T-35

T-35

T-35

USSR

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.3	1.3	1.3

Class:

PREMIUM

Heavy tank

Purchase:2 100

Description

The T-35 was one of many interwar period multi-turreted tanks built by various countries. Unfortunately, the use of multiple turrets proved worse in combat than using just a single one, so such tanks were abandoned. The T-35 was the first and only five-turreted tank in the world. Designed in the 1930s, the T-35 was basically an enlarged T-28, with a crew of ten instead of six. Unfortunately, the T-35 was plagued with mechanical problems and failures, such as a weak engine, cramped crew compartments, and thin armour of up to only 30 mm. Only 59 were produced between 1934 and 1939. Its last combat usage was recorded during the Battle of Kharkov in 1941. A single example has survived and is now located in the Kubinka Tank Museum, in running condition.

Introduced in Update 1.43, the T-35 possesses a crew of 10, allowing it to survive a few shots that would otherwise be lethal for other vehicles. Unfortunately, the T-35's main gun is a low-velocity KT-28 howitzer. The gun itself has problems penetrating most opponents, so using the front turret-mounted 45 mm 20-K cannon is advised instead. The 45 mm 20-K is able to pierce up to 58 mm of armour using its BR-243 APHEBC shell, which is sufficient for most opponents. Despite being a heavy tank, the T-35 is protected only by 30 mm of armour from the front, 23 mm on the sides, and 20 mm at the rear, making the tank vulnerable even to 12.7 mm machine gun fire. The T-35 is also powered by a very weak engine, resulting in very poor manoeuvrability, especially in urban areas, and a top speed of only 28 km/h.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back

Hull30 / 23 / 20

Turret20 / 20 / 21

Crew10 people

Visibility195 %

The T-35 has a large crew, with 10 crew members. While the armour may not provide great protection against enemies even at Rank I, the large crew count makes up in part for the tank's survivability in combat. The T-35 is large and difficult to conceal. However, don't be deceived by its size: the T-35's armour is barely more than 30 mm thick. Even with a standard Rank I gun, you may be able to penetrate its armour. The roof is only 14 to 20 mm thick, heavy machine guns can easily cut through. The complex armour structure also creates many shot traps.

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Turrets shown on the T-35 - The main turret is at centre, the secondary turrets with cannons are on the top left and bottom right, and the machine gun turrets are on the top right and bottom left.

Armour	Front	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	30 mm (20°) Front plate 24 mm (77°) Front glacis 30 mm (18-63°) Lower glacis	11 + 23 mm	10 mm (20-77°) Top 20 mm (12-63°) Bottom	10 mm
Main Turret	20 mm Turret front 20 mm (0-7°) Gun mantlet	20 mm	21 mm	15 mm
Secondary Turret	17 mm (0-84°) Turret front 17 mm (1-32°) Gun mantlet	25 mm (0-1°)	15 mm	10 mm
Machine gun Turret	22 mm (1°)	23 mm (0-1°)	10 mm	10 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB30 / 5 km/h

RB and SB28 / 4 km/h

Number of gears4 forward

1 back

Weight52.0 t

Engine power

AB954 hp

RB and SB500 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB18.3 hp/t

RB and SB9.6 hp/t

The T-35 is very long, making turning difficult with the narrow tracks. In urban environments, it can get stuck into difficult situations in close quarters

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	30	5	52	646	954	12.42	18.35
Realistic	28	4		442	500	8.5	9.62

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB3 307

RB361

SB511

Crew training1 400

Experts9 000

Aces75

Research Aces270 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 30 / 30 / 40 %

2 × 106 / 106 / 106 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Suspension Brake System Filters Transmission Engine	Improved Parts Improved FPE Crew Replenishment	Horizontal Drive 45mm_AP_1942_ammo_pack Adjustment of Fire 76mm_ussr_KT28_AP_ammo_pack Elevation Mechanism

Armaments

Main armament

76 mm KT-28 cannon

Ammunition96 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

5.2 → 4.0 s

Vertical guidance-5° / 25°

76 mm KT-28					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	96	-5°/+25°	±180°	N/A	18.2	25.2	30.6	33.8	36.0	5.20	4.60	4.24	4.00
Realistic					13.4	15.8	19.1	21.1	22.5

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
BR-350A (MD-5 fuze)	APHEBC	37	37	34	30	27	25
OF-350M	HE	11	11	11	11	11	11
Sh-353	Shrapnel	18	17	15	13	12	10

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
BR-350A (MD-5 fuze)	APHEBC	370	6.3	1.2	14	155	48°	63°	71°
OF-350M	HE	387	6.2	0.05	0.1	710	79°	80°	81°
Sh-353	Shrapnel	381	6.44	1.2	14	85	62°	69°	73°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-35

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	7th rack empty	8th rack empty
96	87 (+9)	77 (+19)	72 (+24)	67 (+29)	57 (+39)	46 (+50)	41 (+55)	33 (+63)
9th rack empty	10th rack empty	11th rack empty	12th rack empty	13th rack empty	14th rack empty	15th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
25 (+71)	21 (+75)	18 (+78)	13 (+83)	10 (+86)	6 (+90)	1 (+95)	Yes

Notes:

• Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
• Side walls empty: 46 (+50) shells

Additional armament

2 x 45 mm 20-K cannon

Ammunition226 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

3.8 → 2.9 s

Vertical guidance-8° / 32°

The T-35 sports 2 turrets equipped with 45 mm 20-K cannons in addition to the main turret equipped with the 76 mm howitzer. Despite the huge ammo reserve for the secondary turrets, the total ammo is split between the two turrets. This means that if one 45 mm cannon fires more than the other, it will run out and be unable to fire until resupplied.

Front 45 mm 20-K					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	113	-8°/+32°	-50°/+123°	N/A	12	17	20	23	24	3.8	3.4	3.1	2.9
Realistic					8.9	11	13	14	15

Rear 45 mm 20-K					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	113	-8°/+32°	-48°/+117°	N/A	12	17	20	23	24	3.8	3.4	3.1	2.9
Realistic					8.9	11	13	14	15

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
BR-240SP	APBC	73	70	60	50	41	34
BR-240	APHEBC	70	67	58	47	39	32

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
BR-240SP	APBC	757	1.43	-	-	-	47°	60°	65°
BR-240	APHEBC	760	1.43	1.2	9	29.26	48°	63°	71°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-35

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
226	115 (+111)	2 (+224)	No

Notes:

• Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
• Rear turret empty: 115 (+111) shells.
• It is possible to run out of ammo for the front secondary turret if it is used too long.

Machine guns

3 x 7.62 mm DT machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition3 780 rounds

Belt capacity63 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate600 shots/min

2 x 7.62 mm DT machine gun

Ammunition2 520 rounds

Belt capacity63 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate600 shots/min

7.62 mm DT
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Main Coaxial mount	1,260 (63)	600	±15°	±15°
Turret coaxial mount (x2)	2,520 (63)	600	N/A	N/A
Front left turret mount	1,260 (63)	600	±15°	-130°/+10°
Rear right turret mount	1,260 (63)	600	±15°	-140°/+20°

Usage in battles

The T-35 is the largest tank among the Rank I vehicles. With a multi-turreted platform of two 45 mm cannons and one 76.2 mm cannon, the tank can combat enemies at an almost 360° angle. However, the armour is quite thin for a vehicle of its size so one should not play this vehicle like a typical heavy tank later down the rank. The speed is decent for a vehicle of its size, however, so it is possible to catch the enemies off guard by attacking from an area they least expect. The T-35 is nothing short of a behemoth, being able to take more penetrating hits than any tank at this BR with his large crew. Although possessing a relatively heavy armament, the lack of armour for its size and speed really limits its playstyle.

Stay with your team

Staying with your team ensures it isn't as easy for enemy tanks to take you out, this is most easily achieved if playing with friends who you have direct communication to. However, do not overextend, as if your teammates die you're a sitting duck, especially if you were daring enough to be in the middle of the battlefield.

Stay behind cover

Probably the most obvious way to play, taking cover and avoiding large and open terrain means you have the best chance of survival. This tactic may not be viable most of the time, it all depends on which maps you play.

Enemies worth noting

• The BT-42 is a fast Swedish tank destroyer with a 114 mm cannon, this captured and modified BT-7 is one of the biggest threats to go up against as a T-35. Both its HE and HEAT shells can instantly eliminate the T-35 due to overpressure mechanics. When spotted, it's best to instantly shoot for its turret to disable it from being able to shoot back since one shot from the BT-42 enough is to send you back to the spawn menu. After neutralizing the gunner, follow up with a shot to the driver's spot.
• The Lancia 3Ro (100/17) is a fast Italian truck equipped with a 100 mm cannon. This truck might seem weak but be careful of its gun. Any of its shells are capable of knocking the T-35 with overpressure. When spotted, it's best to make use of 1 out of your 5 x 7.62 mm DT machine guns to easily take care of the gunner and the crew, resulting in an elimination.

• SPAAS like the Flakpanzer I, Flakpanzer 38, Sd.Kfz. 6/2, M15 CGMC, Pvlvv fm/42 and the AS 42. You should be very careful with SPAAs. Just like many tanks at this rank, SPAAs have proven to be very effective at knocking out tanks, including your T-35. These SPAAs sport 20 mm to 37 mm autocannons that are capable of easily neutralizing your whole crew shot after shot if you don't respond fast enough to these threats. But there is an easy way to take care of them: when spotted or being attacked by, make use of 1 out of your 5 x 7.62 mm DT machine guns and aim at their gunner to disarm them. After that, start spraying all over the SPAA and knock out as much crew as possible to neutralize the enemy, you can as well shoot with your main or secondary armament at its engine to prevent it from driving away.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• The KT-28 cannon destroys anything it penetrates with a single hit
• No less than three cannons available for use
• Can have guns pointed towards the front and rear at the same time
• High rate of fire with all weapons
• Large ammunition capacity
• Large frame can often absorb more modular/crew damage than most other tanks
• Crew of 10 makes increases the survivability to enemy fire

Cons:

• Slow and with poor manoeuvrability
• Large target, easily spotted by ground vehicles and aircraft
• Poorly armoured despite the size
• Gun is mounted high and with poor gun depression
• Ammo racks are strewn all over the centre compartment when carrying large amounts
• The main 76 mm gun has a short barrel, meaning its shells have very low muzzle velocity and poor penetration
• Very likely to be hit by artillery strikes due to its big size

History

Development

The T-35 concept began from the OKMO design bureau of the Bolshevik Factory in 1930 when work began on a heavy tank. Two teams were made for two competing designs, one was headed by German engineer Grotte and the other was headed by N. Tsiets. Grotte worked on a 100-ton four-turreted TG-5 tank, armed with a 107 mm naval gun, using pneumatic servo-controls and suspension, but this was cancelled. N. Tsiets worked on a design that may be inspired by the British tank design Vickers A1E1 Independent, which is a multi-turret tank using one main turret with a gun and a smaller one's housing machine guns. This tank may also be the inspiration for the Soviet T-28 medium tank.

The development was completed with a prototype by July 1932. The prototype was about 35 tons, had a 76.2 mm main gun and four smaller turrets around it, two with a 37 mm gun and two with machine guns. There were many defects with the transmission design and the design was considered too complex for the manufacturing process, plus it was expensive. Work stopped for a simpler prototype to be produced. This simpler version had a new engine, gearbox, and an improved transmission over the previous prototype. Standardization on the turrets between the prototype and that on the T-28 medium tank was utilized so the small machine gun turret is the same between the two designs, the main gun turret was also nearly identical, but the one on the T-28 has a rear-facing machine gun. The design was approved for production on August 11, 1933, and was produced at the Kharkov Locomotive Factory with about 20 units produced.

The tank was upgraded again from experiences of the two prototypes, the chassis was made longer, the hull redesigned, and 45 mm gun turrets from the BT-5 light tanks used instead of a 37 mm gun. This was designated the T-35 Model 1935 and started production in 1935 and had 35 units built by 1938, with small improvements made throughout its production life. A final redesign made in 1938 had new turrets with sloping armour installed and modified side skirts for protecting the idler wheel, six of these Model 1938s were produced. The total production run from 1933 to 1938 produced a total of 61 T-35s for the Soviet Union, its high cost being the deciding factor that ended its production. A variant produced from the chassis was a self-propelled artillery mount called the SU-14, but only two were made and never reached production stages.

Design

The T-35 is the only five-turreted tank to ever enter production. The main turret in the centre and mounted high is equipped with a 76 mm KT-28 cannon, two secondary turrets mounted front right and back left had a 45 mm 20-K gun, and two more secondary turrets on the front left and back right had a 7.62 mm machine gun. Despite being a rather large tank, the interior was quite constricted for its crew. The crew of 11-12 men were crammed together and this directly affected their combat efficiency. The crew layout was a compartment for the driver, each machine gun turret had one man, two men in the turret with 45 mm guns, and three men in the main turret. It was typical for a couple of crewmen to serve outside the tank. A senior driver was responsible for the transmission and running gear. While a mechanic overlooked and took care of the engine. Construction of the T-35s armour was a mix of welds and rivets. The tank was powered by a 12-Cylinder Mikulin M-17M engine generating nearly 500 hp and was considered underpowered. The design had many reliability issues and even flaws, such as the main turret being able to render escape hatches on the smaller turrets unable to be opened due to its gun mount.

Combat usage

The T-35 was issued to the 5th Separate Heavy Tank Brigade in Moscow and was involved in parades through the Red Square from 1935 until 1940. The T-35 was there to impress spectators as well as foreign observers rather than as a fighting piece. In June 1940, the T-35 was subjected to either be withdrawn from front-line duties, be converted into self-propelled artillery, or be sent to military academies for future studies. It was decided to keep them for combat purposes and the T-35s were issued to the 67th and 68th Tank Regiments in the 34th Tank Division in the 8th Mechanized Corps in the Kiev Special Military District. The T-35 then saw action against the German forces when Operation Barbarossa was commenced. Though the tanks actual combat history is not very well documented, the tank regiments they were assigned to report a loss of 90% of the vehicles, more to mechanical failures than to enemy combat. These broken-down tanks were subsequently destroyed by their crews to avoid capture. The last reported use of these tanks was during the Battle of Moscow, where two T-35s were deployed and its performance went unrecorded. One such vehicle was captured by the Germans and sent to the Kummersdorf military proving grounds for evaluations. This captured T-35 may or may not be the same one the German used during the Battle of Berlin in April 1945.

The T-35 was once mistaken for taking part in the Winter War against Finland, this is due to the deployment of the SMK, T-100s, and KV-1s prototypes into the battle as combat testing. The SMK was disabled by the Finnish and was documented in photographs, which the German intelligence designated as the T-35C, despite being not related to the T-35 tank.

Survivors

Today, a single T-35 is left not only in an intact state but still in running condition. This tank is held in the Kubinka Tank Museum in Moscow and only survived because it was used as a training facility rather than combat use. Kubinka also holds the second prototype of the aforementioned SU-14 self-propelled artillery gun.

Archive of the in-game description

This tank came into service in 1933 and was mass-produced between 1933 and 1939. In total, around 60 of them were made. The vehicle had a classic layout: the driver's compartment was located in the front, the fighting compartment in the middle and the engine compartment in the rear. Its armament was installed in five turrets on two tiers. A 76.2 mm KT-28 cannon and a 7.62 mm DT machine gun were installed in the central rotating turret. Two 45 mm 20K Mod. 1932 cannons were diagonally mounted on the lower tier and could fire to the forward right and forward left. Two machine guns were also diagonally mounted next to the cannon turrets. The undercarriage was protected by add-on armour plates. Between 1933 and 1939, numerous changes were introduced to the vehicle's basic structure. The 1935 model was longer and received a new turret with a 76.2 mm L-10 cannon. The hull sides were equipped with new add-on armour. The tank's mass grew to 55 tonnes, while the crew complement was reduced to 9. In 1938, turrets with sloping armour were installed on the last six tanks owing to the increased power of anti-tank artillery. Most of these heavy tanks were lost in battle in the summer and autumn of 1941, mostly due to mechanical failures. Two T-35s were used in the Battle of Moscow. The tank was used in combat for the last time at the end of April 1945, when the Germans used a captured T-35 during the defence of Berlin. This vehicle's firepower surpassed that of any other contemporary tank in the world. However, this complicated its structural system. The tank's traction and dynamic properties were insufficient, which was particularly noticeable when it turned. All these flaws in combination prevented the heavy tank from completing the tasks set before it. The high number of turrets resulted in the commander being unable to effectively control firing. The tank's weak armour meant that it was vulnerable to artillery, and its low mobility and huge size made it a perfect target.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the T-35 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

Multi-turreted Tanks discusses the T-35 at 4:56 - War Thunder Official Channel

A unique exhibit of the T-35A tank - Kubinka Tank Museum

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• Nb.Fz.
• Independent
• Ro-Go
• 2C

External links

• [Vehicle Profile] T-35: The Land Battleship
• A True Land Leviathan

Experimental Design and Mechanical Engineering Department
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