SMK Heavy Tank |
| Written by Marcia Malory | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The SMK heavy tank (named after Communist Party leader Sergei Mironovich Kirov) and the T-100 heavy tank were both designed by Zhozef Yakovlevich Kotin in 1938. Both of these Soviet tanks looked very similar. The SMK and the T-100 each had two turrets - an upper central turret with 360 degree traverse that mounted a 3 inch (76.2mm) gun and a lower front turret which only had 180 degree traverse and mounted a 1.77 inch (45mm) gun.
A new type of track was used on the SMK. This track had small pitch links with lots of spuds to provide traction. The hull and the turret of the SMK were made of cast armor, up to 2.36 (60mm) thick, which was supposed to provide protection against a 1.46 inch (37mm) anti-tank round at any range. The SMK heavy tank was developed as a prototype. It was tested during the Winter War against Finland. When the SMK was engaged in battle, the Soviets discovered that the tank didn't have enough armor or firepower to be effective. The SMK also proved to be hard to maneuver. The Soviets therefore decided to give up on the SMK and work on developing the KV-1 heavy tank instead.
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The SMK, which was 11 tons lighter than the T-100, had a new torsion bar suspension with eight independently sprung wheels, which had rubber bushed hubs, and four return rollers on each side.