T34/85 Tank

[Neil Ashley]

This question is slightly off our normal subject area, but I was in the Belgium Tank Museum at the weekend and noticed this Tank.

Is this a repair on the corner of the hull, or did the Russians make their tanks this way? It is obviously creating a weak point in the front plate. There were also other plates welded else where on the body and turret.

Any suggestions?

Neil,
I would suspect that the patches are repairs to holes cut in the hull and turret that were made to facilitate inspection of the vehicle by a potential rival. It was and still is a common practice to cut holes in armoured vehicles for making training aids.

Perry

[Neil Ashley]

Perry

Considering where the other repairs were I think you have the right answer.

I had assumed that this tank had been presented to the museum by the Russian Goverment at the same time as their JS3, but obviously not. Its a pitty that the JS3 is now left out-side to rot.

Neil,

Was there any indication of where this T34 came from, or if it is a war production model?

Perry

[Neil Ashley]

Perry

The label on the vehicle was not in English. You also need a degree in T85 design to tell the difference between a war-time and post-war production tank when there are no obvious late features.

Both the mushroom ventilators were at the rear of the turret, but I have seen this on post-war production tanks as well. The turret casting was also neither particularly rough or smoth.

I assume if your suggestion is correct that it was captured in Korea.

There were also repairs to the turret side and round one of the hooks on the front of the hull.

Hi Neil,
If the commanders cupola has a split 2 piece hatch, or the turret does not have the small bulge on the front lower left side, it would indicate pre 45 production. The addition of the bulge and the single piece hatch were late 44 early 45 additions. The Czech produced T34s had the turret roof ventillators at the rear of the turret until production ended in 1964. The Russians split the vents fore and aft in 1947. Looking at the neatness of the turret casting, I would guess post war Czech production.
Perry

[Neil Ashley]

Perry

Thank you for the information.

I would consider a war-time T34/85 if one ever came up at a sensible price. Hundreds must have been scraped in recent years with more presumably still in storage.