KV 1 Captured by the Wehrmacht

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Author: Carlos Giordano

History The SMK (Sergius Mironovitch Kirov) and the T–100 were two similary vehicles, designed in 1938 by the engineer Z. Kotin, of the Kirov-Zavod tanks factory, in Leningrad. These vehicles, thought as replace of the “multiturret” T 35, had similar weight and so great that this (around 56 tons), they had two turrets and went assembled with a 45 mm. main gun.

KV1 (first model with the L-11 gun) belonging to the Armored Regiment N°1, be observed the commander hatch and mechanic jack of German origin.

Both (SMK and T-100) were built like prototipes and were tested in the Russian-Finn war, where they showed to be little adapt by their size and complexity. Because of a “suggestion” of Stalin, Kotin modify the gigantic T-100, retiring from him the front turret, and utilizing the long and heavy chassis to carry out a more compact vehicle, of an alone turret and with a 75mm main gun, called at first “Kotin-Stalin”, subsequently “Klimenti Voroshilov” (KV) in honour to the famous Soviet general. The prototype of the KV-1 was made in September 1939, and the production began in December of the same year, and had its baptism of fire in the Russian-Finn war.

Characteristics of the first KV1: Weight: 47 tons, Lenght: 6,88 m, Widht: 3,25 m, Height: 2,66 m, Cannon: 76,2 mm (L-11), Armour: 35 to 78 mm, Engine: V-2K, 550 HP, diesel, Autonomy: 225 Km, Crew: 5 men, and they developed the following versions:

KV1 A: Improved version of it appeared in 1940, had the wheels totally metallic, a machine gun in it chassis front splits, a 76,2 mm (F-32) gun and a new development of the mantlet and cradle.

KV1 A belonging to a not identified unit, in the Russian front.
KV1 C belonging to the 1st Panzerdivision.

KV1 B: Designation given to the KV1 A with added it new armour in the side of the turret and from time to time in the chassis side, adding him thus some 25-35 mm, remained the total armour around 100 mm. It entered service in 1941.

KV1 B (with melted turret) : Is an improvement of the “A” version, with the new one melted turret and armour soldered in the chassis sides, elevating it over 100 mm. It entered service in 1941.

KV1 C: Had the melted turret with improvements in its form and armour, enlarged the armour into a maximum of 120-130 mm. It entered service in 1942.

KV1 s: Was the quickest one of the models of KV1, it was reduced the armor to 60 mm and they were carried out it small changes in the engineering mechanic, with which their speed is improved to 40 km/h, with this was able to accompany formations of T-34. Was put in service in 1942.

KV85: The final version of the KV1, produced in 1943, evolucioned from the KV1 C, presenting a melted turret enlarged, in which a 85 mm. gun was mounted. This turret went subsequently adapted for the T-34.

KV8: Was a flamethrower version built in a very low number, got a 45 mm gun and a coaxial flamethrower.

 

KV1 belonging to the 1st Panzerdivision, where alone the tactical number is observed, without Balkenkreuz.

  Because the Russia invasion, the Germans had a great one expectation with the booty of war that they were able to result the tanks, but they found a large quantity of tanks very damaged, that only served for scrap or to repair another tanks;, another great difficulty that had, in the campaign beginning, was the great weight of the tanks, what implied to utilize accessory machinery for carry them to the repair zones, in this way to end of October 1941 only they had entered service some 100 Russian tanks of distinct types, remaining some 10.000 units scattered by the field, that served only for scrap. All them recuperated were taken advantage of and envoys to the front, especially the KV1 and the T 34, both pieces very preciated by the Germans. To middle of 1942 some KV1 were paid attention to German factories, especially in Governing, and taken again to the front. The KV1 served mainly in the 1st Panzerdivision, 8th  Panzerdivision and 22nd Panzerdivision. It is calculated for not official reports that only some 50 KV1 was put in service, but this datum is not of the all trustworthy due to that many were captured in the front, utilized and from time to time destroyed, not arriving thus to be informed of their utilization.

KV1 A belonging to the 8th Panzerdivision.

Camouflage and Modifications: During their service the majority of the units conserved its green original colour, only they were painted it the Balkenkreuz (white or white and black) in the turret side and occasionally in the chassis front splits, with the tactical numbers in white in the turret side; green without any tactical mark visible; white scheme utilized in winter; and some they carried the scheme of three German traditional colours (dark yellow, green and reddish brown). The modifications were occasional as the change of the gun by a 7,5 cm L/43 and changes in the commander dome.

KV1 (possibly a type C) that changed the gun for one German of 7,5 cm L/43, presents the German type commander hatch of origin. It presents the three colors camouflage (dark yellow, reddish brown and green).

Bibliography

Captured Tanks under the German flag, Dr. Werner Regenberg, Shiffer Military.

Stalin´s Heavy Tanks 1941-1945, Steven J. Zaloga, Concord.

Tanks of World War II, Chris Ellis, Chancellor Press.