The introduction of the Soviet 85mm gun in 1944 did not make the T-34-85 equal in firepower, but the 85mm could penetrate both Panthers and Tigers at reasonable ranges. ![]() In 1943, the 76mm was out-ranged by the Panther's long 75mm and the Tiger's 88mm. This gun also fired an adequate HE round. ![]() In terms of firepower, the T-34's 76mm gun could penetrate any 1941 German tank with ease. By mid-1942 the T-34 was vulnerable to improved German weapons and remained so throughout the war, but its armour protection was equal to comparable tanks such as the US M4 Sherman or German Pzkw-IV. The majority of German tanks in 1941 did not have 75mm guns indeed 37mm guns were far more common. T-34s could be knocked out only by the towed 88mm Flak guns or at close range by 50mm and 75mm short-barrelled tank guns. In 1941 its thick, sloped armour could defeat all German anti-armour weapons at normal ranges. The T-34 was an outstanding balance of all three throughout its World War Two life cycle. The 'big three' of tank design have always been armour, firepower, and mobility. The T-34 was outstanding in hard factors and poor in soft ones. ![]() “The finest tank in the world” - Field Marshal Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist (Liddell Hart 1951) Combat effectiveness of early war T-34s can best be evaluated in terms of 'hard' factors-armour, firepower, and mobility-and 'soft' factors: ergonomic features such as ease of use, vision devices, crew task layout and so forth.
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