For which Soviet tank crews did not like the Allied armored vehicles that were marching towards us through the Lend-Lease

  • Jan 08, 2022
Negotiations on the first deliveries of American and British goods to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program began at the very end of 1941. As a result, during the war, the Allies supplied the USSR with a representative amount of raw materials, foodstuffs, weapons, vehicles, including armored vehicles. American and British combat vehicles made, to put it mildly, an ambiguous impression on Soviet tankers. Why did Soviet tankers scold imported tanks?
Negotiations on the first deliveries of American and British goods to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program began at the very end of 1941. As a result, during the war, the Allies supplied the USSR with a representative amount of raw materials, foodstuffs, weapons, vehicles, including armored vehicles. American and British combat vehicles made, to put it mildly, an ambiguous impression on Soviet tankers. Why did Soviet tankers scold imported tanks?
Negotiations on the first deliveries of American and British goods to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program began at the very end of 1941. As a result, during the war, the Allies supplied the USSR with a representative amount of raw materials, foodstuffs, weapons, vehicles, including armored vehicles. American and British combat vehicles made, to put it mildly, an ambiguous impression on Soviet tankers. Why did Soviet tankers scold imported tanks?

1. Sir "Churchill" himself

Churchill was not an easy machine. | Photo: pulse.mail.ru.
Churchill was not an easy machine. | Photo: pulse.mail.ru.
Churchill was not an easy machine. | Photo: pulse.mail.ru.
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The only heavy tank of the Allies, which was supplied to the USSR during the Second World War, was the British Churchill. A huge colossus with very heavy and durable armor, which was an unconditional plus. At the same time, the tank had a very weak cannon. The British gentleman could not boast of the reliability of the suspension. And the most important thing was that British heaters turned out to be useless in the conditions of the Russian winter.

Several times "Churchill" was used very effectively, primarily due to the very thick armor. In this respect, the British tank even surpassed the Russian big men in the face of the KV-1. The Churchillies fought near Vyborg, Kiev and the Kursk Bulge. However, problems with the gearbox, tracks and suspension mercilessly knocked these vehicles out of the army. Then they were used as stationary guns.

2. This is not a woman's business, "Matilda"

British Queen at the Winter Palace. | Photo: livejournal.com.
British Queen at the Winter Palace. | Photo: livejournal.com.

Main medium tank of Great Britain during the first stage of World War II. It is also the only tank in the history of the 20th century that received a female name. Before the eastern front, the Matilda had already fought in France and Africa. At the beginning of the war, it had good armor and a good 37-mm cannon. At the same time, the first batch of "Matildas" that came to the USSR were "summer", without heaters. Why I had to use them in the southern regions of the country. As stationary guns, "Matilda" was used, among other things, in the Battle of Moscow. However, as the Germans acquired modernized tanks, as well as new models of tanks and new anti-tank weapons, these British vehicles became completely helpless and useless.

3. Mr. Valentine

Valentine for the USSR. | Photo: console.worldoftanks.com.
Valentine for the USSR. | Photo: console.worldoftanks.com.

If you remove the driving performance and the Matilda's cannon, and remove all the Churchill's armor, you get Valentine. Perhaps the most controversial Allied tank of those supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease. A weak engine, in terms of firepower was inferior to even outdated Soviet tanks, a frankly strange (very vulnerable) brake design. On the eastern front, Valentine did not perform well. The tank was so bad that the Soviet designers had to quickly modify it, strengthening the armor of the tank due to additional overhead plates.

4. Bus tank M3 "Li"

Doubtful tank. | Photo: goodfon.ru.
Doubtful tank. | Photo: goodfon.ru.

American tanks M3 Lee were comparable in firepower to Soviet T-34-76. Less than a thousand of these machines were delivered to the USSR. And I must admit, it was so disgusting: weak armor, too high a profile, low speed and high gluttony. Far from being the best product of American tank building. Of course, the use of the M3 "Li" at the front was still found. As a rule, tanks helped to hold the positions until the arrival of more advanced equipment. In addition, the large dimensions made it possible to use this vehicle as a large makeshift armored personnel carrier.

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5. Sole Assistant: Private "Sherman"

The best allied tank on the Eastern Front. ¦ Photo: fonstola.ru.
The best allied tank on the Eastern Front. ¦ Photo: fonstola.ru.

At the time of the outbreak of World War II, perhaps the best allied tank and the only Lend-Lease tank, to which there were no serious complaints in the USSR. They scolded "Sherman" only for natural problems and "illnesses" of all allied equipment: lack of components for repairs and unsuitability for the Russian winter (lack of clutch). At the same time, the M4A2 "Sherman" were quite powerful, very maneuverable and fast vehicles in the family of medium tanks. In a number of parameters, the M4A2 was significantly superior to Soviet tanks. Our tankers loved American equipment for the greater comfort of the fighting compartment, greater fire safety, and overall high reliability.

By the way, the Americans approached the deliveries of the Shermans to the USSR thoroughly. Together with the first batch of tanks, a large group of engineers and technicians who worked with the M4A2 were sent to the Soviet Union. Experienced specialists were supposed to help Soviet colleagues in the repair and adaptation of tanks to Eastern European conditions. Most of all "Shermans" under the Lend-Lease received Great Britain - 17 thousand tanks. The Soviet Union received 4,000 more vehicles.

If you want to know even more interesting things, then you should read about
how the Leopards fly: what somersaults and pirouettes the main tank of the Bundeswehr is capable of.
A source:
https://novate.ru/blogs/270821/60316/

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