Factory #183 Experimental Work

"To the Chief of the 4th Department of the BTU, Military Engineer 1st Class, comrade Afonin

December 1st, 1940

Summary of experimental work at factory #183 in November of 1940

Trials of A-7M tank #0314-2 with surrogate parts:

1. Iron casing of the distributor shaft rather than aluminium alloy.
2. Horizontal spring rods.
3. Electrical wiring without liners.
4. Fuel tanks coated with zinc by schooping rather than tinning.
5. Gearbox with an iron casing. This gearbox was removed after 353 km after large cracks developing in the casing.
6. Final drive components.
7. Idler components and other small parts.

In addition, the following were installed:

1. Unified main clutch.
2. Unified oscillating levers of the turning wheels and other small parts.

The vehicle has travelled for 1488 km by December 1st, 1940, trials will continue in December.

Components were produced for the flamethrower device. Production of components will be completed in early December, and will be installed on an experimental A-34 vehicle, which is currently undergoing major repairs that will be complete on December 10-15th.

In the design bureau:

1. Blueprints for heating of the A-7M vehicles are being completed.
   Production of components and installation is scheduled for January 1st, 1941.
2. Blueprints for a friction clutch for the A-34 fan that would allow the fan to slip in relation to the flywheel when engine revolutions chance suddenly have been completed and parts were sent to production.
3. Blueprints for a main friction clutch with thickened steel parts have been completed and sent to production.
4. New driver observation devices are being developed for the A-34.
5. Blueprints for modernization of the T-34 are being developed (new turret similar to the German type, torsion bar suspension, gearbox, etc).

Composed by: GABTU Military Representative, Military Engineer 3rd Class, Alekseev

Checked by: Regional GABTU Engineer, Military Engineer 2nd Class, Kozyrev"

RGVA 31811-2-1182 pp.97-98