World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseIn May 1942, the Soviet forces encountered German tanks armed with the new 75-millimeter KwK 40 guns for the first time, which could penetrate Soviet T-34 medium tanks even at a long range. In the following month, the Soviet Main Directorate of Armored Forces issued a requirement to two design bureaus for a new medium tank design featuring thick armor similar to that of heavy tanks in order to counter the new German tank guns. The Uralvagonzavod complex in Nizhny Tagil, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, where the T-34 design originated from, came up with the new T-43 design. The first prototype was completed in Mar 1943; it was designed upon the T-34 (70% of the parts were interchangeable), but with a new armor layout, a new and larger turret, a new suspension system, and a new gearbox. Testing at Kubinka, Moscow Oblast, Russia revealed, however, that mobility of the prototype T-43 tank was less maneuverable than T-34 tanks due to the heavier armor, and the armor was still not thick enough to satisfy Soviet military leadership. In the fall of 1943, the focus of tank development shifted toward better guns rather than thicker armor, thus the T-43 project was scrapped. Instead, the Uralvagonzavod complex was told to focus on fitting a more lethal gun on the existing T-34 medium tanks, which ultimately resulted in the T-34-85 design.

SPECIFICATIONS

T-43

Machinery	One V-2-34 diesel engine rated at 500hp
Suspension	Torsion beam suspension
Armament	1x76.2mm F-34 tank gun, 2x7.62mm DT machine guns
Armor	Turret front 90mm, hull 75mm, top and bottom 16mm
Crew	4
Length	8.10 m
Width	3.00 m
Height	2.58 m
Weight	34.0 t
Speed	50 km/h
Range	300 km

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