nsversely-mounted engine was connected to an 8-speed transmission system. A transversely-mounted engine meant that the crankshaft axis was perpendicular to the long axis of the vehicle, which not only made the entire transmission system more reliable (a real problem faced by Soviet tank crews during the war), but it made the system smaller, thus giving the crew more room, which was a total luxury in Soviet tanks.
Five sets of armor plates for the hull of a T-34M were produced by the Zhdanov Metallurgical Factory and given to Zavod Nr. 183 in Kharkiv. However, the facility had no time for this development, as it was far too busy producing the T-34, in light of decimating AFV losses against the Wehrmacht in 1941. Work on the T-34M ceased in early 1941, and the idea of gradually improving the design was considered the best way to ensure efficient production of vehicles to fight the war. Development of an almost totally new vehicle would have taken up precious time and resources, as well as there being a period in which factory workers, factories, and tank crews had to be retrained and retooled for the job.
The next major development was the T-43 in 1942. As a result of what was learned on the Eastern Front, the Red Army needed a stronger medium tank to deal with the more effective guns of newer German tanks, such as the Tiger and more updated versions of the Panzer IV. The Red Army wanted better protection, but as little weight increase as possible. They recognized that mobility would play a key role in their deep battle tactic, as proven with strong armored but slow tanks like the KV series, which were deemed unsuitable for such tactics. However, the T-43 project focused on increasing armor and allowing a turreted vehicle to carry an 85 mm (3.35 in) gun, at a time when ease of production was paramount. The T-43’s entry into production was canceled, despite being recommended for service. However, there was one significant development that the designers kept – the turret.
This new turret could not only mount the much-needed 85 mm (3.35 in) D5-T, but it also had space for three men and more ammo. Just as importantly, it fixed some the problems encountered with the T-34/76’s turret, such as the fact that shells would bounce off the sloped frontal hull armor and directly into the turret ring, killing crew members if not totally knocking the tank out. This new turret was mounted on the T-34, and the vehicle was renamed the T-34/85. The development of the T-34/100 also came to an end, after it encountered various problems. For example, firing the cannon heavily stressed or broke the tank’s suspension. Moreover, the 100 mm (3.94 in) gun was deemed unnecessary at that time.
The T-44 had several generations of prototypes. Development started in autumn 1943, in the then-Ural-based Zavod Nr. 183. Work on it started under the direct order of Stalin, who had also refused the T-43 for service, as he believed that Chief Designer A.A. Morozov would come up with something better. The idea was to keep the high mobility of the T-34, but give it armor like the KV. Such a project had been attempted by the KV-85 and IS series, but the Soviets needed a medium tank that was cheaper and easier to produce.
In 1943, the design of the vehicle, as well as a model, was presented and designated the Object 136. Three prototypes were produced between January and February of 1944. The first two had 85 mm (3.35 in) guns and the final one had a 122 mm (4.8 in) D-25-44T tank gun. The latter was based on the D-25 field gun, with the exception of a better muzzle brake, and other minor improvements making it more suitable to being mounted in an enclosed turret. This prototype was called the T-44/122.
Surprisingly, the T-44-122 only weighed 30 tonnes! This was because of the innovative engine placement, as mentioned earlier. The crew compartment was much bigger, but the turret was placed directly over the center, giving the driver less space, whilst reducing the overall length of the tank, again, allowing it to shed more weight. However, the ammo rack had to be pl