Kv tanks

The KV-1 tank was a heavy tank produced by the Soviets during World War II. The Soviets began their first heavy tank experiments in the 1930s, but these attempts ended in complete failure. However, heavy tank development resumed later, leading to a new heavy tank project. This tank was named after Soviet Marshal Kliment Voroshilov. In 1940, the tank entered mass production.

The KV-1 tank had 90 mm thick armor, and its main weapon was a 76 mm L/11 gun. The first KV-1 saw combat against the Finns in the Winter War of 1940, achieving significant success. Later, the Soviets wanted a new tank capable of destroying bunkers and trenches. As a result, a 152 mm howitzer was mounted on the KV-1, and its armor was increased to 110 mm. This new version was named the KV-2.

In 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union, German Panzer III tanks with 50 mm guns were unable to penetrate the KV tanks' armor. The Germans could only destroy them using 88 mm FlaK anti-aircraft guns. However, one of the KV-1's weaknesses was its firepower—the L/11 gun could only penetrate 50 mm thick armor. In response, the Soviets equipped the tank with a new 76 mm ZiS-5 gun, which proved much more effective against German Panzers.

The KV tanks also had several disadvantages. They were very expensive, heavy, and slow. The V12 diesel engine frequently malfunctioned. After 1942, the Panzer IV tanks were upgraded with the 75 mm KwK 40 gun, which could now penetrate the KV-1’s armor, significantly reducing the KV-1's superiority over German tanks.

By 1943, with the introduction of Panther and Tiger I tanks, the KV-1 was outclassed in terms of armor and firepower. Its weight, sluggishness, and outdated weaponry turned it into a slow-moving metal giant. The Soviets later introduced the KV-1S model and even mounted an 85 mm D-5T gun, but none of these upgrades were effective. The KV-2 was even more impractical, as its large turret made it unstable on rough terrain.

As the disadvantages of the KV tank series became more apparent, its production was discontinued in 1943, and the KV series was replaced by the IS (Iosif Stalin) series tanks.