Tank Equipment of the Soviet Troops

in the Moscow Battle

Updated May 22, 2006
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upStrength of Motorized and Tank Units of the Western Front on October 1, 1941 [1]
  KV T-34 BT T-26 T-37 Total
107th MRD 3 23 1 92 6 125
101st MRD 3 9 5 52 - 69
126th Tank Brigade 1 - 19 41 - 61
127th Tank Brigade 5 - 14 37 - 56
128th Tank Brigade 7 1 39 14 - 61
143rd Tank Brigade - 9 - 44 - 53
147th Tank Brigade - 9 23 18 - 50
Total: 19 51 101 298 6 475
upStrength of Motorized and Tank Units of the Bryansky Front on September 27, 1941 [1]
  KV T-34 BT T-26 T-40 T-50 Total
108th Tank Division 3 17 1 - 20 - 41
42nd Tank Brigade 7 22 - - 32 - 61
121st Tank Brigade 6 18 - 46 - - 70
141st Tank Brigade 6 10 22 - - - 38
150th Tank Brigade - 12 - - - 8 20
113rd Separate Tank Battalion - 4 - 11 - - 15
Total: 22 83 23 57 52 8 245
upStrength of the Soviet Armored Forces Operating on the Moscow Direction on October 16, 1941 [1]
Army Divisions and Brigades Number of Tanks Total
KV T-34 T-26, BT, T-40
29 Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade - 12 20 32
30 8th Tank Brigade - 29 32 61
21st Tank Brigade - 29 32 61
16 22nd Tank Brigade - 29 32 61
4th Tank Brigade 3 7 23 33
5 18th Tank Brigade 3 11 15 29
19th Tank Brigade - 12 12 24
20th Tank Brigade - 29 32 61
33 17th Tank Brigade - 20 16 36
151st Motorized Rifle Brigade - 12 20 32
43 9th Tank Brigade - 18 33 51
152nd Motorized Rifle Brigade*1 - 12 20 32
50 108th Tank Brigade 3 7 23 33
26 11th Tank Brigade 4 12 10 25
Total: 13 244 330 582

Rem. AMVAS - Not clear, as in my sourced sifferent abbreviations were used for this unit from Motorised Rifle Division to Motorised Rifle Battalion.

upTank Strength of the Western Front on October 28, 1941 [1]
  KV T-34 BT T-26 T-40 T-60 Total
1st Motorized Rifle Division 7 21 19 10 - - 57
4th Tank Brigade 4 18 11 - - - 33
9th Tank Brigade 7 20 - - 28 - 55
17th Tank Brigade - 1 - - 2 - 3
18th Tank Brigade*1 - 6 4 1 - - 11
19th Tank Brigade - 1 - - 4 - 5
20th Tank Brigade*2 - 19 - 22 8 - 49
22nd Tank Brigade - 16 8 - 14 - 38
23rd Tank Brigade 4 11 - - 19 - 34
24th Tank Brigade 4 22 1 9 22 - 58
25th Tank Brigade 3 11 - - - 16 30
26th Tank Brigade - 14 - - - 16 30
28th Tank Brigade 4 11 - - 16 - 31
15th Motorized Rifle Brigade - 4 - 8 - - 12
Total* 33 175 43 50 113 32 441

*- From them on repair: 3 KV, 29 T-34, 21 BT, 14 T-26, 25 T-40.

*1. Engaged into the battle on Oct.,9, 1941 in Uvarovo-Mozhaisk region. Tank regiment equipment: 6 KV (?), 29 T-34, 3 BT-7, 24 BT-5, 5 BT-2, 1 T-26, 7 Armored Cars. Also was equipped with ZIS-30 anti-tank self-propelled guns. On October 12 had 5 T-34, 1 BT, 1 T-26. Lost at least 4 ZIS-30.

*2. Joined the battle on October, 7-12, as a part of Mozhaisky Fortified Region. Equipment: 29 T-34, 20 T-26, 12 T-40, 8 ZIS-30.

upTank Equipment of the 16th and 30th Armies on November 16, 1941 [1]
Army Units Number of Tanks Total
KV and T-34 T-26, BT, T-40, T-60
30 58th Tank Division - 198 198
107th Motorized Rifle Division 2 11 13
21nd Tank Brigade*1 5 15 20
8th Tank Brigade*2 - 23 23
16 1st Guards Tank Brigade 19 20 39
27th Tank Brigade 11 10 21
28th Tank Brigade 5 10 15
23rd Tank Brigade 11 20 31
33rd Tank Brigade - 34 34
  Total: 53 341 394

*1 - Joined the battle on October, 16. Equipment: 29 T-34-76, 10 T-34-57, 32 BT, T-60 et al. According to the "21st Tank Brigade Artillery Equipment register" it had: 19 T-34-76, 10 T-34-57, 2 KhT-26 (OT-26), 5 BT-2, 15 BT-5 and BT-7, 10 T-60, 4 ZIS-30. After 4 days of combat the brigade lost: 21 T-34, 7 BT, 1 T-60, 1 ZIS-30.

*2. On November 20, had: 2 KV, 3 T-34, 2 T-26, 8 T-40.

upAbbreviations

MRD - Motorised Rifle Division

Literature:
  1. M. Kolomiets, "Bitva za Moskvu", Frontovaya Illyustratsiya/Frontline Illustration, No 1, 2002
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