Here is a fun fact most people don’t know…. The Soviet T-34 was actually evaluated by the U.S. and U.K. for possible use during WWII.
Now despite what many a Soviet Fanboys want to believe, the Soviet Union did receive billions in aid from both the United States and United Kingdom during World War 2. This included aircraft, trucks, ammunition, boots/uniforms and of course, tanks. As up to 4000 Sherman Tanks found their way into Red Army Service, along side British Valentines.
But what most people don’t know, was that the Western Allies were interested in Soviet Tanks as well. Specifically the KV-1 and most interestingly of all, the T-34. As they were seriously considering cloning the designs for use by their respective armies.
As a result, T-34 (specifically the T-34/76) were sent to both the UK and US of evaluation. And almost immediately the U.S. Army rejected the Soviet tank, as testing at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds showed that the T-34 and KV-1 were not suited to the Army’s needs. They saw the tanks as unreliable and had poor armor protection. Putting them on the same level with the M4 Sherman, which despite it’s short comings, were more reliable, easier to produce and maintain.
The British were a little more kinder to the Soviet Tanks and were a little more willing to locally produce the T-34s. Going as far as to design new variants that would see the T-34 being fitted with either 17 Ponder main gun, while the KV-1 would have been fitted with a six inch howitzer. Both would have British supplied engines and transmissions, making a bit more robust than what the Soviet Tanks had.
But they too abandoned the idea as the Soviet designs would have to be modified heavily to meet the requirements of the British Army. Modifications they believed would negatively affect its overall performance.
But interestingly enough, the 17 Ponder which would have been used on the British T-34s, were later used on the Sherman Firefly.
~NC