The developers of the military game War Thunder ("Thunder of War") restored the T-44 tank

On February 21, on the eve of Defender of the Fatherland Day, Gaijin Entertainment, the developer of the War Thunder online game dedicated to World War II, held a real holiday for all fans of military equipment in Kubinka near Moscow. The developers, together with experts from the Museum of Armored Armament and Equipment, completely restored the Soviet T-44 tank and showed the tank back to life in battle.

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The T-44 was developed and put into production in 1944, during the Great Patriotic War, and was supposed to replace the main tank of the Soviet army, the T-34-85. The T-44 incorporated technical solutions that were innovative for that time, thanks to which it became a transitional model from the T-34 to more advanced post-war tanks, which became the basis of the Soviet army T-54 and T-55.

1. Until last year, the tank stood for more than 55 years in Kubinka in the fund of the vehicle storage. This is what the tank looked like before the restoration work began.

2. This T-44 is unique in its history. The tank was used as an experimental vehicle for testing before the start of mass production. Later, the tank was upgraded - a gun stabilizer was installed on it - and again this vehicle served as a test model.

3. Before the start of work, the machine was in a serious condition: the hull was deformed, the engine, radiator, and observation devices were damaged.

4. For six months, a colossal work was carried out: the wiring, monitoring devices, radiator were replaced, the engine and other elements were repaired, the deformed body was restored, and only original parts were used.

5. The restoration team of eight people, together with the developers of War Thunder, managed to put the tank on the move and completely recreate its historical appearance.

6. On February 21, the revived tank was presented to the general public. A film about the restoration process was shown in the cinema hall of the museum and a press conference was held.

7. Ilya Nevorotov, the producer of the project from Gaijin Entertainment, answered the questions of journalists, Alexander Ivankevich, acting. director of the Central Museum of armored weapons and equipment, Sergey Paley - restorer, specialist in accounting for museum exhibits of the Central Museum of armored weapons and equipment.

8. The tank does not just look like new - the experts gave it an exclusive front look. The T-44 was dressed in parade camouflage according to archival photographs of 1946-1947. ceremonial command tank of the 29th Znamenskaya Tank Division of the 5th Guards Mechanized Army.

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11. To the sounds of a military brass band and the applause of the public, a handsome tank drove out of the hangar to the training ground.

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13. Then, a reconstruction of a tank battle took place on the field with the participation of the restored T-44 and soldiers in the form of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War.

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15. The combat vehicle fired a deafening salvo.

16. Having done a lap of honor, the tank returned to its place. Now the T-44 will become part of the museum's permanent exhibition and will take part in solemn parades and reenactment events.