Thursday 28 June 2018

Lethality in Berlin

Some interesting data from the 2nd Guards Tank Army gathered during their fighting in Berlin. Analysis of tanks that were badly damaged enough to have to be written off from their unit was performed at the repair base. There, a decision was made: either the tank is irreparable and is destined for the scrap heap or is salvageable, but only after refurbishment, and is thus sent to the factory. Unfortunately there are no notes that tell us why each specific type of tank typically became unsalvageable, but only a general rule of thumb: if the ammunition rack is hit, the tank blows up and is a complete loss. If the ammunition does not go off, then the tank will probably be suitable for refurbishment, even if there was a fire.

Type
Total
T-34
IS-2
M4A2
SU-76
SU-85
SU-100
ISU-122
Irrep.
Maj.
Irrep.
Maj.
Irrep.
Maj.
Irrep.
Maj.
Irrep.
Maj.
Irrep.
Maj.
Irrep.
Maj.
75 mm shell
39
6
8
-
-
3
16
2
2
-
2
-
-
-
-
88 mm shell
27
7
3
7
-
4
4
-
-
-
-
1
-
1
1
100 mm shell
9
2
2
3
-
1
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
22 mm AA gun
5
-
1
-
-
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Artillery total
80
15
14
10
-
12
21
2
2
-
2
1
-
1
-
Faust
47
16
2
2
1
13
8
3
-
-
-
1
-
1
-
Aircraft
4
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
Mines
4
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
1
-
-
-
Total
135
33
16
12
1
25
31
5
3
-
2
3
-
4
-

Tuesday 26 June 2018

Spare Parts

"Order of the People's Commissar of Medium Machinebuilding of the USSR #320ss
Moscow
July 12th, 1941

To ensure timely delivery of spare parts for KV and T-34 tanks to their destinations and reduction of tank repair times, I order that:
  1. Kirov factory director comrade Zaltsmann and Chelyabinsk Tractor Factory director comrade Shor must send a full set of parts with every 7 KV tanks according to attachments 1 and 2.
  2. Factory #183 director comrade Maksarev and Stalingrad Tractor Factory director comrade Dulkin must send a full set of parts with every 10 T-34 tanks according to attachments 3 and 4.
  3. Factory #75 director comrade Kochetkov must send a full set of parts with every 7 V-2K diesel engines sent to Kirov and Chelyabinsk factories and 10 V2-34 engines sent to STZ and factory #183 according to attachments #2 and 4.
  4.  
    1. All parts and assemblies listed (section 1 of attachments) will be debited to the NKO parts list for the plan of the second half of 1941.
    2. Components and assemblies received by factories from subcontractors will be debited to the NKO by GABTU representatives.
  5. Begin equipping vehicles with spare parts immediately upon receiving this order.
Signed by S.A. Akopov on behalf of Deputy People's Commissar of Medium Machinebuilding of the USSR, V. Malyshev"

Monday 25 June 2018

Tanks in the Snow


Crossing of the snow obstacle by the German PzIII tank

Photo #25: Crossing the snow obstacles. The PzIII tank punches through the first obstacle.
Photo #26: Crossing the snow obstacles. The PzIII tank punches through the second obstacle.

The tank penetrated the first obstacle and reached the second in 7 minutes. After the eighth attempt, both obstacles were passed after accelerating in 3rd gear from 50-60 meters. Total time taken was 16 minutes.