Reply To: Optional Participation CAMPAIGN – Bolt Action Boot Camp

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@phaidknott – Indeed, the T-34/85 is the first Soviet tank to my knowledge to adopt a more “western” style three-man turret (commander, loader, gunner) – as well as most tanks having their own radios – first showing up in real battalion strength at the VERY end of 1943, early 1944.

The T-34/A-Ds (76.2mm) had two-man turrets, with the commander also having to fire the main gun.

There were also two men in the hull, so there was at least SUPPOSED to be a radio operator down there … but post-purge Soviet training and doctrine never really caught back up to this idea before 1941, so that second hull crewman was relegated to hull machine gunner, with the space for the missing radio usually just left empty or filled with extra MG ammo.  This seems to be another issue fixed with the advent of the 85, although A FEW Soviet tank brigades / corps seem to be lucky enough to start acquiring a few additional radios before that / training some of their sharper crewmen in their use.  It was never a widespread thing, though, at least not until 1944.

The metamorphosis of the Red Army, especially its mechanized elements, from 1941-45 is really remarkable.  A true phoenix from the ashes.