Armored child of Uralmashzavod

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Howitzer M-30 plus thirty-four chassis

Armored child of Uralmashzavod


The first one and a half years of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army conducted military operations, practically without self-propelled artillery. The few pre-war samples were quickly destroyed, and the hastily built 1941 in the year ZIS-30 were created without taking into account and analyzing the real needs of the units fighting on the front. Meanwhile, the Wehrmacht had a significant number of various self-propelled artillery installations, the production of which was constantly increasing.

15 April 1942, the GAU Artillery Committee Plenum with representatives from industry and troops, as well as the People’s Commissariat of Weapons, found it desirable to develop both self-propelled artillery infantry support units with 76-mm cannon ZIS-3 and 122-mm M-30 howitzer M and X self-propelled fighter jets with 152-mm howitzer ML-20. To combat air targets, it was proposed to construct an 37-mm anti-aircraft automatic self-propelled gun.


Howitzer M-30

SUSTAINED TANK Y-34

The decision of the plenum was approved by the State Defense Committee. Basically, it boiled down to the creation of such a system of artillery weapons that would provide support and escort for the advancing infantry and tank subunits with the fire of guns, capable of following in the battle formations of troops in any battle conditions and at all its stages and continuously conducting effective fire.

In the summer of 1942, in the design department of Uralmashzavod, engineers N.V. Kurin and G.F. Ksyunin prepared an initiative project of an average self-propelled U-34 artillery system using the T-34 tank and its armament as a base. The U-34 retained the chassis, the main body elements and armament from the thirty-four, but was distinguished by the absence of a rotating turret and a course machine gun, as well as a slightly increased thickness of armor (in some places up to 60 mm).

Instead of a tower, an immovable armored cabin was installed on the body of the ACS, in the embrasure of which the gun could have horizontal guidance in the 20 ° sector, and the vertical one - like a tank. The mass of the new car turned out to be about 2 tons less than that of the thirty-four, moreover, the self-propelled gun was lower by 700 mm. Its design has been greatly simplified due to the lack of labor-intensive components in the manufacture of: towers, shoulder straps, etc.

Project U-34 was approved by the leadership of the People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry (NKTP). As the main version of the combat vehicle - tank destroyer and fire support, the self-propelled gun was intended to be launched into mass production. The first two prototypes were supposed to be manufactured and sent to 1 for October 1942 tests. However, by the end of August, work on the U-34 had been stopped - Uralmash hastily began to prepare the production of T-34 tanks.



CREATE A CAR IN A SHORTEST TIME!

But the process of developing domestic ACS did not stop there. Already on October 19 1942, the State Defense Committee adopts a decree on the manufacture of self-propelled artillery guns - light with 37-mm and 76-mm guns and medium-sized with 122-mm. The creation of prototypes of medium-sized ACS was assigned to two enterprises: Uralmash and Plant No. 592 of the People's Commissariat of Armaments. Shortly before that, in June - August, the 1942 specialists of the artillery plant number 9 in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg) had completed a draft design of a self-propelled X-NUMX howitzer M-122 on the T-30 tank chassis.

The experience obtained at the same time allowed us to make very detailed tactical and technical requirements for an average artillery missile with an 122-mm gun. They were attached to the resolution of the State Defense Committee and obliged to leave unchanged most of the M-30 units: the entire barrel group of the recoil devices, the upper machine, guidance mechanisms and aiming devices. To fulfill these conditions, the howitzer had to be mounted on a pedestal attached to the bottom of the machine, and the rollback length of the gun should be kept unchanged equal to 1100 mm (the cylinders of the recoil devices protruded ahead of the front sheet of the body for a considerable length). Tactical and technical requirements also obliged to fully preserve all the thirty-four engine and transmission units, and the mass of the SAU should not exceed the mass of the tank.

To fulfill the decision of the State Defense Committee by order of the People's Commissar of the tank industry No. 721 of October 22 from 1942, a Special Design Group (OKG) composed of N. V. Kurina, G. F. Ksyunina, A. D. Nekhludov, K. N. Ilyina, I.I. Emanuilova, I.S. Sazonov and others. The works were supervised by L. I. Gorlitsky and the Deputy Commissar of the Tank Industry J. Ya. Kotin. The unit was given the factory index U-35, but later, at the direction of the Red Army headquarters, it was changed to SU-122. A very short time was allotted for the creation of the machine: November 25 had to begin state tests of a prototype.

After the design department of Uralmash finished the working draft of the self-propelled gun, the interdepartmental commission of the representatives of the State Agrarian University and the NKTP studied it in detail. At the same time, the installation option, previously proposed by plant number 9, was also considered, since both enterprises applied for the production of automatic control systems for their own projects. The commission gave preference to the development of Uralmash workers, since it had better technical characteristics.

To reduce the time of manufacture of the prototype, the preparation of the drawings took place in close contact with the designers and technologists. The drawings for all large and labor-intensive parts were transferred to the workshops before the entire design study was completed. The timing and quality of the most crucial parts of the production was carried out a special observation.

In the time allotted for the assignment, it was not possible to manufacture all the necessary tools and equipment. Therefore, the prototype was assembled with a lot of fitting work. Technological equipment in the complete set was designed in parallel and was intended for subsequent mass production. Prototype assembly finished 30 November 1942 of the year. On the same day, factory tests were conducted: running on 50 km and shooting 20 with shots at the factory site in Red.

After that, only the changes that were required to successfully conduct state tests were made to the design of the artillery self-propelled vehicle: mounted seats, ammunition, viewing instruments, exhaust tower fan and other equipment provided the guidance angles required by TTT. The remaining suggestions for improving the design of the ACS were taken into account when developing the drawings of the experimental series. State tests of two samples of self-propelled units made by Uralmash and plant No. 592 were conducted from 5 to 9 in December 1942 of the year at the Gorokhovetsky testing ground.

28 December 1942 of the year at the factory site tested one of the machines of the December installation program, which consisted of running the 50 km and shooting 40 shots. No breakdowns and deficiencies were noted. As a result, the entire installation batch of ACS - 25 machines - was recognized as suitable for admission to the Red Army and sent to the Training Center of self-propelled artillery. A group of factory workers — designers, drivers, and locksmiths — also went there. This group included Deputy Chief Designer L. I. Gorlitsky, driver Boldyrev, senior master of the assembly shop Ryzhkin and other specialists.



FURTHER IMPROVEMENT

During serial production, numerous changes were made to the design of the ACS. Therefore, self-propelled different production series differed from each other. So, for example, the first eight SU-122, received by the Training Center, did not have not only exhaust fans of the fighting compartment, but also places for their attachment. Early-release combat vehicles, which did not receive special tank radio stations, were adapted by the center to install aircraft-type radio stations transmitted from the Aircraft Commissariat.



In general, the Self-Propelled Artillery Training Center described the new SPGs as excessively heavy (weight - 31,5 tons), not very reliable (frequent breakdowns in the undercarriage) and difficult to master. However, over time, the attitude towards SU-122 changed for the better.

Machines of the second series (February-March 1943-th) received a simplified gun mask and a number of changes in the interior. In addition, cylindrical fuel and oil tanks were introduced, but until the summer of 1943, they were not unified with T-34 tanks. In general, the total number of parts borrowed from the T-34 tank reached 75%. In the spring and summer of 1943-th to increase the space for ammunition from the crews of some of the cars brought the second loader. The crew decreased from 6 to 5 people, which adversely affected the rate of fire. Part of the SU-122 received an additional fan of the crew compartment, mounted on the aft logging room.

Production of self-propelled guns continued on Uralmash from December 1942 to August 1943. During this period, the plant released 637 SAU. For their work on the installation, the deputy chief designer L. I. Gorlitsky and the company's leading engineer N. V. Kurin were awarded the Order of the Red Star and awarded the Stalin Prize 2 degree.

In the final design of the production SUU-122 serial control unit, the entire engine-transmission group and the chassis of the T-34 tank remained unchanged, the fully armored control compartment and the fighting compartment were located in front of the machine, the mass of the unit (29,6 t) was less than the mass of the T-tank 34, speed, maneuverability and maneuverability remained the same.

As the SAU armament, the swing and rotating parts of the 122-mm field howitzer of the model 1938 of the year - M-30 were used. Barrel length - 22,7 caliber. The upper pin machine of the howitzer was installed in the socket of a special pedestal mounted in the front part of the housing bottom. On the axles of the machine was attached to the swinging part with the standard barrel, cradle, wheel chocks, sight and guidance mechanisms. The need for booking the swinging part required strengthening the spring balance mechanism, which was done without changing its dimensions.

Ammunition - 40 shots of separate-cartridge loading, mainly high-explosive fragmentation. In some cases, cumulative shells with a mass of 1000 kg, capable of piercing armor in 13,4-100 mm, were used to fight enemy tanks at ranges up to 120 m. Mass high-explosive fragmentation projectile - 21,7 kg. For the crew’s self-defense, the installation was equipped with two PPSh submachine guns (20 discs - 1420 cartridges) and 20 F-1 hand grenades.

For shooting direct fire and from closed firing positions, one panoramic sight with a semi-independent aiming line was used. The head of the panorama emerged under the armored visor of the hull with side openings for viewing the terrain, which, if necessary, could be closed with hinged covers. The commander of the vehicle had a periscope tank surveillance device PTK-5, which made it possible to conduct circular surveillance of the terrain, and the radio station 9РМ. The commander of the machine, in addition to his direct duties, performed the work of the right gunner on the angle of elevation.

The relatively large crew size (5 man) is explained by the fact that the 122-mm howitzer had a piston gate, separate loading and a guidance mechanism spread on both sides of the gun (the flywheel of the helical rotary mechanism was on the left, and the sector lift mechanism was on the right). The angle of horizontal guidance of the instrument was 20 ° (10 ° to the side), vertical - from + 25 ° to -3 °.



PARTS RVGK

When creating the first separate self-propelled artillery units of the Red Army, the regiment was named the “self-propelled artillery regiment of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command (RVGK)” as the main organizational unit. The first self-propelled artillery regiments (1433 and 1434) were formed in December 1942. They had a mixed composition, and each included six batteries. The four batteries of the regiment were armed with four light-weight self-propelled guns SU-76 and two batteries with four SU-122 units each.

Each battery had two platoons of two settings. Self-propelled batteries were not foreseen for battery commanders. In total, the regiment was armed with 17 ACS SU-76 (including one for the regiment commander) and eight SU-122. In this state it was supposed to form 30 regiments. The first self-propelled artillery regiments were intended for transfer to tank and mechanized corps, however, in connection with the operation to break the blockade of Leningrad, they were sent to the Volkhov front at the end of January.

The first battle of the new regiments took 14 February in a private operation of the 54 Army in the Smerdyn area. As a result, 4 bunkers were destroyed during X-NUMX-6 days of battles, 47 mortar batteries were crushed, 5 anti-tank guns were destroyed, and an ammunition depot 14 was burned. On the Volkhov front, factory test drivers took part in some operations. In particular, for the successful implementation of a separate task test driver Uralmashzavod Boldyreva awarded the medal "For Military Merit."

RVGK self-propelled artillery regiments of mixed composition were primarily intended to reinforce tank units as their mobile troop artillery, as well as to support infantry and combined-arms tanks as escort artillery. In this case, it was assumed and considered possible to involve the self-propelled guns to shooting from closed firing positions.

However, in the course of the battles in which mixed self-propelled artillery regiments took part, a number of organizational flaws emerged. The presence in the regiment of self-propelled artillery systems of various types made it difficult to manage them, complicated the supply of ammunition, fuel (the SU-76 engines worked on gasoline, and the SU-122 on solarium), lubricants, spare parts, as well as their staffing. Such an organization of self-propelled artillery regiments adversely affected the conduct of repairs. In order to eliminate all these shortcomings, it was necessary to proceed to recruiting regiments with the same type of material part.

The training of personnel for self-propelled artillery units throughout the war was conducted by the Training Center of self-propelled artillery, which was located in the village of Klyazma, Moscow Region. The center was formed on November 25 1942 of the year. His tasks are to form, train and send self-propelled artillery regiments and sustainers batteries to the front. For the training of drivers for the SU-122, an 32 training tank battalion was transferred from the armored forces, on the basis of which the 19 training self-propelled artillery regiment was established in Sverdlovsk.

The batteries formed in the training regiment were sent to the Training Center, where they were reduced to regiments, filled up with personnel from the reserve regiment, were staffed with military technical equipment and vehicles. After arranging the units, the regiments went to the army in the field. The timing of the preparation of self-propelled artillery units depended on the situation at the front, the plans of the Supreme Command Headquarters and the availability of the equipment. On average, the formation of a self-propelled artillery regiment took from 15 to 35 days, but if the situation required, then in the presence of the materiel and trained personnel, individual regiments were formed during 1-2 days. They were coordinated at the front.



COMBAT PRACTICE

In 1943, the tactics of using self-propelled artillery, which remained until the end of the war, was developed during training and combat. It consisted in the fact that with the beginning of the movement of the tanks into the attack, the SAU from the occupied positions fired direct-fire anti-tank guns and other, more important enemy emplacement points with fire. The transfer of the self-propelled gun to the next frontier began when tanks and infantry reached the first enemy trench, with some of the self-propelled artillery batteries moving forward and the other continued to fire at the observed targets from the old positions. Then these batteries also went ahead under the cover of fire on the ACS that had already been deployed at the new line.

In the course of the offensive, the self-propelled artillery installations were moving in combat formations of infantry and tanks, not breaking away from the supported units by more than 200-300 m, which allowed them to constantly carry out fire interaction with them. Thus, jumps from one turn to another were made often, therefore, SAU were at each firing line of the entire 3-5 minutes, less often - 7-10. During this period of time they managed to suppress one, rarely two goals. At the same time, this method of moving the combat order of self-propelled artillery contributed to the continuity of support for infantry and tanks.

Self-propelled guns usually fired at intervals between tanks or infantry units, destroying the most active enemy fire weapons. During the offensive, they fired or from short stops — with a single aimed shot from a cannon for a specific purpose, or lingering in any shelter — with three or four aimed shots. In some cases, the ACS took up a firing position in advance and fired from the spot for a long time because of the shelter. At the same time, the shooting could have been carried out more calmly, until complete destruction of several targets, after which a leap forward to the next frontier or to the inclusion of advanced rifle and tank units in the battle order was made. Thus, in the combat use of self-propelled artillery, three main ways of accomplishing fire missions began to differ: “from short stops”, “from stops” and “from the spot”.

Shooting from the ACS was conducted within the range of the actual fire and depended on the situation, terrain and the nature of the target. So, for example, the self-propelled 1443 self-propelled artillery regiment on the Volkhov front in February 1943, fighting in a wooded and marshy area that limited shooting capabilities, opened fire on all targets at ranges not exceeding 400-700 m, and bunkers - 200-300 m. To destroy bunkers under these conditions, on average, 6-7 122-mm projectiles were required. Shooting in most cases was carried out at targets that the crews themselves were looking for. Landing troops of the infantry (when they were available) provided significant assistance in this. Only 25% of all detected targets were destroyed at the direction of battery commanders. If the situation forced the use of concentrated fire or firing from closed positions, then fire control was centralized in the hands of the battery commander or even the regiment commander.

As for the SU-122, since April 1943, the formation of self-propelled artillery regiments with the same type of installations began. In such a regiment there was an 16 ACS SU-122, which until the beginning of the 1944 of the year continued to be used to accompany infantry and tanks. However, such an application was not effective enough because of the small initial velocity of the projectile - 515 m / s and, consequently, the low flatness of its trajectory. The new ACS SU-1943, which arrived in August of 85 in much larger numbers in the army, quickly replaced its predecessor with the battlefield.
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