Probably the most influential design to arise during the period was the Soviet T-34. Several innovations were evident in this design: the armor was sloped to increase its effectiveness, the main armament extended beyond the front of the hull and the tracks were wide, making it a comparatively nimble vehicle off-road. The only serious weakness in the design was its two-man turret which hampered its effectiveness on the battlefield. Even so, the T-34 significantly affected German tank development, ultimately leading to the Panther and Tiger II designs. The impact of these vehicles on the western Allies was substantial and therefore the T-34 really deserves to be credited as the forefather of the modern main battle tank.
Of all the tank designs produced prior to the Second World War, very few actually survived in front line service for more than a few years. The German Panzer IV was, in fact , the only prewar model to remain in front line service as a tank in 1945. Longevity was not a common feature of tank designs during this period. Yet, the advantages of maintaining production of an existing vehicle over developing a new one were self evident.
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