KV-13

KV-13
Type	Medium tank
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
Used by	Soviet Union
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	SKB-2
Designed	1941—1942
Manufacturer	Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant
Produced	1942—1943
No. built	3
Specifications
Mass	32 metric tons
Length	6.65 m (with gun forward)
Width	2.8 m
Height	2.5 m
Crew	3
Armor	120 mm maximum
Main armament	76-mm ZIS-5 tank gun
Secondary armament	1 × 7,62-mm DT-29 MG
Engine	V12, liquid-cooled diesel engine 600 hp (441 kW)
Transmission	mechanical
Suspension	Torsion bar suspension
Ground clearance	450 mm
Operational range	320 km (200 miles)
Maximum speed	65 km/h (40 mph)

The KV-13 (Object 233) was an experimental Soviet medium tank created during World War II. It was developed on the KV-1 chassis in the SKB-2 design bureau of the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant in late 1941 — early 1942, as a "universal" tank, intended to replace the production of T-34 medium tanks and KV heavy tanks at the same time.

The first prototype of the KV-13 was made in the spring of 1942, but in the fall of that year its tests showed its lack of mechanical reliability and the need to strengthen the armour and the need to equip with the new three-seat turret. While in December 1942 began production of two modified prototypes in design which takes into account these requirements, work on the KV-13 as a medium tank was discontinued in favor of continuing the T-34 manufacturing. The further development of the project using two modified KV-13 prototypes led to the creation in 1943 of the IS-1 heavy tank.

Bibliography

• А. Г. Солянкин, М. В. Павлов, И. В. Павлов, И. Г. Желтов. Отечественные бронированные машины. XX век. 1941—1945. Template:Ref-ru — Москва: Экспринт, 2005. — Т. 2. — 448 с. — 2000 экз. — ISBN 5-94038-074-3
• Свирин М. Н. Броневой щит Сталина. История советского танка 1937—1943. Template:Ref-ru — М.: Яуза, Эксмо, 2006. — 448 с. — (Советские танки). — 4000 экз. — ISBN 5-699-16243-7