Katyusha: The Greatest Weapon of World War II. The history of the creation of the legendary Katyusha
"Katyusha" - vernacular name combat vehicles of rocket artillery BM-8 (with 82 mm shells), BM-13 (132 mm) and BM-31 (310 mm) during the Great Patriotic War. There are several versions of the origin of this name, the most likely of them is associated with the factory mark "K" of the manufacturer of the first BM-13 combat vehicles (Voronezh Plant named after the Comintern), as well as with the popular song of the same name at that time (music by Matvey Blanter, lyrics by Mikhail Isakovsky).
(Military Encyclopedia. Chairman of the Main Editorial Commission S.B. Ivanov. Military Publishing. Moscow. In 8 volumes -2004. ISBN 5 - 203 01875 - 8)
The fate of the first separate experimental battery was cut short in early October 1941. After the baptism of fire near Orsha, the battery successfully operated in battles near Rudnya, Smolensk, Yelnya, Roslavl and Spas-Demensk. During the three months of hostilities, the Flerov battery not only inflicted considerable material damage on the Germans, it also contributed to the rise fighting spirit from our soldiers and officers, exhausted by continuous retreats.
The Nazis staged a real hunt for new weapons. But the battery did not stay long in one place - having fired a volley, it immediately changed its position. A tactical technique - a volley - a change of position - was widely used by Katyusha units during the war.
In early October 1941, as part of the grouping of troops on the Western Front, the battery ended up in the rear of the Nazi troops. When moving to the front line from the rear on the night of October 7, she was ambushed by the enemy near the village of Bogatyr, Smolensk region. Most of personnel Batteries and Ivan Flerov died, having shot all the ammunition and blowing up combat vehicles. Only 46 soldiers managed to get out of the encirclement. The legendary battalion commander and the rest of the fighters, who fulfilled their duty with honor to the end, were considered "missing." And only when it was possible to find documents from one of the army headquarters of the Wehrmacht, which reported what actually happened on the night of October 6-7, 1941 near the Smolensk village of Bogatyr, Captain Flerov was excluded from the list of missing persons.
For heroism, Ivan Flerov was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree in 1963, and in 1995 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation posthumously.
In honor of the feat of the battery, a monument was erected in the city of Orsha and an obelisk near the city of Rudnya.
The famous installation "Katyusha" was put into production a few hours before the attack of Nazi Germany on the USSR. The rocket artillery salvo fire system was used for massive strikes on areas, it had an average aimed firing range.
Chronology of the creation of rocket artillery combat vehicles
Gelatin powder was created in 1916 by Russian professor I. P. Grave. The further chronology of the development of rocket artillery in the USSR is as follows:
- five years later, already in the USSR, the development of a rocket projectile by V. A. Artemyev and N. I. Tikhomirov began;
- in the period 1929 - 1933 a group led by B. S. Petropavlovsky created a prototype projectile for the MLRS, but ground-based launchers were used;
- rockets were put into service with the Air Force in 1938, marked RS-82, installed on I-15, I-16 fighters;
- in 1939, they were used at Khalkhin Gol, then they began to equip warheads from the RS-82 for SB bombers and L-2 attack aircraft;
- since 1938, another group of developers - R. I. Popov, A. P. Pavlenko, V. N. Galkovsky and I. I. Gvai - worked on a multi-charge high mobility installation on a wheeled chassis;
- the last successful test before the launch of the BM-13 into mass production ended on June 21, 1941, that is, a few hours before the attack of Nazi Germany on the USSR.
On the fifth day of the war, the Katyusha apparatus in the amount of 2 combat units entered service with the main artillery department. Two days later, on June 28, the first battery was formed from them and 5 prototypes participating in the tests.
The first combat volley of Katyusha officially took place on July 14th. The city of Rudnya, occupied by the Germans, was shelled with incendiary shells filled with thermite, and two days later, a crossing over the Orshitsa River near the Orsha railway station.
The history of the nickname Katyusha
Since the history of Katyusha, as the nickname of the MLRS, does not have exact objective information, there are several plausible versions:
- some of the shells had an incendiary filling with the CAT marking, denoting the Kostikov automatic thermite charge;
- bombers of the SB squadron, armed with RS-132 shells, taking part in the hostilities at Khalkhin Gol, were nicknamed Katyushas;
- in the combat units there was a legend about a partisan girl with that name, famous for the destruction of a large number of Nazis, with whom the Katyusha volley was compared;
- the jet mortar was marked K (Comintern plant) on the body, and the soldiers liked to give affectionate nicknames to the equipment.
The latter is supported by the fact that earlier rockets with the designation RS were called Raisa Sergeevna, the ML-20 Emeley howitzer, and the M-30 Matushka, respectively.
However, the most poetic version of the nickname is the Katyusha song, which became popular just before the war. Correspondent A. Sapronov published in the Rossiya newspaper in 2001 an article about a conversation between two Red Army soldiers immediately after the MLRS salvo, in which one of them called it a song, and the second specified the name of this song.
Analogues nicknames MLRS
During the war years, the BM rocket launcher with a 132 mm projectile was not the only weapon with its own name. According to the abbreviation MARS, mortar artillery rockets (mortar installations) were nicknamed Marusya.
Mortar MARS - Marusya
Even the German Nebelwerfer towed mortar soviet soldiers jokingly called Vanyusha.
Mortar Nebelwerfer - Vanyusha
In area firing, the Katyusha volley outperformed the damage from Vanyusha and more modern analogues of the Germans that appeared at the end of the war. Modifications of the BM-31-12 tried to give the nickname Andryusha, but it did not take root, therefore, at least until 1945, any domestic MLRS systems were called Katyushas.
Characteristics of the BM-13 installation
A multiple rocket launcher BM 13 Katyusha was created to destroy large enemy concentrations, so the main technical and tactical characteristics were:
- mobility - the MLRS had to quickly turn around, fire several volleys and instantly change position until the enemy was destroyed;
- firepower- batteries from several installations were formed from MP-13;
- low cost - a subframe was added to the design, which made it possible to assemble the artillery part of the MLRS at the factory and mount it on the chassis of any vehicle.
Thus, the weapon of victory was installed on railway, air and ground transport, and the cost of production decreased by at least 20%. The side and rear walls of the cabin were armored, protective plates were installed on the windshield. The armor protected the gas pipeline and the fuel tank, which dramatically increased the "survivability" of equipment and the survivability of combat crews.
The guidance speed has increased due to the modernization of the rotary and lifting mechanisms, stability in combat and stowed position. Even in the deployed state, Katyusha could move over rough terrain within a few kilometers at low speed.
combat crew
To control the BM-13, a crew of at least 5 people, a maximum of 7 people was used:
- driver - moving the MLRS, deploying to a combat position;
- loaders - 2 - 4 fighters, placing shells on rails for a maximum of 10 minutes;
- gunner - providing aiming with lifting and turning mechanisms;
- gun commander - general management, interaction with other unit crews.
Since the BM Guards rocket mortar began to be produced off the assembly line already during the war, there was no ready-made structure for combat units. At first, batteries were formed - 4 MP-13 installations and 1 anti-aircraft gun, then a division of 3 batteries.
In one volley of the regiment, the equipment and manpower of the enemy were destroyed on the territory of 70 - 100 hectares by an explosion of 576 shells fired within 10 seconds. According to directive 002490, the use of Katyushas less than a division was prohibited at the headquarters.
Armament
A salvo of Katyusha was carried out for 10 seconds with 16 shells, each of which had the following characteristics:
- caliber - 132 mm;
- weight - charge of glycerin powder 7.1 kg, explosive charge 4.9 kg, jet engine 21 kg, warhead 22 kg, projectile with fuse 42.5 kg;
- stabilizer blade span - 30 cm;
- projectile length - 1.4 m;
- acceleration - 500 m / s 2;
- speed - muzzle 70 m / s, combat 355 m / s;
- range - 8.5 km;
- funnel - 2.5 m in diameter maximum, 1 m deep maximum;
- damage radius - 10 m design 30 m real;
- deviation - 105 m in range, 200 m lateral.
M-13 shells were assigned the TS-13 ballistic index.
Launcher
When the war began, the Katyusha volley was fired from rail guides. Later they were replaced with honeycomb-type guides to increase the combat power of the MLRS, then spiral-type to increase the accuracy of fire.
To increase the accuracy, a special stabilizer device was first used. It was then replaced with spirally arranged nozzles that twisted the rocket during flight, reducing spread over the terrain.
Application history
In the summer of 1942, BM 13 multiple rocket launchers in the amount of three regiments and a reinforcement division became mobile strike force on the Southern Front, helped to contain the offensive 1 tank army enemy near Rostov.
Around the same time, a portable version was made in Sochi - the "mountain Katyusha" for the 20th mountain rifle division. In the 62nd army, by mounting launchers on the T-70 tank, a MLRS division was created. The city of Sochi was defended from the shore by 4 trolleys on rails with M-13 installations.
During the Bryansk operation (1943), multiple launch rocket launchers were stretched along the entire front, allowing the Germans to be distracted for a flank attack. In July 1944, a simultaneous salvo of 144 BM-31 installations sharply reduced the number of accumulated forces of the Nazi units.
Local conflicts
Chinese troops used 22 MLRS during artillery preparation before the Battle of Triangular Hill during the Korean War in October 1952. Later, the BM-13 multiple rocket launchers, supplied until 1963 from the USSR, were used in Afghanistan by the government. Katyusha until recently remained in service in Cambodia.
Katyusha vs Vanyusha
Unlike the Soviet BM-13 installation, the German Nebelwerfer MLRS was actually a six-barreled mortar:
- a gun carriage from a 37 mm anti-tank gun was used as a frame;
- guides for shells are six 1.3 m barrels, combined by clips into blocks;
- the rotary mechanism provided a 45 degree elevation angle and a horizontal firing sector of 24 degrees;
- the combat installation relied on a folding stop and sliding carriage beds, the wheels were hung out.
The mortar was fired with turbojet rockets, the accuracy of which was ensured by the rotation of the hull within 1000 rpm. The German troops were armed with several mobile mortar installations on the half-track base of the Maultier armored personnel carrier with 10 barrels for 150 mm rockets. However, all German rocket artillery was created to solve another problem - chemical warfare using chemical warfare agents.
For the period of 1941, the Germans had already created powerful poisonous substances Soman, Tabun, Zarin. However, in the Second World War, none of them was used, the fire was carried out exclusively with smoke, high-explosive and incendiary mines. The main part of the rocket artillery was mounted on the basis of towed gun carriages, which sharply reduced the mobility of units.
The accuracy of hitting the target with the German MLRS was higher than that of the Katyusha. However, Soviet weapons were suitable for massive strikes over large areas, and had a powerful psychological effect. When towing, Vanyusha's speed was limited to 30 km / h, after two volleys a change of position was made.
The Germans managed to capture the M-13 sample only in 1942, but this did not bring any practical benefit. The secret was in powder checkers based on smokeless powder based on nitroglycerin. It was not possible to reproduce the technology of its production in Germany; until the end of the war, its own rocket fuel formulation was used.
Katyusha modifications
Initially, the BM-13 installation was based on the ZiS-6 chassis, firing M-13 rockets from rail guides. Later, modifications of the MLRS appeared:
- BM-13N - Studebaker US6 was used as a chassis since 1943;
- BM-13NN - assembly on a ZiS-151 car;
- BM-13NM - chassis from ZIL-157, in service since 1954;
- BM-13NMM - since 1967 assembly on ZIL-131;
- BM-31 - projectile 310 mm in diameter, honeycomb-type guides;
- BM-31-12 - the number of guides has been increased to 12 pieces;
- BM-13 CH - spiral type guides;
- BM-8-48 - shells 82 mm, 48 guides;
- BM-8-6 - based on machine guns;
- BM-8-12 - on the chassis of motorcycles and arosan;
- BM30-4 t BM31-4 - ground-supported frames with 4 guides;
- BM-8-72, BM-8-24 and BM-8-48 - mounted on railway platforms.
Tanks T-40, later T-60, were equipped with mortar installations. They were placed on a tracked chassis after the turret was dismantled. The allies of the USSR supplied Austin, International GMC and Ford Mamon all-terrain vehicles under Lend-Lease, which were ideally suited for the chassis of installations used in mountainous conditions.
Several M-13s were mounted on KV-1 light tanks, but they were taken out of production too quickly. In the Carpathians, Crimea, on Malaya Zemlya, and then in China and Mongolia, North Korea torpedo boats with MLRS on board were used.
It is believed that the armament of the Red Army was 3374 Katyusha BM-13, of which 1157 on 17 types of non-standard chassis, 1845 pieces of equipment on Studebakers and 372 on ZiS-6 vehicles. Exactly half of the BM-8 and B-13 were lost irretrievably during the fighting (1400 and 3400 vehicles, respectively). Of the 1800 BM-31s produced, 100 pieces of equipment out of 1800 sets were lost.
From November 1941 to May 1945, the number of divisions increased from 45 to 519 units. These units belonged to the artillery reserve of the High Command of the Red Army.
Monuments BM-13
Currently, all military installations of the MLRS based on the ZiS-6 have been preserved exclusively in the form of memorials and monuments. They are placed in the CIS as follows:
- former NIITP (Moscow);
- "Military Hill" (Temryuk);
- Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin;
- Lebedin-Mikhailovka (Sumy region);
- monument in Kropyvnytskyi;
- memorial in Zaporozhye;
- Artillery Museum (St. Petersburg);
- Museum of the Great Patriotic War (Kyiv);
- Monument of Glory (Novosibirsk);
- entrance to Armyansk (Crimea);
- Sevastopol diorama (Crimea);
- 11 pavilion VKS Patriot (Kubinka);
- Novomoskovsky Museum (Tula region);
- memorial in Mtsensk;
- memorial complex in Izyum;
- Museum of the Battle of Korsun-Shevchensk (Cherkasy region);
- military museum in Seoul;
- museum in Belgorod;
- Museum of the Great Patriotic War in the village of Padikovo (Moscow region);
- OAO Kirov Machine Works May 1;
- memorial in Tula.
Katyusha is used in several computer games, two combat vehicles remain in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Thus, the installation of the Katyusha MLRS was a powerful psychological and rocket-artillery weapon during the Second World War. The armament was used for massive strikes against a large concentration of troops, at the time of the war it was superior to the counterparts of the enemy.
Katyusha - a unique combat vehicle of the USSR unparalleled in the world. It was developed during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45, the unofficial name of the barrelless systems of field rocket artillery (BM-8, BM-13, BM-31 and others). Such devices have been actively used Armed Forces USSR during World War II. The popularity of the nickname turned out to be so great that post-war MLRS on automobile chassis, in particular BM-14 and BM-21 Grad, were often called Katyushas in colloquial speech.
"Katyusha" BM-13-16 on the ZIS-6 chassis
The fate of the developers:
On November 2, 1937, as a result of a “war of denunciations” within the institute, director of RNII-3 I. T. Kleimenov and Chief Engineer G. E. Langemak were arrested. On January 10 and 11, 1938, respectively, they were shot at the Kommunarka NKVD training ground.Rehabilitated in 1955.
By decree of the President of the USSR M. S. Gorbachev of June 21, 1991, I. T. Kleymenov, G. E. Langemak, V. N. Luzhin, B. S. Petropavlovsky, B. M. Slonimer and N. I. Tikhomirov were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.
BM-31-12 on the ZIS-12 chassis in the Museum on Sapun Mountain, Sevastopol
BM-13N on a Studebaker US6 chassis (with lowered exhaust protection armor plates) at the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow
Origin of the name Katyusha
It is known why the BM-13 installations began to be called "guards mortars" at one time. The BM-13 installations were not actually mortars, but the command sought to keep their design secret for as long as possible. When soldiers and commanders asked the representative of the GAU to name the “genuine” name of the combat installation at the firing range, he advised: “Call the installation as an ordinary artillery piece. It's important to maintain secrecy."There is no single version of why BM-13s began to be called "Katyushas". There are several assumptions:
1. By the name of Blanter's song, which became popular before the war, to the words of Isakovsky "Katyusha". The version is convincing, since for the first time the battery fired on July 14, 1941 (on the 23rd day of the war) at the concentration of Nazis on the Market Square of the city of Rudnya, Smolensk Region. She shot from a high steep mountain - the association with a high steep bank in the song immediately arose among the fighters. Finally, the former sergeant of the headquarters company of the 217th is alive separate battalion communications of the 144th Infantry Division of the 20th Army Andrey Sapronov, now a military historian, who gave her this name. The Red Army soldier Kashirin, having arrived with him after the shelling of Rudny on the battery, exclaimed in surprise: “This is a song!” “Katyusha,” Andrey Sapronov answered (from the memoirs of A. Sapronov in the newspaper Rossiya No. 23 of June 21-27, 2001 and in Parliamentary Newspaper No. 80 of May 5, 2005). Through the communication center of the headquarters company, the news about the miracle weapon named "Katyusha" within a day became the property of the entire 20th Army, and through its command - of the whole country. On July 13, 2011, the veteran and “godfather” of Katyusha turned 90 years old.
2. There is also a version that the name is associated with the “K” index on the mortar body - the installations were produced by the Kalinin plant (according to another source, the Comintern plant). And the front-line soldiers liked to give nicknames to weapons. For example, the M-30 howitzer was nicknamed "Mother", the ML-20 howitzer gun - "Emelka". Yes, and BM-13 at first was sometimes called "Raisa Sergeevna", thus deciphering the abbreviation RS (missile).
3. The third version suggests that this is how the girls from the Moscow Kompressor plant, who worked at the assembly, dubbed these cars.
Another exotic version. The guides on which the shells were mounted were called ramps. The forty-two-kilogram projectile was lifted by two fighters harnessed to the straps, and the third usually helped them, pushing the projectile so that it exactly lay on the guides, he also informed the holders that the projectile had risen, rolled, rolled onto the guides. It was he who, allegedly, was called "Katyusha" (the role of those who held the projectile and rolled up was constantly changing, since the calculation of the BM-13, in contrast to cannon artillery, was not explicitly divided into loader, pointer, etc.)
4. It should also be noted that the installations were so secret that it was even forbidden to use the commands “plee”, “fire”, “volley”, instead of them they sounded “sing” or “play” (to start it was necessary to turn the handle of the electric coil very quickly) , which, perhaps, was also associated with the song "Katyusha". And for our infantry, the volley of Katyushas was the most pleasant music.
5. There is an assumption that initially the nickname "Katyusha" had a front-line bomber equipped with rockets - an analogue of the M-13. And the nickname jumped from an airplane to a rocket launcher through shells.
AT German troops these machines were called "Stalin's organs" because of resemblance jet plant with a pipe system of this musical instrument and the powerful staggering roar that was produced when the rockets were launched.
During the battles for Poznan and Berlin, the M-30 and M-31 single launchers received the nickname "Russian faustpatron" from the Germans, although these shells were not used as an anti-tank weapon. With "dagger" (from a distance of 100-200 meters) launches of these shells, the guardsmen broke through any walls.
BM-13-16 on the chassis of the STZ-5-NATI tractor (Novomoskovsk)
Soldiers loading the Katyusha
If Hitler's oracles had looked more closely at the signs of fate, then July 14, 1941 would certainly have become a landmark day for them. It was then that in the area of the Orsha railway junction and the crossing over the Orshitsa River Soviet troops For the first time, combat vehicles BM-13 were used, which received the affectionate name "Katyusha" in the army. The result of two volleys on the accumulation of enemy forces was stunning for the enemy. The losses of the Germans fell under the column "unacceptable".
Here are excerpts from the directive to the troops of the Nazi high military command: "The Russians have an automatic multi-barreled flamethrower gun ... The shot is fired by electricity ... Smoke is generated during the shot ..." The obvious helplessness of the wording testified to the complete ignorance of the German generals regarding the device and technical characteristics of the new Soviet weapons - jet mortar.
A vivid example of the effectiveness of the Guards mortar units, and their basis was the "Katyusha", can serve as a line from the memoirs of Marshal Zhukov: "Rockets by their actions produced complete devastation. I looked at the areas that were shelled and saw the complete destruction of defensive structures ... "
The Germans developed a special plan to capture new Soviet weapons and ammunition. In the late autumn of 1941, they managed to do this. The "captured" mortar was really "multi-barreled" and fired 16 rocket mines. Its firepower was several times more effective than the mortar, which was in service with the fascist army. Hitler's command decided to create an equivalent weapon.
The Germans did not immediately realize that the Soviet mortar they captured was truly unique phenomenon, opening a new page in the development of artillery, the era of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).
We must pay tribute to its creators - scientists, engineers, technicians and workers of the Moscow Reactive Research Institute (RNII) and related enterprises: V. Aborenkov, V. Artemiev, V. Bessonov, V. Galkovsky, I. Gvai, I. Kleimenov, A. Kostikov, G. Langemak, V. Luzhin, A. Tikhomirov, L. Schwartz, D. Shitov.
The main difference between the BM-13 and similar German weapons was an unusually bold and unexpected concept: mortars could reliably hit all targets of a given square with relatively inaccurate rocket-propelled mines. This was achieved precisely due to the salvo nature of the fire, since each point of the shelled area necessarily fell into the affected area of one of the shells. German designers, realizing the brilliant "know-how" of Soviet engineers, decided to reproduce, if not in the form of a copy, then using the main technical ideas.
Copy "Katyusha" as a combat vehicle was, in principle, possible. Insurmountable difficulties began when trying to design, develop and establish mass production of similar rockets. It turned out that German gunpowder cannot burn in the chamber of a rocket engine as stably and steadily as Soviet ones. Analogues designed by the Germans Soviet ammunition behaved unpredictably: either they sluggishly descended from the guides to immediately fall to the ground, or they started flying at breakneck speed and exploded in the air from an excessive increase in pressure inside the chamber. Only a few units made it to the target.
The point turned out to be that for effective nitroglycerin powders, which were used in Katyusha shells, our chemists achieved a spread in the values of the so-called heat of explosive transformation no higher than 40 conventional units, and the smaller the spread, the more stable the powder burns. Similar German gunpowder had a spread of this parameter even in one batch above 100 units. This led to unstable operation of rocket engines.
The Germans did not know that ammunition for the "Katyusha" was the fruit of more than a decade of activity of the RNII and several large Soviet research teams, which included the best Soviet powder factories, outstanding Soviet chemists A. Bakaev, D. Galperin, V. Karkina, G. Konovalova, B Pashkov, A. Sporius, B. Fomin, F. Khritinin and many others. They not only developed the most complex recipes for rocket powders, but also found simple and effective ways to mass-produce them continuously and cheaply.
At a time when the production of Guards rocket launchers and shells for them was being developed at an unprecedented pace at Soviet factories according to ready-made drawings and literally increased daily, the Germans had only to carry out research and design work on the MLRS. But history didn't give them time for that.
Museums section publications
Came ashore "Katyusha"
3 famous fighting vehicle in museums, films and computer games.
On July 14, 1941, not far from the railway station of the city of Orsha, the famous battery of Captain Ivan Flerov attacked the enemy for the first time. The batteries were armed with completely new BM-13 combat vehicles, unknown to the Germans, which the fighters affectionately call "Katyushas".
At that time, few people knew that these vehicles would take part in the most important battles of the Great Patriotic War and, along with the legendary T-34 tanks, would become a symbol of victory in this terrible war. However, both Russian and German soldiers and officers were able to evaluate their power after the first shots.
Says Professor of the Academy of Military Sciences of the Russian Federation, Scientific Director Russian Military Historical Society Mikhail Myagkov.
First operation
Information about the number of vehicles that were in service with the battery varies: according to one version, there were four of them, according to another - five or seven. But we can definitely say that the effect of their use was stunning. Military equipment and trains were destroyed at the station, and, according to our information, a battalion German infantry and important military equipment. The explosion was so strong that Franz Halder, the chief general staff ground forces Germany, made an entry in his diary that the earth was melting at the place where the shells hit.
Flerov's battery was transferred to the Orsha region, as there was information that a large number of important cargoes for the German side had accumulated at this station. There is a version that, in addition to the German units that arrived there, there were also secret weapon USSR, which they did not manage to take out to the rear. It had to be destroyed quickly so that the Germans did not get it.
To carry out this operation, a special tank group was created, which supported the battery, as it went to Orsha along the territory already abandoned by the Soviet troops. That is, the Germans could capture it at any moment, it was a very dangerous, risky undertaking. When the battery was just getting ready to leave, the designers strictly ordered to blow up the BM-13 in the event of a retreat and encirclement, so that the vehicles would in no case go to the opponents.
The fighters will fulfill this order later. In the retreat near Vyazma, the battery was surrounded, and on the night of October 7, 1941, it was ambushed. Here the battery, having made the last salvo, was blown up on the orders of Flerov. The captain himself died, he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, I degree, in 1942, and in 1995 he became a Hero of Russia.
The image of the BM-13 ("Katyusha") is actively used in video games about the Second World War:
BM-13 ("Katyusha") in the computer game Company of Heroes 2
Volley BM-13 in the computer game "Behind Enemy Lines - 2"
Machine BM-13 ("Katyusha")
Volley of "Katyusha" in the computer game War Front: Turning Point
About the history of the creation of rocket launchers
The development of rocket projectiles began in our country back in the 20s of the 20th century and was carried out by employees of the Gas Dynamics Institute. In the 30s, research continued at the Rocket Research Institute, headed by Georgy Langemak. Subsequently, he was arrested and subjected to repression.
In 1939–1941, reactive systems were improved and tests were carried out. In March - June 1941 there was a demonstration of systems. The decision to create batteries that included new weapons was made just a few hours before the start of the war: June 21, 1941. The armament of the first battery consisted of BM-13 vehicles with a 130 mm projectile. At the same time, the development of the BM-8 machines was going on, and in 1943 the BM-31 appeared.
In addition to machines, a special gunpowder was also developed. The Germans hunted not only for our installations, but also for the composition of gunpowder. They never figured out his secret. The difference in the action of this gunpowder was that German guns they left a long smoky plume, which was more than 200 meters, - you could immediately understand where they were shooting from. We didn't have that kind of smoke.
These multiple launch rocket systems were being prepared at the Kompressor plant (in peacetime it was a refrigeration equipment plant, which characterizes interchangeability in the heavy industry on the good side) and at the Kommunar plant in Voronezh. And of course, in addition to the first battery of Captain Flerov, at the beginning of the war, other batteries were created, which were armed with jet systems. As it seems to modern researchers, at the very beginning of the war they were sent to protect the headquarters. Most of them were sent to the Western Front so that the Germans could not suddenly capture the headquarters in order to stun the enemy with fire and stop his advance.
Oh Nickname
Flerov's first battery took part in the battles for Smolensk, Dukhovshchina, Roslavl, Spas-Demensk. Other batteries, there were about five of them, were located in the area of the city of Rudny. And the first version about the origin of the nickname of these machines - "Katyusha" - is really connected with the song. Batteries fired a volley at Rudny Square, where the Germans were at that moment, one of the witnesses of what was happening allegedly said: “Yes, this is a song!” - and someone else confirmed: “Yes, like Katyusha. And this nickname first migrated to the headquarters of the 20th Army, at which the battery was located, and then spread throughout the country.
The second version of the "Katyusha" is associated with the plant "Kommunar": the letter "K" was put on the machines. This theory is supported by the fact that the M-20 howitzer with the letter "M" was nicknamed "mother" by the soldiers. There are many other assumptions about the origin of the nickname "Katyusha": someone believes that at the time of the volley the cars "sang" in a drawling voice - there is also a long chant in the song of the same name; someone says that one of the cars had the name of a real woman written on it, and so on. But, by the way, there were other names. When the M-31 installation appeared, someone began to call it "andryusha", and the German Nebelwerfer mortar was nicknamed "vanyusha".
By the way, one of the names of the BM-13 among German soldiers was nicknamed "Stalin's organ" because the guiding machines looked like pipes. And the sound itself, when the "Katyusha" "sang", also looked like organ music.
Planes, ships and sleds
Rocket launchers of the BM-13 type (as well as BM-8 and BM-31) were mounted on airplanes, on ships, and on boats, even on sledges. In the corps of Lev Dovator, when he went on a raid on the German rear, these installations were located precisely on the sleigh.
However, the classic version is, of course, a truck. When the cars just got into production, they were put on a ZIS-6 truck with three axles; when it turned into a combat position, two more jacks were installed at the back for greater stability. But already from the end of 1942, especially in the 43rd year, more and more often these guides began to be mounted on Lend-Lease-delivered and well-proven American Studebaker trucks. They had good speed and permeability. This, by the way, is one of the tasks of the system - to make a volley and quickly hide.
"Katyusha" really became one of the main weapons of the Victory. Everyone knows the T-34 tank and the Katyusha. And they know not only in our country, but also abroad. When the USSR was negotiating Lend-Lease, exchanging information and equipment with the British and Americans, the Soviet side demanded the supply of radio equipment, radars, and aluminum. And the allies demanded "Katyusha" and T-34. The USSR gave tanks, but I'm not sure about the Katyushas. Most likely, the Allies themselves guessed how these machines were made, but you can create an ideal model and not be able to establish mass production.
Museums where you can see the BM-13
The museum is an integral and at the same time the main part memorial complex Victory on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow. On its territory there is an exhibition of weapons, military equipment and engineering structures (Victory weapons, captured equipment, railway troops, military highway, artillery, armored vehicles, air force, navy). The museum has unique exhibits. Among them are rare aircraft, one flying U-2, the best tank of World War II T-34 and, of course, the legendary BM-13 (“Katyusha”).
The Center for Military Patriotic Education opened in 2000. The museum fund consists of about 2,600 exhibits, including historical relics and replicas on the history of Russia and the Voronezh region. Exposition space - four halls and seven exhibitions.
The museum is located at the mass grave No. 6. In May 2010, a stele was installed in front of the museum building in connection with the awarding of Voronezh with the title of "City of military glory". On the square in front of the museum, visitors can see a unique exhibition of military equipment and artillery pieces.
The oldest military museum in Russia. August 29 (according to the new style) 1703 is considered his birthday.
The exposition of the museum is located in 13 halls on an area of more than 17 thousand square meters. Of particular interest to visitors is the external exposition of the museum, opened after reconstruction in November 2002. Its main part is located in the courtyard of Kronverk on an area of more than two hectares. The external exposition is unique in its completeness, historical and scientific value. About 250 pieces of artillery pieces were deployed in open areas, missile weapons, engineering and communications technology, including domestic and foreign weapons - from ancient to the most modern.
The Rudnya Historical Museum was officially opened on May 9, 1975; today its exposition occupies four halls. Visitors can see photos of the first rocket launchers of the legendary BM-13 rocket launcher; photographs and awards of participants in the battle of Smolensk; personal belongings, awards, photos of partisans of the Smolensk partisan brigade; material about the divisions that liberated the Rudnya region in 1943; stands telling the visitor about the damage caused to the area during the Great Patriotic War. Yellowed front-line letters and photographs, newspaper clippings, personal items resurrect images of war heroes - soldiers and officers - before the eyes of museum guests.
Museum of History and Local Lore named after N.Ya. Savchenko is a center for civil and patriotic education of youth. It consists of two parts: the main building and the demonstration area. It is on the site that all the military and rare equipment available in the museum is located. This is an An-2 aircraft, a T-34 tank and a steam locomotive.
A worthy place in the exposition is occupied by the famous "Katyusha" based on the ZIL-157, GAZ-AA (one and a half), ZIS-5 (three-ton), GAZ-67, an armored personnel carrier, a DT-54 tractor, a Universal tractor, a field soldier's kitchen and etc.
"Katyusha" in the cinema
One of the main films with her participation was Vladimir Motyl's melodrama Zhenya, Zhenechka and Katyusha. In this film, the BM-13 can be seen from almost all angles in general and close-ups.
Materials provided by: S.V. Gurov (Tula)
The list of contract work carried out by the Jet Research Institute (RNII) for the Armored Directorate (ABTU), the final settlement of which was to be carried out in the first quarter of 1936, mentions contract No. 251618s dated January 26, 1935 - a prototype rocket launcher on the BT-5 tank with 10 missiles. Thus, it can be considered proven that the idea of creating a mechanized multiply charged installation in the third decade of the 20th century did not appear at the end of the 30s, as previously stated, but at least at the end of the first half of this period. Confirmation of the fact of the idea of using cars for firing rockets in general was also found in the book "Rockets, Their Design and Application", authored by G.E. Langemak and V.P. Glushko, released in 1935. At the end of this book, in particular, the following is written: The main field of application of powder rockets is the armament of light combat vehicles, such as aircraft, small ships, vehicles of various types, and finally escort artillery.".
In 1938, employees of Research Institute No. 3, by order of the Artillery Directorate, carried out work on object No. 138 - a gun for firing 132 mm chemical projectiles. It was required to make non-rapid machines (such as a pipe). Under an agreement with the Artillery Directorate, it was necessary to design and manufacture an installation with a pedestal and a lifting and turning mechanism. One machine was made, which was later recognized as not meeting the requirements. At the same time, Research Institute No. 3 developed a mechanized salvo rocket launcher mounted on a modified chassis of a ZIS-5 truck with an ammunition load of 24 rounds. According to other data from the archives of the State Research Center of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Center of Keldysh” (former Research Institute No. 3), “2 mechanized installations were made on vehicles. They passed factory shooting tests at the Sofrinsky Artfield and partial field tests at the Ts.V.Kh.P. R.K.K.A. with positive results." On the basis of factory tests, it was possible to assert: the flight range of the RCS (depending on the specific gravity of the HE) at a firing angle of 40 degrees is 6000 - 7000m, Vd = (1/100)X and Wb = (1/70)X, the useful volume of the OV in the projectile - 6.5 l, metal consumption per 1 liter of OM - 3.4 kg / l, the radius of dispersion of OM when the projectile breaks on the ground is 15-20 l, maximum time required to fire the entire ammunition load of the vehicle in 24 rounds 3-4 sec.
The mechanized rocket launcher was designed to provide a chemical raid with rocket chemical projectiles /SOV and NOV/ 132 mm with a capacity of 7 liters. The installation made it possible to fire at the areas both with single shots and with a volley of 2 - 3 - 6 - 12 and 24 shots. "Installations, combined into batteries of 4-6 vehicles, are a very mobile and powerful means of chemical attack at a distance of up to 7 kilometers."
The installation and a 132 mm chemical rocket projectile for 7 liters of poisonous substance successfully passed field and state tests; its adoption was planned for service in 1939. The table of practical accuracy of rocket-chemical projectiles indicated the data of a mechanized vehicle installation for a surprise attack by firing chemical, high-explosive fragmentation, incendiary, lighting, and other rocket projectiles. I-th option without a pickup device - the number of shells in one volley - 24, total weight one volley of poisonous substances - 168 kg; 24 shots, the number of service personnel - 20-30 people. on 6 cars. In artillery systems - 3 Artillery regiments. II-version with control device. Data not specified.
From December 8, 1938 to February 4, 1939, unguided rockets of 132 mm caliber and automatic installations were tested. However, the installation was submitted for testing unfinished and did not withstand them: a large number of failures were found during the descent of rockets due to the imperfection of the corresponding units of the installation; the process of loading the launcher was inconvenient and time consuming; the swivel and lifting mechanisms did not provide easy and smooth operation, and the sights did not provide the required pointing accuracy. In addition, the ZIS-5 truck had limited cross-country ability. (See Tests of an automobile rocket launcher on the ZIS-5 chassis, designed by NII-3, drawing No. 199910 for launching 132 mm rockets. (Test time: from 12/8/38 to 02/4/39).
In an award letter for successful test in 1939, a mechanized installation for a chemical attack (outgoing NII No. 3 number 733c dated May 25, 1939 from the director of NII No. 3 Slonimer in the name of the People's Commissar of Munitions comrade Sergeev I.P.) the following participants in the work are indicated: Kostikov A.G. . - Deputy technical director parts, installation initiator; Gvai I.I. - lead designer; Popov A. A. - design engineer; Isachenkov - assembly mechanic; Pobedonostsev Yu. - prof. advising object; Luzhin V. - engineer; Schwartz L.E. - engineer .
In 1938, the Institute designed the construction of a special chemical motorized team for salvo firing of 72 shots.
In a letter dated February 14, 1939, to Comrade Matveev (V.P.K. of the Defense Committee under the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R.) signed by the Director of Research Institute No. 3 Slonimer and Deputy. Director of Research Institute No. 3, military engineer of the 1st rank Kostikov says: “For ground troops experience of a chemical mechanized plant to use for:
- the use of rocket high-explosive fragmentation shells in order to create massive fire on the squares;
- use of incendiary, lighting and propaganda projectiles;
- development of a 203mm caliber chemical projectile and a mechanized installation providing double the chemical power and firing range compared to the existing chemical one.
In 1939, the Scientific Research Institute No. 3 developed two versions of experimental installations on a modified chassis of a ZIS-6 truck for launching 24 and 16 unguided rockets of 132 mm caliber. Installation of the II sample differed from the installation of the I sample in the longitudinal arrangement of the guides.
The ammunition load of the mechanized installation /on the ZIS-6/ for launching chemical and high-explosive fragmentation shells of 132mm caliber /MU-132/ was 16 rocket shells. The firing system provided for the possibility of firing both single shells and a salvo of the entire ammunition load. The time required to produce a volley of 16 missiles is 3.5 - 6 seconds. The time required to reload ammunition is 2 minutes by a team of 3 people. The weight of the structure with a full ammunition load of 2350 kg was 80% of the calculated load of the vehicle.
Field tests of these installations were carried out from September 28 to November 9, 1939 on the territory of the Artillery Research Experimental Range (ANIOP, Leningrad) (see made at ANIOP). The results of field tests showed that the installation of the 1st sample, due to technical imperfections, cannot be admitted to military tests. Installation of the II sample, which also had a number of serious shortcomings, according to the members of the commission, could be admitted to military tests after significant design changes were made. Tests showed that when firing, the installation of the II sample sways and the knockdown of the elevation angle reaches 15 "30", which increases the dispersion of shells, when loading the lower row of guides, the projectile fuse can hit the truss structure. Since the end of 1939, the main attention has been focused on improving the layout and design of the II sample installation and eliminating the shortcomings identified during field tests. In this regard, it is necessary to note the characteristic directions in which the work was carried out. On the one hand, this is a further development of the installation of the II sample in order to eliminate its shortcomings, on the other hand, the creation of a more advanced installation, different from the installation of the II sample. In the tactical and technical assignment for the development of a more advanced installation (“modernized installation for the RS” in the terminology of the documents of those years), signed by Yu.P. Pobedonostsev on December 7, 1940, it was envisaged: to carry out structural improvements to the lifting and turning device, to increase the angle of horizontal guidance, to make simplifications sighting device. It was also envisaged to increase the length of the guides to 6000 mm instead of the existing 5000 mm, as well as the possibility of firing unguided rockets of 132 mm and 180 mm caliber. At a meeting at the technical department of the People's Commissariat of Ammunition, it was decided to increase the length of the guides even up to 7000 mm. The deadline for the delivery of the drawings was scheduled for October 1941. Nevertheless, in order to conduct various kinds of tests in the workshops of Research Institute No. 3 in 1940 - 1941, several (in addition to the existing) modernized installations for the RS were manufactured. The total number is indicated differently in different sources: in some - six, in others - seven. In the data of the archive of Research Institute No. 3, as of January 10, 1941, there are data on 7 pieces. (from the document on the readiness of object 224 (topic 24 of the overplan, an experimental series of automatic installations for firing RS-132 mm (in the amount of seven pieces. See UANA GAU letter No. 668059) Based on the available documents, the source states that there were eight installations, but in different time. On February 28, 1941 there were six of them.
The thematic plan of research and development work for 1940 of the Research Institute No. 3 NKB provided for the transfer to the customer - the AU of the Red Army - six automatic installations for the RS-132mm. The report on the implementation of pilot orders in production for the month of November 1940 at Research Institute No. 3 of the National Design Bureau indicates that with a delivery batch to the customer of six installations, by November 1940, the Quality Control Department accepted 5 units, and the military representative - 4 units.
In December 1939, Research Institute No. 3 was given the task of developing a powerful rocket projectile and a rocket launcher in a short period of time to carry out the tasks of destroying long-term enemy defenses on the Mannerheim Line. The result of the work of the institute team was a feathered rocket with a range of 2-3 km with a powerful high-explosive warhead with a ton of explosive and a four-guide unit on a T-34 tank or on a sleigh towed by tractors or tanks. In January 1940, the installation and rockets were sent to the combat area, but soon it was decided to conduct field tests before using them in combat. The installation with shells was sent to the Leningrad scientific and test artillery range. Soon the war with Finland ended. The need for powerful high-explosive shells dropped. Further installation and projectile work was discontinued.
Department 2n Research Institute No. 3 in 1940 was asked to perform work on the following objects:
- Object 213 - An electrified installation on a VMS for firing lighting and signaling. R.S. calibers 140-165mm. (Note: for the first time, an electric drive for a rocket artillery combat vehicle was used in the design of the BM-21 combat vehicle of the M-21 Field Rocket System).
- Object 214 - Installation on a 2-axle trailer with 16 guides, length l = 6mt. for R.S. calibers 140-165mm. (alteration and adaptation of object 204)
- Object 215 - Electrified installation on the ZIS-6 with a portable supply of R.S. and with a wide range of aiming angles.
- Object 216 - Charging box for RS on a trailer
- Object 217 - Installation on a 2-axle trailer for firing long-range missiles
- Object 218 - Anti-aircraft moving installation for 12 pcs. R.S. caliber 140 mm with electric drive
- Object 219 - Fixed anti-aircraft installation for 50-80 R.S. caliber 140 mm.
- Object 220 - Command installation on a ZIS-6 vehicle with a generator electric current, aiming and firing control panel
- Object 221 - Universal installation on a 2-axle trailer for possible polygon firing of RS calibers from 82 to 165 mm.
- Object 222 - Mechanized installation for escorting tanks
- Object 223 - Introduction to the industry of mass production of mechanized installations.
In a letter, acting Director of Research Institute No. 3, military engineer 1st rank Kostikov A.G. on the possibility of representation in K.V.Sh. under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR data for the award of the Comrade Stalin Prize, based on the results of work in the period from 1935 to 1940, the following participants in the work are indicated:
- rocket auto-installation for a sudden, powerful artillery and chemical attack on the enemy with the help of rocket shells - Authors according to the application certificate GBPRI No. 3338 9.II.40g (author's certificate No. 3338 dated February 19, 1940) Kostikov Andrey Grigorievich, Gvai Ivan Isidorovich, Aborenkov Vasily Vasilevich.
- tactical and technical justification of the scheme and design of the auto-installation - designers: Pavlenko Alexey Petrovich and Galkovsky Vladimir Nikolaevich.
- testing rocket high-explosive fragmentation chemical shells of caliber 132 mm. - Shvarts Leonid Emilievich, Artemiev Vladimir Andreevich, Shitov Dmitry Alexandrovich
The basis for submitting Comrade Stalin for the Prize was also the Decision of the Technical Council of the Research Institute No. 3 of the National Design Bureau dated December 26, 1940. ,.
On April 25, 1941, the tactical and technical requirements for the modernization of a mechanized installation for firing rockets were approved.
On June 21, 1941, the installation was demonstrated to the leaders of the CPSU (6) and the Soviet government, and on the same day, just a few hours before the start of World War II, a decision was made to urgently expand the production of M-13 rockets and M-13 installations (see Fig. scheme 1, scheme 2). The production of M-13 installations was organized at the Voronezh plant named after. Comintern and at the Moscow plant "Compressor". One of the main enterprises for the production of rockets was the Moscow plant. Vladimir Ilyich.
During the war, the production of component installations and shells and the transition from serial production to mass production required the creation of a broad structure of cooperation on the territory of the country (Moscow, Leningrad, Chelyabinsk, Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), Nizhny Tagil, Krasnoyarsk, Kolpino, Murom, Kolomna and, possibly, , other). It required the organization of a separate military acceptance of guards mortar units. For more information about the production of shells and their elements during the war years, see our website (further on the links below).
According to various sources, in late July - early August, the formation of Guards mortar units began (see:). In the first months of the war, the Germans already had data on new Soviet weapons (see:).
The date of adoption of the installation and shells M-13 is not documented. The author of this material established only data on the draft Resolution of the Defense Committee under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR Union of February 1940 (See electronic versions of documents:,,). In M. Pervov's book "Stories about Russian rockets" Book One. page 257 states that "August 30, 1941, by the Decree of the State Defense Committee, the BM-13 was adopted by the Red Army." I, Gurov S.V., got acquainted with the electronic images of the GKO Decrees dated August 30, 1941 in the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (RGASPI, Moscow) and did not find in any of them any mention of data on the adoption of the M-13 installation into armament.
In September-October 1941, on the instructions of the Main Directorate of Armament of the Guards Mortar Units, the M-13 installation was developed on the chassis of the STZ-5 NATI tractor modified for mounting. The development was entrusted to the Voronezh plant. Comintern and SKB at the Moscow plant "Compressor". SKB performed the development more efficiently, and prototypes were manufactured and tested in a short time. As a result, the installation was put into service and put into mass production.
In the December days of 1941, the Special Design Bureau, on the instructions of the Main Armored Directorate of the Red Army, developed, in particular, a 16-charger installation on an armored railway platform for the defense of the city of Moscow. The installation was a throwing installation of the M-13 serial installation on a modified chassis of a ZIS-6 truck with a modified base. (for more details on other works of this period and the period of the war as a whole, see: and).
At a technical meeting in the SKB on April 21, 1942, it was decided to develop a normalized installation, known as the M-13N (after the war BM-13N). The aim of the development was to create the most advanced installation, the design of which would take into account all the changes made earlier to various modifications of the M-13 installation and the creation of such a throwing installation that could be manufactured and assembled on the stand and in assembled install and assemble on the chassis of a car of any brand without a large revision of technical documentation, as was the case before. The goal was achieved by dismembering the M-13 installation into separate units. Each node was considered as an independent product with an index assigned to it, after which it could be used as a borrowed product in any installation.
During the development of components and parts for the normalized BM-13N combat installation, the following were obtained:
increase in the area of fire by 20%
reduction of efforts on the handles of guidance mechanisms by one and a half to two times;
doubling the vertical aiming speed;
increasing the survivability of the combat installation due to the reservation of the rear wall of the cabin; gas tank and gas pipeline;
increasing the stability of the installation in the stowed position by introducing a support bracket to disperse the load on the side members of the vehicle;
increase in the operational reliability of the unit (simplification of the support beam, rear axle, etc.;
a significant reduction in the amount of welding work, machining, the exclusion of bending truss rods;
reduction in the weight of the installation by 250 kg, despite the introduction of armor on the rear wall of the cab and gas tank;
reduction of production time for the manufacture of the installation by assembling the artillery part separately from the chassis of the vehicle and mounting the installation on the chassis of the vehicle using mounting clamps, which made it possible to eliminate drilling holes in the spars;
reduction by several times of the idle time of the chassis of vehicles that arrived at the plant for installation of the installation;
reduction in the number of fastener sizes from 206 to 96, as well as the number of parts: in the swing frame - from 56 to 29, in the truss from 43 to 29, in the support frame - from 15 to 4, etc. The use of normalized components and products in the design of the installation made it possible to apply a high-performance flow method for the assembly and installation of the installation.
The thrower was mounted on a modified truck chassis of the Studebaker series (see photo) with a 6x6 wheel formula, which were supplied under Lend-Lease. The normalized M-13N installation was adopted by the Red Army in 1943. The installation became the main model used until the end of the Great Patriotic War. Other types of modified truck chassis of foreign brands were also used.
At the end of 1942, V.V. Aborenkov suggested adding two additional pins to the M-13 projectile in order to launch it from dual guides. For this purpose, a prototype was made, which was a serial M-13 installation, in which the swinging part (guides and truss) was replaced. The guide consisted of two steel strips placed on edge, in each of them a groove was cut for the drive pin. Each pair of strips was fastened opposite each other with grooves in a vertical plane. The field tests carried out did not give the expected improvement in the accuracy of fire and the work was stopped.
At the beginning of 1943, SKB specialists carried out work on the creation of installations with a normalized throwing installation of the M-13 installation on the modified chassis of Chevrolet and ZIS-6 trucks. During January - May 1943, a prototype was made on a modified Chevrolet truck chassis and field tests were carried out. The installations were adopted by the Red Army. However, due to the presence of a sufficient number of chassis of these brands, they did not go into mass production.
In 1944, SKB specialists developed the M-13 installation on the armored chassis of the ZIS-6 car modified for the installation of a throwing installation for launching M-13 shells. For this purpose, the normalized guides of the “beam” type of the M-13N installation were shortened to 2.5 meters and assembled into a package on two spars. The truss was made shortened from pipes in the form of a pyramidal frame, turned upside down, served mainly as a support for attaching the screw of the lifting mechanism. The elevation angle of the guide package was changed from the cab using handwheels and a cardan shaft for the vertical guidance mechanism. A prototype was made. However, due to the weight of the armor, the front axle and springs of the ZIS-6 vehicle were overloaded, as a result of which further work installation was discontinued.
In late 1943 - early 1944, SKB specialists and developers of rockets were asked to improve the accuracy of fire of 132 mm caliber shells. To give rotational motion, the designers introduced tangential holes into the design of the projectile along the diameter of the head working belt. The same solution was used in the design of the regular projectile, and was proposed for the projectile. As a result, the accuracy indicator increased, but there was a decrease in the indicator in terms of flight range. Compared to the standard M-13 projectile, whose flight range was 8470 m, the range of the new projectile, which received the M-13UK index, was 7900 m. Despite this, the projectile was adopted by the Red Army.
In the same period, specialists from NII-1 (Lead Designer Bessonov V.G.) developed and then tested the M-13DD projectile. The projectile had the best accuracy in terms of accuracy, but they could not be fired from standard M-13 installations, since the projectile had a rotational motion and, when launched from ordinary standard guides, destroyed them, tearing off the linings from them. To a lesser extent, this also took place during the launch of M-13UK projectiles. The M-13DD projectile was adopted by the Red Army at the end of the war. Mass production of the projectile was not organized.
At the same time, SKB specialists began exploratory design studies and experimental work to improve the accuracy of firing rockets and by developing guides. It was based on new principle launching rockets and ensuring their strength is sufficient for firing M-13DD and M-20 projectiles. Since giving rotation to feathered rocket unguided projectiles in the initial segment of their flight trajectory improved accuracy, the idea was born to give rotation to projectiles on guides without drilling tangential holes in the projectiles, which consume part of the engine power to rotate them and thereby reduce their flight range. This idea led to the creation of spiral guides. The design of the spiral guide has taken the form of a trunk formed by four spiral bars, of which three are smooth steel pipes, and the fourth, the leading one, is made of a steel square with selected grooves forming an H-shaped section profile. The bars were welded to the legs of the annular clips. In the breech there was a lock to hold the projectile in the guide and electrical contacts. A special equipment was created for bending guide rods in a spiral, having different angles of twisting along their length and welding guide shafts. Initially, the installation had 12 guides rigidly connected into four cassettes (three guides per cassette). Prototypes of a 12-charger were developed and manufactured. However, sea trials showed that the chassis of the car was overloaded, and it was decided to remove two guides from the upper cassettes from the installation. The launcher was mounted on a modified chassis of a Studebeker off-road truck. It consisted of a set of rails, a truss, a swing frame, a subframe, a sight, vertical and horizontal guidance mechanisms, and electrical equipment. In addition to cassettes with guides and farms, all other nodes were unified with the corresponding nodes of the normalized M-13N combat installation. With the help of the M-13-SN installation, it was possible to launch M-13, M-13UK, M-20 and M-13DD shells of 132 mm caliber. Significantly better results were obtained in terms of accuracy of fire: with M-13 shells - 3.2 times, M-13UK - 1.1 times, M-20 - 3.3 times, M-13DD - 1.47 times) . With the improvement in the accuracy of firing with M-13 rocket projectiles, the flight range did not decrease, as was the case when firing M-13UK shells from M-13 installations that had beam-type guides. There was no need to manufacture M-13UK shells, complicated by drilling in the engine case. The M-13-CH installation was simpler, less laborious and cheaper to manufacture. dropped whole line labor-intensive machine work: gouging long guides, drilling a large number of rivet holes, riveting linings to guides, turning, calibrating, manufacturing and threading spars and nuts for them, complex machining of locks and lock boxes, etc. Prototypes were manufactured at the Moscow plant "Compressor" (No. 733) and were subjected to ground and sea trials, which ended with good results. After the end of the war, the installation of the M-13-CH in 1945 passed military trials with good results. Due to the fact that the modernization of the M-13 type shells was coming, the installation was not put into service. After the 1946 series, on the basis of the order of the NKOM No. 27 dated 10/24/1946, the installation was discontinued. However, in 1950 a Brief Guide to the BM-13-SN Combat Vehicle was issued.
After the end of the Great Patriotic War, one of the directions for the development of rocket artillery was the use of throwing installations developed during the war for mounting on modified types of domestic-made chassis. Several options were created based on the installation of the M-13N on the modified truck chassis ZIS-151 (see photo), ZIL-151 (see photo), ZIL-157 (see photo), ZIL-131 (see photo) .
Installations of the M-13 type after the war were exported to different countries. One of them was China (see photo from the military parade on the occasion of the National Day of 1956, held in Beijing (Beijing) .
In 1959, while working on a projectile for the future Field Rocket System, the developers were interested in the issue of technical documentation for the production of the ROFS M-13. This is what was written in a letter to the Deputy Director for Research at NII-147 (now FSUE "GNPP Splav" (Tula), signed by Toporov, Chief Engineer of Plant No. 63 of the SSNH (State Plant No. 63 of the Sverdlovsk Economic Council, 22.VII.1959 No. 1959с): "To your request for No. 3265 dated 3 / UII-59 on sending technical documentation for the production of ROFS M-13, I inform you that at present the plant does not produce this product, but the classification has been removed from the technical documentation.
The factory has obsolete tracing papers technological process mechanical processing of the product. The plant has no other documentation.
Due to the workload of the photocopier, the album of technical processes will be blue-printed and sent to you no earlier than in a month.
Compound
Main cast:
- Installations M-13 (combat vehicles M-13, BM-13) (see. gallery images M-13).
- Main rockets M-13, M-13UK, M-13UK-1.
- Ammunition transport vehicles (transport vehicles).
The M-13 projectile (see diagram) consisted of two main parts: the warhead and the reactive part (jet powder engine). Warhead consisted of a body with a fuse point, the bottom of the warhead and an explosive charge with an additional detonator. The jet powder engine of the projectile consisted of a chamber, a cover-nozzle, closing for sealing powder charge two cardboard plates, grate, powder charge, igniter and stabilizer. On the outer part of both ends of the chamber there were two centering thickenings with guide pins screwed into them. The guide pins held the projectile on the guide of the combat vehicle until the shot and directed its movement along the guide. A powder charge of nitroglycerin gunpowder was placed in the chamber, consisting of seven identical cylindrical single-channel checkers. In the nozzle part of the chamber, the checkers rested on the grate. To ignite the powder charge, an igniter made of smoky gunpowder is inserted into the upper part of the chamber. Gunpowder was placed in a special case. Stabilization of the M-13 projectile in flight was carried out using the tail unit.
The flight range of the M-13 projectile reached 8470 m, but at the same time there was a very significant dispersion. In 1943, a modernized version of the rocket was developed, designated M-13-UK (improved accuracy). To increase the accuracy of fire of the M-13-UK projectile, 12 tangentially located holes are made in the front centering thickening of the rocket part (see photo 1, photo 2), through which, during the operation of the rocket engine, part of the powder gases escape, causing the projectile to rotate. Although the range of the projectile was somewhat reduced (up to 7.9 km), the improvement in accuracy led to a decrease in the dispersion area and to an increase in the density of fire by 3 times compared to the M-13 projectiles. In addition, the diameter of the critical section of the nozzle of the M-13-UK projectile is somewhat smaller than that of the M-13 projectile. The M-13-UK projectile was adopted by the Red Army in April 1944. The M-13UK-1 projectile with improved accuracy was equipped with flat stabilizers made of steel sheet.
Tactical and technical characteristics
| Characteristic | M-13 | BM-13N | BM-13NM | BM-13NMM |
| Chassis | ZIS-6 | ZIS-151,ZIL-151 | ZIL-157 | ZIL-131 |
| Number of guides | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Elevation angle, hail: - minimal - maximum |
+7 +45 |
8±1 +45 |
8±1 +45 |
8±1 +45 |
| Angle of horizontal fire, degrees: - to the right of the chassis - to the left of the chassis |
10 10 |
10 10 |
10 10 |
10 10 |
| Handle force, kg: - lifting mechanism - swivel mechanism |
8-10 8-10 |
up to 13 up to 8 |
up to 13 up to 8 |
up to 13 up to 8 |
| Dimensions in the stowed position, mm: - length - width - height |
6700 2300 2800 |
7200 2300 2900 |
7200 2330 3000 |
7200 2500 3200 |
| Weight, kg: - guide package - artillery unit - installations in combat position - installation in the stowed position (without calculation) |
815 2200 6200 - |
815 2350 7890 7210 |
815 2350 7770 7090 |
815 2350 9030 8350 |
| 2-3 | ||||
| 5-10 | ||||
| Full salvo time, s | 7-10 | |||
| The main performance data of the combat vehicle BM-13 (at Studebaker) 1946 | |
| Number of guides | 16 |
| Applied projectile | M-13, M-13-UK and 8 M-20 rounds |
| Guide length, m | 5 |
| Guide type | rectilinear |
| Minimum elevation angle, ° | +7 |
| Maximum elevation angle, ° | +45 |
| Angle of horizontal guidance, ° | 20 |
| 8 | |
| Also, on the rotary mechanism, kg | 10 |
| Overall dimensions, kg: | |
| length | 6780 |
| height | 2880 |
| width | 2270 |
| Weight of a set of guides, kg | 790 |
| Weight of artillery piece without shells and without chassis, kg | 2250 |
| The weight of the combat vehicle without shells, without calculation, with a full refueling of gasoline, snow chains, tools and spare parts. wheel, kg | 5940 |
| Weight of a set of shells, kg | |
| M13 and M13-UK | 680 (16 rounds) |
| M20 | 480 (8 rounds) |
| The weight of the combat vehicle with the calculation of 5 people. (2 in the cockpit, 2 on the rear fenders and 1 on the gas tank) with a full gas station, tools, snow chains, a spare wheel and M-13 shells, kg | 6770 |
| Axle loads from the weight of the combat vehicle with the calculation of 5 people, full refueling with spare parts "" and M-13 shells, kg: | |
| to the front | 1890 |
| to the back | 4880 |
| Basic data of combat vehicles BM-13 | ||||
| Characteristic | BM-13N on a modified truck chassis ZIL-151 | BM-13 on a modified truck chassis ZIL-151 | BM-13N on a modified truck chassis of the Studebaker series | BM-13 on a modified truck chassis of the Studebaker series |
| Number of guides* | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Guide length, m | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| The greatest elevation angle, hail | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 |
| The smallest elevation angle, hail | 8±1° | 4±30 " | 7 | 7 |
| Angle of horizontal aiming, hail | ±10 | ±10 | ±10 | ±10 |
| Effort on the handle of the lifting mechanism, kg | up to 12 | up to 13 | to 10 | 8-10 |
| Force on the handle of the rotary mechanism, kg | up to 8 | up to 8 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Guide package weight, kg | 815 | 815 | 815 | 815 |
| Artillery unit weight, kg | 2350 | 2350 | 2200 | 2200 |
| The weight of the combat vehicle in the stowed position (without people), kg | 7210 | 7210 | 5520 | 5520 |
| The weight of the combat vehicle in combat position with shells, kg | 7890 | 7890 | 6200 | 6200 |
| Length in the stowed position, m | 7,2 | 7,2 | 6,7 | 6,7 |
| Width in the stowed position, m | 2,3 | 2,3 | 2,3 | 2,3 |
| Height in the stowed position, m | 2,9 | 3,0 | 2,8 | 2,8 |
| Transfer time from traveling to combat position, min | 2-3 | 2-3 | 2-3 | 2-3 |
| Time required to load a combat vehicle, min | 5-10 | 5-10 | 5-10 | 5-10 |
| Time required to produce a volley, sec | 7-10 | 7-10 | 7-10 | 7-10 |
| Combat vehicle index | 52-U-9416 | 8U34 | 52-U-9411 | 52-TR-492B |
| NURS M-13, M-13UK, M-13UK-1 | |
| Ballistic index | TS-13 |
| head type | high-explosive fragmentation |
| Fuse type | GVMZ-1 |
| Caliber, mm | 132 |
| Full projectile length, mm | 1465 |
| Span of stabilizer blades, mm | 300 |
| Weight, kg: - fully equipped projectile - equipped warhead - bursting charge of the warhead - powder rocket charge - equipped jet engine |
42.36 21.3 4.9 7.05-7.13 20.1 |
| Projectile weight coefficient, kg/dm3 | 18.48 |
| Head part filling ratio, % | 23 |
| The strength of the current required to ignite the squib, A | 2.5-3 |
| 0.7 | |
| Average reactive force, kgf | 2000 |
| Projectile exit speed from the guide, m/s | 70 |
| 125 | |
| Max Speed projectile flight, m/s | 355 |
| Tabular maximum range of the projectile, m | 8195 |
| Deviation at maximum range, m: - by range - side |
135 300 |
| Powder charge burning time, s | 0.7 |
| Average reactive force, kg | 2000 (1900 for M-13UK and M-13UK-1) |
| Muzzle velocity of the projectile, m/s | 70 |
| The length of the active section of the trajectory, m | 125 (120 for M-13UK and M-13UK-1) |
| Top speed projectile flight, m/s | 335 (for M-13UK and M-13UK-1) |
| longest range projectile flight, m | 8470 (7900 for M-13UK and M-13UK-1) |
According to the English catalog Jane "s Armor and Artillery 1995-1996, section Egypt, in the mid-90s of the XX century, due to the impossibility of obtaining, in particular, shells for combat vehicles of the M-13 type, the Arab Organization for Industrialization (Arab Organization for Industrialization) was engaged in the production of 132 mm caliber rockets.Analysis of the data presented below allows us to conclude that we are talking about the projectile type M-13UK.
The Arab Organization for Industrialization included Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia with most of the production facilities located in Egypt and with the main funding from countries Persian Gulf. Following the Egyptian-Israeli agreement in mid-1979, the other three members of the Persian Gulf countries withdrew their funds intended for the Arab Organization for Industrialization from circulation, and at that time (data from Jane's Armor and Artillery 1982-1983 catalog) Egypt received another help with projects.
| Characteristics of the 132 mm Sakr rocket (RS type M-13UK) | |
| Caliber, mm | 132 |
| Length, mm | |
| full shell | 1500 |
| head part | 483 |
| rocket engine | 1000 |
| Weight, kg: | |
| starting | 42 |
| head part | 21 |
| fuse | 0,5 |
| rocket engine | 21 |
| fuel (charge) | 7 |
| Maximum plumage span, mm | 305 |
| head type | high-explosive fragmentation (with 4.8 kg of explosive) |
| Fuse type | inertial cocked, contact |
| Type of fuel (charge) | dibasic |
| Maximum range(at elevation angle 45º), m | 8000 |
| Maximum projectile speed, m/s | 340 |
| Fuel (charge) burning time, s | 0,5 |
| Projectile speed when meeting with an obstacle, m/s | 235-320 |
| Minimum fuse cocking speed, m/s | 300 |
| Distance from the combat vehicle for cocking the fuse, m | 100-200 |
| Number of oblique holes in the rocket engine housing, pcs | 12 |
Testing and operation
The first battery of field rocket artillery, sent to the front on the night of July 1-2, 1941 under the command of Captain I.A. Flerov, was armed with seven installations made in the workshops of Research Institute No. The battery wiped out the Orsha railway junction from the face of the earth, along with the German echelons with troops and military equipment on it.
The exceptional effectiveness of the actions of the battery of Captain I. A. Flerov and the seven more such batteries formed after it contributed to the rapid increase in the pace of production of jet weapons. Already in the autumn of 1941, 45 divisions of three-battery composition with four launchers in the battery operated on the fronts. For their armament in 1941, 593 M-13 installations were manufactured. As military equipment arrived from industry, the formation of rocket artillery regiments began, consisting of three divisions armed with M-13 launchers and anti-aircraft division. The regiment had 1414 personnel, 36 M-13 launchers and 12 anti-aircraft 37-mm guns. The volley of the regiment was 576 shells of 132mm caliber. At the same time, the manpower and military equipment of the enemy were destroyed on an area of over 100 hectares. Officially, the regiments were called Guards Mortar Artillery Regiments of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command. Unofficially, rocket artillery installations were called "Katyusha". According to the memoirs of Evgeny Mikhailovich Martynov (Tula), who was a child during the war years, in Tula at first they were called infernal machines. From ourselves, we note that multi-charged machines were also called infernal machines in the 19th century.