German anti-tank artillery in World War II. Part 2

70


During the first months of the war on the Eastern Front, the Germans captured several hundred Soviet 76-mm divisional guns F-22 (rev.1936). Initially, the Germans used them in their original form as field tools, assigned them the name 7,62 cm FR296 (r).
This gun was originally designed by VG Grabin under a powerful shell with a bottle-shaped sleeve. However, later, at the request of the military, it was remade as a three-round projectile. Thus, the barrel and chamber guns had a large margin of safety.



By the end of 1941, an F-22 anti-tank gun upgrade project was developed. 7,62 cm Pak 36 (r).

German anti-tank artillery in World War II. Part 2


A cannon was squandered in the gun, which made it possible to replace the cartridge case. The Soviet sleeve had a length of 385,3 mm and a flange diameter of 90 mm, the new German sleeve was a long 715 mm with a flange diameter of 100 mm. Due to this, the propellant charge was increased 2,4 times.
To reduce the recoil force, the Germans set the muzzle brake.
In Germany, the angle of elevation 18 hail was limited to quite sufficient for an anti-tank gun. In addition, the recoil devices were modernized, in particular, the variable rollback mechanism was excluded. Controls moved to one side.



Ammunition 7,62 cm Pak 36 (r) were German shots with high-explosive fragmentation, armor-piercing caliber and cumulative projectiles. Which did not fit the German guns. An armor-piercing projectile, released with an initial speed of 720 m / s, punched at a distance of 1000 meters normal - 82 mm armor. Subcaliber had speed 960 m / s on 100 meters punched - 132 mm.
Redone F-22 with a new ammunition by the beginning of 1942. became the best German anti-tank gun, and, in principle, can be considered the best anti-tank gun in the world. Here is just one example: July 22, 1942 in the battle of El Alamein (Egypt), the calculation of grenadier G. Halm from the 104th grenadier regiment with shots from Pak 36 (r) within nine minutes destroyed nine English tanks.



The transformation of a not very successful divisional gun into an excellent anti-tank was not the result of the ingenious thinking of German designers, simply the Germans followed common sense.

In 1942 the Germans converted X-NUMX units F-358 into 22 cm Pak 7,62 (r), into 36, another 1943 and into 169-1944.
The trophy of the Germans was not only the F-22 divisional gun, but also its major modernization - the 76-mm F-22 SPM (rev.1936)
A small number of FV X-NUMX guns were converted into anti-tank guns, called 7,62 cm Pak 39 (r). The gun got a muzzle brake, as a result of which the length of its barrel increased from 3200 to 3480. The chamber was squandered, and it was possible to shoot from it with shots from 7,62 cm Pak 36 (r), the weight of the gun increased from 1485 to 1610 kg. By March 1945. Wehrmacht possessed all 165 rebuilt Pak 36 (r) and Pak 39 (r) captured anti-tank guns.



The gun in the open wheelhouse was mounted on the chassis of a light tank Pz Kpfw II. This PT SAU received the designation 7,62 cm Pak 36 auf Pz.IID Marder II (Sd.Kfz.132). The 1942 Alkett plant in Berlin made 202 ACS. The ACS on the chassis of the light tank Pz Kpfw 38 (t) received the designation 7,62 cm Pak 36 auf Pz.38 (t) Marder III (Sd.Kfz.139). In 1942, the BMM plant in Prague manufactured the 344 SAU, in 1943, the 38 SAU was retooled from the Pz Kpfw 39 (t) tanks undergoing overhaul.

7,5 сm Pak 41 developed by Krupp AG in 1940 year. The gun initially competed (developed in parallel) with 7,5, see PaK 40. Anti-tank gun was originally created as a weapon with a high speed armor-piercing projectile.
When creating shells were used tungsten cores, which increased armor penetration.



This gun belonged to the guns with a conical bore. Its caliber varied from 75-mm in the breech to 55-mm in the muzzle. The shell was supplied with crushed leading corbels.



Due to its features, the gun had high rates of effective use - a projectile with a speed of 1200 m / s punched normal 150 mm of homogeneous armor at a distance of 900 meters. Effective range of use - 1,5 km.

Despite strong performance, the 7,5 сm Pak 41 release was discontinued in the 1942 year.
Total manufactured 150 pieces. The reasons for the cessation of production of steel are the complexity of production and the lack of tungsten for projectiles.

Created by Rheinmetall at the very end of the war 8 cm PAW 600 can rightly be called the first smooth-bore anti-tank cannon firing feathered projectiles.

Its highlight was the system of two high and low pressure chambers. The unitary cartridge was attached to a heavy steel partition with small slots, completely covering the hole of the barrel.

When fired inside the liner, fuel was ignited under very high pressure, and the resulting gas penetrated through openings in the septum held in place by one special pin, filling the entire volume before the mine. When the pressure reached 1200kg / cm.kv (115 kPa) in the high-pressure chamber, that is, inside the sleeve, and behind the partition in the low-pressure chamber - 550 kg / cm. square (52kPa), the pin broke, and the projectile flew out of the barrel. In this way, it was possible to solve a previously unsolvable task — to combine a light barrel with a relatively high initial velocity.

Externally, the 8 cm PAW 600 resembled a classic anti-tank gun. The barrel consisted of a monoblock pipe and breech. The shutter is a semi-vertical vertical wedge. The recoil brake and nakatnik were in the cradle under the barrel. The carriage had tubular beds.



The main gun shot was a Wgr.Patr.4462 cartridge with an 8 cumulative projectile, see Pwk.Gr.5071. Cartridge weight7 kg, length 620 mm. The weight of the projectile 3,75 kg, the weight of explosives 2,7 kg, the weight of the propellant charge 0,36 kg.

With an initial speed of 520 m / s at a distance of 750 m, half of the shells hit the target with an area of ​​0,7x0,7 m. Normally, the Pwk.Gr.5071 projectile punched 145-mm armor. In addition, a small number of cartridges with RP shells were fired. Tabular firing range of the 1500 m projectile.

Serial production of 8-cm guns was carried out by the firm "Wolf" in Magdeburg. The first batch of 81 guns was sent to the front in January 1945. All in all, Wolff passed 1944 guns and 40 guns in 220 a year in 1945.
For 8-cm guns, 1944 cumulative projectiles were made in 6000 the year, and 1945 was made in 28800.
K 1 March 1945. The Wehrmacht had 155 cannons 8 cm PAW 600, of which 105 was at the front.
Due to its late appearance and small size, the gun did not affect the course of the war.

Given the excellent anti-tank capabilities 88-mm anti-aircraft guns, the famous "AHT-AHT", the German military leadership decided to create a specialized anti-tank gun in this caliber. In the 1943 year, the company Krupp, using parts of the anti-aircraft Flak 41, was created anti-tank gun 8,8 cm Pak 43.

The need for a very powerful anti-tank gun was dictated by the ever-increasing armor protection of tanks of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. Another stimulus was the shortage of tungsten, which was then used as a material for the cores of the sabot shells of the 75-mm Pak 40 gun. The construction of a more powerful weapon opened up the possibility of effectively defeating highly armored targets with ordinary steel armor-piercing shells.

The gun demonstrated outstanding armor penetration rates. An armor-piercing projectile with an initial speed of 1000 m / s, at a distance of 1000 meters, at a meeting angle of 60 degrees - pierced 205 mm armor. She easily hit any Allied tank in frontal projection at all reasonable combat distances. The effect of the 9,4 kg high-explosive fragmentation projectile proved to be very effective.

At the same time, a gun with a combat mass of about 4500 kg was bulky and less maneuverable, for its transportation special tracked tractor were required. This greatly leveled its combat value.



Initially, the Pak 43 was mounted on a specialized gun carriage inherited from an anti-aircraft gun. Subsequently, in order to simplify the design and reduce the size, its swinging part was mounted on a 105-carriage of a leFH 18 field howitzer, similar in type to the 75-mm gun-gun of a Pak 40 anti-tank gun. This option received the designation Pak 43 / 41.



This gun can be called the most famous and effective German anti-tank gun of World War II.



The first to receive this cannon were specialized anti-tank battalions. At the end of 1944, the guns began to enter the artillery corps. Due to the sophisticated production technology and high cost, all 3502 such tools were manufactured.

On the basis of the Pak 43, a KwK 43 tank gun and a self-propelled gun (SAU) gun were developed. StuK 43. These weapons were armed with a heavy tank. PzKpfw VI Ausf B "Tiger II" ("The Royal Tiger"), tank destroyers "Ferdinand" и Jagdpantherlightly armored anti-tank SAU "Nashorn" .

In 1943, Krupp and Rheinmetall, based on the 128-mm flak 40 anti-aircraft guns, jointly developed a heavy-duty anti-tank gun with a barrel length in 55 calibers. The new gun received an index 12,8 сm PaK 44 L / 55. Since it was not possible to mount such a giant barrel on the carriage of a conventional anti-tank gun, Meyland, which specialized in the production of trailers, designed a special three-axle gun carriage with two pairs of wheels in front and one behind. In this case, the high profile of the gun had to be maintained, which made the gun extremely noticeable on the ground. Weight guns in a combat position exceeded 9300 kg.



Part of the guns was installed on the French 15,5 сm K 418 (f) and Soviet 152-mm howitzer guns of the 1937 model of the year (ML-20).



128-mm anti-tank gun was the most powerful weapon of this class of the Second World War. The armor penetration capability of the gun turned out to be extremely large - according to some estimates, at least until 1948, there was no tank in the world capable of withstanding the hit of its 28-kg projectile.
An armor-piercing projectile with a mass of 28,3 kg, left the barrel at a speed of 920 m / s, provided penetration of 1500 mm of armor at a distance of 187 meters.

Mass production started at the end of 1944 of the year. The gun entered service with the heavy motorized divisions of the RGC, often used as a corps gun. A total of 150 guns were produced.

The low security and mobility of the gun made the Germans work out the option of installing it on a self-propelled chassis. This machine was created in 1944 year on the basis of a heavy tank "Royal Tiger" and was named "Yagdtigr." With the PaK 44 cannon, which has replaced, respectively, the index by StuK 44, it became the most powerful anti-tank self-propelled gun of the Second World War - in particular, evidence was received of the defeat of Sherman tanks from a distance over 3500 meters in frontal projection.

The options for using guns in tanks were also studied. In particular, the famous experimental tank "Maus" was armed with exactly PaK 44 in a duplex with an 75-mm gun (in the tank version the gun was called KwK 44). It was also planned to install a gun on an experienced super-heavy tank E-100.

Despite its very heavy weight and huge dimensions of the 12,8 cm PaK 44 made a great impression on the Soviet command. In the TTZ post-war heavy Soviet tanks stipulated the condition to withstand the shelling of this gun in the frontal projection.
The first tank capable of withstanding shelling from the PaK 44 was the experienced Soviet tank IS-1949 in 7.

Assessing the German anti-tank artillery as a whole, it should be noted that it contains a large number of guns of various types and calibers. That, undoubtedly, complicated the supply of ammunition, repair, maintenance and preparation of the calculations of guns. At the same time, German industry was able to ensure the production of large quantities of guns and shells. During the war, new types of weapons were developed and put into mass production, capable of effectively resisting allied tanks.

The armor of our medium and heavy tanks, which in the first years of the war fully provided reliable protection against German shells, by the summer of 1943 was clearly inadequate. End-to-end defeats became massive. This is due to the increased power of the German anti-tank and tank artillery. German anti-tank and tank guns of caliber 75- 88 mm with the initial speed of an armor-piercing projectile 1000 m / s were breaking through any place of armor protection of our medium and heavy tanks, with the exception of the top front armor of GAN-2.

In all German regulations, memos and instructions on defense issues it is said: "Every defense must be, first of all, anti-tank." Therefore, the defense was built deeply echeloned, densely saturated with active anti-tank weapons and advanced in engineering respect. In order to strengthen active anti-tank weapons and more effective use of them, the Germans attached great importance to the choice of a defensive position. The main requirements in this case was its tank inaccessibility.

The Germans considered the following to be the most advantageous firing ranges for tanks from their anti-tank and tank artillery based on its armor-piercing ability: 250-300 m for 3,7-cm and 5-cm guns; 800-900 m for 7,5-cm guns and 1500 m for 8,8-cm guns. It was considered inexpedient to fire from long distances.

At the beginning of the war, the shelling distance of our tanks, as a rule, did not exceed 300 m. With the advent of 75 and 88 mm guns with an initial speed of an 1000 m / s armor-piercing shell, the tank shelling distance increased significantly.

A few words should be said about the action of small-caliber shells. As mentioned above, all types of 3,7-4,7-cm guns used by the Germans were ineffective when firing at medium T-34 tanks. However, there were cases of defeat 3,7-cm caliber shells of the frontal armor of the towers and the body of the T-34. This was due to the fact that the individual series of T-34 tanks had sub-standard armor. But these exceptions only confirmed the rule.

It should be noted that quite often caliber 3,7-5 caliber shells, as well as sub-caliber shells, after breaking through the armor, did not take the tank out of action light shells lost most of the kinetic energy and could not cause serious damage. Thus, at Stalingrad, on one T-34 tank that was out of action, 4,9 had an average hit of shells. In 1944- 1945 this required 1,5-1,8 hits, since by that time the role of large-caliber anti-tank artillery had increased significantly.



Of particular interest is the distribution of hits of German shells on the armor protection of the T-34 tank. So, during the Stalingrad battle from 1308 affected tanks T-34, 393 tanks got hit in the forehead, i.e. 30%, in-board - 835 tanks, i.e. 63,9%, and in the stern - 80 tanks, i.e. .Xnumx%. During the final stage of the war, the Berlin operation, 6,1 tanks were shot down in the 2 Guards Tank Army, 448 (152%) were hit in the forehead, 33,9 (271%) in the forehead and 60,5 (25%) in the side .

If we abandon leaven patriotism, then it should be said that German anti-tank guns were the most effective during the Second World War and successfully operated on all fronts from Normandy to Stalingrad and from the Kola Peninsula to Libyan sands. The success of the German anti-tank artillery can be explained primarily by successful design solutions for designing projectiles and guns, excellent preparation and stability of their calculations, tactics of using anti-tank guns, the presence of first-class sights, and high reliability and high artillery traction.


Based on:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deckarudo/sets/72157627854729574/
http://www.telenir.net/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_oruzhie_1997_01/p3.php
http://popgun.ru/viewtopic.php?f=147&t=157182
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/8_cm_PAW_600
A.B. Shirokorad "Artillery in the Great Patriotic War"
A.B. Shirokorad "God of War of the Third Reich"
Our news channels

Subscribe and stay up to date with the latest news and the most important events of the day.

70 comments
Information
Dear reader, to leave comments on the publication, you must sign in.
  1. +8
    11 September 2013
    In addition, 7,5 сm Pak 41 ammunition:
    1. +5
      14 September 2013
      They look like spools of thread.
  2. ka5280
    +8
    11 September 2013
    Thank you for the article! Informative.
  3. avt
    +8
    11 September 2013
    Good review good both parts are quite decent.
  4. Kovrovsky
    +5
    11 September 2013
    The success of the German anti-tank artillery can be explained primarily by successful design decisions in the design of shells and guns, excellent preparation and stability of their calculations, the tactics of using anti-tank guns, the presence of first-class sights, high specific gravity of self-propelled guns, as well as high reliability and high cross-country ability of artillery tractors.

    What is there to add? The stronger the enemy, the more blood victory will be won by him!
  5. +4
    11 September 2013
    ... If we discard the kvass patriotism, then it should be said that the German anti-tank guns were the most effective during the Second World War ...

    Really?

    ... Assessing the German anti-tank artillery as a whole, it should be noted the presence in its composition of a large number of guns of various types and calibers. Which, undoubtedly, impeded the supply of ammunition, repair, maintenance and preparation of gun calculations ...

    Here is the answer. The presence in service of several dozen types of ammunition for only one type of artillery raises doubts about the adequacy of the leadership of the Reich artillery.

    The monstrous industrial potential of Europe, which worked for the Wehrmacht, made it possible to create Hi-End in all types of weapons, but the results, at times, were discouraging. For example, 7,5 cm PaK 40, due to the unsatisfactory calculation of the angle of the beds in the firing position, despite the presence of a muzzle brake, led to the fact that after 2-3 shots, the bipods of these beds literally "gnawed" into the ground. Those. the cannon became unmaneuverable, it simply could not repel further attacks from the flanks.
    It’s not technology that fights, but people. In experienced hands and 45 mm anti-tank guns did a good job, despite the presence of ZiS-2 and BS-3 in the Red Army units.
    1. +16
      11 September 2013
      Quote: stalkerwalker
      anti-tank guns were most effective during the Second World War ...

      Really?

      Unfortunately, though you can come up with another explanation for the loss of 95 000 only to Soviet tanks, not counting the rest of the contractors who together with the USSR built almost 300 000 tanks, against 90 000 German ARMOR objects.
      Quote: stalkerwalker
      The monstrous industrial potential of Europe

      And is it to PAK-40? Yes, and the monstrous potential was mainly captured only by the TROPHIES, and not by the production of weapons, the exception is Czechoslovakia, there is a different situation, they passed it without a fight.
      Quote: stalkerwalker
      after 2-3 shots, the bipods of these beds literally "gnawed" into the ground.

      On soft ground, and what else to do if the gun is heavy duty, the ZIS-2 jumped up to 1.5 meters and knocked down the tip.
      1. +7
        11 September 2013
        Quote: Kars
        On soft ground, and what else to do if the gun is heavy duty, the ZIS-2 jumped up to 1.5 meters and knocked down the tip.

        Convinced ...

        Quote: Kars
        Unfortunately, though you can come up with another explanation for the loss of 95 000 only to Soviet tanks, not counting the rest of the contractors who together with the USSR built almost 300 000 tanks, against 90 000 German ARMOR objects.

        The numbers 95 thousand and 90 thousand stand somewhere nearby.
        I don’t remember the data of ArtUpra, but a third of the lost tanks - not combat tanks - abandoned, captured, etc.
        1. +7
          11 September 2013
          Quote: stalkerwalker
          The numbers 95 thousand and 90 thousand stand somewhere nearby.

          Well, if it’s not honestly near, we have clean tanks and self-propelled guns, and the Fritz have anything that had more than 8 mm armor, including hanomagi. There were about 49 000 clean tanks / sauns than Kichits like to compare fritzefila losses.
          Quote: stalkerwalker
          but a third of the lost tanks - not combat tanks - abandoned, captured, etc.

          It’s difficult to call such losses non-combat, they didn’t abandon them because of a good life, the Fritzs in 1944-45 also got a lot of them. And a third is very overpriced, this can only be said about the losses of 1941 of the year.
          1. +9
            11 September 2013
            Quote: Kars
            And a third is very overpriced, this can only be said about the losses of 1941 of the year.

            I will not dispute.
            And yes, the main non-combat losses occurred in cross-border battles in June of 41, Kiev and Vyazemsky boilers. In 42, Crimea.
            hi

            Special thanks for the quality info with illustrations.
    2. +3
      11 September 2013
      Hi, I remind you that the solution to the BB problem for 45 was not found until the fall of 42, that is, the fact that the Germans used 41 in the summer, we did not have the best quality or not at all
      1. +4
        11 September 2013
        Quote: Stas57
        we didn’t have the best quality or not at all

        Hi Stas!
        Yes, not without it.
    3. Avenger711
      +1
      11 September 2013
      Both technology and people are fighting. When will you finally understand this? 45 mm by the 43rd year was already limitedly effective even against Pz-IV. If only people fought, then neither 88 mm nor BS-3 would simply appear.

      And the question is, is it really possible to move the ZiS-3 after a few shots? Something I doubt that she did not burrow in the same way. Or do you think the Germans are so stupid that they could not correct such a defect if it is fundamentally correct? I'm not talking about the development of guns like the modern "Octopus", it is a much more complex design.
      1. +4
        11 September 2013
        Quote: Avenger711
        Is it possible to move the ZIS-3 after several shots?

        Really.
        And finally.
        These are Mellenthin's words: "... the history of anti-tank artillery is the saddest page of the Wehrmacht ...".

        And further.

        ... The conversion of a not very successful divisional gun into a superior anti-tank gun was not the result of the ingenious thinking of German designers ...
        Grabin created what was demanded of him - the F-22 was a UNIVERSAL cannon capable of firing at ground and air (unobtrusive) targets, hence the overestimated vertical angle, and the separation into two gunners - according to the horizon and height.
        1. +9
          11 September 2013
          Quote: stalkerwalker
          : "... the history of anti-tank artillery is the saddest page of the Wehrmacht ..."

          And who would say that the fate of the anti-tankers was easy? With such a shaft of technology that they had to repel. Moreover, the Fritz very quickly, especially in the conditions of war, progressed as in the guns themselves - from the 37 mm mallet to the 128 mm PAK-44 for incomplete 4 years, as in ammunition - sub-caliber, cumulative, bicaliber.
          Quote: stalkerwalker
          Grabin created what was demanded of him

          so it is EVEN worse, it means that the supreme leadership of the Red Army made miscalculations in the direction of the development of artillery. This is a large part of the guilt of Tukhachevsky
          1. +5
            11 September 2013
            Quote: Kars
            so it is EVEN worse, it means that the supreme leadership of the Red Army made miscalculations in the direction of the development of artillery. This is a large part of the guilt of Tukhachevsky

            Kars, as always without comment ...
            Thank you!
        2. +10
          11 September 2013
          I absolutely agree! This bastard (Tukhachevsky) ensign, raised in the Civil, could leave the army altogether without artillery
          1. +7
            14 September 2013
            Not all repression was "unfounded"
    4. Yemelya
      +1
      11 September 2013
      Quote: stalkerwalker
      The presence in service of several dozen types of ammunition for only one type of artillery raises doubts about the adequacy of the leadership of the Reich artillery.


      It seems that the Red Army had no less types of ammunition.
      1. +8
        11 September 2013
        Quote: Emelya
        It seems that the Red Army had no less types of ammunition.

        The ammunition stock of the Red Army was less.
        1. Yemelya
          0
          11 September 2013
          Quote: stalkerwalker
          The ammunition stock of the Red Army was less.


          Due to what? If due to the fact that they did not make a full set of ammunition for the gun, then this is not from a good life and there can be no advantage.

          If we mean the number of types of guns, then the Red Army hardly had much less.
          1. +4
            11 September 2013
            Quote: Emelya
            Due to what?

            Due to unification.
            We could not afford such a "luxury" as the creation of a separate production of ammunition for captured weapons.
            And who was right - history has shown.
            1. Yemelya
              +1
              11 September 2013
              Quote: stalkerwalker
              We could not afford such a "luxury" as the creation of a separate production of ammunition for captured weapons.


              There is still the question of where they were produced. Maybe on captured equipment. And even if they distracted their capacities, they were economically all the same in plus - shells, as you know, are cheaper than guns.

              We, I think, would also be cost-effective to establish the production of 75-mm ammunition for tank and anti-tank.
              1. +6
                11 September 2013
                Quote: Emelya
                We, I think, would also be cost-effective to establish the production of 75-mm ammunition for tank and anti-tank.

                Here I will return with my first comment - who worked for the Wehrmacht, and who stood at our machine tools.
                Let this not be a topic, but the fact that both the Czechs and the French have made a very large contribution to the creation of almost all types of weapons and weapons. That is, this issue needs to be considered in a wider spectrum.
              2. +6
                14 September 2013
                Apparently there were enough captured 75-mms, the 41 CANCER was widely used here.
            2. +1
              12 September 2013
              Quote: stalkerwalker
              And who was right - history has shown.

              No need to give out need for virtue. Germany, with all its zoo of calibers and systems in terms of ammunition output, surpassed the USSR until 1945, and there were still forces on RPGs, self-propelled howitzers, artillery radars and the like hi-tech, which we could only dream of.
              1. +4
                13 September 2013
                Quote: Drummer
                No need to give out need for virtue.


                And I’m not trying.
                Diffusion of production capacities in Germany, the diversion of funds for projects both promising (but with "long-term" return), and not very, played a cruel joke - single, really effective, projects were brought to mind, with subsequent adoption, along with saturation with them troops. As a result, the "wunderwaffen" could not have a noticeable impact on the course of the war.
        2. +6
          14 September 2013
          Armor-piercing is definitely less and cumulative by no means to all types of guns.
  6. +8
    11 September 2013
    Recently I read Pershanin "We plowed half of Europe on our bellies".
    I came across the story of Georgy Petrovich Romanov, holder of three orders, who passed the Second World War as the gunner of the "forty-five":
    I received my first Order of the Red Star by order of July 21 1944 of the year. The history of this order is as follows.
    The infantry battalion of the 190 rifle regiment, which included the battery, took some height. And the regiment was already pretty battered in battles, and only four remained of the battery of six 45 graphs. Strong machine-gun fire pressed the battalion to the ground, and even two German field guns of the caliber 75 millimeters added heat.
    With this contraption, the release of the early thirties, I was familiar with the work at the factory. We, artillery locksmiths, were introduced to foreign guns, their features. We used something useful in our work. Short-barrel, with a massive shield, she leisurely sent six-kilogram shells, smashed machine guns and covered infantry in the craters and small hollows. It was necessary to throw our "forty-five" over the hill. Without their support, the attack broke down and more and more dead and wounded were added. The battery was in a lowland, covered with pine trees and shrubs. To get to the position, it was required to overcome eighty meters of open space.
    At first, as always with a bang, the first two teams with two “forty-foot” teams and crews pulled away. Only the Germans knew this bald spot well. The first "forty-five", having overcome two-thirds of the distance, fell under the gap of the projectile, turned over. Killed someone from the calculation and one of the horses. The rest of the soldiers, who were wounded, who were shell-shocked, somehow crawled to the rescue pines.
    The second “forty-five” was blown up by a direct hit halfway, and the surviving artillerymen were finished off with a few more shells and machine-gun fire. Killed and platoon commander. I looked at this mess, puddles of blood, distorted guns and with longing realized that now it would be my turn. On the phone from the headquarters they shout, the battery commander is rushing, he makes excuses, and the soldiers gloomily wait. It is scary when you know that you are going to certain death. And you have to go. Will make.
    - Romanov, well, have you seen? - with incomprehensible anger asked the battalion commander. - Now it's your turn.
    In the calculation I was riding. Quick, resourceful. My name was Nikita. When the calculation was starving, there was always hope for him. Sounds like rummaging around the neighborhood. Where he begs potatoes or milk, he will pick cucumbers, or even bring a piece of meat. And Nikita was already at an age older than me, smart, who had seen a lot of things.
    “Take your time, Sergeant,” he advised. - It is necessary to think.
    He did not think long and took command in his hands. He ordered four strong fighters to keep the horses under all bridles with all their might, and Nikita himself, with another sled, let the horses be whipped. They beat me seriously. Horses laugh, stand on their hind legs, and fighters on the bridles hang, hold in place. Nikita ordered:
    - Let go!
    The guys instantly let go of the bridle, and to the sides. The horses, freaking out in pain, rushed so hard that the German gunners and machine gunners did not have time to take aim. An explosion gasped behind, explosive bullets snapped through the pine trees, but the team with the gun flew into the clearing and was already safe.
    The crew, besides Nikita, crawled across an open place, and the driver took up the "crossing" of the last, fourth crew. The team was taken a little further away and the glade slipped in the same manner. And then the calculation got over. Only miracles do not happen in war. Although they surpassed the cannon, two of them remained on this strip plowed by shells. One was covered with fragments, and the second was in a hurry, raised his head and hit the machine-gun track. Only the helmet flew up into the air, and red and gray splashed out of my head. I saw all this, even groaned in despair. Many have already seen enough deaths, and the sudden death of two more guys as if alive cuts. Go to the mothers and wives of the funeral. Involuntarily presented himself as being killed.
  7. +6
    11 September 2013
    A battalion commander, a platoon - a green lieutenant, and I, the calculation commander - that’s the whole command staff of the battery, in which there were two guns. We consulted, looked around the area and quickly rolled out the "forty-five" for direct fire. German 75-millimeter cannons, with shields similar to the set up dining tables, only arched in the middle, had a horizontal firing angle of only five degrees. That is, there were minutes left to aim and gasp while the Germans unfold the beds.
    Although our "forty-five" is a small caliber, it has good accuracy and rate of fire. Plus experienced gunners. Hit on both short-barrels mixed with fragmentation and high-explosive shells. I remembered how painfully hit the rubber rim of the optical sight after each shot. One German cannon was covered with a direct hit, the second felt for us. They hit her without sparing shells. It was well covered, and our shells plowed the parapet or exploded with a flight. And the shells of 45 graph paper weighed only one thousand two hundred grams. To cover a German gun, a direct hit was required. The Germans also anointed. But their ingots, even if they didn’t hit the target, scattered a large number of fragments. We finally hit the shield of the second gun. And he is sloping. The detonator fired late, and the shell exploded in the air.
    But the response six-kilogram hit almost under the wheel of the neighboring "forty-five." They had an incomplete calculation, and scattered the remaining ones. Who is killed, who is injured. The battalion commander himself stood up for the sight of the second Forty-five. Again fired from two guns. We finished off this damn gun! The remnants of the shells were fired at the machine gun nests. Some suppressed successful hits, others fell silent, overwhelmed by a wave of attackers.
    Passing the wounded orderlies, they lit a cigarette. On the one hand, it’s joyful that they played a decisive role in the offensive. And on the other ... I counted the survivors from the battery. Only a quarter of the people survived. Only two guns remained. Why rejoice? Beyond the parapet, the corpses of artillerymen, covered in raincoat tents and overcoats, lay in a row. There is a lieutenant, our platoon, who spent three days at the forefront of the day. And more bodies were unloaded from the wagon. Those who died when they passed an open hollow. If it were not for Nikita's resourcefulness, the whole battery would be left there.
  8. Eugeniy_369
    +3
    11 September 2013
    Interestingly, what was taken from other sources besides photos? The entire text is copied from the book “The God of War of the Third Reich,” A.B. Shirokorad. Cognitive literature. German vocational schools were a formidable force, sadly, but it must be admitted. And the story with F-22 only confirms what rational and pragmatic reptile our ancestors strangled.
    1. Avenger711
      +2
      11 September 2013
      The Germans simply returned the F-22 to its original, quite robust concept.
      1. +5
        14 September 2013
        It could well be initially released under the shell from the 76-mm anti-aircraft guns arr. 31 of the year
    2. +4
      12 September 2013
      Will you take the claim that the whole?
    3. +6
      14 September 2013
      Something is cited, but in general the article is original.
  9. +8
    11 September 2013
    Guys, sorted out about the PaKs. And who saw such a miracle? The mine sweeper Krupp Raumer-S? Clickable
    1. +1
      11 September 2013
      Well, what are you minus? Is this Photoshop?
    2. +1
      11 September 2013
      Day 11
      Dan, I saw photos of a couple of similar machines and their varieties in the magazine "World of Technology for Children" (by the way, a very interesting magazine, and I can't imagine what kind of children can read it :))) and the photos there are generally unique). But it was written there that the matter did not move further than experimental operation. The machines were found to be ineffective and did not go into production.
      1. +2
        11 September 2013
        "The world of technology for children" --- you poked me well. Only I am far from being children!
        1. +2
          11 September 2013
          Day 11
          No, I didn’t tease, it’s a really interesting magazine, sorry for the small one. In terms of professionalism, it often surpasses the materials laid out here. And the photo materials are really unique — I found it in a familiar library — I was amazed to the core. If you come across, look at the binder, even you will find something interesting. Topics-aviation, fleet, tanks, guns-the history of creation, schemes, comparative characteristics, combat use, analysis of characteristic combat damage, everything is like here ... and it is designed for adults.
  10. 0
    11 September 2013
    Is there someone from Smolensk (suburbs)? There is infa-found 110th. I want to go
    1. +2
      11 September 2013
      Day 11
      Oh, you looter! :))) Look, the dead Germans from the other world will get you, they will come at night and demand ringing medals to tell you in the Vaterland where exactly they were dug .... :))))
      1. +1
        11 September 2013
        Volodya I am under the table laughing I won’t explain anything to you (you know everything yourself)
    2. Alex 241
      0
      11 September 2013
      Hello Denis, 110 Messer?
      1. smiths xnumx
        +2
        11 September 2013
        Great guys Denis, Volodya, Sasha, but really you forgot about the famous German mine trawl Minenraumer from Kubinka.
        The design of the trawl is somewhat unusual. It resembles a greatly enlarged gun mount from the German heavy guns of the First and Second World Wars, to which the creators instead of the gun barrel piled an armored cabin with an engine and a machine gun turret. Like the same monster described in the literature, but on four wheels, known as the Raumer - S, stored in Kubinka, it was an attempt to create a highly specialized armored vehicle unsuitable for solving any tasks other than mine sweeping.
        The hull of the trawl is divided into four compartments: control, combat (or command), transmission and motor (the names of the departments are taken from the first test report). In the control compartment (in the nose of the car) the driver, controls and the instrument panel were located. The fighting compartment is located immediately behind the control compartment and is supplemented by a rotating tower from the Pz I, in which there was a seat for the commander of the car (formerly a shooter). The tower, armed with machine guns MG 34, was intended to defend the machine when trawling from enemy infantry units.


        Yours! hi
        1. Alex 241
          0
          11 September 2013
          Hi rum, somewhere I saw this building.
          1. smiths xnumx
            +4
            11 September 2013
            Sasha, he is standing in Kubinka, he must have seen either in the photo report or on the Internet. I would love to find such a thing.
            Finnish anti-tank rifle. Found on the Karelian Isthmus according to search engines, most of the details were caught from the swamp on a tip from one of the Finnish veterans.



            Yours! hi
            1. Alex 241
              0
              11 September 2013
              Rum judging by the muzzle brake TYPE 97
              1. +4
                11 September 2013
                http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys_(%D0%9F%D0%A2%D0%A0)
              2. +2
                11 September 2013
                ______________
                1. Alex 241
                  +2
                  11 September 2013
                  Andrey I welcome this especially for you.
                  1. Yemelya
                    0
                    11 September 2013
                    The HF was assembled from the KV-1 hull and the KV-1S tower.
              3. smiths xnumx
                +1
                11 September 2013
                Not Sash, this is the Finnish "Lahti" L-39
                Lahti L-39 is designed based on an automatic aircraft gun. Gun automation works on the principle of removal of powder gases through a side hole in the barrel wall. The corresponding closed-type gas chamber is installed under the barrel at a distance of about half the length of the barrel from its muzzle. A guide tube is attached to the chamber, in which a rod with a piston and a spring is located. At the front, a gas regulator is screwed into the chamber, having four fixed positions. The barrel channel is locked (the bolt engages with its receiver) with a locking wedge that moves vertically as a result of interaction with the inclined plane of the frame. Due to the very high rate of fire of the aircraft gun, on the basis of which the gun was developed, its design has an original system for reducing the rate of fire, consisting of two triggers - the rear and the front. The rear trigger serves to hold the movable system on the combat cock, and the front trigger. Accordingly, in front of the pistol grip installed under the receiver, there are two triggers: the lower for the rear trigger, and the upper for the front. To produce a shot, you must first press the lower trigger, and then the upper one, which not only sharply reduces the rate of fire, but also reliably protects against accidental shots. However, the gun also has a separate fuse located on the right side of the trigger box. In the on position, it locks the trigger of the front trigger. Power when firing ammunition is made from a removable box magazine, mounted on the receiver on top and held by a latch. Magazine capacity - 9 rounds.
                http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahti_L-39

                1. Alex 241
                  +1
                  11 September 2013
                  Quote: Kuznetsov 1977
                  automatic aircraft gun
                  Hispanic Suiza, just knocked the muzzle brake off, then took a closer look, on the 39th there was still a casing.
                  1. smiths xnumx
                    +3
                    11 September 2013
                    But the Japanese Type 97 anti-tank rifle uses gas exhaust automation with two gas pistons located under the barrel. The barrel is locked using a locking wedge located in the bolt and having the ability to move in a vertical plane. To lock the wedge rises up under the influence of bevels on the bolt frame, and interlocks the bolt with the receiver. After a shot under the action of a gas piston, the bolt frame begins to retreat and its bevels lower the wedge, unlocking the bolt. Shooting is carried out with an open shutter, only automatic fire. Cartridges were fed from detachable box magazines adjoining from above. To reduce the recoil felt by the shooter, the barrel with the receiver can roll back relative to the weapon body, compressing the spring buffer in the rollback. On the barrel of the gun made a muzzle brake. Shooting is carried out from the support, using a two-legged bipod fixed in front of the receiver, and an additional adjustable support under the butt. The sight is adjustable, with settings ranging from 100 to 1000 meters, the installation of an optical sight is also possible. The Type 97 anti-tank rifle was also equipped with a removable armor shield and removable carrying handles.

                    1. smiths xnumx
                      +3
                      11 September 2013
                      But look what the Hezbollahs made in Lebanon with our native PTRS

                      1. Alex 241
                        0
                        11 September 2013
                        Rum wonder how many times they have to do the adjustment of the sight?
                      2. smiths xnumx
                        +1
                        11 September 2013
                        Sash, and there was such an interesting PTR
                        In the mid-1930s, Solothurn engineers decided to improve the effectiveness of this weapon by redesigning the anti-tank rifle for more powerful 20mm shells from the German FlaK 30 and FlaK 38 anti-aircraft guns developed by Rheinmetall. The new anti-tank rifle received the Solothurn S18-1000 index, and on its basis the "universal gun" Solothurn S18-1100 was soon created, which allowed for burst firing and in this version was suitable for use as an anti-aircraft gun (from special machines). Solothurn S18-1000 anti-tank rifles were purchased by Italy, Holland, Finland, Hungary and Switzerland.
                        Hungarian with PTR "Solothurn"

                        In the German army, the Solothurn S18-1000 anti-tank rifle had the PzB-41 (s) index.
                        The Solothurn S18-100 anti-tank rifle uses automatic weapons with a moving barrel, which has a short recoil course. The barrel is locked (the barrel engages with the bolt) using a rotary coupling worn on the breech of the barrel. On the inner surface of the coupling grooves are made, mating with the combat stops of the shutter. When the barrel rolls back, the figured grooves in the receiver turn this clutch, disengaging it with the bolt. Shooting is carried out only by single shots, with a closed shutter. Ammunition is supplied from detachable box magazines attached horizontally to the left. The barrel is equipped with a muzzle brake to reduce perceived recoil. Shooting is carried out from the support, using a two-legged bipod fixed in front of the receiver, and an additional adjustable support under the butt. The sight is adjustable, with settings in range from 100 to 1500 meters, the installation of an optical sight is also possible.

                        Solothurn S18-1100 anti-tank rifle, different from the Solothurn S18-1000 automatic fire capability.


                      3. Alex 241
                        0
                        11 September 2013
                        Rum you did not watch the German film Stalingrad?
                      4. smiths xnumx
                        0
                        11 September 2013
                        I watched "Stalingrad" on the disk, it is still stored. But there is only one shot about snipers, when our sniper fires at German mail. Maybe you mean "Stalingrad. The enemy is at the gates"
                      5. Alex 241
                        0
                        11 September 2013
                        No Rum there is shown an anti-tank mine, like a magnetic one. Do not know?
                      6. smiths xnumx
                        +1
                        11 September 2013
                        You probably Hafthohlladung 3 (also known as the Panzerknacker HHL 3 or Haft - H3) is a German manual anti-tank cumulative magnetic mine. The PanzerHandmine 3 had a bottle-shaped body made of aluminum with a length of 270 mm and a diameter of 140 mm, 1000 mm in diameter. Inside the case there was a fuse, an explosive charge of 130 g and a cumulative funnel. Three U-shaped magnets were used to fix the mines on the tank's armor. The mine was supplied with a fabric loop for transportation. Penetration was 1942 mm. For the first time the mine was used in the battles of Volkhov in May 3, but it didn’t stand in service for long, and was replaced by the more advanced Haft - H45. The new mine was a tin funnel with a handle mounted on a getinaksovoy plate, to the bottom of which were attached three magnets, closed with a safety "lock", which served to prevent demagnetization during storage and transportation of the mine. There were two versions of the “castle” - in the form of a ring and an irregular hexagon. The magnets withstood a force of 275 kg. The height of the mine was 150 mm, diameter 3000 mm. Weighed a mine of 1500 g., Of which 140 g.was accounted for by the explosive charge — TNT or a mixture of TNT with RDX. The first cumulative charges had a hemispherical shape; later, to increase the cumulative effect, the shape was changed to conical. Penetration grenades 3,5 mm homogeneous armor. An enlarged grenade modification was also produced - Haft-Hohlladung 30, made from the warhead of the Panzerfaust 300. The height of the mine is 215 mm, the diameter is 1700 mm. The charge was increased to 40 (a mixture of TNT with RDX 60/3500), which led to an increase in the total mass of mines to 160 g. Armor penetration increased to 180-XNUMX mm.
                        http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/HHL-3

                      7. Alex 241
                        0
                        11 September 2013
                        Thanks rum.
                      8. smiths xnumx
                        +2
                        11 September 2013
                        Something like that was used:
                        German soldier attaches a mine to the side of the T-34-76

                        You better watch the training film of the Wehrmacht "soldiers against tanks"
                      9. Alex 241
                        +1
                        11 September 2013
                        Rum is all clear, but in real battle .........
                      10. 0
                        11 September 2013
                        Sanya, are these Finns?
                      11. Alex 241
                        0
                        11 September 2013
                        Germans Denis.
                      12. 0
                        11 September 2013
                        Wow! 20mm bursts? Heard about it. Can you imagine the recoil? Even with a good muzzle brake
                      13. Alex 241
                        0
                        11 September 2013
                        Denis is most likely a short stroke of the barrel, and I think there is a shock absorber.
                      14. smiths xnumx
                        0
                        12 September 2013
                        Dan, figs, he knows him, I remember when they shot from the AGS-17 in the squares, not only they bury the bipod, they also got the second number on top of it so that it wouldn’t bounce too much, because it was difficult to hold onto, but to aim more difficult.
                      15. Yemelya
                        0
                        11 September 2013
                        Quote: Kuznetsov 1977
                        But look what the Hezbollahs made in Lebanon with our native PTRS


                        It seems that even Vasily Zaitsev in Stalingrad experimentally established that a sniper rifle could not be made from a PT-gun, the sight was lost due to recoil.
                      16. smiths xnumx
                        +1
                        11 September 2013
                        August 1942 tested the collimator scope for the ATRA. the sight was of the simplest type and consisted of a lens and a grid with a crosshair, had no increase. the idea of ​​development has not received. perhaps they decided not to complicate the design of the gun.

                        "In May 1943, an anti-tank rifle was tested with a PU sight and a Kochetov bracket, for which only the base was replaced. It was noted that the settings of the scales of the sight drum were confused, which is not surprising, since this was also a drawback on sniper rifles with much lower recoil. it was considered unreasonable for all anti-tank missiles, and for firing at small-sized targets and camouflaged tanks it was supposed to have separate sniper anti-tank systems equipped with PU-type optical sights.In August 1943, anti-tank guns and anti-tank systems with PU sights and specially designed brackets were tested.New brackets did not improve the situation as the drum settings were still out of order when firing. "

                        American soldiers in Korea visiting the converted PTRD for the needs of a sniper. pay attention to the powerful monocle spotter.
        2. +1
          11 September 2013
          smiths xnumx
          Great!
          You see, it’s hard to forget what you don’t know about .... :)))) I really only saw such shtukeniya in the pictures once. :))) Thank.
      2. +1
        11 September 2013
        Yes, they found it in a swamp (one grandmother suggested). The men there already started to do the flooring. If I go, then I will post pictures.
        1. Alex 241
          +1
          11 September 2013
          Bf 110G-4 at the airport of the Air Force Research Institute in Chkalovskaya. January 1945
          This is a rarity, as far as I remember, they can be counted on the fingers on the Eastern Front. There were even trophy ones.
          1. Alex 241
            +1
            11 September 2013
            From Matskevich’s memoirs: And then a suggestion arose: the captured Bf110 was to attach itself to a German bomber and bring it down. But for this, the crew of the captured machine should have been dressed in German uniform; conversations and commands should be conducted only in German. Photo V.V. Matskevich in German form is shown below. He participated in the development of this option: he knew the German language. But after the death of the captured “Messerschmitt” other such aircraft could no longer be obtained, and the idea somehow died out by itself. Matskevich in the cockpit of a captured German fighter Bf 110G-4.
            V.V. Matskevich in German uniform with an “iron cross” in preparation for an operation to intercept German bombers on a captured Bf 110G-4. January 1945
          2. +2
            11 September 2013
            We already found it there ... S-ka, everyone has the same money in their heads. The main thing for me is to rewrite the Win-number. And then it’s how it will turn out (Crew)
            1. smiths xnumx
              0
              11 September 2013
              You were at the open museum on Poklonnaya. There by the way
              Me-109

              DI-6,
              "Hurricane"
              Aerocobra

              I-16,
              Su-2,
              I-153,
              IL-2,

              La 5
              Yaki
              Ki-43

              IL-4,

              Lee-xnumx
              cabin from Yu-88
              Was once passing last year impressions full of pants. It's a pity the camera did not take, I photographed on a mobile phone. Well, in short, a thing! Yours faithfully! hi
              1. Alex 241
                0
                11 September 2013
                ...................................................
          3. smiths xnumx
            +3
            11 September 2013
            Here in Nizhny on Strelka (in the place where the Volga and Oka merge), they also say that the German bomber lies, it was allegedly shot down in 1943 when they bombed the car factory, the Germans were just coming from near Smolensk, from Seshcha, guided by the Oka, and on Strelka, they just turned around and went to the target (the Automobile Plant and the Kirov railway bridge), there were ships with anti-aircraft guns and machine guns on the river and on the Slope near the Kremlin there was an MZA, the dead man told me about this, here it is how times and failed.
            These are the boats and stood. The boat "Hero" on the Nizhne-Volzhskaya embankment, a favorite place for newlyweds (he went there himself when he got married). Armament: 1 45-mm cannon, 2 "Maxim" machine guns, although now only one remains, the second was stolen at the beginning of the XNUMXs and presented to a very "influential" businessman for his birthday.
            1. +2
              12 September 2013
              I was in Nizhny on a business trip about 5 years ago. I liked the city.
              Looking at this photo I remembered that this place was well remembered (beauty).
              Therefore, I could not resist and decided to post this photo hi
              1. smiths xnumx
                +1
                12 September 2013
                Yes, Artyom descends the Chkalov staircase, which was built by the captured Germans, from Minin Square, from the Chkalov monument (there is such a joke, the secret of the third step is called, on the monument Chkalov puts on a glove, and if you look from there he makes an indecent gesture) to the Nizhnevolzhskaya Embankment. And below, just the boat "Hero" can be seen, about which I wrote above. A favorite place for newlyweds in Nizhny Novgorod. It is a tradition at a wedding to tie a ribbon to it (he did this himself when he got married). Yours faithfully! hi
                1. +1
                  12 September 2013
                  Quote: Kuznetsov 1977
                  there is such a joke, the secret of the third step is called, Chkalov pulls a glove on the monument, and if you look from there he makes an indecent gesture

                  Curiously smile

                  Roman, at our weddings they usually ride either to ml-20 or to 34-ke.
                  Often they call in the village of Strelkovka, the homeland of G.K. Zhukov. hi
                  1. 0
                    12 September 2013
                    34, also in ribbons, and a bouquet from the muzzle peeps out smile
        2. Alex 241
          +3
          11 September 2013
          Here Denis found a description of the air battle near Smolensk. "Il" opened fire from a long distance. The squadron commander understood: this is not at all because his wards lost their nerves. No. Attack aircraft let fighters know about the appearance of enemy aircraft in the air. The first onslaught of the Nazis was repulsed. In the meantime, they turned around for a second attack, the “silts” aimed their bombs on purpose and now swiftly rushed to the ground, firing armored monsters with rockets and cannon fire. [35] Several tanks turned around awkwardly, smoking. Attack aircraft repeated the call. The chain of fire explosions confirmed that the bombs and the rest of the Eres fell accurately. The Messerschmitts rushed to the attack aircraft, trying to attack them during a gentle dive. But Kovats boldly rushed to the leading group. The tracks of guns and machine guns overlapped. Messerschmitt 110 smoked, plumbed toward the ground. At the same moment, the follower Kovac - pilot Marichenko was shot down.
          The senior lieutenant repeated the attack - he wanted to avenge his follower. He looked down, hoping that he would jump with a parachute. But the red-star plane crashed into the ground and exploded.
          At the crosshairs of the sight is the dark belly of the hated fascist. Kovac clicked on the trigger. The plane trembled from deaf shots. The fascist fighter pecked his nose, fell into a tailspin. - This is for Marichenko!
          The squadron commander turned around. There is no right wingman nearby ... The blue abyss swallowed his burning plane. Kovac bit his lip. "Farewell, comrades ... Sorry for the guys!"
          Nine surviving enemy aircraft soared up. This time is just enough for our attack aircraft to turn around and even take a decent distance.
          Four against nine. Single-engine versus twin-engine. In addition, the enemy, realizing with whom he is dealing, flexibly changes tactics. Six "Messers" rush to attack aircraft, and soaring up the top three goes on the attack on our fighters. Kovac furiously presses on the trigger. But the cartridges ran out. What to do?
          Komesk turned around. In vain did the enemy think that he wanted to leave the battle. The plane of the senior lieutenant, gaining speed, raced across the six Me-110. Approaching, Kovac led the car into a steep dive. He was relentlessly pursued by the leader of the three fascists, mercilessly scorching from machine guns and cannons. For a certain period of time below the gun-machine gun fire ceased. There was silence. [36]
          The squadron commander, showing an unsurpassed example of accurate calculation and aerobatics, went on his last attack. He got out of the dive at the moment when the pursuer from above was already coming close, and the leader of the fascist seven tried to fly down from below. German pilots in the heat of battle could not solve the maneuver of Kovac. Enemy vehicles met at that point in space, which he precisely chose and occupied himself in the only possible moment. The explosion of three planes - two fascist and one ours - lit up a darkened sky ...
          Evaluating the work of our pilots, the commander of the Air Force of the Western Front, Major General Aviation F.G. Michugin, in his order of August 26, 1941, noted: ... The actions of the squadron commander of the 129th Fighter Aviation Regiment, Senior Lieutenant Kovats, are an example of courage and heroism. The pilot Kovac, while remaining faithful to the military oath, died in battle by the death of a hero! ”
          1. 0
            11 September 2013
            Beautiful tale! No offense, Romych!
            1. smiths xnumx
              +2
              11 September 2013
              For what I bought, for what I sell ... By the way, you can't buy the new magazine "Armed Forces of the World." I bought both numbers. Better not take it. Zero information, only for children. Although in the second issue there is an article about Hartmann.
  11. +1
    11 September 2013
    Was Jagdtiger the most powerful? But what about our ISU-152? Let it be not so much an AT as a heavy assault gun, but the high-explosive and armor-piercing effect of its shell is crushing. I do not think that the Tiger tower would have withstood the impact of a concrete-piercing shell (yes, I know, this ammunition was practically never used in the self-propelled gun ammunition, but there were certainly cases of its use). Besides, the Yaga was a very, very complicated, unreliable and heavy machine. And we riveted DRYERS in 3 shifts.
    A distinctive feature of the German artillery is its pronounced anti-tank bias, while our artillery was more assault. Remember why the IS-2 was not equipped with a 100-mm gun, namely 122. Although if there were a 100 mm gun left, the IS would be a real terminator for mowing out the unfinished friends of Wittaman and Carius ..
    1. +1
      11 September 2013
      Jager
      By the way, comrade Karius, who, according to him, twice destroyed an IS 2 regiment in half an hour in half an hour (though he once killed two more tanks than the regiment should be in the state :))) The Yagdtiger was very unhappy after any march the adjustment of the heavy six-meter gun was lost, and it shot anywhere except the target. He wrote it in his memoirs ... although go understand where he tells the truth, and where out of habit tryndit ... :)))
    2. Yemelya
      -1
      11 September 2013
      Quote: Jager
      Remember why the IS-2 was not set with a 100-mm gun, namely 122.


      There was no 100-mm gun when the IS-2 was created.
  12. +1
    11 September 2013
    informative article with good illustrative material
  13. Yemelya
    +1
    11 September 2013
    July 22, 1942 in the battle of El Alamein (Egypt), the calculation of Grenadier G. Halm from the 104th Grenadier Regiment with shots from Pak 36 (r) destroyed nine British tanks in a few minutes.


    Most likely, under the designation Pak 36 (r), the usual F-22s were used.

    shgg
  14. +1
    12 September 2013
    This is a controversy! As for the best guns, it’s possible, as evidenced only by the fact that at the beginning of the war the Germans in the standard set of shells for the PTA have a cumulative ammunition. And many still say that robots are stupid Americans, and cyber weapons are fictitious. In World War II, tens of thousands of tanks were paid, and now? Have you got rich above the roof or something? Neither people nor equipment are enough.
  15. The comment was deleted.

"Right Sector" (banned in Russia), "Ukrainian Insurgent Army" (UPA) (banned in Russia), ISIS (banned in Russia), "Jabhat Fatah al-Sham" formerly "Jabhat al-Nusra" (banned in Russia) , Taliban (banned in Russia), Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia), Anti-Corruption Foundation (banned in Russia), Navalny Headquarters (banned in Russia), Facebook (banned in Russia), Instagram (banned in Russia), Meta (banned in Russia), Misanthropic Division (banned in Russia), Azov (banned in Russia), Muslim Brotherhood (banned in Russia), Aum Shinrikyo (banned in Russia), AUE (banned in Russia), UNA-UNSO (banned in Russia), Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (banned in Russia), Legion “Freedom of Russia” (armed formation, recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation and banned)

“Non-profit organizations, unregistered public associations or individuals performing the functions of a foreign agent,” as well as media outlets performing the functions of a foreign agent: “Medusa”; "Voice of America"; "Realities"; "Present time"; "Radio Freedom"; Ponomarev; Savitskaya; Markelov; Kamalyagin; Apakhonchich; Makarevich; Dud; Gordon; Zhdanov; Medvedev; Fedorov; "Owl"; "Alliance of Doctors"; "RKK" "Levada Center"; "Memorial"; "Voice"; "Person and law"; "Rain"; "Mediazone"; "Deutsche Welle"; QMS "Caucasian Knot"; "Insider"; "New Newspaper"