Design on the KV-1 heavy tank began in 1938, with the intention that it should be the successor to the T-35 heavy tank. The first models of the KV-1 were field-tested during the Red Army's disastrous 1940 campaign in Finland. Despite the military setback, the KV-1 set the standard for Soviet tank design for several years to come, regularly used to spearhead breakthroughs or accompany infantry on the assault. While it was certainly a formidable vehicle, the KV-1 was not particularly mobile, routinely suffering from a number of automotive problems. It was also uparmored progressively without any concomittant changes made to the power plant, which resulted in a poor power-to-weight ratio and continual degradation in performance. Nevertheless, many historians view the KV series as an important achievement for the Russian military-industrial complex because it paved the way for more successful designs, including the "Josef Stalin" tanks.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a Soviet Kliment Voroshilov KV-1 Model 1941 heavy tank that served with the 12th Tank Regiment, 1st Moscow Motor Rifle Division, deployed to the Western section of the eastern front during August 1942. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 3-1/2-inches
Width: 1-1/2-inches

Release Date: November 2009

Historical Account: "Edelweiss" - In 1942, the German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) launched Operation Edelweiss, which was aimed at penetrating the southern regions of Russia to the oil fields of Azerbaijan. The German offensive was stopped by the Red Army in Chechnya in September during the North Caucasian Strategic Defensive Operation (July 25th, 1942 - December 31st, 1942), in part due to a severe drain of German personnel to support the ongoing Battle of Stalingrad.