Domestic anti-aircraft machine guns. 1-Part I

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Domestic anti-aircraft machine guns. 1-Part I


Since the advent of combat aviation Means of dealing with the "air threat" began to be developed. One of the most effective air defense systems at that moment was the anti-aircraft machine-gun mounts. At the first stage, these were, as a rule, standard infantry models, artificially adapted for anti-aircraft fire, for this, the same sights were used as when firing at ground targets.

However, soon improving the combat characteristics of aircraft, increasing speed, maneuverability, altitude and the emergence of air armor required the creation of special installations, sights and ammunition, ensuring effective firing at fast moving air targets with high variable elevation angles.

To increase the mobility of anti-aircraft machine guns and escort troops on the march, anti-aircraft machine guns soon began to be mounted on various vehicles. They found application in navy and on armored trains. By the time World War I ended, anti-aircraft machine guns had become an integral part of air defense systems.


Colt M1895 / 1914 anti-aircraft machine gun on a motorcycle


However, in our country, the creation and mass adoption of anti-aircraft guns began in the late 20-s. Prior to that, there were only imported or handicraft installations in the troops.



The first Soviet anti-aircraft installation was designed by M.N. Kondakov under the machine gun system Maxim arr. 1910 g. It was made in the form of a tripod and connected to a machine gun with the help of a swivel. Possessing simplicity and reliability, installation arr. 1928 g. Provided circular firing and high elevation angles.


Anti-aircraft machine gun arr. 1928


An annular sight was adopted for it, intended for firing at airplanes moving at speeds up to 320 km / h at a distance of up to 1500 m. Later, with an increase in flight speed, the sight was repeatedly upgraded.

At Tula Arms Plant in 1930, a twin anti-aircraft gun was designed, which turned out to be much more massive.


Anti-aircraft machine gun arr. 1930


In this setting, the possibility of firing from each machine gun separately was kept, which reduced the consumption of ammunition during the adjustment. She also went into service, although for several reasons, not widespread.

In connection with the need to equip air defense forces with more powerful installations capable of providing massive fire, the famous gunsmith N.F. Tokarev was created quadruple anti-aircraft machine gun installation Maxim arr. 1931


Four-seater anti-aircraft machine gun arr. 1931


She had a high rate of fire, good maneuverability, constant combat readiness. Shooting at aerial targets from it was carried out with the help of the same sights that in single and twin installations.

Due to the presence of a liquid cooling system and large capacity tapes, it was for its time an effective means of dealing with low-flying aircraft. She had a high combat rate of fire and fire density. The quad installation of the Tokarev system was the first integrated anti-aircraft installation, adopted by the Army.

The quad-rifle was first used in combat during clashes with the Japanese in the area of ​​Lake Hassan, where its high combat effectiveness was noted by foreign observers present in the Japanese army.

During World War II, a quadruple anti-aircraft gun was successfully used to cover troops, important military facilities and cities, and was used with great efficiency many times to fight enemy manpower.

Simultaneously with the creation of new anti-aircraft machine-gun rifles caliber, work was underway to create a wide range of special ammunition designed to improve the effectiveness of firing.

By the middle of the 30-s, the 7,62 caliber cartridges with tracer, incendiary, armor-piercing incendiary and sighting bullets were adopted by the Red Army.

After adopting the ShKAS aviation rapid-fire machine gun, in 1936, the question arose of creating an anti-aircraft gun at its base. Theoretically, one ShKAS could replace three Maxim machine guns, this promised a significant increase in the firepower of the air defense of the ground forces.

A technical assignment was issued for the development of a twin-axle installation of ShKAS machine guns, with which they planned to change the anti-aircraft quad Maxim machine-guns in the production. 1931

However, these plans did not come true, it soon became clear that for firing from ShKAS special, better cartridges are required. The use of conventional infantry ammunition does not provide the required reliability of the aircraft machine gun, and led to a large number of delays in shooting. The cartridges supplied to the aviation units (with the letter “Ш” on the sleeve flange) had a double bullet rolling in the neck of the sleeve and a more reliable and better insulated capsule.


ShKAS aviation machine gun on the machine gun for anti-aircraft shooting


In addition, the machine gun was little suited for service on the ground: complex in design and sensitive to pollution. Most of the existing anti-aircraft guns with ShKAS machine guns were used for air defense of airfields, where they had air-conditioned ammunition and qualified service.


Anti-aircraft missile shkas on firing position


In 1929, the Red Army adopted the 7,62 mm tank machine gun system Degtyarev arr. 1929 (DT-29). The first attempts to install the DT machine gun as an anti-aircraft gun on a pivot mount were made in the first half of the 1930s. But the really massive DT anti-aircraft machine gun took its place on the towers of Soviet tanks on the P-40 anti-aircraft turret only on the eve of the war.


Light tank T-26 with anti-aircraft turret P-40


According to regulatory documents, at least every fifth (one per pre-war state company) Soviet tank T-26, BT-5, BT-7, BT-7A, T-28, T-35, KV should have an additional anti-aircraft machine gun DT on this turret.



During the war years, various improvised anti-aircraft turrets were created for the DT-29 machine guns. In addition to tanks, these machine guns were mounted as anti-aircraft on armored trains, armored cars and motorcycles.


DT-29 on motorcycles in anti-aircraft shooting position


By the beginning of the war, the troops had other machine guns of rifle caliber, the design of which allowed them to fire on enemy aircraft.

In 1931, the designer S.V. Vladimirov developed a universal machine for the Maxim machine gun. According to its type, the machine belonged to the wheel-tripod and provided a quick transition from ground-based to anti-aircraft firing. Shooting at ground targets was conducted “from the wheels”, and the folded tubular supports formed the trunk of the machine.

In preparation for the aircraft shooting, a tripod with a swivel was shot from a wheel drive. Her telescopic legs were extended, and she was put in an upright position. On the body of the machine gun mounted remote ring sight arr. 1929, which allowed firing at aircraft flying at speeds up to 320 km / h at altitudes up to 1500 m.



German soldier at the captured Soviet machine gun Maxim arr. 1910 installed on the universal machine Vladimirov arr. 1931

For all its merits due to the greater complexity of the machines, Vladimirov did not release much. However, Maxim's machine guns on this machine were used throughout the war.

In 1939, the machine gun DC-39, developed by V. A Degtyarev, was put into service. Compared with Maxim's machine gun, the new machine gun was much easier. In the easel machine gun Degtyarev a number of innovations were applied.

The barrel of the DS-39 had air cooling, after intensive firing it could be replaced with a spare. The machine gun was equipped with a switch rate of fire on ground (600 rounds per minute) and air targets (1200 rounds per minute).


DS-39 on the Garanin anti-aircraft machine


For firing at air targets by the designer G.S. Garanin has developed a new anti-aircraft machine-tripod for the machine gun.

Degtyarev machine gun proved to be difficult to manufacture and maintain in field conditions, its design was not sufficiently tested. Operation of the DS-39 in the troops (including during the Soviet-Finnish war 1939-1940) caused numerous complaints related to the unreliability of the machine gun in dusty and low temperatures, low survivability of the main parts. As a result, despite its ease of operation and less weight, in June 1941 of the year (shortly before the start of World War II) the DS-39 was discontinued.

In the initial period of the war, to strengthen the air defense system and compensate for the losses suffered, it was decided to use the obsolete aviation machine guns PV-1, YES and YES-2 available in the warehouses. When creating anti-aircraft installations on their base, we chose the path of maximum simplification, without a significant reduction in combat effectiveness.

On the basis of the aircraft machine guns PV-1, which were machine guns adapted for aviation by Maxim, N.F. Tokarev in August 1941goda was built. In 1941-1942, 626 of such installations was manufactured. A significant part of them was used in the defense of Stalingrad.


Built-up anti-aircraft machine gun PV-1 on an armored train


Also for the creation of anti-aircraft installations actively used dismantled from the old types of combat aircraft aircraft machine guns YES and YES-2.


Twin aircraft installation DA-2


As a rule, twin and single aircraft machine guns DA designs V.А. Degtyarev mounted on the simplest swivel. Often this happened in the army workshops, in the field. However, a certain number of anti-aircraft tripods for YES-2 were manufactured in industrial plants.


Twin aircraft machine guns Degtyarev DA-2 on anti-aircraft tripod


Despite the relatively low rate of fire and the disk magazine with a capacity of the entire 63 cartridge, these installations played a role in the initial period of the war.

In 1943, the machine gun of P.M. Goryunov design was adopted. Unlike Maxim, the new machine gun had a replaceable barrel of air cooling. The machine gun was installed on the Degtyarev wheel machine or on the Sidorenko-Malinovsky machine. Both machines allowed firing at ground and air targets.


SG-43 machine gun in anti-aircraft shooting position


For firing at air targets on the machine gun an anti-aircraft foresight sight is designed, designed for firing at air targets moving at a speed of no more than 600 km / h at ranges up to 1000 m.

During the war, due to increased survivability of airplanes, the value of rifle-caliber installations in the fight against enemy aviation drops noticeably, and they are inferior to the primacy of the large-scale machine gun DShK, although they continued to play a certain role.

26 February 1939 was adopted by the Decree of the Defense Committee for adopting 12,7 mm heavy machine gun DShK (large-caliber Degtyaryov-Shpagin) on a universal machine tool Kolesnikov. For firing at air targets the machine gun was equipped with special anti-aircraft sights. The first machine guns entered the troops in 1940 year. But by the beginning of the war in the army there were still very few.

The pre-war industry of the USSR was not able to fully equip the troops with the necessary anti-aircraft armament, the air defense of the USSR for the 22.06.1941 year was equipped with anti-aircraft machine-gun installations of only 61%.

No less difficult was the situation with large-caliber machine guns. 1 January 1942 of the year in the army there were only 720 units. However, with the transition to war, industry in ever-increasing volumes of troops saturated with weapons. Six months later, the army was already 1947 units. DShK, and by 1 January 1944, 8442 pcs. In two years, the number has increased almost 12 times.


DShK on an armored train


The DShK has become a powerful means of combating enemy aircraft, possessing high armor penetration, it significantly surpassed anti-aircraft machine guns of 7,62 mm caliber in range and height of effective fire. Thanks to the positive qualities of DShK machine guns, their number in the army was constantly growing.


Built anti-aircraft gun DSHK


In the course of the war, small-scale twin-walled and well-built DShK installations were designed and produced.

As anti-aircraft weapons 12,7 mm DShK machine guns due to its high combat characteristics is widespread in all types of troops. To increase mobility, it was often installed in truck bodies. In the second half of the war, the DShK became an integral part of the anti-aircraft weapons of heavy tanks and self-propelled guns.

In addition to domestic machine guns, Lend-Lease supplied for anti-aircraft guns: 7,62-mm Browning М1919А4 and large-caliber 12,7-mm Browning М2, as well as trophy MG-34 and MG-42 guns.


Soviet tank crews on Lend-Lease vehicles firing at air targets


Especially among the troops, American-made M12,7 powerful quad-mm 17 units, mounted on the M3 half-track armored personnel carrier chassis, were appreciated.


ZSU M17


These ZSU proved to be very effective means of protecting tank units and formations on the march from air attack. In addition, M17 was successfully used during battles in cities, firing dense fire on the upper floors of buildings and attics.

The importance of machine-gun fire in the military air defense and air defense of the country remained throughout the war. From 3837 enemy planes shot down by front forces from 22 June 1941 of the year to 22 of June 1942 of the year, 295 accounted for anti-aircraft machine gun installations, 268 - for rifle-and-machine-gun fire of troops. From June 1942 of the year, the army of the army anti-aircraft artillery regiment consisted of a company of DShK, which had 8 machine guns, and since February 1943 of the year - 16 machine guns.

The anti-aircraft artillery divisions (zenad) of the RVGK, which had been formed since November 1942, had one of the same companies in each regiment of small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery. A sharp increase in the number of large-caliber machine guns in the army in the 1943 — 1944 years is quite characteristic. Only in preparation for the Battle of Kursk, 520 12,7-mm machine guns were sent to the fronts. However, since the spring of 1943, the number of DShKs in the zenad decreased from 80 to 52 while simultaneously increasing the number of guns from 48 to 64, and according to the updated spring of 1944, the staff had 88 anti-aircraft guns and 48 DShK machine guns. But at the same time, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense against 31 March 1943, from April 5, an anti-aircraft artillery regiment was injected into the staff of tank and mechanized corps (16 mm 37 anti-aircraft guns and 16 heavy-caliber machine guns, the same regiment also included cavalry corps). The staff of tank, mechanized and motorized brigades is an anti-aircraft machine-gun company with 9 heavy-caliber machine guns. At the beginning of 1944, the 18 DShK anti-aircraft gun companies entered some rifle divisions in the state.

Anti-aircraft machine gun installations are usually used in platoons. Thus, the division's anti-aircraft machine gun company is usually four platoons (12 machine guns) covered the area of ​​firing positions of artillery, two platoons (6 machine guns) - the command post of the division.

Anti-aircraft machine guns were also introduced into anti-aircraft batteries of medium caliber to protect them from enemy attacks from low altitudes. Machine gunners often successfully interacted with air defense fighters - cutting off enemy fighters with fire, they provided their pilots with escape from pursuit. Anti-aircraft guns are usually located no further than 300— 500 m from the front edge of the defense. They covered the advanced units, command posts, front-line railways and highways.



The presence of a significant number of anti-aircraft machine guns in the composition of the military air defense made it dangerous for enemy aircraft to fly at low altitudes, making it impossible for them to jump at low-altitude flight. Often, an effective anti-aircraft machine-gun fire, if it did not lead to the defeat of the enemy dive bombers and attack aircraft, then prevented sighting strikes against positions, battle formations and columns of our troops, thus fulfilling the main task of air defense to protect subunits from air strikes.

Based on:
http://warsite.ru/
http://arsenal-info.ru/b/cat/russia/
http://www.telenir.net/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_vooruzhenie_1998_02/p7.php
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24 comments
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  1. +6
    16 March 2015 07: 15
    Soviet tank crews on Lend-Lease vehicles firing at air targets

    Interesting photo. Corn adds some sort of southeast entourage ...
    1. +5
      16 March 2015 07: 24
      Quote: Nayhas
      Interesting photo. Corn adds some sort of southeast entourage ...


      Agree smile Apparently, these are American light tanks M3 "Stuart", more than 1600 units were delivered to the USSR. But the photo is apparently staged.
      1. +2
        16 March 2015 12: 29
        yes, most likely a staged photo, shooting from the "Thompson" into the "air" is useless, well, if only for psychological satisfaction.
      2. +2
        16 March 2015 19: 04
        In the photo, the M3A1 tanks delivered under Lend-Lease (which in the USSR bore the designation M3l or M3L - "light" as opposed to M3S - "medium", which was assigned to the M3 "Grant" tank) from the 75th separate tank battalion during training in the Caucasus in 1942. In 1942, most of the light tanks M3 "Stuart" went to the North Caucasus, they even took part in an unsuccessful landing in South Ozereyk near Novorossiysk - the famous Malaya Zemlya, where there was an attempt to land the 263rd separate tank battalion, which was armed with "Stuarts". All tanks were destroyed, and the battalion personnel were also killed. It was in Transcaucasia and the North Caucasus that tankers who fought in American tanks wore American tank helmets and were armed with Thompson submachine guns. The photo is staged.
        I have the honor.
  2. ICT
    +6
    16 March 2015 07: 38
    .............
    1. ICT
      +2
      16 March 2015 07: 50
      ..............
      1. ICT
        +2
        16 March 2015 07: 52
        ............
        1. Alex_Popovson
          +1
          16 March 2015 12: 16
          But is there a photo with a machine gun mounted on a cart wheel? I’ve seen a lot where, but now I can’t find it.
          1. ICT
            +4
            16 March 2015 12: 29
            he ?
            http://topwar.ru/14291-stankovyy-pulemet-shvarcloze-pulemet-avstro-vengrii-v-per
            vuyu-mirovuyu.html
          2. +4
            16 March 2015 12: 29
            Quote: Alex_Popovson
            But is there a photo with a machine gun mounted on a cart wheel? I’ve seen a lot where, but now I can’t find it.

            There is such, the first photo: the First World, machine-gun team of the 303rd Senno regiment, the second: the Finnish "Maxim" in the museum.
            1. Alex_Popovson
              0
              16 March 2015 14: 18
              Thank you very much!
              1. +1
                16 March 2015 14: 25
                Quote: Alex_Popovson
                Thank you very much!

                You are welcome! drinks
  3. +2
    16 March 2015 08: 20
    interesting article . especially sg in position for anti-aircraft fire .... never seen before. thank!
  4. +1
    16 March 2015 08: 29
    If anyone is interested, the instruction - Quad anti-aircraft installation arr. 1931 g. Under the 7,62-mm machine gun Maxim system. Service Manual (1939) - https://yadi.sk/d/GlGnR6tFfGy9J
    An interesting scheme of forced cooling of the trunks.
  5. +3
    16 March 2015 10: 29
    The article is undoubtedly a plus, informative, clear, competent presentation of the material, the text successfully complement the photographs. I would like to add that the DShK machine guns turned out to be surprisingly durable and are still used in some local conflicts ...
  6. 0
    16 March 2015 11: 05
    Quote: igordok
    https://yadi.sk/d/GlGnR6tFfGy9J


    Broken Link (
    1. 0
      16 March 2015 13: 20
      Quote: REZMovec
      Broken Link (

      Working.
  7. 0
    16 March 2015 11: 59
    the new is the well-forgotten old.
    This is a ready-made solution for the fight against small UAVs
    1. +2
      16 March 2015 15: 34
      Along with the butterfly net, fly swatter and slingshot. laughing
  8. 0
    16 March 2015 12: 32
    All the same, throughout the entire war, there was not enough mobile small-caliber anti-aircraft rapid-fire riflemen in the Red Army! towed 37-mm anti-aircraft guns are a good thing, but they are not suitable on the march, they should be permanently installed! It is not for nothing that the article correctly speaks of the joyful adoption of quadruple American "Browning" on armored personnel carriers. The only effective weapon to protect troops on the march. And what was going on in 1941-42, when the Stukas were smashing our units on the way to the front! Lumps from moving parts often entered the battle. Especially considering that the "Stalin's falcons", who could protect the march of troops, in the early years were often completely absent in the sky ... But the DShK, even if the trucks were simply not enough! In contrast to the Wehrmacht units, where "Erlikons" on transporters were "an integral part of the landscape" of tank columns pushing eastward ... And the quad "Maxims", as correctly noted, were good against the infantry, and against armored "Messers" and " Ju-87 - did not roll ...
    1. 0
      17 March 2015 00: 08
      DShK was not enough everywhere. In the Black Sea, they were removed from ships that arrived at the port and put on outgoing ships. Fortunately, they rearranged easily. In fact, DShKs were the only combat-ready mobile air defense system of the Red Army in the initial period of the war.
    2. The comment was deleted.
  9. +4
    16 March 2015 14: 01
    ... but against the armored "Messers" and "Ju-87" they did not roll ... [/ quote]
    Yeah ... Messer is still a "tank", and Yushka is also an armored car)))) But Messer is still the most "armored" pepelats)))
    in the messer engine, all modifications, one "pill" was enough! even 7,62 ... so that the oil radiator would fill all the glass)
    1. +3
      16 March 2015 16: 49
      Absolutely agree. 12 mm, of course, the argument is more significant, but as mentioned above the paired, and even more built DShK was almost not and therefore the so-called the weight of a second volley and the density of fire of a quad rifle machine gun is comparable to that of a single large-caliber machine gun or even surpasses it. For low flying or diving planes in competent hands, it was a formidable weapon.
  10. Kuranov V.
    +2
    16 March 2015 15: 24
    good article, plus!
  11. 0
    16 March 2015 18: 03
    Interesting article, thanks for it!
  12. +3
    16 March 2015 22: 04
    Great article, great photos! Author "+" and continuation. good
  13. German Kutuzov
    +1
    17 March 2015 08: 02
    Quote: Alex
    Great article, great photos! Author "+" and continuation. good

    I agree! Informative! good

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