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World of Tanks Helps Restore the Iconic KV-1 to Its Former Glory

Wargaming and The Historical and Cultural Complex Stalin Line have been busy making the tank full functional.

Most of you know the KV-1 from World of Tanks, which sits at Tier V in the Soviet Tech Tree on the PC version. Most of you may also be aware of Kolobanov’s medal in the same game. However, these two are linked by a battle in World War II that many not be familiar with.

How does this all fit together, you may ask?

In November 2015, fragments of the iconic KV-1 were discovered and salvaged from a bog in the Vitebsk region, Belarus. After diving and heaving and scooping back mud, the crew found a turret equipped with a rare L-11 gun, and fragments of the running gear, as well as a part of the hull’s underside. The tank, or what was left of it, had been sitting there, unbeknownst to anyone, for over 60 years. So, when Wargaming got the chance to help restore the vehicle, we jumped at it. Preserving history is in our DNA, and, as many of you already know, we’ve been active in a number of other tank-based restoration and preservation initiatives.

Over the past several months, Wargaming and The Historical and Cultural Complex Stalin Line have been working hard to bring the KV-1 back to being fully functional. The vehicle has been brought back up to muster, so that it can become part of the museum’s vehicle collection and participate in historical reenactments. Wargaming has produced a special video so you can discover just what it takes to revive a legend like the KV-1.

Oh, and back to Kolobanov’s medal. This restoration project was dedicated to the 75th anniversary of when Zinoviy Kolobanov and his crew destroyed 22 German tanks during the Battle of Krasnogvardeysk. Any guesses which vehicle helped them achieve that impressive feat?

You can discover how the KV-1 was restored in this video: