Soviet Union's T-35 heavy tank

Photos

T-35 Heavy Tank:	T-35 Heavy Tank:	T-35 Heavy Tank:	T-35 Heavy Tank:
T-35 Heavy Tank:	T-35 heavy tank and T-28 medium tank:

Design

The T-35 was designed by the Experimental Design Mechanical Section (OKMO) at the Bolshevik Factory in Leningrad by a team led by N. Tsiets.¹

The Red Army wanted a multi-turreted vehicle that would break through heavy defenses.

The engine was placed in the rear half of the hull.⁷

Crew

Internally the crew was linked by telephones.² The commander was quite over worked by having to coordinate five separate turrets.⁵

Armament

The main armament of the T-35 prototype was the 76.2 mm 1927/32 tank gun.² There were four BT-2 turrets that were placed around the vehicle.² The right front and left rear had 37 mm 1930 tank guns.² The left front and right rear had 7.62 mm DT MGs in ball mantlets.²

In 1935 new turrets, similar to the BT-5's turrets without the rear extension, replaced the BT-2 turrets.² These turrets had 45 mm 1932 guns.² The machine gun turrets were also replaced by turrets from the T-37 amphibian tank.² The main turret was redesigned to have a cylindrical shape and rear extension.² There was a radio installed and the antenna wrapped around the turret.²

Some models had a flame-thrower installed in one of the 45 mm gun turrets.²

Engine

The T-35 had a M-17 engine that produced 500 HP.² There were 5 forward and 1 reverse gear.²

Suspension

There was a suspension member for each pair of road wheels.² There were rubber tires for the road wheels.²

Prototype

Original design started in 1930 and first prototype appeared in July 1932.^5,6
Two prototypes were constructed between 1932 and 1933.¹

The first prototype, the T-35-1, was to complex and cost too much to build.¹ The second prototype, the T-35-2, reduced the number of weapons, complexity, and crew was authorized by the STO Work Defense Council (STO) on August 11, 1933 for production.¹

The prototype vehicles had 6 road wheels on each side with rubber tires.^2,6 Production vehicles had 8.²

The prototype appeared at the May Day parade in Moscow in 1933.² Then in 1934 at the 17th Party Day of the Communist Party a company of heavy tanks appeared.²

Production

• Prototype: 2¹
  • Produced: 1932^2,6
• T-35: 20 - 30⁷, 61^1,3,5, 62²
  • Manufacturer: Kharkov Locomotive Factory (KhPZ)^1,2
  • Production: 1933 - 1939^1,5,6

Variants

• Prototype: With a seven man crew and armor that was 20 - 30 mm thick it weighed 37 tons.⁶ The armament consisted of a 76.2 mm gun, two 37 mm guns, and four 7.62 mm MGs.⁶ It could go 29 kph with its 500 HP engine.⁶
• T-35:
• T-35-1: Prototype.¹ 3 turrets.⁶
• T-35-2: Prototype.¹ 2 turrets.⁶
• T-35 Model 1935: Longer⁵ and had 76.2 mm L-10 gun and two 45 mm guns.¹
• T-35 Model 1938: Final six tanks had turrets with sloping armor.¹
• SU-7: Projects to place 254 mm cannon, 305 mm howitzer, and 400 mm mortar in a self-propelled mount.² Weighed up to 106 tons and could do 26 kph.²
• SU-14: Designed at the Kirov factory in Leningrad in 1935 to carry a 152.4 mm to 203 mm guns.² The first prototype appeared in 1935 and had a 203 mm howitzer.² It weighed 50 tons and could go 20 kph.²
• SU-14-1 or SU-BU-10: The next prototype had a 152.4 mm B-10 naval gun.² It weighed 47.9 tons and could go 31 kph.²
• SU-14-2 or SU-14-Br-2: In 1939 they were developed at the Barikady works in Stalingrad.² It had a 152.4 mm Br-2 1935 gun.² It weighed 65 tons.²

Usage

Parades

The T-35s were often seen in the parades going through Red Square in Moscow.⁵

Finland

They were used against Finland from December 1939 to March 1940.³
One source says they saw no action against the Finns.¹

Against the Germans

The Germans encountered them at Lvov shortly after Germany invaded Russia.³

The 5th Heavy Tank Brigade saw action in June and July of 1941.² Some saw action in the Lvov area. Most didn't reach the front due to mechanical breakdown.² Fought final battle at Moscow in December 1941.²

The T-35s saw action with the 67th and 68th Tank Regiments of the 34th Tank Division of the VIII Mechanized Corps.¹

Poor Performer

Due to the T-35s bulk and poor steering⁵ it was a ponderous beast that one officer said "couldn't cross as much as a large puddle."¹ The tank had to be still for the crew to have any chance of hitting their targets.¹

Specifications

	T-35	T-35 Model 19351,2	T-35 Model 19381	T-35-11	T-35-21
Crew	104,7, 113,5	102,7	107, 111	101,6	71,6
Physical Characteristics
Weight	110,250 lb, 45,000 kg3, 44 tons7, 44.3 tons3, 45 tons4,5	45 tons2	49 tons7, 49.2 tons1, 50 tons2 49,985 kg1	45 tons6, 50 tons1	46 tons6
Length w/gun	31.5'4, 31' 6"7, 31' 10.7"5, 31' 11"3, 9.72 m3,5	11' 6"7 9.72 m2	31' 6"7, 31' 11"1 9.72 m1	31' 6"6	31.9'6
Length w/o gun
Height	11' 3"3,5, 11.25'4 3.43 m3,5	3.43 m2	3.43 m1 11' 3"1	11' 3"6	10' 6"6
Width	10' 6"3,5,7, 10.5'4 3.2 m3,5	10' 6"7 3.2 m2	10' 6"1,7 3.2 m1	10' 6"6	10' 6"6
Ground clearance		0.53 m2
Ground contact length				26.1'6	26.1'6
Ground pressure	11.08 psi	0.78 kp/cm2 2
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	76.2 mm L/16 or L/243 76.2 mm4	76.2 mm 1927/322	76.2 mm1	76.2 mm L/16.56 76.2 mm PS-31	76.2 mm L/246
Secondary	2: 45 mm1,3,4	2: 45 mm 19342	1: 45 mm1	2: 37 mm1
MG	6: 7.62 mm MG3 6: MG4	5 - 6: 7.62 mm DT MG2	6: 7.62 mm DT MG1	2: MGs in turrets1
MG - anti aircraft	1: P-40 AA		1: P-40 AA1
Side arms
Quantity
Main	90	96 - 1002		966	966
Secondary		220 - 2262
MG		8,230 - 10,0002
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	307 10 - 303,5 11 - 354		1.18"1 301, 502,7		Front: 1.3"1 Front: 351 Side: 0.9"1 Side: 251
Hull Front, Upper		302		306	356
Hull Front, Lower
Hull Sides, Upper		202		206	256
Hull Sides, Lower
Hull Rear		202
Hull Top		11-142		11 - 146	11 - 146
Hull Bottom		11-142		11 - 146	11 - 146
Turret Front		Main: 20, 45 mm: 20, M:G 202		11 - 206	11 - 356
Turret Sides		Main: 20, 45 mm: 20, M:G 202
Turret Rear		Main: 20, 45 mm: 20, MG: 202
Turret Top		Main: 11, 45 mm: 11, MG: 112
Engine (Make / Model)	M-177 M-17 M5	M-177 M-17 M2,3	M-177	M-17M6	M-171, M-17M6
Bore / stroke		4 stroke2
Cylinders	127 V-125	122,7	127	126	126
Net HP	5004,5,7	5007, 500@1,450 rpm2	5007	5006	5006
Transmission	5 forward, 1 reverse
Fuel type	Gasoline4,5,7	Gasoline2,7	Gasoline7	Gasoline6	Gasoline6
Octane
Capacity		910 liters2
Performance
Traverse	360°
Speed - Road	18 mph4,7, 18.6 mph3,5 30 kph3,5	18 mph7 30 kph2	18 mph7, 18.6 mph1 30 kph1	18 mph6	19 mph6
Speed - Cross Country	12 mph7, 12.4 mph	12 mph7	12 mph7
Range - Road	93 miles3, 93.2 miles5 150 km3,5	150 km2	93.2 miles1 150 km1	94 miles6	94 miles6
Range - Cross Country				50 miles6	50 miles6
Turning Radius
Elevation Limits
Fording depth		1.2 m2
Trench crossing	11' 6"5 3.5 m5	3.5 - 4 m2
Vertical Obstacle	4'5 1.2 m5	1.2 m2
Climbing ability		20°2
Suspension (Type)
Wheels each side	8			86	86
Return rollers each side
Track length
Tires
Track width				1' 0.18"6	1' 0.18"6
Track centers/tread