The problem with the G model of the Mark IV was that it was a relatively difficult tank to build, at least that was the verdict of the germans tasked to build it. Certianly appears to be the case based on its delivery rates. In the whole of 1942, the Germans delivered 994 MkIV chassis, of which just over 400 were G series.
By comparison, T-34s were as cheap as chips to build, and the Soviets from the end of 1941 were churning them out like hot cakes. About 8000 T-34s were put together in 1942, despite the loss of the Stalingrad factory, which accounted for about 42% of T-34 output up that time. There wee significant QA issues arising, mostly from the newer outlets such as the Nizhniy Tagil plant in Siberia, which had begun to be organised in June 1941 and turned out its first tanks in December 1941
The staff and machinery from Factory No.183 reached Nizhniy Tagil in the middle of winter. The facilities remained primitive for some time – at first parts of the factory were unroofed, despite the low winter temperatures (as low at -40 degrees C at some times). Most of the original workforce had been lost, and much of the burden of production fell on children and women. There was barely enough food and virtually no medical care.
Despite these terrible circumstances production at Nizhniy Tagil began in December 1941, when 25 T-34s were completed. Hardly surprisingly the quality of these tanks was not high, but as the factory became better established many of the problems were ironed out.
Other more established factories with experienced workers in the factories turned out relatively high quality tanks with good reliability.
Unlike the Germans the Soviets decided to pass (largely) in the upgrade of the basic tanks, so when we are comparing T-34/76s of 1942, to MkIVGs of 1942, we are basically comparing a 1940 tank to a 1942 tank design. There are one or two minor exceptions to this, relating mostly to the pgrade of comunications, increased relaibility of the transmission, and the usage of a much better turret design from the middle of the year. These tanks were in production from June, were issued to the newly forming tank corps in August (after disatrous losses between May and September) and first saw serious action in November during the Stalingrad encirclement. here, Soviet losses were still heavy, but much less than previously.
The main changes that occured to the turret design related to the new hexagonal turret design, with enlarged internal dimensions. this tank arose from the short lived T-34M design. The turret had 77mm frontal armour (not including the glacis plate) and 52mm side armour. production was faciliated by the use of very simple castings with a rolled plate roof attached . only two of the 8 tank outlets switched to this new turret, the one Chelyabinsk and the one Uralmash, but these two factories accounted for nearly 50% of total output. In addition to beter space availability and improved layout, these turrets had improved ammo stowage and could carry more than 100 rounds, compared to the older turrets 70 odd. As mentioned above, a vastly improved 5 speed gearbox was introduced and long range fuel tanks (a trademeark of Soviet breakthrough operations that were to come) were introduced in 1942. Put simply, the T-34 was a much more well rounded design to the mkIV, which empahasised combat power, and suffered somewhat in terms of protection and mobility. However the german tank was vastly superior in terms of comms and optics, and quite a bit superior in terms of its armour penetration.
The main advantage of the Soviet tank was its dedication to produceability. The Soviets spent a lot of time making sure the tank was simple in extreme and austere iin fitout, whereas the germans gave virtually no regard to this issue. This was one of the main reasons the Soviets won the war. industrially they were much weakewr than Germany and on top of that by 1942 had lost 35% of their industrial potential to the enemy. They should have been on the ropes production wise, but instead they outproduced the germans by miles. ive read from more than one source, that the Soviets could put together a t-34 in under 5000 man hours, whereas a Panther took up more than 55000 hours. mark IVs were similar, but a little less than the panther. id rather have 11 T-34s over one dodgy Panther any day in 1943. Not sure of the man hours forer the MkIV, but say it was 25000 hours (an estimate based on its approximate unit cost) id still far prefer 5 or 6 T-34s for every one MkIV
Similar arguments arise for the Sherman incidentally. it was a readily produceable tamk, in which the mods undertaken were kept as few as possible. unquestionably as a battle tank the German tank reigned supreme, but it fell down badly in other areas, principally protection and produceability.....