-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 placed on the left side of the vehicle and could be hit more easily than one in a more conventional tank. Armor thickness was 75 mm (2.95 in) for hull and 90 mm (3.54 in) on the front of the turret. The side armor was 45 mm (1.77 in) thick and it could have a 30 mm plate added.
However, there was widespread skepticism over the design – the engine and transmission in particular. A 12 cylinder engine with a displacement of 40 liters which was perpendicular to the direction of travel could break the connection rods and effectively disable the tank. However, Morozov argued that whilst transmission was complicated by this, it did solve some problems. Firstly, the engine and transmission were now more accessible for maintenance. Secondly, the turret could now be placed in the center of the hull, which moved the vehicle’s rotational axis and center of mass, thus making the main gun more accurate.
The thickness of the armor could also be doubled without disturbing the vehicle’s center of mass, which meant that it could be better protected whilst maintaining stability. Whilst these developments sound superb, the trials that the T-44-122 undertook in February and March 1944 were not successful, as the gun failed.
Trials were resumed in April and May after a brief return to the factory for repairs. It was put up against a captured Panther tank and the second T-44-85 prototype. It did not go well. It was discovered that the rate of fire was no more than three rounds per minute because the ammo was so heavy. As well as this, the turret was cramped and had an abysmal storage space that could only fit 24 rounds. Development of the T-44-122 was subsequently ended. However, the second T-44-85 prototypes showed somewhat more promise. Other than mounting the smaller 85 mm (3.35 in) gun, they had minor differences between them, such as the position of the driver’s hatch, and one having a splashboard on the glacis plate.
One of the prototypes had an 85 mm ZiS-S-53 gun and an increased turret armor of 115 mm (4.53 in), as well as hull s