In fact, the tank selected by Malashenko was none other than the IS1 heavy tank turret prototype originally equipped with an 85mm D-5t main gun.
This classic turret has been used all the way from the original KV85 prototype tank to the IS1 and then the later IS2. Since the beginning of the design, the prototype turret was designed to be very wide, taking into account the need to replace the main gun with a larger caliber in the future.
This is why Lavrinenko had the illusion of a "small kv2 turret" when he looked at this thing.
Strictly speaking, the turret of this type, which was historically used by Stalin's heavy tanks, is not perfect. The front end of the mantlet has only 100 mm of physical armor thickness, let alone the 88 gun. Even the turret of the late-model Panzer IV tank
The long-barreled 75mm cannon can penetrate it frontally. Relying on this semi-arc and rounded gun shield to expect ricochet defense, which is a probabilistic and lucky event, is undoubtedly a kind of protection on a war-torn and extremely cruel battlefield.
Very stupid and childish behavior.
But no matter how you say it, the universal turret of the is1/2 heavy tank is an excellent design and it is a successful design that has passed the test of cruel actual combat. When you think about it, even the front armor of the Tiger tank that the German army is proud of is only a mere
Hundred millimeters, Malashenko, who knew that there would never be an invincible tank in the world, felt relieved.
"Forget it, although the 100mm gun shield can't withstand the Hawpard and Changsi, it was completely sufficient in 1941 at least. Being able to use future equipment at this juncture is already enough, without asking for too much.
It would seem that I am a bit greedy."
After changing his mind, Malashenko instantly felt that he had figured it out. Then he took the lead and stepped onto the front armor plate of the car in front of him. Using his hands and feet, he reached the turret and uncovered it.
Malashenko, who had taken off the commander's roof and stepped into the turret, turned around and spoke to the people who were still stunned.
"Why are you still standing there? Let's start working! Comrades."
The people who were awakened by Malashenko's words immediately began to disperse.
Iushkin, Kirill and others who belonged to Malashenko's disembarkation team followed Malashenko's steps and began to board the bus. Lavrinenko, who was beside him, also led himself after hearing the sound.
The crew began to walk towards the other seven prototype tanks with different turrets.
For Lavrinenko, who has fought in dozens of tank battles, it is still the first time for a young girl to get into a car, and she does not have any information for reference.
Lavrinenko, who did not have an "adviser" to advise him, could only make choices based on his own judgment.
As he continued to move forward, the first prototype tank that appeared in front of Lavrinenko was a boxy "square" turret tank equipped with vertical armor on almost three sides.
This tank has a boxy appearance with three vertical sides. It only has a heavy tank directly in front of the turret with a curved gun mantlet that only covers one-third of the front projection area. It looks quite a bit like the design style of a German tank.
The designer under Kogin who proposed the design of this type of turret believed that the internal space of the original Soviet-made tank turret was too narrow, which not only made it difficult for the combatants inside the turret to move, but also greatly weakened the human-machine integration effect and lowered the overall strength of the tank.
Combat efficiency has severely reduced the number of ammunition carried by the first ammunition rack built into the turret, which could originally carry many artillery shells.
Based on this principle, this boxy-looking prototype turret uses vertical armor in all possible positions to arrange defense. On this basis, it is possible to expand the space for members inside the turret and to improve the turret.
The ammunition capacity of the first ammunition rack built into the tail.
When fully loaded, it can carry 35 rounds of 85mm custom-made artillery shells, which is equivalent to the largest ammunition capacity of the first ammunition rack in the turret among all eight prototype turret tanks. In terms of matching, the tilted armor defense layout is eliminated.
In exchange for the wider space for personnel inside the turret, the huge improvement in human-machine efficiency of this prototype turret can be said to be the best among all prototypes.
At the same time, by eliminating the inclined armor with a larger surface area and adopting a vertical armor layout scheme with the highest armor distribution utilization, this type of tank turret can further increase the physical armor thickness of the turret itself while the total mass is almost the same.
The defenses on its left and right sides and on the back of the head directly behind the turret are all made of homogeneous steel armor arranged using welding technology. It has a physical thickness of 80 mm, which was considered a considerable defensive power in 1941.
The armor distribution weight saved on the other three sides is concentrated on the front of the turret, which has the highest chance of being hit. The armor on the front of the turret, which is also arranged vertically, has a thickness of up to 120 mm, which can only cover one-third of the turret.
After the 30 mm thick semi-curved mantlet with a front projection area, its armor's thickest part's defense reached an astonishing 150 mm, which in 1941 could only be described as perverted.
But the principle that you can't have your cake and eat it too also exists in this seemingly perfect prototype turret.
A turret that completely uses 90-degree vertical armor to lay out defense not only loses the equivalent armor bonus obtained by tilting the armor, but also has a chance of ricocheting at a large angle, which is like the magical power of body protection. This means that
In actual combat, this type of turret can only rely on its thick physical armor to withstand enemy firepower.
Once you are surrounded by an enemy tank or ambushed to the side and suddenly fire, you can't expect any ricochet that can explode your character in a completely vertical armor defense. In actual combat, it takes a long time to deal with those who have the ability.
This was hardly good news for the Soviet tank crews who had high mobility and loved to use outflanking and outflanking tactics against German tanks.
After walking around the prototype vehicle with a vertical armored turret in front of him for two full times, after much thought, Lavrinenko, who always felt that the only thing about this thing that looked like an iron bastard on the front, finally put aside his hesitation and shook his head slightly.
, being shot through the side armor by the Germans and killed instantly was not the fate Lavrinenko wanted.
"Let's look at other things..."
Lavrinenko, who secretly said that he was planning to compare prices, then opened his legs and walked towards the next prototype car, but this next prototype car appeared in front of him.
It is another extreme design idea with a completely different style.