[C19fan]

T-34 was the granddaddy of the Main Battle Tank; well balanced between firepower, speed, and protection. The major defects were initially tactics, and lack of radios.

[DownInFlames]

The biggest flaw of operation Barbarosa was winter, an over extended sully line, and a constant change of directives from Hitler.

[Rinnwald]

The major defects were initially tactics, and lack of radios.

Yes, in the T-34/76 the two man turret crippled the tank commander tactically. He had to be the main gunner, tank commander, and sometimes squadron leader, all at the same time. The Soviets bitterly learned their lessons early in the war, but learn they did.

When you consider that this tank, with a 12-cylinder diesel engine, sloped armor, and a 76.2 mm gun, came in to service in 1940, it is amazing.

[FreeAtlanta]

I play wit (world of tanks) on the Xbox. The T-34 is good in the game.

[central_va]

But during a 1938-to-1939 border war with Japan, the BT-7 fared poorly. Even with a low-powered gun, Japanese Type 95 tanks easily destroyed the BT-7s.

How humiliating. Jap tanks stink on ice....

[Lazamataz]

While the T-34 is a decent tank, it is my understanding that it fares poorly against the M1A2 Abrams.

[rjsimmon]

There was nothing decent about the T-34. It was nothing more than an APC with a larger gun. Sloped armor only worked is there is enough of it to effectively deflect incoming rounds. The Russians learned quickly enough that the only way to defeat German armor was to ram it with their puny tank. Even as much as I hate the Sherman, the T-34 was worse. Only due to the vast numbers did the Russians ever gain superiority. The Soviet philosophy on the T-34 was make it with easily replaceable items such as turret, engine and crew.

[LS]

Based on a design of an American. I want to say Christie, but I'd have to check. That said, it was British tanks and American crap tanks that saved Moscow in '41/'42. One study found that over 80% of the heavy tanks outside Moscow were Brit/American tanks. I think that's high, but I'm pretty confident in a number over 50%.

And, by the way, it is easy to produce good tanks if that's all you have to produce. Russians made tanks and guns, we supplied most of their trucks and APCs, all their radio wire, most of their jet engines, sent them 11,000 tanks as well.