Relatively recently, in the conditions of the most popular computer war game “shooting”, the Soviet X-level heavy tank was announced (“Object 260”). This machine, judging by the indicated characteristics, is a formidable military weapon capable of hitting almost all types of armored vehicles.
So what is this same “object 260”? WOT (World of Tanks - "World of Tanks") gives out not very detailed information. The creators of the game limited themselves to stingy data, indicating the year of release and the main combat characteristics, without specifying many circumstances associated with the creation of this outstanding, but little-known model of the Soviet Stalinist defense industry. But this topic seems very interesting …
Moscow parade
At the time of the end of World War II, the industry of the USSR was almost completely militarized. The reason is clear: the country exerted all its strength to defeat a strong enemy. However, the transfer of the economy to military tracks began long before 1941, since the beginning of the German attack, this process became hypertrophied. Excellent examples of military equipment, which are ahead of their modern counterparts by decades, were created in the second half of the thirties. These are the T-34, BT-7 and KV tanks.
Towards the end of the war, the production of armored vehicles in the USSR reached unprecedented levels in history both in quantitative and qualitative terms. The crown of this era was the "object 260" 1945 release. It was a real masterpiece in the field of tank building art.
The military attaches, who were present at the 1945 Victory Parade in Moscow, when they saw the ISs, could not restrain their emotions.
The faces of the Western countries were reflected in a mixture of two feelings that seized their minds: surprise and fright. The Soviet comrades good-naturedly clapped them on the backs: "Nothing, do not be afraid, because we are allies!" But fear for some reason did not pass. At the same time, the tanks that the Western military experts saw were not the most modern at that time, they were the IS-3. Object 260 was not shown to them. Even his appearance was a state secret at that time.
Allies and their tanks
The USSR as of 1945 possessed tank power, quantitatively exceeding all the armored forces of other countries combined. But it's not about the number of cars. The US military industry has been seriously developed, the budget has enough money to increase production, and if necessary, the Americans could produce tens of thousands of tanks. Another question, which ones? "Sherman" "rivet"? Yes, in the most literal sense, since the armored hull of this tank had riveted joints. The sample in all respects is morally and technologically obsolete. Next to it, the usual Soviet “thirty-four” looked like a miracle of technology, not like the IS-7 tank. The remaining samples of allied armored power made no less depressing impression. To the scheme that Soviet designers arrived at the end of the thirties, the world tank building will get only in the mid-fifties.
Four main differences of Soviet tanks
The main drawback of all foreign tanks of the forties was the gasoline carburetor engine. The second structural defect is front-wheel drive, which “eats” the internal space, complicating the kinematic scheme and forcing to increase the profile, while simultaneously increasing the mass of armor protection, and, consequently, the entire machine. The third problem was, in most cases, the insufficient caliber of the turret gun. And the fourth unpleasant moment for the British, American, French, German and other tankmen of the war years was the irrational arrangement of armor plates, the absence of correctly calibrated tilt angles. In other words, the majority of combat vehicles of the Allied armies did not have a worthy protivosnaryadny reservation. Some German samples at the end of the war received powerful guns and thick protection, sometimes even inclined. The hands of the Nazi designers did not reach the rational layout and powerful diesel.
All of these shortcomings did not have “object 260”. The tank, the photo of which clearly shows the long "trunk" of the 130-mm guns, the streamlined outlines of the tower and the armored hull, can not give an idea of everything that is hidden under the armor. But experts in appearance could guess a lot.
Chelyabinsk-Leningrad
"Object 260" (tank IS-7) was developed under the leadership of the brilliant general designer Nikolai Shashmurin, and the author of the sketch drawings was J.Ya. Kotin, who worked at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant. The case took place shortly after the victory, in September 1945, from which we can conclude that the improvement of our armored vehicles was ongoing.
The project was a further development of the concept, implemented on the example of the IS-3, but in the course of work on it many new ideas appeared that turned out to be very successful and applied in other models, later ones, including the latest Russian and foreign tanks. “Object 260” was brought to perfection already in Leningrad.
Why did Stalin need such a tank
In a socialist society, the economy (like science, culture, and everything else) was planned. It was some American Christie who could invent the suspension, and then think about who to sell this thing to. Soviet engineers did not work like that. If the “Object 260” was created (the IS-7 tank, named after the most important leader), then by direct order of Stalin. And he just didn’t order anything.
Is such a machine needed to combat the armored vehicles of a potential enemy? In the game World of Tanks, this is exactly what the Soviet heavy X-level tank is used for. "Object 260" confronts the "Tigers" and "Panthers" (which in real life has never happened), shoots at them and wins, adding points to the gamer. But not for this, it was created in 1945, then there were no worthy rivals for it.
The IS-7 tank is intended for the assault on fortified defense. He had to freely pass through any URam, sowing panic and destruction. The name itself speaks of this. Indeed, even the idea that Joseph Stalin was burned or broken could be expensive at that time.
Against the “Object 260”, all anti-tank weapons of the mid-forties were practically powerless. This explains the surprise and fear of foreign observers during the parade on September 7, 1945. It was perfectly clear to military experts how the IS attack on any line of defense of the borders of the "free world" would end in the event of an armed conflict with the USSR. This tank is like a crushing heavy hammer that can pierce a wide opening. And after that, thousands of T-34s will rush into the gaping hole, fast and also powerful, making coverage, surrounding, cutting communications, as recently as the spring of 1945 …
Armored Corps and Tower
"Object 260" arr. 1945 has a smoothly streamlined shape, which even taking into account the deadly purpose of this sample looks aesthetically pleasing.
The tower is a flattened hemispherical cast with a spacious internal volume. The armored hull is technologically perfect, the methods of press bending, welding are used, the nose has the shape of a “pike nose” similar to that used in the IS-3.
"Object 260" has a powerful reservation, its thickness ranges from 20 (some sections of the roof of the engine compartment and underbody) to 210 mm, and on a gun’s mask it reaches 355 mm. Such differentiated decisions indicate the desire to rationalize the weight, affecting the combat characteristics of the machine. The angle of inclination of the reflecting planes ranges from 51 to 60 degrees. The IS-7 tank is not just a successful technical model, it is beautiful.
Power part
In order to appreciate the military model, it’s time to move from arguments about the concept to dry numbers. What was technically “object 260”? The tank is built according to the scheme, today considered a classic. The engine is located in the aft compartment, its power is more than a thousand horsepower. Used marine diesel M-50T, which says a lot.
The transmission was designed in two versions. In the first, the number of gears was limited to six, the eight-speed planetary gearbox had an “object 260-2”. The tank included fourteen double track rollers (seven on board). For the first time in the USSR, caterpillars were equipped with rubber-metal hinges.
Driveability and geometry
There is an established stereotype of a heavy tank as a slow-moving slow-moving monster. The dimensions and weight of the last “Joseph Stalin” are impressive: length - 10 meters (with a cannon), width - 3.4 m, weight - more than 60 tons. But all these cyclopic parameters do not at all indicate the low mobility that the “object 260” has. The tank can reach speeds of up to 55 km / h, overcome steep slopes of 30 degrees, and wade at depths of up to one and a half meters. Cruising range - 300 km, which is not so little. The IS-7 tank is low, its profile is only 2.5 meters. This is good, because it is difficult to get into it.
A gun
The S-70 gun is rifled, originally ship, its caliber is 130 mm. The shell is charged separately from the shell, this process is time-consuming, which necessitated an increase in the “crew of the combat vehicle” to 5 people and the use of an electric drive.
The gun is equipped with perfect fire control devices for those times. Ammunition consists of 30 shells (high-explosive and high-caliber shells) located at the rear of the tower. Rate of fire is small - up to 8 rounds per minute. The muzzle brake is single-chamber, mesh type. Barrel length exceeds 57 calibers.
Machine guns
There are eight of them, and the “Object 260” had to fight their main enemy - infantry armed with anti-tank weapons. KPVT caliber of 14.5 mm mounted on the mask of the gun together with two SGMT (7.62 mm). One large caliber is on a turret. Two SGMT protect the rear hemisphere on the tower. And two more - on the sides of the case. Getting to the IS-7 tank would be a daunting task, because it is covered from all sides. And one more interesting fact: machine guns were controlled remotely-telemetrically by means of electromechanical units.
