Tank KV-3

The KV-3 leads to the KV-4, and the IS-2-II.IS-2-II.\

The Kliment Voroshilov (KV) tanks are a series of Soviet heavy tanks named after the Soviet defence commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov who operated with the Red Army during World War II. The KV tanks were known for their heavy armour protection during the early stages of the war, especially during the first year of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In certain situations, even a single KV-1 or KV-2 supported by infantry could halt German formations. The German Wehrmacht at that time rarely deployed its tanks against KVs, as their own armament was too poor to deal with the "Russischer Koloss" – "Russian Colossus".[4]

The KV tanks were practically immune to the 3.7 cm KwK 36 and howitzer-like, short-barreled 7.5 cm KwK 37 guns mounted, respectively, on the early Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks fielded by the invading German forces. Until the Germans developed more effective guns, the KV-1 was invulnerable to almost any German weapon except the 8.8 cm Flak gun.[5]

Prior to the start of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, about 500 of the over 22,000 tanks then in Soviet service were of the KV-1 type. As the war progressed, it became evident that there was little sense in producing the expensive KV tanks, as the T-34 medium tank performed better (or at least equally well) in all practical respects. In fact the only advantage the KV had over the T-34/76 was its larger and roomier three-man turret.[6] Later in the war, the KV series became a base for the development of the IS (Iosif Stalin) series of tanks and self-propelled guns.

Description from Wikipedia:

History of creation

In the summer of 1940, following the results of the Winter War and comparative tests, it was decided to close work on heavy tanks SMK and T-100, and concentrate on the development and modernization of the KV-1 tank, launched into mass production. On June 17, 1940, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks adopted Decree No. 1288-495ss, in which the Kirov Plant was instructed to create two tanks with 90-mm armor on the basis of the KV tank (one with a 76-mm F-32 gun, the other with 85 -mm cannon), two tanks with 100 mm armor (one with a 76 mm F-32 gun, the other with an 85 mm gun) and one self-propelled gun with a 152 mm BR-2 gun.

The developed tank with 90 mm armor at the Kirov Plant was designated as "T-150" (KV-150 or Object 150), and the tank with 100 mm armor as "T-220" (KV-220 or Object 220). In November and December, the tanks were handed over, and from January they began to be tested.

In March 1941, the leadership of the Red Army received information from intelligence that Germany had developed tanks with powerful armor, which were already entering service with the Wehrmacht. It was decided to take retaliatory measures. On March 15, 1941, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks ordered the Kirov Plant to begin production of the T-150 tank with the serial name KV-3, and slightly modified characteristics (76-mm F-34 gun, V-5 engine with a power of 700 hp .). Nevertheless, already on April 7, 1941, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks adopted a resolution No. 827-345ss. It defined new parameters for the KV-3 tank

Armor

Type of armor rolled homogeneous

Forehead of the hull, mm/deg. 115-120

Hull board, mm/deg. 90

Hull feed, mm/deg. 90

Bottom, mm 30-40

Hull roof, mm 40

Tower forehead, mm/deg. 115

Description from video-game WOT:

The creator:

Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov (Russian: audio speaker iconКлиме́нт Ефре́мович Вороши́лов​ (help·info), Ukrainian: Климент Охрімович Ворошилов, Klyment Okhrimovyč Vorošylov), popularly known as Klim Voroshilov (Russian: Клим Вороши́лов, Klim Vorošilov; 4 February 1881[1] – 2 December 1969), was a prominent Soviet military officer and politician during the Stalin era. He was one of the original five Marshals of the Soviet Union, the highest military rank of the Soviet Union, and served as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the nominal Soviet head of state, from 1953 to 1960.

Born to a Russian worker's family in modern Ukraine, Voroshilov took part in the Russian Revolution of 1917 as an early member of the Bolsheviks. He served with distinction at the Battle of Tsaritsyn, during which he became a close friend of Stalin. Voroshilov was elected to the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1921, and in 1925 Stalin appointed him People's Commissar for Military and Navy Affairs (later People's Commissars for Defence). In 1926, he became a full member of the Politburo. In 1935, Voroshilov was named a Marshal of the Soviet Union. He played a central role during the Great Purge, denounced many of his own colleagues and subordinates, and personally signed over a hundred execution lists.

At the outbreak of World War II, Voroshilov was held responsible for Soviet failures in Finland during the Winter War and was replaced as Defense Commissar by Semyon Timoshenko. Following the German invasion in June 1941, he was recalled and appointed to the State Defense Committee. Voroshilov failed to stop the German encirclement of Leningrad and was again relieved from his command in September 1941.

After the war, Voroshilov oversaw the establishment of a socialist regime in Hungary. Following Stalin's death in 1953, Voroshilov was appointed Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. His fortunes declined during the rise of Nikita Khrushchev and the Supreme Soviet removed him from power in 1960. Voroshilov died in 1969 at the age of 88

Developed on the basis of the KV heavy tank, the vehicle initially had very few differences from the mass-produced model. It underwent field trials in January–February 1941. Eventually, several crucial changes were made to the design, greatly boosting the combat characteristics of the vehicle. By July 22, 1941, chassis and engine development was completed. According to some sources, in the fall of 1941, the vehicle was equipped with a serial KV turret and sent to the front.

The KV-3 is defined by its lengthened and more heavily armoured KV chassis, and a much rounder turret design. It can use a large variety of guns, but it's best known for the 122mm D-25T cannon, a weapon it shares with the IS. It sports an impressive 120mm of frontal hull armour, its turret is relatively well-armoured too, and the conical design makes bouncing frequent. When upgraded, it can mount the V-2SN engine, which gives a huge boost of horsepower. It is however much slower than the IS, and like the IS it lacks penetration compared to the German, French and US heavy tanks of its tier.

The KV-3 leads to the KV-4, and the IS-2-II.