T-34 variants

Infobox Weapon
name= T-34 variants


caption= T-34 family portrait, 1941
(BT-8, A-20, T-34 Models 1940 and 1941)
origin= Soviet Union
type= Medium tank
is_vehicle= yes
is_UK= yes
service= 1940–96
production_date= 1940–56
number= about 84,070

The T-34 medium tank is one of the most-produced and longest-lived tanks of all time.

Identification of T-34 variants can be complicated. Turret castings and superficial details, and equipment differed between factories. New features were added in the middle of production runs or retrofitted to older tanks. Knocked-out tanks were rebuilt, sometimes with the addition of newer-model equipment and even new turrets. Some tanks also had appliqué armour made of scrap steel of varying thickness, welded on to the hull and possibly the turret; these tanks are called "s ekranami" ("with screens"), although this was never an official designation for any T-34 variant.

Model naming

German intelligence in World War Two referred to the two main production models as "T-34/76" and "T-34/85", with minor models receiving letter designations such as "T-34/76A"—this nomenclature has been widely used in the west, especially in popular literature. Since at least the 1980s however, many academic sources (notably, AFV expert Steven Zaloga) have been using Soviet-style nomenclature: "T-34" and "T-34-85", with minor models distinguished by year: "T-34 Model 1940". (This page has adopted that convention.)

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, newly-declassified sources have demonstrated that all T-34s with the original turret and F-34 gun (conventionally known as Models 1941 and 1942) were officially called "Model 1941", and hexagonal-turret T-34 (Model 1943) was officially called "Model 1942".

Because T-34s were manufactured in many different factories, with components built by subcontractors, the listing below is merely a broad overview and does not capture every possible variant. Also, not every factory implemented all model changes at the same time. For example, factory No. 112 continued building narrow-turret 76 mm armed models long after all other plants had switched to hexagonal-turreted tanks.

List of models and variants

Former Soviet Union

Tanks

* T-34
** Model 1940 (German designation: T-34/76A) - Production model built in 1940, armed with L-11 76.2 mm tank gun, welded or cast two-man turret. Due to a shortage of new V-2 diesel engines, the initial production run from the Gorky factory was equipped with the BT tank's MT-17 gasoline-powered engine, and inferior transmission and clutch ().
** Model 1941 (T-34/76B) - Production model built in 1941, with heavier armour, cast or welded two-man turret, and the superior F-34 tank gun although some were fitted with older F-32 tank gun.
** Model 1942 (T-34/76C) - Production model built in 1942, with increased armoured protection and many simplified components. New 'waffle' tracks, new wheel patterns, new driver's hatch and round transmission access cover. Some had the headlight moved to the left side of the hull. Most were equipped with cast two-man turrets although a few welded ones remained.
** Model 1943 (T-34/76D, E, and F) - Production model built from 1942 to 1944, with cast or pressed hexagonal turret, nicknamed "Mickey Mouse" by the Germans because of its appearance with the twin, round turret-roof hatches open. Official Soviet military designation was "Model 1942". Turrets manufactured in different factories had minor variations, sometimes called "hard-edge", "soft-edge", and "laminate" turrets, but in military service these details did not warrant different designations.
*** Earlier production is sometimes called Model 1942/43, and designated T-34/76D by German intelligence.
*** Later production variants had a new commander's cupola. Referred to as T-34/76E by the Germans.
*** Turrets produced at Uralmash in Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg) had a distinctive rounded appearance because they were made in a special forge. Tanks produced with these turrets there and at Chelyabinsk were called T-34/76F by the Germans.
*** Some tanks were used for psychological warfare, fitted with loudspeakers on each of the hull upper sides. [http://www.battlefield.ru/content/view/80/43/lang,en/ "The Russian Battlefield"] ]
** T-34/57 - A very small number of T-34s were fitted with the ZiS-4 L/73 high-velocity 57 mm gun in 1941 and 1943 to be used as tank destroyers. This gun had better penetration than the 76.2 mm F-34 (140 mm of steel at 500 m, as opposed to 90 mm), but the small HE projectile was inadequate for use against unarmoured targets.
** OT-34 - T-34 flame-thrower tank, fitted with an internally mounted flame-thrower replacing the hull machine-gun. Usually Model 1942 with ATO-41 flame-thrower or Model 1943 with ATO-42.
* T-34M - Prototype (A-43) with improved armour, hexagonal three-man turret, torsion bar suspension, sprung road wheels, increased fuel and ammunition storage. Five hulls were built, but development was abandoned when the war broke out.
* T-34-85
** Model 1943 - Production model built from February to March 1944 at Zavod 112, with 85 mm D-5T gun and a new larger, cast three-man turret, commander's cupola and two dome-shaped ventilators clustered together on top of the turret.
** Model 1944 - Production model built from March 1944 to the end of 1944, with simpler 85 mm ZiS-S-53 gun, radio moved from the hull into the turret, commander's cupola moved rearward, improved layout and new gunner's sight.
** Model 1945 - Production model built in 1944-45, with electrically-powered turret traverse motor, enlarged commander's cupola with one-piece hatch, squared front fenders, TDP ("tankovoy dimoviy pribor") smoke system with electrically-detonated MDSh canisters and one of the two turret ventilators moved to the front of the turret.
** Model 1946 - Production model built in 1946, with improved V-2-34M engine, new wheels and minor details.
** Model 1960 - Refurbishing program introducing new V-2-3411 engine and improved air cleaner, cooling and lubrication system, battery generator, new BDSh smoke canisters, infrared headlight, driver's sight and 10-RT radio set instead of the old 9-R.
** Model 1969 (also called T-34-85M) - Refurbishing program introducing new R-123 radio set, 'starfish' roadwheels from T-54A main battle tank, night driving equipment, automotive improvements, repositioned or removed smoke canisters to make a space for additional 200-litre external fuel tanks and ditching beam at the rear. An external fuel pump was added to ease refueling.
** OT-34-85 (sometimes called TO-34) - T-34-85 flame-thrower tank, with ATO-42 in place of the bow machine gun.
** T-34-100 - Designation for two T-34-85 prototypes armed with 100 mm guns made in 1945. One prototype had the standard T-34-85 turret while the other had a new bigger turret with better armour protection. They were originally armed with ZiS-100 guns and later rearmed with D-34-100 and LB-1/LB-1M guns. They were not accepted into production. [http://www.battlefield.ru/content/view/77/48/lang,en/ ="The Russian Battlefield T-34-100"] ]

Armoured personnel carriers

* PT-8 - T-34 converted into an APC. It was longer than a standard T-34 medium tank and had six pairs of roadweheels instead of five. Verify source|date=April 2008

Tank destroyers

* SU-85 - T-34 based tank destroyer armed with 85 mm D-5T gun.
* SU-100 - T-34 based tank destroyer armed with 100 mm D-10S gun.

Self-propelled howitzers

* SU-122 - T-34 based self-propelled howitzer armed with 122 mm M-30S howitzer.

Support vehicles

* PT-34 - Mine roller tank, mostly built on T-34 Model 1943 or T-34-85 chassis.
* ST-34 - Old tanks rebuilt into bridge layers in the field or at repair facilities. These were simply driven into water two abreast for special river-crossing operations, to be recovered later.
* T-34-T (T after T-34- stands for "tyagach" - tractor) - During WWII, some old, battle damaged T-34 medium tanks were rebuilt as armoured recovery vehicles (ARVs) with their turret removed and open compartment although sometimes the turret ring was plated over or a superstructure was added in the place of the turret. They lacked any form of weather protection and had little in the way for defense or even repair and were used solely for towing operations. It is also known under designation TT34.
* SPK-5 (1955) - Turretless T-34 fitted with crane with a capacity of 10 tonnes on a rotatable mount fitted in the turret ring.
** SPK-5/10M - SPK-5 fitted with electro-hydraulic controls for the crane.
* T-34-TO (1958) (TO after the T-34- stands for "technicheskoye obsuzhivaniye" - technical maintenance) - Technical maintenance vehicle fitted with an extensive array of tools and a work platform over the engine deck.

Bulgaria

Fixed fortifications

* T-34-85 turret built into a bunker.

Cuba

Self-propelled howitzers

* T-34-85 converted into a self-propelled howitzer armed with a 122 mm D-30 howitzer in a cut-away turret.

Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns

* T-34-85 converted into an SPAAG armed with 100 mm KS-19 anti-aircraft gun in a completely open mount apart from a mantlet around the base of the gun tube.

Former Czechoslovakia

Tanks

* T-34-85CZ - Czechoslovak production version of T-34-85 Model 1944 medium tank. It is also known under designation T-36. [http://www.jedsite.info/tanks-tango/tango-numbers-su/t-34_series/t34-series.html "JED The Military Equipment Directory"] ]
* T-34-85 modernized by Czechoslovakia for export. These were of Soviet production. Such tanks were sold to Syria.

Support vehicles

* MT-34 (1950s) (MT stands for "mostniy tank" - bridging tank) - Czechoslovakian conversion with PM-34 scissors bridge carried on rollers on top of a turretless T-34.
* VT-34 (VT stands for "vyprošťovací tank" - recovery tank) - Czechoslovakian purpose-built recovery vehicle with a front vertical, flat-plate superstructure with a bow mounted machine gun and a radio antenna in the front on the right hand side, driver's vision slot and a searchlight in the front on the left hand side and two rectangular top hatches similar to those in Soviet BTR-50PK and Czechoslovak/Polish OT-62 TOPAS tracked APCs. The equipment included a winch with a capacity of 30 tonnes and large wide three-angle entrenching spade in the back with its top inset for winch rope at rear.
* JT-34 - T-34 fitted with a large crane on a rotatable mount fitted in the turret ring.

Egypt

Tank destroyers

* T-100 - Egyptian conversion into a tank destroyer armed with a 100 mm BS-3 anti-tank gun mounted in a heavily modified turret. The changes include flat-plate extensions in the front, rear and top of the turret. A recoil mechanism was placed under the barrel. A large gun crutch is mounted on the rear of the hull. It is also known under the designation T-34/100.

Self-propelled howitzers

* T-122 - Egyptian conversion into a self-propelled howitzer armed with a 122 mm D-30 howitzer in a heavily modified turret. The changes include flat-plate extensions in the front, sides, rear and top of the turret. It is also known under designation T-34/122 but shouldn't be confused with Syrian T-34/122 SPH (See Syria section for details).

Hungary

Firefighting vehicles

* T-34 converted into tracked firefighting vehicle used to fight oil fires. Two engines from a MiG-21 were fitted to an overlapping mount on the turret ring. There's also a cab in the rear of the mount.

Nazi Germany

Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns

* "Flakpanzer" T-34 - German conversion of T-34 medium tank into an self-propelled antiaircraft gun (SPAAG) armed with a 2 cm Flakvierling 38 in a new armoured multi-facet turret with an open top. The single vehicle manufactured was used by "PzJagAbt" 653 in July 1944. [http://beute.narod.ru/Beutepanzer/su/su.htm "Beutepanzer"] ]
* T-34 "Drilling" - German conversion of "Bergepanzer" T-34 (r) ARV, originally captured as a T-34 medium tank in Gruben, into an SPAAG armed with a 2 cm MG 151 cannon triple mount ("drilling") in a small turret. This conversion was designed by "Werkmeister" (chief mechanic) "Oberscharführer" Erns Alber of 561st "Waffen-SS JagdPanzer Abteilung". The single vehicle manufactured was employed in support of units of the 286th Infanterie Division and Waffen SS Regiment "Falke", around April 1945, approximately 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Frankfurt-an-der-Oder. [http://www.2iemeguerre.com/blindes/indexallemagne.htm "Seconde guerre"] ]

Support vehicles

* "Bergepanzer" T-34 (r) ("r" stands for "Russland" - Russia) - German conversion of T-34 medium tank into an ARV. The turret had been removed and recovery equipment was added. In place of the turret a wooden cover with a hatch was placed. Some vehicles also had the bow machine gun removed although some retained it. This conversion was carried out in regimental workshops. A total number of 32 T-34 Bergepanzer ARVs was made.
* "Munitionspanzer" T-34 - German conversion of T-34 medium tank into an ammunition resupply vehicle. This conversion was carried out in regimental workshops. The turret and the bow machine gun were removed. Two types existed:
** With a tall superstructure replacing the turret.
** Without anything replacing the turret.
* T-34 converted into an armoured ambulance. This conversion was done by removing the turret, the bow machine gun, the headlight and adding the red cross flag to the radio antenna.Verify source|date=April 2008

People's Republic of China

Tanks

* Type 58 - Chinese T-34-85 Model 1944 copy.
** Type 58 fitted with sights from Type 59 main battle tank.
** Type 58-I - Type 58 fitted with a dome-shaped commanders hatch and an HMG mount.
*** Type 58-II - Type 58-I fitted with an additional cupola with second HMG mount.

Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns

* Type 65 - Type 58 converted into an SPAAG armed with Chinese twin 37 mm Type 63 anti-aircraft gun [http://vietnamresearch.com/armor/NVA_armor.html "NVA armour"] ] in a new improvised armoured square flat-plate open-topped turret. The turret armour is 15 mm thick on all sides. It was used during the Vietnam War as a cheaper alternative to Soviet-made ZSU-57-2 SPAAG. It is unknown whether it was made by the Chinese or by the North Vietnamese. One of those vehicles was captured by ARVN troops during 1972 Easter Offensive.

Poland

Tanks

* T-34-85M1 - Polish refurbishing program, similar to Soviet Model 1960, adding 'skeleton' roadwheels.
** T-34-85M2 - Polish refurbishing program, similar to Soviet Model 1969, adding exterior stowage, deep-wading kit and snorkel.

Support vehicles

* CW-34 - Polish derivative of VT-34.
* WPT-34 (1960s) - Polish repair and maintenance vehicle with a superstructure replacing the turret, a crane, a large-diameter telescoping snorkel for deep fording operations as well as a large-spade type earth anchor in the rear. It was converted from T-34 tanks as well as SU-85 and SU-100 tank destroyers.

Syria

Tanks

* T-34/55 - Syrian modernization of Soviet-made T-34-85 medium tanks earlier upgraded for export by Czechoslovakia, adding among other upgrades, an anti-aircraft machine gun fitted to the commander's copula.

Self-propelled howitzers

* T-34/122 - Syrian conversion into a self-propelled howitzer armed with a 122 mm D-30 howitzer. The gun is facing backwards to preserve the center of gravity. The mount is completely open apart from a mantlet around the base of the gun tube. The rear of the mount includes a folding platform on which the gun crew works when firing the howitzer. While the vehicle is moving the platform is folded to avoid blocking the driver's vision. There are new types of stowage boxes on the sides. The vehicle is also known as a T-34/D-30.

Former Yugoslavia

Tanks

* Teski Tenk Vozilo A (Heavy Tank Type A) - A 1949 Yugoslav T-34-85 upgrade. A total number of seven prototypes was built. They were designed and build in the height of the danger from Soviet invasion when Yugoslavia was building up its weapons industry. They were designed by reverse engineering of the Soviet T-34-85 medium tank without any documentation. They are recognizable by their angled front hull corners, modified hull machine gun mantlet, streamlined turret with cylindrical cupola, muzzle brake on the gun, and external fuel tanks appear to be notched to fit the hull. One of the prototypes is on display at the military museum in the Kalemegdan fortress in Belgrade and is the only surviving example. [ [http://www.flickr.com/photos/41413220@N00/136087452/ Flickr : Image ] ]

In foreign service

The Finns called the T-34 "Sotka" after the common goldeneye (the sea duck "Bucephala clangula"), because the silhouette of the tank seen from the side resembles a swimming waterfowl. Incidentally, Lauri Heino, the well-known Finnish tank ace, Mannerheim Cross winner, and the first foreign soldier to capture an intact T-34 and drive it, had also worked as a seaman on the steamer "Sotka".

Notes

See also

* Tank classification
* Armoured fighting vehicle classification