T-34-85 Medium Tank 1944–94

The T-34-85 tank is one of those rare weapons that have remained in service for more than half a century.

First introduced in 1944, it has seen combat in nearly every corner of the globe. Alongside detailed illustrations, Steven Zaloga and Jim Kinnear look at this long-serving Soviet tank at length, including its operational history, design and development, and later modifications.

Although long obsolete in Europe, it has proven a reliable and potent weapon in many conflicts in lower-income countries, and is still in service with more than a dozen armies around the world.