KV-85 on Leningrad Front |
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The KV-85 was a stop-gap design that combined the chassis of the KV-1S with the turret of the IS-1, armed with an 85mm gun. Only 130 were produced before work moved onto the IS tanks.
By the summer of 1943 the KV-1 was no longer the dominant force it had been in 1941. The new Tiger I and Panther tanks out-gunned it and were almost invulnerable to its gun at normal combat ranges. The arrival of the new German tanks killed off Soviet plans to produce a ‘universal tank’ to replace the KV-1 and T-34, and with it the proposed KV-13 design. Work instead began on a new heavy tank, with a new larger turret.
In order to speed up the combat entry of this more powerful tank, the new turret was installed on the chassis of the existing KV-1S to produce the KV-85. This was armed with the 85mm gun that was originally going to be installed on the IS-1. Frontal armour was increased to 110mm.
Only 130 KV-85s were built, in the autumn of 1943, before production switched to the IS tanks, which combined the new turret with a new hull. Production ended in October 1943.
The KV-85 had a mixed record in combat. In November 1943 the 34th Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment attacked a force of Panzer IVs and Marder IIs with twenty KV-85s, but was defeated with the loss of one third of its tanks. The new armour was something of a help, but the 85mm gun wasn’t powerful enough to justify producing a heavy tank armed with it.
The first few IS tanks were completed as the IS-85 or IS-1, armed with the same 85mm gun. However the T-34-85 was about to enter service, so it made little sense to produce a heavy tank with the same gun. It was decided to give the IS tanks a 122mm gun based on the A-19 field gun, which fired a very heavy HE shell. The new IS-122/ IS-2 would be used as an assault tank to attack German defensive positions, while the T-34-85 and the SU-85 tank destroyer were meant to deal with German tanks.
Stats
Production:
Hull Length: 27ft 10in
Hull Width: 10ft 8in
Height: 9ft 5in
Crew: 5
Weight: 46 tonnes
Engine: 600hp V-2K V-12 diesel engine
Max Speed: 25mph (road)
Max Range: 160 miles (road)
Armament: 85mm (3.34in) gun, three machine guns
Armour: 100mm/ 3.94in