Hello Phcas:
Thanks for sharing so beautifully detailed icons...
May be this is information about the KV-1 family is useful to you before releasing the definitive versions of the icons with the new mod update.
The letter designators as well as the model year ones were applied by the Germans, the Soviets called KV-1 to just them all and applied the new modification into the manufacturing lines as long as the new components were available. After all, for the comrade Stalin and his cronies, the tanks were just disposable (as well as their crewmen, of course). The Germans, being more methodical, noted the progressive changes and gave those variants different designations.
The only exceptions from the Soviet side, were The KV-1E (Ekranami = Up-armored, and the KV-1S which had a lighter and smaller cast turret and traded some protection for better mobility.
About the "mainstream variants" the important and visible changes were the following:
KV-1 model 1939: as the F-32 7,62 mm gun was still not available, this variant has a shorter L-11 gun of the same caliber, which was noticeably shorter. Also as it mounted the gun compensator over the barrel, the gun tube was mounted lower in the turret.
KV-1 model 1940 (A): This variant already mounted the longer F-32 gun.
KV-1E: up-armored model. Nearly all of this variant were made from refurbished model 1939 tanks, which were also up-gunned with the longer F-32 gun.
In the attached picture, you can see the four models (39, 40, 41, 42) in descending order, with the KV-1E below. The KV-1S is not depicted.
KV-1 model 1941 (B): The model 1941 was designed and produced at Chelyabinsk. A model F-34 gun was fitted. This was the same gun installed on most T-34/76s. As a response to the field-expedient appliqué armor, the hull, sides and turret were protected by an additional 25 to 35 mm of extra armor, and the turret was now cast instead of welded. It was slow to arrive at the front, and the first model 1941 became operational in early to mid-1942 at best.
KV-1 model 1942 (C): The model 1942 was essentially a late up-armored model (10-15 mm), either with a cast or welded turret. This was also the biggest production of the type, with around 1700 units. They were also all armed with the still longer 76.2 mm (3 in) ZiS-5 and sometimes equipped with AA mounts.
The KV-1S, the fast one: The main criticism about the weight imposed a completely revised version with somewhat “downgraded armor”, in order to regain some agility. In fact, this was not an equal sacrifice. Some vital parts, determined after carefully studied statistics about tank loss reports, were still well protected, while sacrificing others. This was a near “all-or-nothing” protection, which also came with special tactical maneuver instructions in order to reduce the exposure of these “weak spots” to the enemy. However, the engine was untouched.
Another improvement concerned the cast turret, which was redesigned completely, lower, smaller, with slightly sloped sides and, most importantly for the first time, fitted with a real commander cupola bearing all-around vision blocks, which in turn greatly improved the overall vision and efficiency of the commander.
Source:
www.tanks-encyclopedia.com
