Tank T-150

At first let's talk about:

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.

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.

Dimensions

Case length, mm 6850

Width, mm 3360

Height, mm 3010

Clearance, mm 450

The developed tank with 90-mm armor at the Kirov Plant was designated as "T-150", "KV-150", or "Object 150". LN Pereverzev was appointed the lead engineer of the machine. The hulls were supposed to be manufactured at the Izhora plant, the first was planned to be transferred to the Kirovsky at the end of October, and the second - in November. On November 5, the first tank was handed over on time. From January 15 to February 14, 1941, he passed field tests, having covered 199 km in total.

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 Decree No. 827-345ss. It defined new parameters for the KV-3 tank, under which a new project Object 223 was created, which differed from the KV-1 in the length of the hull, turret and a number of other units.

However, at the front, they preferred to use overhead 25-mm armor plates, which increased the armor to 105 mm; some of the tanks were equipped with a 95-mm cast turret; these modifications looked in total preferable to adjusting the production of a new tank. In many ways, this was the reason that he never went into the series. Another was the overheating of the engine, which complicated the operation of the tank at positive temperatures. It is also important to add that launching the production of new engines would be too time-consuming process in wartime conditions.

The planned tank, armed with an 85 mm F-30 cannon and similar in armor to the T-150, was named Object 221, but was never realized in metal.

In June 1941, the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant also proposed to start production of the KV-1 tank with 90 mm armor and the serial name KV-6. This tank had the factory designation KV-222, or object 222, and was a kind of variation on the T-150 theme. Like the T-150, the car was supposed to be equipped with a V-2 engine, boosted to 700 hp. and 76-mm tank gun model 1940 (F-34). The tower was somewhat modified and had a different commander's cupola with all-round visibility. As additional equipment, a 15-liter flamethrower could be mounted on the left shelf.[1][2]

Description from video game:

The Creator of T-150:

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 ag

On July 17, 1940, the Council of People's Commissars of the U.S.S.R. and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of the Bolsheviks made a decision on developing new heavy tanks. By November 5, the Kirov Plant manufactured the T-150 prototype. The trials showed massive flaws in the engine and suspension of the vehicle. The plan was to organize its mass production in June 1941 as soon as the flaws would have been fixed. The tank was designated the KV-3, but the development was eventually discontinued. This was because Germany started working on a 45-ton heavy tank.

Despite its name, the T-150 is an upgraded KV-1. It has the same chassis and turret, with some notable improvements. Additional armor has been added to the hull, a considerably more powerful engine is available, and perhaps most importantly, it can mount the 107 mm ZiS-6 gun. The tank can in fact be frustrating at first, but stick with it, and the improvement of the tank will be extremely noticeable.

The T-150 has an extremely tough grind to its top gun, arguably worse than that of the M3 Lee, because in order to mount the top gun, you need the turret, and for that you need the suspension too (a high grand total of 23,450 XP). The grind can be lessened somewhat by first researching the KV-2, as you will be able to research the V-5 engine and the ZiS-6.

The alternative KV-85 is more mobile in terms of maneuverability and sports a more consistent 100mm as well as a more damaging, but slow-reloading 122mm, but lacks the solid overall armour and respectable alpha and DPM of the T-150.

The T-150 leads to the KV-3.