In which case I can only say you were using it wrong, the T-28E excels in survivability and its ability to lay down heavy fire, its armour is AT rifle immune which is very important at its BR, and can maybe tank a few hits. For context you have all round 50mm protection on it, about on par with the effective thickness of the armour on the T-50.
You have great suppression ability in the T-28E, between your amazing HE and MGs, you can completely shut down any point. Against tanks, you can one shot literally anything you can face with great ease, you have a fast reload, and can very easily tank even 75mm rounds because they get lodged in the skulls of your MG gunners. This is without even mentioning the commander sight which is kinda cracked how good it is, all the while you have solid mobility.
As for the 75 M41, its also a great tank, its the best german tank at BR1. However the lack of a turret is a major downside. The T-28E, has a turret, has far more survivability, has more all round armour, hence making it immune to AT rifles which are prolific at its BR, has a better “FCS”, has far better MG’s, namely by having MG’s.
The T-28 was an abandoned design by war start, but that can more be dated back to how the KV-1 was replacing it, of which ofc it was a flat upgrade on all accounts, pun intended.
The fact you question the BR rating of the T-28E is of serious concern to me, how the fuck were you using it? Were you just bum rushing into the wall of the point or? Your best off sitting behind the infantry line, suppressing windows while the infantry advance all the while keeping an eye out on the avenues of approach for german tanks, as long as you can see them, you will win even if they get the first shot off, at least 90% of the time.
The exception is the Pz3N, a tank that I could talk about in length, however just shoot for the turret ring on it, its a one shot and still very very easy to hit, that or if your perpendicular to it, just shoot the hull. Oddly enough, the Pz3N is more of a threat to you than the Pz4 J, the J can be one shot just about anywhere near its hull, just avoid the turret because thats not a guaranteed one shot.