Changes to the branch of Soviet tank destroyers. The best Soviet self-propelled guns of the Great Patriotic War

The branch of pumped tank destroyers in the USSR will be subject to serious changes. In particular, a new TOP is introduced into the game: Object 268 4 variant. Consequently, the rest of the technique is shifting down, which leads to changes in some technical parameters. In addition, the weak and unplayable SU-101M1 will completely disappear from the branch. Let's see what awaits us.

Level 9: Object 263 performance characteristics, armament (a 122 mm M62-S2 gun is installed).

Level 8: SU-122-54. The description of the vehicle and weapons are also changed here. In particular, the PT is losing a 100mm D54s gun.

Level 7: SU-101. For the machine, it is also expected to change the performance characteristics and descriptions of equipment in the hangar. In addition, the PT loses two guns at once: a 122-mm D-25S model of 44 years, and a 122-mm M62-S2. Instead of them, more suitable weapons will be added.

Removed from the game, for vehicles below the seventh level, the change is not expected.

What is it for? The main goal of the developers is to optimize this branch of Soviet ATs for the current requirements of the game in order to make the gameplay more balanced and rich. Moreover, the introduction of a new tank into the game should arouse interest among tankers in this unpopular branch of development. Tanks with aft turrets require some skill to play, so many prefer to take the easier route.

SU-122 is a medium-weight Soviet self-propelled artillery mount (ACS) of the assault gun class (with some restrictions it could also be used as a self-propelled howitzer). This machine became one of the first self-propelled guns developed in the USSR, accepted for large-scale production.

On October 19, 1942, the State Defense Committee adopted a resolution on the need to create self-propelled artillery mounts. A little earlier, in the summer of 1942, an artillery plant in Sverdlovsk developed a draft design of a self-propelled gun. A 122-mm M-30 howitzer was located on the chassis of the T-34 tank. During the development of this model, valuable experience was gained, on its basis it became possible to draw up detailed tactical and technical requirements for a self-propelled artillery mount.

November 30, 1942 the prototype was ready. On the same day, his factory tests took place. The self-propelled guns made a run of 50 km and fired 20 shots. As a result of the tests, some corrections were made to the design of the machine. In the last days of December 1942, one of the machines was tested. The self-propelled artillery mount carried out a run of 50 km and fired 40 shots. During testing, no design flaws. A batch of self-propelled guns was put into service. In December 1942, the first self-propelled artillery regiments were formed - the 1433rd and 1434th. At this time, an operation began to break the blockade of Leningrad, so the self-propelled gun regiments at the end of January 1943 were sent to the Volkhov Front. February 14, 1943 regiments of self-propelled guns took the first battle. For 5-6 days of battle, self-propelled artillery installations destroyed 47 enemy bunkers, suppressed 6 mortar batteries. Several ammunition depots were burned and 14 anti-tank guns were destroyed.

As a result of the hostilities, the tactics of using self-propelled artillery installations were developed. This tactic was followed throughout the Great Patriotic War. Self-propelled artillery mounts moved behind the tanks at some distance. After the self-propelled guns entered the enemy’s defense line broken through by the tanks, the enemy points remaining there were destroyed. Thus, self-propelled artillery mounts cleared the way for the infantry.
In the course of preparations for the Battle of Kursk, the command counted on the SU-122 as an effective means against the new heavy armored vehicles of the enemy, but the real successes of self-propelled guns in this field turned out to be modest, and the losses were large. But there were also successes, and even without the use of HEAT shells: ... Hauptmann von Villerbois, commander of the 10th company, was seriously wounded during this battle. His Tiger received a total of eight hits from 122 mm shells from assault guns based on the T-34 tank. One shell pierced the side armor of the hull. Six shells hit the turret, three of which made only small dents in the armor, the other two cracked the armor and chipped off small pieces of it. The sixth shell broke off a huge piece of armor (the size of two palms), which flew into the fighting compartment of the tank. The electrical circuit of the gun's electric trigger was out of order, the observation devices were broken or knocked out of their attachment points. The welded seam of the tower parted and a half-meter crack formed, which could not be welded by the forces of the field repair team ...

Serviceable or repaired SU-122s were transferred to the composition of various units and divisions of the Red Army, where they fought either until they were destroyed or until written off due to engine wear, transmission units and chassis. For example, an excerpt from the "Report on the combat operations of the armored and mechanized troops of the 38th Army from January 24 to January 31, 1944" for the 7th Separate Guards Heavy Tank Regiment (7th OGTTP) testifies: According to the combat order of the headquarters of the 17th Corps , the remaining 5 tanks and self-propelled guns (3 KV-85 tanks and 2 SU-122 tanks) by 07.00 01.28.44, took up all-round defense at the state farm. Telman in readiness to repel enemy tank attacks in the direction of Rososhe, the Kommunar state farm, and the Bolshevik state farm. 50 infantrymen and 2 anti-tank guns took up defense near the tanks. The enemy had a concentration of tanks south of Rososhe. At 11.30, the enemy, with a force of up to 15 Pz.VI tanks and 13 medium and small tanks in the direction of Rososhe and infantry from the south, launched an attack on the state farm. Telman.

Occupying advantageous positions, because of the shelters of buildings and haystacks, having let the enemy tanks into the distance of a direct shot, our tanks and self-propelled guns opened fire and upset the enemy’s battle formations, knocking out 6 tanks (including 3 Tigers) and destroying up to an infantry platoon . To eliminate the German infantry that had broken through, the KV-85 st. Lieutenant Kuleshov, who completed his task with fire and caterpillars. By 13 o'clock on the same day, German troops, not daring to attack the Soviet regiment in the forehead, bypassed the state farm. Telman and completed the encirclement of the Soviet group.
The battle of our tanks in the environment against superior enemy forces is characterized by the extraordinary skill and heroism of our tankers. Tank group (3 KV-85 and 2 SU-122) under the command of the commander of the guard company st. Lieutenant Podust, defending the Telman state farm, at the same time prevented the German troops from transferring troops to other battle areas. The tanks often changed their firing positions and fired accurately at the German tanks, and the SU-122, going into open positions, shot the infantry mounted on the transporters and moving along the road to Ilintsy, which blocked the freedom of maneuver for the German tanks and infantry, and, most importantly, contributed exit from the encirclement of parts of the 17th Rifle Corps. Until 19.30, the tanks continued to fight in the encirclement, although the infantry was no longer in the state farm. The maneuver and intense fire, as well as the use of shelters for firing, made it possible to suffer almost no losses (except for 2 wounded), inflicting significant damage to the enemy in manpower and equipment. On January 28, 1944, 5 Tigr tanks, 5 Pz.IVs, 2 Pz.IIIs, 7 armored personnel carriers, 6 anti-tank guns, 4 machine-gun emplacements were destroyed and destroyed. carts with horses - 28, infantry - up to 3 platoons. At 20.00, the tank group made a breakthrough from the encirclement and by 22.00, after a firefight, went to the location of the Soviet troops, having lost 1 SU-122 (it burned down).

The self-propelled guns ammunition consisted of 40 shots, mostly high-explosive fragmentation. Sometimes, if necessary, to fight enemy tanks at ranges up to 1000 m, cumulative projectiles weighing 13.4 kg were used. Such shells could penetrate armor up to 120 mm. The self-defense of the crew was achieved by the fact that the installation was equipped with two PPSh submachine guns with 20 rounds of cartridges and 20 hand grenades F-1.

The composition of the ACS crew was quite large and amounted to 5 people. The tank had a 122 mm howitzer. The gun had a horizontal guidance angle of 20′, with 10 degrees on each side. The vertical angle ranged from +25 to -3 degrees. More than 70% of the parts of the SU-122 self-propelled artillery mount were borrowed from the T-34 tank. From December 1942 to August 1942, production of the SU-122 continued at Uralmashzavod. A total of 638 self-propelled artillery mounts were produced. Production of the SU-122 was discontinued in August 1943 due to the transition to the production of SU-85 tank destroyers based on the SU-122.

To date, only one SU-122 has survived, which is on display at the Armored Museum in Kubinka near Moscow.

19

Self-propelled units, designated SU-5, were part of the so-called "small triplex". This term was used for self-propelled guns of incomplete armor, created on the basis of the T-26 light tank and representing a universal self-propelled carriage, on the basis of which 3 guns could be placed: SU-5-1 - 76-mm divisional gun, SU-5-2 - 122 -mm howitzer, SU-5-3 - 152-mm divisional mortar.

The light tank T-26 mod. 1933, the production of which was established in Leningrad. Due to the fact that the existing tank layout was completely unsuitable for self-propelled guns, the T-26 hull was significantly redesigned.

The control compartment, together with the controls of the self-propelled guns, the driver's seat, as well as the transmission elements, remained in their place in the nose of the vehicle. But the engine compartment had to be moved to the center of the hull, separating it from the rest of the self-propelled gun compartments with armored partitions. A standard gasoline engine from the T-26 tank with a power of 90 hp was installed in the engine compartment. The engine compartment of the self-propelled guns SU-5 was connected using a special pocket with side holes that served to release cooling air. On the roof of the engine compartment there were 2 hatches for access to candles, a carburetor, valves and an oil filter, as well as openings with armored shutters that served to inlet cooling air.

The fighting compartment was in the stern of the car. Here, behind a 15-mm armored shield, there was an ACS armament and a place for calculation (4 people). To dampen recoil during firing, a special coulter located in the rear of the vehicle was lowered to the ground. In addition, additional side stops could be used. The chassis has not changed in comparison with the serial T-26 tank.

All three self-propelled guns had a single chassis and differed mainly in the weapons used. The main armament of the SU-5-2 self-propelled guns was a 122-mm howitzer model 1910/30. (barrel length 12.8 caliber), which was distinguished by a modified design of the cradle. The initial velocity of the projectile was 335.3 m/s. Pointing angles in the vertical plane ranged from 0 to +60 degrees, horizontally - 30 degrees without turning the body of the installation. When firing, the calculation used a telescopic sight and Hertz's panorama. The maximum firing range was 7,680 m. The use of a piston valve provided a decent rate of fire at the level of 5-6 rounds per minute. Shooting was carried out from a place without the use of coulters with the loader lowered. Carried ammunition consisted of 4 shells and 6 charges. For the delivery of ammunition to the self-propelled guns SU-5 on the battlefield, it was supposed to use a special armored ammunition carrier.

Factory tests of all three triplex machines took place from October 1 to December 29, 1935. In total, the ACS passed: SS-5-1 - 296 km., SS-5-2 - 206 km., SS-5-3 - 189 km. In addition to the run, the vehicles were tested and the SU-5-1 and SU-5-2 self-propelled guns fired 50 shots each, the SU-5-3 self-propelled guns fired 23 shots.

Based on the results of the tests, the following conclusions were drawn: “The self-propelled guns are distinguished by tactical mobility, which allows them to move on and off the roads, the transition to a combat position for the 76 and 122-mm SU-5 is instant, for the 152-mm version, 2-3 minutes (since shooting involves the use of stops

According to the plans in 1936, it was supposed to make a batch of 30 SU-5 self-propelled guns. Moreover, the military preferred the SU-5-2 version with a 122-mm howitzer. They abandoned the SU-5-1 in favor of the AT-1 artillery tank, and for a 152-mm mortar, the SU-5-3 chassis was rather weak. The first 10 serial machines were ready by the summer of 1936. Two of them were almost immediately sent to the 7th mechanized corps to undergo military trials, which lasted from June 25 to July 20, 1936 and took place in the Luga area. During the tests, the cars covered 988 and 1014 km under their own power. respectively, firing 100 shots each.

Based on the results of military tests, it was found that the SU-5-2 self-propelled guns passed the military tests. SU-5-2s were quite mobile and durable during the campaign, having sufficient maneuverability and good stability when firing. The main identified shortcomings of the machine were attributed to: insufficient ammunition, it was proposed to increase it to 10 shells. It was also proposed to increase the engine power, since the self-propelled guns were overloaded and to strengthen the springs. It was proposed to move the muffler to another place, and equip the control compartment with a fan.

It was proposed to make changes to the design of the SU-5 self-propelled guns based on the results of military tests, and then launch their mass production, but instead, in 1937, work on the “small triplex” program was completely curtailed. Perhaps this was connected with the arrest of one of the designers, P. N. Syachentov.

Already produced self-propelled guns from the first batch entered service with mechanized corps and individual brigades of the Red Army. In the summer of 1938, these machines even took part in the fighting against the Japanese at Lake Khasan. SU-5 operated in the area of ​​Bezymyannaya and Zaozernaya heights as part of artillery batteries from the 2nd mechanized brigade of the Special Far Eastern Army. Due to the short duration of hostilities, which ended on August 11, 1938, the use of self-propelled guns was very limited. Despite this, the reporting documents indicated that the self-propelled guns provided significant support to the infantry and tanks.

As of June 1, 1941, the Red Army had 28 self-propelled guns SU-5-2. Of these, only 16 were in good condition. No information about the use of ACS data in the Great Patriotic War has yet been found. All of them, most likely, were abandoned due to malfunctions or lost in the first week of fighting.

To create a conversion, you need:
3538 Zvezda 1/35 Soviet light tank T-26 mod. 1933 (body with running gear)
Cabin - brass 0.1 mm thick; sheet plastic 0.5 mm.

Pigments WILDER and MIG

washes "ARMY PAINTER"

4

Work on the creation of the ISU-152 self-propelled guns began in June 1943 at the design bureau of experimental plant No. 100 in Chelyabinsk in connection with the final decision to replace the KV-1 heavy tank in production with a new promising IS-1 tank.
However, on the basis of the KV tank, the SU-152 heavy assault gun was produced, the need for which was extremely high for the active army (in contrast to the need for heavy KV tanks). The excellent combat qualities of the SU-152 served as the basis for the creation of its analogue based on the IS-1 tank.
During the production process, minor changes were made to the design of the ISU-152, aimed at improving the combat and operational qualities and reducing the cost of the vehicle. In the second half of 1944, a new welded nose of the hull made of rolled armor plates was introduced instead of one solid piece, the thickness of the armored mask of the gun was increased from 60 to 100 mm. Also, a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun DShK began to be installed on the self-propelled guns and the capacity of the internal and external fuel tanks was increased. The 10P radio was replaced by an improved version of the 10RK.
On November 6, 1943, by a decree of the State Defense Committee, the new self-propelled guns were adopted by the Red Army under the final name ISU-152. In the same month, serial production of the ISU-152 began at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ). In December 1943, the SU-152 and ISU-152 were still produced jointly at ChKZ, and from the following month, the ISU-152 completely replaced its predecessor, the SU-152, on assembly lines.
During the production process, minor changes were made to the design of the ISU-152, aimed at improving the combat and operational qualities and reducing the cost of the vehicle.
The ISU-152 as a whole successfully combined three main combat roles: a heavy assault gun, a tank destroyer, and a self-propelled howitzer. However, in each of these roles, as a rule, there was another, more specialized ACS with the best performance for its category than the ISU-152.
In addition to World War II, the ISU-152 was used in the suppression of the Hungarian uprising of 1956, where they once again confirmed their tremendous destructive power. Particularly effective was the use of the ISU-152 as a powerful "anti-sniper rifle" to destroy rebel snipers hiding in residential buildings in Budapest, causing significant damage to Soviet troops. Sometimes only the presence of self-propelled guns nearby was enough for the inhabitants of the house, in fear for their lives and property, to expel snipers or bottle throwers who had settled there.
The main use of the ISU-152 was fire support for advancing tanks and infantry. The 152.4-mm (6-inch) ML-20S howitzer-gun had a powerful OF-540 high-explosive fragmentation projectile weighing 43.56 kg, equipped with 6 kg of TNT. These shells were very effective against both uncovered infantry (with the fuse set to fragmentation) and against fortifications such as pillboxes and trenches (with the fuse set to high explosive). One hit of such a projectile in an ordinary medium-sized city house was enough to destroy all living things inside.
ISU-152s were especially in demand in urban battles, such as the assaults on Berlin, Budapest or Königsberg. Good self-propelled armor allowed her to advance to a direct fire range to destroy enemy firing points. For conventional towed artillery, this was deadly due to enemy machine gun and precision sniper fire.
To reduce losses from fire "faustnikov" ( German soldiers, armed with "panzershreks" or "faustpatrons"), in urban battles ISU-152, one or two self-propelled guns were used along with an infantry squad (assault group) to protect them. Typically, an assault team included a sniper (or at least just a well-aimed shooter), submachine gunners, and sometimes a backpack flamethrower. Heavy machine gun DShK on ISU-152 was effective weapon to destroy the "faustniks" hiding on upper floors buildings, behind rubble and barricades. Skillful interaction between the crews of self-propelled guns and attached infantry soldiers made it possible to achieve their goals with the least losses; otherwise, the attacking vehicles could be very easily destroyed by the Faustniks.
The ISU-152 could also successfully act as a tank destroyer, although it was significantly inferior to specialized tank destroyers armed with anti-tank guns. In this capacity, she inherited the nickname "St. John's Wort" from her predecessor, the SU-152. To destroy armored targets, an armor-piercing projectile BR-540 weighing 48.9 kg with muzzle velocity 600 m/s, hitting BR-540 in any of the projections of any serial tank Wehrmacht was very destructive, the chance to survive after it was negligible. Only the frontal armor of the anti-tank self-propelled guns Ferdinand and Jagdtiger could withstand the hit of such a projectile.

However, in addition to the advantages, the ISU-152 also had disadvantages. The largest of them was a small portable ammunition load of 20 rounds. Moreover, loading new ammunition was a laborious operation, sometimes taking more than 40 minutes. This was a consequence of the large mass of shells, as a result, the loader required a large physical strength and endurance. The compact layout made it possible to reduce the overall size of the vehicle, which had a positive effect on its visibility on the battlefield. However, the same arrangement forced to place fuel tanks inside the fighting compartment. In the event of their penetration, the crew had a great risk of being burned alive. However, this danger was somewhat reduced by the worse flammability of diesel fuel compared to gasoline.

To create a diorama, it took:
(Trumpeter 00413) "Soviet tankers on vacation 1/35"
(3532 Zvezda) ISU-152 St. John's wort 1/35
(35105 Vostochny Express) 1/35 Set of tracks for tanks Is of late series
(MiniArt 36028) Village Diorama with Fountain 1/35
Paints "ARMY PAINTER" and VAILEJO
Pigments WILDER and MIG
fixation of pigments – Fixer WILDER
washes "ARMY PAINTER"

29

As soon as they didn’t call this car names, they didn’t criticize it. Nevertheless, produced in numbers second only to the T-34, the SU-76 has become a reliable companion of the infantry both in defense and in the offensive.

The SU-76 was created on the basis of the T-70 light tank, primarily as a mobile infantry escort. That's right, and nothing else. It was the irrational use of self-propelled guns that led to large and unjustified losses at first and criticism of self-propelled guns.

This vehicle was used as an infantry (cavalry) escort weapon, as well as an anti-tank weapon against enemy light and medium tanks and self-propelled guns. To combat heavy vehicles, the SU-76M was ineffective due to weak armor protection of the hull and insufficient gun power.

A total of 14,280 self-propelled guns SU-76 and SU-76M were produced.

As the main weapon in the fighting compartment, a 76.2-mm ZIS-Z cannon of the 1942 model was installed on the machine.

When firing direct fire, the standard sight of the ZIS-Z gun was used, when firing from closed firing positions, a panoramic sight.

The power plant consisted of two four-stroke GAZ-202 engines installed in parallel along the sides of the hull. The total power of the power plant was 140 hp. (103 kW). The capacity of the fuel tanks was 320 liters, the cruising range of the car on the highway reached 250 km. The maximum speed on the highway was 45 km / h.

For external radio communications, it was planned to install a 9R radio station, for internal - a TPU-ZR tank intercom. For communication between the commander and the driver, a light signaling (signal colored lights) was used.

As soon as they didn’t call this self-propelled gun ... “Bitch”, “Columbine” and “common grave of the crew”. It is customary to scold the SU-76 for weak armor and an open conning tower. However, an objective comparison with Western models of the same type convinces that the SU-76 was not much inferior to the German "marders".

Nevertheless, the presence of this self-propelled guns in the forefront during the offensive was perceived with a little less enthusiasm than the work of the Katyushas, ​​but still. Light and nimble, and the bunker will be plugged, and the machine gun will be wound on the tracks. In a word, it is better with "columbines" than without them.

And the open cabin did not allow the crew to be poisoned by powder gases. Let me remind you that the Su-76 was used precisely as an infantry support weapon. The ZiS-5 cannon had a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute, and one can only imagine the hell in which self-propelled gunners had to act when firing to suppress.

Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. Rokossovsky recalled:

“... The soldiers especially liked the self-propelled artillery mounts SU-76. These light mobile vehicles kept pace everywhere in order to support and rescue the infantry with their fire and caterpillars, and the infantrymen, in turn, were ready to shield them from the fire of enemy armor-piercers and Faustniks with their chests ... "

When used correctly, and this did not come immediately, the SU-76M showed itself well both in defense - in repelling infantry attacks and as mobile, well-protected anti-tank reserves, and in the offensive - in suppressing machine-gun nests, destroying pillboxes and bunkers, as well as in the fight against counterattacking tanks.

SU-76s were sometimes used for indirect fire. The elevation angle of its gun was the highest among all Soviet mass-produced self-propelled guns, and the firing range could reach the limits of the ZIS-3 gun mounted on it, that is, 13 km.

The low specific pressure on the ground allowed the self-propelled gun to move normally in swampy areas, where other types of tanks and self-propelled guns would inevitably get stuck. This circumstance played a big positive role in the battles of 1944 in Belarus, where swamps played the role of natural barriers for the advancing Soviet troops.

The SU-76M could pass along the hastily constructed roads along with the infantry and attack the enemy where he least expected the blows of Soviet self-propelled guns.

Not bad SU-76M also showed in urban battles - its open cabin, despite the possibility of hitting the crew with fire small arms, provided a better overview and allowed very close interaction with the soldiers of the infantry assault squads.

Finally, the SU-76M could destroy all light and medium tanks and equivalent Wehrmacht self-propelled guns with its fire.

The SU-76 has become a reliable means of fire support for infantry and the same symbol of Victory, albeit not as obvious as the "thirty-four" and "St. John's wort". But in terms of mass, the SU-76 was second only to the T-34.

29

After the appearance on the battlefields of the latest German tanks, in the Soviet Union, in a hurry, along with other combat vehicles, drawings of the KV-14 self-propelled gun armed with the ML-20 howitzer gun of 152 mm caliber were created. The ML-20 howitzer had an initial projectile velocity of 600 m/s and, at a distance of 2,000 meters, pierced armor over 100 mm thick. The mass of the armor-piercing projectile of this gun is 48.78 kg, the high-explosive fragmentation projectile is 43.5 kg.

Although the KV-14 was created primarily to support infantry, it was also possible to use the vehicle as a tank destroyer. The KV-14 self-propelled gun was put into service and put into production in February 1943. A kind of record is that it took only 25 days to design and manufacture a prototype.

Since the ML-20 howitzer-gun recoil was too great, the gun had to be placed not in a turret, like the KV-2, but in a fixed wheelhouse, like the German StuG III. At the same time, the oscillating part of the powerful 152-mm ML-20 howitzer cannon was installed practically unchanged in the frame-machine and, together with the ammunition load and the crew, was placed in a specially designed conning tower on the tank chassis. At the same time, the serial gun was almost not subjected to design changes, only the recoil devices and the location of the gun's CAPF were slightly modified. At the same time, the frontal armor shield with a massive armor mask, in addition to protecting against projectiles, also served as a balancing element.

The armor of the gun mask reached 120 mm, the frontal part of the hull - 70, and the sides - 60 mm. The rate of fire of the gun due to the use of a piston breech and separate loading was only 2 rounds per minute. The gun had sector manual guidance mechanisms. The horizontal pointing angle was 12°, vertical - from -5° to +18°.

The aiming devices consisted of a panoramic sight for firing from closed positions and a telescopic ST-10 for direct fire. Direct shot range - 700 meters. Five prismatic viewing devices were also installed on the self-propelled gun in the roof of the cabin, in addition, there was a driver's viewing window, closed with glass blocks and an armored cover with a slot.

The ammunition consisted of separate loading shots with armor-piercing shells weighing 48.8 kg and high-explosive fragmentation shells weighing 43.5 kg. Their initial velocities were 600 and 655 m/s, respectively. At a distance of 2000 m, armor-piercing shells pierced armor 100 mm thick. The hit of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile in the turret of any tank, as a rule, tore it off the shoulder strap.

The new self-propelled guns were equipped with radio stations 10-RK-26, as well as an internal intercom TPU-3.

For the production of self-propelled guns, the chassis of the KV-1S tank was used, which at that time was still on the assembly line. In terms of cross-country ability, the SU-152 self-propelled gun was similar to the KV-1S tank, its maximum speed on the highway was 43 km/h.

February 14, 1943 State Committee Defense accepted the KV-14 into service under the designation SU-152. Serial production of the SU-152 began on March 1, 1943 in Chelyabinsk. Gradually, the production facilities of Tankograd (ChTZ) were switched from KV-1S to SU-152. Until the end of 1943, 704 vehicles were produced.

Already in the course of mass production for the SU-152, a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft turret was designed DShK machine gun, which could be used to protect against air attack and against ground targets (since the installation of machine guns on self-propelled guns was not originally envisaged).

SU-152 entered service with heavy self-propelled artillery regiments of the RVGK, each of which had 12 such vehicles. The first regiment of self-propelled guns was formed already in May 1943. The arrival of new self-propelled guns to the troops was greeted with great joy, since they were one of the few who could fight the German "menagerie". Near Kursk, the SU-152 received the nickname "St.

The hit of an armor-piercing projectile in the "Tiger" turret tore it off the tank hull. The self-propelled regiment itself (self-propelled artillery regiment of the RVGK), first consisted of 12, and then in the winter of 1943-44. - from 21 SU-152. After the serial production of heavy tanks of the IS series, the ISU-152 self-propelled guns with the same gun as the SU-152 were launched on their chassis.

35103 Vostochny Express 1/35 KV-14 self-propelled gun (SU-152)
35107 Vostochny Express 1/35 set of tracks for Kv-1 early series
Paints "ARMY PAINTER" and VAILEJO
Pigments WILDER and MIG
fixation of pigments - Fixer WILDER
washes "ARMY PAINTER"

29

KV-7 is a Soviet experimental heavy self-propelled artillery mount of the period of the first half of the Great Patriotic War, which was a continuation of the line of modifications of Soviet heavy and super-heavy KV tanks. In the project documentation, this ACS model was also designated as "Object 227". In some Soviet sources, the KV-7 is referred to as a heavy turretless breakthrough tank, but by all indications, the design of the KV-7 corresponds precisely to a self-propelled artillery mount.
At the beginning of the Soviet-German war, the serial KV-1 and T-34 tanks of the Red Army, armed with 76-mm guns, did not always cope with the armored targets of the enemy. In addition, the not too compact placement of the crew in the tanks did not allow developing the desired rate of fire. During this period, applications began to come in from the front to create a tank or, preferably, self-propelled guns, which would be devoid of all the above disadvantages. The design bureau of the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ) proposed a variant of arming the self-propelled guns with two 76 mm guns. In mid-November 1941, the ChKZ design bureau under the leadership of Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin created design documentation and began assembling a prototype, which was called the KV-7 or "Object 227". At the end of December 1941, the first and only prototype of the KV-7 self-propelled guns was assembled, which was immediately sent to field tests. During the tests, a number of shortcomings were identified when the crew worked with a twin artillery mount, which was very typical for multi-gun tanks and self-propelled guns. However main reason not accepting the KV-7 into service and not launching it into the series was not this, but the urgent need of the Red Army for the T-34, KV-1 and KV-1s tanks.
The KV-7 heavy self-propelled artillery mount was configured similarly to the KV-1 tank. The armored corps was divided into three sections. The place of the driver and the gunner from the course machine gun was in the control compartment located in the nose of the vehicle. The remaining four crew members: commander, gunner and two loaders were located in the fighting compartment, which extended to the middle part armored corps and a cabin. The engine, its cooling systems and the main components of the transmission were installed in the aft part of the hull in the engine compartment.
For boarding and disembarking from the self-propelled guns, the crew, consisting of 6 people, used two round hatches in the roof of the cabin, which was a significant drawback when leaving the car in an emergency. The bottom hatch, equipped in the bottom of the hull, did not solve these problems, and when the self-propelled guns were knocked out, it was practically impossible for the driver and gunner to leave the car quickly.
The armor of the heavy self-propelled guns KV-7 was developed according to a differentiated anti-projectile principle and provided protection for the vehicle and its crew from being hit by small arms bullets and medium fragments, as well as from medium-caliber projectiles when fired from a medium distance. The armored hull of the heavy self-propelled guns KV-7 was assembled from rolled armor plates by welding them together. Armor plates, similar to the serial KV-1 heavy tank, had a thickness of 75, 40, 30 and 20 millimeters, depending on the direction of the reservation. On anti-projectile directions (bottom and top of the frontal part and stern), the thickness of the armor plates was 75 millimeters. The armor plates of the stern had a thickness of 70 millimeters at the bottom and 60 at the top. The roof and bottom of the armored hull were assembled from armor plates with a thickness of 20 to 40 millimeters, depending on the location of the reservation. All armor plates had rational angles of inclination to the vertical normal, except for the side parts, which significantly increased the armor resistance of the hull structure. The conning tower of the heavy self-propelled guns KV-7 was assembled from rolled steel armor plates, which were connected to each other and the frame in almost all cases by welding. The armor plates in the frontal part of the cabin and along its sides had a thickness of 75 millimeters. It was assumed that the reservation of the stern would be from 35 to 40 millimeters. The frontal and side armor plates of the cabin had angles of inclination to the vertical from 20 to 30 degrees. The twin gun mount was protected by a rectangular movable armor mask with a thickness of 100 millimeters.
When designing the KV-7 self-propelled guns, the armament of the vehicle consisted of two 76.2 mm ZIS 5 rifled tank guns paired into a U-14 mount. Ammunition for both ZIS-5 guns consisted of 150 unitary loading shells, which were placed along the sides of the cabin and along its rear.
As an auxiliary weapon in the KV-7, it was supposed to use three DT machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber. Two of them were installed, respectively, in the frontal armor plate of the hull (course) and the aft armor plate of the cabin in ball mounts. The third machine gun was stowed inside the fighting compartment and, if necessary, could be used as an anti-aircraft gun. Ammunition for three machine guns was 2646 cartridges in 42 disks. For the personal protection of the ACS crew, it was supposed to be armed with two PPSh submachine guns, four TT pistols and 30 F-1 hand grenades.
As a power plant in the KV-7 self-propelled guns, it was supposed to use a diesel four-stroke V-shaped twelve-cylinder V-2K engine, which could provide 600 horsepower at the output. He made it possible to move the car along the highway with a maximum speed of 34 kilometers per hour.
After assembling the only prototype of the KV-7 self-propelled guns, in April 1942 he entered the range and firing tests. The use of two 76-mm ZIS-5 guns for firing at the same time turned out to be not an easy task and carried a number of problems that were unsolvable at that time. In addition, during this period, the Red Army was in dire need of the KV-1, KV-1s and T-34 tanks, which were produced by the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ). For these two reasons, the KV-7 self-propelled guns were never put into service, and therefore, were not put into mass production.
One single issued copy of the KV-7 stood on the territory of ChKZ almost until the end of 1943, and then, together with experienced tanks T-29, T-100 was dismantled for metal. However, the experience gained during the creation of the KV-7 was used in the design of other Soviet tanks and self-propelled guns. In particular, all the developments in the KV-7 were successfully used by designers to create the KV-14 (SU-152) self-propelled guns, which went into mass production.
And the heavy self-propelled guns KV-7 became the last model of Soviet armored vehicles, where they tried to use a twin artillery mount of two guns.

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09503 Trumpeter 1/35 "SPG Soviet KV-7 mod. 1941 v.227"
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29

By the middle of 1944, it became completely clear that the means of combating modern German tanks available to the Red Army were clearly not enough. It was necessary to qualitatively strengthen the armored forces. This question they tried to solve it by using 100-mm guns with the ballistics of the B-34 naval gun on the self-propelled guns. The draft design of the vehicle was presented to the People's Commissariat of the Tank Industry in December 1943, and already on December 27, 1943, the State Defense Committee decided to adopt a new medium self-propelled gun armed with a 100-mm gun. The place of production of the new self-propelled gun was determined by "Uralmashzavod". However, it was not possible to adapt this gun - for this, the entire hull would have to be redone. In order to cope with the problem that had arisen, Uralmashzavod turned to plant No. 9 for help, in which at the end of February 1944, under the guidance of designer F.F. Petrov, a 100-mm D-10S gun was created, developed on the basis of a naval anti-aircraft gun B-34.

The performance characteristics of the new SU-100 self-propelled guns allowed it to successfully fight modern German tanks at a distance of 1500 meters for the Tigers and Panthers, regardless of the point of impact of the projectile. Self-propelled guns "Ferdinand" could be hit from a distance of 2000 meters, but only if it hit the side armor. The SU-100 possessed exceptional firepower for Soviet armored vehicles. Her armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 2000 meters pierced 125 mm. vertical armor, and at a distance of up to 1000 meters it pierced most German armored vehicles almost through and through.

The SU-100 self-propelled guns were designed on the basis of the units of the T-34-85 tank and the SU-85 self-propelled guns. All the main components of the tank - chassis, transmission, engine were used unchanged. The thickness of the front armor of the cabin was almost doubled (from 45 mm for the SU-85 to 75 mm for the SU-100). The increase in armor, combined with an increase in the mass of the gun, led to the fact that the suspension of the front rollers was overloaded. They tried to solve the problem by increasing the diameter of the spring wire from 30 to 34 mm, but it was not possible to completely eliminate it. In general, 72% of the parts were borrowed from the T-34 medium tank, 7.5% from the SU-85 self-propelled guns, 4% from the SU-122 self-propelled guns, and 16.5% were redesigned.

The SU-100 self-propelled guns began to enter the troops in November 1944. Thus, brigades and regiments armed with SU-100 self-propelled guns took part in the final battles of the Great Patriotic War, as well as in the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army. The inclusion of ACS data in the advancing mobile groups significantly increased their strike power. However, the SU-100 self-propelled guns had a chance not only to advance. In March 1945, they took part in defensive battles near Lake Balaton. Here, as part of the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, from March 6 to March 16, they participated in repelling a counterattack 6 tank army SS. All 3 brigades formed in December 1944, armed with SU-100s, were brought in to repel a counterattack, and separate self-propelled artillery regiments armed with SU-85 and SU-100 self-propelled guns were also used in defense.

Without a doubt, the SU-100 self-propelled guns were the most successful and powerful Soviet anti-tank self-propelled guns of the Great Patriotic War period. The SU-100 was 15 tons lighter and at the same time had comparable armor protection and better mobility in comparison with the identical German Jagdpanther tank destroyer. Wherein German self-propelled guns, armed with 88 mm German cannon Pak 43/3, surpassed the Soviet one in terms of armor penetration and the size of the ammo rack. The Jagdpanther gun, due to the use of a more powerful PzGr 39/43 projectile with a ballistic tip, had better armor penetration at long distances. A similar Soviet projectile BR-412D was developed in the USSR only after the end of the war. Unlike the German tank destroyer, the SU-100 had no cumulative and sub-caliber ammunition in its ammunition load. At the same time, the high-explosive fragmentation action of a 100-mm projectile was naturally higher than that of a German self-propelled gun. In general, both of the best medium anti-tank self-propelled guns of the Second World War did not have any outstanding advantages, despite the fact that the possibilities of using the SU-100 were somewhat wider.

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3531 Zvezda PT-ACS SU-100 1/35
35001 MiniArt Soviet infantry on tank armor 1944 - 1945 Soviet Infantry at Rest (1944-45) 1:35
Magic Models 35032 Red army infantry insignia 1943-1945 – Shoulder straps
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10

With the advent of combat aviation, the troops began to need anti-aircraft cover. The development of armored vehicles and the corresponding changes in tactics forced engineers around the world to begin work on self-propelled anti-aircraft systems. At first, the most popular method of creating such equipment was the installation of anti-aircraft machine guns or guns on cars. However, the limited capabilities of the base chassis affected both the allowable power of weapons and the mobility of the entire system. As a result, the creation of anti-aircraft self-propelled guns based on tank chassis began. In our country, similar projects started in the early thirties.

It was assumed that the use of a tracked chassis, borrowed from one of the existing or developed tanks, would provide the vehicle with mobility at the level of other military equipment, and the relatively large caliber of the gun will make it possible to hit targets at altitudes up to several kilometers.

When creating a project based on the chassis of the T-28 tank, the chassis of the latter has undergone some changes related to the use of new weapons. Improvements affected the front and upper parts of the armored hull, located near the fighting compartment. All other components and assemblies, as well as hull elements, remained unchanged, which was supposed to ensure the relative ease of construction and operation of new equipment.

According to reports, the SU-8 project involved the dismantling of all three turrets, the roof and the upper part of the sides of the fighting compartment from the tank. Inside the fighting compartment, it was proposed to mount a pedestal installation of circular rotation for the 3-K gun. In order to protect the gun crew from bullets and shell fragments, the self-propelled gun had to have an armored cabin with a frontal sheet and sides. The latter, for the convenience of the artillerymen, had to lean sideways and down. In the unfolded position, the sides were a relatively large platform, which facilitated the maintenance of the gun and provided circular horizontal guidance.

The maximum possible unification of the SU-8 anti-aircraft self-propelled guns and the T-28 tank provided a relatively high level of protection for the units. The hull was to be assembled from rolled sheets with a thickness of 10 (roof) to 30 (forehead) mm, cutting from sheets with a thickness of 10 and 13 mm. Thus, the crew of the vehicle would be reliably protected from small arms bullets and fragments of artillery shells.

The SU-8 was supposed to use the same power plant as the T-28 base tank: a 450 hp M-17T 12-cylinder engine. and a manual transmission with a five-speed gearbox. The chassis of the self-propelled gun also had to be borrowed without changes. It was proposed to mount a box with chassis elements installed in it to each side of the car. 12 road wheels on each side were connected by two using balancers with spring damping. Such carriages were connected into two carts on each side (6 track rollers each) with a two-point suspension to the hull.

In the fighting compartment of the self-propelled gun, it was proposed to mount a pedestal installation for the 3-K anti-aircraft gun. The 76.2 mm caliber gun had a 55 caliber barrel. When using the guidance systems developed together with the gun, the elevation angle could vary from -3 ° to + 82 °. The gun could hit targets at altitudes up to 9300 m. The maximum firing range at ground targets exceeded 14 km. An important feature of the 3-K gun was a semi-automatic loading system. When firing, the gun independently opened the shutter and ejected the spent cartridge case, and when a new projectile was fed, it closed the shutter. The gunners were only supposed to feed new shells. An experienced calculation could fire at a rate of up to 15-20 rounds per minute.

On the SU-8 self-propelled gun, the 3-K gun was to be used together with a pedestal installation, which was a modified unit of its towed gun carriage. A similar mounting system was also used when mounting anti-aircraft guns on trucks and armored trains.
The project of an anti-aircraft self-propelled gun based on the T-28 tank as a whole suited the military and was approved. A permit was obtained for the construction and testing of a prototype. Due to the difficulties in mastering the serial production of T-28 tanks at the Kirov Plant in Leningrad, the construction of the SU-8 prototype began only in the second half of 1934. During construction, some shortcomings of the new project were identified. The main one is unacceptably high cost. In addition, the claims were caused by the complexity of servicing the equipment.

The only prototype of the SU-8 anti-aircraft self-propelled guns was never completed. At the end of 1934, it was converted into a tank. Such a fate of the unfinished machine speaks of one of the main reasons why the SU-8 was not only not accepted into service, but was not even tested. According to reports, 41 T-28 tanks were built in 1933. In 1934, the number of produced tanks was slightly higher - 50, and in the 35th it was reduced to 32. Until 1941, only 503 medium tanks of the new model were built. With such a slow release of new tanks, the start of serial construction of self-propelled guns based on them did not look like the wisest decision. The army needed both tanks and self-propelled guns, but production capabilities required to choose one. As a result, tanks were chosen, and the SU-8 project was completed at the prototype construction stage.

In November 1933, the task of designing an anti-aircraft self-propelled gun on the chassis of the T-26 tank was given to the design department of self-propelled artillery of plant No. 185. Even preliminary estimates showed that the chassis needed to be lengthened. But nevertheless, until February 1934, the GAU (Main Artillery Directorate) and UMM (Mechanization and Motorization Directorate) did not agree with the reworking of the undercarriage of the T-26 tank.

In May 1934, the project was generally approved, but the task was adjusted for the use of guns in combat formations of troops against enemy tanks. In June 1934, in the tank design bureau of the plant, work began on the design and manufacture of an elongated T-26 chassis for self-propelled artillery.

The layout of the anti-aircraft self-propelled guns was carried out by L. Troyanov under the general supervision of P.N. Syachintov. The machine was an open self-propelled unit, built with extensive use of components and assemblies of the T-26 tank, from which the engine, main clutch, cardan shaft joints, gearbox, side clutches, brakes and final drives were borrowed. The hull was riveted from 6-8 mm armor steel sheets. It was wider and longer compared to the T-26. For the necessary rigidity, it was reinforced with three transverse partitions, between which there were folding calculation seats. On the roof of the hull, additionally reinforced with squares, a pedestal of a 76-mm ZK anti-aircraft gun was bolted.
AT undercarriage T-26, one road wheel was added (on each side), sprung with a coil spring. To reduce the load on the suspension during firing, a special hydraulic switch was installed on each side, which unloaded the springs and transferred the load directly to the road wheels.
From the sides of the car, hinged sides made of 6-mm armor were attached to the hinges, protecting the crew from shelling during the march. Before firing, the sides were folded back and held with special stops. The mass of the self-propelled gun, which received the index SU-6, in a combat position was 11.1 tons, the maximum speed on the highway reached 28 km / h, the cruising range was 130 km. In addition to the 76.2 mm anti-aircraft gun, the armament of the vehicle was supplemented by two 7.62 mm DT machine guns installed in the front and rear sides in ball mounts.

During the factory tests of the SU-6, which took place from September 12 to October 11, 1935, the car traveled 180 km and fired 50 shots. The conclusions of the commission noted the following: “Based on the tests carried out, it can be considered that the sample is fully prepared for field tests. No defects or damage were found, except for the destruction of one track roller.

October 13, 1935 SU-6 entered the NIAP. The tests were carried out in difficult weather conditions, the SU-6 experienced frequent breakdowns of the material part, and therefore the course of the tests dragged on until December. During their self-propelled guns broke down many times. In total, the SU-6 passed 750 km (up to 900 km in total) and fired 416 shots. Accuracy of fire at the beginning of the tests was satisfactory, and at the end - unsatisfactory, both with the springs on and off. Therefore, the commission came to the conclusion that turning off the springs does not affect accuracy, and this mechanism should be excluded. In addition, the field test report noted low engine power and cooling inefficiency (the engine overheated after 15-25 kilometers of run over rough terrain), unsatisfactory strength of road wheels and suspension springs, as well as low stability of the entire system when overcoming obstacles, “jumping ”and“ bounces ”of the installation, knocking down the pickup, swinging of the platform. There was not enough space on the battle platform for remote tube installers. The commission concluded that the machine was completely unsuitable for use in mechanical connections.

After the unsuccessful completion of the SU-6 tests and the decision to master the 37-mm machine gun designed by B.S. Spiral position has changed. On 03/13/1936, government decree No. 0K-58ss was issued, according to which the four already laid down SU-6s were to be handed over for training purposes with 76-mm anti-aircraft gun arr. 1931, and ten manufactured SU-6s were to receive a 37-mm anti-aircraft gun. But, despite the plan to ship to plant No. 185 10 assault rifles of B. Shpitalny by October 1, plant No. 8 did not deliver a single one by the end of the year. In addition, P.N. Syachintov was arrested, and all work on the SU-6, as well as on other anti-aircraft self-propelled guns on a tank chassis, was stopped in January 1937. From now on, the military air defense duties were to be performed by quadruple anti-aircraft machine guns (ZPU) in the bodies of GAZ-AAA trucks .

AT-1 (Artillery tank-1) - according to the classification of tanks of the mid-1930s, it belonged to the class of specially created tanks, according to the modern classification, it would be considered an anti-tank self-propelled artillery installation of 1935. Work on the creation of an artillery support tank based on the T-26, which received the official designation AT-1, began at the plant No. 185 named after. Kirov in 1934. It was assumed that the created tank would replace the T-26-4, the serial production of which the Soviet industry failed to establish. The main weapon of the AT-1 was the 76.2-mm PS-3 gun, designed by P. Syachentov.

This artillery system was designed as a special tank gun, which was equipped with panoramic and telescopic sights and a foot trigger. In terms of power, the PS-3 gun was superior to the 76.2-mm gun mod. 1927, which was installed on the T-26-4 tanks. By the spring of 1935, 2 prototype this machine.

SAU AT-1 belonged to the class of closed self-propelled units. The fighting compartment was located in the middle of the vehicle in a protected armored tube. The main armament of the self-propelled guns was a 76.2-mm PS-3 gun, which was mounted on a rotating swivel on a pin pedestal. Additional armament was a 7.62 mm DT machine gun, which was mounted in a ball mount to the right of the gun. Additionally, the AT-1 could be armed with a second DT machine gun, which could be used by the crew for self-defense. For its installation in the stern and sides of the armored tube, there were special loopholes covered with armored shutters. The crew of the self-propelled guns consisted of 3 people: the driver, who was located in the control compartment to the right in the direction of the vehicle, the observer (he is also the loader), who was in the fighting compartment to the right of the gun, and the gunner, who was located to the left of him. In the roof of the cabin there were hatches for boarding and disembarking the self-propelled crew.

The PS-3 cannon could send an armor-piercing projectile at a speed of 520 m/s, had panoramic and telescopic sights, a foot trigger, and could be used both for direct fire and from concealed positions. Vertical guidance angles ranged from -5 to +45 degrees, horizontal guidance - 40 degrees (in both directions) without turning the body of the self-propelled guns. Ammunition included 40 shots for the cannon and 1827 rounds for machine guns (29 discs).

The armor protection of the self-propelled gun was bulletproof and included rolled armor plates 6, 8 and 15 mm thick. The armored tube was made of sheets 6 and 15 mm thick. The connection of the armored parts of the hull was provided with rivets. The side and stern armor plates of the cutting for the possibility of removing powder gases when firing at half their height were made folding on hinges. In this case, the gap is 0.3 mm. between the hinged shields and the body of the self-propelled gun did not provide the crew of the vehicle with protection from being hit by lead splashes from bullets.

The capacity of the fuel tanks of the AT-1 installation was 182 liters, this fuel supply was enough to overcome 140 km. when driving on the highway.

The first copy of the AT-1 SPG was handed over for testing in April 1935. By their own driving performance it was no different from the serial T-26 tank. Conducting fire tests showed that the rate of fire of the gun without correcting the aiming reaches 12-15 rounds per minute with longest range firing at 10.5 km., instead of the required 8 km. Firing while moving was generally successful. At the same time, the shortcomings of the machine were also identified, which did not allow the AT-1 to be transferred to military tests. According to the results of the tests of the AT-1 self-propelled guns, the satisfactory operation of the gun was noted, but for a number of parameters (for example, the awkward position of the rotary mechanism, the location of the ammunition load, etc.), they did not allow the self-propelled guns for military tests.

In 1937, P. Syachenov, the leading designer for self-propelled guns of plant No. 185, was declared an "enemy of the people" and repressed. This circumstance was the reason for the termination of work on many projects that he oversaw. Among these projects was the AT-1 self-propelled guns, although the Izhora plant had already managed to produce 8 armored hulls by that time, and plant No. 174 began to assemble the first vehicles.

Summing up, we can say that the AT-1 was the first self-propelled artillery mount in the USSR. For a time when the military was still fond of machine-gun tankettes or tanks armed with 37-mm cannons, the AT-1 self-propelled guns could rightly be considered a very powerful weapon.

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Self-propelled artillery began to be massively used by the Red Army relatively late - only at the end of 1942. However, the machines produced by Soviet designers made a great contribution to the overall victory. Without exception, all Soviet self-propelled guns of the war period can be attributed to formidable vehicles that were useful in various ways on the battlefield. From a small, but no less effective SU-76, to such a monster as the ISU-152, which could easily hit a pillbox or destroy a house in which the Nazis settled.

Light self-propelled guns SU-76

This self-propelled gun was developed in 1942 by the design bureaus of plant No. 38 in the city of Kirov, the machine was created on the basis of the T-70 light tank well mastered by industry. In total, from 1942 until the end of the war, more than 14 thousand machines of this type were manufactured. Thanks to this, the SU-76 is the most massive Soviet self-propelled artillery installation of the Great Patriotic War, and its output was second only to the production of the T-34 tank. The popularity and prevalence of the machine is due to its simplicity and versatility.

A huge role was played by the fact that a very good ZIS-3 divisional gun of 76.2 mm caliber was chosen as a weapon for arming this self-propelled guns. The gun proved to be excellent during the war years and was distinguished by its high versatility of use. It was difficult to think of a better weapon to support the infantry. When using sub-caliber shells, the gun also revealed its anti-tank properties, however, tanks such as the Tiger and Panther were still recommended to be destroyed by firing at their sides. Against most samples of German armored vehicles, the armor penetration of the ZIS-3 gun remained adequate until the end of the war, although 100-mm armor remained an insurmountable obstacle for the gun.

The advantage, and in some cases the disadvantage of the machine, was its open felling. On the one hand, she helped the crew of the self-propelled guns to interact more closely with their infantry, especially in street combat, and also provided better visibility on the battlefield. On the other hand, the SPG crew was vulnerable to enemy fire and could be hit by shrapnel. In general, the self-propelled guns were distinguished by a minimum level of booking, which was bulletproof. However, the SU-76 was still very popular in units. Possessing the mobility of a light tank, the self-propelled gun had a much more serious weapon.

Not the most powerful weapons, thin armor, a fighting compartment open from above - all this, paradoxically, did not make the self-propelled gun unsuccessful. With its immediate task on the battlefield, the SU-76 coped perfectly. It was used for infantry fire support, acting as a light assault gun and anti-tank self-propelled guns. She was able to largely replace the light tanks of direct infantry support. Almost 25 years after the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. Rokossovsky noted: “Our soldiers especially fell in love with the SU-76 self-propelled gun. These mobile, light vehicles had time everywhere to help out and support the infantry units with their fire and caterpillars, and the infantrymen, in turn, did everything to protect these vehicles.

Anti-tank self-propelled guns SU-85 and SU-100

A separate place among all Soviet self-propelled guns was occupied by the SU-85 and SU-100, which were created on the basis of the most massive tank of the war - the T-34 medium tank. As you can easily guess, they differed primarily in the caliber of their guns and, accordingly, in their anti-tank capabilities. It is noteworthy that both self-propelled guns remained in service with various countries after the end of World War II.

The SU-85 was a medium-weight Soviet self-propelled artillery mount belonging to the tank destroyer class. Its main task on the battlefield was to fight enemy armored vehicles. The combat vehicle was developed at the Design Bureau of UZTM (Ural Heavy Engineering Plant, Uralmash) in May-July 1943. Serial production of new anti-tank self-propelled guns was launched in July-August 1943. The 85-mm D-5S-85 cannon, which had good anti-tank capabilities, was chosen as the main gun for the new self-propelled gun. In fact, it was the SU-85 that became the first Soviet self-propelled guns that could fight German tanks on equal terms. From a distance of more than a kilometer, the crew of the SU-85 could easily disable any medium tank enemy. The frontal armor of the "Tiger" using armor-piercing shells could be penetrated from a distance of up to 500 meters, the use of sub-caliber ammunition made this task even easier.

Along with good firepower, the SU-85 was able to maintain the speed and maneuverability of its "progenitor" - the T-34 medium tank, and these good mobility characteristics more than once saved the crews of this anti-tank self-propelled gun in battle. And under enemy fire, the SU-85 self-propelled guns felt much more confident than the SU-76 with its open cabin. In addition, her frontal armor, located at rational angles of inclination, was no longer bulletproof and could take a hit.

In total, 2329 such machines were produced in 1943-1944. Despite the relatively small number, it was the SU-85 self-propelled guns, from 1943 until the end of hostilities in Europe, that was the basis of Soviet self-propelled artillery units armed with medium-weight vehicles. The SU-100, which replaced it, was able to show up in battles only in January 1945. Therefore, it was the SU-85 self-propelled guns and their crews that carried on their shoulders almost the entire burden of anti-tank and assault work of medium self-propelled artillery during the war.

With the advent of new types of armored vehicles among the Germans, such as the heavy tank "King Tiger" and self-propelled guns "Ferdinand", the question of increasing anti-tank capabilities became acute Soviet self-propelled guns. Uralmash designers responded to new challenge and in the middle of 1944 they introduced the best tank destroyer of the Second World War - self-propelled guns SU-100. The self-propelled gun used the base of the T-34-85 tank and went into serial production in August 1944. In total, for the period from 1944 to 1956, 4976 such self-propelled artillery installations were produced, while in the USSR production was stopped in 1948, but continued under license in Czechoslovakia.

The main difference and the main highlight of the self-propelled guns was its cannon - a 100-mm D-10S gun, which could confidently fight even the heaviest and well-armored German tanks. Not by chance finest hour The SU-100 broke through during the Balaton defensive operation, when the German large-scale tank offensive, codenamed "Winter Awakening", ended in huge losses of armored vehicles and became, in fact, the cemetery of the Panzerwaffe. Also, the self-propelled gun was distinguished by the best booking. The thickness of its sloping frontal armor reached 75 mm. The self-propelled gun felt confident not only in the fight against enemy tanks, but also in urban battles. Often, one shot with a high-explosive projectile from a 100-mm gun was enough to literally "blow off" the detected enemy firing point.

The uniqueness and exceptional combat capabilities of the SU-100 are confirmed by the fact that it was in service with the Soviet Army for several decades after the war, periodically being upgraded. In addition, the self-propelled guns were supplied to the allies of the Soviet Union, actively participated in post-war local conflicts, including the Arab-Israeli wars. The self-propelled gun remained in service with the armies of some countries until the end of the 20th century, and in some countries, such as Algeria, Morocco and Cuba, they remained in service as of 2012.

Heavy self-propelled guns SU-152 and ISU-152

Heavy Soviet self-propelled artillery mounts SU-152 and ISU-152 also made a significant contribution to the victory. The effectiveness of these machines is best indicated by their nicknames - "Deerslayer" and "Can Opener", which were given to these mighty twins in the army. The SU-152 was created on the basis of the KV-1S heavy tank and armed with a 152 mm ML-20S howitzer gun. The self-propelled gun was developed by the designers of ChKZ (Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant), the construction of the first prototype was completed on January 24, 1943, and the next month mass production of the machine began. It is worth noting that only 670 of these self-propelled guns were assembled, since the KV-1S tank, on the basis of which it was built, was discontinued. In December 1943, this vehicle was replaced on the assembly line with the ISU-152, which was equivalent in terms of armament, but better armored self-propelled guns based on the IS heavy tank.

The SU-152 self-propelled gun made its combat debut in the famous battle on Kursk Bulge, where she was immediately able to show herself as a worthy opponent of the new German tanks. The capabilities of self-propelled guns were enough to deal with the new brood of German "cats". The use of the 152-mm howitzer-gun ML-20S assumed the use of all the shells developed for it. But in reality, the crews of the vehicles managed with only two - high-explosive fragmentation and concrete-piercing shells. A direct hit on an enemy tank by concrete-piercing shells was enough to inflict heavy damage and incapacitate it. In some cases, the shells simply broke through the armor of the tanks, tore off the turret from the shoulder strap, and killed the crew. And sometimes a direct hit by a 152-mm projectile led to the detonation of ammunition, which turned enemy tanks into burning torches.

High-explosive fragmentation shells were also effective against German armored vehicles. Even without breaking through the armor, they damaged the sights and observation devices, the gun, the undercarriage of the vehicle. Moreover, in order to put an enemy tank out of action, sometimes it was enough just to close the gap of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile. The crew of Major Sankovsky, commander of one of the SU-152 batteries in Battle of Kursk, in one day disabled 10 enemy tanks (according to other sources, this was the success of the entire battery), for which the major was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Of course, in the role of tank destroyers, the SU-152 was not used from a good life, but in this capacity, the self-propelled gun proved to be a wonderful machine. In general, the SU-152 was an excellent example of versatility. It could be used as an assault gun, tank destroyer and self-propelled howitzer. True, the use of the vehicle as a tank destroyer was complicated by the low rate of fire, but the effect of hitting the target could easily cross out this shortcoming. The monstrous power of the 152-mm howitzer-gun was indispensable in suppressing pillboxes and firing points of the Germans. Even if the concrete wall or ceilings withstood the impact of the projectile, the people inside received a serious concussion, their eardrums were torn.

The ISU-152 heavy self-propelled artillery mount replaced the SU-152, it was created by the design bureau of the experimental plant No. 100 in June-October 1943 and was put into service on November 6 of the same year. The release of the new self-propelled guns was launched at ChKZ, where it simply replaced the SU-152. The production of self-propelled guns continued until 1946, during which time 3242 vehicles of this type were built. The self-propelled gun was widely used in the final stage of the war and, like its predecessor, the SU-152, could be used in all aspects of the use of self-propelled artillery. These vehicles were withdrawn from the armament of the Soviet Army only in the 1970s, which also indicates their great combat potential.

The ISU-152 self-propelled guns became indispensable during urban battles, literally leveling enemy buildings and firing points with the ground. She showed herself very well during the assaults on Budapest, Konigsberg and Berlin. Good armor allowed the self-propelled guns to advance to a direct shot distance and hit German firing points with direct fire. For conventional towed artillery, this represented mortal danger due to massive machine-gun and aimed sniper fire.

Sources of information:
http://rg.ru/2015/04/24/samohodka-site.html
http://armor.kiev.ua
http://pro-tank.ru
http://www.opoccuu.com

This publication attempts to analyze the anti-tank capabilities of Soviet self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS) that were available in the USSR during the Great Patriotic War. By the beginning of hostilities in June 1941, there were practically no self-propelled artillery installations in the Red Army, although work on their creation had been carried out since the first half of the 30s. The self-propelled guns brought to the stage of mass production in the USSR were created on the basis of artillery systems with low ballistics and were considered as means of supporting infantry units. The first Soviet self-propelled guns were armed with 76-mm regimental guns of the 1927 model and 122-mm howitzers of the 1910/30 model.

The first Soviet serial model of the self-propelled guns was the SU-12 on the chassis of a three-axle American truck "Moreland" (Moreland TX6) with two drive axles. On the Morland cargo platform, a pedestal installation with a 76-mm regimental gun was mounted. "Cargo self-propelled guns" entered service in 1933 and were first demonstrated at the parade in 1934. Soon after the start of mass production of GAZ-AAA trucks in the USSR, the assembly of self-propelled guns SU-1-12 began on their basis. According to archival data, a total of 99 self-propelled guns SU-12 / SU-1-12 were built. Of these, 48 are based on the Moreland truck and 51 are based on the Soviet GAZ-AAA truck.

SU-12 on parade

Initially, the SU-12 self-propelled guns did not have any armor protection at all, but soon a U-shaped armor shield was installed to protect the crew from bullets and shrapnel. The ammunition load of the gun was 36 shrapnel and fragmentation grenades, armor-piercing shells were not provided. The rate of fire was 10-12 rds / min. Mounting the gun on a truck platform made it possible to quickly and inexpensively create an impromptu self-propelled gun. The pedestal gun mount had a firing sector of 270 degrees, the fire from the gun could be fired both straight-back and on board. There was also the fundamental possibility of firing on the move, but this greatly reduced accuracy.

The mobility of the SU-12 when moving along good roads was significantly higher than that of the 76-mm horse-drawn regimental guns. However, the first Soviet self-propelled gun had a lot of shortcomings. The vulnerability of the artillery crew, partially covered by a 4-mm steel shield, during direct fire was very high. The patency of a wheeled vehicle on soft soils left much to be desired and was seriously inferior to the horse teams of regimental and divisional artillery. It was possible to pull out a wheeled self-propelled gun stuck in the mud only with a tractor. In this regard, it was decided to build self-propelled guns on tracked chassis, and the production of the SU-12 was stopped in 1935.

First Soviet self-propelled guns successfully used in combat Far East against the Japanese in the late 30s and in the Winter War with Finland. All SU-12s in the western part of the country were lost shortly after the German attack, without affecting the course of hostilities.

In the 20-30s, the creation of self-propelled guns based on trucks was a global trend, and this experience in the USSR turned out to be useful. But if the installation of anti-aircraft guns on trucks made sense, then for self-propelled guns operating in close proximity to the enemy, the use of an unprotected vehicle chassis with limited cross-country ability was, of course, a dead end solution.

In the prewar period, a number of self-propelled guns based on light tanks were created in the Soviet Union. T-37A amphibious tankettes were considered as carriers of 45-mm anti-tank guns, but the matter was limited to the construction of two prototypes. It was possible to bring the SU-5-2 self-propelled guns with a 122-mm howitzer mod. 1910/30 based on the T-26 tank. SU-5-2s were produced in a small series from 1936 to 1937, a total of 31 vehicles were built.

The ammunition load of the 122-mm self-propelled guns SU-5-2 was 4 shells and 6 charges. Pointing angles horizontally - 30 °, vertically from 0 ° to + 60 °. The maximum initial speed of the fragmentation projectile is 335 m/s, the maximum firing range is 7680 m, the rate of fire is 5-6 rds/min. The thickness of the frontal armor was 15 mm, the side and stern were 10 mm, that is, the armor protection was quite adequate to withstand bullets and shrapnel, but it was available only in front and partially on the sides.

In general, the SU-5-2 for its time had good combat qualities, which was confirmed during the hostilities near Lake Khasan. The reports of the command of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade of the Red Army noted:

"122-mm self-propelled guns provided great support to tanks and infantry, destroying wire obstacles and enemy firing points."

Due to the small number of 76-mm SU-12 and 122-mm SU-5-2 did not have a noticeable impact on the course of hostilities in initial period war. The anti-tank capabilities of the 76-mm SU-12 were low, with increased vulnerability of both the self-propelled guns themselves and the calculation for bullets and shrapnel. With an initial speed of 76-mm blunt-headed armor-piercing projectile BR-350A - 370 m / s at a distance of 500 meters when meeting at an angle of 90 °, it pierced 30 mm armor, which made it possible to fight only with light German tanks and armored vehicles. Before the appearance of HEAT rounds in the ammunition load of regimental guns, their anti-tank capabilities were very modest.

Despite the fact that there were no armor-piercing shells in the ammunition load of the 122-mm howitzer, firing with high-explosive fragmentation grenades was often quite effective. So, with the weight of the 53-OF-462 projectile - 21.76 kg, it contained 3.67 kg of TNT, which in 1941, with a direct hit, made it possible to hit any German tank with a guarantee. When the projectile burst, heavy fragments were formed that could penetrate armor up to 20 mm thick within a radius of 2-3 meters. This was quite enough to destroy the armor of armored personnel carriers and light tanks, as well as to disable the undercarriage, observation devices, sights and weapons. That is, with the right tactics of use and the presence of a significant number of SU-5-2s in the troops, these self-propelled guns in the initial period of the war could fight not only with fortifications and infantry, but also with German tanks.

Before the war, self-propelled guns with a high anti-tank potential had already been created in the USSR. In 1936, the SU-6 was tested, armed with a 76-mm 3-K anti-aircraft gun on the chassis of the T-26 light tank. This vehicle was intended for anti-aircraft escort of motorized columns. She did not suit the military, since the entire calculation did not fit in the artillery mount, and the remote tube installer was forced to move in an escort vehicle.

Not very successful as an anti-aircraft gun, the SU-6 self-propelled guns could become a very effective anti-tank weapon, operating from pre-prepared positions and from ambushes. The armor-piercing projectile BR-361, fired from the 3-K gun at a distance of 1000 meters at a meeting angle of 90 °, pierced 82-mm armor. In 1941-1942, the capabilities of the 76-mm self-propelled guns SU-6 allowed it to successfully fight any German tanks at real firing distances. When using sub-caliber shells, armor penetration would be much higher. Unfortunately, the SU-6 never entered service as an anti-tank self-propelled artillery mount (PT SAU).

Many researchers attribute the KV-2 tank to heavy assault self-propelled guns. Formally, due to the presence of a rotating turret, the KV-2 is identified as a tank. But actually fighting machine, armed with a unique 152-mm tank howitzer mod. 1938/40 (M-10T), in many respects it was a self-propelled gun. The M-10T howitzer was induced vertically in the range from -3 to + 18 °, with the turret stationary, it could be induced in a small sector of horizontal guidance, which was typical for self-propelled guns. The ammunition load was 36 rounds of separate-sleeve loading.

The KV-2 was created on the basis of the experience of combating Finnish bunkers on the Mannerheim Line. The thickness of the frontal and side armor was 75 mm, and the thickness of the armored mask of the gun was 110 mm, which made it less vulnerable to anti-tank guns of 37-50 mm caliber. However, the high security of the KV-2 was often devalued by the low technical reliability and poor training of the drivers.

With the power of the diesel engine V-2K - 500 hp, a 52-ton car on the highway could theoretically accelerate to 34 km / h. In reality, the speed on a good road did not exceed 25 km / h. On rough terrain, the tank moved at a walking speed of 5-7 km / h. Taking into account the fact that the KV-2's maneuverability on soft ground was not very good, and it was not easy to pull out a tank stuck in the mud, it was necessary to choose the route of movement very carefully. Due to the excessive weight and dimensions, crossing water barriers often became an impossible task, bridges and crossings could not stand it, and a lot of KV-2s were simply abandoned during the retreat.

KV-2 captured by the enemy

On June 22, 1941, in the KV-2 ammunition load, there were only OF-530 high-explosive fragmentation grenades weighing 40 kg, containing about 6 kg of TNT. The hit of such a projectile in any German tank in 1941 inevitably turned it into a pile of flaming scrap metal. In practice, due to the impossibility of completing the ammunition load with regular ammunition, all shells of the M-10 towed howitzer were used for firing. At the same time, the required number of beams of gunpowder was removed from the sleeve. Cast iron fragmentation howitzer grenades were used, incendiary projectiles, old high-explosive grenades and even shrapnel, set to strike. When firing at German tanks, concrete-piercing shells showed good results.

The M-10T gun had a whole range of shortcomings that depreciated its effectiveness on the battlefield. Due to the imbalance of the turret, the regular electric motor could not always cope with its weight, which made the rotation of the turret very difficult. Even with a small angle of inclination of the tank, the turret was often impossible to turn. Due to excessive recoil, the gun could only be fired when the tank was at a complete stop. The recoil of the gun could simply disable both the turret traverse mechanism and the motor-transmission group, and this despite the fact that firing at full charge was strictly prohibited from the tank M-10T. The practical rate of fire with the clarification of the aiming was - 2 rds / min, which, combined with the low turret traverse speed and the relatively short range of a direct shot, reduced anti-tank capabilities.

Due to all this, the combat effectiveness of the machine, designed for offensive combat operations and the destruction of enemy fortifications, when firing direct fire from a distance of several hundred meters, turned out to be low. However, most of The KV-2 was lost not in duels with German tanks, but as a result of fire damage. German artillery, strikes by dive bombers, engine, transmission and chassis breakdowns, lack of fuel and lubricants. Shortly after the start of the war, the production of the KV-2 was curtailed. In total, from January 1940 to July 1941, 204 vehicles were built.

In the initial period of the war, tank repair enterprises accumulated a significant number of damaged and defective T-26 light tanks of various modifications. Often the tanks had damage to the turret or armament, which prevented their further use. Double-turreted tanks with machine-gun armament also demonstrated their complete failure. Under these conditions, it seemed quite logical to convert tanks with faulty or obsolete weapons into self-propelled guns. It is known that a number of vehicles with dismantled turrets were rearmed with 37 and 45 mm anti-tank guns with armored shields. According to archival documents, such self-propelled guns, for example, were available in October 1941 in the 124th tank brigade, but no images of the vehicles have been preserved. In terms of firepower, improvised self-propelled guns did not surpass T-26 tanks with a 45-mm gun, yielding in terms of crew protection. But the advantage of such vehicles was a much better view of the battlefield, and even in the conditions of catastrophic losses in the first months of the war, any combat-ready armored vehicles were worth their weight in gold. With competent tactics of using 37 and 45-mm self-propelled guns in 1941, they could quite successfully fight enemy tanks.

In the autumn of 1941, self-propelled guns armed with 76-mm KT guns were produced at the Kirov Leningrad plant on the repaired T-26 chassis. This gun was a tank version of the 76 mm M1927 regimental gun, with similar ballistics and ammunition. In different sources, these self-propelled guns were designated differently: T-26-SU, SU-T-26, but most often SU-76P or SU-26. The SU-26 gun had a circular fire, the calculation in front was covered by an armored shield.

Destroyed SU-26

Late versions built in 1942 also had armor protection on the sides. According to archival data, 14 self-propelled guns SU-26 were built in Leningrad during the war years, some of them survived until the blockade was broken. Of course, the anti-tank potential of these self-propelled guns was very weak, and they were used mainly for artillery support of tanks and infantry.

The first Soviet specialized tank destroyer was the ZIS-30, armed with a 57-mm anti-tank gun mod. 1941 Very often this gun is called the ZIS-2, but this is not entirely correct. From the ZIS-2 anti-tank gun, the production of which was resumed in 1943, a 57-mm gun mod. 1941 differed in a number of details, although in general the design was the same. Anti-tank 57-mm guns had excellent armor penetration and at the beginning of the war they were guaranteed to penetrate the frontal armor of any German tank.

Tank destroyer ZIS-30 was light anti-tank installation with an openly located tool. The upper machine gun was attached in the middle part to the body of the T-20 Komsomolets light tractor. The vertical aiming angles ranged from -5 to +25 °, along the horizon - in the 30 ° sector. The practical rate of fire reached 20 rds / min. From bullets and fragments, the calculation, which consisted of 5 people, in battle was protected only by a gun shield. The fire from the gun could only be fired from a place. Due to the high center of gravity and strong recoil, in order to avoid capsizing, it was necessary to tilt the openers in the aft part of the self-propelled guns. For self-defense of the self-propelled unit, there was a 7.62-mm DT machine gun, inherited from the Komsomolets tractor.

Serial production of the ZIS-30 self-propelled guns began at the end of September 1941 at the Nizhny Novgorod Machine-Building Plant and lasted only about a month. During this time, 101 self-propelled guns were built. According to the official version, the production of the ZIS-30 was discontinued due to the lack of Komsomolets tractors, but even if this was the case, what prevented the installation of 57-mm guns, which were very effective in anti-tank respect, on the chassis of light tanks?

The most likely reason for curtailing the construction of 57-mm tank destroyers, most likely, was the difficulty with the production of gun barrels. The percentage of rejects in the manufacture of barrels reached completely indecent values, and it was not possible to correct this situation on the existing machine park, despite the efforts of the labor collective of the manufacturer. It is this, and not the "excessive power" of 57-mm anti-tank guns, that explains their insignificant production volumes in 1941 and the subsequent rejection of serial construction. Gorky Artillery Plant No. 92, and V.G. Grabin turned out to be easier, based on the design of the 57-mm gun mod. 1941, to establish the production of a divisional 76-mm gun, which became widely known as the ZIS-3. The 76-mm divisional gun of the 1942 model (ZIS-3) at the time of creation had quite acceptable armor penetration, while possessing a more powerful high-explosive fragmentation projectile. Subsequently, this gun became widespread and was popular among the troops. ZIS-3 was in service not only in divisional artillery, specially modified guns were used by anti-tank units and were installed on self-propelled gun mounts. Subsequently, the production of 57-mm anti-tank guns, after making some changes to the design under the name ZIS-2, was resumed in 1943. This became possible after receiving a perfect machine park from the USA, which made it possible to solve the problem with the manufacture of barrels.

As for the ZIS-30 self-propelled guns, this self-propelled gun, in the face of an acute shortage of anti-tank weapons, initially proved to be quite good. Artillerymen, who had previously dealt with 45 mm anti-tank guns, especially liked the high armor penetration and point-blank range. During combat use, the self-propelled gun revealed a number of serious shortcomings: overloaded undercarriage, insufficient power reserve, small ammunition load and a tendency to tip over. However, all this was quite predictable, since the ZIS-30 self-propelled guns were a typical ersatz - a model of wartime, created in a hurry from the chassis and artillery units that were at hand, not very suitable for each other. By the middle of 1942, almost all ZIS-30s were lost during the fighting. However, they proved to be a very useful means of dealing with German tanks. Self-propelled guns ZIS-30 were in service with anti-tank batteries tank brigades Western and Southwestern fronts and took Active participation in the defense of Moscow.

After stabilization of the situation at the front and a number of successful offensive operations The Red Army had an urgent need for self-propelled guns for artillery support. Unlike tanks, self-propelled guns were not supposed to directly participate in the attack. Moving at a distance of 500-600 meters from the advancing troops, they suppressed firing points with the fire of their guns, destroyed fortifications and destroyed enemy infantry. That is, a typical "artshurm" was required, if we use the terminology of the enemy. This made different requirements for self-propelled guns compared to tanks. The security of self-propelled guns could be less, but it was preferable to increase the caliber of the guns, and, as a result, the power of the projectiles.

In the late autumn of 1942, production of the SU-76 began. This self-propelled gun was created on the basis of the T-60 and T-70 light tanks using a number of automotive units and is armed with a 76-mm ZIS-ZSh (Sh - assault) gun, a version of a divisional gun specially designed for self-propelled guns. The vertical aiming angles ranged from -3 to +25°, along the horizon - in the 15° sector. The elevation angle of the gun made it possible to reach the firing range of the ZIS-3 divisional gun, that is, 13 km. Ammunition was 60 shells. The thickness of the frontal armor - 26-35 mm, side and stern -10-15 mm made it possible to protect the crew (4 people) from small arms fire and fragments. The first serial modification also had an armored 7 mm roof.

The SU-76 power plant was a pair of two GAZ-202 automobile engines with a total power of 140 hp. As conceived by the designers, this was supposed to reduce the cost of production of self-propelled guns, but caused massive complaints from the active army. The power plant was very difficult to control, the out-of-synchronous operation of the engines caused strong torsional vibrations, which led to a rapid failure of the transmission.

The first 25 SU-76s produced in January 1943 were sent to a training self-propelled artillery regiment. A month later, the first two self-propelled artillery regiments (SAP) formed on the SU-76 went to the Volkhov Front and took part in breaking the blockade of Leningrad. During the fighting, self-propelled guns demonstrated good mobility and maneuverability. Firepower guns made it possible to effectively destroy light field fortifications and destroy accumulations of enemy manpower. But at the same time, there was a massive failure of transmission elements and engines. This led to a halt in mass production after the release of 320 vehicles. Refinement of the engine compartment did not lead to a fundamental change in the design. To increase reliability, it was decided to strengthen its elements in order to increase reliability and increase engine life. Subsequently, the power of the twin propulsion system was increased to 170 hp. In addition, they abandoned the armored roof of the fighting compartment, which made it possible to reduce the weight from 11.2 to 10.5 tons and improved the working conditions of the crew and visibility. AT stowed position to protect against road dust and precipitation, the fighting compartment was covered with a tarpaulin. This version of the self-propelled guns, which received the designation SU-76M, managed to take part in the Battle of Kursk. The understanding that self-propelled guns are not a tank did not come to many commanders immediately. Attempts to use the SU-76M with bulletproof armor in frontal attacks on well-fortified enemy positions inevitably led to heavy losses. It was then that this self-propelled gun earned unflattering nicknames among the front-line soldiers: “bitch”, “bare-assed Ferdinand” and “common grave of the crew”. However, with proper use, the SU-76M performed well. In defense, they repelled infantry attacks and were used as a protected mobile anti-tank reserve. In the offensive, self-propelled guns suppressed machine-gun nests, destroyed pillboxes and bunkers, made passages in barbed wire with gun fire, and, if necessary, fought counterattacking tanks.

In the second half of the war, a 76-mm armor-piercing projectile could no longer be guaranteed to hit German medium tanks Pz. IV late modifications and heavy Pz. V "Panther" and Pz. VI "Tiger", and firing with cumulative projectiles used in regimental guns, due to the unreliable operation of the fuses and the possibility of a rupture in the barrel for divisional and tank guns, was strictly prohibited. This problem was resolved after the introduction of the 53-UBR-354P shot with the 53-BR-350P sub-caliber projectile into the ammunition load. A sub-caliber projectile at a distance of 500 meters pierced normal 90 mm armor, which made it possible to confidently hit the frontal armor of the German “fours”, as well as the sides of the “Tigers” and “Panthers”. Of course, the SU-76M was not suitable for duels with tanks and anti-tank self-propelled guns of the enemy, which, starting in 1943, were armed with long-barreled guns with high ballistics. But when acting from ambushes, different kind shelters and in street battles, the chances were good. Good mobility and high cross-country ability on soft soils also played a role. Proper use of camouflage, taking into account the terrain, as well as maneuvering from one cover dug into the ground to another, often made it possible to achieve victory even over enemy heavy tanks. The demand for the SU-76M as a universal means of artillery escort for infantry and tank units is confirmed by the huge circulation - 14,292 vehicles built.

At the very end of the war, the role of 76-mm self-propelled guns as a means of combating enemy armored vehicles decreased. By that time, our troops were already sufficiently saturated with specialized anti-tank guns and tank destroyers, and enemy tanks had become a rarity. During this period, the SU-76Ms were used exclusively for their intended purpose, as well as armored personnel carriers for transporting infantry, evacuating the wounded, and as vehicles for forward artillery observers.

At the beginning of 1943, on the basis of captured German tanks Pz. Kpfw III and self-propelled guns StuG III began production of self-propelled guns SU-76I. In terms of security, with almost the same characteristics of weapons, they significantly exceeded the SU-76. The thickness of the frontal armor of captured vehicles, depending on the modification, was 30-60 mm. The forehead of the conning tower and sides were protected by 30 mm armor, the thickness of the roof was 10 mm. The cabin had the shape of a truncated pyramid with rational angles of inclination of the armor plates, which increased armor resistance. Some of the vehicles intended for use as commanders were equipped with a powerful radio station and commander's turrets with an entrance hatch from Pz. Kpfw III.

Commander's SU-76I

Initially, the self-propelled guns created on the basis of trophies were planned, by analogy with the SU-76, to be armed with a 76.2-mm ZIS-3Sh cannon. But in the case of using this gun, reliable protection of the gun embrasure from bullets and shrapnel was not provided, since cracks invariably formed in the shield when the gun was raised and rotated. In this case, the special self-propelled 76.2-mm S-1 gun turned out to be very useful. Previously, it was created on the basis of the tank F-34, specifically for light experimental self-propelled guns of the Gorky Automobile Plant. The vertical aiming angles of the gun are from - 5 to 15 °, along the horizon - in the sector of ± 10 °. The ammunition load was 98 rounds. On command vehicles, due to the use of a more bulky and powerful radio station, the ammunition load was reduced.

The production of the machine lasted from March to November 1943. The SU-76I, built in the amount of about 200 copies, despite the better security compared to the SU-76, was not very suitable for the role of a light tank destroyer. The practical rate of fire of the gun was no more than 5 - 6 rds / min. And according to the characteristics of armor penetration, the S-1 gun was completely identical to the tank F-34. However, several cases of successful use of the SU-76I against medium German tanks have been documented. The first vehicles began to enter the troops in May 1943, that is, a few months later than the SU-76, but unlike the Soviet self-propelled guns, they did not cause any particular complaints. The troops loved the SU-76I, self-propelled gunners noted high reliability, ease of control and an abundance of surveillance devices compared to the SU-76. In addition, in terms of mobility on rough terrain, the self-propelled gun was practically not inferior to the T-34 tanks, surpassing them in speed on good roads. Despite the presence of an armored roof, the crews liked the relative space inside the fighting compartment compared to other Soviet self-propelled gun mounts, the commander, gunner and loader in the conning tower were not too cramped. As a significant drawback, the difficulty of starting the engine in severe frost was noted.

Self-propelled artillery regiments armed with SU-76I received their baptism of fire during the Battle of Kursk, where they generally performed well. In July 1943, based on the experience of combat use, an armored reflective shield was installed on the mask of the SU-76I gun to prevent jamming of the gun by bullets and shrapnel. To increase the power reserve, the SU-76I began to be equipped with two external gas tanks mounted on easily dropped brackets along the stern.

Self-propelled guns SU-76I were actively used during the Belgorod-Kharkov operation, while many vehicles that received combat damage were restored several times. In the active army, SU-76I met until the middle of 1944, after which the vehicles that survived the battles were decommissioned due to extreme wear and lack of spare parts.

In addition to 76-mm guns, they tried to install the 122-mm M-30 howitzer on captured chassis. It is known about the construction of several machines under the name SG-122 "Artsturm" or abbreviated as SG-122A. This self-propelled gun was created on the basis of the StuG III Ausf. C or Ausf. D. It is known about the order of 10 self-propelled guns in September 1942, but information about whether this order was completed in full has not been preserved.

The 122-mm M-30 howitzer could not be installed in a standard German wheelhouse. The Soviet-made conning tower was significantly higher. The thickness of the frontal armor of the cabin is 45 mm, the sides are 35 mm, the stern is 25 mm, the roof is 20 mm. The car was not very successful, experts noted the excessive congestion of the front rollers and the high gas content of the fighting compartment when firing. The self-propelled guns on a captured chassis, after installing a Soviet-made armored tube, turned out to be cramped and had weaker armor than the German StuG III. The absence at that time of good sights and observation devices also had a negative effect on the combat characteristics of self-propelled guns. It can be noted that in addition to the alteration of trophies in the Red Army in 1942-1943, a lot of captured German armored vehicles were used unchanged. So, on the Kursk Bulge, in the same row with the T-34, the captured SU-75 (StuG III) and Marder III fought.

The self-propelled gun SU-122, built on the chassis, turned out to be more viable. Soviet tank T-34. The total number of parts borrowed from the tank was 75%, the rest of the parts were new, specially made for self-propelled guns. In many ways, the appearance of the SU-122 is associated with the experience of operating captured German "artillery assaults" in the troops. Assault guns were much cheaper than tanks, spacious conning towers made it possible to install guns of a larger caliber. The use of the 122-mm M-30 howitzer as a weapon promised a number of significant benefits. This gun could well be placed in the conning tower of the self-propelled guns, which was confirmed by the experience of creating the SG-122A. Compared to the 76 mm projectile, the howitzer 122 mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile had a significantly greater destructive effect. The 122-mm projectile, which weighed 21.76 kg, contained 3.67 explosives, against 6.2 kg of the “three-inch” projectile with 710 gr. explosive. One shot of a 122-mm gun could do more than several shots of a 76-mm gun. The powerful high-explosive action of the 122-mm projectile made it possible to destroy not only wooden and earthen fortifications, but also concrete pillboxes or solid brick buildings. HEAT projectiles could also be successfully used to destroy highly protected fortifications.

The SU-122 self-propelled guns were not born out of nowhere; at the end of 1941, the concept of a turretless tank was proposed with the full preservation of the T-34 chassis, armed with a 76-mm cannon. The weight savings achieved by abandoning the turret made it possible to increase the thickness of the frontal armor to 75 mm. The labor intensity of manufacturing was reduced by 25%. In the future, these developments were used to create 122-mm self-propelled guns.

In terms of security, the SU-122 practically did not differ from the T-34. The self-propelled guns were armed with a tank modification of the 122-mm divisional howitzer mod. 1938 - M-30S, with the preservation of a number of features of the towed gun. So, the placement of the controls for the pickup mechanisms on opposite sides of the barrel required the presence of two gunners in the crew, which, of course, did not add free space in the self-propelled gun. The range of elevation angles was from −3° to +25°, the sector of horizontal fire was ±10°. The maximum firing range is 8000 meters. Rate of fire - 2-3 rds / min. Ammunition from 32 to 40 shots of separate-sleeve loading, depending on the production series. Basically, these were high-explosive fragmentation shells.

The need for such vehicles at the front was huge, despite a number of comments identified during the tests, the self-propelled gun was adopted. First Regiment self-propelled guns SU-122 was formed at the end of 1942. At the front, 122-mm self-propelled guns appeared in February 1943 and were received with great enthusiasm. Combat trials self-propelled guns in order to work out the tactics of use took place in early February 1943. The most successful option is the use of the SU-122 to support the advancing infantry and tanks, being behind them at a distance of 400-600 meters. In the course of breaking through the enemy defenses, self-propelled guns with the fire of their guns carried out the suppression of enemy firing points, destroyed obstacles and barriers, and also repelled counterattacks.

When a 122-mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile hit a medium tank, as a rule, it was destroyed or disabled. According to the reports of German tankers who took part in the battle of Kursk, they repeatedly recorded cases of serious damage. heavy tanks Pz. VI "Tiger" as a result of shelling with 122-mm howitzer shells.

Here is what Major Gomille Commander III writes about this. Abteilung/Panzer Regiment tank division Grossdeutschland:

"... Hauptmann von Williborn, commander of the 10th company, was seriously wounded during the battle. His "Tiger" received a total of eight hits of 122-mm shells from assault guns based on the T-34 tank. One shell pierced the side armor The turret was hit by six shells, three of which made only small dents in the armor, the other two cracked the armor and chipped off small pieces of it. while building the electrical circuit of the gun's electric trigger, the observation devices were broken or knocked out of their attachment points. The welded seam of the tower parted, and a half-meter crack formed that could not be welded by the forces of the field repair team."

In general, assessing the anti-tank capabilities of the SU-122, we can state that they were very weak. This, in fact, served as a result of one of the main reasons for the withdrawal of self-propelled guns from production. Despite the presence of BP-460A cumulative projectiles weighing 13.4 kg, with armor penetration of 175 mm in the ammunition load, it was possible to hit a moving tank from the first shot only from an ambush or in combat conditions in a populated area. A total of 638 vehicles were built, the production of self-propelled guns SU-122 was completed in the summer of 1943. However, several self-propelled guns of this type survived until the end of hostilities, taking part in the storming of Berlin.

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