Modern warfare will be a war of motors. Motors on the ground, motors in the air, motors on the water and under water. Under these conditions, the winner will be the one who has more motors and more power reserves.
Joseph Stalin
At a meeting of the Main Military Council, January 13, 1941

During the years of the pre-war five-year plans, Soviet designers created new models of small arms, artillery, mortars and aircraft. More and more advanced destroyers, cruisers, patrol ships entered service, and special attention was paid to the development of the submarine fleet.

As a result, before the start of the Great Patriotic War The USSR had enough modern system weapons and military equipment, and for some performance characteristics even surpassed the German weapons counterparts. Therefore, the main causes of damage Soviet troops in the initial period of the war cannot be attributed to miscalculations in the technical equipment of the troops.

TANKS
As of June 22, 1941, the Red Army had 25,621 tanks.
The most massive were light T-26s, of which there were almost 10 thousand vehicles, and representatives of the BT family - there were about 7.5 thousand. A significant proportion were wedges and small amphibious tanks - a total of almost 6 thousand were in service with the Soviet troops. modifications T-27, T-37, T-38 and T-40.
The most modern at that time tanks KV and T-34, there were about 1.85 thousand units.

Tanks KV-1

Heavy tank KV-1

The KV-1 entered service in 1939 and was mass-produced from March 1940 to August 1942. The mass of the tank was up to 47.5 tons, which made it much heavier than the existing German tanks. He was armed with a 76 mm cannon.
Some experts consider the KV-1 a landmark vehicle for world tank building, which had a significant impact on the development of heavy tanks in other countries.

The Soviet tank had the so-called classic layout - the division of the armored hull from bow to stern sequentially into the control compartment, combat and engine-transmission compartments. He also received an independent torsion bar suspension, all-round anti-ballistic protection, a diesel engine and one relatively powerful gun. Previously, these elements were found separately on other tanks, but in the KV-1 they were brought together for the first time.
The first combat use of the KV-1 refers to the Soviet-Finnish War: a prototype tank was used on December 17, 1939 when the Mannerheim Line was broken through.
In 1940-1942, 2769 tanks were produced. Until 1943, when the German Tiger appeared, the KV was the most powerful tank of the war. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he received the nickname "ghost" from the Germans. Standard rounds from the Wehrmacht's 37mm anti-tank gun did not penetrate his armor.

Tank T-34

Medium tank T-34
In May 1938, the Armored Directorate of the Red Army suggested that Plant No. 183 (now the Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant named after V. A. Malyshev) create a new tracked tank. Under the leadership of Mikhail Koshkin, the A-32 model was created. The work went in parallel with the creation of the BT-20, an improved modification of the already mass-produced BT-7 tank.

The prototypes of the A-32 and BT-20 were ready in May 1939, according to the results of their tests in December 1939, the A-32 received a new name - T-34 - and was put into service with the condition to finalize the tank: to bring the main armor to 45 millimeters, improve visibility, install a 76-mm cannon and additional machine guns.
In total, by the beginning of World War II, 1066 T-34s were manufactured. After June 22, 1941, the production of this type was deployed at the Krasnoye Sormovo plant in Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, Uralmash in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), plant No. 174 in Omsk and Uralvagonzavod (Nizhny Tagil). ).

In 1944, the serial production of the T-34-85 modification began with a new turret, reinforced armor and an 85-mm gun. Also, the tank has proven itself due to its ease of production and maintenance.
In total, more than 84 thousand T-34 tanks were manufactured. This model participated not only in the Great Patriotic War, it was in many armed conflicts in Europe, Asia and Africa in the 1950s-1980s. The last documented case of the combat use of the T-34 in Europe was their use during the war in Yugoslavia.

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War Soviet aviation was armed with many types of combat aircraft. In 1940 and the first half of 1941, the troops received almost 2.8 thousand modern vehicles: Yak-1, MiG-3, LaGG-3, Pe-2, Il-2.
There were also I-15 bis, I-16 and I-153 fighters, bombers TB-3, DB-3, SB (ANT-40), multipurpose R-5 and U-2 (Po-2).
The new aircraft of the Air Force of the Red Army were not inferior to the aircraft of the Luftwaffe in terms of combat capabilities, and even surpassed them in a number of indicators.

Sturmovik Il-2

Sturmovik Il-2
The Il-2 armored attack aircraft is the most massive combat aircraft in. In total, more than 36 thousand cars were produced. He was called the "flying tank", the leadership of the Wehrmacht - "black death" and "iron Gustav". German pilots nicknamed the Il-2 "concrete aircraft" for its high combat survivability.

The first combat units that were armed with these machines were created just before the war. Attack aircraft units were successfully used against motorized and armored units of the enemy. At the beginning of the war, the IL-2 was practically the only aircraft that, in the conditions of the superiority of German aviation, fought the enemy in the air. He played a big role in holding back the enemy in 1941.
During the war years, several aircraft modifications were created. IL-2 and his further development- Il-10 attack aircraft - were actively used in all major battles Great Patriotic War and the Soviet-Japanese War.
The maximum horizontal speed of the aircraft near the ground was 388 km / h, and at an altitude of 2000 m - 407 km / h. The climb time to a height of 1000 m is 2.4 minutes, and the turn time at this height is 48-49 seconds. At the same time, in one combat turn, the attack aircraft gained a height of 400 meters.

Fighter MiG-3

MiG-3 night fighter
The design team, headed by A. I. Mikoyan and M. I. Gurevich, in 1939 worked hard on a fighter for combat at high altitudes. In the spring of 1940, a prototype was built, which received the MiG-1 brand (Mikoyan and Gurevich, the first). Subsequently, its upgraded version was named MiG-3.

Despite the significant takeoff weight (3350 kg), the speed of the serial MiG-3 near the ground exceeded 500 km/h, and at an altitude of 7 thousand meters it reached 640 km/h. It was the highest speed at that time obtained on production aircraft. Due to the high ceiling and high speed at an altitude of over 5 thousand meters, the MiG-3 was effectively used as a reconnaissance aircraft, as well as an air defense fighter. However, poor horizontal maneuverability and relatively weak armament did not allow it to become a full-fledged front-line fighter.
According to the famous ace Alexander Pokryshkin, inferior in horizontal, the MiG-3 significantly outperformed the German Me109 in vertical maneuver, which could be the key to victory in a collision with fascist fighters. However, only top-class pilots could successfully pilot the MiG-3 in vertical turns and at maximum g-forces.

FLEET
By the beginning of World War II, the Soviet fleet had a total of 3 battleships and 7 cruisers, 54 leaders and destroyers, 212 submarines, 287 torpedo boats and many other ships.

The pre-war shipbuilding program provided for the creation of a "big fleet", which would be based on large surface ships - battleships and cruisers. In accordance with it, in 1939-1940, battleships of the type " Soviet Union"and the heavy cruisers" Kronstadt "and" Sevastopol ", in Germany acquired the unfinished cruiser" Petropavlovsk ", however, plans for a radical renewal of the fleet were not destined to come true.
In the prewar years, Soviet sailors received new Kirov-class light cruisers, project 1 and 38 destroyer leaders, project 7 destroyers, and other ships. The construction of submarines and torpedo boats proceeded rapidly.
Many ships were completed already during the war, some of them never took part in the battles. These include, for example, the Project 68 Chapaev cruisers and the Project 30 Fire destroyers.
The main types of surface ships of the pre-war period:
light cruisers of the Kirov class,
leaders of the "Leningrad" and "Minsk" types,
destroyers of the "Wrathful" and "Savvy" type,
minesweepers of the "Fugas" type,
torpedo boats "G-5",
sea ​​hunters "MO-4".
The main types of submarines of the pre-war period:
small submarines type "M" ("Malyutka"),
medium submarines of types "Shch" ("Pike") and "C" ("Medium"),
underwater minelayers type "L" ("Leninets"),
large submarines of types "K" ("Cruising") and "D" ("Decembrist").

Kirov-class cruisers

Kirov-class cruisers
Light cruisers of the Kirov class became the first Soviet surface ships of this class, not counting the three Svetlana cruisers laid down under Nicholas II. Project 26, according to which the Kirov was built, was finally approved in the autumn of 1934 and developed the ideas Italian lungs cruisers of the Condottieri family.

The first pair of cruisers, Kirov and Voroshilov, was laid down in 1935. They entered service in 1938 and 1940. The second pair, "Maxim Gorky" and "Molotov", was built according to a modified project and replenished the composition of the Soviet fleet in 1940-1941. Two more cruisers were laid down on Far East, before the end of World War II, only one of them, the Kalinin, was put into operation. Far Eastern cruisers also differed from their predecessors.
The total displacement of the Kirov-class cruisers ranged from about 9450-9550 tons for the first pair to almost 10,000 tons for the last. These ships could reach speeds of 35 knots or more. Their main armament was nine 180 mm B-1-P guns placed in three-gun turrets. On the first four cruisers, anti-aircraft weapons were represented by six B-34 100 mm mounts, 45 mm 21-K and 12.7 mm machine guns. In addition, the Kirovs carried torpedoes, mines and depth charges, seaplanes.
"Kirov" and "Maxim Gorky" spent almost the entire war supporting the defenders of Leningrad with gunfire. "Voroshilov" and "Molotov", built in Nikolaev, participated in the operations of the fleet in the Black Sea. All of them survived the Great Patriotic War - they were destined for a long service. Kirov was the last to leave the fleet in 1974.

Submarine "Pike"

Pike-class submarines
"Pikes" became the most massive Soviet submarines of the Great Patriotic War, not counting the "Malyutok".

The construction of the first series of four submarines began in the Baltic in 1930, and the Pike entered service in 1933-1934.
These were middle-class submarines with an underwater displacement of about 700 tons, and armament consisted of six 533 mm torpedo tubes and a 45 mm 21-K gun.
The project was successful, and by the beginning of World War II, more than 70 Pike were in service (a total of 86 submarines were built in six series).
Submarines of the Shch type were actively used in all maritime theaters of the war. Of the 44 "Pike" that fought, 31 died. The enemy lost almost 30 ships from their actions.

Despite a number of shortcomings, "Pikes" were distinguished by their comparative cheapness, maneuverability and survivability. From series to series - a total of six series of these submarines were created - they improved their seaworthiness and other parameters. In 1940, two Shch-type submarines were the first in the Soviet Navy to receive equipment that allowed torpedo firing without air leakage (which often unmasked the attacking submarine).
Although only two "Pike" of the latest X-bis series entered service after the war, these submarines remained in the fleet for a long time and were decommissioned in the late 1950s.

ARTILLERY
According to Soviet data, on the eve of the Great Patriotic War, the army had almost 67.5 thousand guns and mortars.

It is believed that the combat qualities of the Soviet field artillery even surpassed the German one. However, it was poorly provided with mechanized traction: agricultural tractors were used as tractors, and up to half of the guns were transported by horses.
The army was armed with many types of artillery pieces and mortars. Anti-aircraft artillery was represented by guns of caliber 25, 37, 76 and 85 millimeters; howitzer - modifications of caliber 122, 152, 203 and 305 millimeters. The main anti-tank gun was a 45 mm model 1937, the regimental gun was a 76 mm model 1927, and the divisional gun was a 76 mm model 1939.

Anti-tank gun firing at the enemy in the battles for Vitebsk

45 mm anti-tank gun model 1937
This tool became one of the most famous representatives Soviet artillery Great Patriotic War. It was developed under the direction of Mikhail Loginov on the basis of a 45 mm 1932 cannon.

The main combat qualities of 45-graph paper included maneuverability, rate of fire (15 rounds per minute) and armor penetration.
By the beginning of the war, the army had more than 16.6 thousand guns of the 1937 model. In total, more than 37.3 thousand of these guns were produced, and production was curtailed only by 1944, despite the presence of more modern models of the ZiS-2 and the M-42, similar in caliber.

Volley "Katyusha"

Rocket artillery fighting vehicle "Katyusha"
The day before the start of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army adopted fighting machine rocket artillery BM-13, later called "Katyusha". She became one of the world's first multiple launch rocket systems.

The first combat use took place on July 14, 1941 near the railway station of the city of Orsha (Belarus). The battery under the command of Captain Ivan Flerov destroyed the accumulation of German military equipment at the Orshinsky railway junction with salvo fire.
Due to the high efficiency of use and ease of production, by the autumn of 1941, the BM-13 was widely used at the front, having a significant impact on the course of hostilities.
The system made it possible to carry out a salvo with the entire charge (16 missiles) in 7-10 seconds. There were also modifications with an increased number of guides and other versions of the missiles.
During the war, about 4 thousand BM-13s were lost. In total, about 7 thousand installations of this type were manufactured, and the Katyushas were taken out of production only after the war - in October 1946.

WEAPON
Despite the widespread introduction of tanks and aircraft, the strengthening of artillery, infantry weapons remained the most massive. According to some estimates, if the First world war losses from small arms did not exceed 30% of the total, then in World War II they increased to 30-50%.
Before the Great Patriotic War, the supply of rifles, carbines and machine guns to the troops grew, but the Red Army was significantly inferior to the Wehrmacht in saturation with automatic weapons, such as submachine guns.

Snipers Roza Shanina, Alexandra Ekimova and Lidia Vdovina (left to right). 3rd Belorussian Front

Mosin rifle
Adopted in 1891, the 7.62 mm Mosin rifle remained the main weapon of the Red Army infantryman. In total, about 37 million of these rifles were produced.

Modifications of the 1891/1930 model had to take the fight in the most difficult months of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Due to the cheapness and reliability of the weapon, it outperformed its young self-loading rivals.
The latest version of the "three-ruler" was the carbine of the 1944 model, which was distinguished by the presence of a fixed needle bayonet. The rifle has become even shorter, the technology has been simplified, and combat maneuverability has increased - it is easier to carry out close combat in thickets, trenches, and fortifications with a shorter carbine.
In addition, it was Mosin's design that formed the basis sniper rifle, which was put into service in 1931 and became the first Soviet rifle specially designed for "marksmanship and destruction, first of all, of enemy command personnel."

Soviet and American soldiers. Meeting on the Elbe, 1945

PPSh
The 7.62 mm Shpagin submachine gun was put into service in 1941.

This legendary weapon has become part of the image of the victorious soldier - it can be seen in the most famous monuments. PPSh-41 fell in love with the fighters, having received from them the affectionate and respectful nickname "dad". He shot in almost any weather conditions and at the same time managed relatively cheaply.
By the end of the war, about 55% of the fighters were armed with PPSh. In total, about 6 million pieces were produced.

Tank T-29

In the mid-1930s, during the heyday of the idea of ​​a wheeled-tracked high-speed tank, its more protected and heavily armed modification T-29 arose. This tank, almost as fast as its lightly armored counterparts, had armor up to 30 mm thick and was armed with a 76 mm cannon. According to the concept, the T-29 was similar to the T-28 medium tank, but differed from it in increased dimensions, which was caused by the location of the suspension elements inside the hull. This provided the best level of survivability of the undercarriage, but complicated its maintenance. In general, the car turned out to be not very reliable and difficult to manufacture, and only 2 serial copies were produced.

Tank Grotte

Experienced medium tank TG (Tank Grotte) was developed in the USSR based on the project of the German engineer Edward Grotte. For the first time, many technical innovations were used in this vehicle, which at that time had not yet been used on any production tank. These include a fully welded hull, multi-tiered armament, coil spring suspension.

Tests of the tank showed an equal number of both advantages and disadvantages. The TG guns were distinguished by good accuracy of fire, and the 76-mm gun was superior in power to all tank guns of that time. The control of the tank was extremely easy, and the course was smooth. At the same time, the TG had poor maneuverability on soft soils, a too cramped fighting compartment, and it was difficult to repair the engine and gearbox. True, the main obstacle to putting the tank into mass production was its huge cost (like 25 BT-2 tanks)!

Tank SMK

The heavy multi-turret tank SMK (Sergey Mironovich Kirov) was developed in 1939 on the basis of the T-35 as a heavy breakthrough tank. The design of the QMS is noticeably different from the prototype tank. To reduce the weight of the vehicle and improve the working conditions of the crew, the number of towers was reduced to two. A torsion bar suspension was used in the undercarriage of the QMS, which ensured a good move for a tank weighing 55 tons. The armament consisted of two 45 and 76 mm cannons and five 7.62 mm machine guns. After the start of the war with Finland, prototypes of the QMS and a similar one, shortly after the start of the attack, the QMS ran into a mine and lost a caterpillar. The experienced KV and T-100 participating in the attack covered the car for several hours, but the damage could not be repaired. The QMS had to be left in enemy territory. After the breakthrough of the Mannerheim Line, the intact QMS was towed to the location of our troops and sent to railway to his native plant for repairs. But it was never produced, and the SMK stood in the backyard of the enterprise until the 50s, until it was melted down. With it, the T-100 vehicles were sent for combat testing.

USSR, tanks of the second world war

Tank T-44

Specifications:

Tank type Medium

Crew 4 people

Combat weight 31.8 t

Length 7.65 m

Width 3.18 m

Height 2.41 m

Number of guns / caliber 1/85 mm

Frontal armor 90 mm

Side armor 75 mm

V-44 engine, diesel, 500 hp. With.

Maximum speed 51 km/h

Power reserve 300 km

The T-44, developed at the design bureau of the Ural Tank Plant under the leadership of chief designer A. A. Morozov and released at the very end of the war, embodied the vast experience in building and combat use of T-34 tanks. This is the best Soviet wartime medium tank, which became a transition to the post-war generation of combat vehicles. Having a significant external resemblance to its predecessor, the T-34-85, the T-44 tank was radically different from it in size, layout and design. The transverse arrangement of the engine made it possible to reduce the length of the hull, save weight, and use this savings to enhance armor protection. The fighting compartment was enlarged and the working conditions of the crew were improved. The side walls of the hull became vertical, and the monolithic frontal sheet was set at an angle of 60 ° to the vertical. In connection with the new layout, it was possible to shift the turret to the center of the hull, which acquired a more streamlined shape, which increased its projectile resistance. In the vacated space, a driver's hatch was placed, installed on the T-34 in the front sheet. All units and mechanisms of the tank were significantly improved. Before the end of the war, the plant in Kharkov managed to produce 190 T-44 vehicles. Although they were not used in combat, the T-44-equipped Guards Tank Brigades became the "hot reserve" of the Red Army. The release of the T-44 lasted up to a year and amounted to 1823 units. In 1961, the tanks were modernized in order to unify the transmission units and chassis with the main medium tank of the Soviet Army T-54. Under the designation T-44M, these vehicles received night instruments for the driver and commander, as well as increased ammunition. The T-44MK command tank was created on the basis of the T-44M. In it, due to a slight decrease in ammunition, a second radio station was installed. The tanks underwent the last modernization in the year when they were equipped with two-plane weapon stabilizers, which increase the accuracy of firing on the move. These machines received the designation T-44S. Part of the T-44M tanks were converted into armored tractors BTS-4 in the year. The T-44s were withdrawn from service at the end of the 70s and then "served" as targets at the training grounds. At the end of their career, they still had a chance to take part in the Great Patriotic War ... as German tanks Pz VI "Tiger" in the film "Liberation". After the corresponding alteration, the T-44s became practically indistinguishable on the screen from the Nazi machines.

Tank T-34-76

The T-34 became the best medium tank of the Second World War and the most massive tank in the Red Army. According to the combination of the three most important characteristics - firepower, security and mobility - in the year he had no equal. "The T-34 is the most remarkable example of an offensive weapon," Hitler's general von Mellenthin noted. The project of the A-32 tracked tank was developed by a team led by the talented designer M.I. Koshkin, and the first prototype of the vehicle was tested in the summer of the year. Having won the competition with the wheeled-tracked A-20, the tank was adopted by the Red Army in December of the same year and put into serial production under the designation T-34. He was distinguished by a number of characteristic features. The most important advantage of the machine was its economical diesel engine, which can withstand heavy loads in operation. The undercarriage with large rollers and wide tracks provided excellent cross-country capability for the tank. Powerful booking in combination with optimal angles of inclination of the armored plates contributed to the high! projectile ricochet probability. For the manufacture of the largest part of the T-34, the armored hull, automatic welding was used for the first time in the world. The armament of the vehicle consisted of a 76 mm L-11 cannon and two 7.62 mm machine guns. Since the serial production of the L-11 had already been discontinued, in the spring of 1941, a new gun, the F-34, of the same caliber, was installed on the tank. By the beginning of World War II, there were 967 T-34s in the border districts - almost all of them were lost in the first two! weeks of fighting due to unsuccessful deployment, poorly trained crews and lack of repair and evacuation facilities. However, the first tank battles showed a significant advantage of Soviet machines. German tank guns did not pose a serious threat to the T-34, while the 76-mm projectile of the "thirty-four" pierced the armor of any enemy tank at a distance of up to 1000 m. Weakness and anti-tank artillery Wehrmacht. The Germans called the 37 mm Pak 37 cannon "army firecracker". One of the reports cited data that the calculation of such a gun achieved 23 hits on the T-34 tank, but only a shell that hit the base of the tower put the car out of action. In the year, the design of the tank changed somewhat. Instead of a welded or cast turret of complex configuration, the T-34 received a hexagonal cast turret. The capacity of the fuel tanks has been increased, the engine is equipped with an improved air cleaning system, and power point- five-speed gearbox. On the basis of the T-34, 70 repair and recovery vehicles and several dozens of bridge-laying tanks with a bridge 7.7 m long were produced. Some "thirty-fours" were converted into flamethrower and command tanks. Only by the year the Germans managed to change the ratio of the characteristics of tanks in their favor. The increased thickness of the armor of the Tigers and Panthers limited the effectiveness of the fire of the T-34 short-barreled guns, and the 75- and 88-mm German guns could hit Soviet vehicles from a distance of 900 and 1500 m, respectively. The victory at Kursk came at a high price - During the counteroffensive, the Red Army lost about six thousand tanks and self-propelled guns. Other shortcomings of the T-34 also affected: poor ventilation and visibility from the tank, an unreliable gearbox, as well as a cramped turret without a rotating floor (when turning the gun, the loader had to follow the breech, stepping over spent cartridges), which housed only two crew members . The gunner had to combine his duties with those of a tank commander. Although the T-34 was constantly improved during the serial production, in the middle of the war there was a need for its radical modernization.

Specifications:

Tank type Medium

Crew 4 people

Combat weight 30.9 t

Length 6.62 m

Width 3 m

Height 2.52 m

Number of guns / caliber 1/76 mm

Number of machine guns/caliber 2/7.62 mm

Frontal armor 45 mm

Side armor 45 mm

Engine V-2-34, diesel, 450 hp. With.

Maximum speed 51 km/h

Power reserve 300 km

USSR, between two wars

Tanks T-37 and T-38

Specifications:

Tank type Light amphibious

Crew 2 people

Combat weight 3.3 t

Length 3.78 m

Width 2.33 m

Height 1.63 m

Number of guns / caliber -

Number of machine guns / caliber 1 / 7.62 mm

Frontal armor 8 mm

Side armor 8 mm

GAZ-AA engine, carburetor, 40 hp With.

Max speed 40/6 km/h

Power reserve 230 km

A significant drawback of reconnaissance tankettes was the placement of weapons in the hull. Therefore, the first Soviet small amphibious tanks received a circular rotation tower. On prototypes of the T-33, T-41 and T-37, various options for placing the tower and using GAZ-AA automobile power units were worked out in the year. A variant under the designation T-37A was launched into serial production, having a larger displacement of the hull and additional floats - fenders filled with cork. The tank had good stability and maneuverability afloat. A propeller with rotating blades made it possible to reverse on the water. Two plants (No. 37 in Moscow and GAZ in Gorky) produced 2627 T-37 tanks of all modifications from one year to the next. In addition to the linear T-37A (without a radio station), 643 T-37TU tanks were built with the widespread tank radio station of that time 71-TK-1. Outwardly, they were distinguished by a handrail antenna along the perimeter of the hull. Also, 75 OT-37 (BKhM-4) vehicles were produced, armed with a DG machine gun and a flamethrower. In 1936, the T-37A was replaced in production by its improved version, the T-38. It differed from its predecessor in a refined form of a riveted-welded hull and an improved suspension, which increased the smoothness of the ride and speed on land. Instead of an automobile differential, the T-38 received on-board clutches, which increased the vehicle's cross-country ability and controllability. In 1938, the tank was upgraded by installing the engine and gearbox from the GAZ M-1 car and received the designation T-38M2. Its speed increased to 46 km / h, combat weight - up to 3.8 tons. The T-38 was produced at the same factories as the T-37A. In total, 1217 T-38 linear vehicles and 165 T-38TUs with radio stations were manufactured from 1936 to 1939. In the pre-war period, methods were worked out for the transfer of T-37 and T-38 tanks by air with the help of bombers. The strength of the tanks allowed them to be dropped onto water bodies from a height of 6 meters at an aircraft speed of 160 km / h. The crew dropped by parachute. Soviet amphibious tanks were used during the armed conflict between the USSR and Japan

Each of opposing sides invested staggering sums of money into the design and construction of powerful weapons, and we will try to consider some of the most influential. Today they are not considered the best or the most destructive, but the military equipment below, to one degree or another, influenced the course of the Second World War.

The LCVP is a type of US Navy landing craft. Designed for the transportation and landing of personnel on an unequipped coastline occupied by the enemy.

The LCVP, or Higgins boat, is named after its creator, Andrew Higgins, who designed the boat to operate in shallow water and swampy terrain, and was extensively used by the US Navy during amphibious operations during World War II. Over 15 years of production, 22,492 boats of this type were built.

The landing craft LCVP was built from pressed plywood and structurally resembled a small river barge with a crew of 4 people. At the same time, the boat could carry a full infantry platoon of 36 troops. At full load, the Higgins boat could reach speeds of up to 9 knots (17 km / h).

Katyusha (BM-13)

Katyusha is an informal name for a barrelless field rocket artillery system widely used Armed Forces USSR during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Initially, they called Katyushas - BM-13, and later they began to call BM-8, BM-31, and others. BM-13 is the famous and most massive Soviet combat vehicle (BM) of this class.

Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster - British heavy bomber, used during the Second World War, and was in service with the Royal Air Force. The Lancaster is considered the most productive night bomber of World War II and the most famous. He flew over 156,000 sorties and dropped over 600,000 tons of bombs.

The first combat flight took place in March 1942. During the war, more than 7,000 Lancasters were produced, but almost half were destroyed by the enemy. Currently (2014), only two machines have survived that are capable of flying.

U-boat (submarine)

U-boat is a generalized abbreviation for the German submarines that were in service with the German naval forces.

Germany, not having a strong enough fleet capable of resisting the allied forces at sea, primarily relied on its submarines, the main purpose of which was the destruction of trade convoys transporting goods from Canada, the British Empire and the United States to the Soviet Union and allied countries in the Mediterranean. German submarines proved to be incredibly efficient. Winston Churchill would later say that the only thing that scared him during World War II was the underwater threat.

Studies have shown that the Allies spent $26,400,000,000 to fight German submarines. Unlike the Allied countries, Germany spent $2.86 billion on its U-boats. From a purely economic standpoint, the campaign is seen as a German success, making German submarines one of the most influential weapons of the war.

the plane Hawker Hurricane

The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat World War II fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. In total, more than 14,500 of these aircraft were built. Hawker Hurricane had various modifications and could be used as a fighter-bomber, interceptor and attack aircraft.

The M4 Sherman is an American medium tank from World War II. In the period from 1942 to 1945, 49,234 tanks were produced, it is considered the third most massive tank in the world after the T-34 and T-54. During the Second World War, on the basis of the M4 Sherman tank, a large number of various modifications were built (one of which the Sherman Crab is the strangest tank), self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS) and engineering technology. It was used by the American army, and was also supplied in large quantities to the allied forces (mainly to Great Britain and the USSR).

88-mm FlaK 18/36/37/41 also known as "eight-eight" - German anti-aircraft, anti-tank artillery piece, which was widely used by the German troops during the Second World War. A weapon designed to destroy both aircraft and tanks was also often used as artillery. Between 1939 and 1945, a total of 17,125 such guns were built.

North American R-51 Mustang

The third place in the list of the most influential military equipment of the Second World War is occupied by the P-51 Mustang, an American single-seat long-range fighter developed in the early 1940s. Considered the best US Air Force fighter of World War II. It was used mainly as a reconnaissance aircraft and to escort bombers during raids on German territory.

Aircraft carriers

Aircraft carriers - a type of warships, the main striking force of which is carrier-based aviation. In World War II, Japanese and American aircraft carriers already played a leading role in the Pacific battles. For example, the famous attack on Pearl Harbor was carried out using dive bombers stationed on six Japanese aircraft carriers.

The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank that was mass-produced from 1940 until the first half of 1944. It was the main tank of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA) until it was replaced by the T-34-85 modification, which is still in service with some countries today. The legendary T-34 is the most massive medium tank and is recognized by many military experts and specialists. best tank produced during World War II. Also considered one of the most famous symbols of the above-mentioned war.

-When I saw the Russians, I was surprised. How did the Russians get from the Volga to Berlin in such primitive vehicles? When I saw them and the horses, I thought it couldn't be. Technically advanced German and artillery were very much inferior to Russian technology. Do you know why? We have to be accurate. And the snow and dirt of accuracy do not help. When I was captured, I had a Sturmgever, modern weapons, but he refused after three shots - sand hit ... - Gunther Kuehne, Wehrmacht soldier

Any war is a clash not only of troops, but also of the industrial and economic systems of the belligerents. This question must be remembered when trying to evaluate the merits of certain types of military equipment, as well as the successes of the troops achieved on this equipment. When evaluating the success or failure of a combat vehicle, one must clearly remember not only its specifications, but also the costs that were invested in its production, the number of units produced, and so on. In other words, an integrated approach is important.
That is why the assessment of a single tank or aircraft and loud statements about the "best" model of war must be critically evaluated every time. It is possible to create an invincible tank, but quality issues almost always conflict with issues of ease of manufacture and mass production of such equipment. There is no point in creating an invincible tank if the industry cannot mass-produce it, and the cost of the tank will be like that of an aircraft carrier. A balance is important between the combat qualities of equipment and the ability to quickly establish large-scale production.

In this regard, it is of interest how this balance was observed by the belligerent powers at different levels of the military-industrial system of the state. How much and what kind of military equipment was produced, and how it affected the results of the war. This article attempts to bring together statistical data on the production of armored vehicles by Germany and the USSR during the Second World War and the immediate pre-war period.

Statistics.

The data obtained are summarized in a table, to which some explanations are required.

1. Approximate numbers are in red font. They mainly concern two types - trophy French technology, as well as the number of self-propelled guns produced on the chassis of German armored personnel carriers. The first is due to the inability to determine exactly how many trophies were actually used by the Germans in the troops. The second is due to the fact that the production of self-propelled guns on the chassis of an armored personnel carrier was often carried out by retrofitting already produced armored personnel carriers without heavy weapons, by installing a gun with a machine tool on an armored personnel carrier chassis.

2. The table contains information about all guns, tanks and armored vehicles. For example, the line "assault guns" includes German self-propelled guns sd.kfz.250/8 and sd.kfz.251/9, which are armored personnel carrier chassis with a short-barreled gun of 75 cm caliber installed. The corresponding number of linear armored personnel carriers is excluded from the line "armored personnel carriers" and so on.

3. Soviet self-propelled guns did not have a narrow specialization, and could fight both tanks and support infantry. However, they are divided into different categories. For example, according to the designers, the closest to the German assault guns were the Soviet breakthrough self-propelled guns SU/ISU-122/152, as well as the Su-76 infantry support self-propelled guns. And such self-propelled guns as the Su-85 and Su-100 had a pronounced anti-tank character and were classified as "tank destroyers".

4. The “self-propelled artillery” category includes guns designed primarily for firing from closed positions out of direct line of sight of targets, including rocket-propelled mortars on armored chassis. From the Soviet side, only BM-8-24 MLRS on the T-60 and T-40 chassis fell into this category.

5. Statistics include all production from 1932 to May 9, 1945. It was this technique, one way or another, that made up the potential of the warring parties and was used in the war. The technique of earlier production by the beginning of the Second World War was outdated and of no serious importance.

USSR

The data obtained fit well into the well-known historical situation. The production of armored vehicles in the USSR was deployed on an incredible, massive scale, which fully corresponded to the aspirations of the Soviet side - preparation for a war of survival in the vast expanses from the Arctic to the Caucasus. To a certain extent, for the sake of mass character, the quality and debugging of military equipment were sacrificed. It is known that the equipment of Soviet tanks with high-quality communications equipment, optics and interior decoration was significantly worse than that of the Germans.

A clear imbalance in the weapon system is striking. In favor of the production of tanks, there are no entire classes of armored vehicles - armored personnel carriers, ZSU, control vehicles, etc. Last but not least, this situation is determined by the desire of the USSR to overcome a serious gap in the main types of weapons, inherited after the collapse of the Republic of Ingushetia and civil war. Attention was concentrated on saturating the troops with the main striking force - tanks, while support vehicles were ignored. This is logical - it is stupid to invest in the design of bridge layers and ARVs in conditions where the production of the main armament - tanks - has not been debugged.

Ammunition transporter TP-26

At the same time, the USSR was aware of the inferiority of such a weapon system, and already on the eve of the Second World War, they were actively designing a wide variety of support equipment. These are armored personnel carriers, self-propelled artillery, repair and recovery vehicles, bridge layers, etc. Most of this equipment did not have time to be introduced into production before the start of the Second World War, and already during the war its development had to be stopped. All this could not but affect the level of losses during the hostilities. So, for example, the absence of armored personnel carriers had a negative impact on infantry losses and their mobility. Making multi-kilometer foot marches, the infantrymen lost strength and part of their combat capability even before contact with the enemy.

Experienced armored personnel carrier TR-4

Partially, the gaps in the weapons system were filled with supplies from the allies. It is no coincidence that armored personnel carriers, self-propelled guns and SPAAGs on the chassis of American armored personnel carriers were supplied to the USSR. The total number of such machines was about 8500, which is not much less than number received tanks - 12300.

Germany

The German side followed a completely different path. Having suffered a defeat in WWI, Germany did not lose its design school and did not lose its technological superiority. Recall that in the USSR there was nothing to lose, in Russian Empire tanks were not produced. Therefore, the Germans did not need to rush through the path from an agrarian state to an industrial one in a wild hurry.

Having begun preparations for war, the Germans were well aware that they could only defeat numerous and economically strong opponents in the person of Great Britain and France, and then the USSR, only by providing a qualitative superiority, which, traditionally, the Germans are excellent. But the issue of mass character for Germany was not so acute - relying on the blitzkrieg strategy and the quality of weapons gave a chance to achieve victory with small forces. The first attempts confirmed the success of the chosen course. Although not without problems, the Germans managed to defeat Poland, then France, and so on. The spatial scope of hostilities in the center of compact Europe fully corresponded to the number of tank forces that the Germans had at their disposal. Obviously, these victories further convinced the German command of the correctness of the chosen strategy.

Actually, that is why the Germans initially paid close attention to the balance of their weapons system. Here we see the most different types armored vehicles - ZSU, ammunition transporters, forward observers vehicles, BREM. All this made it possible to build a well-functioning mechanism for waging war, which, like a steamroller, went through all of Europe. Such a close attention to the technology of support, which also contributes to the achievement of victory, can only be admired.

Actually, the first shoots of the future defeat were laid in this weapon system. The Germans are Germans in everything. Quality and reliability! But as mentioned above, quality and mass are almost always in conflict. And one day the Germans started a war where everything was different - they attacked the USSR.

Already in the first year of the war, the blitzkrieg mechanism failed. The Russian open spaces were absolutely indifferent to the ideally debugged, but small German technology. Here a different scope was required. And although the Red Army suffered defeat after defeat, it became difficult for the Germans to maneuver with the modest forces that they had. Losses in the protracted conflict grew, and already in 1942 it became obvious that it was impossible to produce high-quality German equipment in the quantities necessary to make up for losses. Or rather, it is impossible in the same mode of operation of the economy. I had to start mobilizing the economy. However, these actions were very late - it was necessary to prepare for the current situation before the attack.

Technique

Assessing the potential of the parties, it is necessary to clearly separate the equipment for its intended purpose. The decisive influence on the outcome of the battle is exerted primarily by "battlefield" vehicles - equipment engaged in the destruction of the enemy by direct fire in the advanced echelons of troops. These are tanks and self-propelled guns. It should be recognized that in this category the USSR had an absolute superiority, having produced 2.6 times more military equipment.

Light tanks with machine-gun weapons, as well as wedges, are allocated in a separate category. Formally, being tanks, they represented a very low combat value for 1941. Neither the German Pz. I, neither the Soviet T-37 and T-38 tongue turns out to be included on a par with the formidable T-34 and even light BT or T-26. Passion for such technology in the USSR should be considered not a very successful experiment.

Separately, self-propelled artillery is indicated. The difference between this category of armored vehicles from assault guns, tank destroyers and other self-propelled guns lies in the possibility of firing from closed positions. The destruction of troops by direct fire for them is rather an exception to the rule than typical task. In fact, these are ordinary field howitzers or MLRS mounted on the chassis of armored vehicles. Currently, this practice has become the norm, as a rule, any artillery gun has a towed (for example, 152-mm howitzer MSTA-B) and self-propelled version (MSTA-S). At that time it was a novelty, and the Germans were among the first to implement the idea self-propelled artillery covered with armor. The USSR limited itself only to experiments in this area, and the self-propelled guns built using howitzers were used not as classic artillery, but as breakthrough weapons. At the same time, 64 jet systems BM-8-24 on T-40 and T-60 chassis. There is information that the troops were satisfied with them, and why their mass release was not arranged is not clear.

MLRS BM-8-24 on a light tank chassis

The next category is combined arms armored vehicles, whose task is to support first-line equipment, but not designed to destroy targets on the battlefield. This category includes armored personnel carriers and SPAAGs on armored chassis, armored vehicles. It is important to understand that such vehicles, by their design, are not designed to fight in the same formation with tanks and infantry, although they should be located behind them in close proximity. It is erroneously considered that an armored personnel carrier is a battlefield vehicle. In fact, the armored personnel carriers were originally intended to transport infantry in the front line and protect it from fragments of artillery shells at the initial lines of attack. On the battlefield, armored personnel carriers, armed with a machine gun and protected by thin armor, could not help either the infantry or the tanks. Their large silhouette makes them an excellent and easy target. If in reality they did fight, it was forced. Vehicles of this category influence the outcome of the battle indirectly - saving the lives and forces of the infantry. Their value in battle is significantly lower than that of tanks, although they are also necessary. In this category, the USSR practically did not produce its own equipment, and only by the middle of the war acquired a small number of vehicles supplied under Lend-Lease.

The temptation to attribute armored personnel carriers to battlefield technology is fueled by the presence of very weak tanks in the ranks of the Red Army, for example, the T-60. Thin armor, primitive equipment, a weak gun - why is a German armored personnel carrier worse? Why is a tank with such weak performance characteristics a battlefield machine, but an armored personnel carrier is not? First of all, a tank is a specialized vehicle, the main task of which is precisely the destruction of targets on the battlefield, which cannot be said about the armored personnel carrier. Even though their armor is similar, but the low squat silhouette of the tank, its mobility, the ability to fire from a cannon clearly speaks of its purpose. An armored personnel carrier is precisely a transporter, and not a means of destroying the enemy. However, those German armored personnel carriers that received specialized weapons, for example, 75 cm or 3.7 cm anti-tank guns, are included in the table in the corresponding rows - anti-tank self-propelled guns. This is true, since this armored personnel carrier was eventually made into a vehicle designed to destroy the enemy on the battlefield, albeit with weak armor and a high, clearly visible silhouette of the transporter.

As for armored vehicles, they were mainly intended for reconnaissance and security. The USSR produced a huge number of machines of this class, and the combat capabilities of a number of models came close to the capabilities of light tanks. However, this applies primarily to pre-war technology. It seems that the forces and means spent on their manufacture could have been spent with a better use. For example, if some of them were intended for the transport of infantry, like conventional armored personnel carriers.

The next category is special vehicles without weapons. Their task is to provide troops, and armor is needed primarily to protect against random fragments and bullets. Their presence in combat formations should be short-lived; they do not need to constantly accompany the advancing troops. Their task is to solve specific tasks at the right time and in the right place, advancing from the rear, avoiding contact with the enemy if possible.

The Germans produced about 700 repair and recovery vehicles, plus about 200 were converted from previously released equipment. In the USSR, such machines were created only on the basis of the T-26 and produced in the amount of 183 units. It is difficult to fully assess the potential of the parties' repair forces, since the matter was not limited to BREM alone. Feeling the need for this type of equipment, both Germany and the USSR were engaged in makeshift conversion of obsolete and partially defective tanks into tow trucks and tractors. In the Red Army there were a lot of such vehicles with dismantled towers based on T-34, KV and IS tanks. It is not possible to establish their exact number, since they were all made in combat units of the army, and not in factories. In the German army, despite the presence of specialized ARVs, similar homemade products were also made, and their number is also unknown.

Ammunition transporters were intended by the Germans primarily to supply advanced artillery units. In the Red Army, the same task was solved by ordinary trucks, the security of which, of course, was lower.

Forward observers' vehicles were also mainly needed by the gunners. IN modern army their counterparts are vehicles of senior battery officers and mobile reconnaissance posts of the PRP. However, in those years the USSR did not produce such machines.

In terms of bridgelayers, their presence in the Red Army may be surprising. Nevertheless, it was the USSR that produced 65 such vehicles on the basis of the T-26 tank under the designation ST-26 before the war. The Germans, on the other hand, made several of these vehicles based on the Pz IV, Pz II and Pz I. However, neither the Soviet ST-26 nor the German bridge layers had any effect on the course of the war.

Bridge tank ST-26

Finally, the Germans mass-produced such specific machines as demolition charge stackers. The most massive of these machines, the Goliath, was a remotely controlled wedge disposable. This type of machine is difficult to attribute to any category, so their tasks are unique. The USSR did not produce such machines.

conclusions

Analyzing the impact of the production of weapons on the consequences of the war, two factors must be taken into account - the balance of the weapons system and the balance of equipment in terms of quality / quantity.

The balance of the German army's weapons system is extremely commendable. The USSR in the pre-war period was unable to create anything of the kind, although the need for this was recognized by the leadership. The lack of auxiliary equipment had a negative impact on the combat capabilities of the Red Army, primarily in the mobility of support units and infantry. Of all the wide range of auxiliary equipment, one should regret the absence in the Red Army, first of all, of armored personnel carriers and self-propelled anti-aircraft guns. The absence of such exotic vehicles as remote demolition charges and artillery observer vehicles could be endured without tears. As for the BREM, their role was quite successfully solved by tractors based on tanks with weapons removed, and there are still no armored ammunition transporters in the army, and the troops as a whole cope with this task with the help of conventional trucks.

The production of armored personnel carriers in Germany should be considered justified. Knowing the cost of military equipment, it is not difficult to calculate that the production of the entire fleet of armored personnel carriers cost the Germans about 450 million marks. For this money, the Germans could build about 4000 Pz. IV or 3000 Pz.V. Obviously, such a number of tanks would not greatly affect the outcome of the war.

As for the USSR, its leadership, overcoming the technological lag behind Western countries, correctly assessed the importance of tanks as the main striking force of the troops. The emphasis on improving and developing tanks eventually gave the USSR an advantage over the German army directly on the battlefield. Despite the high utility of the technology of support, nevertheless decisive role in the outcome of the battles, it was the machines of the battlefield that played, which in Soviet army had the highest development priority. A large number of support vehicles in the end did not help Germany win the war, although it probably saved a considerable number of lives of German soldiers.

But the balance between quality and quantity in the end was not in favor of Germany. The traditional tendency of the Germans to strive for the achievement of the ideal in everything, even where this should be neglected, played a cruel joke. Preparing for a war with the USSR, it was necessary to pay close attention to the mass production of equipment. Even the most advanced combat vehicles in small numbers are not able to turn the tide of events. The gap between the combat capabilities of Soviet and German technology was not so large that the German qualitative superiority could play a decisive role. But the quantitative superiority of the USSR turned out to be able not only to make up for the losses of the first period of the war, but also to influence the course of the war as a whole. The ubiquitous T-34s, supplemented by small Su-76s and T-60s, were everywhere, while the Germans from the very beginning of the Second World War did not have enough equipment to saturate the huge front.

Speaking about the quantitative superiority of the USSR, it is impossible to bypass the discussion of the traditional template of "filled up with corpses." Having discovered such a striking superiority of the Red Army in technology, it is difficult to resist the temptation to put forward the thesis that we fought in numbers, and not in skill. Such statements should be stopped immediately. Not a single, even the most talented commander, will give up quantitative superiority over the enemy, even if he can fight with many times fewer troops. Quantitative superiority gives the commander the widest possibilities for planning a battle and does not at all mean an inability to fight in small numbers. If you have a lot of troops, this does not mean that you will immediately enthusiastically throw them into a frontal attack, in the hope that they will crush the enemy with their mass. Whatever the quantitative superiority is, it is not infinite. To provide our troops with the opportunity to operate in greater numbers is the most important task of industry and the state. And the Germans understood this very well, having squeezed out everything that was possible from their economy in the years 43-45 in an attempt to achieve at least not superiority, but parity with the USSR. They did not do it in the best way, but the Soviet side did it excellently. Which became one of the many bricks in the foundation of victory.

P.S.
The author does not consider this work exhaustive and final. Perhaps there are experts who can significantly supplement the information presented. Any reader can get acquainted with the collected statistics in detail by downloading the full version of the statistical table presented in this article from the link below.
https://yadi.sk/i/WWxqmJlOucUdP

References:
A.G. Solyankin, M.V. Pavlov, I.V. Pavlov, I.G. Zheltov “Domestic armored vehicles. XX century. (in 4 volumes)
W. Oswald. "Complete Catalog of German Military Vehicles and Tanks 1900 - 1982"
P. Chamberlain, H. Doyle, "Encyclopedia of German tanks of the Second World War."

The second selection of test drives with Ivan Zinkevich, this time vehicles exclusively from the period of the Great Patriotic War (including the IS-3 tank).

Tank "Panther" Ausf. G/Panzerkampfwagen V Panther

In this issue, Ivan Zenkevich will talk about the famous Panther tank, which is essentially a German adaptation of the T-34 tank. It is this copy that is the only Panther tank in the world with a native propulsion system.

Armored personnel carrier OT-810

The father of the OT-810 was the German Hanomag Sd Kfz 251; after the war, the Czechoslovaks created their own modernized Sd Kfz 251, which was used until 1995.

Tank Maus / Panzerkampfwagen VIII "Maus"

This tank is the apotheosis of German tank building, the propulsion system was based on three engines: one gasoline engine turned the generator, and the generated current went to the electric motors that set the 188-ton car in motion.

Mortar Karl Gerat "Adam"

The German military industry produced a total of six such large mortars, weight - 126 tons, 600 mm, at a distance of 7 km. the projectile flies for 49 seconds, its weight is 2 tons, and starting speed 225 m/s.

Tank T-30

This tank is the progenitor of modern infantry fighting vehicles, MTLBs and other light combat vehicles. Initially, this is a modernized T-40 tank, deprived of the ability to force rivers and lakes.

Tank T-34

Tank T-34-76 Soviet medium tank, symbolic tank, whose name will live forever on the pages of history books and in the memory of our descendants. The simple and reliable design of this tank has become a model for comparison and imitation. See the end of the video about the unique and heroic fate of the tank (from the video).

Armored car BA-3

The hull of this BA-3 was completely welded, which was an advanced innovation for those times. The combat vehicle was created on the basis of the Soviet GAZ-AA truck, a lightweight turret and a cannon from the T-26 tank and a machine gun served as weapons.

SU-100

It was this SU-100 that was filmed in the movie "". The SU-100 was developed in response to the emergence of new German heavy tanks "Tiger" and "Panther"

Panzer IV tank

The German medium tank, which became the most massive tank of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, was mass-produced in several versions from 1937 to 1945. This instance (on video) Panzer IV managed to fight in the 5th Guards Tank Brigade.

Tank LT vz.38/ Pz. Kpfw.38

This tank was developed for the Czechoslovak army in the mid-30s. Many European countries were interested in the tank, but in 1939 Germany monopolized all interest in its favor. It entered service with the Wehrmacht under the new name Pz. Kpfw.38 became a good vehicle for infantry support and reconnaissance.

TANK KV-2

This tank is an example of the first self-propelled artillery mount with a powerful 152-mm howitzer, it was created to destroy the enemy's fortified defense lines and was actively used in the Finnish War of 1939-1940. This copy was assembled on the basis of the IS-2 tank, since the original KV-2 has not survived to this day.

Tank T-26

The T-26 is essentially an exact licensed copy of the 6-ton Vickers tank, the Soviet designers improved this tank as best they could, but at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War it had already begun to become obsolete.

Tank T-38

This tank is an upgrade of the earlier T-37 amphibious tank. The T-38 is essentially a steel floating boat, everything in it is adapted for navigation - both a propeller with a rudder and a streamlined hull.

Tank T-60

Small in size, with good armor and a simple gasoline car engine, this tank was intended for infantry support and reconnaissance. At the beginning of the war, it was not difficult to arrange the production of this useful, necessary machine.

Tank MS 1

The small escort tank, the first mass-produced Soviet tank of its own design, was based on the French FT-17 tank. There is only one such tank in the world on the move.

A pickup truck based on the "Lutorka", this car was found in the battlefields in the "Vyazemsky boiler", it was almost completely destroyed by a shell explosion.

Tank T-70

It was designed in just six months at the design bureau of the Gorky Automobile Plant under the leadership of Nikolai Ostrov, it was produced from 1941 to 1943. A good tank to start a war, it was very reliable and heavily armed, much less noisy than diesel tanks, they were often used in reconnaissance.

Tank BT-7

Test drive of the BT-7 high-speed tank at the Stalin Line Museum (Minsk). The car from the review was pulled out of the river, where the crew drove it after the battles so that the enemy would not get it, after decades the tank was raised from the river and brought to working condition.

Katyusha BM-13 (ZIL-157)

Despite the fact that in the review "Katyusha" is not from the time of the war, they will tell you a lot interesting features this type of rocket weapon.

Tank IS-2

The IS-2 heavy breakthrough tank was created as a counterweight to the German Tigers and Panthers, the IS-2 crews were formed exclusively from officers, and the 122-mm cannon could destroy any enemy tank at a distance of up to 3 kilometers, the armor reached 120 mm.

TANK IS-3

The last tank created during the Great Patriotic War, fully developed during its years, but put into production only in May 1945. For its time, it was an advanced combat vehicle that combined powerful armor, reliable chassis and strong weapons. The most massive and heaviest tank of the Soviet Union.

GAZ AA

This car was produced from 1932 to 1950, the legendary lorry created on the basis of the Ford AA truck. In the Soviet Union, the design of this car was even more simplified and was brought to a minimum - if necessary, a lorry could be disassembled a few hours before the screw. With a low weight, the lorry had excellent cross-country ability and carrying capacity.

ZIS 42

Already the first months of the Great Patriotic War showed that the Red Army really lacked fast and passable artillery tractors, and such a tractor was developed. ZIS 42 was created on the basis of the ZIS-5V truck. Of more than 6,000 of these unique machines, only one has been restored by enthusiasts.

Willys MB

During the war, more than 50 thousand Jeeps were delivered from the USSR from the USA.

GAZ MM

A modernized "one and a half", instead of two headlights - one, instead of wooden doors they have canvas substitutes, an angular but still elegant design.

GAZ-67

Despite the similarity with the "Willis", this front-line car was completely designed in the USSR, it could be repaired using only 3 wrenches.

ZIS-5

A truck without rear-view windows, without brake lights, which runs on any fuel.

Studebaker "Katyusha" (Studebaker) BM-13M

Studebakers on the front roads have proven themselves only with better side, A rocket launchers began to fire more closely due to the heavier and denser fit of this truck.

M4 Sherman "Sherman"

The workhorse of the Allies, this tank was supplied under Lend-Lease to the USSR from the winter of 1943, it fought on all fronts of World War II - from Pacific Ocean to Belarus.

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