Flamethrower KV-8S heavy tank of the Labor reserves to the front tank convoy. Slogans inflicted on the combat vehicle, have an important moral and psychological significance. In the USSR military equipment were deposited inscriptions and political and personal nature. The mandatory Name became the armored columns and separate tanks built at the expense of a variety of groups and collectives, and individual citizens.
The KV-8 instead of a machine gun was mounted flamethrower of the piston-type ATO-41. Dimensions flamethrower did not allow designers to place it in the turret of the KV-1 with preservation of nominal 76.2 mm gun. Therefore, instead of 76.2-mm gun into the tank installed 45-mm gun model 1932/38. Thin barrel of this gun disguised false cover, imitating the trunk standard 76.2-mm cannon.
The release of the KV-8 began in 1942. The main advantage of the KV-8 before the OT-34 (T-34 flamethrower) was almost 5 times the capacity of tanks with flammable liquid. Tanks KV-8 and the OT-34 were allocated to the individual battalions of the flame tank (battalions of chemical tanks).
In a separate battalion consisted of two companies of the KV-8 (10 tanks) and one company OT-34 (11 tanks). After discontinuation of the KV-1 tanks, flame tank KV-8 was built on the chassis of the KV-1S. In connection with this, gun ammunition shot was increased to 114 and the reservoir tank with petrol liquid was reduced to 600 liters (60 shots). During the production of steel tanks to install the new flamethrower ATO-42. Mass KV-8s was 43 tons, crew – 5 people.