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A quote from lockie in another thread and post...
Though, I'm not sure that KV-1 took part in Kursk battle anymore.
Interesting question concerning the KV-1 tank and it's use on and during the Battle of Kursk, 1943.
One such KV-1 unit was the Soviet 2nd Bn,181st Tank Bde, 18th Corps that used the KV-1S tank. Which found themselves out gunned by no less than static Tiger tanks. Capt. P. Skrypin KV-!S tank hit one of the Tiger's three times with no effect, while his own tank was hit twice killing the loader and badly wounding Skrypin.
On July 12th the Bryansk Front committed six rifle divisions that were supported by three regiments of KV-1S tanks at the junction of the German 56 and 262 Infantry Divisions in the Orel salient. At first they succeeded in penetrating several kilo's into the German lines.
However on July 13th these KV-1S's ran into German Hornisse and Marder units that were sent to block the KV-1's advance.
After three days of trying to fight their way through these German anti-tank units the KV-1's were virtually destroyed.
As said at the time, Soviet heavy tanks would no longer operate with near impunity, if they could be seen, they could be killed.
The last of the KV-1's were built in Aug 43.
However, this KV-1S (for "Skorostnoy" - "fast"), was still much more expensive than the T-34/76, for the relative same performances. By late 1943 there were concerns about the cancellation of this new version, which occurred after 1370 had been delivered, from autumn 1942 to the fall of 1943.
Growing discontent about the type revolved usually around the same issues. It was too slow (easier to spot and target), prone to transmission failures, simply too heavy for many bridges and at the same time not equipped to ford deep rivers, and lacking range against the late 1942 German AT units and rearmed Panzer IVs. Late versions, even heavier, lost what was left of its former maneuverability, while at the same time still not being better armed than the T-34. Further heavy losses at Kursk proved they definitely found their match in the new German tanks generation.
http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/soviet_KV-1.php
Panzerjöger vs KV-1: Eastern Front 1941-43
https://books.google.com/books?id=uS_NAwFgxc0C&pg=PA70&lpg=PA70&dq=KV-1S++Kursk&source=bl&ots=a7aFWU8XdV&sig=597p0NMFcPzOLFlPo_pn02Kd9Nc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xYxkVdjdIM2lyASC5oGQCA&ved=0CFkQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=KV-1S%20%20Kursk&f=false
KV-1 & 2 Heavy Tanks 1939-45
https://books.google.com/books?id=jpyKy2ctf1AC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=kv-1+tank+kursk&source=bl&ots=P1HvxbJqyY&sig=tzXpRNXo37uAly_Rxw9anblu96I&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ToZkVY-sDoTHsAWYuYGACQ&ved=0CEwQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=kv-1%20tank%20kursk&f=false
Though, I'm not sure that KV-1 took part in Kursk battle anymore.
Interesting question concerning the KV-1 tank and it's use on and during the Battle of Kursk, 1943.
One such KV-1 unit was the Soviet 2nd Bn,181st Tank Bde, 18th Corps that used the KV-1S tank. Which found themselves out gunned by no less than static Tiger tanks. Capt. P. Skrypin KV-!S tank hit one of the Tiger's three times with no effect, while his own tank was hit twice killing the loader and badly wounding Skrypin.
On July 12th the Bryansk Front committed six rifle divisions that were supported by three regiments of KV-1S tanks at the junction of the German 56 and 262 Infantry Divisions in the Orel salient. At first they succeeded in penetrating several kilo's into the German lines.
However on July 13th these KV-1S's ran into German Hornisse and Marder units that were sent to block the KV-1's advance.
After three days of trying to fight their way through these German anti-tank units the KV-1's were virtually destroyed.
As said at the time, Soviet heavy tanks would no longer operate with near impunity, if they could be seen, they could be killed.
The last of the KV-1's were built in Aug 43.
However, this KV-1S (for "Skorostnoy" - "fast"), was still much more expensive than the T-34/76, for the relative same performances. By late 1943 there were concerns about the cancellation of this new version, which occurred after 1370 had been delivered, from autumn 1942 to the fall of 1943.
Growing discontent about the type revolved usually around the same issues. It was too slow (easier to spot and target), prone to transmission failures, simply too heavy for many bridges and at the same time not equipped to ford deep rivers, and lacking range against the late 1942 German AT units and rearmed Panzer IVs. Late versions, even heavier, lost what was left of its former maneuverability, while at the same time still not being better armed than the T-34. Further heavy losses at Kursk proved they definitely found their match in the new German tanks generation.
http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/soviet_KV-1.php
Panzerjöger vs KV-1: Eastern Front 1941-43
https://books.google.com/books?id=uS_NAwFgxc0C&pg=PA70&lpg=PA70&dq=KV-1S++Kursk&source=bl&ots=a7aFWU8XdV&sig=597p0NMFcPzOLFlPo_pn02Kd9Nc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xYxkVdjdIM2lyASC5oGQCA&ved=0CFkQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=KV-1S%20%20Kursk&f=false
KV-1 & 2 Heavy Tanks 1939-45
https://books.google.com/books?id=jpyKy2ctf1AC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=kv-1+tank+kursk&source=bl&ots=P1HvxbJqyY&sig=tzXpRNXo37uAly_Rxw9anblu96I&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ToZkVY-sDoTHsAWYuYGACQ&ved=0CEwQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=kv-1%20tank%20kursk&f=false
