WORKSHOP WEDNESDAY: KV-1S Turret Restoration Begins. Evidence of Wartime Desperation

A new chapter in our KV-1S restoration begins. Kurt briefs us on the turret before Beau gets to work, smoothing back impacts, restoring the vision slit, plugging holes and freeing up the cupola periscope armour. This is the start of a multi-episode deep dive into the turret, and there's a LOT to do. While working on the turret, Beau has found plenty of evidence of the extreme pressure the Chelyabinsk factory must have been under. Rough casting, shortcuts, and signs of a production line that was pushing tanks out the door as fast as physically possible. When your factory has been relocated across the Urals and the Wehrmacht is bearing down, quality control takes a back seat to survival. The KV-1S was a Soviet heavy tank produced from 1942 as a lighter, faster variant of the original KV-1. Our example is undergoing one of the most ambitious restorations we've ever attempted, rebuilding components that simply don't exist anywhere else in the world. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Turret Briefing with Kurt 04:21 - Bringing It to the Workshop 05:26 - Smoothing Back the Impacts 06:51 - Restoring the Vision Slit 10:22 - Pluggin' Holes 15:17 - Evidence of Rushed Production 16:25 - Freeing Up Cupola Periscope Armour 🎥 Videography by Ella from AusArmour The Australian Armour & Artillery Museum is home to the largest collection of armoured vehicles and artillery in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Cairns, North Queensland. We are dedicated to the collection, preservation, restoration and display of military vehicles from the 1800s to present day. Our collection includes over 220 armoured vehicles and artillery pieces from 15 countries. 🔧 Visit us: https://www.ausarmour.com 📱 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ausarmour #WorkshopWednesday #KV1S #TankRestoration #SovietTank #WWII #MilitaryHistory