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Russian KV II Heavy Tank Fact sheet for the Russian KV II Heavy Tank from U.S. War Department FM 30-40: Recognition Pictorial Manual on Armored Vehicles. KV stood for Kliment Voroshilov being named after the Soviet defense commissar Kliment Voroshilov. The 53-ton KV-2 was armed with an 152-mm howitzer. The text reads: CHARACTERISTICS: Turret: Very large and massive; rectangular, with vertical sides and rear; front is vertical or slightly inclined, depending on model; undercut in rear; large gun mantlet. Hull: Long, set low between massive tracks; face of driver's cab nearly vertical, joins gently sloping forward deck; flat rear deck. Armament:      One 152-mm howitzer in turret.      One coaxial machine gun.      One machine gun in left front of hull. Traction; Full track; six nearly evenly spaced bogie wheels sprung independently; large driving sprocket in rear; three large track support rollers; very broad tracks. INTEREST DATA: This tank is similar to the KV I except for the massive turret. This turret cannot be traversed when the tank is tilted. In some models a 122 (128?)-mm howitzer is mounted in place of the 152-mm. The tank is used chiefly as close-support artillery.

KV-2