Availability Of Soviet Tanks 1941-45

In 1941 light tanks made up 93.8% of Soviet tanks, medium tanks 4.0%, and heavy tanks 2.2%. This would transition in 1945 to; 32.7% light tanks, 48.8% medium tanks, and 18.5% heavy tanks. Not only were the percentages changing but the overall quantities of medium and heavy tanks were rising as well. Total quantity of available tanks in 1941 was 22,600 and due to tremendous losses on the battlefield would only rise 25,400 in 1944.

Note 1: Availability does not equal number produced during the year. How to calculate: Number available on Jan 1 of a given year = number available on Jan 1 of the preceding year + number received in the preceding year – number loss in the preceding year. See either ‘Data” or ‘Transposed Data” downloads below for actual data.

Note 2: 1941 availability numbers are as of the eve of the German invasion, June 22, 1941. All other availability numbers were as of January 1 of each of the following years.

Heavy Tanks

The Soviet Union developed and produced a series of heavy tanks that played a crucial role in the outcome of the conflict. Here’s a brief overview of the evolution of Soviet heavy tanks during the war:

KV-1:

The KV-1 was a heavy tank that was introduced in 1939. It was heavily armored and armed with a 76.2mm gun. However, it was slow and difficult to maneuver, which limited its effectiveness on the battlefield.

KV-1S:

The KV-1S was a lighter and more maneuverable version of the KV-1 that was introduced in 1942. It had thinner armor than the original KV-1, but was faster and more agile, making it more effective in combat.

KV-85:

The KV-85 was a variant of the KV-1S that was armed with an 85mm gun. It was introduced in 1943 and saw limited use in combat.

IS-1/IS-2:

The IS-1 (also known as the IS-85) and IS-2 were heavy tanks that were introduced in 1943 and 1944, respectively. They were heavily armored and armed with an 85 mm and 122mm guns respectively, making them highly effective in combat. They were also faster and more maneuverable than earlier Soviet heavy tanks, which improved their tactical flexibility. The IS-1 was produced in limited numbers, with only around 100 tanks built before it was replaced by the more advanced IS-2 tank. The Battle of Kursk in July 1943 saw the first deployment of the IS-2 heavy tank. The tanks were used to great effect, with their heavy armor and powerful guns helping to stop the German advance.

IS-3:

The IS-3 was a heavy tank that was introduced in 1945, towards the end of the war. It was heavily armored and armed with a 122mm gun, like the IS-2, but had a lower profile and more sloped armor, which made it more difficult to hit.

Usage

The IS-2 and IS-3 heavy tanks of the Soviet Union were designed to counter the German heavy tanks of the time, such as the Tiger I and II, and the Panther. Both the IS-2 and IS-3 had heavy armor that was thicker and more sloped than that of the German heavy tank making them more difficult to penetrate from enemy fire.

Operation Bagration, the Soviet offensive in Belarus in the summer of 1944 saw the widespread deployment of the IS-2 and KV-1 heavy tanks along with many other tank models. They played a key role in breaking through German lines and driving the enemy back especially by dealing with heavily fortified German positions. The heavy armor and powerful guns of these tanks allowed them to withstand enemy fire and destroy enemy tanks and fortifications with greater ease than the medium and light tanks.

Overall, the evolution of Soviet heavy tanks during World War II was characterized by a focus on heavy armor and firepower, as well as improvements in mobility and maneuverability. The IS-2 and IS-3 in particular were highly effective heavy tanks that played a crucial role in the Soviet Union’s eventual victory over Nazi Germany.

Soviet Armored Vehicles Availability 1941-45 Chart Data

The above graph can be downloaded as an image.

To download the data shown below from which the graph was developed click on the icon below corresponding to you desired format. Note: to ensure all data is downloaded choose the ‘All’ selection in the Show Entries dropdown list. Otherwise only the data visible on the screen will download.

Availability Data for Chart Above

wdt_ID	Tank Type	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945
1	Light	21,200	6,300	11,000	10,300	8,300
2	Medium	900	800	7,600	9,200	12,400
3	Heavy	500	600	2,000	1,600	4,700

Source: Soviet Causalities and Combat Losses in the Twentieth Century Greenhill Books, London, Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania, 1997, Table 95 (selected data) Section III Armored Vehicles, Pages 252-253, Edited by Colonel General G.F. Krivosheev