When the German Army knifed deeply in the Soviet border the spearhead panzer columns found a Tank wich they never heard of, the mighty KV, this AFV was the only capable of defeat the Panzer in several local actions, although they not change the course of the Barbarossa campaing it sure cause a lot of trouble, for the panzer crewman and infantry.
KV-1 has scored hits in a pz IV.
KVs in action
While many crews were unexperienced with the new tank, some were able to make the German to pay a heavy price for their advance. Here they are some accounts:
Extracts from Thomas Jentz’s “Panzertruppen”, vol. 1 (posted on the Tanker’s Forum by Dr. Leo Niehorster)
6. Panzer-Division war diary, 25 June 41
"Unfortunately, the Russian 52 ton heavy tanks showed that it was almost insensitive to hits from the 10.5cm [field howitzer]. Several hits from a 15cm [field howitzer] were ineffective and bounced off. "
“… a Russian heavy tank had blocked the communications route … An 8.8cm Flak battery was sent up by the commander to fight this tank. It was just as unseccessful as the 10.5cm battery whose fire was directed by a forward observer. In addition, an attempt by a Pionier assault troop using balled explosives failed. It was impossible to get close to the tank because of heavy machine gun fire.”
3. Panzer-Division war diary, 10 Jan 42
“It is noteworthy that the Pz-III … hit a KV tank driving along the village street at a range of about 20 meters and four times at a range of 50 meters with 5cm Pzgr 40 without observing any effect.”
12. Panzer-Division war diary, 30 March 42
“… encountered a 52 ton tank and a T34. Under the covering fire from one Panzer, the other pair circled to the left and from a range of 50 to 80 meters opened fire on the enemy tanks. All three Pz-IV scored hits that showed no effect other than on the enemy morale… the 53 ton ton tank drove off at high speed … the T34 followed him.”
More than 30 hits in the side of this KV, the tank was probably destroyed for some 88mm.
The only way the Germans were able to achieve successes against the heavies in the early months was :
This KV-2 keep the entire 1º Panzer division pinned down between the 23 and 24 of July 1941, meanwhile it destroyed several halftracks and light AT guns with his 152 howitzer. finally was killed by 6 shots of 88mm.
Good stuff 
The problem with KV was that you couldn’t drive on bad terrain with it - and even on the good road you have to deal with poor steering, slow movement, very poor visibility…
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Excellent Panzerknacker.
KV-2 was not tank in strong sense - this was self-propelled howitzer. The main role of KV-2 in soviet army was to destroy the enemy fortified positions.
It was firstly tested 29 feb of 1940 in during the winter compain in the Finland. It proved its effectiveness but the active combat actions in the Finland already slow down.
Cheers.
But with his 360º revolving turret and the provition of AP ammo it could be used as a aheavy tank without trouble, it could and it was.
The problem with KV was that you couldn’t drive on bad terrain with it - and even on the good road you have to deal with poor steering, slow movement, very poor visibility…
You are correct in steering and visibility, the other i am not so sure.
Sure it could be and it was, but the production of KV-2 was stopped in the 1941.
KV -2 appeared sufficiently well itself in the attacks of Finnish strengthenings in 1940, but in combat with the German troops in 1941 picture was another. The high box tower, which contains of four crew members, was so bulky, that its rapid turn occurred the very complex matter, especially with the inclination of tank. Its large mass made the KV -2 agonizingly slow and unstable. Majority KV -2 was lost in the first months of German intrusion, and production is convoluted with the evacuation of the plant in 1941.
http://howard-stern.narod.ru/tankuww2/ussr_t12.htm
After the evacuation the plant to the Ural it was decided to developed new heavy tank IS-1/2.
Even thou this thing is absolutely hideous ill point out some things.
. If I saw it coming I would run like hell.
I would run too, when you saw the bullets of the guys in the panzerjager kompanie ricocheting everywhere :shock: …you better get the hell out of there.
50 and 37 mm hits in th rear turret ner defensive MG.
Now serius, the german infantry only equipped with 37and 50 mm Pak had to fought desperately, remember that in those days (late 1941 early 1942) there was no Panzerfaust or panzerschreck…not even a magnetic hollow charge mine and no Pak 40 of 75 mm, most of the tank were equipped with short barreled guns. The infantry had to take some very nasty measures agaist this monsters, the KV-1 was in part like a 1941 Tiger.
large mass made the KV -2 agonizingly slow and unstable
But impressive tank isnt ?
If I saw it coming I would run like hell.
But if you run towards softer ground, and the KV-2 follows even couple of meters it would sink/stuck in the ground and be helpless ;-D
I admit it is not a foolproof tactic ;-D
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I think the best Kliment Voroshilov tank was the 1 S type.Because it was much faster then the regular KV 1 .The S symbolizes speed so i think it was a great weapon
It was more reliable design but the reduced armor of the KV-1S cannot withstand the new tankguns introduced by the german army in 1942-43.
KV-1E with aditional armor: this was caused by the russian experts who sawe the german newsreel of the invation of France in 1940, in those apeared several pictures of the heravy Char B-1 bis penetrated by a large caliber guns, the russian wasnt aware of the 88 mm flak ( wich caused that penetrations) and tough that the german have some heavy tanks cannons installed in their panzers.
Luger Vs KV-1E :shock:… :roll:
Note the side turret holes in this heavy vehicle.
By thopse holes i vould say it was a 50 mmm Pak??
A brilliant picture!
Indeed.
By thopse holes i vould say it was a 50 mmm Pak??
Honestly i dont know…teorically the 75mm base plus this 20mm aplique plate should stop the 50 mm AP shot, and even the 88 mm at more than 1500.
Maybe it was a couple of “special” Pzg 40, that round with tugsten core.
In here you can found a very nice photo gallery of the “screened” KV-1.
I think the main problem with the KV-s was there design it was reather flat??What do you hink about that people?
Flat ? :neutral: I dont know about that but according some german sources it have a very very bad visibility.
Indeed, I would imagine that with a gun that size, the KV1 could wreak havoc on an enemy tank, even with just HE rounds.
It does, the 152 mm AP proyectile can penetrate more than 100 mm armor, the sights were a little crude however.
