KV-1S: "intermediate" tank, which turned out to be unclaimed

The Soviet heavy tank "Kliment Voroshilov" or KV-1 was rightfully considered an invincible fighting vehicle, until the end of 1942, when the Wehrmacht got the "Tiger". The crews of the Red Army accomplished a huge number of feats on this tank, and the Germans nicknamed him "ghost" because most of their guns could not harm him.

Meanwhile, despite all the advantages, the KV-1 also had significant drawbacks, including poor maneuverability and unsuccessful sights. However, the main problem of the tank was its weight, which instead of the 42 tons planned during development, sometimes reached 50, which was associated with additional equipment and a new cast turret.

As a result, such a significant "bust" with the mass could not but affect the transmission, which, even without that, in the KV-1 was not very reliable. And the 500-horsepower diesel engine could hardly cope with such a “colossus”.

As a result, in July 1942, a “lightweight” version of the KV-1S appeared, which was produced until September 1943.

The problem with the mass in the modernized tank was solved primarily by reducing the thickness of the armor. In addition, the dimensions of the hull were also reduced, as well as the chassis units were lightened.

Other positive aspects include upgraded cooling and lubrication systems, the manufacture of a new cast tower with five glass blocks and the replacement of many scarce parts.

The main armament of the KV-1S was a 76 mm ZiS-5 cannon and three 7,62 mm DT machine guns. The ammunition load for the ZIS-5 tank gun was increased by 24 rounds. The crew consisted of 5 people.

As a result of the modernization, the mass of the tank decreased to 42,5 tons, and its speed on the highway increased from 34 to 43 km.

Meanwhile, the release of the KV-1S had to be stopped, since in most respects it was similar to the T-34, but it was much inferior to it in maneuverability and was more difficult to manufacture.

Comments

[credo]

Errors in the design and practice in the operation of new weapons either lead to its improvement or to the closure and archive of design ideas.
A common thing for any type of weapon, and not only.

[fa2998]

I think it's about weapons. The same T-34 also with 76,2 mm. gun (later 85). Maneuverable, passable.
Why else inactive with such a gun? If the Germans had a difference - an 88 mm gun for the Tiger - you can "tolerate" such a mastodon.

[shikin]

The ZIS-5 gun (KV-1 and KV-1S) and the F-34 gun (t-34) are not the same thing. The first has an AP projectile speed of 813 m/s, the second has 655 m/s. Hence the difference in penetration and range. The L-11 gun (on the early T-34s) had even more modest performance.
The Germans also had several different options for 75 mm and 88 mm with different barrel lengths.
Although the main purpose of the tank is to support infantry, not duels, in this regard, one can say that the ZIS-5 and F-34 have no difference.

[mister-red]

The ZIS-5 gun (KV-1 and KV-1S) and the F-34 gun (t-34) are not the same thing. The first has an AP projectile speed of 813 m/s, the second has 655 m/s.

Where did they get it from? The projectile is the same, the difference is only in the length of the barrel.
The speed of the AP projectile for the ZIS-5 is 680m/s, for the F-32 - 662m/s.

[shikin]

Yes, I misunderstood the question a bit. A high projectile speed was planned with an increased charge, but this did not go into the series. Moreover, a gun with an F-34 barrel (and not an F-22, as planned) went into production, so there was no difference at all.

[vovochkarzhevsky]

As for demand, the question is complex. Yet it was produced in 1121.
The KV-85 turned out to be much less in demand, only 148, but this is understandable, they did the IS-2.

[vovochkarzhevsky]

KV-1S is actually a medium tank. Its release was justified at least by the fact that production had already been established. That's why it's better than none. And as a medium tank, he was not so bad.
I won’t argue how bad the sights were there, but the commander’s cupola and the commander free from the duties of a gunner, an advantage over the T-34.

[svp67]

The increased running and maneuverability of the KV-1S greatly helped our troops in the winter of 1942-43 in the Battle of Stalingrad. This tank moved very well on the snow-covered steppe, outperforming the T-34/76 there, as many of them still had "smooth" tracks

[AlexWar]

Is this a continuation of the KV, I think they just decided to name the tank in honor of Stalin.
The IS-1 and IS-2 heavy tanks trace their lineage to the KV-1/KV-1s heavy tank and the KV-13 heavy-armoured medium tank ("Object 233"), created in 1942 at SKB-2 (later Experimental Tank Plant ) Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant.
Tests of both machines were carried out from March 22 to April 19, 1943 and were generally successful. The commission recognized that as a result of a denser layout than the KV-1s, the IS tanks have, with a smaller mass, stronger armor and a higher speed of movement with equivalent weapons for the IS-1 ("Object 233") and more powerful for the IS -2 ("Object 234").
As a result, in July 1942, a “lightweight” version of the KV-1S appeared, which was produced until September 1943.
At the beginning of July 1943, two prototypes of the IS tank were ready, built on a modified KV-13 hull with a new turret for an 85-mm gun: No. 1 with the S-31 gun and No. 2 with the D-5T gun. They received the general designation "Object 237". In addition, on the basis of the KV-1s hull, prototypes of the KV tank were made - "Object 239" (KV-85) with an IS-85 turret and a D-5T gun, which required the modernization of the armored hull for an increased turret shoulder strap, and "Object 238" ( KV-85G) with an 85-mm S-31 gun installed in the existing turret from the KV-1s.
In July 1943, they passed factory tests, as a result of which the prototypes of the IS and KV tanks with the D-5T gun were admitted to state tests, which took place on August 2-8. Both prototypes were recommended for adoption.

On August 8, 1943, by GKO decree No. 3891, the KV-85 with an 85-mm D-5T gun in the IS-85 turret was put into service and immediately put into production. On September 4, 1943, by GKO Decree No. 4043, the IS-85 with the D-5T gun was adopted, but a temporary decision was made to continue production of the SU-152 and KV-85, since it was not possible to deploy the serial production of the IS-85 by that time . By the same decree, ChTZ ordered to develop a version of the IS tank with a more powerful 122-mm gun and develop the ISU-152 self-propelled gun on its basis.

Serial production of the IS-85 began in October 1943, but already in November 1943, the IS-122 (IS-2) "Object 240" tank was adopted, and production was curtailed in January 1944.

The work was carried out and quite successfully. The T-34 tank was a medium tank and massive.

The IS-1 was essentially a deep modernization of the previous heavy tank model, the KV-1/KV-1s. Armor protection and armament were significantly reworked in order to strengthen them, and to improve performance and reliability, the IS-1 received a new planetary-type gearbox. However, in its design, the new tank inherited a large number of parts from the KV tanks of various modifications. Like all other Soviet serial heavy and medium tanks of that time, the IS-1 had a classic layout. The armored hull from bow to stern was successively divided into the control compartment, the fighting compartment and the engine-transmission compartment. The driver was located in the control compartment, three other crew members had jobs in the fighting compartment, which combined the middle part of the armored hull and the turret. The gun, ammunition for it and part of the fuel tanks were also located there. The engine and transmission were installed in the stern of the car.

There were also ISU 122, 152, based on the KV tank, Chelyabinsk also produced tanks
An article has already been written about KV
https://topwar.ru/74320-stanok-nashe-oruzhie.html

[geraet4501]

The IS-1 was essentially a deep modernization of the previous heavy tank model, the KV-1/KV-1s.

to improve performance and reliability, the IS-1 received a new planetary type gearbox

Where are stories like this being told?

[AlexWar]

No one thought of making a film about the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, aka Kirov. And then we are filming everything about the T-34.
Kv-2 was still delivering to the Finnish pillboxes.
At that time, no army in the world had tanks like the IS-2. Only the Chelyabinsk ISs were able to demolish a powerful line of defense when the Red Army went on the offensive against Germany.
That's just Isa and pierced the defenses of the enemy.
In January, 1943, the factory collected the first sample of the SU-152 - the legendary self-propelled gun, which received the nickname "St. John's Wort" on the front. So the war machine was nicknamed for the fact that its 152-millimeter howitzer cannon, firing 50-kilogram shells, easily penetrated the armor of the fascist Tigers and Panthers. The appearance of the SU-152 at the Kursk Bulge largely decided the outcome of the battle, becoming a complete surprise for the Nazis. Until the end of the war, CTZ sent more than 5 thousand installations to the front.
Maybe the kv stopped producing, but they began to produce the Su-152, which played a decisive role in the Battle of Kursk.
ая Война. 9 . ая а. StarMedia. Babich-Design
[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvdK7EMIQDs]
According to its combat mission, the SU-152 was a heavy assault gun; limitedly could perform the functions of a self-propelled howitzer. The construction of the first prototype of the SU-152 was completed at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ) on January 24, 1943, and serial production began the following month. In connection with the discontinuation of the KV-1s SU-152 base tank in December 1943, they were replaced in production with the equivalent in armament and better armored ISU-152, in total 670 self-propelled artillery installations of this type were built. The combat debut of the SU-152 took place in the summer of 1943 in the Battle of Kursk, where it proved to be an effective destroyer of new heavy German tanks and self-propelled guns. The most active SU-152s were used in the second half of 1943 and early 1944, later their number in the troops steadily decreased due to combat losses and wear and tear of the undercarriage and engine-transmission group. The failed SU-152 was replaced by the more advanced ISU-152 in the units of the Soviet self-propelled artillery. A small number of vehicles fought until the end of the war and were in service with the Soviet army in the postwar years. After decommissioning, the remaining SU-152s were almost all disposed of for metal, and so far only a few self-propelled guns of this type have survived.
The KV platform of the Su-152 was
KV-1s was removed, but they began to produce the Su-152 St. John's wort

[AlexWar]

His gun demolished the Panther and Tiger towers. The legendary "St. John's wort" ISU-152
https://dzen.ru/a/ZFJrI8aJdFKrJZGE
Modified Base from the KV tank
Heavy self-propelled gun
The development of self-propelled guns began in the summer of 1943. By that time, a new heavy tank IS (Joseph Stalin) was being developed for the Red Army. It replaced the outdated KV, which was planned to be discontinued. The problem was that self-propelled guns SU-152 were created on the basis of the KV. If the production of KVs is stopped, then the Red Army will be left without heavy self-propelled guns. To prevent this from happening, the designers of the IS tank were tasked with creating a new self-propelled guns equivalent to the SU-152 in armament.
Self-propelled guns especially distinguished themselves during the assault on German cities. They were able to destroy any enemy position in urban areas, regardless of the fragility of the building. Here is what tanker Dmitry Loza recalled, who happened to observe the work of the ISU-152 in Vienna in 1945:
“The shot of a large-caliber self-propelled gun rang out. The air shook sharply. One and a half floors of the house, together with an enemy anti-tank gun and its servants, collapsed to the ground. And in our location, from a powerful air wave of a shot, thick glasses burst with a crack in the houses located next to the self-propelled unit
The second Viennese spectacle" turned out to be no less impressive ... On one of the "Panthers", which had almost crawled out onto the square, the tower was demolished from the impact of a large-caliber concrete-piercing projectile. The second heavy tank burst into flames. And the ISU-152 immediately left their positions. The German tanks hurriedly began to back away, leaving the infantry without support, which immediately scattered through the yards and alleys.

Horror Infantry
If such vivid memories of the meeting with the "St. Never again. The ISU-152 proved to be an extremely effective vehicle for urban combat. A high-explosive fragmentation blank weighing almost half a centner and a TNT charge of 6 kg collapsed stone houses like houses of cards. Faustniks were considered the only serious enemy of the Zverboy in urban battles. But the 12,7-mm DShK heavy machine gun mounted on top of the wheelhouse allowed them to fight quite effectively.

[AlexWar]

Unlike other Soviet tanks, the KV was modernized. And its first use is Finnish pillboxes, then its successful use of the KV-1 is already making films about Kolobanov, then its successful use is the Su-152, and probably the pinnacle of success is the Is-2 tank
Yes, the T-34 was stamped, but it is not the best tank of the USSR. The best tank of the USSR is the IS-2, and its progenitor is the KV-1
There was a KV-2 tank, it showed its best side, and later there was a Su-152 tank, also known as St. John's wort, who helped win the Battle of Kursk
Tanks with a 152 mm cannon showed themselves well, and in vain they did not produce such tanks.
Kv-2, following the results of the battles, they decided that it was better to produce self-propelled guns with the same gun
You look at the variety of these Kv and Sv, this is a variety, this is all engineering thought in metal.
KV-2 did not go, but drying went well. This is a success, inside guys this is a KV tank
KV 1 was produced in Leningrad, everything is said here.
KV is a heavy tank, in heavy tanks everything is heavy and complex.

Su-152. Looking at this video, think about why the production of the Kv-1S was stopped, what was more important to the front?

[AlexWar]

KV-1s did not remove it, this is the modernization of production.
This is not a loaf for you, the country worked in the USSR.
The T-34 had a different task, it became massive.
But the KV, IS, Su tanks had the task of breaking through.
The T-34 was a simple Soviet tank, initially they said that make the tank simpler.
Hitler put everything on tigers, but they could not be mass-produced
We will talk about the design bureau, what difference does it make that they released everything went to the front
At some factories, T34 was assembled day and night, at other KV then Su, then Is
Chelyabinsk can be proud of its tanks, they made a victory.
In the movie Armageddon there were also two spaceships, only one reached
T-34 also had two models,
There are always two options

Some projects are dying, others are starting to grow.
Also with the Kv tank, they thought it was time to change something and changed it.
At the end of 1941, everyone realized that we no longer had tanks.
It is necessary to work, everyone who works in the defense industry, knowing that your projects have failed, make new ones.
Sometimes companies start from scratch and bounce back. Sometimes there are dead ends in life and development. They start from scratch.

[T-73]

Kvass was the best in its time. Flaws? And we think the T-34 was unshakable. Yeah. Lots of changes and improvements, which Kvas lacked. Only by 43 did the T-34 come closer to that same T-34-85. Tank of victory. It’s worth recalling where and how the KV-1S was produced