Soviet SAU of times of war (part 6) - ISU-122 / 152

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ISU-152 - Soviet heavy self-propelled guns of the final period of World War II. In the name of self-propelled guns, the abbreviation ISU means that the self-propelled guns are based on a new heavy tank IP. The addition of the letter “I” in the designation of the installation was required in order to distinguish the car from the already existing self-propelled gun SU-152, created on the basis of the KV-1C tank. Index 152 denoted the caliber of the gun used.

The development of a new heavy self-propelled gun by the design bureau of the pilot plant No. 100 was conducted in June-October 1943 of the year, and already on November 6 of the new 1943 SAU was adopted by the Red Army. At the same time, the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ) began its production, which lasted until the 1946 year. Several cars of this brand in the 1945 year also produced the Leningrad Kirov Plant (LKZ). ACS ISU-152 was actively used at the final stage of the Great Patriotic War and took part in almost all the major battles of this stage, having played an important role in defeating Nazi Germany and its European allies. In addition to the Red Army, ISU-152 was in service with the armies of Czechoslovakia and Poland.

After the end of the war, the ISU-152 went through modernization and for a long time was in service with the USSR Army. Also, these self-propelled guns were exported to Egypt. SAUs transferred to Egypt took part in Arab-Israeli armed conflicts in the Middle East. The ACS IMS-152 were removed from the arsenal of the Soviet army only in the middle of the 1970-s. A small number of survivors from the melting of machines can now be found in museums around the world, as part of the machines installed on pedestals and serves as monuments. In total, 1946 self-propelled guns ISU-3242 were released before 152.
Soviet SAU of times of war (part 6) - ISU-122 / 152
ISU-152

ACS ISU-122 belonged to the type of fully armored self-propelled guns with a front armored shell. This machine was created on the basis of ACS ISU-152 by replacing howitzer gun ML-20 сr. 1937 / 43 on the 122-mm field gun A-19 arr. 1931 / 37's with the change of the rolling element reservation tools. This SPG was born with the aim of increasing the anti-tank action of self-propelled guns at long firing ranges. The height of the line of fire SAU IAS-122 was 1790 mm. The crew consisted of a 4 or 5 man; its placement was similar to that of a self-propelled gun armed with an 152-mm howitzer. In the event that the crew of the SAU consisted of a 4 man, then the loader function was locking.

The installation of ISU-122 was adopted by the Red Army March 12 1944. This self-propelled gun, as well as MIS-152, was serially produced in Chelyabinsk at the plant ChKZ. Serial production of ACS continued from April 1944 to September 1945. Before 1 June 1945 ACS IMS-1435 was assembled in Chelyabinsk in Chelyabinsk, which were actively used on all fronts of the Great Patriotic War. In total, during serial production, the factory workshops left the 122 machines.

Design features of ISU-152

The ACS ISU-152 had the same layout as all the other serial Soviet wartime self-propelled guns (except for the SU-76). Fully armored self-propelled hull divided into 2 parts. The gun, ammunition to it and the crew were in front in the armored wheelhouse, which combined in itself a command and combat department. The engine and transmission were located in the rear of the self-propelled unit.

The armored body of the ACS was made by welding from rolled armored plates of thickness 90, 75, 60, 30 and 20 mm. Self-defense armor protection was protivosnaryadnoy, differentiated. The armored plates of the cabin were set at rational inclination angles. In comparison with the previous model of the self-propelled unit of the same purpose and class - SU-152, the ACS IMS-152 armored hull differed slightly higher in height (since it did not have such a depth of landing as the machines built on without the KV-1С) and more spacious space armored The increase in internal volume was achieved by reducing the angles of inclination of the onboard and zygomatic armor plates. The resulting slight decrease in security was compensated by an increase in the thickness of the reservation for these parts of the cabin. The growth in the volume of logging had a positive effect on the working conditions of the crew of the ACS.

The crew of ACS IMS-152 consisted of 5 people. Three crew members were to the left of the gun. Ahead was the driver's seat, immediately behind him was the gunner of the gun, and behind him was the loader. The commander of the self-propelled gun and castle located on the right side of the gun. Embarkation and disembarkation of the crew was carried out through a rectangular double-hatch, located at the junction of the roof and rear sheets of the armored jacket, as well as through a round hatch, which is to the right of the gun. Another round hatch, located to the left of the gun, was used to pull out the extension of the panoramic sight and was not used for the crew landing. In the case of SAU there was also an emergency hatch located in the bottom.

All hatches that were used for embarkation / disembarkation of the crew, as well as the hatch of the artillery panorama were equipped with periscope instruments Mk IV, which were used to monitor the situation on the battlefield (total 3 pieces). The ACS mechanic-driver monitored the road using a triplex viewing device, which was covered from debris by a special armored guard. This device was placed in an armored traffic jam on the frontal armored plate of the ACS to the left of the gun. During marches and in a relaxed atmosphere, this hatch could be pushed forward, providing the driver with a better view from his workplace.

The main armament of the ACS was the howitzer cannon ML-20 caliber 152,4 mm, which was mounted in a special frame on the frontal armor plate of the cabin and had vertical guidance angles ranging from -3 to + 20 degrees. The horizontal guidance sector was equal to 20 degrees (10 in each direction). The height of the line of fire was 1,8 m., The range of a direct shot at targets with a height of 2,5-3 m. Was 800-900 meters, the range of direct fire was 3,8 km. The maximum firing range is 13 km. The shot could be made by mechanical or electric descent. Ammunition guns consisted of 21 shot separate loading.

From the beginning of 1945, large-caliber 12,7-mm DShK anti-aircraft machine-guns equipped with a K-8T anti-aircraft guns began to be installed on these SAUs. DShK was mounted on a special turret installation on the right round hatch, which was used by the commander of the machine. Machine gun ammunition equaled 250 ammunition. For self-defense, the crew could also use the 2 submachine gun of the PPS or PPSH with ammunition in the 1491 cartridge, as well as the 20 grenade F-1.

The ACS ISU-152 was equipped with a V-shaped four-stroke 12-cylinder diesel engine B-2-IC, which produced the maximum power in 520 l. with. (382 kW). The diesel engine was equipped with a high-pressure fuel pump NK-1 with a fuel delivery corrector and an all-mode RNA-1 regulator. To clean the air entering the engine, a “multicyclone” type filter was used. Additionally, in the engine and transmission compartment of the self-propelled guns, heating devices were installed, which served to facilitate engine start-up during the cold season. Also, these devices could be used to preheat the combat compartment of the SAU in winter conditions. Self-propelled gun was equipped with three fuel tanks. Two of them were in the fighting compartment, another one - in MTO. Additionally, an external fuel tank 4 that was not connected to the engine fuel system could be installed on the ACS.
ISU-122

Design features of ISU-122

The main difference between the ACS MIS-122 and MIS-152 was an instrument, otherwise these self-propelled guns were almost completely identical. MIS-122 was armed with the A-19 gun of the 1931 / 37 model of the year. In May, the 1944 of the year, changes were made to the design of this gun, which violated their interchangeability with previously released barrels. The upgraded cannon has received the name "122-mm self-propelled gun mod. 1931 / 1944 g.). The device of the A-19 cannon largely repeated the ML-20C, both guns had a piston slide, only the barrel length of the A-19 was significantly higher and was 46,3 caliber. A-19 differed from the ML-20 with a smaller caliber, enlarged by 730 mm. length, fewer rifling and lack of muzzle brake.

For aiming the guns a rotary mechanism of the screw type and a lifting mechanism of the sector type were used. Vertical pickup angles ranged from -3 to + 22 degrees, and horizontal pickup angles were 10 degrees in both directions. Direct firing range was equal to 5 km., The maximum firing range was 14,3 km. The rate of guns - 2-3 shot per minute.

Already in April, the 1944 of the year in the design bureau of plant No. 100 was designed by the ACS IMS-122С, which was a modernized version of the self-propelled gun. In June, the created sample was tested and on August 22 was adopted by the Red Army. In the same month, the ACS went into production. The ACS IMS-122С was produced at ChKZ in parallel with other self-propelled guns. MIS-122 was different from MIS-122 using the new gun - D-25 сr. 1944 of the year, which had a muzzle brake and semi-automatic wedge bolt. The length of the gun barrel was 48 calibers. Through the use of the breech of the gun and compact recoil devices, it was possible to increase the rate of fire of the gun, which, with the well-coordinated work of the crew, increased to 6 rounds per minute. Direct firing range was 5 km, the maximum firing range increased to 15 km. The ammunition of the gun as well as the gun A-19 was 31 projectile. Externally, the ISU-122 was different from the ISU-122 with a new molded gun mask with a thickness - 120-150 mm. and the trunk.
ISU-122С

Combat application

Organizationally, the MIS-152 / 122 was used as part of separate heavy self-propelled regiments (OTSAP). Each regiment was armed with 21 self-propelled guns as part of 4 batteries for 5 machines and one commander SAU. Often, the MIS was replaced in parts of the SU-152 or went to the formation of newly created parts. Despite the officially established identical tactics for the use of ACS IMS-152 and IMS-122, we tried not to mix them as much as possible in one unit, although in practice there were a number of regiments in which ACS were used together. Total until the end of the war was formed 53 OTSAP.

Heavy ACS were used to destroy long-term fortifications and field fortifications of the enemy, to fight tanks at long distances, to support the advancing troops. The combat experience demonstrated that MIS-152 is able to successfully cope with all these tasks, and a peculiar division of labor between self-propelled guns was also revealed. MIS-122 was more suitable for the destruction of enemy armored vehicles, while MIS-152 was more suitable for fighting fortifications and assault operations. In this case, the ISU-152 could fight with any Wehrmacht armored vehicles. Her nicknames speak for themselves: the Soviet Hypericum and the German Dosenoffner (tin opener).

Solid booking allowed ACS to move closer to distances inaccessible to towed artillery and hit targets with direct fire. At the same time, the ISU had good maintainability and good survivability under the influence of enemy fire.

True, the weaknesses of ISU-152 also emerged in the battles. Limited angles of horizontal alignment made the car vulnerable to flank attacks (in fairness it should be noted that the Wehrmacht’s self-propelled guns suffered as well). The smaller elevation angle of the gun (20 degrees versus 65 in the towed howitzer variant) narrowed the possibility of maneuvering fire at long distances. Due to the use of separate loading shots, which had a large mass, the rate of fire suffered (up to 2 shots per minute), which somewhat reduced the effectiveness of the fight against German armored vehicles, especially in melee combat. Well, and finally, portable ammo from 20 shots, which was often not enough in combat conditions. In this case, loading the ammunition into the ACS was quite a tedious operation that could take up to 40 minutes. It is worth noting that all these shortcomings were the reverse side of the merits enjoyed by ISU-152. The high effectiveness of self-propelled artillery fire was directly related to the use of large-caliber separate-loading projectiles.
ISU-122С during the assault of Koenigsberg

Weaknesses possessed by a single self-propelled gun, experienced commanders tried to compensate for their proper use. During the repulse of tank attacks, self-propelled guns were built in a fan to avoid flank bypass. When firing from closed positions, the ammunition to the self-propelled guns were delivered in advance and at the time when some of the machines were firing, others carried out reloading, which ensured the continuity of artillery impact on the enemy.

The ISU demonstrated their greatest effectiveness during the storming of cities and fortified bands of the German defense. Especially here stood out ISU-152, whose 43-kg high-explosive shells made self-propelled guns the most terrible enemy for the entrenched enemy. A considerable part of the success during the storming of Koenigsberg and Berlin lies precisely with the Soviet self-propelled gunners who fought on these machines. Their last volleys during the Second World War, the ISU-152 was made at the other end of Eurasia, during the offensive operation of the Red Army against the Japanese Kwantung Army.

Performance characteristics: ISU-122 / 152
Mass: 46 t.
Dimensions:
Length 9,85 / 9,05 m., Width 3,07 m., Height 2,48 m.
Crew: 5 people.
Reservations: from 20 to 90 mm.
Armament: X-NUMX mm A-122C / 19 mm howitzer ML-152C, 20-mm DShK
Ammunition: 30 / 21 projectile, 250 cartridges for machine guns
Engine: twelve-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine B-2-IC with power 520 hp
Maximum speed: on the highway - 35 km / h, over rough terrain - 15 km / h.
Power reserve: on the highway - 220 km., Over rough terrain - 140 km.
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15 comments
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  1. grizzlir
    +3
    13 February 2012 08: 36
    Good article. Simplicity of design, powerful tool. The IS tank base improved the reliability and characteristics of self-propelled guns. At the final stage of the war, our troops often had to fight in urban conditions, here the ISU-152 had no equal in suppressing enemy firing points.
    1. L. konstantin
      0
      13 February 2012 10: 05
      But bl 10 is not his gun?
      1. +1
        13 February 2012 13: 40
        was an experimental isu-152-2, it was a bl-10 gun
        1. +2
          13 February 2012 15: 27
          Here is a photo of ISU-152 with BL-10
          1. 0
            13 February 2012 15: 46
            [media=http://s61.radikal.ru/i171/1105/2c/cb59b6be2635.jpg]
          2. +1
            13 February 2012 15: 51
            ISU-152 with BL-10 one more photo
            1. +1
              13 February 2012 15: 52
              ISU-152 with BL-10 different angle
              1. Kibb
                0
                14 February 2012 17: 52
                Is this ISU-152-2, or do you see these sau somewhere in a combat situation?
                She was no longer needed in the 45th, A19 \ D25, and so she coped with all the armored cars, but the fool is certainly a solid
  2. 755962
    +4
    13 February 2012 11: 58
    The work of the loader for these self-propelled guns was very difficult - it was necessary to carry shells weighing more than 40 kg alone in the cramped fighting compartment of the vehicle. For this alone it is necessary an order.
    1. Region71
      +1
      13 February 2012 13: 49
      The work of the gun loading it with any weapon is not sugar, and the larger the caliber is more complicated. It's like stokers on a ship. And in WWII, shells went according to the memories of veterans covered with something like solid oil and it was necessary to clean all this grease before loading into the car. and in winter, and if the frost is 30-40.
  3. 0
    13 February 2012 12: 53
    The last (or maybe not the last) self-propelled guns were removed from storage bases in the early 80s. In particular, in Perm. I also managed to climb in it. There are quite a lot of places inside. Centenarians
    1. 0
      16 October 2017 21: 21
      In Prikvo in the 80th, they also stood on canned food.
  4. 0
    13 February 2012 13: 01
    Yes, no one was saved from the suitcase of this St. John's wort !!!!! laughing thing!!! fellow !
  5. 0
    13 February 2012 17: 29
    Course, there were about 20 of them, if I'm not mistaken. They worked with sweat and VET blood.
    1. +2
      13 February 2012 17: 31
      These were not in Kursk, there SU 152
      1. Kibb
        0
        14 February 2012 17: 58
        The problem from this does not change, the shells and charges are the same.
        An excellent car, but not "St. John's wort", it's hard to shoot at tanks from it, but at pillboxes, that's the thing ... that's what I'm talking about 152
  6. 0
    13 February 2012 17: 36
    The same Otto Carius writes about VET, I probably made a mistake, I meant PA)))

    VET is PA, in my spelling
  7. kov
    kov
    0
    20 September 2012 20: 50
    As the men started the ISU =)

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