What are the pros and cons of the T-34 tanks?

Answer 1

Actually, the external fuel tanks were mounted on the rear hull, where they were much less exposed than one would expect. In addition, these were supplemental fuel tanks, which, while greatly increasing the T-34's range, were not the only fuel. A hit to one of these tanks would thus not immobilize the tank, and also was not always a deadly strike (i.e. as many T-34's survived a hit to their external tanks as were destroyed). Not an ideal arrangement, but one typical of the Russian design philosophy.

The sloped armor was a revolutionary concept at the time, radically increasing protection, to the point where the standard German anti-tank gun (the 37mm) and the standard German tank (the Panzer IV) were completely ineffective against it.

Something that is often overlooked was the extremely wide tracks that the T-34 had. This significantly lowered the ground pressure (i.e. weight per area in contact to the ground), which meant that the T-34 could easily traverse much of the swampy, marshy ground common to the Russian Steppes. This meant the T-34 could cross many areas impassable to other tanks.

Finally, the 76mm gun was an excellent weapon - powerful, with a good range. When the improved German tanks began showing up, the T-34 was up-gunned with a 76mm/85, which was sufficient to successfully attack the newer tanks.

Unfortunately, the T-34 had some problems: while the simple controls were easy for the farm-raised soldiers to master, they were very primitive and tiring to use. Most other interior controls suffered the same problem: simple, but hard to use. The "ergonomics" of the T-34 were a disaster; spending more than a short while inside the tank resulted in a tired crew, and a tired crew is far less effective than a fresh one. The addition of the 76/85 gun turned the small interior turret space into an exceedingly cramped one, which in turn reduced the reload speed significantly.

The T-34 also lacked a dedicated loader position, which meant that the tank commander had to act as a loader. This reduces tank effectiveness, as the tank commander is responsible for spotting and maintaining the "situational awareness" of the tank, and when acting as a loader, the commander is unable to fulfill this critical role.

Most T-34s also lacked radios, which, in a highly-mobile armored combat, is a drastic disadvantage.

Finally, the T-34's crudeness made it simple to make in vast quantities. As WW2 was a war of production, the ability to mass-produce it in vast numbers was a war-winning advantage.