The history of Soviet tank building knows many examples of successful, but never realized projects. Some ideas did not develop beyond rough sketches, others were able to prove their relevance, but did not find interest from the ruling party. The same happened to the Soviet heavy tank "Object 770", which is still of interest to fans of military equipment, despite the fact that N. Khrushchev was not allowed to mass production by the Secretary General of the CPSU Central Committee.
How it all began
In the second half of the 20th century, the situation between the countries of the West and the USSR began to rapidly heat up. This confrontation is known to all as an arms race, or the Cold War. The confrontation forced to constantly improve military equipment in order to be ready to repel a surprise attack.
Existing tank models, according to the Politburo, ceased to meet the requirements of harsh reality. In this regard, in 56, the USSR armored directorate developed new requirements for
heavy equipment. So began the development of three new tanks at once, among which was the 770 Object. One of them was supposed to replace the T-10.
The design team of ChTZ was led by Pavel Pavlovich Isakov. By that time, the project manager was known for creating a new class of military equipment - infantry fighting vehicles, as well as participating in the design of the T-10 and a number of other models. The designer was assisted by V.D. Chudakov, who was instructed to create an original power plant.
Layout and booking
Unlike the other two models, which were developed in parallel by the designers of the Leningrad Tractor Plant based on existing equipment, the "Object 770" was created from scratch. All nodes and main units were designed and put into practice for the first time.
The experimental heavy tank "Object 770" had a classic layout. Three of the four crew members were deployed in the fighting compartment. The case became an innovation - for the first time it was decided to make it cast.
The armor of the tank had a thickness differentiated in length and height. In addition, the sides were tilted at angles ranging from 64
about to 70
about . Their thickness varied from 65 to 84 mm. The upper part of each side had a thickness of 105 mm. A board was laid along the entire perimeter of the hull to increase armor resistance.
The same principle was the basis for booking the frontal part. It was decided to make the tower also cast. She had an alternating wall thickness. The frontal part of the tower thickened to 290 mm and had an inclination angle of 30 ° . The junction of the tower with the hull was protected.
Armor Tests
During the first tests, the feasibility of using a one-piece body with alternating wall thickness and different tilt angles was confirmed. Tank "770 Object" withstood hit 120 mm projectile at a distance of 200 meters. In this case, the angle of fire was completely not important. The same went for booking the tower.
During the tests, the effectiveness of lengthening the stern of the turret was confirmed in order to establish a semi-automatic loading mechanism, as well as expanding the frontal part for mounting the aiming rangefinder.
Armament
The main armament of the tank was the 130-mm M65 gun, developed under the guidance of Tsiryulnikov specifically for the heavy tanks “Object 277” and “Object 770”. The cannon used a mechanized warhead with an electromechanical rammer, which facilitated and accelerated loading. The rate of fire of the 770 Object was 5-6 rounds per minute.
The guidance mechanism in the vertical plane consisted of two hydraulic cylinders. They were located on both sides of the gun. Along the way, the left served as a hydraulic stop, and the right - the role of a stabilizer in the vertical plane. This, combined with the Storm stabilizer, significantly increased the accuracy of the gun.
A 14.5 mm KPVT machine gun mated with a cannon . Ammunition consisted of 37 cannon shells and 250 rounds for a machine gun. 18 shots for the M65 gun were located in the tower in the loading mechanism. Gun guidance was carried out by an automated system. The operator was assisted by TPD-2S (rangefinder sight), TPN (night sighting and observation device).
Engine and transmission
The development of the power plant on the "Object 770" (tank) was engaged in by a team of designers led by Chudakov. They, as an initial sample, were asked to use a B-10 diesel engine. As a result, a four-stroke 10-cylinder DTN-10 unit with a two-row layout scheme was born.
The cylinders were arranged vertically. The engine had a water cooling system and inflated from the compressor, and was located in front of the tank, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The power of the installation at 2500 thousand revolutions per minute during the test amounted to a thousand horsepower.
Transmission
The transmission was represented by a dual-flow hydromechanical design with a planetary-type manual gearbox and a torque converter. The latter, together with two guiding devices in the power circuit was connected in parallel. This design solution made the machine highly mobile.
The transmission of the 770 Object tank had three forward gears (one mechanical and two hydromechanical), as well as one reverse gear. The gearbox and its drive were designed to create the ability to start the engine from the tug.
Another feature of the transmission was the ability to brake the engine by engaging either reverse gear or the first forward speed. The driver was driving the vehicle using a motorcycle-type helm.
Caterpillar mover
The undercarriage was a hydropneumatic design with six large-diameter track rollers and internal shock absorption on each side. The tracks with an open mechanical hinge had locking fingers. The hydraulic construction was responsible for their tension.
The drive wheel was located at the rear. It had removable gear rims, which should have been maintained maintainability. One of the features of the suspension was the complete absence of support rollers. The chassis, along with the transmission, increased maneuverability.
Reviews
During the tests, the tank received numerous positive reviews. Its high speed and maneuverability were highlighted, and the crew’s protection from the effects of a nuclear strike was also emphasized. However, the “Object 770” of the USSR was never seen in its army. What caused the completion of development in this direction is not known.
Perhaps this can be explained by the views of Khrushchev. He believed that the tanks were obsolete, and in modern combat are ineffective. In addition, the idea of creating a missile tank, which would become a real fighter of any military equipment.