Tank SMK. Specifications. Photo.

After the light Soviet tanks T-26 and BT-5 were tested in the fire of the Spanish war, it became obvious that almost all tanks of the Red Army, both light and heavy, needed increased armor protection. Particular attention was paid to heavy tanks, the creation of which began in 1938 at two Leningrad factories: at the Kirov factory, the chief designer Zh.Ya. Kotin developed the QMS (named after the leader of the Leningrad Bolsheviks, Sergei Mironovich Kirov), and at the Kirov Experimental Machine Building Plant in Leningrad, the T-100 tank was created by military engineer 1st rank M.V. Barykov.

The work was carried out on a competitive basis, since only one tank had to be accepted into service. A.S. was appointed the head of the group of QMS designers. Ermolaev. According to his project, the weight of the tank was 55 tons. Therefore, it was decided to put on it a 12-cylinder aircraft gasoline engine with a capacity of 850 hp, which, according to calculations, was supposed to provide the tank with a maximum highway speed of 35 km / h and a cruising range of 220 km. The creation of such a heavy tank was very difficult. They were looking for the optimal shape of the hull and turrets, the question arose whether to make them cast or weld them from armor plates. In order to better visualize what the tank would look like, Kotin ordered that it be made of wood, and in 15 days it was ready. Although the plant was already creating a tank with anti-shell armor T-46-5, it was obvious that the new tank was an unusual vehicle. In terms of layout, the first version of the QMS, which had three towers, most of all resembled a cruiser.

At the same time, its towers were not located along the longitudinal axis of the hull, but with a mixture - the front to the left, and the back to the right. The central tower was higher than the end ones and was mounted on an armored conical base. The central turret with a 76 mm gun rotated 360 degrees. The front turret of the lower tier could rotate 270 degrees, and the rear turret 290, thanks to which the "dead zone" of fire was only 440 sq / m, i.e. was the smallest among all the options considered. The central turret had 150 rounds of ammunition, while the other two had 300 rounds each. All towers had periscopes for observation and sights. The crew of a multi-turret vehicle was supposed to consist of 7 people, which made it possible to conduct simultaneous fire in all directions to imitate the "dead zone" of fire, which was only 440 sq / m. The central turret had 150 rounds of ammunition, while the other two had 300 rounds each. All towers had periscopes for observation and sights.

The crew of the multi-turreted vehicle was to consist of 7 people, including the tank commander, driver, gunner, loaders and two gunners. This composition allowed the crew to provide fire in all directions and quickly switch between targets.

The creation of the SMK and T-100 tanks was an important step in the development of Soviet tank technology. However, due to the high cost and complexity of production, there was no mass production of these tanks. Instead, the KV tank (Kliment Voroshilov) was created, which was easier to manufacture, but had similar characteristics to the SMK tank.

Until August 1938, the factories involved in the development of tanks had only draft designs. This changed after the Decree of the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR N 198ss of August 7, 1938, which set strict deadlines for the manufacture of new tank vehicles: SMK until May 1, 1939, T-100 until June 1, 1939.

Two months after that, in October 1938, the commission reviewed the blueprints and life-size wooden models of the SMK and T-100 tanks. Despite some deviations from the given requirements, the mock-up commission gave the green light to the production of prototype tanks according to the drawings and mock-ups presented.

The QMS was designed to outperform the T-35 tank in terms of speed, range, maneuverability and climbing ability. Instead of a suspension system of the T-35 type with coil springs, torsion bars were used on the QMS, and balancers with leaf springs on the T-100.

In addition, the tank had to have reliable armor that could not be penetrated by 37-40 mm guns. The hull and turrets were made of rolled armor, the thickness of which on the front and sides was 60 mm. The roof of the tank was 20 mm thick, and the bottom was made 30 mm thick to protect against mines.

A feature of the machine with three turrets was the beveled corners of the bow of the hull, which were later used on the KV-13 tank and the IS series machines. The creation of the SMK and T-100 tanks was an important step in the development of Soviet tank technology, and although they were not mass-produced, they were a harbinger of new achievements in the creation of tanks in the USSR.

On December 9, 1938, a model of the SMK tank was presented in the Kremlin. During the review of the layout, Stalin made a remark about the extra rear turret and suggested that it be removed in order to strengthen the armor. In addition, work was allowed on a single-turret version of the tank, which was called the KV. In January 1939, work began on the manufacture of tanks in metal.

The QMS in the double-turret version had a simpler hull and a machine gun in the rear of the main turret. The installation of an anti-aircraft machine gun DK was envisaged. Stalin insisted on having a special tank for drinking water in the tank.

The first test drive of the QMS around the factory yard took place on April 30, 1939, and the T-100 on July 1, 1939. After the factory run-in, both cars were sent to field tests, which began on the night of July 31 to August 1. On September 20, 1939, the SMK, T-100 and KV were presented at a government demonstration of serial and experimental tanks at the Kubinka training ground. Despite the fact that the QMS was tested, it was noticed that the tank was difficult to control for the drivers, and the commanders experienced difficulties in controlling the fire of two guns and machine guns in two towers. By the end of November 1939, the QMS had traveled 1700 km.

On November 30, 1939, the Soviet-Finnish war began, and the troops of the Leningrad Military District clashed with the fortified lines of the Finnish army. The directorate of the Kirov Plant suggested using the developed heavy tanks to break through enemy fortifications. Tanks SMK, KV and an experienced double-turreted tank T-100 were delivered to the combat area.

Tank crews, consisting of factory testers and Red Army soldiers, were trained at tank courses in Krasnoye Selo and assigned to vehicles. Senior tanker Senior Lieutenant V. Petin became the commander of the SMK tank, and personnel tanker Lieutenant G.F. Kachekhin became the commander of the experimental KV tank.

Military engineer 2nd rank I. I. Kolotushkin was appointed senior of a group of experimental tanks, which also included an experimental double-turreted heavy tank T-100.

At the dawn of a frosty winter day, the Kirov tanks were unloaded from the railway cars and quickly submitted to the 20th tank brigade of brigade commander S. V. Borzunov. In the future, experienced tanks performed their tasks on their own.

The actions of experienced tanks took place on a difficult section of the front, through Terioki (now Zelenogorsk), then passed Raivola and went to the Boboshino area, which is not far from the Perkiyarvi station (now Kirillovskoye). In the area of ​​​​the forward lines of the Finnish troops, the enemy had powerful fortifications armed with 37-mm Swedish Bofors cannons and machine guns, as well as granite anti-tank gouges.

Before the start of the tank attack, commander of the North-Western Front, commander of the 1st rank S.K. Timoshenko, commander of the troops of the Leningrad Military District, commander of the 2nd rank, K.A. Meretskov, and the test leader, the son of People's Commissar of Defense P.K. Artillery preparation was carried out with the expectation of suppressing enemy defenses and breaking through passages in barbed wire.

After the last artillery attack of the guns, the command "Forward!" sounded. At the head of the column of experimental vehicles, the SMK tank was moving, the commander of which was Senior Lieutenant V. Petin. The tank overcame blockages and barriers, and then broke through the wire fence and approached the granite gouges. The Finns opened fire on him with anti-tank guns, but not a single bullet could penetrate the tank's armor.

Tankers responded with fire from turret guns and fired at the embrasures of Finnish pillboxes. After completing the task, the commander of the SMK tank received the command to return to the starting position. During testing, it was observed that heavy vehicles could be effective in attacking fortifications, but their control was difficult, especially for untrained crews.

The next day, experienced tanks decided to repeat the attack twice. And in both cases, they returned to their original positions without serious damage. But then the order came to support our units, which broke through to the Sumy region. All experimental vehicles lined up in a column, with the SMK tank in front, and moved forward. Along the way, one of the hits jammed the main turret. When the tank was approaching the Kämeri-Vyborg fork, the driver noticed a pile of crates and ran over them. There was a strong explosion that damaged the sloth and caterpillar, tore off the transmission mounts and bent the bottom of the tank. The driver V. I. Ignatiev was stunned by the explosion and lost consciousness for a short time. Sergeant Mogilchenko was seriously wounded. But the crew did not leave the car. Two other tanks - the Kirov KV and the heavy T-100 - covered the SMK with their armor, forming a kind of triangular fortress of three vehicles. The tankers not only fired back, but also tried to put the QMS on the move, but this did not work out. Numerous attempts by the T-100 to take the damaged SMK in tow also failed due to icy tracks. The tanks fought for five hours in the depths of the Finnish positions. Having shot all the ammunition, the QMS crew moved to the T-100. The overloaded "weave" (with 15 crew members!) accompanied by a KV tank returned to the location of the 20th tank brigade.

By evening, an evacuation and repair group arrived on several T-28 tanks. The crew of the SMK tank was allowed to leave the damaged vehicle. At the nearest forest edge they were met by the head of the armored department of the Red Army. After Commander Pavlov listened to the report of Senior Lieutenant Petin and the stories of the returning tankers, he announced the submission of all testers for state awards. The crew of the QMS was proposed to be awarded the Order of Lenin, and other tankers and factory testers who participated in the hostilities were also awarded.

Experienced tanks SMK and KV, despite the difficulties, coped with the task and proved their combat effectiveness. However, according to the results of the war, it was decided to further develop light tanks, which were more maneuverable and economical, but less protected.

Tankers and factory testers who participated in the hostilities received not only state awards, but also valuable experience, which in subsequent years was used to create new models of tanks and improve their combat qualities.

The history of the SMK and KV tanks has become one of the examples of the courage and heroism of Soviet tank crews and factory workers during the Great Patriotic War.

On December 20, 1939, the evacuation group tried to pull out the damaged SMK tank using a tractor in the form of a 25-ton T-28 tank, but failed. Then, on the basis of the personal order of Commander Comrade Pavlov, a company of the 20th motorized rifle battalion and the 167th engineer company, reinforced with two anti-tank guns and one machine gun, were allocated to the commander of the 37th tank brigade to save the secret tank. The entire group was under the command of Captain Nikulenko, who had 7 T-28 tanks to support. They went 100-150 meters ahead of the front gouges, where they were met by artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire. As a result, 36 people of the company of the 167th MSB were wounded, 2 were killed, and 7 people from the 37th sapper company were wounded, and 2 were missing. The task was not completed.

The SMK tank remained at the site of the explosion until the end of the war. Our observers used it as a dugout in no man's land. The armor of the hull and turret was very strong and reliably protected from bullets, shrapnel, and direct hits from guns.

To move the tank from the place of detonation, it was necessary to use six T-28 tanks. They towed the tank to the Perk-Yarvi station and sent it disassembled to the Kirov Plant. On the instructions of the ABTU of the Red Army, the plant was supposed to repair the tank and transfer it to Kubinka, near Moscow, for storage, but for a number of reasons, the repairs were not made. SMK lay in the backyard of the plant until the 50s, after which it was sent for smelting.

Specifications of the SMK tank