Soviet purchase programs, logistics and everything, alternatives and realities 1937-43

[bf109xxl]

Tank engagements were seldom tank on tank duels. A company that can engage/destroy more enemy tanks per minute can often overcome initial odds.

Soviet tanks suffered their main losses from anti-tank artillery, not from enemy tanks. It was much more important for the Soviets to provide anti-tank artillery (and divisional artillery in general) with tractors and trucks than to improve the ballistics of the guns.

 

[bf109xxl]

You do know that F-34 and F-22 used the ammo with same outward dimensions, right?

Initially F-22 prototype had a larger chamber for a new cartridge - the same way as the Germans afterwards. F-22 was created as an universal gun with AA capabilities which were never used, it had numerous flaws which made it inappropriate for the Soviets. The Germans had enough chassis to produce AT self-propelled units - it was reasonable to use the captured guns, however only with the the improved AP-round. When the Soviets were able to produce enough chassis for the self-propelled artillery, they had already 85-mm gun which was even more efficient! In 1941, even the 57-mm ZIS-2 proved to be overpowered as AT gun - the need for it appeared only in the second half of 1942. And a weak HE shell was considered to be the major disadvantage of the ZIS-2.

 

[fone]

IMO one of the most important things for Soviet fighter aircraft is keeping Polikarpov in the design business. The MiG that was formed in his absence made disappointment after disappointment, and when they finally got their act together with the I-220 series, they had no need for the aircraft anyways.
By contrast, the excellent I-185 which first flew in 1941 could be argued to be one of the best fighter aircraft in the world until 1944, and the ITP was no slouch either.
If the M-71 actually gets put into production (along with Yakovlev not being a jealous bastard), the I-185 would be an extreme headache for the Germans and help put the VVS on a more level playing field with the Luftwaffe.

1) If the design bureau of the N1 plant remains with Polikarpov, then the world will see biplane (I-170 with an M-105 engine) instead of the MiG-1/3. And it will also be necessary to remove from history the entire line of Mikoyan jet fighters, from MiG-9 to MiG-31))
2) The I-185 is not the best fighter in the world, it is just an experimental aircraft with an experimental engine.
3) The M-71 is absolutely not viable in the form in which it was installed on the I-185.