GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
RARE AND DESIRABLE SOVIET T-34/85 TANK.The T-34 was arguably the best tank of the Second World War. It had the right balance of what is important in a tank, reliability, maneuverability, armor and armament. The Russians in the Second World War produced the T-34 as an answer to at first the Panzer 3 and 4 and later the Panther tank. At first the T-34 was armed with the 76mm main gun but as the Germans produced better tanks the Russians chose to arm the T-34 with the 85mm main gun. The main gun is a model ZIS-S-53 firing the 85mm shell used heavily by the Russians in artillery. The tank had room to carry for the main gun 56 rounds of ammunition in either the compartments under the floor or in ready racks at the rear of the turret. The T-34/85 would be produced from 1943 until 1956, originally by the Soviets and then the Czechs and in Poland. The T-34 is crewed by 5 men, two of which are located in the hull at the front of the vehicle and three in the turret. The men in the hull are the driver and his assistant that operates the bow machine gun. In the turret are the loader, gunner and the commander. The entire crew is in one open compartment surrounded by thick armor. This compartment is separated from the engine by a fire wall which has many access doors to maintain and repair the engine. The engine is a V12 diesel model V-2-34 developing 500 hp at 1800 rpm. The engine is coupled to the transmission by a dry multi-plate manual clutch which has 5 forward and 1 reverse gear giving the tank a top speed of 35 mph. The drive system goes through rear drive sprockets and propels the tank using high flotation track connected together by dry, free floating pins. The suspension is an American design invented by J. Walter Christie which gives it smooth cross country performance over rough terrain. Access to the engine and transmission are made through panels in the fighting compartment in the tank, through a top hatch in the deck or through the rear hatches at the exhaust pipes. The tank weighs 64000 lbs, is 21' long, 9'8 wide and 8' 8" in height. It carries 155 gallons of diesel giving it a range on the road of 186 miles. [b]Note: This vehicle is displayed off site. Please contact our office for viewing information.[/b] SIZE: CONDITION: This T-34/85 is a rare and desirable Second World War tank. The tank has been stored outside on display for 8 years and shows in its paint finish. It is a wartime produced Russian hull with a Model 1946 turret (which started production in 1945). It has the desirable dished type wheels in very good condition. The tank has been stored outside and has not run for 8 years but due to the reliability and simplicity of its design it would take very little to get her into fighting condition again. The tank comes with much of its original kit that includes, cleaning rods, periscopes, interior floor ammo, tools, boxes and a pair of demilitarized DT 28 machine guns. 52675-2 MS (45,000-85,000)