Self-propelled artillery installations. German armored vehicles in World War II

The most famous German self-propelled gun of the Second World War period, “Ferdinand,” owes its birth, on the one hand, to the intrigues around heavy tank VK 4501 (P), and on the other hand, the appearance of the 88-mm Pak 43 anti-tank gun. The VK 4501 (P) tank - simply put, the “Tiger” designed by Dr. Porsche - was shown to Hitler on April 20, 1942, simultaneously with its competitor VK 4501 ( 1-1) - "Tiger" from Henschel. According to Hitler, both cars should have been put into mass production, which was strongly opposed by the Armament Directorate, whose employees could not stand the Fuhrer’s obstinate favorite, Dr. Porsche. The tests did not reveal obvious advantages of one vehicle over the other, but Porsche was more ready for the production of the Tiger - by June 6, 1942, the first 16 VK 4501 (P) tanks were ready for delivery to the troops, for which the assembly of turrets was being completed at Krupp . The Henschel company could deliver only one vehicle by this date, and that without a turret. The first battalion, equipped with Porsche Tigers, was supposed to be formed by August 1942 and sent to Stalingrad, but suddenly the Armament Directorate stopped all work on the tank for a month.

Porsche "Tigers" during a display to the top leaders of the Third Reich. April 20, 1942

VK4501(P) in the Nibelungenwerk courtyard. The gentleman in the hat - F. Porsche

Self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" during testing. Ferdinand Porsche sits on the left wing

The managers took advantage of Hitler's instructions to create an assault gun based on the PZ.IV and VK 4501 tanks, armed with the latest 88-mm Pak 43/2 anti-tank gun with a barrel length of 71 calibers. With the input of the Armament Directorate, it was decided to convert all 92 VK 4501 (P) chassis ready and being assembled in the workshops of the Nibelungenwerke plant into assault guns.

In September 1942, work began. The design was carried out by Porsche together with designers from the Berlin Alkett plant. Since the armored cabin was to be located in the rear part, the chassis layout had to be changed, placing the engines and generators in the middle of the hull. Initially, it was planned to assemble new self-propelled guns in Berlin, but this had to be abandoned due to difficulties associated with transportation by railway, and due to the reluctance to suspend the production of StuG III assault guns - the main product of the Alkett plant. As a result, the assembly of the self-propelled guns, which received the official designation 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 Sfl L/71 Panzerjager Tiger(P) Sd.Kfz. 184 and the name Ferdinand (assigned personally by Hitler in February 1943 as a sign of respect for Dr. Ferdinand Porsche), was produced at the Nibelungenwerke plant.

The front 100-mm hull plates of the Tiger(P) tank were also reinforced with 100-mm armor plates, secured to the hull with bolts with a bullet-proof head. Thus, the frontal armor of the hull was increased to 200 mm. The frontal sheet of the cabin had a similar thickness. The thickness of the side and stern sheets reached 80 mm (according to other sources, 85 mm). The armor plates of the cabin were joined “into a tenon” and reinforced with dowels, and then scalded. The cabin was attached to the hull with brackets and bolts with a bullet-resistant head.

In the front part of the hull there were seats for the driver and radio operator. Behind them, in the center of the car, two 12-cylinder carburetor V-shaped liquid-cooled Maybach HL 120TRM engines with a power of 265 hp were installed parallel to each other. (at 2600 rpm) each. The engines rotated the rotors of two Siemens Tour aGV generators, which, in turn, supplied electricity to two Siemens D1495aAC traction motors with a power of 230 kW each, installed in the rear of the vehicle under the fighting compartment. The torque from the electric motors was transmitted to the aft drive wheels using electromechanical final drives. In emergency mode or in the event of combat damage to one of the power supply branches, provision was made for its duplication.

The undercarriage of the Ferdinand, applied to one side, consisted of six road wheels with internal shock absorption, interlocked in pairs into three bogies with an original, very complex, but highly efficient Porsche suspension scheme with longitudinal torsion bars, tested on the experimental VK 3001(P) chassis. The drive wheel had removable ring gears with 19 teeth each. The guide wheel also had toothed rims, which eliminated idle rewinding of the tracks.

Each caterpillar consisted of 109 tracks with a width of 640 mm.

Manning the Ferdinands

"Ferdinand" during testing at the Kummersdorf test site, spring 1943

The last serial Ferdinand, delivered ahead of schedule

In the wheelhouse, in the trunnions of a special machine, an 88-mm Pak 43/2 cannon (in the self-propelled version - StuK 43) with a barrel length of 71 calibers, developed on the basis of the Flak 41 anti-aircraft gun, was installed. The horizontal pointing angle did not exceed a sector of 28°. Elevation angle +14°, declination -8°. Weight of the gun is 2200 kg. The embrasure in the front sheet of the cabin was covered with a massive cast pear-shaped mask connected to the machine. However, the design of the mask was not very successful and did not provide complete protection from bullet lead splashes and small fragments that penetrated into the body through the cracks between the mask and the frontal sheet. Therefore, armor shields were strengthened on the masks of most of the Ferdinands. The gun's ammunition included 50 unitary shots placed on the walls of the cabin. In the aft part of the cabin there was a round hatch intended for dismantling the gun.

According to German data, a PzGr 39/43 armor-piercing projectile weighing 10.16 kg and an initial speed of 1000 m/s penetrated 165 mm armor at a distance of 1000 m (at an impact angle of 90°), and a PzGr 40/43 sub-caliber projectile weighing 7.5 kg and an initial speed of 1130 m/s - 193 mm, which ensured the “Ferdinand” unconditional defeat of any of the then existing tanks.

Assembly of the first vehicle began on February 16, and the last, ninetieth Ferdinand, left the factory floor on May 8, 1943. In April, the first production vehicle was tested at the Kummersdorf proving ground.

The Ferdinands received their baptism of fire during Operation Citadel as part of the 656th tank destroyer regiment, which included the 653rd and 654th divisions (schwere Panzerjager Abteilung - sPz.Jager Abt.). By the beginning of the battle, the first had 45, and the second - 44 Ferdinands. Both divisions were operationally subordinate to the 41st tank corps, participated in heavy battles on the northern face of the Kursk Bulge in the area of Ponyri station (654th division) and the village of Teploye (653rd division).

Ferdinand of the 653rd Heavy Assault Gun Battalion. July 1943

German heavy self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" and its crew

The 654th Division suffered especially heavy losses, mainly on minefields. 21 Ferdinands remained on the battlefield. German equipment knocked out and destroyed in the area of the Ponyri station was examined on July 15, 1943 by representatives of the GAU and the NIBT Test Site of the Red Army. Most of the Ferdinands were in a minefield filled with landmines from captured large-caliber shells and aerial bombs. More than half of the vehicles had damage to the chassis: torn tracks, destroyed road wheels, etc. In five Ferdinands, damage to the chassis was caused by hits from shells of 76 mm caliber or more. Two German self-propelled guns had their gun barrels shot through by shells and bullets from anti-tank rifles. One vehicle was destroyed by a direct hit from an aerial bomb, and another by a 203-mm howitzer shell hitting the roof of the cabin.

Only one self-propelled gun of this type, which was fired from different directions seven T-34 tanks and a battery of 76-mm guns, had a hole in the side, in the area of the drive wheel. Another Ferdinand, which had no damage to the hull or chassis, was set on fire by a Molotov cocktail thrown by our infantrymen.

The only worthy opponent of heavy German self-propelled guns was the Soviet SU-152. The SU-152 regiment fired on the attacking Ferdinands of the 653rd division on July 8, 1943, knocking out four enemy vehicles. In total, in July - August 1943, the Germans lost 39 Ferdinands. The last trophies went to the Red Army on the approaches to Orel - several damaged assault guns prepared for evacuation were captured at the railway station.

The first battles of the "Ferdinands" on Kursk Bulge They were, in fact, the last where these self-propelled guns were used in mass quantities. From a tactical point of view, their use left much to be desired. Designed to destroy Soviet medium and heavy tanks at long ranges, they were used as a forward "armor shield", blindly ramming engineering obstacles and anti-tank defenses, incurring heavy losses in the process. At the same time, the moral effect of the appearance of largely invulnerable German self-propelled guns on the Soviet-German front was very great. “Ferdinandomania” and “Ferdinandophobia” appeared. Judging by the memoirs, there was not a fighter in the Red Army who did not knock out or, in extreme cases, did not participate in the battle with the Ferdinands. They crawled towards our positions on all fronts, starting in 1943 (and sometimes even earlier) until the end of the war. The number of “knocked out” Ferdinands is approaching several thousand. This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that most of the Red Army soldiers had little understanding of all sorts of “marders”, “bisons” and “nashorns” and called any German self-propelled gun“Ferdinand”, which indicates how great his “popularity” was among our fighters. Well, besides, for the shot down "Ferdinand" they gave an order without any hesitation.

Self-propelled gun "Ferdinand" in the factory yard before being handed over to the troops. May 1943. Cars are painted yellow

"Ferdinand" during firing at the training ground in Putlos. May 1943. The open hatch for loading ammunition is clearly visible

After the inglorious completion of Operation Citadel, the remaining Ferdinands in service were transferred to Zhitomir and Dnepropetrovsk, where their ongoing repairs and replacement of guns began, caused by the strong heat of the barrels. At the end of August, the personnel of the 654th division were sent to France for reorganization and rearmament. At the same time, he transferred his self-propelled guns to the 653rd division, which in October - November took part in defensive battles in the area of Nikopol and Dnepropetrovsk. In December, the division left the front line and was sent to Austria.

During the period from July 5 (the beginning of Operation Citadel) to November 5, 1943, the Ferdinands of the 656th regiment knocked out 582 Soviet tanks, 344 anti-tank guns, 133 guns, 103 anti-tank rifles, three aircraft, three armored vehicles and three self-propelled guns (J .Ledwoch. Ferdinand/Elefant - Warszawa, 1997).

In the period from January to March 1944, the Nibelungenwerke plant modernized the 47 Ferdinands remaining by that time. A ball mount for the MG 34 machine gun was mounted in the frontal armor of the hull on the right. A commander’s cupola, borrowed from the StuG 40 assault gun, appeared on the roof of the cabin. The shield on the gun barrel was turned “back to front” for better fastening, and the self-propelled guns that had it were also equipped with shields. didn't have. Ammunition was increased to 55 rounds. The name of the car was changed to Elefant (elephant). However, until the end of the war, the self-propelled gun was more often called by the familiar name “Ferdinand”.

At the end of February 1944, the 1st company of the 653rd division was sent to Italy, where it participated in the battles of Anzio, and in May-June 1944 - near Rome. At the end of June, the company, which still had two serviceable Elefants, was transferred to Austria.

In April 1944, the 653rd division, consisting of two companies, was sent to the Eastern Front, to the Ternopil area. There, during the fighting, the division lost 14 vehicles, but 11 of them were repaired and put back into service. In July, the division, already retreating through Poland, had 33 serviceable self-propelled guns. However, on July 18, the 653rd Division, without reconnaissance or preparation, was thrown into battle to the rescue of the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen, and within a day the number of combat vehicles in its ranks was more than halved. Soviet troops very successfully used their heavy self-propelled guns and 57-mm anti-tank guns against the “elephants”. Some of the German vehicles were only damaged and could have been restored, but due to the impossibility of evacuation, they were blown up or set on fire by their own crews. The remnants of the division - 12 combat-ready vehicles - were taken to Krakow on August 3. In October 1944, Jagdtiger self-propelled guns began to arrive in the division, and the remaining “elephants” in service were consolidated into the 614th heavy anti-tank company.

Until the beginning of 1945, the company was in the reserve of the 4th tank army, and on February 25 she was transferred to the Wünsdorf area to strengthen anti-tank defense. At the end of April, the "elephants" held last fights in Wünsdorf and Zossen as part of the so-called Ritter group (Captain Ritter was the commander of the 614th battery).

In surrounded Berlin, the last two Elephant self-propelled guns were knocked out in the area of Karl-August Square and the Church of the Holy Trinity.

Two self-propelled guns of this type have survived to this day. The Museum of Armored Weapons and Equipment in Kubinka displays the Ferdinand, captured by the Red Army during Battle of Kursk, and in the Aberdeen Proving Ground Museum in the USA - "Elephant", which went to the Americans in Italy, near Anzio.

Soldiers of the Hermann Goering division pass by the Elefant (Ferdinand) stuck in the mud. Italy, 1944

StuG III is a German medium-weight self-propelled gun of the assault gun class. Was built on the basis tank PzKpfw III and was actively used in. It was the most popular representative of German armored vehicles and was produced in many modifications throughout the war.

History of creation

The history of the third Stug began in 1935, when the idea arose to create an “assault artillery” vehicle to support infantry. There is a possibility that this idea was accidentally suggested to the Germans by the Russians, while discussing with the Daimler-Benz company the creation prototype Self-propelled guns for the Red Army. The sketch was even developed, but the Soviet side was not satisfied with the price, and the deal did not take place.

In 1936, it was Daimler-Benz that was commissioned to design an armored vehicle to support infantry. It should have been armed with a 75 mm cannon, and also fully armored to protect the crew. At the same time, the height of the vehicle should have been no higher than the height of the average soldier.

Daimler-Benz decided to use the chassis of the Pz tank for development. III, then it was still quite new, and the gun was installed from the first modifications. After collecting several prototypes in 1937, they were sent to practice tactical techniques. But the development took a lot of time, so Sturmgeschütz III Polish campaign They didn’t have time to participate, and they went into production only in February 1940. But then they were modified and produced throughout the Second World War.

StuG III ausf A, first modification

TTX

General information

Classification – assault weapon;
Combat weight - 23.4 tons;
Layout diagram - transmission compartment in front, engine compartment in the rear, controls and combat compartment in the center;
Crew – 4 people;
Years of development: 1937;
Years of production – 1940-1945;
Years of operation – 1940-1950;
A total of 10,500 vehicles were produced.

Dimensions

Hull length - 6770 mm, the same with the gun forward;
Hull width – 2950 m;
Height – 2950 mm;
Ground clearance – 385 mm.

Booking

Type of armor – cast and rolled steel;
Body forehead, top - 25+30 / 85° mm/degree;
Hull side – 30 mm;
Hull stern, top - 30 / 30° mm/degree;
Bottom – 19 mm;
Hull roof - 16/78-87° mm/degree;
Cutting forehead - 50+30 / 9° mm/degree;
Gun mask - 50+30 / 5° mm/degree;
Cabin side - 30 / 0° + 8 / 30° mm/degree;
Cabin roof - 10/78-90° mm/degree.

Armament

Gun - Stuk 40 L/48 caliber 75 mm;
Gun type - rifled;
Barrel length - 24 caliber;
Gun ammunition - 54 rounds;
BH angles - −10...+20° degrees;
GN angles – 12 degrees;
Sights - Periscopic sights SfI ZF 1a and RbIF 36;
Machine gun - MG 34 caliber 7.92 mm.

Mobility

Engine type: V-shaped 12-cylinder carburetor, liquid-cooled;
Engine power – 300 horsepower;
Speed on highways and rough terrain – 38 km/h;
Cruising range – 155 km;
Specific power – 12.8 hp/t;
Suspension type: Individual torsion bar, with hydraulic shock absorbers;
Climbability – 30 degrees;
The wall to be overcome is 0.6 m;
The ditch to be overcome is 2.3 m;
Fordability - 0.8 m.

Modifications

The StuG III was used extensively throughout the war and was regularly modified to keep it relevant.

Ausf.A is the first production vehicle based on the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.F chassis. 36 were created, 6 were converted from Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G. They were used in May-June 1940, later sent to training units;
Ausf.B - similar to the previous model, but with wide track tracks and road wheels, with a manual transmission. 300 were built and used until the end of 1942;
Ausf.C - with new bow armor, without a gunner's sight and with an updated design of the driver's hatch for extending the sight behind a closed one. 50 machines created;
Ausf.D - similar to the previous version, but had an internal intercom. 150 vehicles were built, some converted into command vehicles;
Ausf.E - an updated version, with additional armor. 284 vehicles were built, some converted into command vehicles, with the addition of stroboscopic instruments;
Ausf.F (Sd.Kfz 142/1) - had even more reinforced armor and a different gun - 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/43. Due to this, he fought much more effectively against the British and Soviet tanks. In 1942, 366 vehicles were created;
Ausf.F/8 – a vehicle with the hull of the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J tank and attached armor plates. 250 built;
Ausf.G - the latest Stug variant from MIAG and Alkett, was produced from 1942 to 1945. A total of 7,720 units were built. 142 were assembled on the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf. chassis, another 173 were converted from Pz.Kpfw.III. The hull was the same as the previous model, but the armor was improved, the commander was given a turret with a periscope;
StuH 42 - self-propelled gun with a 105 mm howitzer;
StuG (Fl) is a self-propelled flamethrower created in 1943. Not many vehicles were assembled; according to documents, they were not used in battle, and in 1944 they were converted into the StuG III Ausf.G.

StuG III Ausf.G

Vehicles based on Stug III

Munitionspanzer auf StuG 40 Ausf. G – ammunition transporter. It did not have a cannon; sometimes a crane was placed on the roof to make it easier to load and unload ammunition. Was not very widespread;
In the Soviet Union, several dozen SU-76Is were made from captured Stugs, with a higher deckhouse and inclined armor plates. The vehicles were actively used in 1943-1944, although captured StuG IIIs often fought on the side of the Red Army without modifications.

Combat use

StuG III first saw action in Holland and France in the spring and summer of 1940. Overall they performed well, but it became clear that in order to effectively support the infantry the number of Stug units would need to be increased.

Typically, the Stugs were made up of batteries - six vehicles each, among which were combat self-propelled guns and a command semi-tracked armored vehicle Sd.Kfz.253, as well as an ammunition transporter Sd.Kfz.252.

By the end of autumn 1940, enough Stugs had been produced to create divisions. During this period they fought in Yugoslavia and Greece, and the Germans had only lost one Sturmgeschutz III before the Eastern Front campaign.

After 1941

In 1941, the situation changed seriously, and units with Stugs began to suffer losses, although their number in the army only increased due to active production. StuG III fought in Africa in 1942, and after the defeat at El Alamein they lost almost all of their self-propelled guns.

The StuG.III Ausf.F/8, specially prepared for desert conditions, was sent to Naples at the beginning of 1942, and then to Tunisia, where they actively fought, but eventually surrendered to the Allies.

Of course, the third Stugas actively participated in Operation Barbarossa, and quite large quantities. Then they constantly fought on the Eastern Front - they were mainly modification B vehicles. They were quite effective in storming fortified areas. Tanks and anti-tank guns of the Red Army had difficulty penetrating frontal armor, and the low silhouette made it difficult to hit. So by the end of 1941, the Wehrmacht had lost less than a hundred self-propelled guns on the Eastern Front. Around the same time, captured StuG IIIs began to be used by the Red Army.

StuG III Ausf E captured by the Soviet Army

The StuG III/40 played a very important role in the third assault on Sevastopol, after which the city fell. It was the Stug crews who broke through to the Panorama building and planted the flag of the Third Reich on it. True, losses in this battle were also heavy.

The Germans lost many Stugs during Battle of Stalingrad. After this, batteries began to be equipped with machines of various modifications, adding StuН 42 for effective fight with field fortifications.

455 StuG III/40 took part in the Battle of Kursk. Quite a lot of cars were lost, many of them beyond repair. Then Soviet troops began to create the SU-76I from captured Stugs, but soon they stopped doing this in favor of their own self-propelled guns due to the unstable flow of trophies and complex repairs.

In 1944-1945, the German military industry could no longer produce enough Stugs to make up for their losses - the factories were destroyed by Allied aircraft. So in the end, by the end of World War II, very few of these machines remained.

In general, the StuG III self-propelled gun, according to experts, turned out to be very successful. It effectively fought tanks from ambush thanks to its low silhouette, and its armor allowed it to destroy enemy tanks much earlier than the enemy could knock out the self-propelled gun itself.

Already after the Second world StuG III was actively used in the Middle East and some European countries. Latest fighting, in which the Stugs participated - this is the Six Day War of 1967.

Destroyed StuG III

Tank in culture

The Stug 3 can be found in several games dedicated to World War II and tanks, for example, Behind Enemy Lines, Company of Heroes 2 and, of course, World of Tanks and War Thunder.

The car is also widely represented in bench modeling - plastic prefabricated models are produced in China, Japan and Russia by the Zvezda company.

Model StuG III from Zvezda

Memory of a tank

Not many StuG IIIs have survived to this day. Running vehicles can be found in the Parola Tank Museum in Finland, as well as in the private collection of John Phillips. Non-functional tanks are exhibited in France, Finland, Sweden, and Bulgaria. They are also in Russia - in the Kubinka Tank Museum and in the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow. These are mainly cars of the Ausf, G modification.

StuG III Ausf.G in Kubinka

Photo and video

StuG III Ausf.B

StuG III Ausf. C

StuG III Ausf.D

StuG III Ausf.F (Sd.Kfz 142/1)

StuG III Ausf.F/8

StuG III Ausf.E

StuG III StuG (Fl), flame-resistant

StuH 42

StuG III cutaway

Self-propelled artillery installations(self-propelled guns) occupy a prominent place in military history. As you can already guess from the name itself, these combat vehicles are an artillery piece, usually mounted on the tracked base of a tank. What is it fundamental difference Self-propelled guns from a tank? The main thing in which self-propelled guns and tanks really differ from each other is the nature of the tasks being solved in real combat conditions. Let us note that “self-propelled guns” can be divided into several classes, which in themselves will provide an answer to the question posed. So Self-propelled howitzer-class self-propelled guns represent artillery system for firing at the enemy from closed positions, like conventional towed artillery. Such self-propelled guns can open fire on enemy positions tens of kilometers from the front line. Self-propelled guns of the tank destroyer class designed mainly to combat enemy armored vehicles, mostly well armored. "Self-propelled guns" related to class of assault guns fight directly on the front line, supporting infantry and tank units in breaking through enemy defensive lines. SPG class of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (ZSU) protect ground troops from enemy air raids.

It is quite obvious that self-propelled guns themselves have a more specialized purpose than tanks, which can often, although not always, be used as universal combat vehicles and can solve the same tasks, albeit worse than self-propelled guns. At the same time, self-propelled guns solve specific tasks - for example, suppressing enemy firing points or fighting enemy military equipment, more successfully than tanks. For example, the Soviet IS-2 heavy tank was very often used in the second half of the war during the assault on German cities - essentially playing the role of an assault gun firing at a fortified target. The powerful high-explosive shell of its 122-mm cannon was effective when firing at buildings in which enemy infantry had taken refuge. It also successfully hit long-term enemy firing points, quickly destroying them with a direct hit. At the same time, due to the low rate of fire of the D-25T gun, the capabilities of the IS-2 in confrontation with enemy tanks of equal class, for example, Tigers, were somewhat limited. The tasks of fighting enemy tanks were more successfully solved by the SU-100 self-propelled gun, which had a higher gun rate of fire and a lower silhouette.

Speaking about a certain “specialization” of self-propelled guns to solve any problem, as well as classifying it as a specific class, one should not think that this self-propelled gun cannot perform other functions. Almost all howitzer self-propelled guns have the ability to fire at ground targets, if there are sufficient gun declination angles, and therefore, theoretically, in certain cases they can be used to combat enemy armored vehicles. As an example of “versatility”, let us again cite the Soviet self-propelled guns - this time the SU-152. This fighting machine, which is nominally classified as an assault gun, quite successfully hit heavy German Tiger tanks and medium Panther tanks, for which it received the formidable nickname “St. John’s Wort”. Moreover, it could also perform the functions of howitzer artillery to a limited extent - the elevation angles of the gun were sufficient for fire from closed positions beyond the line of sight of the enemy.

Let's take a closer look at the classification of self-propelled artillery units:

1. Tank destroyers

As already mentioned, the priority task of these combat vehicles is to fight enemy armored vehicles. Vivid examples This class includes the German self-propelled guns “Marder”, “StuG”, “Ferdinand” and “Hetzer”; the Soviet “SU-76”, “SU-85”, “SU-100”; the English self-propelled gun “Archer”; American "self-propelled guns" with a rotating turret - "Wolverine", "Hellcat" and "Slugger". The main advantage of self-propelled artillery systems over conventional towed anti-tank artillery was, of course, their mobility. It took much less time to deploy a battery of anti-tank self-propelled guns in a certain area of combat operations, which made it possible to effectively parry enemy tank attacks and launch counterattacks. During an offensive, self-propelled guns could quickly move behind advanced units or even in the battle formations of these units, providing anti-tank cover; if necessary, they could be quickly thrown into a tank-threat direction. Compared to tanks, self-propelled guns often had a simpler design; accordingly, their production was quickly and easily mastered, which made it possible to produce them in a very large quantities. In addition, self-propelled guns were often cheaper than tanks. As an example, we can cite the German light self-propelled gun Hetzer.

2. Self-propelled howitzers

The main tasks of these vehicles were to fire at enemy positions from long distances. For example, artillery preparation before an offensive or support fire to suppress enemy resistance units already during a clash. Examples: American “M7 Priest”, German “Hummel”, English “Sexton”. In the USSR, there were no specialized howitzer self-propelled guns, although their tasks could be performed to a limited extent by self-propelled guns of other classes, for example, SU-122. Howitzer self-propelled guns had the same advantages over conventional artillery - mobility and speed. Howitzer artillery fully embodied the strength and hurricane power of towed guns with the mobility and speed of tank formations. Ultimately, it is no coincidence that this branch of the military is called the “god of war” (the phrase is attributed to J.V. Stalin).

3. Assault weapons

The class of assault guns includes self-propelled guns intended for direct support of advancing units. Examples: “ISU-152” (USSR) and “StuG III” (Germany). Distinctive features These “self-propelled guns” have good armor and powerful weapons, sufficient to destroy long-term enemy firing points. These self-propelled guns found their use in breaking through heavily fortified enemy defense lines, where they successfully supported attacking units. As already mentioned, some self-propelled guns could successfully combine several functions. The aforementioned ISU-152, in addition to the tasks of an assault gun, could perform the functions of an anti-tank and howitzer self-propelled gun. The concept of assault guns completely became obsolete after the end of the war in 1945, since in the post-war period tanks appeared that successfully performed the tasks of this class of self-propelled guns.

4. Anti-aircraft self-propelled guns

Self-propelled artillery mounts with an installed anti-aircraft gun (ZSU) are another class of self-propelled guns. It is absolutely obvious that their key task is to repel enemy air raids. Let us give examples of such self-propelled guns – ZSU-37 (Soviet Union) and “Wirbelwind” (Germany). As a rule, the ZSU differed at a fast pace firing and could be used not only against enemy aircraft, but also against manpower and lightly armored equipment, and no less effectively. Such self-propelled guns could be especially dangerous when fired from ambushes at enemy columns moving in marching formations.

Self-propelled artillery played a very important role in World War II. Like tanks, they became the embodiment military power warring states. These cars are rightfully included in the world military history and interest in them has not subsided to this day.

The self-propelled anti-aircraft gun was created on the basis of the SU-76M self-propelled gun and entered service in 1944. It had an open turret with circular rotation, and was equipped with a range finder and radio station. A total of 75 cars were produced. Performance characteristics of the ZSU: length – 4.9 m; width – 2.7 m; height – 2.1 m; ground clearance - 315 mm; weight – 10.5 – 12.2 t; armor – 10-45 mm; engine type – two 6-cylinder, carburetor “GAZ-202”; engine power – 140 hp; specific power – 11.7 hp/t; speed on the highway – 42 km/h; Power reserve – 330 km; armament - 37-mm cannon 61-K model 1939; ammunition - 320 rounds; crew – 4 people.

The anti-aircraft self-propelled gun was created in 1941 on the basis of the STZ-3 tractor, covered with armor plates with installed cannon and machine gun weapons. The gun had limited firing angles - to aim it at the target it was necessary to turn the entire tractor. In total, about 100 cars were produced. Performance characteristics of the ZSU: length – 4.2 m; width – 1.9 m; height – 2.4 t; weight – 7 t; armor – 5-25 mm; engine type - four-cylinder, kerosene; engine power – 52 hp; speed on the highway – 20 km; Power reserve – 120 km; main armament - 45-mm 20-K tank gun; additional weapons – 7.62 mm DP machine gun; crew – 2 – 4 people.

self-propelled guns open type was created by installing the ZIS-2 anti-tank gun on the T-20 Komsomolets artillery tractor and was put into service at the end of 1941. For greater stability when firing, the vehicle was equipped with folding coulters. A gun mounting bracket was installed on the roof of the cabin in a traveling manner. A total of 101 cars were produced. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 3.5 m; width – 1.9 m; height – 2.2 m; weight – 4 t; armor – 7-10 mm; engine type - 6 cylinder carburetor; power – 50 hp; specific power – 12 hp/t; speed on the highway – 60 km/h; Power reserve – 250 km; main armament – 57-mm ZiS-2 cannon; additional – 7.62 mm DT machine gun; crew - 4 - 5 people.

The experimental installation was developed in 1941 on the chassis of the KV-1 tank with two options for artillery weapons. The self-propelled gun was developed as an artillery tank escort vehicle with a high rate of fire for the main weapon. It belonged to the type of completely enclosed self-propelled guns and was a modification of the KV-1 tank, differing from it mainly in the absence of a rotating turret, installed weapons, ammunition, armor protection, crew size and lower height of the vehicle. The first version had three guns at once: one 76.2 mm F-34 and two 45 mm 20-K guns. The second installation option was equipped with two identical ZiS-5 guns. Only one copy was released. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 6.7 m; width – 3.2 m; height – 2.5 m; ground clearance - 440 mm; weight – 47.5 t; track width – 700 mm; reservation – 30-100 mm; engine type - 12 cylinder diesel; power – 600 hp; specific power – 13 hp/t; speed on the highway – 34 km/h; Power reserve – 225 km; crew – 6 people. Armament of the first option: main armament - one 76-mm F-34 cannon, two 45-mm 20-K cannons; ammunition - 93 rounds for a 76 mm cannon and 200 rounds for 45 mm cannons; rate of fire of triple guns - 12 rounds per minute; additional weapons - two main and one spare 7.62-mm DT machine gun; ammunition - 3,591 rounds. Armament of the second option: 2 76.2 mm ZIS-5 guns; rate of fire - 15 shots in one gulp; ammunition - 150 rounds per minute; additional weapons - three 7.62 mm DT machine guns; ammunition - 2,646 rounds; 30 F-1 grenades.

Self-propelled guns were produced in 1933-1935. by mounting a 76.2-mm gun of the 1927 model on a pedestal mount on the chassis of 6x4 Morland (SU-12) and GAZ-AAA (SU-12-1) trucks. Of the 99 vehicles produced, by the beginning of the war, 3 units were in service. TTX self-propelled guns: length - 5.6 m; width – 1.9 m; height – 2.3 m; weight – 3.7 t; shield thickness – 4 mm; engine type – carburetor, power – 50 hp; speed on the highway – 60 km/h; Power reserve – 370 km; rate of fire - 10 - 12 rounds per minute; ammunition - 36 rounds; crew – 4 people.

The self-propelled guns were produced in 1935-1937. based on the chassis of a three-axle YAG-10 truck (6x4) and a 76-mm 3-K anti-aircraft gun of the 1931 model. For stability, four “jack-type” coulters were mounted on the sides of the platform. The body was protected by curved armored sides, which folded outward in a combat position. A total of 61 units were produced. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 7 m; width – 2.5 m; height – 2.6 m; ground clearance - 420 mm; weight – 10.6 t; speed on the highway – 42 km/h; Power reserve – 275 km; engine type – carburetor “Hercules-YXC”, power – 94 hp; ammunition - 48 rounds; rate of fire - 20 rounds per minute; firing range - 14.3 km; armor penetration - 85 mm; crew – 5 people.

The installation was the most lightweight and simplified version of the SU-76 self-propelled gun. It was developed in 1944. The roof of the cabin is open. A total of 3 cars were produced. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 5 m; width – 2.2 m; height – 1.6 m; ground clearance – 290 mm; weight – 4.2 t; armor – 6-10 mm; engine type - in-line 4-cylinder carburetor liquid cooling; engine power – 50 hp; specific power – 11.9 hp/t; highway speed – 41 km/h; Power reserve – 220 km; armament – 76.2 mm ZIS-3 cannon; ammunition - 30 shots; crew – 3 people.

The installation was produced in 1943-1945. in two versions: SU-76 (with GAZ-202 engines) and SU-76M (with GAZ-203 engines). The roof of the cabin is open. A total of 14,292 vehicles were produced. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 5 m; width – 2.7 m; height – 2.2 m; ground clearance - 300 mm; weight – 11.2 t; armor – 7 – 35 mm; engine type – two twin in-line 6-cylinder carburetor liquid-cooled engines; engine power – 140/170 hp; specific power – 12.5 hp/t; highway speed – 44 km/h; Power reserve – 250 km; armament – 76.2 mm ZIS-3 cannon; ammunition - 60 rounds; firing range - 13 km; crew – 4 people.

The assault gun was built in 1943 on the basis of captured German tanks"Pz Kpfw III" and self-propelled gun "StuG III". A total of 201 vehicles were produced, of which 20 were command vehicles equipped with a turret with an entrance hatch and a high-power radio station. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 6.3 m; width – 2.9 m; height – 2.4 t; ground clearance – 350 mm; weight – 22.5 t; armor – 10-60 mm; engine type - V-shaped 12-cylinder carburetor liquid cooling; engine power – 265 hp; specific power – 11.8 hp/t; speed on the highway – 50 km/h; Power reserve – 180 km; armament - 76.2 mm S-1 cannon; rate of fire - 5 - 6 rounds per minute; ammunition - 98 rounds; crew – 4 people.

The tank destroyer was produced on the T-34 chassis and the cabin of the SU-122 self-propelled gun. Adopted into service in 1943. A modification of the SU-85M installation is known, which was essentially an SU-100 with an 85-mm cannon (315 units were produced). The installation was intended primarily for direct fire from short stops. The crew, gun and ammunition were located in front in the armored cabin, which combined the fighting compartment and the control compartment. A total of 2,652 vehicles were built. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 8.2 m; width – 3 m; height – 2.5 m; ground clearance - 400 mm; weight – 29.2 t; armor – 20-60 mm; engine type – diesel; power – 500 hp; speed on the highway – 55 km/h; Power reserve – 400 km; armament - 85 mm cannon - D-5T; ammunition - 48 rounds; rate of fire - 6-7 rounds per minute; armor penetration at a distance of 500 m – 140 mm; crew – 4 people.

The tank destroyer was created on the basis of the T-34-85 tank and entered service in 1944. The self-propelled gun was a type of closed self-propelled gun. A fixed commander's cupola with five viewing slits for all-round visibility was installed on the roof of the cabin above the commander's seat. Ventilation of the fighting compartment was carried out using two fans installed in the roof of the cabin. A total of 2,320 vehicles were produced during the war. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 9.5 m; width – 3 m; height – 2.2 m; ground clearance - 400 mm; weight – 31.6 t; armor – 20-110 mm; engine type - V-shaped 12 cylinder diesel "V-2-34"; engine power – 520 hp; specific power - 16.4 hp/t; speed on the highway – 50 km/h; Power reserve – 310 km; armament - 100-mm D-10S cannon; direct fire range – 4.6 km, maximum – 15.4 km; ammunition - 33 rounds; armor penetration at a distance of 1000 m – 135 mm; crew – 4 people.

The self-propelled assault gun was produced in 1942-1943. as the most simplified design of the T-34 tank. The gun was mounted on a stand, attached to the bottom of the car. The fully armored hull was divided into two parts. The units captured by the Wehrmacht served under the designation "StuG SU-122(r)". A total of 638 vehicles were produced. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 7 m; width – 3 m; height – 2.2 m; ground clearance - 400 mm; weight – 29.6 t; reservation - 15-45 mm; engine type – diesel “V-2-34”, engine power – 500 hp; specific power – 16.8 hp/t; speed on the highway – 55 km/h; Power reserve – 600 km; armament - 122-mm howitzer M-30S; ammunition - 40 shots; armor penetration at a distance of 1000 m – 160 mm; rate of fire - 203 rounds per minute; crew – 5 people.

The self-propelled howitzer was produced in 1939 on the chassis of the T-26 tank by dismantling the turret and openly installing a 122-mm howitzer in its place. 1910/30 By the beginning of the war, 28 vehicles were in service. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 4.8 m; width – 2.4 m; height – 2.6 m; ground clearance – 380 mm; weight – 10.5 t; engine type – carburetor, power – 90 hp; armor – 6 – 15 mm; speed on the highway – 30 km/h; Power reserve – 170 km; ammunition - 8 shots; crew – 5 people.

The installation was created on the basis of the IS tank and put into service in 1944. A modification of the self-propelled gun is known - ISU-122S with a D-25T gun. The self-propelled gun had an armored hull, which was divided into two parts. The crew, gun and ammunition were located in front in the armored cabin, which combined the fighting compartment and the control compartment. The engine and transmission were installed at the rear of the vehicle. Since the end of 1944, an anti-aircraft heavy machine gun was installed on the self-propelled guns. A total of 1,735 vehicles were built. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 9.9 m; width – 3.1 m; height – 2.5 m; ground clearance – 470 mm; weight – 46 t; reservation – 20-100 mm; engine type - 12 cylinder diesel; engine power – 520 hp; specific power – 11.3 hp/t; speed on the highway – 35 km/h; Power reserve – 220 km; main armament – 121.9 mm A-19S cannon; rate of fire - 2 rounds per minute; rate of fire D-25T - 3-4; height of the firing line – 1.8 m; ammunition - 30 shots; additional weapons – 12.7 mm DShK machine gun; ammunition - 250 rounds; direct fire range – 5 km, maximum range – 14.3 km; crew – 5 people.

The installation was created on the basis of the IS-1/2 tank and put into service in 1943. From the beginning of 1945, an anti-aircraft long-caliber machine gun was installed on the self-propelled guns. The self-propelled gun was used as a heavy assault gun, tank destroyer and as a self-propelled howitzer. A total of 1,885 vehicles were produced during the war. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 9 m; width – 3.1 m; height – 2.9 m; ground clearance – 470 mm; weight – 46 t; armor – 20 – 100 mm; engine type - 4-stroke 12-cylinder diesel V-2-IS; engine power – 520 hp; specific power – 11.3 hp/t; speed on the highway – 40 km/h; Power reserve – 350 – 500 km; main armament – 152.4 mm howitzer-gun “ML-20S”; ammunition - 21 shots; armor penetration at a distance of 1000 m -123 mm; direct fire range - 3.8 km; maximum - 13 km; height of the firing line – 1.8 m; additional weapons - 12.7 mm DShK machine gun, ammunition - 250 rounds; crew – 5 people.

The self-propelled assault gun was produced in 1942-1944. based on the KV-1s heavy tank. During repairs, the self-propelled gun could be equipped with a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft turret DShK machine gun. A total of 671 cars were produced. TTX self-propelled guns: length – 9 m; width – 3.3 m; height – 2.5 m; ground clearance – 440 mm; weight – 45.5 t; armor – 20-65 mm; engine type - V-shaped 12-cylinder diesel V-2K; power - 600 l. With.; specific power – 13.2 hp/t; speed on the highway – 43 km/h; Power reserve – 330 km; armament - 152.4 mm ML-20S gun-howitzer; ammunition - 20 shots; rate of fire – 1 – 2 rounds per minute; direct fire range - 3.8 km; maximum - 13 km; crew – 5 people.

, and it all started with self-propelled guns built on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw light machine gun tank. Our military industry produced the first self-propelled guns by 1943, but it rolled out such impressive equipment, with very enviable characteristics, and in large numbers. But we will talk about all this later, but for now we will return to the beginning of the Second World War.

Pz.Kpfw.I Pz.I, Panzerkampfwagen, we designate it as T-1 light German tank weighing just over 5 tons, in the photo there is a modification of the Panzerkampfwagen Ausführung B (Ausf.B)

The Polish campaign of 1939 forced military leadership The Wehrmacht will equip its troops with mobile means of combating enemy tanks, self-propelled guns (self-propelled artillery). In the same year, the Alkett company created the first self-propelled anti-tank artillery unit. The developers did it quite simply: they removed the turret from the Pz.Kpfw.l light tank and installed a conning tower with a 47-mm Czech A5 anti-tank gun in its place.

Pictured is Panzerjager I, military company France, about 30% of all self-propelled guns were lost, pay attention to the beret, this form was replaced in 40, military uniform tankers and self-propelled gunners had differences, since they had different subordination; self-propelled gunners belonged to artillery control

PanzerjagerPak-35/36 German self-propelled gun that came under fire on the road near Annu and Meerdorp, Belgium

By this time, the Pz.Kpfw.l tank was already considered obsolete. Having a mass of about 5 tons (for example, this is how much a ZIL truck weighs), the thickness of its armor was only 6 - 13 mm (it could be penetrated by a rifle shot, a heavy machine gun would make a colander out of a self-propelled gun, if of course it had time to open fire); it carried only machine gun weapons - two 7.92 mm Draise MG-13; engine - 57 horsepower. In 1939, such characteristics were no longer sufficient. Therefore, they decided to use it as a self-propelled chassis.

Panzerjäger I first serial German anti-tank self-propelled gun, Pz.Kpfw.l with 47-mm Czech anti-tank gun A5, destroyed by Sau France

photo Anti-tank gun Panzerjäger 4.7 cm

The cabin, mounted on a self-propelled gun, was an armored box with a wall thickness of 12 - 14.5 mm, open at the top and stern. It unreliably protected the vehicle commander, who also served as a gunner and loader.
The driver-mechanic was in front, in the control department. A more powerful engine was installed - a 100-horsepower Maybach, which allowed a car weighing 6.5 tons to reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. As shown by military campaigns conducted by the German army, on average, losses per campaign amounted to up to 30% of self-propelled guns.

German anti-tank self-propelled gun

Damaged Panzerjager-I self-propelled guns of the 529th division, a breach in the armor to the right of the gun is clearly visible, the crew has no chance of survival, Bryansk Front, September 1941

The 47 mm gun had a barrel length of 43.4 calibers, its sub-caliber projectile could penetrate armor almost 60 mm thick at a distance of 500 m. However, it could only fire to kill at T-34 or KB tanks at close range. The installation itself was easily destroyed even by our 45 mm guns.
By the end of 1941, about 200 such self-propelled guns, indexed 4.7 cm Cancer (t) auf Pz.Kpfz.l (index Sd.Kfz.101), were produced. However, due to big losses almost all of the remaining intact vehicles were removed from the Eastern Front and sent to fight in Africa.

The Soviet crew of a captured Panzerjager I self-propelled gun studies combat mission. Separate tank battalion of the 31st Army, August 1942. The self-propelled gun has a Soviet-type headlight and standard paint

Main mass media to fight our tanks at the beginning of the war, the Wehrmacht troops had 37-mm anti-tank guns Pak 35/36, which began to be produced back in 1934. On September 1, 1939, there were 11 thousand of them in artillery units; by June 1, 1941 . this number increased to almost 14,500 units.

German 37-mm anti-tank gun PaK 35/36 Kharkov 1942, so talking about the weakness of our forty-five is to a lesser extent (not smart)

The guns could more or less successfully operate against our BT or T-26 tanks with armor of 8 - 13 mm, with T-37, T-38, T-40, but against the T-34 and KB they were completely powerless. In this regard, additional armor for our tanks in the first two years of the war was cancelled.
Having decided to increase the combat effectiveness of its artillery units, the army command turned its attention to the 76.2 mm Rak-36 (g) and 75 mm Rak-40/2 and Rak-40/3 guns, also installing them on tank chassis ready for decommissioning . Thus, the Rak-36 was placed on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.ll Ausf.D and Pz.Kpfw.38(t).

76.2-mm anti-tank self-propelled gun Rak36(r) on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.D/E Marder tank

Interestingly, the Pak-36, which had proven itself well in this purpose, was nothing more than our F-22 divisional artillery guns, captured in considerable quantities as trophies from our army at the beginning of the war. During modernization, they installed on the barrel muzzle brake, wasted the chamber. We increased the mass of the charge, thereby improving armor penetration, almost one and a half times at the same distances. Soviet captured ammunition was also used to fire them, including armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation, soon the production of shells was established in Germany. At a distance of 1000 m, an armor-piercing projectile penetrated armor 80-100 mm thick.
The Germans also used them as field guns, and on all fronts. They had a small mass - only 1700 kg and a rate of fire of 12 - 15 rounds per minute.

Self-propelled guns on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.ll Ausf.D tanks had a mass of about 9 tons, frontal hull armor up to 30 mm thick, and were armed with a 20-mm KwK 30 tank gun. In 1940, it was equipped with a projectile with a tungsten core, which could penetrate armor up to 20 mm at a distance of 500 m. The 10-ton Pz.Kpfw.38(t) tank was Czech-made and had 10-25 mm armor; armed with a 37-mm Skoda A-7 cannon.
The German leadership considered both tanks to be obsolete, and they did not prove themselves effective enough in battle, so they began to gradually remove them from service and many of the remaining ones began to be adapted for the chassis of anti-tank self-propelled guns.

The basis of the Wehrmacht's anti-tank defense is the 88-mm Pak 43 divisional guns on a wheeled carriage and on an anti-aircraft carriage. Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, USA

The Rak-40 anti-tank guns were put into service in November 1941. They had a direct shot range of 900 - 1300 m. The thickness of the armor penetrated by a sub-caliber projectile at a range of 500 m was 150 mm. By our military experts, all shots from such guns were “recognized as dangerous for the T-34.” The IS-2 and T-44 tanks held out against them. The British were unable to create vehicles with projectile-proof armor; only the fairly reliable M26 Pershing appeared in the USA.

The basis anti-tank artillery The Wehrmacht at that time had an 88-mm Pak 43 gun on wheels. It was very effective means combat against armored vehicles. Of all the tanks that fought on the fronts, only the IS-2 could withstand its fire, the upper frontal armor plate with its “straightened” nose withstood hits well, but this did not provide satisfactory protection in general: Pak 43 shells relatively easily penetrated its turret, sides and lower front sheet. In general statistics on irretrievable losses of the IS-2, damage from 88 mm guns was about 80%. Any other tank of the USSR, England, or the USA did not provide its crew with protection from Rak 43 shells. The IS-3 could have become reliable, but it did not have time to take part in hostilities.

TTX (TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS) RAK 43 ANTI-TANK WEAPON
Caliber, mm 88
Combat weight, kg 4380
Barrel length, m 6610
Gun length, mm 9114
Gun height, mm 1981
Maximum firing range, m 15,300
Sighting range, m 2500
Rate of fire, rds/min 8 - 10
Initial projectile speed, m/s 950 - 1130
Armor penetration with a sub-caliber projectile, mm: at a range of 500 m 217, at a range of 1500 m 171

The basis of the Wehrmacht anti-tank artillery at that time was the 88-mm Pak 43 gun on wheels, the crew of the gun was 9 people, but both 20 and 30 were used for movement

However, with all its excellent ballistic data, the gun was inactive due to its large mass, amounting to almost 5 tons in the stowed position. And although a special powerful tractor was used to tow it, maneuverability, for example, on soft soils was unsatisfactory. In addition, if this weapon entered into battle with tanks, it was often impossible to get out of it: either it had to destroy the enemy, or be destroyed itself. The large mass resulted in high losses in material and personnel. Therefore, the German military leadership took action to simultaneously protect the guns and their crews and increase the so-called tactical flexibility, turning them into self-propelled ones.

Wehrmacht SPG Rhino Hornet Nashorn Hornisse , an excellent gun made the self-propelled gun a formidable weapon, but insufficient armor did not allow it to be used effectively at close ranges.

photo 88-mm self-propelled artillery unit Nashorn 494 units fired

To do this, they used the previously applied principle of combining a gun and a tank chassis: Rak 43 was placed on the Pz.Kpfw.lll (index Sd. Kfz.141). This tank had a mass of 19.5 tons, armor - up to 30 mm. It was armed with a 37-mm KwK 36 or KwK 39 cannon, the sub-caliber projectile of which at a range of 500 m could penetrate armor up to 72 mm thick, and at 1000 m - up to 38 mm. Pz III was produced until 1943.

The crew of the installation at their workplaces on the left radio operator on the right mechanic driver in the wheelhouse on the left loader in the center gunner on the right commander of the vehicle Eastern Front 1943

To meet the requirements of the military, the Berlin company Alkett, which already had experience in such developments, modernized the body of the Pz III, using its own transmission, differentials, drive wheels, some units and components. Other elements of the chassis: support and support rollers, driven wheels, and track tracks were taken from the Pz.Kpfw.IV tank. The engine was supplied from another tank - Pz.Kpfw.IV modification F. It was a 12-cylinder carburetor Maybach HL 120TRM, V-shaped four-stroke; its power was 300 hp. with a working volume of 11,867 cm3. It was placed in the central part of the hull, a reinforced flooring was mounted above it, on which a cannon was mounted on a standard cross-shaped carriage.

German self-propelled guns Nashorn in an ambush Eastern Front 1943

The fighting compartment cabin occupied the entire rear part of the vehicle. Its profiled frontal plate, essentially a gun shield, had a rounded shape that allowed the gun barrel to rotate horizontally. However, its thickness was only 10 mm. The side and stern sheets, placed vertically, were of the same thickness. In practice, they turned out to be little reliable protection for the maintenance crew, protecting only from small fragments and non-armor-piercing bullets, although initially the project called for the front part of the wheelhouse made of SM-Stahl alloy steel 50 mm thick, the sides and stern were supposed to be 20 mm each. However, experiencing a large shortage of high-quality steel, all this was abandoned, leaving only 30 mm armor in the front plate of the vehicle's body. The thickness of its remaining parts was: sides - 20 mm, stern - 20 mm, roof - 10 mm, bottom - 15 mm, all of them also remained poorly protected.

German anti-tank self-propelled gun "Rhino" (Panzerjäger "Nashorn", Sd.Kfz. 164). The photo was taken on the Soviet-German front in early 1944

Wehrmacht SPG Rhino Hornet Nashorn Hornisse. Under the bottom of the fighting compartment there were two fuel tanks of 300 liters each; their filler necks went inside the wheelhouse. The fuel was leaded gasoline with an octane rating of 74. The engine air intakes, covered with shutters, were located on the fenders in the center of the hull on both sides of the wheelhouse. Air was supplied using two fans.
At the rear of the vehicle, also above the tracks, there were boxes with spare parts and tools.

Nashorn 88-mm heavy anti-tank self-propelled gun Hornisse, 519th tank destroyer division Vitebsk Belarus

The chassis had eight dual rubber-coated road wheels per side with a diameter of 470 mm; they were connected into four bogies, which were suspended on leaf springs. The caterpillar track, 3520 mm long, consisted of 104 tracks with a width of 400 mm.
The main feature of the vehicle’s layout was the placement of the transmission, drive wheels in the front of its body and the engine in the center. The transmission consisted of a cardan drive, main clutch, gearbox, turning mechanisms and final drives. It provided ten forward speeds and one reverse.

The self-propelled gun crew awaiting the order to move to firing position. Italy, 1944

Another important detail: the car had an inertial starter, driven by a kickstarter.
The large size of the cabin made it possible to install on the self-propelled gun a powerful semi-automatic 88-mm Pak 43 cannon with a barrel length of 71 cal. Above its barrel there was a recuperator, under it there was a knurling device, and on the sides there were special counter-balancing cylinders.

The gun had a horizontally sliding bolt and a semi-automatic loading mechanism. Its barrel, when firing direct fire, was at a height of 2240 mm from ground level. To ensure stable support of the trunk during movement, a device in the form of a “tripod” was used with automatic control from the wheelhouse.
Its horizontal aiming sector was 15° in each direction, vertically - from -5° to +20°. At first, two Zieleinrichtung 34 sights were installed on self-propelled guns. One of them served for direct fire, the other for indirect fire. Later, a Zieleinrichtung 37/43 sighting system with a SII.ZFIa periscope was installed, which made it possible to conduct both types of shooting. The gun's rate of fire is up to 10 rds/min.

photo of a damaged German self-propelled gun, Italy '44

The crew had at their disposal a large set of shells various actions: cumulative Gr.39 HL and Gr.39/43 HL, armor-piercing tracer Pz.Gr/Patr.39/1 and Pz.Gr/Patr/39/43, high-explosive fragmentation Spr.Gr.Patr.43. The latter, weighing 9.5 kg, could fire at a range of up to 15,000 m. Armor-piercing caliber projectiles weighing 10.2 kg, having initial speed when leaving the barrel at more than 1000 m/s, they could penetrate armor almost 200 mm thick at a distance of 1000 m, and up to 170 mm at 1500 m.

Type	Brand	Weight, kg	Explosive mass, g
Caliber armor-piercing shells (muzzle velocity 1000 m/s)
Armor-piercing with a narrow leading belt	Panzergranate 39/1 (ARSVS)	10,2
Armor-piercing with a wide driving belt	Panzergranate 39/43 (ARSVS)	10,2	60 g of phlegmatized RDX
	Panzergranate 39/43 A1	10,2
Armor-piercing sabot shells (muzzle velocity 1130 m/s)
Armor-piercing sub-caliber	Panzergranate 40/43 (HVAP)	7,3	didn't have
High-explosive fragmentation projectile (muzzle speed 750 m/s)
High explosive fragmentation grenade	Sprenggranate 43	9,5	1 kg ammotol
Cumulative projectile (muzzle velocity 600 m/s)
HEAT projectile	Gr 43/43 HI KwK.43 and cumulative 39/43 HI	7,65	-

The ammunition included 40 gun shots, placed along the sides in stacks of eight each: another 24 were on the floor of the fighting compartment. In addition, there were 7.92 mm caliber cartridges for MG machine guns - 600 pieces and 9 mm caliber cartridges for MP-40 - 384 pieces.

Caliber armor-piercing shells Panzergranate 39/1,39/43 & 39/43 A1
Range, m	At a meeting angle of 60°, mm	At a meeting angle of 90°, mm
100	203	250
500	182	_
1000	167	200-215
1500	153	-
2000	139	-
2500	127	_
Panzergranate 40/43 tungsten-cored sub-caliber armor-piercing projectile
Range, m	At a meeting angle of 60°, mm	At a meeting angle of 90°, mm
100	237
500	217
1000	193	222
1500	171	-
2000	153	-

Possessing such armor penetration, the installation, called “Nashorn” (“Rhinoceros”), was extremely dangerous for all enemy tanks when fighting at long distances. However, in close combat she lost her advantages. In this case, insufficient booking began to take its toll. Due to the open wheelhouse, it was very vulnerable in close combat, and even at medium distances, domestic “thirty-fours” and KB left it little chance of survival, especially when firing at direct fire. The self-propelled gun could operate successfully only at ranges of more than 2 km or from pre-selected positions, maintaining a certain combat distance. It would later become clear that a real tank destroyer had to have not only powerful weapons, but also be well armored, and also have a low silhouette, making it difficult to destroy a self-propelled gun. Nashorn did not have the last two advantages.

Self-propelled gun "Nashorn", knocked out by our artillery fire. Belarus, 1944

The crew of the car consisted of five people. In the front part of the hull, in a separate cabin on the left, there was a driver mechanic, on the right, a radio operator, in the conning tower there was a vehicle commander and two more artillery crew members. Communication between linear installations was carried out by VHF radio stations, Fu.Spg.Ger. "f" or Fu.G5, operating in the range of 27 - 33 MHz with a range of up to 10 km. Fu.G5 or Fu.G8 radios with a range of up to 80 km were used for battery commander installations. In addition to the cannon, the self-propelled gun's armament included two 7.92 mm MG-34 machine guns. and also as personal weapons - two MP-40 submachine guns of 9 mm caliber.
Installations produced in 1943 had a camouflage coloring of spots of olive green and red-brown colors on a sandy yellow background. Later cars were olive green. IN winter period they were all painted with washable white paint.

The gun crew is loading ammunition. On the right in the wheelhouse - workplace gunner, the horizontal guidance flywheel is visible in front of the seat, in the rear of the wheelhouse there is a commander’s stereo tube

The first tank destroyers - self-propelled units Sd.Kfz. 164 with an effective 88-mm gun was put into service at the end of 1942. Serial production began in February of the following year at the Deutsche Eisenwerke plant in Duisburg. They were produced from February 1943 until the end of the war. A total of 494 units were produced. Self-propelled guns were in service with heavy anti-tank destroyer units of the High Command Reserve and were part of separate tank destroyer divisions. They were assigned to various units and formations to strengthen them by order of corps or army headquarters. Most often they were used in battery-by-battery modes in tank-hazardous areas. By staffing table each division contained 45 vehicles.
For the first time, the Nashorns took part in hostilities on the Kursk Bulge as part of the 655th Tank Fighter Regiment. In total, during the war, the German command was able to equip six regiments, which were armed only with these installations.

In conclusion, we note that the project of this tank destroyer from the very beginning bore the name “Hornisse” (“Hornet”), but in January 1944, on Hitler’s personal instructions, the installation was for some reason renamed “Nashorn” (“Rhinoceros”). Perhaps, according to the Fuhrer, for the enemy the horn of a rhinoceros was worse than the sting of a hornet.

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SAU "NASHORN"
Combat weight, kg 24,000, crew, persons 5
Total length, mm 8440, width, mm 2950, height, mm 2940
Ground clearance, mm 400
Engine 12-cylinder four-stroke carburetor “Maybach” HL 120TRM V-shaped liquid cooling;
power 300 hp, volume 11,867 cm3
Transmission 10 forward gears
front driving wheels, chassis 8 rubber-coated support rollers combined into 4 trolleys
Armament: 88 mm Rak 43 cannon, two 7.92 mm MG-34 machine guns
Ammunition 40 rounds, 7.92 mm rounds - 600
Fuel tank capacity, l 600, range, km: on the highway 260, over rough terrain 130
Speed, km/h: maximum 40, cruising on the highway 25, on the countryside 15-20
Obstacles to be overcome, m: wall height 0.6, ditch width 2.2, ford depth 1.0