Mikhail Koshkin, a Russian tank designer, played a crucial role in the development of the T-34, one of the most influential tanks of World War II. Born in 1898 to a poor peasant family, Koshkin rose from humble beginnings to become a key figure in Soviet tank design. Despite initial opposition from the Soviet military command, Koshkin's innovative design, which featured a diesel engine, sloped armor, and a 76-mm cannon, eventually gained the support of Joseph Stalin. The T-34 proved to be a game-changer in the war, outperforming German tanks and earning the respect of Adolf Hitler, who reportedly declared Koshkin his personal enemy. Koshkin died in 1940, but his legacy lived on as the T-34 went on to become one of the most produced tanks in history, with over 52,000 units manufactured during the war.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The T-34 tank was produced in over 52,000 units during World War II.
2. Mikhail Koshkin was the designer of the T-34 tank.
3. Koshkin was born in the village of Brynchagi, Yaroslavl Province, to a family of poor peasants.
4. Koshkin's father died when he was six years old.
5. Koshkin worked as a laborer and survived the Russian Civil War.
6. Koshkin joined the Red Army in 1918 and fought against the White Army for over two years.
7. Koshkin became interested in tanks after seeing a Ricardo tank (Mk V) during the Civil War.
8. Koshkin worked at the Krasnoe Sormovo factory, where the first Soviet tank was assembled.
9. In 1933, Adolf Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany and prioritized the development of mechanized warfare.
10. Koshkin was assigned to design a new wheeled caterpillar vehicle with armor protection and a 45-mm gun.
11. Koshkin proposed a revolutionary tank project with a diesel engine, reliable armor, and sloped front plates.
12. The project was called the A-32, which later became the T-34 tank.
13. Koshkin presented the design for the T-34 to the Chief Military Council in the summer of 1938.
14. The T-34 was initially criticized and called "an overshoe" by some experts.
15. Stalin supported the development of the T-34.
16. Koshkin drove one of the T-34 tanks from Kharkov to Moscow to demonstrate its capabilities.
17. The T-34 was tested at the Kubinka test range and performed well despite some minor failures.
18. Koshkin became seriously ill during the testing phase but continued to work.
19. Mikhail Koshkin died on September 26, 1940, before seeing his creation in combat.
20. By June 1941, 1,225 T-34s had been produced, and tens of thousands more were produced during the war.
21. According to some sources, Hitler declared Koshkin his personal enemy posthumously.
22. The Germans bombed the tomb of Mikhail Koshkin, deliberately hitting a non-military target.