Armored train BP-43, Kozma Minin and Ilya Muromets
Continuing the cycle of articles about the USSR's armored trains, we confess two things.
First, we literally fell in love with these railway complexes. This is probably due to the initial lack of knowledge of the issue.
And secondly, the creators of armored trains, engineers, designers, craftsmen, workers, however, like the crews of BP, today seem to be ingenious adventurists, people for whom nothing really was impossible.
At least, it is precisely such conclusions that come to mind upon close acquaintance with history armored trains. In general - both built and fought. From the heart.
Today we will talk about specific, known to many armored trains. Considering that readers are “technically prepared”, today it’s more about exploits, about daily work, about people ...
In spite of everything, the main thing in any armored train is people. Fighters (railway workers on the BP are also fighters!) And commanders. Artillerymen, machine-gunners, anti-aircraft gunners, workers of repair crews, crews of locomotives, train crews, bakers, medical orderlies. In short, the crew!
Let's start with the promised most massive armored train of the Red Army, developed in 1942 year - BP-43.
The armored train BP-43 consisted of an armored locomotive PR-43, placed in the middle of the train, 4 artillery armored platforms PL-43 (2 armored platforms on both sides of the armored locomotive), 2 armored platforms with anti-aircraft weapons. Defense-4 (at both ends of the armored train) and 2-4 control platforms, on which the materials necessary for repairing the railway track or landing troops were transported.
Usually, the armored train included the 1-2 of the BA-20 armored car or the BA-64 armored vehicle.
For the Red Army during the war years was made 21 armored train BP-43. The same number of armored trains of this type were received by the NKVD troops.
“Heavy” armored trains armed with 107-mm guns with a range of up to 15 km. Reservations (up to 100 mm) protected vital nodes from armor-piercing projectiles with 75 mm caliber.
At one fuel and water refueling, the armored train could travel up to 120 km with a maximum speed of 45 km / h. The fuel used was coal (10 tons) or fuel oil (6 tons). The mass of the warhead of the armored train did not exceed 400 t.
The combat unit crew consisted of command, a control platoon, armored platoons with turret crews and detachments of on-board machine guns, an air defense platoon, a thrust and movement platoon and a railway armored platoon in which there were 2 BA-20 light armored vehicles and 3 medium-armored BA-armored vehicles. for movement on the railway track.
Armored cars were used to conduct reconnaissance at a distance of 10-15 km and as part of a guard (patrol) on the march. In addition, a landing force of up to three rifle platoons could be located on cover platforms.
Most of the most famous power supplies were precisely BP-43. The most successful design was the armored train Kozma Minin, built in February 1942 of the year in the Gorky-Moskovsky carriage depot under the guidance of engineer Leonid Dmitrievich Rybenkov.
The combat unit of this armored train included: an armored locomotive, 2 covered armored platforms, 2 open artillery armored platforms and 4 two-axle control platforms.
Each covered armored area was armed with two 76,2 mm guns mounted in towers from tanks T-34. In addition to the 7,62 mm DT machine guns coaxial with these guns, the armored sites had four 7,62 mm Maxim machine guns in ball bearings on the sides.
Open artillery sites were divided in length into three compartments. 37-mm anti-aircraft guns were installed in the front and rear compartments, and the M-8 missile launcher was located in the central compartment.
The thickness of the side armor of the armor sites was 45 mm, the covered armor sites had upper armor with a thickness 20 mm.
Armor armor protected by 30-45 mm thickness was used as a traction armor in combat conditions. In the campaign and on the maneuvers used the usual locomotive. At the tender of the armored train, a command post was equipped, connected to the driver's booth with an armored door.
From this cabin, the commander of the armored train controlled the actions of the armored platforms by telephone. For external communication at his disposal was a long-range radio RSM.
Due to the presence of four long-barreled X-NUMX-mm F-76,2 cannons, the armored train could provide a high concentration of artillery fire and conduct aimed fire at a range of up to 32 km, and the M-12 launchers allowed it to successfully hit enemy manpower and equipment by working on the squares.
During the war, an armored train shot down 14 (according to the memoirs of Commissioner Alexei Potekhin) or 15 (official data) of the aircraft. He participated in the defense of Tula, the liberation of Orel, Bryansk, Gomel.
Next - the path to Europe. Liberation of Wolomin, Prague Warsaw, Warsaw. By the way, the inhabitants of Volomin 23 February were presented to the crew of an armored train of a bronze lion in gratitude for their salvation and heroism.
Once the militia gathered by Kozma Minin liberated Moscow from the Poles. And after three hundred and thirty-three years, "Kozma Minin" already freed the Poles from the fascists. Here is a historical conflict ...
The war "Kozma Minin" ended, as befits a hero, in the lair of the enemy. True to Berlin, he could not enter. The Germans blew up the bridge over the Oder. So, the armored train stopped in 50 kilometers from Berlin.
But then, after the surrender of the Nazis in the division, he ensured the safety of the government train with the delegation of the Soviet Union at the Potsdam Conference of Heads of Government.
No less known is Minin’s “twin brother” - Ilya Muromets.
The armored train Ilya Muromets was built in 1942 in Murom. He was protected by armor 45 mm thick and throughout the war did not receive a single hole. The armored train went from Murom to Frankfurt an der Oder.
During the war, he destroyed 7 aircraft, 14 guns and mortar batteries, 36 enemy firing points, 875 soldiers and officers. In addition, the bogatyr "Murom" destroyed Wehrmacht armored train.
In our history, it is assumed that the armored train bore the name of the Fuhrer, therefore its destruction carries an additional sacred meaning. The Soviet armored train, named after the Russian epic warrior, destroys the enemy's armored train, named after Hitler.
There is a small problem. Alas, the armored train "Adolf Hitler" did not exist, just as there was not a single combat unit, except for the division "Leibstandarte SS" Adolf Hitler ", bearing the name of the German führer.
As for Leibstandarte, everything is not so simple either, the name of the division can also be translated as “Adolf Hitler's Bodyguards”. Actually, the division was formed on the basis of the Fuhrer’s personal guard. Nobody bore the name of Hitler any more: neither units, nor ships, nor canals, nor cities or towns. We did not find any mention of the armored train.
But that's not the point, if anything, is it? The bottom line is that the crew of the Soviet armored train "Ilya Muromets" destroyed a German armored train. And this is a fact that does not become less significant, from the fact that the destroyed armored train did not bear the name of the Fuhrer.
Well, a beautiful myth that was invented ... And well! War is always information war. And what's most important? That's right, victory. Real, not invented. After all, reality is always brighter and more interesting than myth.
And in our reality, the 31 separate separate Gorky division of armored trains, which included the Ilya Muromets and Kozma Minin armored trains, was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky. For outstanding military merit.
About the battle of "Ilya Muromets" with the German armored train in general they made up with three boxes, to be honest. It took a lot of time to understand in detail what happened there.
The story that “Ilya Muromets” and the German BP almost converged head-on to the present day has reached and still corresponds. In fact, the whole story with a single volley, lumped the enemy's BP into pieces is quite fantastic.
And now we want to submit our version to the court. Different from the standard on the web.
So, the German armored train (not “Adolf Hitler”, as it turned out, but No. 11 or No. XXUMX, we are still specifying) in June, 76 began systematically and regularly shelling the objects of our troops near the station Kovel of the Volyn region of Ukraine.
Some sources give the following picture:
“Taking advantage of the thoroughness of the Germans and the terrain, the headquarters of the armored division developed a plan of operation. The gunners simultaneously had to disable the railway track in order to cut off the escape route for the enemy armored train, and Ilya Muromets was supposed to have a parking lot closer to the invisible battery. In order not to frighten off the enemy, we decided to begin actions without shooting. ”
Let us leave on the conscience of those who wrote all this, since this literary work is completely untrue. Further in the text were the data on the consumption of shells (10 on the gun). What makes the picture all fantastic.
Recall, "Ilya" was 4 F-34 gun caliber 76-mm. Total - 40 shells to destroy the tracks and the armored train of the enemy. Without adjustment.
Of course, the shooting was. And there was just a great job artillery scouts of our armored train. While the Germans were having fun, a map of their movements was drawn up and the point from which the fire opened was calculated. And naturally, the shooting was carried out. From the position from which Ilya had to open fire. This was its essence.
During a study on this topic, we came across the memories of the captain (at that time) of Alexander Vasilchenko, a howitzer regiment of artillery. Vasilchenko said that in the case when it was undesirable to draw attention to the fact of the shooting, the shooting was done with training shells. That is, perfect blanks that did not explode.
It is possible, even possible, that the German armored train’s approach paths were shot this way. As an option - armor-piercing shells.
It was not worth targeting jet set-ups, as this is all the same weapon work on the area.
But nevertheless, the hellish task for intelligence officers and spotters. But after all they did it right on the results.
Further. Indeed, the punctuality of the Germans - is the thing that allowed to use it for their own purposes. The time of an exit of a German armored train to the point of opening of fire was known for certain, and this point was calculated quite accurately.
Next, we offer this timekeeping.
1. "Ilya Muromets" in advance, in the dark, carefully, without unmasking himself, goes to a predetermined position. With the first rays of the sun there is a preliminary guidance to the place where the German should go. Then everything burns bundles of nerves, and intelligence and spotters also have eyes.
2. The guns are infected with high-explosive fragmentation shells. Just so, the explosion of the RP-projectile makes it possible to quickly detect the place of impact and correct further shooting. PC installations are also charging. Both.
3. After drinking coffee and having breakfast, the Germans begin to advance. The crew of "Ilya Muromets" is waiting for the end of the process. As soon as intelligence gives the go-ahead that the German is in position, the first salvo follows.
The first rocket launcher is firing. Just sighting in, a few missiles, then adjustment and fire of two installations. The aiming point is behind the armored train with the aim of destroying the railway track.
The guns of "Ilya" give the first, sighting salvo. Adjustment and then really quick fire, all the same, on the canvas, or on the train, but it is more difficult.
From the fact that the German BP remained in place, it follows that on the way, most likely, slapped. And it is precisely the PC, because the 76-mm projectile is not enough. But the 82-mm rocket projectile - and that's how it is for us, so completely.
4. The Germans, naturally, having gotten themselves in such a binding, begin to urgently deploy their towers in the direction of Ilya. But, unlike our fighters, they need time to turn, aim, adjust. Time they simply don’t have.
By the way, the range of the RS-82, with which Ilya was armed, gives an understanding of the distance at which the battle was fought. The F-34 cannon was able to throw an OF-grenade at 9-10 km, an armor-piercing projectile flew at 4 km. The PC-82 could fly 5,5 km.
From here the battle distance was less than 5 km. Not straight, but ...
5. The Germans give the first sighting salvo. A maximum of 5-6 minutes has passed since the start of the battle. Projectiles, to put it mildly, do not lie next to our armored train. Affected by the lack of coordinates, the fuss caused by an unexpected battle, and so on.
Well, the Germans did not like the fuss, what to do.
But ours could, were able, practiced. We do not know how long it took the Ilya Muromets fighters to reload the PC installations. But we think that less than standard 10 minutes.
6. The second volley "Ilya Muromets." In the sense of missiles. The guns should have been silently picking the Germans. The sight is no longer in the rails, but in the armored train itself.
Actually, everything. Got up. The battle is over.
In the report it was noted that "the enemy's armored train was wrapped in white clouds of smoke or steam." Obviously, hit the pot.
A month later, in July 1944, Kovel was released. And the Soviet soldiers discovered a broken-down German armored train. The best confirmation of the success of the Ilya Muromets crew.
Here is a story. It is clear that the armored train did not converge head-on, otherwise it would not have had to wait to take pictures of the enemy's armored train. But - and so just fine.
The only battle of two armored trains for the entire Second World War ended in our victory "for a clear advantage."
In the next part, we will talk about the armored train, from which our close acquaintance with trains began. It will be an armored train number 13 "Tula worker" and its twice a unique story. In detail and with video stories of the creators of his second incarnation.
First, we literally fell in love with these railway complexes. This is probably due to the initial lack of knowledge of the issue.
And secondly, the creators of armored trains, engineers, designers, craftsmen, workers, however, like the crews of BP, today seem to be ingenious adventurists, people for whom nothing really was impossible.
At least, it is precisely such conclusions that come to mind upon close acquaintance with history armored trains. In general - both built and fought. From the heart.
Today we will talk about specific, known to many armored trains. Considering that readers are “technically prepared”, today it’s more about exploits, about daily work, about people ...
In spite of everything, the main thing in any armored train is people. Fighters (railway workers on the BP are also fighters!) And commanders. Artillerymen, machine-gunners, anti-aircraft gunners, workers of repair crews, crews of locomotives, train crews, bakers, medical orderlies. In short, the crew!
Let's start with the promised most massive armored train of the Red Army, developed in 1942 year - BP-43.
The armored train BP-43 consisted of an armored locomotive PR-43, placed in the middle of the train, 4 artillery armored platforms PL-43 (2 armored platforms on both sides of the armored locomotive), 2 armored platforms with anti-aircraft weapons. Defense-4 (at both ends of the armored train) and 2-4 control platforms, on which the materials necessary for repairing the railway track or landing troops were transported.
Usually, the armored train included the 1-2 of the BA-20 armored car or the BA-64 armored vehicle.
For the Red Army during the war years was made 21 armored train BP-43. The same number of armored trains of this type were received by the NKVD troops.
“Heavy” armored trains armed with 107-mm guns with a range of up to 15 km. Reservations (up to 100 mm) protected vital nodes from armor-piercing projectiles with 75 mm caliber.
At one fuel and water refueling, the armored train could travel up to 120 km with a maximum speed of 45 km / h. The fuel used was coal (10 tons) or fuel oil (6 tons). The mass of the warhead of the armored train did not exceed 400 t.
The combat unit crew consisted of command, a control platoon, armored platoons with turret crews and detachments of on-board machine guns, an air defense platoon, a thrust and movement platoon and a railway armored platoon in which there were 2 BA-20 light armored vehicles and 3 medium-armored BA-armored vehicles. for movement on the railway track.
Armored cars were used to conduct reconnaissance at a distance of 10-15 km and as part of a guard (patrol) on the march. In addition, a landing force of up to three rifle platoons could be located on cover platforms.
Most of the most famous power supplies were precisely BP-43. The most successful design was the armored train Kozma Minin, built in February 1942 of the year in the Gorky-Moskovsky carriage depot under the guidance of engineer Leonid Dmitrievich Rybenkov.
The combat unit of this armored train included: an armored locomotive, 2 covered armored platforms, 2 open artillery armored platforms and 4 two-axle control platforms.
Each covered armored area was armed with two 76,2 mm guns mounted in towers from tanks T-34. In addition to the 7,62 mm DT machine guns coaxial with these guns, the armored sites had four 7,62 mm Maxim machine guns in ball bearings on the sides.
Open artillery sites were divided in length into three compartments. 37-mm anti-aircraft guns were installed in the front and rear compartments, and the M-8 missile launcher was located in the central compartment.
The thickness of the side armor of the armor sites was 45 mm, the covered armor sites had upper armor with a thickness 20 mm.
Armor armor protected by 30-45 mm thickness was used as a traction armor in combat conditions. In the campaign and on the maneuvers used the usual locomotive. At the tender of the armored train, a command post was equipped, connected to the driver's booth with an armored door.
From this cabin, the commander of the armored train controlled the actions of the armored platforms by telephone. For external communication at his disposal was a long-range radio RSM.
Due to the presence of four long-barreled X-NUMX-mm F-76,2 cannons, the armored train could provide a high concentration of artillery fire and conduct aimed fire at a range of up to 32 km, and the M-12 launchers allowed it to successfully hit enemy manpower and equipment by working on the squares.
During the war, an armored train shot down 14 (according to the memoirs of Commissioner Alexei Potekhin) or 15 (official data) of the aircraft. He participated in the defense of Tula, the liberation of Orel, Bryansk, Gomel.
Next - the path to Europe. Liberation of Wolomin, Prague Warsaw, Warsaw. By the way, the inhabitants of Volomin 23 February were presented to the crew of an armored train of a bronze lion in gratitude for their salvation and heroism.
Once the militia gathered by Kozma Minin liberated Moscow from the Poles. And after three hundred and thirty-three years, "Kozma Minin" already freed the Poles from the fascists. Here is a historical conflict ...
The war "Kozma Minin" ended, as befits a hero, in the lair of the enemy. True to Berlin, he could not enter. The Germans blew up the bridge over the Oder. So, the armored train stopped in 50 kilometers from Berlin.
But then, after the surrender of the Nazis in the division, he ensured the safety of the government train with the delegation of the Soviet Union at the Potsdam Conference of Heads of Government.
No less known is Minin’s “twin brother” - Ilya Muromets.
The armored train Ilya Muromets was built in 1942 in Murom. He was protected by armor 45 mm thick and throughout the war did not receive a single hole. The armored train went from Murom to Frankfurt an der Oder.
During the war, he destroyed 7 aircraft, 14 guns and mortar batteries, 36 enemy firing points, 875 soldiers and officers. In addition, the bogatyr "Murom" destroyed Wehrmacht armored train.
In our history, it is assumed that the armored train bore the name of the Fuhrer, therefore its destruction carries an additional sacred meaning. The Soviet armored train, named after the Russian epic warrior, destroys the enemy's armored train, named after Hitler.
There is a small problem. Alas, the armored train "Adolf Hitler" did not exist, just as there was not a single combat unit, except for the division "Leibstandarte SS" Adolf Hitler ", bearing the name of the German führer.
As for Leibstandarte, everything is not so simple either, the name of the division can also be translated as “Adolf Hitler's Bodyguards”. Actually, the division was formed on the basis of the Fuhrer’s personal guard. Nobody bore the name of Hitler any more: neither units, nor ships, nor canals, nor cities or towns. We did not find any mention of the armored train.
But that's not the point, if anything, is it? The bottom line is that the crew of the Soviet armored train "Ilya Muromets" destroyed a German armored train. And this is a fact that does not become less significant, from the fact that the destroyed armored train did not bear the name of the Fuhrer.
Well, a beautiful myth that was invented ... And well! War is always information war. And what's most important? That's right, victory. Real, not invented. After all, reality is always brighter and more interesting than myth.
And in our reality, the 31 separate separate Gorky division of armored trains, which included the Ilya Muromets and Kozma Minin armored trains, was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky. For outstanding military merit.
About the battle of "Ilya Muromets" with the German armored train in general they made up with three boxes, to be honest. It took a lot of time to understand in detail what happened there.
The story that “Ilya Muromets” and the German BP almost converged head-on to the present day has reached and still corresponds. In fact, the whole story with a single volley, lumped the enemy's BP into pieces is quite fantastic.
And now we want to submit our version to the court. Different from the standard on the web.
So, the German armored train (not “Adolf Hitler”, as it turned out, but No. 11 or No. XXUMX, we are still specifying) in June, 76 began systematically and regularly shelling the objects of our troops near the station Kovel of the Volyn region of Ukraine.
Some sources give the following picture:
“Taking advantage of the thoroughness of the Germans and the terrain, the headquarters of the armored division developed a plan of operation. The gunners simultaneously had to disable the railway track in order to cut off the escape route for the enemy armored train, and Ilya Muromets was supposed to have a parking lot closer to the invisible battery. In order not to frighten off the enemy, we decided to begin actions without shooting. ”
Let us leave on the conscience of those who wrote all this, since this literary work is completely untrue. Further in the text were the data on the consumption of shells (10 on the gun). What makes the picture all fantastic.
Recall, "Ilya" was 4 F-34 gun caliber 76-mm. Total - 40 shells to destroy the tracks and the armored train of the enemy. Without adjustment.
Of course, the shooting was. And there was just a great job artillery scouts of our armored train. While the Germans were having fun, a map of their movements was drawn up and the point from which the fire opened was calculated. And naturally, the shooting was carried out. From the position from which Ilya had to open fire. This was its essence.
During a study on this topic, we came across the memories of the captain (at that time) of Alexander Vasilchenko, a howitzer regiment of artillery. Vasilchenko said that in the case when it was undesirable to draw attention to the fact of the shooting, the shooting was done with training shells. That is, perfect blanks that did not explode.
It is possible, even possible, that the German armored train’s approach paths were shot this way. As an option - armor-piercing shells.
It was not worth targeting jet set-ups, as this is all the same weapon work on the area.
But nevertheless, the hellish task for intelligence officers and spotters. But after all they did it right on the results.
Further. Indeed, the punctuality of the Germans - is the thing that allowed to use it for their own purposes. The time of an exit of a German armored train to the point of opening of fire was known for certain, and this point was calculated quite accurately.
Next, we offer this timekeeping.
1. "Ilya Muromets" in advance, in the dark, carefully, without unmasking himself, goes to a predetermined position. With the first rays of the sun there is a preliminary guidance to the place where the German should go. Then everything burns bundles of nerves, and intelligence and spotters also have eyes.
2. The guns are infected with high-explosive fragmentation shells. Just so, the explosion of the RP-projectile makes it possible to quickly detect the place of impact and correct further shooting. PC installations are also charging. Both.
3. After drinking coffee and having breakfast, the Germans begin to advance. The crew of "Ilya Muromets" is waiting for the end of the process. As soon as intelligence gives the go-ahead that the German is in position, the first salvo follows.
The first rocket launcher is firing. Just sighting in, a few missiles, then adjustment and fire of two installations. The aiming point is behind the armored train with the aim of destroying the railway track.
The guns of "Ilya" give the first, sighting salvo. Adjustment and then really quick fire, all the same, on the canvas, or on the train, but it is more difficult.
From the fact that the German BP remained in place, it follows that on the way, most likely, slapped. And it is precisely the PC, because the 76-mm projectile is not enough. But the 82-mm rocket projectile - and that's how it is for us, so completely.
4. The Germans, naturally, having gotten themselves in such a binding, begin to urgently deploy their towers in the direction of Ilya. But, unlike our fighters, they need time to turn, aim, adjust. Time they simply don’t have.
By the way, the range of the RS-82, with which Ilya was armed, gives an understanding of the distance at which the battle was fought. The F-34 cannon was able to throw an OF-grenade at 9-10 km, an armor-piercing projectile flew at 4 km. The PC-82 could fly 5,5 km.
From here the battle distance was less than 5 km. Not straight, but ...
5. The Germans give the first sighting salvo. A maximum of 5-6 minutes has passed since the start of the battle. Projectiles, to put it mildly, do not lie next to our armored train. Affected by the lack of coordinates, the fuss caused by an unexpected battle, and so on.
Well, the Germans did not like the fuss, what to do.
But ours could, were able, practiced. We do not know how long it took the Ilya Muromets fighters to reload the PC installations. But we think that less than standard 10 minutes.
6. The second volley "Ilya Muromets." In the sense of missiles. The guns should have been silently picking the Germans. The sight is no longer in the rails, but in the armored train itself.
Actually, everything. Got up. The battle is over.
In the report it was noted that "the enemy's armored train was wrapped in white clouds of smoke or steam." Obviously, hit the pot.
A month later, in July 1944, Kovel was released. And the Soviet soldiers discovered a broken-down German armored train. The best confirmation of the success of the Ilya Muromets crew.
Here is a story. It is clear that the armored train did not converge head-on, otherwise it would not have had to wait to take pictures of the enemy's armored train. But - and so just fine.
The only battle of two armored trains for the entire Second World War ended in our victory "for a clear advantage."
In the next part, we will talk about the armored train, from which our close acquaintance with trains began. It will be an armored train number 13 "Tula worker" and its twice a unique story. In detail and with video stories of the creators of his second incarnation.
Information