Today, we’ll be taking a look at a real classic with a fresh coat of paint, the Finnish captured KV-1 Model 1942! The m1942 was one of the last conventional KV-1 variants constructed, chiefly it features improved armor protection at the cost of around one ton of extra weight. This new premium tank will be arriving in the next major update!
KV-1 m1942: A Premium Heavy Tank for Sweden at Rank III
At a glance:
- Impressive survivability, well armored all over!
- Powerful APHE rounds: average pen but great against angled armor.
- Low mobility but not incredibly slow, can still get around the map easily.
Vehicle History
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The KV-1 Model 1942 was the final production variant of the early KV-1 models. As their development continued, it was clear that armor improvements had to be made in order to keep up with the more powerful German cannons (notably the PaK40). This culminated in the Model 1942 which received a rounded cast turret at 100 mm thick, while still inheriting the extra armor plates applied to the KV-1 ZiS-5, making it effectively the most well defended KV-1. Finland captured two KV-1 tanks during the war, and this particular model is said to have been recovered by the Finns near the Lower Svir Hydroelectric Station in early 1942. It was captured in good condition, and would serve with several Finnish tank companies throughout the Second World War. Interestingly, Finnish KV tanks are noted to have been active up until 1954, though it’s likely they only saw sporadic use. Today, both KV-1s can be seen resting at the Parola Tank Museum in Finland.
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Meet the KV-1 m1942!
The KV-1 m1942 is one of the last modifications of the original KV-1 design, before being replaced by the KV-1S and more advanced heavy tanks. Finland captured two KV-1 models with this version being the second, up-gunned and up-armored it represents one of the strongest KV-1s. Let’s get into the details!
Ultimately, the KV-1 m1942 is functionally very similar to previous variants with effectively the same advantages and drawbacks. This version however features an improved turret. Instead of the angular design of previous models, the turret is rounded with 100 mm on the side and 82 - 90 mm on the front, it offers a lot of reliable protection against common cannons at the rank. Angling the turret can also prove effective as it increases the thickness of a lot of turret elements and makes the profile more vague overall, making it harder to hit weaker sections of armor.
Did you know? The Finnish nickname for the KV-1 is “Klimi”, an almost cute shortening of the full tank name of military officer and politician Kliment Voroshilov.
Regarding firepower, this tank is equipped with the familiar 76 mm ZiS-5 with a wide array of ammo options, including several types of APHE with a high amount of explosive filler. While its penetration power doesn’t look impressive on the surface, its performance against angled armor is very effective, which keeps the gun relevant.
So, as far as its armor and firepower are concerned, it’s a real brute! However, it’s hardly outstanding regarding mobility with just 34 km/h max speed. Though, despite the speed not being immensely impressive, it’s still enough to allow the KV-1 to do what it needs to do, it won’t be winning any races but it doesn’t need to in order to still be effective. The KV-1 has very workable armor as its thick on the sides as well as the front, which means it can angle and brawl very effectively.
The key to keeping the KV-1 in the fight is to keep on the move, as when being static it’s an easy target — but if continuously moving (ideally at an angle to your enemy) its armor profile keeps changing, and as such the best spot for an enemy to aim for keeps changing, which makes landing a lethal hit much harder. The KV-1 is great for aggressive playstyles like this, putting pressure on enemies and giving them very little time to aim for weakspots is what the KV-1 does best.
This quintessential heavy tank will be joining the Swedish ranks as a premium for Golden Eagles in the next major update! Thank you for reading as always, and we’ll see you very soon for more devblogs on upcoming vehicles and features, until then, all the best tankers!
Please note that this vehicle's characteristics may be adjusted before being added to the game.
