- Yes
- No
Welcome to the suggestion for the KV-100! This is essentially a KV-85 upgunned with a 100 mm S-34 gun, meaning it would have decent mobility for a heavy tank chassis, and excellent firepower.
History
A KV-85 after its armor protection testing in Chelyabinsk, 1943.
In the autumn of 1943 the KV-85 was introduced into production as an interim solution until the IS-85 (later IS-1) could be produced at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Factory. However, it quickly became apparent that the IS-85, equipped with the same 85 mm gun as the KV-85, would not meet the military’s demands either. This was in large part due to the 85 mm gun being investigated for use on the T-34 tank, a trial which would take place in late 1943. Around the same time, the IS-1 began its production run in November, followed up the next month by the delivery of the IS-2, equipped with an even larger 122 mm gun. This effectively rendered the KV-85 obsolete. Despite this setback, the Central Artillery Design Bureau (TsAKB) still sought to test the feasibility of improving the the KV-85 by replacing its 85 mm gun with a 100 mm S-34 gun, a modified version of the B-34 naval gun. TsAKB was granted permission to conduct this experiment using a single KV-85 tank.
While a successful prototype of a KV-85 with a 122 mm gun had been built in September of 1943, the 100 mm B-34 would require far greater changes to the turret and crew positions. One example of this was the loader and commander’s positions, which were swapped. This was due to the breech opening to the right, not the left as on the 122 mm D-25 gun. This also shifted the gunner’s position, and as such, the gunner’s sight and coaxial machine gun were moved accordingly. Significant changes were also made to the turret traverse mechanisms during the design process. Notably, the elevation flywheel was relocated to the left side, while the traverse flywheel was moved to the right. In addition to these alterations, the gun mount underwent modifications. The gun mantlet was replaced, and the gun shield had to be entirely reworked. The new gun shield was considerably wider than the ones used on the D-5T and D-25T.
The KV-100 at Gorohovets Range in early 1944.
In December of 1943, the installation of the S-34 gun into the KV-85 turret began, and trials at the Gorohovets Range began on January 22nd, 1944, and ran until January 28th. During trials, a total of 638 rounds were fired, with 324 using supercharged propellant. The precision and accuracy of the gun was found to be unsatisfactory, particularly when compared to the 100 mm BS-3 towed gun, with a noticeable difference in performance when firing armor-piercing shells. Trials were also conducted on the tank’s ability to fire while moving, but proved to be ineffective, partly due to the effort required to operate the aiming mechanisms. The sight mount was found to be poorly designed, and a proposal was made to replace it with the superior TSh-16.
One strong suit was found, however. The rate of fire of the gun could reach up to 12 rounds per minute when the gun was at a 2-degree elevation. With a burst of five rounds taken from the turret bustle, this rate of fire was achievable. With the hatches closed and the fan turned on, two groups of five shells each could be fired off in 95 to 105 seconds, resulting in a combat rate of fire of 5.7-6.3 rounds per minute. The rate of fire trials revealed some issues with the aiming mechanism and shell casing deflector, which weakened over time. The breech mechanism also gradually deteriorated, but the muzzle velocity of the shell remained within acceptable limits, dropping by only 14.4 m/s by the end of the trials.
While the S-34 gun passed trials, TsAKB received orders to enhance the gun’s design. Although the crew’s placement in the fighting compartment was deemed satisfactory, the gunner’s and commander’s working conditions desperately needed improvement. The machine gun bulge previously granted to the commander had to be removed, making his station cramped and prone to hits from the gun breech during firing. To solve this, the bulge was proposed to be relocated to the right side of the turret. Additionally, TsAKB was ordered to develop an ammunition rack for the hull, but this never materialized. In the end, none of this mattered too much, since TsAKB never intended to re-arm the KV-85, the tank was only used as an test bed. TsAKB would continue their work on an IS tank, which was designated Object 248. Ultimately, the project was abandoned and left to the annals of history.
The Object 248, which ultimately never saw production either.
Specifications
- Crew: 4 (Driver, gunner, commander, loader)
- Weight: 46 t
- Length: 6.9 Meters
- Width: 3.25 Meters
- Height: 2.64 Meters
- Weight: 46 t
- Primary Armament: 1× 100 mm S-34
- Primary ammunition stowed: 31 rounds
- Elevation angles: -3 to +18
- Secondary Armament: 3× 7.62 mm DT machine gun
- Secondary ammunition stowed: 2,331 rounds
- Engine: Model V-2 V12 diesel engine, 600 hp
- Maximum speed: 34 km/h
