operation, staged a series of impairments and disabilities, awkward movements and lack of maneuverability. Led by newly promoted staff due to the purges in dashboards and inexperienced in handling such units.

The above facts are studied and evaluated by a special committee of the High Command in Moscow, concluding on November 21, 1939 to dissolve definitely Mechanized Corps and the creation of four Mechanized Divisions, each with about 275 cars combat and an endowment of 11,650 men. Being sent the remaining number of tanks from disbanded units to infantry gun. On paper, these new divisions had a higher proportion of that composed weapons: tanks and infantry, that the units they replaced. But unfortunately not been conceived as independent formations, their battalions and regiments were intended to conduct missions in support of other units (especially infantry), not as a single maneuver formation.

In this way at the end of 1939 there were no independent armored units in the Red Army.

39 These new Mechanized Divisions were organized into regiments in the likeness of German Panzer Divisions, whereas until now the great Soviet armored units into brigades dislocated, his organization would be:

So that their human and material resources were articulated in Mechanized Cavalry Battalion equipped with 17 light trucks model exploration T-37 or T-40 as well as 46 light armored models BA-6 or BA-10. Two Regiments on trucks. One Armored Regiment composed of about 258 tanks BT-5 and BT-7 in its most common configuration, but could be the fact of having heavier models, in which case it would make up about 156 medium T-28 and heavy T-35 tanks. A contingent of artillery regimental entity with about 98 guns of different types. Made up the remainder of the division certain support units, among which were and antiaircraft artillery, sapper and signal battalions, plus a transport and logistic train.

In the midst of this process reaches 1940 providing new experiences, forged in the Winter War against Finland, is in the period between the months of January and March in which the forces of Soviet tanks are used exclusively in the mission in support to infantry units and even heavy tank battalions were parceled and employees equally. The poor result of these tactics, which did not fit the existence of independent armored units, and large concentrations of armored vehicles, as well as shows the opposite to the German Armed Forces conducted in Western Europe in the months of May and June, led the People's Commissar for Defence (Minister of Defence): Marshal Semyon Timoshenko to cancel the dissolution of large mechanized units.

In turn, armored units had taken part in the spring of 1940 in the invasion of the Baltic states with the participation units from the 3rd Mechanized Corps, also in the annexation of the Romanian regions of and conducted by deployed forces in the Kiev (then commanded by General Zhukov) and Odessa Military Districts, an event that took place on the same dates, were employed two Armored Brigades supported by elements of air landing. The combined use of these media led to believe in some capacity aerial projection of light tanks from the , a possibility that is unlikely, although tests were

40 conducted during the years before trying to assemble a light Armored vehicle within the structure of a glider towed.

The reentering Mechanized Corps in deploying Red Army dated July 9, 1940. The organization of these new formations, equipped with two Tanks Divisions and one Mechanized Infantry Division as well as great support, became the largest armored units deployed to date in any country in the world. Thus begins an ambitious reorganization based on division size units, since until now the organization of large formations was divided into brigades, inspired by the model German Panzer units.

But the situation had changed since the first efforts of General Tujachevskii, so that while battleships media largely outdated, were available in large numbers, was not the case with the vast amounts of vehicles of all kinds to commission gear units of this size. It should be noted that these new Mechanized Corps consisted of about 36,000 men and about 1,000 tanks, so it amounted to double or triple the power and size compared to the first 1935 Moto- Mechanized Corps.

The following scheme of a Mechanized Corps reflects its size and organization:

It was composed of a Armored Cavalry Brigade two Armored Divisions, one Mechanized Infantry Division and Artillery, Antiaircraft, Signal and Sappers Battalions, supported by a logistics and transport train.

Another cause contributing to hinder the deployment of these units was the huge amount of command and control materials, such as radio systems, all liaison and communications; required to operate these formations. In this sense, the industry effort to provide the media, although rising steadily, was unable to meet the huge increase in requirements.

41 For the formation of these large armored units, whose main component was organized into divisions, have to develop these. Following the German model creates two types of divisions: armored and mechanized, which would be armored units in service, still in training, enter into combat in June 1941.

The 1940 Mechanized Division, was similar in composition to the previous 1939, prevailing in deployment units on armored infantry in this primacy was preserved a long tradition that goes back to the previous years while still the example represented by German motorized infantry units that had achieved impressive results in cooperation with armored units during the recent campaigns developed in Western Europe.

The dislocation and composition of a 1940 Mechanized Division, was as follows:

His total manpower and materials as well as the number and organization of the various units that composed, were similar to that described for 1939 Mechanized Division.

As for the articulation of these new units created in 1940 as a replacement of the former regiments into brigades framework, it should be noted that at no time was reached to dismiss the organization into brigades. These new divisions in your organization retained brigades theoretical, although it has been dislocated into regiments, and in some cases are identified by the only regiment that composed.

In this way the scheme described in 1940, the Division would be articulated in a mechanized brigade with two mechanized regiments and an armored brigade with a single regiment of tanks. In summary, the new joint regiments leaves the previous based in brigades on a theoretical level.

42 The other new unit is created and in this case if it is completely new, is the 1940 Armored Division. In its constitution was modeled on German Panzer Divisions this time with two armored regiments. The schematic organization would be:

With a total of 11,343 combatants and a greater number of tanks, theoretically about 413, divided into its two armored regiments under the following theoretical quantities: 63 new KV-1 heavy tanks, 210 of the brand new T-34, 147 vehicles BT-7 model, 19 support infantry tanks T-26 and 8 cars flamethrower T-26 model. To these must be added the effect that equipped the cavalry battalion with 53 wheeled armored cars BA-6 and BA-10 and 19 light vehicles BA-20 for exploration duties.

A part of the element armored, a brigade composed of a single regiment of mechanized or motorized infantry, provided the complement to this first, this fighting force was supported by a number of units to which outlined a field artillery regiment with 58 guns of different types, as well as additional battalions of air defense and anti-tank artillery, along with the usual support units, such as sappers and signal battalions and finally divisional logistical element.

In the beginning of 1941 and due to the enormous organizational work developed, it reduced the number of tanks within armored divisions, the battalions of these vehicles have passed from 52 to 31 cars, so that the total effective of these units would past from 413 to 375 tanks. It was planned that each Armored Regiment had a battalion with 31 KV-1 heavy tanks.

In view of the total theoretical effective than they should have these formations, their potential on paper was enormous, with divisional size units more powerful from the whole order of battle of the Red Army in June 1941. While the situation on the ground was very different from the theoretical supposition.

The deployment of units of this size and given the inherent complexity of command and control within the Armored Weapon, created a number of difficulties in steering and handling. These difficulties were settled on various causes such as lack from qualified personal to manage these formations at all levels, exacerbated this shortage by the destructive effects had purges within the military occurred causing the disappearance of almost all the trained personnel to serve in these units.

43 The weight of the lost years in the training and development became in all its crudeness visible. Another negative consequence caused by these purges the return was the political commissar system within military units with all its disastrous consequences. Despite its eventual abolition, the mark he left on the ability of independent decision military commanders continuing today: the known rigid subordination to orders higher echelon that characterized since the Soviet military command and low personal initiative.

Despite all the difficulties, nine Mechanized Corps were created during 1940 and had planned the formation of about twenty in the period between February and June of the following year, as well as a number close to about ten independent Armored Divisions.

The doctrine of employment of these weapons and the importance of Armored Forces is settled once and for ever, this is reflected in a series of conferences of the General Staff during the second half from 1940 and the first part of 1941, which is studied and deepened in this direction. The importance of this final change, in terms of these ideas, it is remarkable the view expressed by Stalin himself:

"Victory in war is the side that has more tanks and the higher the engine of the troops" December 1940.

Contradicting his own opinion on the subject, it is noteworthy that a year earlier in November 1939, approved the order from dissolution of large armored units.

44 Units and elements of Maintenance and Recovery

Technical capacity and qualifications of personnel staffing Soviet armored formations at the beginning of the war were so scarce in the mechanical as the tactical one. But with the aggravating circumstance that the lack of preparation and knowledge of the crews created many break downs and situations who may need recovery of the vehicle. In the latter case contributed greatly to the fact that much of the maneuvers and evolutions of the tanks had to be done outside of the communication paths, being exposed to these continuous air attacks, forcing the commanders of the units have to avoid them for traveling and maneuvering.

All armored units of the brigade level units should possess maintenance and recovery elements within their trains and logistical support, but the reality was that there was neither resources nor personnel to provide all these formations of sufficient capacity and mechanical recovery.

The low specific material that integrated these units were on the one hand mobile workshops mounted on trucks like the Zis-6 Parm 1b, fuel tankers like the Zis-6-BZ or Zis- 5-BZ and heavy tractors capable of towing and recovery tanks as "Komintern" heavy tractor.

45 Prewar period and early thirties, paint and distinctive

During this time take hold those traits and characteristics that predominate in the Soviet Army armored means. On the one hand is generalized dark green paint scheme and the absence of serial numbers or official registrations and the lack of units distinctive or other type. These general rules, of course, were some exceptions.

The most widespread of these exceptions was the adoption of a system of colored bands painted on the top on the sides of the towers of tanks, these colored bands adopted different tones, but for the most part followed the following pattern : red and solid line which stood at the top, and colored mostly white (although in some cases was black) and painted the dotted line immediately below. This scheme, appeared in the late thirties, could have been adopted following the 1937 great maneuvers of.

- Illustration No. 1 represents a fast car BT-7 TU (command version) of the first models, participating in the above maneuvers, 1937, adopting an unusual paint scheme consisting of spots dark brown on green paint and scheme wearing bands in the tower. Turn presents another unique feature for its time, two beams mounted in the sides of the helmet compartment to house the chains when they were removed to move without them. Not knowing at first what was their purpose (perhaps as a help to pass terrain obstacles), it is remarkable that share the mottled paint scheme of the rest of the vehicle.

Very few Soviet military vehicles were equipped with radios, only those intended to command vehicle functions, which were easily identifiable, introducing all metal antenna system mounted around the top of the towers and the if this is not possible (to be too small towers case of light and amphibian tanks), these metal antennas were mounted on a frame in the center of the vehicle.

- Illustration No. 2 is a T-38 amphibious car early model as it appeared in the late thirties, with dark green paint scheme and introducing the colored bands in the tower.

- In illustration No. 3 is represented one of the fast tanks a BT-2 armed with a 37mm gun belonging to one of the first armored formations, the 5th Mechanized Brigade, in the top of the sides of the tower appears one of the main systems of identification of the time, the color bands that indicate their membership in the first company of the first battalion.

In the numerous military parades that took place on the occasion of the anniversaries of various festivals, battle tanks and other armored means participating in such acts wore distinctive and adorn many with names, inscriptions and communist symbolism (including red stars), but never for the service that completely lacked such indicative or emblems, just the ubiquitous dark green paint scheme.

46

Soviet tanks in the Spanish Civil War

Between October 1936 and March 1938 were supplied 300 T-26 and 50 BT-5 to the Government of the Spanish Republic, while served and manning these cars led many Soviet soldiers, at the head of which was the General D. G. Pavlov.

The first contingent of 50 T-26 arrives in Spain on October 15, 1936. Later that same month is Seseña action, which took part 15 of these cars under the command of Soviet Paul Arman.

One of the T-26B tanks, serving with the Spanish Republican troops with one of the more common paint scheme, consisting in great light brown bands over the dark green. paint.

During the war these vehicles maintained a clear superiority over the German light tanks and Italian CV-33/35 those they faced.

Other notable actions of these cars took place during the battles around Madrid and especially at the Battle of Guadalajara in early 1937. In August 1937 came to Spain 50 BT-5 tanks, which would be used during the month of October in front of Fuentes de Ebro integrated into the Heavy Tank Regiment also called Fast Tank Regiment with little impact due to their use in field inadequate and lack of training.

A BT-5 Fast tank armed with 45 mm gun belonging to the Heavy Tank Regiment during the Spanish Civil War in late 1937.

48 Battle of Khalkhin-Gol River or Nomonhan incident

In late August 1939, just days before the start of the Second World War, took place in the remote steppes of northern on the banks of the Khalkhin Gol River, a decisive battle that would end border clashes between the forces Soviet Union and its allies of Outer Mongolia and the Japanese Imperial Army in its domain of (satellite state created in the occupied territories in Manchuria). In this confrontation led by a promising commander, General Georgi K. Zhukov, enter combat the emerging Soviet armored units, showing both its potential and its limitations and providing some valuable lessons about operational management and development of future models of tanks. by a bold pincer movement, between 20 and 31 August, two Japanese infantry divisions were encircled and destroyed between Khalkhin Gol riverbank and the border.

The consequences are that the Japanese Empire discards the confrontation with the USSR and its expansion to the north, directing its efforts towards south China and Asia, leading to the signing in 1941 of a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union.

General Zhukov and many of his soldiers won a valuable combat experience. Discovering the key to future victories of the Red Army with the combined use of infantry, artillery, tanks and aircraft, and the importance of superiority in resources materials over the enemy.

49 Winter War

Between Soviet troops swooped on Finland in November 1939 to March 1940 there was a large number of armored units that are detailed below.

It is estimated that about 6,000 were employed in Finland fighting vehicles, and like most of the formations that participated in this brief but bloody campaign, suffered significant losses.

This medium battle tank T-28 Model 1939 with the tower of the initial models, but armed with cannon L-10 76.2mm and belonging to the 20th Armored Brigade during the latter stages of the conflict against Finland in the early months, 1940. He wears a white winter paint scheme hastily applied on original dark green, this belongs to the latter stages of the conflict, since in the beginning, the armored vehicles did not look any specific mimetic scheme to facilitate its occultation.

50 Air identification markings

One of the most common forms of employment of national distinctive Soviet armored vehicles from this era, are indicative of aerial identification applied on top of the towers. This kind of codes were employed in those levels which output operations outside the borders of the country and with the intent to minimize the possibility of being mistaken for enemy vehicles by their own aircrafts.

While you may find some variety of them, the most widespread was to paint a cross with white paint running through the roof of the tower from one extreme to another. Among the preparations that took place in the spring and summer of 1940 with the purpose of occupying the Romanian border regions and the Baltic States, were applied to a large part of the armored vehicles which participated in that operation these identification schemes air. The use of these identification systems, and in particular the cross painted in white on the upper surfaces of tanks, would become a tradition of the Soviet Army in armored material operations outside its borders, and that would be newly hired in Germany in 1945 and even later, in as far back as in 1956 and in summer of 1968.

A fast tank BT-7 type serving in the 3rd Mechanized Corps with the look you had in June 1941 on the lands of , in the first days of . Many of the tanks of this formation had participated in the occupation of the Baltic states and still retained when the conflict started.

- In Figure N º 5, there is another of the most common forms of aerial identification, was to paint a letter of the Cyrillic alphabet with white paint on the top of the tower, this is the case of the T-26B TU version control, showing painted the letter "D". The use of these indicative on the date on which the photograph appears to be taken from which it has drawn this illustration, late thirties, suggests that could have been used, during the fighting against the troops of the Japanese Army in Manchuria.

51

The development of T-34.

It was in short, to combine the principle of movement typical of a light battle tank BT series in each medium. For the work done in this project was awarded the Order of the Red Star, one of the greatest rewards possible in your country.

The design team met in Kharkov KhPZ Factory, work turns upside down in bringing all the progress made within a new model, thus resulting in a tank with running gear similar to the BT series. Was equipped with a hull in which the armor plates were inclined at an angle, especially in the front arc, which adopted a wedge shape. The power plant was a new engine, the V-2. At first armament consisted of a piece of 45mm mounted on a new tower cast. The resulting prototype was denominated as A-20.

At this point, it opens a new debate between supporters continue to use the BT type suspension, capable of operating with or without tracks and endowed with greater mobility on the road, but otherwise it was also more complex in their manufacture, and those who defended the application of the achievements in running gear systems with conventional undercarriage, losing the ability to drive on road without tracks but gaining simplicity and robustness. Own M. Koshkin, the engineer project manager, is in favor of the latter principle, anticipating the importance of simplification technique for a future series production and in the training of maintenance staff and crew little or poor qualified to handle complex mechanical means, counting turn with a clear knowledge of Russian geographical reality consists of some very difficult terrain for long periods of rain and snowmelt, as well as poor road network in sections with good road surface.

The struggle between these two concepts is maintained for months in the drawing boards and in the highest levels of military, so approving two separate building prototypes to definitively assess the desirability of one or another. It is not until July of 1939 that are manufactured both, first the aforementioned A-20 and its counterpart on the other so-called A-32, developed in turn by the design team KhPZ who was mounted on a train of conventional undercarriage with five large wheels and suspension type support Christie, was part superiorly armed with L-10 76.2 mm gun: the same carriage riding through T-28 and powered by the same engine V-2. After leaving the factory are sent to the fields of armored means testing in the outskirts of Moscow where they are given extensive testing that extend to the month of September, although it does not take a decision regarding the choice between the two prototypes.

Warhorses

The gestation of previous armored series provided an experience that wasn't cut short in technical circles as opposed to the military, so that at the end of the decade of the thirties, were treasured knowledge that would be reflected in new designs and projects. At this stage were outlined definitely the characteristics that take precedence in the design of these vehicles on Soviet territory. The first of the above is the constant concern about the power of the that is endowed armament combat vehicles. Understanding perfectly, more clearly than in other parts of the world (eg Britain or France), that these means are not otherwise protected to mobile platforms on which is mounted a gun. If you do not have a proper weaponry the entire set meaningless, based on the finding that occurs firepower continued development of artillery capable of equipping medium and heavy tanks, being the first nation to deployed in large numbers a medium tank, the T-28 and the only produce a certain number heavy tanks in the early thirties, equipped with more caliber weapons and power than any other nation period.

The accompanying graph shows the constant evolution of the main armament of Soviet medium and heavy tanks, caliber and ballistic performance superior to any medium armored combat vehicle at the time.

54 The constant Soviet concern by the capacity of artillery pieces that arm battle tanks starts here, in the early thirties.

The second premise was the protection the shell of the car, but far from center the progress of this element in a greater thickness of the shield, which would in turn increase the weight accordingly decreasing mobility, was pursued keep this and explore the possibilities provided the proper placing of the armor plate. The essays in this area had already begun in 1935 by the NIIBT (Research Institute for Shield), date on which appears the prototype BT-IS made in the factory in Kharkov, this vehicle was based on a BT-5 of the first series, the further development of this concept in 1936 led to the appearance of the model BT-SV-2 in which good results were obtained with the inclination at certain angles of the armor plates both hull and the tower .

In the field of mobility also made significant achievements. These advances consisted mainly of availability at this time and for the first time a diesel powerplant reliable national development (although it has remarkable similarities with Italian aircraft engine same period) the V-2, which allows greater autonomy than previous models, the diesel type fuel used instead of gasoline, all of which assumed greater reliability and power, while reducing consumption and the risk of fire, which was very high with previous fuels. Moreover, the greatest mobility constituting the rapid combat vehicles BT series incorporating a Christie-type suspension, so that this was the development of undercarriage capable of operating with or without endless tracks and which would provide the basis for a new model.

It is therefore in this period, late thirties, when the basis for emergence of a new generation of armored means, who will be responsible to bear the brunt of the fighting during the Second World War in the East. Official requirements are established for the development of a medium and a heavy tanks. The first of these discussed below, the second that would lead to the KV series will do later. To meet these requirements are three different projects: the first, the so-called Article 115, consisted of a redesign of the model T-28 equipped with a shield composed shedders, while retaining the weapons mounted on separate towers, this project was slightly outdated and would not exceed the design phase. The second proposal was represented by a project called Article 111 and was essentially a new medium armored starting from the basic unit of light trucks BT series, enlarging and improving this armor and weapons was expected to get a good medium battle tank called T-46-5, despite having built a prototype, once undergoing testing was not revealed as satisfying for production. It would be the third and final proposal the only one would move forward.

In November 1937 in the Zavod number 183, Komintern the main factory of Kharkov briefly KhPZ, meets a design team led by engineer Mikhail I. Koshkin, who had worked in the Leningrad Kirov workshops on development of medium battle tank T-28 equipped with a Christie type suspension, which arise in the first place the prototype T-29-4 and then the T- 29-5, differing both in small variations in the undercarriage and for mounting two separate pieces of 76.2 mm, which is among the new L-10, which would be mounted in the final versions of the T-28.

55 It was in short, to combine the principle of movement typical of a light battle tank BT series in each medium. For work performed in this project was awarded the Order of the Red Star, one of the greatest rewards possible in your country.

In the design team gathered in Kharkov KhPZ the work is dumped together all the progress made on a new model, thus resulting in a tank with undercarriage similar to the BT series. Was equipped with a hull in which the armor plates were inclined at an angle, especially in the front arc, which adopted a wedge shape. The power plant was the new engine the V-2. At first armament consisted of a piece of 45mm mounted on a new tower casting. The resulting prototype was designated as A-20.

At this point, it opens a new debate between supporters continue to use the BT type suspension, capable of operating with or without tracks and provided with greater mobility on the road, but otherwise it was also more complex in their manufacture, and those who advocated the application of the achievements in running gear systems with conventional track undercarriage, losing the ability to drive on road without tracks but gaining simplicity and robustness. M. itself Koshkin is in favor of the latter principle, anticipating the importance of simplification technique for a future series production and in the training of maintenance staff and crew little or none qualified to handle complex mechanical means, counting turn with a clear knowledge of Russian geographical reality consists of some very difficult terrain for long periods of rain and snowmelt, as well as poor road network in sections with good surface. The struggle between these two concepts is maintained for months in the drawing boards and in the highest levels of military, so approving two separate building prototypes to definitively assess the desirability of one or another. It is not until July of 1939 that are manufactured both, first the aforementioned A-20 and its counterpart on the other so-called A-32, developed in turn by the design team KhPZ who was mounted on a train of conventional track undercarriage with five large wheels and suspension type support Christie, was part superiorly armed with the L-10 76.2mm gun: the same main armament that T-28 and powered by the same engine V-2. After leaving the factory are sent to the fields of armored means testing in the outskirts of Moscow where they undergo extensive testing that extend to the month of September 1939, although it does not take a decision regarding the choice between the two means.

56 T-34 Medium Tank

Back in Kharkov, M. Koshkin, A. Morozov his assistant in the design team, work began to improve the shielding of A-32. Finally is the December 19, 1939 when taking a formal decision, having assessed the experiences that start coming from the front of Finnish and all those already owned, approved the construction of several new models to is the heavy tank KV-1, T-40 light tank and a reformed powered A-32, which ordered the immediate construction of two prototypes, changing the name of this new version of "srednii" tank or T-34 medium tank.

This new vehicle, managed by four crew and weighing 26.3 tons, had dimensions of 5.92 meters long, 3 meters wide and 2.45 in height, which gave him a low silhouette very close to the ground. The shield in this first version varied between 45mm thick at the front surfaces or even 20mm and 16mm at the most vulnerable to the rear. He was armed with a new piece of 76.2mm, the L-11 model 1939 and a DT machine gun 7.62mm coaxial and a similar assembly on the right side of the front of the car, to target the main weapons the shooter available TOD-6 telescope and a commander PT-4-7.

The communications team was formed by a radio 71-TK-3 and an internal communication system TPU-3 type. The new power plant V-2 was allowed reach 53kph and 460 liters of deposit gave him a range of 300-400 miles rolling road and between 230-260 on all terrain, also began to develop a storage system supplemental fuel capable of accommodating another 134 liters.

During the first months of 1940 the two prototypes had been completed in February, are subjected to intensive testing and were presented to Stalin. One of them immediately to the front part Finnish, arriving too late to take action.

57 To round off its testing phase, there were performed a marathon of 3000 kilometers from Kharkov to Moscow and back through Smolensk and Kiev under harsh weather conditions, through the difficult tracks and roads of this part of the country. Passed the test with no more problems than the appearance of small problems with the power plant, on which work started immediately to address them.

In June 1940 a decision is made to increase the number of vehicles to be manufactured, this measure was spurred by the disturbing events taking place in France. Shortly after the death of its creator M. Koshkin, in the month of September start coming out of the factory KhPZ Kharkov, the first T-34 produced in 1940: a total of 115 units. The next year would begin mass production, so that at the beginning of the war had produced a total of 1225 battle tanks T-34 in two factories the widely known KhPZ and STZ in Stalingrad.

Since entering service in the Red Army units, he detected some limitations that can be improved, so that was designed an enhanced version, the T-34M, while calling for the cessation of production. Fortunately this decision was never adopted and the new version, once the conflict was never made, the changes and improvements were being included in later production versions of the original T-34. In 1941 he began adopting these changes, appearing a new version of this tank.

The main novelty compared to the prior year first models resides in the main armament, incorporating a new piece of 76.2 barrel longer and with better performance, the F- 34 Model 1940. The mouth of this cannon extends past the hull increasing total vehicle length to 6.68 meters, otherwise keeping the rest of the features of the first version except a slight increase of weight until prompted 26.5 Tons turn slightly to improve the shielding of the tower, which at this point will be manufactured in two ways casting and welding to 52mm thick and 20mm in the weakest areas. The radio is also replaced by the model 9R and internal communications are the new TPU-3. To a large extent these features would outline the tanks T-34 Soviet factories would leave in the coming years. The tanks T-34 made until the beginning of the war, even in peacetime, are easily recognizable to present a more complete finish, presenting many of them a complete set of tools and accessories, as well as the four rectangular tanks additional fuel hull sides.

58 Without a doubt, in the creation of this car battle a number of factors converged that made him the most effective fighting machine throughout its kind at the time. Fruit of the common sense of a design team endowed with exceptional talent, was born a tank which were in balance all the factors that define this as such: mobility characteristic of a lighter vehicle, provided by a relationship power to weight unknown until then a reliable engine and moderate consumption and a chassis equipped with chains sufficiently wide to distribute their weight in difficult terrain and poor communication lines, capable of operating over the mud of the surface snowmelt and ice and harsh Russian winter snow. The protection offered by his shield with large angles inclined surfaces, allowed him to withstand the impact of the majority of anti- tank weapons of the time. A piece of 76.2 mm firepower equaled that of the heavier tanks, beating all of its class.

The work done by the design team led by M. Koshkin in Kharkov factory across 1939 decisively influenced the course of the Second World War.

59 KV Heavy Tanks

The development of heavy tanks always had great importance in Soviet doctrine, so that after the first test was conducted disappointing results with the series T-32 and T-35, it continued to look for satisfactory solutions. To meet the requirement of a new model heavy tank in this period, late thirties, presented two proposals shared and deepened in the theory of multiple towers, the work of two separate design teams emerged prototypes T-100 and the so called SMK. These vehicles were excessively heavy and voluminous since the assembly of two towers overlapping, armed with a piece of 45mm and a main housing a 76.2mm barrel, requiring that the latter was mounted on an armored allowed him to fire over the first tower, this provision greatly increased its size and weight in both cases was around 58 tons, making them too heavy vehicles and mobility very poor, especially when the weight limits that can be carried by the Soviet railway system was 55 tons.

The complexity and lack of suitability of these vehicles with a crew of seven members was evident already in the planning stage, and already one of the design teams, the SKB-2 (Special Equipment Design) who was working in the SMK, named in honor of a murdered communist leader Sergei M. Kirov and headed by engineer Zhozef Kotin, began to develop the idea independently of a vehicle of a single tower, with a hull on a smaller scale but with increased armor.

Working in this line develops in the Leningrad Kirov factory the new vehicle. The hull had a individual, already proven effective and provided very wide chains, able to share their specific weight, thus improving mobility in all terrain. It was powered by the new engine V-2 with 500 hp which gave him enough power to move its 40 Tons. Main armament consisted of a piece of 76.2mm and armor reached 70mm.

60 It was called Voroshilov Klimenty KV-1, name of the Commissioner of Defense at this time.

Submitted three proposals is decided making all prototypes for evaluation. Once they are built these and in the throes of evidence Kubinka polygon, begin hostilities against Finland and all prototypes: a copy of the SMK, the two T-100 and the KV-1, are sent to the Isthmus of Karelia and framed at the 20th Armored Brigade, along with the provision of T-28 tanks of this unit. The combat experience showed the correctness of the design of the KV tackle the complexity and the high weight of the prototypes with multiple towers. Officially Adapting Model 1939 KV-1 heavy tank as for the Soviet Army on December 19 1939, serial production began that same year and would reach 50 copies of this first model.

The following year appear a new version: the KV-1 Model 1940, which he shared with the first model most components, differing only by changes in the chassis and the main armament, consisting of the piece F-32 76.2/41.2 initial faster than the previous caliber L-11 76.2/30.5.

61 Some vehicles were equipped with two or four external fuel tanks on the sides of the hull to increase its autonomy.

For propelling his nearly 48 tons, was made an enhanced version of the V-2 engine, the V-2K capable of providing 600 hp But the main source of the problems caused by their weight and size was its transmission and that it would cause much of mechanical breakdowns that were rendered unusable many KV tanks in the early days of the war.

In the spring of 1941 he received misinformation about the potency of anti-tank guns and armor of German tanks, magnifying significantly both as dismissing as practically useless new 57mm anti-tank guns, including mounting cannon F-32 of the most modern KV. Upon which they tried to improve the protection of heavy tanks and improve their firepower developing new 107mm guns, than those in study of 85mm.

The first consequence of these alarmist thesis KV series tanks was to apply directly on the existing vehicles hull armor plates riveted 35mm, these models were called KV-1 Model 1941 "Ekranami".

The second result was the launch of a new program to develop enhanced versions of these vehicles initially called KV-3. At this time the studies branch off.

- On the one hand it is about creating a variant with enhanced armor and a new tower redesigned, giving dome to the head of the carriage and the gun mount ZIS-5 of 76.2mm, which would result in May 1941 the KV-3 Model 1941, being accepted to replace the production line to the KV-1 from the month of August of that same year. this vehicle identified and corrected many of the defects of the initial models, but the outbreak of war disrupted these plans incorporating canceling this car, like the T-34M design improvements would be implemented in the coming years on improving to models that should be replaced. As survival as the principle of war prevailed and ease of production quantity over quality.

62 Anyway, some of the modifications of the vehicle, as the engine V-2K and cannon ZIS-5, were adopted in the existing, leading to the final version of the KV-1 Model 1941.

Secondly, begins the development of a new heavy tank called Obiekt 220 (Project 220) on the town expanded and modified a KV tank with the addition of another wheel in the chassis and mounted a tower KV-2 trimmed and modified to hold one of the new pieces of 107mm, but since the development of these weapons was not advanced enough, it was decided to replace the barrel initially experimental F-30 85mm. This vehicle will not be accepted for service as too heavy and traction problems, but at least one of them would participate in 1941 in the defense of the city of Leningrad.

Despite the abandonment of the project, by its nature, was ahead of the appearance of the first German heavy tank Panzer VI Tiger in just over a year.

In short, the KV-1, along with the T-34 were the most valuable of the Red Army weapons arsenal in 1941, both the warhorses on the back of which would face the best armored forces throughout the war.

63 In the last months of 1939, the N.I. Dukov design team experienced in KV-1 chassis mounting an artillery piece: heavy modified M-10 152/20, in a huge tower. This mill was called KV-2 and was the best-armed armored vehicle to date, although its mammoth size and weight gain gave him an awkward totally inadequate mobility to operate in land inconsistent and plain, and made him his enormous silhouette on a very visible target. There were four copies of pre-series, of which two were sent to Finland in February 1940 to operate with the 20th Armored Brigade, its enormous firepower proved soon effective, especially against fortified positions Finnish and later as a very unpleasant surprise for triumphant German forces. The total production of this vehicle reached 334 units when ended in October 1941.

Subsequent to these early achievements, studies were initiated to the modeling of super heavy tanks KV Series starting, the technical proposals for a tank of about 100 tons and two towers, one large main and a secondary smaller project would lead to the KV-4. But also studied the design of a carriage even greater with 150 tons, the KV-5. These studies were still at the beginning of the conflict, but would be abandoned soon after.

Most KV Series tanks possessed radios in June 1941, unlike much of the rest of the park of the media. On the other hand suffered from the outset significant restrictions on the number of his crew, that crew should consist of five members, it was the most common and the largest number of cases was reduced to four or even three members , which significantly decreased combat effectiveness.

64 T-40 and T-50 light tanks

Alongside these medium and heavy vehicles, not abandoned development in the field of light tanks, with such a long tradition at this Army. So that to replace the T-26 were conducted several projects.

The first was the T-50 a light tank and accompanying infantry designed to be a lighter complement the formidable T-34, it was a very interesting vehicle, possibly the best of all light trucks built during war in the Soviet Union. Weighing around 12 tons, equipped with a shield with shedder plates up to 30mm thick, one piece 45mm anti-tank and an engine of 300 hp able to provide good traction, its undercarriage individual torsion bars and you overall silhouette resembling the KV-1 (at which he was given the nickname "the little Klin"). Despite being one of the world's most successful achievements in his field as we have said, the high cost of production (very close to that of a T-34) and its complexity, were key to cancel the production that began in 1940 and reached only about 65 copies.

For the foregoing reasons, it is preferred a simpler project equipped mostly with automotive components already in production. Appearing in this way the light battle tank T-40. This vehicle was powered by an engine built for trucks GAZ gave him one of the worst relationships weight / power within all these years Russian constructs. Its main task would be to light through exploration and recognition, for it was equipped with a watertight hull conferred amphibious capability, a propeller suitable for transmission impelled him to a speed of 5 kph in the water. Its low armor and poor armament made only by a DShK heavy machine gun 12.7mm, severely limited their ability to survive in combat which would cause him heavy casualties.

65 Later, in an attempt to improve the protection appeared T-40S version, which worsened armor increased water fording capacity and all the mobility in general. In the latest versions armament was replaced by a lower caliber machine gun 12.7 mm and higher and finally through a barrel automatic cannon 20mm ShVAK aviation, leading to T-30B, a simpler version without amphibious capability but more shield which small number of vehicles manufactured until the introduction of T-60. The total production never became important, as only 225 copies were reached.

Issues about the 1941 Soviet tank park

At this point, one might enumerate the different models and quantities of tanks of all types that equipped Soviet Armored Forces in June 1941. The total number of these vehicles in service would be between 20,000 and 24,000 copies, which is enormous for the time, but mostly consisted of antiquated cars and small size, even Mark V World War I and two towers tanks of the first models of the T-26A. The Soviet military archives recognize that, as of June 15, 1941, 29% of the tanks of the older models need to be subjected to major repairs and that 44% needed minor repairs. So the rate of availability of all this material is around 27%, an extremely low proportion that shows the appalling state of this enormous fleet.

So if it has been identified as the number of tanks stationed in the western regions of the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941 around 15,000 vehicles, of which only 967 were in the model T-34, and as examples of the types 508 KV-1 and KV-2. Therefore, the remaining 13,500 tanks in service in western models belong to them only outdated and about 3700 were available. So the total number of Soviet tanks faced the Panzers 3500 that Germany began the attack on the Soviet Union would be around the 6000 vehicles.

Of this total as many vehicles in service at this time corresponded to the number of BT fast tanks, which were operating against the German Army even copies of their first versions: a handful of BT-1 and BT-2 as well as significant amounts of later models like the BT-5 and BT-7 that constituted the bulk of the armored formations, the latest development of this series: the BT-7M or BT-8 also saw combat in 1941. The other pillar in the park it was

66 armored T-26 and its variants, which included even a vehicle of the first series has two towers and its variants like flamethrower vehicles: the OT-131 and OT-132.

Within the field of light tanks also mention should be made the series amphibious T-33 and its descendants: the T-37 and T-38, that equipped most of the exploration and reconnaissance formations, to which had already reached a certain number of units of the model T-40. Finally in this section we mention the small number of T-50 that were in service.

The park of medium and heavy tanks was composed of about four hundred copies of the model T-28 were still in service, in all its versions made so far and the enormous T-35, although few specimens of this latter type only offered anecdotal presence of only fifty copies.

Finally would mention the new T-34 medium tanks beginning to reach the units together with KV-1 and KV-2 heavy tanks.

Support Vehicles

The tanks are just the spearhead of armored units in their establishment and operation become part large number of all types of vehicles. It is also on the back of these workhorses on which was decanting the sense of the struggle toward one side or another. Moreover, this rolling stock, obviously fundamental and indispensable to the very existence of these armored units is not always studied with the same intensity as armored vehicles.

Then it tries to describe the fundamental types of vehicles that equipped the Soviet Army and therefore their armored units in June 1941. To do this we divide them into the following groups:

- Trucks - Tractors. - Light vehicles.

Trucks

In June 1941 the Soviet Army provided approximately 270,000 trucks in service, an important part of them at armored units. These, which came from domestic production although some were copies of foreign models, except variants of different types and functions, were divided into two groups: The three-ton payload, mostly on a three-axle chassis and those that they had a capacity of about ton and a half two-axle chassis. Obviously the models used for military purposes and then represent, differed from those of civilian employment in its off- road and being equipped to traction it all axes, or at least two of them.

67 First we will describe the different models of trucks that they had a load capacity of 1.5 tons:

- The GAZ MM AA with four-wheel traction, built in the factory GAZ at Gorky, who was one of the basic models and serving in a greater number. It was a copy of a model of the Ford firm of the twenties: the Ford AA, consisted of a two-axle chassis and traction in both manufacturing began in the early thirties. The power plants of these trucks consists in of by about 50 hp power, such as the GAZ M1.

- The other big factory engaged in the production of trucks was ZIS firm whose model ZIS-5 is included within the 1.5 tons of payload to a two-axle chassis and traction in both. Along with the vehicle described above formed the core of the fleet of light trucks of the Red Army in 1941. Production of this model started in 1933 and its design, but could be influenced by foreign vehicles is wholly national.

Like the previous model, the box and the cabin was built of wood in one version, called ZIS-5B. This vehicle, similar to what happens in many other cases with Soviet equipment in this age, was produced in several versions without these specific designations

68 receive differentiation. This displays a model of the truck ZIS-5 on a chassis of similar length, but having three axes.

In the section of the truck with 3 tons of useful load and chassis with three axles, would be the following models:

- The GAZ AAA, similar to two-axis pattern but with a longer wheelbase. Regarding the traction wheel drive versions were all three axes 6x6 and the two rear traction 6x4, being the most common the latter.

- The ZIS factory also produced a model that identified with these characteristics, he ZIS-6. As a distinguishing feature of the factory truck ZIS is remarkable the front windshield starting configuration and the configuration of the metal rims of the wheels, which appeared GAZ models heading for five openings, while in the models ZIS, only had two diagonally opposite apertures.

In the section on supply trailers, the most significant of all would be the GAZ M-415, which was otherwise the standard in service in 1941. These trailers are pulled by both 3-ton load truck and crawler tractors.

Tractors.

The artillery pieces in a mechanized unit must be able to equalize their march to the rest of the formations that constitute the unit and the only way to do this in 1941 was towed them. For this purpose were in service a series of tracked vehicles, in some cases derived from civil design agricultural tractors, and other developed expressly for this purpose. A brief description of the most representative is the following:

- One of the most distinctive vehicles within this group, it was the little T-20 Komsomolyets armored tractor. From just 3.5 meters long and weighing just over four tons, this vehicle was designed to tow artillery pieces light truck and medium caliber (45-mm guns, 76.2 mm subsequent M38 mortars and 120 mm). The two-man crew available as main armament a 7.62 mm DT machine gun mounted on the front of the armored structure in which they were staying immediately behind the benches to transport servers in the towed piece a total of six men.

Production started in 1937 at the new factory Zavod STZ No. 37 of Stalingrad and would reach 4400 in 1945, remaining in service until the end of the war in two basic versions, the one shown in these illustrations and another in which banks were substituted for the staff of the rear for a container for the transport of ammunition.

69 The chassis of this vehicle was used as the basis for the SU-57 (also sometimes called ZIS-30), who carried a 45 mm anti on a mate-shaped structure open on his helmet, constituting one of the first adaptations of a piece of self-propelled anti-tank artillery.

- Next to the models designed specifically for military purposes, there were also a large number of adaptations or modifications arising from agricultural tractors. In all probability the most obvious example is provided by the STZ-5 vehicle manufactured in the factory Stalinetz STZ Stalingrad, caterpillar tractor load general purpose and widely distributed throughout the Red Army during World War II. As one of the most important variants of this vehicle, would be another caterpillar tractor model, the STZ-NATI-3 without payload, towing only.

The Komintern Heavy tractor, with nearly 11 tons of weight was one of the few vehicles able to recover tanks, shared the chassis and the chassis of the truck T-24, was the main heavy tractor in service during 1941.

Other models were mere military versions of civilian vehicles adapted for towing various artillery pieces, especially large caliber. Some of these models were copies of American tractors "International TD", of these features are the ChTZ-65 artillery tractors and the S-65 and S-60 series.

70 Light vehicles

In 1941 there was hardly any light vehicle model specifically designed for military purposes, so that serving in the Red Army were mostly civilian cars as standard. In its off-road capabilities largely without, nor any special traction; being used in tasks such as liaison and command vehicles. Like the GAZ A car produced by GAZ Gorky Factory between 1932 and 1936. It was a copy of the U.S. Ford Model A, and illustrates the old age of most of the fleet of light vehicles of the Red Army in 1941. The huge losses in men and material that suffered the Russian Army in the early months of the Second World War, had a special impact throughout the fleet of vehicles. As would happen to the on the beaches of Dunkirk in operations and hasty retreat when they were stricken Soviet side forces, lost a very important part of the entire fleet of vehicles. There were numerous photographic samples representing scenes of this type of material abandoned or destroyed in large numbers in the early stages of Barbarossa.

71

Main factories location .

Factories, Test Polygons and Institutions.

In the early twentieth century Russian industrial capacity was extremely limited, both materially and geographically, so that concentrated around major urban agglomerations. The greatest of these was St. Petersburg and it's no wonder that this city was the main center of industrial production of the whole Russian nation. It is also in this city and as early as 1910, where she established the first institution to take an active part in the development of armored vehicles: Automobile Service of the Royal House. In 1913 the first embodiment takes the form of a factory, the first prototype was built in the workshops of Russian-Baltic House whose beginnings date back to 1908 with the first factory built in the city of Riga, which later became the Putilov firm, the main manufacturer of armored vehicles in the second decade of the century.

So the city of St. Petersburg, then Leningrad christened, not only was the cradle of the revolution that led to the birth of the Soviet Union, but also was the birthplace of their Armored Forces.

In the next stage at the conclusion of the Civil War, in the early twenties and framed in the field of German cooperation, appears the first center of experimentation and study of the use of armored equipment in the city of Kazan.

The final years of the second half of the decade of the twenties and early thirties were the timeframe of the birth of a new industrial capacity. In this early stage more intense effort focused on building a base of heavy industry. Constructed a number of factories for the production of industrial vehicles: cars, trucks, locomotives and tractors. And taking advantage of this new manufacturing complex network with which it began manufacturing tanks in Russia.

The first plant to be ready by the end of the twenties, was the Komintern Factory of Locomotives in the city of Kharkov: the KhPZ Zavod No. 183 (so were called the industrial plants in the Soviet terminology: the abbreviation of the initial Article Zavod or factory in Russian and numbering, usually three digits). Being in this facility that started manufacturing of the MS-1 or T-18 tank in 1927-1928 and later around 1931 to 1932 of the T-26 and BT series, specializing in building light trucks. End up becoming the most important plant until the outbreak of World War II.

In the then Leningrad and the tradition of industrial capital of the country, from the early thirties, the Kirov's factory Zavod No. 185, specializes in the manufacture of heavy and medium tanks in the Red Army. Here were assembled the T-28 and T-35 tanks and all prototypes that led to their respective series.

74 The city of Gorky becomes the headquarters of the first factories producing cars and trucks in large numbers, thus the Gorky Automoviliskaia Zavod GAZ, begins to take on the Soviet Union of the products bearing their initials. In this great automobile plant and its subsidiaries also assembled many of the engines which then propelled Russian military vehicles.

Another important factory would add to the truck manufacturing was the ZIS firm, which had its initial models. From 1935 came into operation a production plant in the city of Stalingrad, the Volgograd Traktor Zavod STZ Zavod No. 37, which specialized in manufacturing all kinds of artillery tractors and trailers for the military and for civilian use in agricultural tasks. From this plant arise most vehicles of this type used in the Soviet Union in this period.

Alongside these large factories coexisted a large number of smaller installations and workshops scattered mostly by the whole European Russia, focusing especially around the cities that housed the former factories. These plants were engaged in the manufacture of all types of components, from engines to radio sets.

The industrial network in the Soviet Union differed considerably from that possessed in the Western countries, the main difference was the absence of large companies and industrial firms, factories lacked initiative, and all the details of the design, adoption and production of any military vehicle, were adopted by central agencies that transmitted to the factories production orders. Similarly, the design of tanks rested not on staff typical of large factories, this was accomplished designers and engineers groups integrated into other design teams used to do their work closely with the technical staff of the factory that was later to mass produce the vehicle. So it was common for design these devices usually work in the environment of the large industrial complexes, but not depending on these.

As for test ranges and testing, the first of which will be referred to be the one installed in the city of Kazan at the beginning of the thirties. Thereafter is remarkable the existence of small testing areas in different factories produce armored vehicles. Although the most important institution in the development of tanks protection and armor in this period was installed in Moscow: The Polygon NIIBT (Scientific Research Institute of the shield).

Of the institutions involved in the decisions to take in terms of armored vehicles, include a strong political control of latest decisions. This meant that the highest court to was involved in these matters was the Defence Committee of the Council of People's Commissars or SNK first KO in Russian terminology, along with it, and immediately subordinate was the Chief Military Council GVS. To advise is political authority and directly supervise all aspects of the management of armored vehicles and units that used it, was the Board for Armored Forces (ABTU). Below these steps would stand design teams and addresses the different factories techniques in the technical side of the material. On the military side, the directions of the staffs would be located directly under the directory ABTU Armored Forces.

75 As manufacturing processes and construction of armored vehicles in the Soviet Union during this period, is remarkable the development thereof while so did the capacity of the locally heavy industry.

At first, the armor plates that formed the armor of the vehicles were assembled using rivets, this construction procedure was common to all nations. Moreover, this is logically the simplest method of manufacture and would remain in effect for all models of vehicles produced to nearly half of the thirties. It was precisely the entry into combat for the first time the media battleships built according to this principle, during border clashes with the Japanese troops in Manchuria in 1934 and 1935, which highlighted the shortcomings of this system, to be reached the vehicles by an impact, rivets tended to be thrown out of their seats into the vehicle, injuring or killing the crew.

Searching for the development and improvement of the manufacturing methods became the most frequently used procedure, the binding of the armor plates by welding using different methods, this modality combined efficiency and moderate cost. Improving the capacity of industrial facilities made it possible for this procedure became widespread in the late thirties in the manufacture of tanks, keeping the above procedures for lighter and less protected armored vehicles.

The more effective shielding manufacturing method, and also the most expensive, is the one that is the element in question as a single piece, with no joints between its components, casting method. For the use of this method is necessary to have a properly developed steel industry and resulting cost of this expensive procedure the resulting object, although those vehicles with parts manufactured and manufactured possess a superior impact resistance capacity. The production by this method is extended mostly over the tanks towers, extending later to the hulls as a whole.

The appearance of this procedure around 1939 and 1940, and its application in conjunction with the knowledge gained from the placement of the shield at an angle, increasing the angle of impact, enabled the armor, especially the towers of the Soviet tanks in 1941 were higher than those of contemporary models of any other nation in the world.

76 At the time of the outbreak of the Second World War in the Eastern front, the situation of the Soviet Armored Forces in general was such that shared the same level of preparation as the rest of the Armed Forces, which together were not prepared to cope with so formidable an enemy as opposed to them in the battlefield. The lack of preparation and training in this area was particularly serious, since it was the conjunction of two factors: - The shortage of qualified personnel at all levels. - And be immersed in a process of expansion and creation of new armored units on a scale never seen before.

At this time there were in the order of battle of the Red Army 29 Mechanized Corps according to different sources and integrated theoretically each of two armored divisions, one Mechanized and a Motorcyclist Regiment, at least 24 of them deployed in nearby areas to the western borders, to which should be added the armored formations belonging to each of the four Cavalry Corps regiments were structured equipped with 64 tanks models BT-5 and BT-7. There were also small battalion sized armored units in the four Airborne Army Corps, each composed of about 50 light amphibious tanks of the T-38 or T-40. Finally it should be noted the existence of a number of armored divisions and Motorized independently deployed and integrated into any major armored unit.

The park tanks of these units totaled 24,000 vehicles, as already noted above, most outdated and of which only 1861 corresponded to the new models. To complete the templates of these units would take another 32,000 cars, 16,000 of them of new types.

Situation in June 1941

These circumstances caused that incomplete armored units are found not only in the material aspect, but in terms of human resources development, lack of qualified personnel was overwhelming, and that the creation of these forces as a scale, called for a huge contingent of trained personnel. To meet this need simply adopted other personnel directly Army weapons, especially the most numerous: the Infantry. A sample of the lack of instruction in this facet could be the average driving hours the crew of Soviet tanks to the outbreak of the campaign in the East, which was only two hours. The recent creation of the units after a long period of indecision made it impossible to sufficient simulation exercises and practices, so that ignorance of the ride and handling of these formations was not only own crews of tanks, but the staff of levels of command at all levels; few exceptions may conflict with this reality.

To the shortcomings in the staff and management, as well as the age of most of the tanks, should be added the lack of support vehicles of all kinds, from transport and supplies such as trucks or artillery tractors, until light truck. This lack of support would be rolling endemic Red Army throughout the war and even the supply of these vehicles by the Allies through Lend-Lease Act added to his own rise in production, failed to fully satisfy the enormous quantities of this material needs modern combat mass the size of the Russian Army in World War II. Another very important factor to consider was the endemic shortage of radios and communication, which made most of both aircraft as Soviet tanks in June 1941, had no radio link to each other. The transmission system orders in the Soviet armored units of the time was done by means of signals, since in general, only possessed radios the command vehicles.

As for the potential and the actual capacity of these units is important to note that armored oscillated greatly. In such a way that some of them were at full capacity and equipped with a certain number of next generation tanks and other by contrast, lacked both material and manpower. Some others were formed only on paper and many had received their vehicles recently, one or two months before the start of the conflict.

As evidence of disparate state of readiness of these formations we note that each of the armored divisions should deploy at least 210 T-34 and KV-1, but in all of the border districts a total of 967 T-34 tanks there were deployed and only a handful in this had trained crews. So the 19th Mechanized Corps was composed of 160 tanks, of which only two were T-34. This situation is repeated in most cases, but in some other formations prospects were better: the 8th Mechanized Corps had about 600 trucks between which included 170 KV-1 and T-34 and the 15th Mechanized Corps that within its ranks totaled 133 KV-1 and T-34.

78 If we remember that these Mechanized Army Corps should be composed of two Armored and one Mechanized Infantry Divisions, along with a significant number of support units, as we will see many of them barely possessed the manpower and material resources to complete a single Division.

In a first place and deployed in a first line closest to the border were those units that were part of the garrisons of Military Districts covering European borders. The latter delimiting a strip of land which comprised between 150 and 200 kilometers into the territory of the Soviet Union, within this perimeter were dislocated most Red Army troops.

The data that are listed below come from the work of Charles C. Sharp "The Deadly Beginning" Soviet Tank, Mechanized, Motorized Divisions and Tank Brigades of 1940 - 1942. In detail, the deployment and the potential of mechanized units as follows:

- In the extreme north: in the Leningrad Military District, which stretched across the Karelian Isthmus between this city and the border with Finland, was parked in the vicinity of that city:

- The 10th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General I. G. Lazariev and framed in the 23th Army, with 340 available tanks, none of them T-34 or KV deployed in the: 21st Armored Division with 118 T-26 and 15 OT-26 tanks. 24th Armored Division with 200 T-26 and BT tanks. 198th Mechanized Division without tanks. 7th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 1st Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General M. L. Cherniachovski, and deployed in the Pskov region serving in its ranks the following units: 3rd Armored Division with 350 tanks of BT Series 2, 5 and 7. 163rd Mechanized Division nearly complete with their equipment 250 BT-5 and BT-7 tanks 5th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 1st Armored Division was in transit to the region north of Kandalaksha to join the 14th Army with a strength of 360 tanks including 8 T-34, 6 KV and 1 T-50.

Between this formations, in that district totaled a strength of 1506 tanks of the outdated models and around 15 KV and T-34 most modern vehicles.

79 NORTH FRONT (former Leningrad Military District) JUNE 22 1941

SOVIET UNION 23 Fortified Sector 27 ARMY 14 14 50 C. ARMY CORPS 52 14 INFANTRY DIVISION

ARMORED DIVISION

MECHANISED DIVISION 14 INFANTRY BRIGADE

FORTIFIED SECTOR

1 14

122 14

42 C.

104 14

54 7

7

71 7 26 Fortified Sector 168 7 237 7

142 23

115 23 27 Fortified Sector

43 23 19 C. 50 C. 23 123 23 28 Fortified Sc. 70 23

8

21 23 10 CM

24 23 198 23 177 180 27 191 22 C.

16 27 182 27 3 1 CM 27 3 163 Inside the land borders of European Russia, in the northernmost sector was located the Baltic Military District, facing East Prussia in the territory of Lithuania with the following units:

-. The Major General Shestopalov 12th Mechanized Corps only equipped with 700 outdated tanks, deployed to the rear of the 8th Army in the coastal region of Lithuania, with the: 21st Armored Division with 230 T-26 and BT tanks. 28th Armored Division with 230 BT and a handful of T-28 tanks. 202nd Mechanized Division with 200 T-26 tanks. 10th Motorcycle Regiment.

81 - The 3rd Mechanized Corps commanded by General A. V. Kurkin parked near Vilnius and added to the 11th Army, which included in its endowment 15 KV heavy tanks and 50 T-34 tanks. It was composed of the: 2nd Armored Division with 15 KV, 50 T-34 and 120 T-26 and BT tanks and 30 light tanks. 5th Armored Division with 250 T-26 tanks. 84th Mechanized Division with 200 T-26 tanks. 15th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The Western Military District bordered above and extended to the city and fortress of Brest-Litovsk, being almost in the center of the front line, closing the direct path to the heart of and Moscow. As part of its garrison were the following armored units, listed in order of deployment from north to south:

- The 11st Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General D. Mostovenko, framed in the 3rd Army covering the northern edge of the border of the District and the Baltic area, stationed around the city of Volkowsysk. He had in his endowment 237 outdated models of tanks, 3 KV, and 28 T-34, distributed among its units: 29th Armored Division with 3 KV, 24 T-34 and 160 T-26 tanks. 33th Armored Division with 40 T-26. 204th Mechanized Division with 44 BT-5. 16th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 6th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General M. Jatskilévich and deployed with the 10th Army in the center of the Bialystok salient and stationed around that city, it was the formation better equipped with new material and most powerful of all this sector of the front, counting among its ranks with 238 T-34 and 114 KV tanks and 1021 of outdated models, divided into the: 4th Armored Division with 63 KV, 88 T-34, 200 BT-5/7 and 10 T-26 tanks. 7th Armored Division with 51 KV, 150 T-34, 125 BT-5/7 and 42 T-26. 29th Mechanized Division with 90 T-37/8, 150 BT-5/7 and 30 T-26. 4th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The Major General P. N. Achjustin 13rd Mechanized Corps was also added to the 10th Army, and deployed around the town of Podlask Bielsk, with a provision available in 294 tanks outdated models in the: 25th Armored Division with 247 T-26 tanks. 31st Armored Division with only 10 T-37/8 and 15 BT-5/7. 208th Mechanized Division with 6 BT and around 35 T-26. 18th Motorcycle Regiment.

82 -. The 14th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General S. I. Oborin was added to the 4th Army in the south of the border of the Western District, was stationed in the region of Kobryn. His provision was 520 tanks outdated models deployed in the: 22nd Armored Division with 235 T-26. 30th Armored Division equipped with 243 T-26. 205th Mechanized Division equipped with only 6 BT and 35 T-26. 20th Motorcycle Regiment.

Deployed as a reserve in the western sector and slightly to the rear of the front line units were the bodies that were not added to any specific Army, these were:

- The 17th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General M. P. Pietrov, deployed in the region of Mogilev and equipped only with 36 tanks of obsolete models, the following units available only in table: 27th Armored Division without tanks. 36th Armored Division without tanks. 209th Mechanized Division without tanks. 22nd Motorcycle Regiment.

83 -. The 20th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General A. G. Nikitin was deployed in the region of Borisov, being one of the weakest units with only 93 tanks of obsolete models framed in their units: 26th Armored Division without tanks. 38th Armored Division with around 40 T-26. 210th Mechanized Division without tanks. 24th Motorcycle Regiment.

Completing these formations was the 6th Cavalry Corps commanded by General I. Nikitin. With three Cavalry Divisions.

- The Kiev Military District was the largest area and the best garrisoned to be expected in this sector the main attack, protected access to the rich plains of Ukraine. He was flanked on the north by the Pripyat River marshland, concentrating their formations from that point to the Romanian border, with the city of Lvov as a bastion in its central portion. Being the most numerous garrison, and also had a larger contingent of mechanized troops and the more powerful and better equipped formations, these were:

- The 22nd Mechanized Corps under General Kondrusev, added the 5th Army and deployed in Rovno, was equipped with 647 tanks obsolete and 31 KV-2 heavy tanks, although this vehicles went into combat on June 22 without ammunition for the main armament:: 19th Armored Division with 35 BT, 122 T-26 and 7 OT-26. 41st Armored Division equipped with 31 KV-2 and 342 T-26. 215th Mechanized Division with 129 BT tanks. 23rd Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 4th Mechanized Corps General V. Vlasov, added to the 6th Army was stationed in the vicinity of Lvov, it was the most powerful armored formation equipped with last generation tanks, in their ranks served 99 heavy tanks of KV Series , around 315 T -34 and 892 tanks of obsolete models. They were part of him the following units: 8th Armored Division one of the best trained and equipped units with around 50 KV, 140 T-34, 68 T-28, 31 BT-7 and 36 T-26. 32nd Armored Division, which led by a young Colonel 42 Yefin Pushkin, topped the list of armored units better equipped the Red Army in June 1941 with 49 KV 173 T-34, 24 BT, 70 T-26 and 38 T-27, although with significant lack of personnel, rolling stock, transmissions equipment and replacement parts. 81st Mechanized Division with 65 BT and T-26 tanks. 3rd Motorcycle Regiment.

84 - The 9th Mechanized Corps commanded by General Rokossovsky, also stationed with the 6th Army in the vicinity of Nowogrod Volinsky, with a strength of 285 tanks exclusively on outdated models and composed of: 20th Armored Division with 30 BT-5, 3 T-26 and 8 OT-26. 35th Armored Division with 141 T-26 and 1 OT-26. 131st Mechanized Division equipped with 104 BT. 32nd Motorcycle Regiment.

- Major General D. Riabyshev 8th Mechanized Corps deployed in the vicinity of Drohobycz and aggregate to the 26th Army had 858 tanks outdated models, to which were added 71 KV models along with 99 T-34. The units making up the Corps were:: 12th Armored Division with 18 KV, 50 T-34, 260 BT and T-26. 34th Armored Division in which served 48 T-35 heavy tanks in the First Battalion of the 68th Armored Regiment, along with 51 KV, 50 T-34 and 280 BT tanks. 7th Mechanized Division with 250 BT-5 and BT-7. 32nd Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 16th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General A. D. Sokolow, added the 12th Army and deployed in the region of Kamienev Podolski serving in its ranks 608 outdated models of tanks among which included a battalion of T-28 medium tanks. 15th Armored Division equipped with con 280 BT and T-26 along with the 75 T-28 medium tanks who served in his 29th Armored Regiment. 39th Armored Division with 280 BT and T-26 tanks. 240th Mechanized Division without tanks. 19th Motorcycle Regiment.

Deployed at the rear of these first line units was a significant concentration of reserve armored formations marking out the access to the city of Kiev.

- The 15th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General I.I. Karpezo and stationed around Brody, equipped with 733 tanks of outdated models and abundant modern material between which included 64 KV Series heavy tanks and 67 T-34, integrated in this Corps has been identified the following units: 10th Armored Division one of the best equipped formations with 63 KV, 34 T-34, 51 T-28, 181 BT-7, 22 T-26, 8 OT-26, 56 BA-10 and 27 BA-20. 37th Armored Division equipped with a single KV-1, 34 T-34, 258 BT-7, 22 T-26, and one OT-26 tanks. 212th Mechanized Division with 220 BT and T-26 tanks. 25th Motorcycle Regiment.

85

- The 24th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General B. I. Czistjakow, deployed in the region of Ploskirov serving in its ranks 222 tanks of outdated models in the: 45th Armored Division equipped with less than 100 BT and T-26 tanks. 49th Armored Division with around 100 BT, T-26, T-38 or T-27. 216th Mechanized Division without tanks. 17th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 19th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General N. W. Feklenko, deployed in the region of Berdichev serving in its ranks 280 tanks outdated models and only 11 KV and T-34 modern vehicles in: 40th Armored Division with a handful of T-28, 19 T-26 and 139 T-37. 43rd Armored Division with 5 KV, 2 T-34 and around operating 80 T-26. 213th Mechanized Division with 42 T-26 and 13 T-37. 21st Motorcycle Regiment.

Completing these formations was the 5th Cavalry Corps deployed near the city of Lvov. With three Cavalry Divisions.

Occupying the southernmost of the border line was the Odessa Military District, which included recently annexed regions from Romania, it was a border land with lower density on defenses, of which they were part:

- The 2nd Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General J. W. Nowosielskij, in the ranks of the 9th Army and deployed in the region of and equipped with 489 tanks of outdated models and around 60 KV and T-34 in: 11th Armored Division with 10 KV and 50 T-34, the only modern tanks in the Odessa Military District and 150 T-26. 16th Armored Division with 150 BT-5 and BT-7. 15th Mechanized Division with 60 BT. 6th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 18th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General P. W. Volov, also added to the 9th Army and deployed in the region of Akerman serving in its ranks 280 tanks outdated models in: 44th Armored Division with 120 T-26. 47th Armored Division with 120 T-26S. 218th Mechanized Division without tanks. 26th Motorcycle Regiment.

Finding himself also in this region the 2nd Cavalry Corps deployed around the city of Kishinev. With three Cavalry Divisions.

87 Along with the previously indicated forces that were deployed near the borders in the frontier Military Districts, there were a number of mechanized units stationed in more depth within the territory of European Russia, these units and their location was as follows, beginning with the territories located further north:

In the , was stationed an armored force of 1134 tanks of outdated models and only 9 KV and T-34 tanks, divided into the following units:

- The 7th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General V. I. Vinogradov, stationed in the capital, and integrated by the following units: 14th Armored Division with 350 in their majority BT-5 and BT-7 models. 18th Armored Division with around 350 BT-5 and BT-7 tanks. 1st Mechanized Division with 225 BT-7M (BT-8). 9th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 21st Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General D. D. Leluszenko, stationed in the city of Idrica and composed of: 42nd Armored Division with 42 BT-7 tanks. 46th Armored Division with around 42 BT-7. 185th Mechanized Division without tanks. 11th Motorcycle Regiment.

In the Orel Military District:

- The 23rd Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General M. A. Mjasnikov, stationed in the city of Orel and equipped with 413 tanks of outdated models in: 48th Armored Division with around 150 BT and T-26 tanks. 51st Armored Division with 150 BT and T-26. 220th Mechanized Division without tanks. 27th Motorcycle Regiment.

In Kharkov Military District:

- The 25th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General S. M. Krivoszein, stationed in the city of Kharkov and equipped with 300 tanks of outdated models and 20 KV and T-34 tanks in: 50th Armored Division with 20 KV, T-34 and 150 BT or T-26. 55th Armored Division with 150 BT and T-26 tanks. 219th Mechanized Division without tanks. 12th Motorcycle Regiment.

88 In the Caucasus Military District:

- The 28th Mechanized Corps with the command post vacancy, stationed in the city of Tbilisi and equipped with 869 tanks of obsolete models in: 6th Armored Division with 300 BT and T-26. 54th Armored Division with 300 in their majority T-26. 236th Mechanized Division without tanks. 13th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 27th Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General I. E. Pietrov, stationed in the city of Marty equipped with 356 tanks in: 9th Armored Division with 229 T-26. 53th Armored Division without tanks. 221st Mechanized Division without tanks. 31tst Motorcycle Regiment.

Within the interior territories of the Soviet Union were in training two armored units, who were still incomplete:

- The 26th Mechanized Corps, established without a base and assigned command, but with a strength of 184 framed in the following incomplete units: 52nd Armored Division with around 80 BT and T-26 tanks. 56th Armored Division with around 80 BT and T-26 tanks. 103rd Mechanized Division without tanks. 27th Motorcycle Regiment.

- The 30th Mechanized Corps, the headquarters of this training unit is not created until the end of June: 58th Armored Division, with 300 BT and T-26. 60th Armored Division with 300 tanks in their majority T-26. 239th Mechanized Division with around 120 BT and T-26 tanks. 29th Motorcycle Regiment.

Further inland, near de city of Dnepropetrovsk was deployed the 5th Cavalry Corps and finally:

- The 5th Mechanized Corps with into the ranks of the 16th Army and deployed in the Trans-Baikal Military District equipped with 1070 tanks in the following units: 13th Armored Division with 300 BT-5, BT-7, T-26, T-38 and T-37. 17th Armored Division with around 350 BT-5 and BT-7. 109th Mechanized Division equipped with 275 BT tanks. 8th Motorcycle Regiment.

89 To complete the description of Soviet armored formations is necessary to mention those who were not integrated into Mechanized Corps, these are:

- The 57th Armored Division integrated in the 17th Army and deployed in the Trans-Baikal Military District, was equipped with 324 T-26 tanks.

- The 59th Armored Division framed in the 2nd Red Banner Army and the formations deployed manning the far eastern borders, was equipped with about 375 obsolete tanks.

- The 61st Armored Division another of the units integrated in the 17th Army and deployed in the Trans-Baikal Military District, was equipped with some 375 tanks, none of the newer models.

- The 69th Mechanized Division integrated in the 2nd Red Banner Army was equipped with about 275 obsolete tanks.

- La 82nd Mechanized Division integrated in the 17th Army and deployed in the Trans-Baikal Military District, was equipped with some 275 tanks, none of the newer models.

- The 36th Motorized Division was also framed in the 17th Army and deployed in the Trans-Baikal Military District, its complement of tanks was 67, none of them medium, heavy or newer models.

- The 57th Motorized Division also framed in the 17th Army and deployed in the Trans-Baikal Military District, was equipped with 67 outdated tanks.

The aspect that showed by the Soviet tanks at the start of the campaign in the east was characterized primarily by the total lack of indicatives, whether for unity or nationality, or even serial numbering. This lack of distinctive or references on armored vehicles is already characteristic of the Soviet military vehicles of the time, but especially in this period and due to causes such as the deep stage of reorganization in which he was immersed armored formations and extreme novelty much of the fleet in some cases had been received by the units weeks or days before the start of the conflict.

It's not so common to find marks or indicatives on Soviet armored media in June 1941, which were painted with a scheme ubiquitously mimetic uniform dark green color, that would be the most characteristic and predominant in the Soviet side during the entire Second World War.

The deployment of the German Armed Forces in this initial phase of the attack on the Soviet Union was divided into three sectors ranging across the border from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Romanian border and the to the South. These Army Groups were named according to their geographic location: North, Central and South. Each of them had been assigned a number of objectives, with the common component of the need to achieve these as quickly as possible, with particular emphasis on the rapid penetration into enemy deployment and the destruction of their military units by operations.

90 To achieve all these objectives each of the three groups was equipped with armored groups: the Panzergruppen, composed of several Panzer Corps each consisting of Armored (Panzer) and Motorized Infantry divisions. At least one of these Panzergruppen served with each of the three main concentrations of troops and the most powerful of all The Army Group Center had two of these large armored formations. So the deployment of German armored troops at the beginning of Barbarossa Operation was as follows:

In the Army Group North, deployed in East Prussia and the Baltic Sea coast, was included the fourth Panzergruppe integrated by three panzer divisions along with three motorized infantry divisions, under the command of General Hoeppner.

Army Group Center: the most powerful of all groups of German troops, stretched by the most decisive of the front, who covered the road to Moscow, occupying positions from southern East Prussia to a part of the Polish border. Threatened the Bialystok salient inside its mouth. Two Panzergruppen were deployed in this sector, the Second and Third respectively at the orders of Generals and Hermann Hoth, and integrated by seven panzer and seven motorized divisions.

Army Group South had been tasked most extensive sector, coming from near the border town of Brest-Litovsk to the shores of the Black Sea in Romania. Their armored forces grouped in the First Panzergruppen under the command of General Von Kleist consists of five panzer and three motorized divisions.

At first glance we can see the main difference in the approach and deployment of armored forces between the two contenders: the concentration of these forces. By German side these are integrated in large formations, fewer in number but much more dense and powerful than the Soviet which are deployed as isolated units and individualized.

The German Armored Army Corps, which consisted of two or three panzer divisions and one or two Motorized or Mechanized Infantry were moderately higher than the equivalent in size to the Soviet Mechanized Corps and unlike the latter were framed in the context of other larger armored units which allowed for a greater cooperation with units of the same kind, thus providing a clear numerical tactic superiority in all their first clashes with the armored troops of the soviet side.

The conclusions show us different aspects of the situation at this time that indicate a clear disadvantage to the Soviet Armored Forces:

- On the one hand these forces were in the middle of a process of expansion and reorganization: undergoing profound changes and in a situation that was far from stable.

- Although available to an indisputable numerical superiority in terms of number of tanks in service, a large proportion of these belonged to outdated models and too light to be used as the main shock force. On the other hand a number of vehicles belonging to the new models, were superior to any German tank into service in the summer of 1941.

91 - The level of personnel training serving in armored units was very poor and completely insufficient to allow the normal development of these formations or even under favorable conditions, especially in the middle of dramatic context that showed the European sector of the Soviet borders under the attack of German forces.

- Regarding the deployment of these formations in the battlefield, lacked the concentration that showed their opponents, so that it was in numerical superiority and the important tactical disadvantage of having to fight in isolation without the support of other similar forces.

La actuación de las formaciones acorazadas soviéticas en las primeras fases de este conflicto presenta una desconcertante serie de contrastes y claroscuros. Por una parte se revelan como incapaces de detener el avance germano y sucumben invariablemente a su empuje, siendo derrotadas a todo lo largo del frente a escala estratégica; mostrando en cambio en numerosos combates a pequeña escala sobre el terreno una superioridad abrumadora respecto al material blindado de última generación con que estaban dotadas algunas de ellas y el que ostentaban sus adversarios. Cuerpos de Ejército Mecanizados completos con cientos de carros de combate son derrotados con aplastante facilidad, mientras que carros aislados son capaces de detener durante horas a Divisiones Panzer enteras. Un contraste que se mostraba ante los ojos de los combatientes alemanes que veían como unidades enteras caían derrotadas ante sus armas con facilidad, mientras que en breves pero encarnizados encuentros estas mismas armas nada podían contra el “atrasado” enemigo al que se enfrentaban.

Este desconcierto arraigó entre los carristas germanos que sabiéndose poseedores de una superioridad en el arma acorazada, fundamentada en su óptima preparación técnica, que había asombrado al mundo entero hasta el momento, veían aparecer frente a ellos modelos de carros de combate netamente superiores a los que ellos tripulaban y si bien su eficacia no fue muy elevada debido al deficiente manejo de que eran objeto, si fue elevado el peso en la moral de estos hombres. Constituían las mejores unidades acorazadas que hasta entonces se habían desplegado en un campo de batalla, pero en el momento que la capacidad de aprendizaje del Ejército Soviético le permitiera manejar eficazmente sus nuevos modelos de carros de combate, las tropas Panzer se encontrarían en serias dificultades.

En las últimas horas del día 21 de Junio se transmitió a todos los Distritos Militares una Directriz alertando sobre un muy probable ataque por parte de las Fuerzas Armadas Alemanas que se efectuaría entre los días 22 o 23 de ese mismo mes y se ordenaba el despliegue inmediato de todas las unidades para la defensa.

92 Data sheets

Technical data tables.

COMMAND RANKS

Marshal. General of the Army. Colonel General. Lieutenant General. Commanding General. Komkor. * (General Division) Komdiv. * (General Division) Kombrig. * (Brigadier General) Colonel. Lieutenant Colonel.

* Prewar ranges in the Red Army.

Tactical symbols of the main units.

93

Bibliography

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97 - Armada N° 9 BT Tanks 1st Part” - Armada N° 14 “Tanks of home wars in Russia” - Soviet Order of Battle World War II “The Deadly Beginning Volume I” Charles C. Sharp. - LIBSA Sheets ground military technology. “Soviet tanks 1939-1945” David Porter. - Frontline Illustration 2004 “Renault Tank Reno FT.” Some interesting web sites. http://www.o5mS.de/ Page specializes in illustrations of Soviet military vehicles. http://rkkaww2.armchairgeneral.com/index.htm A formidable database of the equipment and operations of the Soviet Army during World War II. http://www.automania.be/fr/auto/russo-baltique-russie/russo-baltique-historiques/russo- baltique.html Portal web of the automotive world that contains an interesting reference to the Russian Baltic firm. http://dartzkombat.com/en/history-13025 An interesting source of information and pictures of the first Russian armored units. http://www.juniorgeneral.org/ A real treat for any fan of the military, in its section on the Soviet Union in World War II topics include a large number of very interesting illustrations of vehicles and equipment from a more casual view.