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Tank Radio antenna Five hundred years ago, the Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) imagined the terrible fighting machine we now call the “tank." It could cross muddy battlefields with ease and was protected from attack by metal armor. Early tanks, used during World War I (1914-1918), had only limited success, but by the start of World War II in 1939, European armies had large numbers of tanks. They were all equipped with linked steel caterpillar tracks so that they could cross any terrain, in any weather. Lighting in a tank such as the Soviet T-34 shown here was a horrible job. The inside of the tank was cramped, noisy, and uncomfortable. Ammunition and fuel enclosed the crew on all sides, so a direct hit from an enemy shell usually blew the tank up or set it on fire. But despite the danger, tanks proved to be very successful in battle. Big shot The tank's gun was a formidable weapon. It could fire high-explosive, armor-piercing or shrapnel shells. The armor-piercing shells could penetrate 2.3 inches of armor plating. Elevation control Turning the elevation wheel raised or lowered the gun. The control was hard to operate, and if the gunner had long legs, the wheel banged his knees when he turned it. Dual role The tank had a crew of only four (most tanks have crews of five or more) so the commander also had to act as gunner. In practice he was overworked and did neither job well. Loader The loader had an uncomfortable job. The ammunition bin lids were hard to get off, and the cramped turret made it difficult to lift the 21-pound shells to the breech (end) of the gun. In the sights I he gunner/comtnander aimed the gun using one of two sights ()ne sight provided a view through a periscope on the turret roof. The other gunsighl was a telescope pointing directly forward. What did you say? _ t mil 1943 few tanks had radios. Crews had to use signal flags to send messages to other tanks. Deadly drums The tank had two machine guns. Ixrth of which used ammunition in drums holding 63 rounds each. The spent cartridge cases were collected in a bag. Rifling Grooves in the barrel made the shells spin and follow a straight path. Air cylinders -- The tank had an electric starter motor, but if this failed the crew could start the engine using compressed air from cylinders at the front of the lank. Accelerator s' lira hi Driver / The driver controlled the tank using two steering levers, each of which started or Clutch. stopped one of the two tracks to turn the tank. KKY T ACTS Length • 20 lei l Width • 11 feel Weight • 31 tons Top speed • 50 mph Lngine power • S00 horsepower Gearbox • four speeds forward, one reverse Foot firing The gunncr/commander used pedals to fire the main gun and one of the machine guns. The loader could also lire both guns with hand triggers. Shell collection Shells were hard to reach. They were usually stored in bins under the gunner's feet. In battle the turret quickly liecamc strewn with open ammunition bins. Guide horn A guide horn links kept the with the tank on alternate links engaged s wheels. 20 Turret scats The turret crew Silt a= on seats attached to the turret itself When the turret turned, tliev turned with it. Design flaw The turret hatch ojx*ned forward, but when open it blocked the view of the way ahead. Consequently, Soviet lank commanders could not observe the battle from the open hatch w ithout exposing themselves to enemy fire. Tough turret The turret was the part of the tank that housed the large gun. It was made of armor plated steel and could traverse, or rotate, in a complete circle. Meet tic traverse motor Crude construction T-34 tanks w ere crudely made compared w ith their German and British counterparts. Soviet engineering was primitive and resources were scarce, so the factories carefully ground and polished only where absolutely necessary. But the rough finish did not reduce the tank's effectiveness. All the way around There was a motor to traverse the turret, and the gunner could also use a hand wheel for traversing. However, the hand wheel was in an awkward position, and the gunner had to reach across and turn it with his right hand. Deadly weapon Narrow view' The gunner commander could see the battlefield through a periscope, but the field of view was narrow. Dust resort If the tank crew ran out of shells and ammunition for their machine guns, they defended themselves by firing hand guns through these tiny ports. Plenty of power The tank’s V-l 2 engine generated 500 horsepower. On a good road it could propel the tank at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Engine air filter When the Soviet T-34 tank first appeared in 1941 it was without doubt the best-designed tank in the world. It was highly mobile, with a powerful gun and very solid armor. Unfortunately, die tanks were manufactured in a great hurry, and some parts were crudely made and of poor quality. In addition, Soviet tank crews often only received 72 hours training before going into action. Engine covering Engine cooling fan Where’s the john? Exhaust You’ll notice that there are no ftifte “facilities" on board the lank. The crew either left the tank or used an empty shell case to answer a call of nature. Gearbox The tank's gearlx>x was easy to reach for maintenance. This was fortunate, since early models had serious detects. Gearlxxx problems immobilized more tanks in 1941 than enemy action. Amazing armor The high quality of the T-3-t armor plating meant that the tank could withstand attack belter than the German Pz Kpfw III tanks that it met in battle. The armor was 1.8 incites thick on the turret front; in later models this was increased to 2.(> inches. J'otving cables Gripping grousers Bolt-on plates, called grousers, provided extra grip in mud or snow. Wheels Because of a shortage of rubber in 1942, T-34 tanks were made with solid metal wheels. But this caused terrible vibration that shook parts loose. The problem was solved by putting mblxT treads on the first and fifth wheels. Suspension The tank's suspension gave a comfortable ride but made it difficult to aim the gun accurately while the tank was moving. Modem tanks solve this problem with devices that stabilize the gun. Making tracks The manganese-steel tracks spread the enormous w eight of the tank, so that it did not sink into the mud of the battlefield. Ground pressure beneath the track was very • low — only about double the pressure under a human foot, and less than half the pressure under a car lire 21
танки,т-34,взрыв схема,танкист
The Christie suspension was inherited from the design of American J. Walter Christie's M1928 tank, versions of which were sold turret-less to the Red Army and documented as "farm tractors", after being rejected by the U.S. Army.
вполне правдоподобно что когда ссср прислал большой чемодан денег и просьбу о помощи в разработке - корпорация выделила на это один из своих конструкторских отделов