KV-1
In service 1940 - 1943
A slab-armoured heavy tank that German anti-tank guns of 1941 could barely scratch.
Built byKirov Factory / ChKZ
Development history
The KV-1 gave the Red Army a breakthrough tank whose armour shrugged off the 37 mm and standard 50 mm guns, forcing the Germans to improvise with 88 mm flak and close assault. Its weaknesses were an unreliable transmission, sluggish speed and a gun no better than the far cheaper T-34 carried. Once the T-34 and IS series matured, production shifted away and KV hulls became the basis for the SU-152 assault gun.
Photo gallery
Period photographs with source and licence details.
Variants
One canonical record, 4 recorded variants.
KV-1 Model 1940
1940L-11 then F-32 76 mm gun, welded turret.
KV-1 Model 1941 (ekranami)
1941Bolted-on appliqué armour plates.
KV-1 Model 1942 (cast turret)
1942Cast turret with ZiS-5 gun and thicker armour.
KV-1S
1942Lightened for speed and reliability, new cupola and transmission.
Related vehicles
Separate records that derive from this vehicle, grouped by how they relate to it.
Variant of this vehicle
Derived from this vehicle
Prototype of this vehicle
Notable actions
- Winter War follow-on operations (1940)
- Battle of Raseiniai (1941)
- Siege of Leningrad (1941-44)
- Battle of Moscow (1941)