The Ferdinand mounted a 8.8cm KwK Pak43/2 L/71. The initial delivery of 90 vehicles were used in the summer offensive at Kursk in 1943. Initial vehicles had no secondary armament but this was later add in the form of a hull 7.92mm MG34. Introduced in 1940, the T-34/76 was an excellent tank which took the Germans completely by surprise. With it's effective 76mm gun, it's sloping armour and wide tracks the T-34 was well suited to fighting in the terrible conditions of the Russian winter.