First Prototype of Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank, Leningrad 1940

September 5, 2025 - Reading time: 3 minutes

Rare photo of the first KV-2 heavy tank prototype, Leningrad, January 1940.

This rare photograph captures the very first prototype of the Soviet KV-2 heavy tank, taken in Leningrad in January 1940. Unlike the later production vehicles, this pre-series version had a distinctly different turret design, with unique shape, dimensions, and gun mantlet. Serial-production KV-2 tanks would later be equipped with a rounded turret structure, offering slightly improved ergonomics and protection.

The KV-2 was developed as a direct response to the need for heavy firepower against fortified enemy positions. Armed with a massive 152 mm howitzer, it was intended to destroy bunkers and strongpoints during the Winter War against Finland. However, the enormous and tall turret, while imposing, made the tank a highly visible target on the battlefield.

This prototype represents the experimental stage of Soviet heavy tank design. Engineers at the Kirov Plant in Leningrad were still refining the balance between armor protection, mobility, and firepower. Although production KV-2s entered service in 1940, their huge silhouette and mechanical problems limited effectiveness. Nevertheless, during the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa in 1941, KV-2s occasionally caused chaos among German troops, proving nearly invulnerable to early anti-tank weapons.

The first KV-2 prototype remains a fascinating piece of military history, illustrating the rapid evolution of Soviet tank engineering on the eve of the Second World War.

Technical photo data:
📍 Location: Leningrad, USSR
📅 Date: January 1940
📷 Photographer: Unknown

First KV-2 prototype photo
KV-2 development in Leningrad 1940
Pre-production KV-2 heavy tank
Experimental Soviet heavy tanks
Soviet tank prototypes before WWII
KV-2 unique turret design
Soviet bunker-busting tank WWII
Early KV series tank designs
Prototype KV-2 vs production models
Red Army heavy tank innovation