This is my first topic I've posted since registering, so if you haven't already encountered me, hello all.

How did the 85mm gun carried by the (for example) Soviet T-34/85 compare against the German 88mm cannon (when used as an anti-tank weapon, not an AA piece) in terms of overall effectiveness?

Did the Germans have a significant firepower advantage?

Good topic.
I've always assumed the 88 to be superior, but looking through my books & checking the internet there's plenty of info about the 88 and nothing about the 85 ! I look forward to the other replies . . .

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Maybe some of the Russian ATV sites should be checked. sorry I don;t have any on my bookmarks but any search engine(s) should pop a few up. My view is that the 8.8cm was superior in every respect. Sorry I do not have ballistic charts in front of me, but the 88 barrel was characteristically longer and equipped with a muzzle brake except for the AA series. German Optics were far superior to the Soviet made, and the Tiger 1 and 2 turret I believe could be traversed a bit faster than the T-34/85.

E

Hallo!

I think that our 88 was superior. It was more versatile, had a larger caliber and much faster shot velocity (1.100 m/s) and therefore a better piercing capability. And as Erich said, the turrets on German tanks were better, But still so, the soviet 85 mm cannon stills being a powerful cannon which you surely do not want to face, because it did pierce German tank's thick armour. With those guns it was not like with the Shermans: "Who cares if they shoot you if they don't harm you?"

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

I suppose that the 8.8cm can't be all bad as the SS Schwere Abteilung 503 destroyed some 400 plus Soviet tanks with only 40 some Königstigers during February through May of 1945. Just to prove the lethality of this long barreled panzer.

E

I have read that the 85mm was superior because it had harder stopping power, but i have seen many pictures of hits on structures with both guns to suggest that the 88mm was "the" gun to have....

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"GARRY OWEN"-Traditional war-cry of the US 7th Cavalry.
"CURRAHEE"-War-cry of the US 506th PIR.
"Everybody thinks that they are going to get the chance to punch some Nazi in the face at Normandy-and those days are over, they are long gone"-Lt Chris Burnett

The Russian 85mm was a step up from the 76mm gun that they had in the earier T34s. Basically they copied the German 88mm AA gun, called the 85mm flak gun. they then used this gun in thier new tank, just like the Germans did. It was a great improvement, but certainly didn't compete with the German 88mm L/71.

From Ballistic reports, the Russian 85mm was more equally matched to the German 75mm L/70 gun that the Pather tank used. The Tiger tank had the shorter 88mm (but was still better than the 85mm, but actually not quite as good as the 75mm L70!), and the King tiger had the awesome L/71. In WWII there was no better tank gun than the German 88mm L/71!! It could quite litterally stop ANYTHING the Allies had!

Matt