T-35
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| Missing image Kv_1_7009_05.gif T-35, drawing from a Soviet modeller's magazine | |
| T-35 general characteristics | |
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| Length | 9.7 m |
| Width | 3.2 m |
| Height | 3.4 m |
| Weight | 45 t |
| Speed | 30 km/h (road) 20 km/h (off-road) |
| Range | 150 km |
| Primary armament | 76.2 mm gun |
| Secondary armament | 2 45 mm guns 5-6 7.62 mm machineguns |
| Power plant | 12 cylinder 500 hp petrol engine M-17T |
| Crew | 11 |
The T-35 was a Soviet multi-turreted heavy tank of the interwar period and early Second World War that saw limited production and service with the Red Army. It was the only five-turreted heavy tank in the world to reach production but proved to be slow and mechanically unreliable. Most of the T-35 tanks still operational at the time of Operation Barbarossa were lost due to mechanical failure rather than enemy action.
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Production History
The T-35 was developed from a 1930 concept for a multi-turreted, heavy tank that could break through fortified defences of 50 tons, armed with a 76 mm gun and five machine guns. This project was later cancelled.
Early in 1932, a new project was started: a 35 ton tank, partly based on the Tank Grote project, with a 76.2 mm tank gun. The first prototype was further enhanced with four smaller turrets, two with 37 mm guns and two with machineguns. This first prototype had severe defects in its transmission and was considered too complex and expensive for mass production. Therefore work on it was stopped and a new simpler prototype was built.
This new prototype received a new engine, new gearbox and improved transmission. The decision was also made to standardise the turrets used on the T-35 with those used on the T-28, a three turret medium tank.
The experiences gained with these two prototypes were used for the production model T-35, the T-35A, which was again improved from the second prototype, with a longer chassis, improved hull and smaller turrets. In general, throughout its production run small improvements were made to the individual T-35A tanks. Production models had turrets similar to the ones on the BT-5. These were equipped with 45 mm guns. Some models had flamethrowers instead of one of the 45 mm guns.
Due to its high cost, the production run of the T-35A ended at just 61, bringing the total T-35 tanks produced to 63, including the two prototypes.
Combat History
The T-35 served with the 5th Separate Heavy Tank Brigade from 1935 until 1940. It is unclear whether the T-35 saw action in the Winter War against Finland, but in June of 1940 already the question was raised whether to withdraw the T-35 from frontline service, with the option to either convert them to heavy self propelled artillery, or to assign them to the various military academies. Instead, it was decided to collect the surviving T-35 tanks into the 67th and 68th Tank Regiments of the 34th Tank Division, which served with the 8th Mechanized Corps in the Kiev Special Military District.
During Operation Barbarossa, most of the T-35s lost by the 67th and 68th tank regiments were lost not to enemy action but through either mechanical failure or because they were abandonded and destroyed by their crews. The last recorded action of the T-35 took place during the early stages of the battle of Moscow.
Variants
- T-35-1 - Prototype
- T-35-2 - Prototype
- T-35A - Production model.
- T-35B - New engine. Only prototype produced.
- SU-7 - Prototypes with a 254 mm gun, 305 mm howitzer, and 400 mm mortar. Weighed over 106 tons.
See also
- Char 2C, Vickers Independent A1E1 tank: tanks with similar design.
External links
- AFV Interiors (http://afvinteriors.hobbyvista.com/t35/t35a.html)
- The Russian Battlefield: T35 (http://www.battlefield.ru/t35.html)