T-34-76 1943

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, newly declassified sources have demonstrated that all T-34s with the original turret and F-34 gun (conventionally known as Models 1941 and 1942) were officially called “Model 1941”, and hexagonal-turret T-34 (Model 1943) was officially called “Model 1942”.

German intelligence in World War II referred to the two main production models as T-34/76 and T-34/85 with minor models receiving letter designations such as T-34/76A—this nomenclature has been widely used in the west, especially in popular literature.

This 1943 model was built from May 1942 to 1944, with a cast or pressed hexagonal turret. It was nicknamed “Mickey Mouse” by the Germans because of its appearance with the twin round turret roof hatches open. Official Soviet military designation was Model 1942. Turrets manufactured in different factories had minor variations, sometimes called “hard-edge”, “soft-edge”, and “laminate” turrets, but in military service these details did not warrant different designations.