T-34/100

History

After its debut in World War II (1939-1945), the Soviet T-34 medium tank became one of the most successful tank designs in the history of tank warfare. Its sheer availability and inherent versatility make it a good candidate for experimental design and branching based on the proven framework for many subsequent variants.

One of the more important additions to the series was the "T-34/85" (detailed elsewhere on this page), which successfully paired existing tanks with a more effective 85mm main gun. When the weapon also showed its limitations on the battlefield, especially against newer, heavier German tanks like the Panther and Tiger series, another form of high armor was considered - the "T -34/100".

NOTE: This T-34/100 should not be confused with the development of the Egyptian T-100 Tank Destroyer (later also known as the T-34/100).

Specific work on the T-34/100 began in mid-1944 at Factory 183 (Sinitagir) and included extensive research and testing of several large-caliber weapons available to the Soviet Union. Such a powerful weapon requires a solid chassis, hull and turret design, and due to its larger size, the turret needs to have an enlarged ring.

Initially, the main weapon of the project was the ZiS-S-53 (ZiS-100) gun, which was simply adapted to the existing turret of the T-34/85 tank.

Tests have shown that this clutch is ineffective, as the gun requires most of the tank's sub-functions when fired, due to the gun's inherent violent recoil and excessive weight. What comes to mind now is the undeveloped turret of the upcoming T-44 medium tank (detailed elsewhere on this page), which will be mounted on top of the existing T-34/85 hull.

Due to the turning radius of this turret, the hull of the T-34/85 was modified to accommodate it.

This particular evolution also includes various changes to the original T-34/85 product - armor protection, especially on the ground and in the engine compartment, was reduced to compensate for the additional weight and space required for the new turret, the tank protection has been weakened. The suspension system and associated drivetrain components have also been strengthened for the same reason.

The system was tested in February-March 1945, when Soviet troops themselves made great strides against the German defense on their way to Berlin. In addition to the ZiS-100 gun, the D-10T (100mm D-10-34) anti-tank gun was also tested (this is the same gun on the SU-100 tank destroyer) - but it also turned out to be an unfavorable pairing.

In April 1945, the main gun became the LB-1, and with the associated recoil mechanism, the 100mm armed T-34 finally proved to be a sound investment.

The appearance of this finished tank is very reminiscent of the T-34, with heavily angled armor plates. The turret is located forward amidships and the engine is located aft of the hull. Armor protection on various fairings ranges from 20mm to 90mm. Armed 100mm turret provides a significant main barrel overhang in bow and infantry countermeasures, including 2 x 7.62mm DT machine guns, one coaxial with the main gun and the other on the nosepiece, moving laterally /Limited elevation angle.

A commander's cupola is placed on top of the turret to improve situational awareness.

Dimensions include a barrel length of 9.2 meters with the barrel forward, a width of 3 meters and a height of approximately 2.5 meters. The combat weight reached 33 tons.

The landing gear includes five large wheels on one side of the fuselage, no track return rollers are used. Power comes from a W-2-34 12-cylinder diesel engine with 500 hp. When driving on the road, road speeds can reach 48 km/h, and the mileage is estimated at 300 km.

Although the T-34/100 was already in work, its arrival later in the war meant that the design never entered production. The end of the European War in May 1945 marked the end of the T-34/100 program and its attempt to replace the classic T-34. The 85mm-armed T-44, introduced in 1943, also failed to inherit the famous design, with only 1,823 built, although none served in World War II.

The T-34/85 will replace the T-34 for the foreseeable future and will continue to serve for decades.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Not available.

Changes