page_title: Kliment Voroshilov tank
section_title: Models
hierarchical_section_title: Kliment Voroshilov tank / Development history / Models
caption_attribution_description: English: Variants of KV tanks
context_page_description: The Kliment Voroshilov tanks is a series of Soviet heavy tanks named after the Soviet defence commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov which operated with the Red Army during World War II. The KV tanks were known for their heavy armour protection during the early stages of the war, especially during the first year of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In certain situations, even a single KV-1 or KV-2 supported by infantry could halt large German formations. The German Wehrmacht at that time rarely deployed its tanks against KVs, as their own armament was too poor to deal with the "Russischer Koloss" – "Russian Colossus".
  The KV tanks were practically immune to the 3.7 cm KwK 36 and howitzer-like, short-barreled 7.5 cm KwK 37 guns mounted, respectively, on the early Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks fielded by the invading German forces. Until the Germans developed more effective guns, the KV-1 was invulnerable to almost any German weapon except the 8.8 cm Flak gun.
  Prior to the start of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, about 500 of the over 22,000 tanks then in Soviet service were of the KV-1 type.
context_section_description: The Soviets did not recognize different production models of KV-1 during the war; designations like model 1939 (M1939, Russian: Obr. 1939) were introduced later in military publications. These designations, however, are not strict and describe leading changes, while other changes might be adapted earlier or later in specific production batches. Designations like KV-1A were applied by the Germans during the war. All tanks in the series were heavily based on the KV-1.
  KV-1
  Model 1939 – First production models, these tanks were prone to frequent breakdowns, but were highly resistant to anti-tank weapons during the Winter War. Armed with the 76 mm L-11 tank gun, recognizable due to a recuperator above a barrel. Most tanks were lacking the hull machine gun. 141 were built.
  Model 1940 (German designation: KV-1A) – Used the F-32 76 mm gun and a new mantlet. The main production model by the time of the German invasion.
  Model 1940 s ekranami ("with screens") or KV-1E – with additional bolted-on appliqué armour and F-32 gun.
  Model 1941 (German designation: KV-1B) – Up-armoured with 25–35 mm (0.98–1.38 in) added to the turret, hull front and sides. Turret was now cast instead of welded. This tank was armed with the longer-barreled ZiS-5, tank gun.
  Model 1942 (German designation: KV-1C) – Fully cast turret with thicker armour or welded turret with thicker armour, again up-armoured, using an improved engine and the 76 mm ZiS-5 tank gun.
  KV-1S – A variant with higher speed, but thinner armour. A new, smaller, cast turret and redesigned rear hull with a new planetary transmission. 1370 built.
  KV-2 (334) – A heavy assault tank with the M-10 152 mm howitzer, the KV-2 was produced at the same time as the KV-1. Due to the size of its heavy turret and gun, the KV-2 was slower and had a much higher profile than the KV-1. Those captured and used by the German Army were known as (Sturm)Panzerkampfwagen KV-II 754(r). Few were produced due to its combat ineffectiveness, mainly the decreased speed due to the weight of the new gun and turret. Due to an increase in turret weight from the expanded dimensions and a heavier gun, the turret traverse mechanism could work only on level ground.
  Т-150 (Object 150) - One of a pair of designs requested 17 June 1940. Armour specified at 90 mm, which caused weight to reach 50 tons, so the 600 hp V-2K was replaced with the 700 hp V-5 engine. In addition to the improved armour, the turret had a cupola but otherwise followed the design of the KV-1. One prototype was constructed in 1941 and was destroyed defending Leningrad. On 15 March 1941 the design was approved for production as the KV-3.
  T-220 (Object 220) - One of a pair of designs requested 17 June 1940. Longer chassis with 7 rollers per side. Armour specified at 100 mm. Prototype trialled with V-2PUN and V-2SN engines. but suffered engine and suspension problems. New diamond-shaped turret fitted with 85 mm F-30 cannon, but development changed to fitting 107mm F-39 instead. One prototype was constructed in 1941, but did not enter serial production.
  KV-3 (Objects 150, 220, 221, 222, and 223) - Designation initially approved 15 March 1941 for production version of Object 150 tank design. Further developments were made on the basis of the Object 220, in the form of the Object 221 (with an 85 mm gun), Object 222 (with the F-32 76.2 mm gun) and Object 223 (built to develop a new conical turret to housing the 107 mm gun, now specified to be the ZiS-6 cannon). Series production was intended to start in late 1941, but the German invasion of the USSR halted these plans and the only prototype hull was destroyed. The design was accepted for service May 1941 and was to have entered production at the Kirovsky Plant in August 1941, but the German invasion forced this to be abandoned.
  KV-4 (Object 224) - A project for a super-heavy tank. About 20 different designs were proposed, but it was cancelled due to the outbreak of the war. Different versions would have been between about 85 and 110 tonnes. Armour from about 120 to 190 mm. Armament consisted of the 107 mm ZiS-6 can
caption: Comparison of selected KV tank chassis variants.
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