T 34 Russian Armor

This is the fourth title in our new Russian Armour series which has been designed to provide much needed authoritative information on the classic Soviet tank designs of the 20th century. The books are written by Russian experts and the research has been done in Russian archives. The series has already established itself as required reading for all those interested in the development of armored warfare over the past 100 years. The latest title examines in detail the T-34, one of the most famous and successful vehicles in the history of armored warfare. The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. It was widely regarded as the world's best tank when the Soviet Union entered the Second World War, and although its amour and armament were surpassed by later World War II tanks, it is credited as the war's most effective, efficient and influential design. First produced at the KhPZ factory in Kharkov, it was the mainstay of Soviet armored forces throughout World War II, and widely exported afterwards. At least 39 countries are known to have operated T-34s. It was the most-produced tank of the war, and the second most-produced tank of all time, after its successor, the T-54/55 series. The T-34 was still in service with twenty-seven countries as late as 1996. There are hundreds of surviving T-34s. Examples of the type are in the military collections and museums around the globe, and hundreds more serve as war memorials in Russian and former Eastern bloc countries. Aimed at the modeler, military historian and wargamer, we believe that the Russian Armour series provides authoritative information on the classic Soviet tank designs of the 20th century, to a level of detail probablynot previously available in the English language.

When the German army launched Operation Barbarossa – the invasion of the Soviet Union – on June 22, 1941, it was expecting to face and easily defeat outdated and obsolete tanks and for the most part it did, but it also received a nasty shock when it came up against the T-34. With its powerful gun and sloped armour, the T-34 was more than a match for the best German tanks at that time and the Germans regarded it with awe. German Field Marshal von Kleist, who commanded the latter stages of Barbarossa, called it ‘the finest tank in the world’. Using original wartime documents author and historian Peter Samsonov, creator of the Tank Archives blog, explains how the Soviets came to develop what was arguably the war’s most revolutionary tank design.

One of World War II's most important military vehicles was the Russian T-34, a tank that was instrumental in the defeat of Germany on the Eastern Front and, thus, ultimate Allied victory in Europe. As the author points out, the T-34 was an innovative yet simple design, whose mobility and armor represented a leap forward in fighting tanks. Examined and fully illustrated are all aspects of T-34 development and service histories, including sections on design, variants, armaments, powerplants, crews, and armor. Specification tables offer design drawings and comparisons to T-34 contemporaries which were, in most cases, far inferior to me Russian tank.

First-hand accounts from the Russian veterans of World War II who fought in the celebrated tanks that powered the Soviet armored forces. The Soviet T-34 medium tank was one of the most famous and effective fighting vehicles of the Second World War. Along with the German Tiger and the American Sherman, it was a milestone in tank design that changed the course of the conflict. Much has been written about the technical history of the tank and the vital part it played in the huge tank battles on the Eastern Front, but less has been said about the men who went to war in the T-34 and lived, fought and sometimes died in these remarkable machines. This pioneering book, which is based on extensive interviews with tank crews, records their experiences and offers a compelling inside view of armored warfare in the mid-twentieth century. “An engaging book, and you will find yourself feeling the discomfort, anxiety, fear, pride and joy of a Soviet Tanker in WWII as you read the T-34 in Action.”—Military Trader “An excellent read and a good book for tank enthusiasts.”—The Armourer

The Soviet T\-34 medium tank needs no introduction, being the most famous tank ever built especially as has seen service across the globe throughout the twentieth century’s most brutal wars. However, despite this fame, little has been written about its design changes. While most tank enthusiasts can differentiate between the ‘T\-34\/76’ and the ‘T\-34\-85’, identifying different factory production batches has proven more elusive. Until now. With nearly six hundred photographs, mostly taken by soldiers who both operated and fought against the T\-34, this book seeks to catalogue and contextualise even the subtlest details to create a true ‘T\-34 continuum’. The book begins with the antecedents of the T\-34, the ill\-fated BT ‘fast tank’ series and the influence of the traumatic Spanish Civil War before moving to an in\-depth look at the T\-34’s prototypes. After this, every factory production change is catalogued and contextualised, with never\-before\-seen photographs and stunning technical drawings. Furthermore, four battle stories are also integrated to explain the changing battle context when major production changes take place. The production story is completed with sections on the T\-34’s post\-war production (and modification) by Czechoslovakia, Poland, and the People’s Republic of China, as well as T\-34 variants.

At the start of the campaign on the Eastern Front, in the earliest days of Operation Barbarossa, it was the German armour that swept all in front of it as the Wehrmacht drove eastwards in an unrelenting advance on Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad. The ill-prepared and under-resourced Russian forces were forced to retreat. Gradually, the balance of the war swung in favour of the Russian forces, whose strength both in numbers and equipment proved decisive in the ultimate defeat of the German forces in the east. Critical in the Soviet victory was its armour; tanks such as the T-34 proving the equal, if not better than, some of the tanks available to the Germans. This authoritative history of the Soviet forces before and during World War 2, reveals the development of their tactics in the early post-revolutionary era right through to the ultimate victory in Berlin in May 1945. The dramatic struggle of the tank crews against the German advance is told through some 200 contemporary photographs, many of which have never been seen before.The photographs include images of tank training in the 1920s and 1930s, on active service, and many compelling pictures from some of the major tank battles of the day. Over the past five years, aided by the opening up of archives in Russia previously closed to western experts, there has been a massive growth in interest in the events that occurred on the Eastern Front. Russian Tanks is an important addition to the literature currently available, exploring as it does, the vitally important Soviet armour of the period.

“A wide-ranging and detailed account of the design and development of what was arguably the best tank of World War II.” —Miniature Armoured Fighting Vehicles Association Although the Red Army suffered continual heavy tank losses, the rugged and reliable T-34 was an immense success story and was ultimately instrumental in turning the tide of the war. This photographic history follows the story of this exceptional armored vehicle from its disastrous first action during Operation Barbarossa to its miraculous defense of Moscow, its envelopment of the Axis forces at Stalingrad and victory at Kursk, and finally, the advance to the gates of Warsaw then on to Berlin. Packed with a wealth of images, including rare archive photographs and photographs of surviving examples, this is an extraordinary record of both the tank and its personnel. The accompanying text features an in-depth technical evaluation outlining the differences in the myriad of models, including detailed plans of each type, alongside a gripping breakdown of the tank’s entire operational history. “I totally recommend this book for all who love Russian armor or what was one of the hardest and biggest tank battles during World War 2 at Kursk, superb book.” —Armorama “A thoroughly definitive study of one of the world’s historic engines of war.” —The Army Rumour Service (ARRSE) “This is about as comprehensive as anybody could want in tracing the development, production, operational deployment and technical elements of the T-34 and its derivatives. Whatever you might want to know about the tank is here. Supplemented by drawings, copious images and tables it is a go-to reference book.” —Michael McCarthy, battlefield guide