MUSEUM OF ARMORED FORCES
KUBINKA RUSSIA

SELECTED PHOTOS

prepared and copyright by John Sloan

The Museum of Armored Equipment has one of the largest collections of armored vehicles in the world. The 290 items range from 3-5 ton light tanks and armored cars to a super-heavy, 180 ton monster. There are 40 self-propelled guns from 57 to 600 caliber, 30 armored cars, 10 reconnaissance and command vehicles, and a variety of technical and engineer support vehicles. Vehicles from 11 foreign countries are represented. During the Civil War and foreign intervention the Red Army captured several French and British tanks. One of the Reno tanks was taken by Lenin's order to the Sormobski factory in Nizhnigorod as a model for Soviet tanks. In 31 August 1920 the first Soviet built tank, a 7 ton vehicle with 8-16mm thick armor was produced. During the 1920's the Red Army purchased many foreign examples of tanks to use as models for future domestic production. During World War II the USSR received American tanks under Lend-Lease. The bulk of foreign tanks in the collection was captured during World War II. Others were obtained by exchange with the British Armor Museum or were given by Soviet allies and clients from items they captured in VietNam, Korea, Cuba, Middle East Wars, etc. There are 129 Russian items including many prototype models of vehicles that were not produced in quantity. To return to the Xenophon main page go here.

To view the catalog of the museum collection prepared by Steven Zaloga from materials supplied by the museum please go here.

Following are selected photos taken during visits in 1992 and 1993. Copies of these photos my be purchased as prints or on disk. Not being sufficiently familiar with armored vehicles, I may not have correctly identified many of the tanks and SP guns in these photos by matching the vehicle numbers to Steve Zaloga's catalog numbers. I am delighted with the multiple responses viewers have sent in offering additional imformation or corrections. In several cases I have conflicting opinions. I will attempt to register all identification information received with the captions for the pictures. We are planning another visit for summer 1997. Anyone wishing to supply information or participate in future visits to the museum is most welcome to contact Xenophon. The page was last ammended on 2 January 1999. A future project is to develop a bibliography of printed references and attach it to this page.

Russian Vehicles

kubin 43 Soviet armored railroad car.
kubin41general view of shed of Soviet tanks, #106 is SU 152 gun on KV.
kub1 Artillery rolling forward observer post. I have various opinions on the origin and use of this item and am searching my files for the article Steve wrote on it for the ordnance magazine at Aberdeen.
kub11 Putilov Austin Armored Car.
kpd5 #405 is a BA-6 standard armored car from 1935, #406 is a BA-21 6 wheel BA-20 derivative from 1939, #407 is a KSP-76 SP ZIS 3 w/76mm gun from 1944.
kpd25 #402 in Pavilion 4 - BA-27M (1930) Early armored car - #403 - BA-3 (1943) BT-5 T-26 turret armored car. Here we have a discrepency between Steve's catalog and Ed's photo identifications. Ed writes that the #402 is the BA-3 and #403 is a BA-6.
kpd26 #402 again - #403 BA-3 again - #404 PB-4 (1935) Amphibious armored car. Ed wonders if it is really amphibious. Any other ideas out there?
kpd27 402, #403, #404 PB-4 again - #405 BA-6 (1935) Standard Armored Car. Ed notes that #405 is a BA-10 rather than BA-6.
kpd28 # 404 again, #405 BA-6 - #406 BA-21 (1939) 6 wheel Armored Car a BA-20 derivative.
kpd6 #415 in Pavilion 4 - Soviet BTR-40 (1950) Standard postwar scout car. #416 is a BTR-40Awith ZPTU-2 AAMG turret from 1951.
kpd7 #302 A T-27 tankette (identification kindly supplied by Ed Dyer).
kpd8 #307 in Pavilion 3 is a T-37A amphbious (1933) standard scout tank. In forground #308 is T-30 (a T-40 prototype) from 1941, and #306 is a BT-5, Cavalry tan from 1933.
kub13 #102, pavilion 1, T-35 Model 1935 Heavy Tank
kpd33 #102, T-35 model 1935 heavy tank
kpd34 #103, SU-14/Br-2 prototype SP gun of 1939, in background is #104, a SU-100U of 1941.
kpd35 #103, SU-14/Br-2 prototype SP gun from other side.
kubin40 Ed Dyer has supplied information on this vehicle. It is a T-18 tankette, a modification of the T-17. However, this photo shows twin mounted MG's that Ed notes are likely bogus, as the original mounted a 37mm cannon.
kub14 on right, #103 SU 14 prototype SP Gun, on left #104 SU100U prototype SP Gun
kpd1 #310 in Pavilion 3 - Soviet T-126SP gun (1940) A T-50 prototype. In background, item 311 is a short lived T-50 infantry tank from 1940.
kpd2 #316 in pavilion 3 - Soviet T-80 (1943) Light Tank. In background, item 317 is K-75 (1947) Non amphibious APC.
kpd3 #206 is a T-44 production version from 1944 and #207 is a SU-101 from 1945.
kpd4 #214 is a T-55 Almaz 1961 tank with night vision devices. #215 in Pavilon 2 - Obiekt 483 (1959) A Soviet Experimental flame thrower. Ed Dyer notes it is on a T-54 chassis.
kpd9 Obiekt 430, T-64 prototype, Soviet Medium Tank
kpd10 #221 Object 430 - (1960) T-64 prototype with 100 mm gun and smooth wheels. In background #220 is IT-1 a T-62 derived missile armed tank destroyer (1968).
kpd11 #221 Object 430, T-64 prototype.
kpd12 #222 Object 432, T-64 prototype with early turret.
kpd13 #218, Obiekt 167, T-62 with new suspension.
kpd14 #218 is Obiekt 167, a T-62 with new suspension and 700 hp diesel engine and Malyutka ATGM from 1961. #219 is Obiekt 167s, a mod of 167 with GTD 800 turbine engine from 1962.
kpd15 Obiekt 220, IT-1 - T-62 derived missile armed tank destroyer.
kpd16 #219 again and #220 is an IT-1, A T-62 derived missile armed tank destroyer.
kpd17 #119, Obiekt 277 - final derivitave of the T-10 with rounded bow, which, as Ed Dyer points, out did not see production..
kpd18 #118 Obiekt 268 T-10 based Assault Gun. Ed Dyer notes that it carries a modified ML-20S 152mm howitzer. #117, Obiekt 266, T- 10 relative, which Ed identifies as the IS-8.
kpd19 #119 is Obiekt 277, a T-10 relative with larger turet and rounded bow from 1957, #118 is Obiekt 268, a T-10 based assault gun from 1956 (see kpd18).
kpd20 #117, Obiekt 266, T-10 relative (see note for kpd18).
kpd21 #229, Obiekt 172m. T-72A prototype.
kpd22 #228 is Obiekt 172, a T-72 prototype of 1969, # 229 is Obiekt 172M Ural, a T-72A prototype of 1972.
kpd23 #231, Obiekt 219, T-80 Tank
kpd24 #231 in Pavilion 3 - Obiekt 219-T-80 (1976), a T-80 prototype. #230 is Obiekt 174/T-72BV, a T-72 with reactive armor.
kpd30 #120 - Obiek 279 (1957) Troyanov super-heavy tank with double treads.
kpd31 Again, Obiek 279 Troyanov super heavy tank.
kpd32 Another view of Obiek 279 Tryanov super heavy tank.
kubin 42 closeup of tracks of the Obiekt 279, Troyanov super heavy tank.
kubin 45 #121, Obiekt 770, Isakov heavy tank prototype.
kubin 46 # 122 is SU 100 SP, #123 is SU 100P Rear mounted.
kubin 47 #222 is obiekt 432, T-64 prototype, #223 is obiekt 434, T-64 115 gun.
kubin 48 #224 is T-64 A, #225 is obiekt 775, P. P. Isakov low profile missile tank a relative of the T-64.
kubin 49 #225 is the P. P. Isakov low profile missile tank.
kubin 50 #225, Obiekt 775, is the Isakov low profile tank again, #226 is obiekt 287, Taifun missile tank destroyer with two 73 mm turrets.
kubin 51#226, Obiekt 287, Taifun missile tank, #225, low profile tank.
kubin 52 #226, Obiekt 287, Taifun missile tank, #227, Obiekt 288, Kotin T-64 observation tank, twin Isotov engines.
kubin 53 #227, Obiekt 288, Kotin, T-64 observation tank.
kubin 54 #227, Kotin, T-64 observation tank, #228, obiekt 172, T-72 prototype.
kubin 55 #228, T-72 prototype.
kubin 56 #228, obiekt 172, T-72 prototype.

German Vehicles

kub15 German Tank pavilion - #1 is PzKpfw I (1939), #2 is PzKpfw II (1940), # 3 and # 4 are Marder II Tank destroyers (1942) and #5 is Wespe.
kub2 MAUS - Front glacis. This is item 16 in Pavilon 5.
For a description of the MAUS and MORSER kindly supplied by Mr. Lothar Zeidler please go here.
kub3 MAUS - Front glacis and turret.
kub4 MAUS - Rear view
kub5 KARL MORSER - Front view of the 60 cm SP mortar. This is item 15 in Pavilion 5 5.
kub6 MORSER - Rear view.
kub7 MORSER - Front view.
kub8 German mineclearing vehicle - Alkett Minenraumfahrzeug. It is item 32 in Pavilion 5.
kub9 German Elefant, Sturmgeschutz, 8.8cm Pak43 SP Tank Destroyer. Edwin Dyer has provided information on the item in background - a Waffentrager or a VK30001H 128mm SP gun on Pzkpfw IV chassis - also known as Selbstfahrlafette L/61. Two were built on left over chassis and put into service with the 2nd Panzer Division in Russia, where it was captured.
kub10 German PkFw VI ausf E, Tiger I.
kubin 44 #21 in German tank pavilion, the Jagd Tiger Tank destroyer.

OTHER WEB PAGES ON ARMOR

An expanding list in which I hope to provide some of the locations for major collections of material on armored vehicles.
If you are interested in armored vehicles you might enjoy a visit to Mike Hick's material on German armor at
Panzer Lehr.
Achtung Panzer is another site, created by George Parada, for those interested in the development of German armor.
Another web site created by George Bradford and devoted to armored vehicles is at
AFV News.
Grey Creager has a large number of photos of armored vehicles and many links at his
home page. Maxim Volkonovsky has presented some photos of modern Russian tanks at
Tanks Page.
On Armor for a long list of links to other web pages about armored vehicles.
On Armor for Claus Bonnesen's discussion page on armored vehicles.
Panzergruppe is the homepage of the Washington Armor Club and also the title of their interesting newsletter. This club is devoted to building models of armored vehicles and the newsletter contains articles on a wide variety of topics related to armored warfare.

Coming next,photos of armor at Ft Hood, Aberdeen Proving ground and Ft Lewis, Washington. Go toTop.