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MarkHolloway · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:03 pm Post subject: T-34 Question

I'm reading a book about WW2 and it claims the Soviet T34 was a American design? Is that true?

Joe_D · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

That does much discredit to the Russian designer, who's name I cannot recall but died of illness (pneumonia ?) during the war.

I've seen published in many older books (cold war era) linking the design to Christie and as so much claiming if it wasn't for him there wouldn't be a T34. I believe this was more to do with politics/ nationalism and not so much on fact, which was hard to access during that time. Now access and info is much greater in Russia. I wish I could remember the book/article I read in regards to Soviet tank design in WWII, but it was very interesting, dealing with politics, rivalries, and decision making.

I'm sure Taranov can help with this, considering his access and location.

George_Bradford · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:41 pm Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

Hi Mark;

Your question re the origin of the T-34 is as old as Armour Modeling.
Go to my web site and click on The Christie Story.

http://www.afvnews.org/

Christie was an American vehicle designer who also dabbled in tanks during the 30's.
The US Army turned down most of his offerings, but the Brits, the Poles and also the Russians took an interest in it and developed "Christie suspension" tanks. The Russian BT-2, BT-5 and BT-7 fast tanks lead eventually to the T-34 medium tank, and that is most of the story.

All the best from Canada...

bsmart · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:55 pm Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

- MarkHolloway

I'm reading a book about WW2 and it claims the Soviet T34 was a American design? Is that true?

Just curious which book?

As George stated the starting point was the Christie chassis design but claiming it was an American design does a great disservice to the team that combined the Christie suspension, well sloped armor, an adequate diesel engine and a large multipurpose gun into a vehicle that was producable in large volume under very trying conditions and had enough growth potential that it was up gunned and up armored and still a useful weapon system at the end of the war

MarkHolloway · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 9:35 pm Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

"Citizen Soldiers" by Stephen E. Ambrose.

Joe_D · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:29 pm Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

IIRC the T34 dispensed with the "Christie" suspension and went with torsion bars.

I remember when I was a young naive troop they taught us that anything with no support rollers were "Christie" type suspensions, to include the M551. Probably made it easier for us to remember but in actuality very inaccurate.

MarkHolloway · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 11:46 pm Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

I was taught the same thing, Joe.

Kurt_Laughlin · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 577

T-34s had Christie suspensions to the end. The T-44s (ur-T-54) had torsion bars, I think, as did the KV and IS.

KL

bsmart · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:19 am Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

- Joe_D

IIRC the T34 dispensed with the "Christie" suspension and went with torsion bars.

I remember when I was a young naive troop they taught us that anything with no support rollers were "Christie" type suspensions, to include the M551. Probably made it easier for us to remember but in actuality very inaccurate.

s42.photobucket.com/al...P_0290.jpg

Nope the T34 has coil springs. This is the best picture I could dig up right now of the cutopen T34 at Aberdeen. If you look close you can see the boxes extending up from the wheels that contain the spring (One begins at the joint of the front glacias and the top deck and angles down to the second roadwheel). The T44 was supposed to be the replacement for the T34 and had torsion bar suspension but never went into major series production.

I know some WWII era authors (Beldon Cooper in Death Traps comes to mind) considered any large roadwheel tank, including the Panther as a 'Christie suspension'

Joe_D · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:26 am Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

Bob said:

Nope the T34 has coil springs.

You know, I should have known that. But for some reason I always assumed they were Torsion sprung.

Massimo_Foti · Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:05 am Post subject: Re: T-34 Question

In a similar fashion some italian authors claimed the T-34's engine was an italian design Rolling Eyes

That's because it could be that the engine was, to some extend, inspired by an Isotta Fraschini's design. Even if the italian engine was a gasoline one and the V-2 on T-34 was a diesel Rolling Eyes

Massimo

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