Lower Front Hull Armor Angle on T34 and T34/85

[rexford]

Playing the CMBB game recently, I noticed the 45mm/53 degrees armor listing for the front lower hull on the subject tanks. This looks like a mistake.

The British analysis of a T34 M42 resulted in 60 degrees for the glacis and front lower hull, data on the OnWar site has 60 degrees for T34 and T34/85 front lower hull.

The only reference to 53 degrees for the front lower hull is on the Russian Battlefield site at the following address:

http://www.battlefield.ru/t34_76_2.html

Although the drawing on the site indicates that the lower front hull armor is at 53 degrees from vertical, measurements from the drawing reveal a 60 degree angle. Please also note that the same drawing shows the hull side superstructure thickness at 40mm (40 degrees) even though it is actually 45mm.

The Russian Battlefield drawing angle on the upper hull rear is listed as 42 degrees from vertical, but it measures 49 degrees from vertical and other materials also suggest it is close to 50 degrees.

In short, the listed angles on the Russian Battlefield T34 drawings look suspect and may not be correct. The angles in our book for T34 and T34/85 (60 degrees for glacis and front lower hull, and 50 degrees for upper hull rear) seem more reasonable.

[ November 13, 2003, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: rexford ]