Remembering the KV-6

Discussion in 'Modelling' started by Za Rodinu, Mar 15, 2010.

  1. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    http://xmb.stuffucanuse.com/xmb/viewthread.php?action=attachment&tid=4693&pid=13557

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    Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, new facts have surfaced about the secret weapons developed by the Red Army during WWII. One of the most fascinating of these was the KV-6 Begemot. In July 1941, Stalin learned of a single KV-II that had held off the entire 6th Panzer Division for more than a day. With the incredible success of this single tank, Stalin ordered a crash program for a land battleship based on the KV-II design. It was to have three turrets and be very heavily armed and armored and able to defend itself against all types of attack. The project was given to the joint team of Kotin/Barkov. When the designers complained to Stalin that the insistence on three turrets made the vehicle too long to have an acceptable turning radius, Stalin's answer was: "It doesn't need to turn, it will drive straight to Berlin." The final design became known as the KV-VI "Behemoth". The KV-VI was a multi-turreted tank using components of the KV-I and II, Bt-5, T-60, and T-38. The use of existing tank designs was necessary because of pressure from Stalin and the strains put on Soviet industry by the German invasion. Because of its massive weight, the tank was equipped with wading devices permitting it to traverse rivers up to 9 feet deep. The team also designed a removable observation tower that could be used to direct the fire of the howitzers and rockets while the tank was in a turret down position.

    KV-VI Specifications

    Crew: 15 men and one Commissar
    Length: 51 feet, 4 inches
    Height: 15 feet, 3 inches
    Width: 10 feet, 10 inches
    Height/tower raised: 37 feet, 8 inches
    Weight: 138 tons
    Engine: 3 X V-2 at 600 horsepower each
    Max Speed: 13 mph
    Max Range: 98 miles road; 43 miles cross country
    Armor: 160mm maximum; 7mm minimum
    Armament: 2 X 152mm; 2 X 76.2mm; 1 X 45mm; 2 X 12.7mm DShK; 2 X 7.62mm Maxim; 14 X 7.62mm DT; 16 X BM-13 Rockets; 2 X Model 1933 Flamethrowers

    Operational History
    The first prototype was completed in December 1941 and was rushed into the defense of Moscow. In its first action during a dense winter fog, the rear turret accidentally fired into the center turret. The resulting explosion completely destroyed the vehicle. The second prototype was completed in January 1942, and was sent to the Leningrad front. This one had indicators installed to show whe another turret was in the line of fire. In its initial attack on the Germans, the tank broke in half when crossing a ravine. A spark ignited the leaking flamethrower fuel and the resulting explosion completely destroyed the vehicle. The third prototype, shown here, had a reinforced hull and was also sent to the Leningrad front in early 1942. It did manage to shoot down three German aircraft. In its first ground engagement, the KV-VI was firing on German positions when coincidentally all of the guns fired from the 3 O'Clock position a the same time. The tremendous recoil tipped the tank into a ditch and the severe jostling set off the 152mm ammunition, which completely destroyed the vehicle. After these failures, Stalin cancelled the project, and many of the design team members spent the rest of their lives in the Gulags of Sibera. The KV-VI was nicknamed "Stalin's Orchestra" by the few Germans that encountered it because of the variety of weapons it deployed.
     
  2. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    Five-mile turning radius??? :D

    Crew: 15 men and one Commissar

    ...who commanded the vehicle from a point that allowed him a view of the back of all crewmembers' necks, and with a loaded pistol and an intercom...
     
  3. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

  4. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    "In its first action during a dense winter fog, the rear turret accidentally fired into the center turret. The resulting explosion completely destroyed the vehicle."

    Thats pretty dense fog - how far apart are the two turrets or how bad were the optics on the gun to make the other turret look far away??
     
  5. tovarisch

    tovarisch Discharged

    What in the world is that! :D I knew about the KVs that had double turrets, that was alright, even triple turrets I could handle. But this! :D The tank broke in half when crossing a ravine.
    Must've been fun driving the thing. Oh, how I love marasmatic Soviet design.
     
  6. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Nice to drive straight to Berlin, but if the higher ups changed their minds and decided to go after, say, Hamburg it would be hell to make the bend. The track length to width ratio was completely immoral.
     
  7. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    I have to feel for the designers who were probably ordered, more than likely against their better judgement, to design the dinasaur.

    Then, when it is a failure, the designers are disposed of.

    What a waste of time and effort at such a time.;)

    Regards
    Tom
     
  8. Kuno

    Kuno Very Senior Member

    "The third prototype, shown here, had a reinforced hull and was also sent to the Leningrad front in early 1942. It did manage to shoot down three German aircraft."

    ....shouldn't one of the moderators shift this subject over to te 'Jokes' section
     
  9. Stig O'Tracy

    Stig O'Tracy Senior Member

    I recall seeing that tank before, I believe that someone ultimately determined that it was a fabrication of a psilosybin crazed scale modeler.
     
  10. Kuno

    Kuno Very Senior Member

    In a top secret document which was shown to me once by somebody who did not tell me his name gave evidene that there was even a fourth prototype. It was about double that long as then other three and when it was completed and should go directly into battle against the Germans it was too long to take the curve just out of the production hangar. It got stuck between the walls and then during trial to get it out, the engines overheated and it sank into the thawed out 'permafrost'.

    There is even a photo of this fourth prototype but actually you can see nothing because the hole in the ground was quickly filling up by mud an water an went frozen again. So the photo shows nothing in fact. What a pity!
     
  11. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    ....shouldn't one of the moderators shift this subject over to te 'Jokes' section

    Friggin' spoilsport!
     
  12. tovarisch

    tovarisch Discharged

    Hey! That tank, or whatever it was, was a great feat of Soviet engineering! Who needs the T-34 or IS-2 when you've got the KV-6, right, chaps? :)
     
  13. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    ....shouldn't one of the moderators shift this subject over to te 'Jokes' section
    It was in 'weapons & technology' , I moved it to 'Modelling' several days ago.
    :mellow:

    No wonder I'm getting bored with forum with shite like this on it.
    :mad:
     
  14. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    I'm sorry for not having too many WW2 monuments, gravestones or museums around here.
     
  15. tovarisch

    tovarisch Discharged

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