KV-4 Tseits [USSR, HT-8]
Historical Reference:
After receiving intelligence about the development of super-heavy tanks in Germany weighing around 90 tons, the USSR announced a competition to create a similar vehicle. The authors of successful projects were promised rewards. More than two dozen tank designs were submitted, and the tank received the designation KV-4.
The third-place entry in the competition was the project by N.V. Tzeitz. The tank was armed with a single 107 mm gun and a flamethrower. The machine-gun armament consisted of two Degtyarev tank machine guns, model 1939. The drive wheels and gearbox were located at the front, while the engine was at the rear. They were connected by a driveshaft that ran above the floor of the fighting compartment. Maintenance and repair of the transmission were provided for “in a pit” through a hatch in the bottom. Two hatches on the glacis were used to adjust the side clutches; the steep angle allowed this to be done without compromising frontal protection. This project later served as the basis for the heavier KV-5 tank.
