World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
24 Feb 2012 09:00:59 PM

FOR MOTHER RUSSIA TANKOGRAD: TANK CITY

Uralmash was a heavy tractor and machine production facility before WWII or what the Russians call The Great Patriotic War.
So many tanks were produced, that tank factories became known as "Tankograds" or tank cities production went on twenty-four hours a day seven days a week.

The most famous of these factories was the STZ factory in Stalingrad known as the Stalingrad Tractor Factory T-34 tanks were driven off the production line direct into combat, while fighting was going on around the factory.

THE URALS AND BEYOND:

Whole factories were moved and out of range of German bombers and armies to the Ural mountains everything the Red army needed was built and supplied. The work force was made of women, older men and teenagers, much of the skilled labor was drafted into the army
this left the production of tanks and other vehicles to older experienced workers who would teach and train along with members of the army hwo were drafted to work in the factories as well.

LEARN AS YOU GO:

Drivers and mechanics had as little as 2 1/2 to 3 hours training on the tanks, before being sent to operational units the T-34 was simple to operate and maintain, for an army many of which, have never operated a tank before. Everything had to be learned fast it was rushed and gave new meaning to the phrase OJT or "On The Job Training"

HOW MANY RUBLES YOU SAY: 193,000 AND THAT'S FOR THE 1942 MODEL COMRADE COMMISSAR.

Photograph shows the T-34 Model 1943 ready to leave the factory. This model was put into production starting in 1943, and was the main strenght in Operation Citadel in the summer.
Checkout the rubber road wheels these were used in the 1942 Model T-34, but due to a shortage of rubber all steel road wheels were developed, and used on new models, some T-34s had the front and back road wheels w/rubber while the three center road wheels were steel, other were fitted with all steel road wheels until supply of rubber road wheels could be produced, and catch up with production.
During the war production of rubber was spread out to vehicle factories and other industries needing this item.

T-34 MODEL 1943:

Turret in photograph has the new hexagonal design with two turret hatches. Armament remained the same, 1x76.2mm main gun w/100 rounds and 2x7.62mm Degtyaryov DT machine guns w/2400 rounds.
Looks ike working conditions in that factory are cold, those great coats help and maybe a shot of vodka will help fight off the cold. The camouflage could be white for winter operations, anyway that's my guess.