Figure 1.--This photograph shows a Red Army colmun headed by a group of IS-2 'Josef Stalin' heavy tank. It almost ceratainly was taken in 1944, probably as part of the Bagration offensive launched after D-Day in the West. Notice the radio antenna. The tank behonf it does not seem to have an atenna.

Some of the Soviet heavy tanks proved virtually indestructable, but difficult to deploy and maneuver. There were wtwo Soviet havy tank seies, the KVs amd the ISs. The massive KVs had two types, KV-1s and KV-2s. The IS (Joseph Stalin) series proved more effective. The IS series were heavy developed as an improvement on the KV tanks. It was entirely redesigned. The Soviets developed the IS series with notably thick, sloping armor to withstand the German 88 mm guns. Unike the KVs, the IS tanks despite the size and weight has surprising mobility. The IS tanks also had a main gun capable of engaging the German Panthers and even the fearsome Tigers. It was used as a spearhead breakthrough tank, to punch a hole in German lines that the T-34 and Red Army infantory could than pour through. The IS tanks were made in much smaller numbers than the T-34s. Nearly 5,000 IS-2s were built, but we are unsure of the number built during the War. The most succesful design was the IS-2 which first saw action in the final battles of the War (April 1944). In addition to anti-tank shells, it carried a heavy high-explosive shell that could be use to destroy bunkers, trenches, and other strong points. was useful against entrenchments and bunkers. The IS-2 was a monster. Interestingly, virtually everyone knows about the German Tigers, but very few people have heard about the Soviet IS-2s except for individuals who have studied the War in some detail. And there were three times more IS-2s built than Tigers. The IS-2s were, however, not as large as the German Tigers, especially the massive Tiger II.

The KV Series

Some of the Soviet heavy tanks proved virtually indestructable, but difficult to deploy and maneuver. The Kliment Voroshilov (KV) tanks were a series of Soviet heavy tanks named after the Soviet defense commissar Kliment Voroshilov. They were designed to address problems the Red army had encountered dirung the Winter war with Finland. The massive KVs had two types, KV-1s and KV-2s. They were not upgrades, but two very different tanks. The KV series were notable for their heavy armour protection. The KV tanks at first were a problem for the Germans during Barbarossa (June-December 1941). There were reports of a solitary KV-1 or KV-2 supported by infantry halting large German formations. The German tanks used in Barbarossa not equipped to deal with the heavy armor. The Germans dealt with them the same way that the Western Allies woild lter deal with the German Tigers. The Germans fererred to them as the 'Russischer Koloss' (Russian Colossus). Each of theKV tanks had serious weaknesses. And neither was made in substbtial numbers.

The IS Series

The IS (Joseph Stalin) series proved more effective. The IS series were heavy developed as an improvement on the KV tanks. It was entirely redesigned. The Soviets developed the IS series with notably thick, sloping armor to withstand the German 88 mm guns. Unike the KVs, the IS tanks despite the size and weight has surprising mobility. The IS tanks also had a main gun capable of engaging the German Panthers and even the fearsome Tigers. It was used as a spearhead breakthrough tank, to punch a hole in German lines that the T-34 and Red Army infantory could than pour through. The IS tanks were made in much smaller numbers than the T-34s. Nearly 5,000 IS-2s were built, but we are unsure of the number built during the War. The most succesful design was the IS-2 which first saw action in the final battles of the War (April 1944). In addition to anti-tank shells, it carried a heavy high-explosive shell that could be use to destroy bunkers, trenches, and other strong points. was useful against entrenchments and bunkers. The IS-2 was a monster. Interestingly, virtually everyone knows about the German Tigers, but very few people have heard about the Soviet IS-2s except for individuals who have studied the War in some detail. And there were three times more IS-2s built than Tigers. The IS-2s were, however, not as large as the German Tigers, especially the massive Tiger II.

Created: 8:34 AM 3/12/2017
Last updated: 5:34 AM 10/9/2017