Russian T34 and their variants

All kits below are based on the 1/72 T-34 kits from AER, EasternExpress, Revell, Esci and MilitaryWheels.

Click on the Pictures

T-34 Medium Tank

One of the most unpleasant suprises experienced by the Germans in Russia came some five months after launching of Operation "Barbarossa" in the shape of a new tank which inflicted heavy losses upon the PzKpfw III and IV's. General Guderian was so impressed with the new Russian tank that he thought the quickest way for the Germans to deal with the situation would be to copy it! It was, of course, The T-34, one of the most important single elements in the eventual Russian victory. Using a Christie-type suspension and mounting a 76.2mm gun, the 28-ton tank had a crew of four and a topspeed over 30 mph. Well armoured, robust and devoid of any frills, it was easily mass produced.

T-34/76 model 1940 with L-11 gun, standard wheels

T-34/76 model 1940/41 with cast turret and F-34 gun, standard wheels

T-34/76 model 1941/42 with Ekranami turret and hull front plates (extra armour) and steel wheels

T-34/76 model 1941/42 with welded STZ turret, Barrakady mantlet and steel wheels

T-34/76 model 1942/43 softedge turret, mixed wheels (standard and steel)

T-34/76 model 1943/ softedge turret with commander cuppola, mixed wheels standard/spider

T-34/76 model 1943 hardedge turret with commander cuppola

T-34/76 model 1942/43 with Uralmash/Chelyabinsk casted turret, steel wheels

T-34/76 - (OT-34 Flame Thrower) model 1943 with Uralmash/Chelyabinsk casted turret, commander cuppola, standard wheels

Medium Tank T34/85

The first T34/85, with a modificated aircraftgun "D-5T" were built end of 1943. From this type were (1943/44) about 543 vehicles built. The next variants used the S-53 or Zis-S-53 gun. In all, 11,518 S-53 an 14,265 Zis-S-53 guns were produced in 1944/45.

T34/85 model 1943/44 with 85mm D-5T gun

T34/85 model 1945 up-armoured (used by the Berlin battle)

T34/85 1944/45 with 85mm Zis-S-53 gun, extra fuel tanks and PT34 Mine-Sweeper

SU122 Assault Gun

The first SU122 (on T34 chassis) were built in 1942. In the same time were started with the SG122/SU122i, which was based on the Captured German Stug. III. Both types used the 122mm M-30 howitzer. After testing the SG122/SU122i were first accepted, but cancelled by lack on Stug. III chassis. The SU122 were accepted for mass production. After some modifications and enough Stug. III chassis the Sg122/SU122i were followed up by the SU76i. The SU122 became very popular due to it's quite powerfull armament and good armor protection.
The SU122 were more times modificated, the second variant were with the 122mm howitzer U11 or D-6 in a ball-mounting on the SU-85 chassis. (SU122m and SU122-3)
Later in 1944, a small number of SU122's were based on the SU100 chassis, with a again modificated 122mm howitzer in ball-mounting.

SU122 - 122mm howitzer M30

SU122 - 122mm howitzer U-11 or D-6 in ball mounting on the SU85 chassis

SU122M - modificated 122mm howitzer in ball-mounting on the SU100 chassis

SU-85 Tank Destroyer

The SU-85 (entered first service on August 1944) was among the best tank destroyers of its day, though it arrived too late to participate in the crucial battle at Kursk.
Su-85 - Early type

Model built by Gianluca Travero

SU-85M - Late type based on SU-100 chassis

SU-100 Tank Destroyer

The final tankdestroyer version of the T-34, the SU-100 entered first service on December 1944. Armed with a long 100mm D-10s gun, it was the most effective tank destroyer developed during the war.
The SU100 were created at the "Uralmash Plant" and was intended for combatting hostile tanks of new types, such as the "Panther", "Tiger" and "King tiger". Before the end of the war 1800 SU100 were build.

SU-122P Tank Destroyer (Prototype)

In autumn 1944, due the delaying the mass production of the SU100, The Uralmash's Design Bureau offered a project of a tank destroyer based on the SU100. Like the SU85M, this vehicle was common SU100 but armed with a 122mm Tank Gun D-25S. Such modernisation was possible due to unified fastening of both guns.
The very first trials of the SU122P conducted in October 1944, after that the vehicle was sent to the Governmental trials which were passed as well. By the results of both trials, The SU122P was recommended for service, but it didn't mostly because of slow rate of fire.

T34 Tractors and Recovery vehicles

During and after the War, many (damaged) T34 (all variants) were unarmed, rebuild and used as Tractor or Recovery vehicle.

T34 Tractor or APV - with steel plate in turret ring

T34 Tractor or APV with tilt over turret ring

T34 Recovery with wooden hatch in turret ring - (Model and pictures from Anton Mizera - SK)

T34 Recovery tank with jib on SU-85 chassis

T34T Recovery - Prime Mover with crane and winch

T34 Recovery with crane

T34 Recovery SPK-5 (Post War) - Kiev museum

T34 Captured Vehicles

T-34/76 model 1940/41 with cast turret and F-34 gun in German service - (Model and Photo's from Anton Mizera - SK)

T34/76 m1943 (hardedge turret) with replaced Commander Cupola from PzIV.

T34 Recovery in German Service with 3x 20mm AA - rebuild by the Germans

T34 in German service with 4 x 20 mm AA Flak 38 - rebuild by the Germans

T34 in German service with 88mm Flak 38 - rebuild by the Germans

T34 Post War variants

T-34/85 NVA Type 63 (in service by China) - (MilitaryWheels)

SAU-122 (In service by Syrian / Egypt) - (AER)

T-34/D.30 SPG -(In service by Syrian) - (1/35 Maquette and 1/72 MilitaryWheels)

T-34/100mm - announced by MilitaryWheels)

Prototypes

T34M Prototype with wheels and springs as the KV

In January 1941 the A43 project (a modernised variant of the T34, also known as the T34M) and the production of the first two prototypes of the T34M were planned for March 1941. Proposed, that the new tank will be superior to production T34, that this superiority played a negative role in its fate. The Christie suspension was replaced by torsion bar suspension, which resulted in the ground clearance of the T34M being increased by an additional 50mm. In May 1941 the factory had produced 50 pressed turrets for the T34M. In April 1941 there were three hulls ready. But the used V5 diesel were not ready, so final assembly of the T34M was delayed, and by geginning of the war, it was abandoned completely.

T43 Prototype

Another alternative to cope with the German Tiger was to thicken the T34's armour. A prototype, the T43, was built with 90mm armour, but even this was vulnerable to the new German 88mm tank gun. At the same time, the thicker armour severely compromised the T34's mobility and was considered unacceptable. As a result, attention turned to improving the firepower of the T34's and KV's mechanized gun counterparts.

T-44 Medium Tank

The T-44, one of the most advanced medium tanks of the second World War, was the culmination of an attamp to improve the T-34. Althoughh it retained a turret very similar to that on the T-34/85, and shared the same roadwheels, track and engine, the hull and the engine layout was completely redesigned and a new torsion bar suspension was added. A very small number saw action in the final months of the war.