T-43

T-43

Missing render

T-43

USSR

Medium Tank

Tier VII

Totals
Cost	1,305,300
Health	1,000 / 1,100 (new turret)
Weight/Load Limit	333.13/34t
Crew
4
Mobility
Engine Power	520hp
Speed Limit	51km/h
Traverse Speed	37deg/s
Armor
Hull Armor	76/60/60mm
Turret Armor	80/60/80mm
Armament
Damage	120-200HP
Penetration	90-150mm
Rate of Fire	13.64r/m
Accuracy	0.37m
Aim time	2.5s
Turret Traverse	56deg/s
Gun Traverse Arc
Gun Vertical Limits
Ammo Capacity
General
Chance of Fire	15%
View Range	400m
Signal Range	370m
Parent
Child

Values Are Stock // Top

The T-43, while using the same gun as the T-34-85 medium tank, is still a major improvement over its predecessor. It has better all-around armor and is more nimble than the T-34-85, even while using the stock engine. Even with this improved mobility, however, T-43 is fairly slow and sluggish and its agility is nowhere near that of either T-44 or T-54 medium tanks. Dogfighting most medium tanks of your tier, especially the American ones, is pretty much a suicide, as even some tank destroyers, such as the Jagdpanther, can sometimes outmaneuver you and the very popular IS line of heavy tanks is just as fast as the T-43. The angled armor helps a lot, especially when being shot from a distance, where even very heavy rounds (such as Ferdinand, Tiger P, Tiger II etc.) can bounce off. You can choose to start with the 85mm or 122mm (if researched) cannons, but to mount the 85mm D5t-85BM and 100mm D10T, you will need the upgraded turret. The 100mm D10T cannon is a decent, but you still have to beware tanks with heavy front armor, such as the Tiger II and above - do not even bother engaging these tanks head on. Also, you can keep the gun for your T-44. Unless you are going with maximum speed, you will offer a very tempting target for pretty much every heavy tank in the battle, as its armor, while sloped, is definitely quite easy to penetrate. The ammo rack, while not as vulnerable as in T-44, also poses a problem in dog fight - protect the side of your turret at all costs, otherwise you might be sentencing your crew to quick fiery death. Generally, T-43 works best from second line. The D10T, while not as accurate as German guns, is acceptable and you can do some damage, especially if they are distracted. Stay in cover, watch for exposed enemies and fire at them when the time is right.

The next tank in the USSR medium line is the T-44 medium tank.

Modules

Tr Nm Dam Pen RoF Acr Aim Pr Wt 05V 122 mm U-11 450/370(HP) 61/160(mm) 6(r/m) 0.50(m) 2.5(s) 00059 920 59 920 1 600 1 600(kg) 06VI 85 mm ZiS S-53 160/160/280(HP) 120/161/43(mm) 13.64(r/m) 0.37(m) 2.5(s) 00062 000 62 000 1 550 1 550(kg) 07VII 85 mm D5T-85BM 165/165/290(HP) 144/194/44(mm) 11.79(r/m) 0.32(m) 2.5(s) 00073 600 73 600 1 850 1 850(kg) 07VII 100 mm D10T 230/230/330(HP) 175/235/50(mm) 9.68(r/m) 0.37(m) 2.0(s) 00078 180 78 180 2 257 2 257(kg)

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Tr Nm Arm T.Tr VR Pr Wt 06VI T-43 0080 80/60/80(mm) 0056 56(d/s) 0400 400(m) 00012 840 12 840 7 000 7 000(kg) 07VII T-43-100 0090 90/62/62(mm) 0052 52(d/s) 0400 400(m) 00015 300 15 300 8 400 8 400(kg)

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Tr Nm Pw CoF Pr Wt 07VII V-2-34M 0520 520(h.p.) 015 15% 00036 000 36 000 0750 750(kg) 08VIII V-2-44 0560 560(h.p.) 012 12% 00036 000 36 000 0750 750(kg)

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Tr Nm LL Tv Pr Wt 06VI T-43 34.0 34.0(t) 037 37(d/s) 00011 690 11 690 6 400 6 400(kg) 07VII T-43M 37.3 37.3(t) 040 40(d/s) 00017 720 17 720 6 400 6 400(kg)

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Tr Nm SR Pr Wt 04IV 9R 0370 370(m) 00001 980 1 980 0100 100(kg) 08VIII 9RM 0600 600(m) 00024 240 24 240 0100 100(kg)

Gallery

Historical Info

By the middle of the war it had become clear that the Red Army needed a new medium tank. The military demanded a tank with both maximum protection and minimum weight. These demands were implemented and the new medium tank project was completed by June 1943 under the name of T-43.

Development

The T-43 had a configuration like the T-34 Medium Tank; its glacis consisted of 75 mm of armor and its turret-front was 90 mm. The tank was armed with the 76.2 mm F-34 Tank Gun. However, the total length of the engine and transmission compartment was not reduced; therefore, the battle compartment remained very cramped. To increase internal space, Soviet designers applied a torsion bar suspension that was more compact then the original Christie «candle» suspension. It was the first time that a torsion bar suspension was used for medium tanks.

Beginning in March 1943, two T-43 prototypes (preceded by vehicle T-43-1, which was built at the end of 1942. It possessed a driver's vision hatch and had the commander's cupola displaced to the rear of the turret.) underwent trials. These included combat trials with the NKSM Independent Tank Company. These showed that the T-43, because of its increased 34.1 ton weight, was marginally inferior to the T-34 in its ability to maneuver (maximum speed was decreased to 48 km/h). It did, however, significantly surpass the latter in smoothness of ride. The replacement of the eight side fuel tanks (on the T-34) for a smaller capacity fuel tank in the bow resulted in almost a 100km decrease in the radius of action. Tank crews praised the crew compartment and greater ease in operating the armament. After trials, the T-43 tank was recommended for acceptance by the Red Army at the end of the summer of 1943, but the results of the Battle of Kursk significantly altered this plan.

The armor protection was superior, compared to the T-34, while its armament was similar to the KV-1S Heavy Tank. However, the T-43 had a ground pressure similar to heavy tanks that adversely affected its range and maneuverability. Even worse was its extreme construction: it didn't allow further modernization. As a result, when production T-34's were rearmed with the 85 mm gun, the T-43 became obsolete. However, experience with the T-43 was not lost. The T-43's tests (3,000 km race) had clearly proved the superiority of the torsion bar suspension over the Christie's.

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Historical Gallery

Sources and External Links

https://www.battlefield.ru/en/tank-development/32-experimental-vehicles/94-t43.html

Soviet Tanks

Medium Tanks