German anti-tank gun 7.5 cm Pak 40 (7.5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 40) from the Second World War. Work on this cannon was carried out in 1939-1941 by Krupp and Rheinmetall. A significant acceleration of research work took place after the start of Operation Barbarossa and the encounter by German armored units of the KW-1 and T-34 tanks. The Pak 40 cannon was introduced into line units from the end of 1941. Thanks to its high parameters, it became the main German anti-tank gun until the end of the war. It was able to engage in firefight with any Soviet and Allied tanks, until the appearance of such vehicles as the IS-2, M26 Pershing and Centurion. In the period 1941-1945, over 29,000 of these weapons were produced (including cannons installed on tank destroyers). Its main drawback was its relatively high weight, which required the use of an artillery tractor for its transport. Due to the wide range of ammunition it could fire, it was often used as a field cannon. Projectile weights ranged from 4.1 kg to 6.8 kg. Technical data: caliber: 75 mm, weight: 1425 kg, initial velocity: 930 m / s (sub-caliber shell), rate of fire: 14 rounds / min. After the war, the Pak 40 gun was used in the armies of, among others, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Romania and Hungary.
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank from the Second World War and the post-war period.
The first prototypes were built in 1937-1940, and serial production in the USSR was carried out in 1940-1957. About 84,000 vehicles of this type were built in its course, which makes the T-34 one of the most produced tanks in history! The drive was provided by a single engine V-2-34 with a power of 500 hp. The length of the car - in the T34 / 76 version - was 6.68 m, with a width of 3 meters. The armament consisted of a 76.2 mm F-34 gun and two 7.62 mm DT machineguns. The main armament in the T-34/85 version was the 85mm ZIS-S-53 gun.
The T-34 is undoubtedly one of the most famous tanks in the history of both World War II and military in general, representing a specific symbol of Soviet victory in the war with the Third Reich. The vehicle was developed for the needs of the Red Army as a successor to the so-called pursuit tanks from the BT series (BT-5 and BT-7), but also the T-26 tank. Work on the car started in 1937 in a special design office at the Steam Engine Factory in Kharkiv. Initially, the works were managed by Eng. Adolf Dik (he also made the first sketches of the new car), and after his arrest by the Soviet security authorities, Mikhail Koszkin managed the work. Initially, the vehicle was designated as A-20. However, a second prototype (A-32) was quickly built, with a main armament in the form of a 76.2 mm cannon and much thicker frontal armor. It was the latter prototype that was finally adopted for production. It can be assumed that when it was introduced into service, the TT-34 was a very successful tank in many respects. It was characterized - as in 1940 - with a very strong weapon, it had a well-profiled armor based on sloped armor plates, as well as very high mobility and off-road driving properties. The disadvantages include the very poor ergonomics of the car or the poor optics used in the first production batches. Despite these shortcomings, when the T-34 appeared on the Eastern Front, German troops were greatly surprised by it. The high overall rating of the T-34 and its combat values determined its mass production and making it the basic tank of the Red Army during the fights in 1942-1945. They also resulted in further improvements to the structure, e.g. in 1942 a new hexagonal tower appeared, improving the quality of work of crew members with the commander's cupola. The engine and gearbox were also improved. However, in 1944, the T-34/85 model was introduced into service, with a completely new three-man turret and the main armament in the form of an 85 mm cannon. The T-34 tank fought in virtually all major battles fought between the Red Army and the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front in 1941-1945: starting at the Battle of Moscow, through the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, Operation Bagration, and the capture of Berlin. After 1945, the T-34 tank was still in service, it was also widely exported outside the USSR to countries such as Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany, Hungary and Syria.
The Pz.Kpfw V (SD.Kfz 171) Panther is a German medium tank, considered to be one of the best tanks of the Second World War. This vehicle was a response to the Soviet T-34. The first production versions appeared as early as 1942, but the Panthers appeared for the first time on the front lines in the summer of 1943, in the Battle of Kursk. Due to the very high failure rate and numerous "childhood" problems of the vehicle, 150 out of 204 used vehicles were lost. Interestingly, however, only a few of these 150 cars were lost as a result of the Soviet shelling. After eliminating these shortcomings, the Panther became famous as an extremely effective tank. It owed it to the well-shaped frontal armor and the excellent anti-tank gun. KwK 42 / L70 cal 75mm. The basic version of the T34 / 76 did not stand a chance with the Panther. Only the advent of the T34 / 85 and IS-2 tanks changed this state of affairs. On the other hand, the Allied Sherman tanks could compete with the Panther only after being armed with a 17-pound gun (Sherman Firefly). Nevertheless, it should not be forgotten that the Achilles' heel of this successful design was the weak side armor and the high technical complexity of the entire structure, and thus the high production time. Throughout the war, around 6,000 Panther vehicles of all versions (Ausf. D, A, G) were produced. The first mass-produced version was the "D" version, with 80mm thick frontal armor and a Maybach 230 P30 engine with 700HP. From the second half of 1943, tanks of this version had armored aprons. The Panther Ausf entered production in September 1943. A. It had a spherical mount for the MG-34 rifle in the fuselage. It was produced until March 1944. The "G" version was the most produced version. Over 3,700 tanks of this model were built. It was produced from March 1944 to January 1945. It mainly increased the angle of the frontal armor and made it thicker. The gun mantlet has also been modified. The Jagdpanther tank destroyer (Sd.Kfz 179) was also built on the Panther's chassis. When assessing the Pz.Kpfw V, you should remember not only about the great frontal armor or the gun, but also pay attention to the disadvantages of the weapon - large overall dimensions, delicate suspension, armor of increasingly poor quality caused by a lack of molybdenum or weak side armor. Technical data: length (with a barrel): 8.66m, width: 3.42m, height: 2.99m, engine power: 700KM, range (on the road): 200km, maximum speed (on the road): 46km / h, weapons : 1 cannon. 75mm KwK 42 / L70, 2 7.92mm MG-34 machine guns.
The Battle of Berlin, or the Battle of Berlin, is the last World War II land battle to be fought in Europe. Its main goal was to seize the capital of the Third Reich by the Red Army and thus bring the end of hostilities. This gigantic battle began on April 16, 1945 and ended on May 9 of the same year. It is estimated that about 750,000 people on the German side took part in it. soldiers, 1.5 thousand tanks and assault guns and approx. 2.2 thousand. aircraft. About 2.5 million fought on the Soviet side. soldiers, 6.3 thousand tanks and assault guns and approx. 7.5 thousand. aircraft. The Red Army also concentrated an incredible number of around 42,000 for this operation. cannon and mortars! The beginning of the operation began with the battles for the Seelow heights and the battles at Halbe. Soviet troops approached Berlin within a few days of starting the operation, starting bloody and heavy street fighting. Finally, the battle ended in a complete victory for the USSR, symbolized by both the suicide of Adolf Hitler on April 30, 1945 and the planting of the Soviet banner on the Reichstag. It is worth adding that Polish troops operating as part of the 1st Polish Army also took part in the operation.