Antitank guns. List of artillery of the ussr of the second world war Howitzers of the second world

During the first months of the war on the Eastern Front, the Germans captured several hundred Soviet 76-mm F-22 divisional guns (model 1936). Initially, the Germans used them in their original form as field guns, gave them the name 7.62 cm F.R.296(r).
This tool was originally designed by V.G. Grabin under a powerful projectile with a bottle-shaped sleeve. However, later, at the request of the military, it was converted into a three-inch projectile. Thus, the barrel and chamber of the gun had a large margin of safety.

By the end of 1941, a project was developed to upgrade the F-22 into an anti-tank gun. 7.62 cm Pack 36(r).

The chamber was bored out in the gun, which made it possible to replace the cartridge case. The Soviet sleeve had a length of 385.3 mm and a flange diameter of 90 mm, the new German sleeve was 715 mm long with a flange diameter of 100 mm. Thanks to this, the propellant charge was increased by 2.4 times.
To reduce the recoil force, the Germans installed a muzzle brake.
In Germany, the elevation angle was limited to 18 degrees, which is quite sufficient for an anti-tank gun. In addition, the recoil devices were upgraded, in particular, the variable recoil mechanism was excluded. The controls have been moved to one side.

Ammunition 7.62 cm Pak 36 (r) were German shots with high-explosive fragmentation, armor-piercing caliber and cumulative projectiles. Which did not fit the German guns. Armor-piercing projectile fired from initial speed-720 m / s pierced at a distance of 1000 meters along the normal - 82 mm armor. The sub-caliber, which had a speed of 960 m / s, pierced 132 mm at 100 meters.
Converted F-22 with new ammunition by the beginning of 1942. became the best German anti-tank gun, and in principle can be considered the best anti-tank gun in the world. Here is just one example: July 22, 1942. in the battle near El Alamein (Egypt), the calculation of the grenadier G. Halm from the 104th grenadier regiment shot from Pak 36 (r) within a few minutes destroyed nine English tanks.

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

In 1942 the Germans converted 358 F-22 units into 7.62 cm Pak 36(r), in 1943 another 169 and in 1944-33.
The trophy of the Germans was not only the divisional gun F-22, but also its major modernization - the 76-mm F-22 USV (model 1936)
A small number of F-22 USV guns were converted into anti-tank guns, which received the names 7.62 cm Pak 39(r). The gun received a muzzle brake, as a result of which its barrel length increased from 3200 to 3480. The chamber was bored out, and it was possible to fire shots from 7.62 cm Pak 36 (r) from it, the weight of the gun increased from 1485 to 1610 kg. By March 1945 the Wehrmacht had a total of 165 converted Pak 36 (r) and Pak 39 (r) captured anti-tank guns.

The gun in the open cabin was mounted on the chassis of the Pz Kpfw II light tank. This tank destroyer received the designation 7.62 cm Pak 36 auf Pz.IID Marder II (Sd.Kfz.132). In 1942, the Alkett plant in Berlin produced 202 self-propelled guns. SPG on the chassis of a light tank Pz Kpfw 38 (t) received the designation 7.62 cm Pak 36 auf Pz.38(t) Marder III (Sd.Kfz.139). In 1942, the BMM plant in Prague manufactured 344 self-propelled guns, in 1943 another 39 self-propelled guns were converted from the Pz Kpfw 38 (t) tanks undergoing overhaul.

7.5cm Pak 41 developed by Krupp AG in 1940. The gun initially competed (was developed in parallel) with the 7.5 cm PaK 40. The anti-tank gun was originally designed as a gun with an increased armor-piercing projectile velocity.
When creating shells, tungsten cores were used, which increased armor penetration.

This gun belonged to the guns with a conical bore. Its caliber changed from 75 mm at the breech to 55 mm at the muzzle. The projectile was supplied with crumpled leading belts.

The gun, due to its features, had high rates of effective use - a projectile with a speed of 1200 m / s pierced normal 150 mm of homogeneous armor at a distance of 900 meters. The effective range of application is 1.5 kilometers.

Despite the high performance, production of the 7.5 cm Pak 41 was discontinued in 1942.
A total of 150 pieces were made. The reasons for the cessation of production were the complexity of production and the lack of tungsten for shells.

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

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

When fired inside the cartridge case, the fuel ignited under very high pressure, and the resulting gas penetrated through the holes in the partition, held in place by one special pin, filling the entire volume in front of the mine. When the pressure reached 1200 kg / cm2 (115 kPa) in the high pressure chamber, i.e. inside the sleeve, and behind the partition in the low pressure chamber - 550 kg / cm. kV (52 kPa), then the pin broke, and the projectile flew out of the barrel. In this way, it was possible to solve a previously unsolvable problem - to combine a light barrel with a relatively high initial speed.

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

The main shot of the gun was the Wgr.Patr.4462 cartridge with the 8 cm Pwk.Gr.5071 HEAT projectile. Cartridge weight 7 kg, length 620 mm. Projectile weight 3.75 kg, explosive weight 2.7 kg, propellant weight 0.36 kg.

At an initial speed of 520 m/s at a distance of 750 m, half of the shells hit a target with an area of ​​0.7x0.7 m. Normally, the Pwk.Gr.5071 projectile pierced 145 mm armor. In addition, a small number of cartridges with HE shells were fired. The tabular firing range of the HE projectile is 1500 m.

Serial production of the 8 cm gun was carried out by Wolf in Magdeburg. The first batch of 81 guns was sent to the front in January 1945. In total, the Wolf company delivered 40 guns in 1944 and another 220 guns in 1945.
For the 8 cm gun in 1944, 6000 HEAT rounds, and in 1945 - another 28800.
By March 1, 1945. The Wehrmacht had 155 8 cm PAW 600 guns, of which 105 were at the front.
Due to its late appearance and small number, the gun did not have an impact on the course of the war.

Considering the excellent anti-tank capabilities of the 88 mm anti-aircraft guns, the famous "akht-akht", the German military leadership decided to create a specialized anti-tank gun in this caliber. In 1943, Krupp, using parts from the Flak 41 anti-aircraft gun, created an anti-tank gun. 8.8 cm Pack 43.

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

The gun demonstrated outstanding armor penetration performance. An armor-piercing projectile with an initial speed of 1000 m / s, at a distance of 1000 meters, at a meeting angle of 60 degrees - pierced 205 mm of armor. She easily hit any Allied tank in the frontal projection at all reasonable combat distances. The action of a 9.4 kg high-explosive fragmentation projectile turned out to be very effective.

At the same time, a gun with a combat weight of about 4,500 kg was bulky and poorly maneuverable; special tracked tractors were required for its transportation. This greatly leveled its combat value.

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

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

The first to receive this gun were specialized anti-tank divisions. At the end of 1944, guns began to enter service with artillery corps. Due to the complex production technology and high cost, only 3,502 of these guns were produced.

On the basis of the Pak 43, the KwK 43 tank gun and the gun for self-propelled artillery systems (ACS) were developed StuK43. These guns armed a heavy tank PzKpfw VI Ausf B "Tiger II"("Royal Tiger"), tank destroyers "Ferdinand" And "Jagdpanther", lightly armored anti-tank self-propelled guns "Nashorn" .

In 1943, Krupp and Rheinmetall, based on the 128-mm FlaK 40 anti-aircraft guns, jointly developed a heavy-duty anti-tank gun with a barrel length of 55 calibers. The new gun received an index 12.8 cm PaK 44 L/55. Since it was not possible to install such a giant barrel on the carriage of a conventional anti-tank gun, the Meiland company, which specialized in the production of trailers, designed a special three-axle carriage for the gun with two pairs of wheels in front and one behind. At the same time, the high profile of the gun had to be maintained, which made the gun extremely visible on the ground. The weight of the gun in combat position exceeded 9300 kg.

Some of the guns were mounted on the carriage of the French 15.5 cm K 418 (f) and the Soviet 152-mm howitzer guns of the 1937 model (ML-20).

The 128 mm anti-tank gun was the most powerful weapon of this class in World War II. The armor penetration of the gun turned out to be extremely high - according to some estimates, at least until 1948, there was no tank in the world that could withstand the hit of its 28-kg projectile.
An armor-piercing projectile weighing 28.3 kg left the barrel at a speed of 920 m / s, provided penetration of 187 mm of armor at a distance of 1500 meters.

Serial production began at the end of 1944. The gun entered service with the heavy motorized divisions of the RGK, and was often used as a corps gun. A total of 150 guns were produced.

The low security and mobility of the gun forced the Germans to work out the option of installing it on self-propelled chassis. Such a machine was created in 1944 on the basis of the heavy tank "Royal Tiger" and was named "Jagdtiger". With the PaK 44 cannon, which, respectively, changed the index to StuK44, it became the most powerful anti-tank self-propelled gun of the Second World War - in particular, evidence was obtained of the defeat of Sherman tanks from a distance of over 3500 meters in the frontal projection.

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

Despite its unbearable weight and huge dimensions, the 12.8 cm PaK 44 made a great impression on the Soviet command. In the TTZ of post-war heavy Soviet tanks, the condition was stipulated to withstand shelling from this gun in a frontal projection.
The first tank capable of withstanding PaK 44 fire was an experienced tank in 1949. soviet tank IS-7.

Assessing the German anti-tank artillery as a whole, it should be noted that it contains a large number of guns different types and calibers. Which, of course, made it difficult to supply ammunition, repair, maintenance and preparation of gun crews. At the same time, German industry was able to ensure the production of guns and shells in large volumes. During the war, new types of guns were developed and put into serial production, capable of effectively resisting the Allied tanks.

The armor of our medium and heavy tanks, which in the first years of the war fully provided reliable protection against German shells, by the summer of 1943 became clearly insufficient. End-to-end defeats became massive. This is explained by the increased power of German anti-tank and tank artillery. German anti-tank and tank guns of 75-88 mm caliber with an initial speed of an armor-piercing projectile of 1000 m/s penetrated any place in the armor protection of our medium and heavy tanks, with the exception of the upper frontal armor of the IS-2 gun.

All German regulations, memos and instructions on defense issues say: "Any defense must be, first of all, anti-tank." Therefore, the defense was built in depth, densely saturated with active anti-tank weapons and perfect in engineering terms. In order to strengthen active anti-tank weapons and their more efficient use, the Germans attached great importance choosing a defensive position. The main requirement in this case was its tank inaccessibility.

Based on their armor-piercing ability, the Germans considered the most advantageous distances for firing at tanks from their anti-tank and tank artillery: 250-300 m for 3.7-cm and 5-cm guns; 800-900 m for 7.5 cm guns and 1500 m for 8.8 cm guns. It was considered impractical to fire from long distances.

At the beginning of the war, the firing distances of our tanks, as a rule, did not exceed 300 m. With the advent of 75 and 88 mm caliber guns with an initial armor-piercing projectile velocity of 1000 m/s, the firing range of tanks increased significantly.

A few words should be said about the action of small-caliber shells. As mentioned above, all types of 3.7-4.7 cm guns used by the Germans were ineffective when firing at T-34 medium tanks. However, there were cases of damage to the frontal armor of the towers and the hull of the T-34 by 3.7-cm caliber shells. This was due to the fact that some series of T-34 tanks had substandard armor. But these exceptions only confirmed the rule.

It should be noted that quite often caliber shells of 3.7-5 cm caliber, as well as sub-caliber shells, having penetrated the armor, did not disable the tank, light shells lost most of their kinetic energy and could not cause serious damage. So, near Stalingrad, one disabled T-34 tank accounted for an average of 4.9 shell hits. In 1944-1945 this required 1,5-1,8 hits, since by this time the role of large-caliber anti-tank artillery.

Of particular interest is the distribution of hits of German shells on the armor protection of the T-34 tank. So, during the Battle of Stalingrad, out of 1308 hit T-34 tanks, 393 tanks got hit in the forehead, i.e. 30%, on board - 835 tanks, i.e. 63.9%, and in the stern - 80 tanks, t e. 6.1%. During the final stage of the war - the Berlin operation - 448 tanks were hit in the 2nd Guards Tank Army, of which 152 (33.9%) were hit in the forehead, 271 (60.5%) in the side and 25 in the stern (5.6%).

If we discard the leavened patriotism, then it should be said that the German anti-tank guns were the most effective during the Second World War and successfully operated on all fronts from Normandy to Stalingrad and from Kola Peninsula to the Libyan sands. The success of the German anti-tank artillery can be explained primarily by successful design solutions in the design of shells and guns, excellent training and durability of their crews, the tactics of using anti-tank guns, the presence of first-class sights, the high specific gravity of self-propelled guns, as well as the high reliability and high maneuverability of artillery tractors.

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

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“Artillery is the god of war,” I. V. Stalin once said, speaking of one of the most significant branches of the military. With these words, he tried to emphasize the great importance that this weapon had during the Second World War. And this expression is true, since the merits of artillery can hardly be overestimated. Its power allowed the Soviet troops to mercilessly smash enemies and bring the much-desired Great Victory closer.

Further in this article, the artillery of the Second World War, which was then in service with Nazi Germany and the USSR, will be considered, starting with light anti-tank guns and ending with super-heavy monster guns.

Anti-tank guns

As the history of the Second World War has shown, light guns by and large turned out to be practically useless against armored vehicles. The fact is that they were usually developed in the interwar years and could only withstand the weak protection of the first armored vehicles. But before World War II, technology began to rapidly modernize. The armor of tanks became much thicker, so many types of guns turned out to be hopelessly outdated.

mortars

Perhaps the most accessible and effective infantry support weapon was mortars. They perfectly combined such properties as range and firepower, so their use was able to turn the tide of the entire enemy offensive.

German troops most often used the 80mm Granatwerfer-34. This weapon earned a grim reputation among the allied forces for high speed and the utmost accuracy of firing. In addition, its firing range was 2400 m.

The Red Army used the 120 mm M1938, which entered service in 1939, to provide fire support to its infantrymen. He was the very first mortar with such a caliber that was ever produced and used in world practice. When the German troops encountered this weapon on the battlefield, they appreciated its power, after which they put a copy into production and designated it as the Granatwerfer-42. M1932 weighed 285 kg and was the heaviest type of mortar that the infantrymen had to carry with them. To do this, it was either disassembled into several parts, or pulled on a special cart. Its firing range was 400 m less than that of the German Granatwerfer-34.

Self-propelled installations

In the very first weeks of the war, it became clear that the infantry was in dire need of reliable fire support. The German armed forces ran into an obstacle in the form of well-fortified positions and a large concentration of enemy troops. Then they decided to strengthen their mobile fire support with the Vespe self-propelled 105-mm artillery mount mounted on the PzKpfw II tank chassis. Other similar weapons- "Hummel" - was part of the motorized and tank divisions since 1942.

In the same period, the Red Army was armed with the SU-76 self-propelled gun with a 76.2 mm caliber gun. It was installed on a modified chassis of the T-70 light tank. Initially, the SU-76 was supposed to be used as a tank destroyer, but during its use it was realized that it had too little firepower for this.

In the spring of 1943, Soviet troops received new car- ISU-152. It was equipped with a 152.4 mm howitzer and was intended both to destroy tanks and mobile artillery, and to support infantry with fire. First, the gun was mounted on the KV-1 tank chassis, and then on the IS. In combat, this weapon proved to be so effective that it remained in service with the Warsaw Pact countries until the 70s of the last century.

This type of gun was of great importance during the conduct of hostilities throughout the Second World War. The heaviest of the then available artillery, which was in service with the Red Army, was the M1931 B-4 howitzer with a caliber of 203 mm. When the Soviet troops began to slow down the rapid advance of the German invaders on their territory and the war on the Eastern Front became more static, heavy artillery was, as they say, in its place.

But developers have been looking all the time best option. Their task was to create a weapon in which, as far as possible, such characteristics as a small mass, a good firing range and the heaviest projectiles would harmoniously merge. And such a weapon was created. They became the 152-millimeter howitzer ML-20. A little later in service Soviet troops received a more modernized M1943 gun with the same caliber, but with a weighted barrel and a large muzzle brake.

The defense enterprises of the Soviet Union then produced huge batches of such howitzers, which fired massively at the enemy. Artillery literally devastated German positions and thereby thwarted enemy offensive plans. An example of this is Operation Hurricane, which was successfully carried out in 1942. Its result was the encirclement of the 6th German army near Stalingrad. For its implementation, more than 13 thousand guns of various types were used. Artillery preparations of unprecedented power preceded this offensive. It was she who largely contributed to the rapid advance of the Soviet tank troops and infantry.

German heavy weapons

According to after the First World War, Germany was forbidden to have guns having a caliber of 150 mm or more. Therefore, the specialists of the Krupp company, who were developing the new gun, had to create a heavy field howitzer sFH 18 with a 149.1-mm barrel, consisting of a pipe, a breech and a casing.

At the beginning of the war, the German heavy howitzer moved with the help of horse traction. But later, its modernized version was already dragging a half-track tractor, which made it much more mobile. The German army successfully used it on the Eastern Front. By the end of the war, sFH 18 howitzers were mounted on tank chassis. Thus, the Hummel self-propelled artillery mount was obtained.

Rocket troops and artillery is one of the divisions of the ground armed forces. The use of missiles during the Second World War was mainly associated with large-scale hostilities on the Eastern Front. Powerful rockets covered large areas with their fire, which compensated for some of the inaccuracy of these unguided guns. Compared to conventional shells, the cost of rockets was much less, and besides, they were produced very quickly. Another advantage was their relative ease of use.

Soviet rocket artillery during the war she used 132 mm M-13 shells. They were created in the 1930s and by the time Nazi Germany attacked the USSR, were available in very small quantities. These rockets are perhaps the most famous of all such shells used during the Second World War. Gradually, their production was established, and by the end of 1941, the M-13 was used in battles against the Nazis.

It must be said that the rocket troops and artillery of the Red Army plunged the Germans into a real shock, which was caused by the unprecedented power and deadly effect of the new weapon. Launchers BM-13-16 were placed on trucks and had rails for 16 rounds. Later these missile systems will be known as "Katyusha". Over time, they were modernized several times and were in service. Soviet army up until the 1980s. With the advent of the expression "Artillery is the god of war" began to be perceived as true.

German rocket launchers

A new type of weapon made it possible to deliver explosive explosive parts both over long and short distances. Thus, short-range projectiles concentrated their firepower on targets located on the front line, while long-range missiles attacked objects located behind enemy lines.

The Germans also had their own rocket artillery. "Wurframen-40" - a German rocket launcher, which was located on the Sd.Kfz.251 half-tracked vehicle. The missile was aimed at the target by turning the machine itself. Sometimes these systems were introduced into battle as towed artillery.

Most often, the Germans used the Nebelwerfer-41 rocket launcher, which had a honeycomb structure. It consisted of six tubular guides and was mounted on a two-wheeled carriage. But during the battle, this weapon was extremely dangerous not only for the enemy, but also for their own calculation because of the nozzle flame escaping from the pipes.

The weight of projectiles with had a huge impact on their range. Therefore, the army whose artillery could hit targets located far behind the enemy line had a significant military advantage. Heavy German rockets were useful only for indirect fire when it was necessary to destroy well-fortified objects, such as bunkers, armored vehicles or various defensive structures.

It is worth noting that the German artillery fire was much inferior in range rocket launcher Katyusha because of the excessive heaviness of the shells.

Super heavy guns

In the Nazi armed forces important role artillery played. This is all the more surprising since it was almost the most important element of the fascist military machine, and for some reason modern researchers prefer to focus their attention on studying the history of the Luftwaffe (air force).

Even at the end of the war, German engineers continued to work on a new grandiose armored vehicle - a prototype of a huge tank, in comparison with which everything else military equipment seemed to be a dwarf. Project P1500 "Monster" did not have time to implement. It is only known that the tank was supposed to weigh 1.5 tons. It was planned that he would be armed with an 80-cm Gustav gun from the Krupp company. It is worth noting that its developers have always thought big, and artillery was no exception. This weapon entered service with the Nazi army during the siege of the city of Sevastopol. The gun fired only 48 shots, after which its barrel wore out.

Railway guns K-12 were in service with the 701st artillery battery, stationed on the coast of the English Channel. According to some reports, their shells, and they weighed 107.5 kg, hit several targets in southern England. These artillery monsters had their own T-shaped track sections, necessary for installation and targeting.

Statistics

As noted earlier, the armies of the countries that participated in the hostilities of 1939-1945 came to grips with obsolete or partially modernized guns. All their inefficiency was fully revealed by World War II. Artillery urgently needed not only to be updated, but also to increase its number.

From 1941 to 1944, Germany produced more than 102,000 guns of various calibers and up to 70,000 mortars. By the time of the attack on the USSR, the Germans already had about 47 thousand artillery pieces, and this is without taking into account assault guns. If we take the United States as an example, then over the same period they produced about 150 thousand guns. Great Britain managed to produce only 70 thousand weapons this class. But the record holder in this race was the Soviet Union: during the war years, more than 480 thousand guns and about 350 thousand mortars were fired here. Prior to this, the USSR already had 67 thousand barrels in service. This figure does not include 50mm mortars, naval artillery and anti-aircraft guns.

During the years of World War II, the artillery of the warring countries has undergone great changes. Constantly, either modernized or completely new guns came into service with the armies. Especially rapidly developed anti-tank and self-propelled artillery(photographs from that time show its power). According to experts from different countries, about half of all losses of the ground forces are accounted for by the use of mortars during the battle.

The 37-mm anti-tank gun of the 1930 model (1-K) was developed by the German company Rheinmetall and transferred to the latter under an agreement between Germany and the USSR. In fact, it was similar to the German Pak-35/36 anti-tank gun with interchangeable ammunition: armor-piercing, fragmentation shells and buckshot. A total of 509 units were manufactured. TTX guns: caliber 37 mm; barrel length - 1.6 m; height of the line of fire - 0.7 m; firing range - 5.6 km; initial speed - 820 m / s; rate of fire - 15 rounds per minute; armor penetration - 20 mm at a distance of 800 m at a meeting angle of 90 °; calculation - 4 people; the speed of transportation on the highway - up to 20 km / h.

Airborne gun mod. 1944 had a shortened barrel recoil and was equipped with a specially designed 37-mm BR-167P sub-caliber projectile (weight - 0.6-07 kg.). The gun was disassembled into three parts: a swinging part, a machine tool and a shield. The two-wheeled machine had sliding beds with fixed and driven coulters. The shield in the stowed position on wheels was placed along the movement of the gun. The gun was transported in Willys (1 gun), GAZ-64 (1 gun), Dodge (2 guns) and GAZ-A (2 guns) cars, as well as in the sidecar of a Harley Davidson motorcycle. From a motorcycle it was possible to fire at speeds up to 10 km / h. In 1944-1945. 472 guns were made. TTX guns: caliber - 37 mm; barrel length - 2.3 m; weight - 217 kg; projectile weight - 730 g; fire line height - 280 mm; maximum firing range - 4 km; rate of fire - 15-25 rounds per minute; muzzle velocity - 865 - 955 m / s; armor penetration with a caliber armor-piercing projectile at an angle of 90 ° at a distance of 500 m - 46 mm, with a sub-caliber - 86 mm; shield thickness - 4.5 mm; calculation - 4 people; the time for transferring the gun from marching to combat is 1 minute.

The gun of the 1932 model was created by replacing the barrel of the 37-mm anti-tank gun of the 1930 model. The gun was transported both by horse-drawn and mechanical. In the transport position, a single-axle ammunition box clung, and behind it the gun itself. The 19-K gun had wooden wheels. The gun adapted for installation in a tank received the factory designation "20-K" (32.5 thousand guns were produced). In 1933, the gun was modernized - the weight in combat position decreased to 414 kg. In 1934, the gun received pneumatic tires, and the weight increased to 425 kg. The gun was produced in 1932-1937. A total of 2974 guns were produced. TTX guns: caliber - 45 mm; length - 4 m; width - 1.6 m; height - 1.2 m; clearance - 225 mm; barrel length - 2.1 m; weight in combat position - 560 kg, in marching position - 1.2 tons; firing range - 4.4 km; rate of fire - 15-20 rounds per minute; armor penetration - 43 mm at a distance of 500 m; calculation - 5 people; the speed of transportation on the highway on wooden wheels is 10 - 15 km / h, on rubber wheels - 50 km / h.

Cannon arr. 1937 was put into service in 1938 and was the result of the modernization of the 19-K anti-tank gun. The gun was mass-produced until 1942.

It differed from the previous model in the following innovations: semi-automatic worked when firing all types of ammunition, a push-button descent and suspension were introduced, an automobile wheel was installed; cast parts of the machine are excluded. Armor penetration - 43 mm at a distance of 500 m. To improve armor penetration, a 45 mm sub-caliber projectile was adopted, which pierced 66 mm armor at a distance of 500 m along the normal, and when firing at a distance of 100 m - 88 mm armor. A total of 37,354 guns were made. TTX guns: caliber - 45 mm; length - 4.26 m; width - 1.37 m; height - 1.25 m; barrel length - 2 m; weight in combat position - 560 kg; in the march - 1.2 tons; rate of fire - 20 rounds per minute; initial projectile speed - 760 m / s; direct shot range - 850 m; weight of an armor-piercing projectile - 1.4 kg, maximum firing range - 4.4 km, carriage speed along the highway - 50 km / h; calculation - 6 people.

The gun of the 1942 model (M-42) was created as a result of the modernization of the 45-mm gun mod. 1937 Modernization consisted in lengthening the barrel (up to 3.1 m) and strengthening the propellant charge. The thickness of the shield cover armor was increased from 4.5 mm to 7 mm for better protection of the crew from armor-piercing rifle bullets. As a result of modernization, the muzzle velocity of the projectile increased from 760 to 870 m/s. A total of 10,843 units were produced. TTX guns: caliber - 45 mm; length - 4.8 m; width - 1.6 m; height - 1.2 m; barrel length - 3 m; weight in combat position - 625 kg; in the march - 1250 kg; projectile weight - 1.4 kg; initial speed - 870 m / s; maximum firing range - 4.5 km; direct shot range - 950 m; rate of fire - 20 rounds per minute; speed of transportation on the highway - 50 km / h; armor penetration - 51 mm at a distance of 1000 m; calculation - 6 people.

The 57-mm anti-tank gun of the 1941 model (ZIS-2) was created under the leadership of V. G. Grabin in 1940, but its production was suspended in 1941. Only with the advent of heavily armored German tanks in 1943 was mass production resumed under a new designation. The gun of the 1943 model had a number of differences from the guns of the 1941 issue, aimed at improving the manufacturability of the gun. The towing of the gun was carried out at the beginning of the war by a semi-armored Komsomolets tractor, GAZ-64, GAZ-67, GAZ-AA, GAZ-AAA, ZIS-5 cars, from the middle of the war, land-supplied - Lease semi-trucks "Dodge WC-51" and all-wheel drive trucks "Studebaker US6". Based on the ZIS-2, the ZIS-4 and ZIS-4M tank guns were created, which were installed on the T-34. The gun was also used for armament anti-tank self-propelled guns"ZIS-30". The gun was equipped with ammunition in the form of a unitary cartridge with shells: caliber and sub-caliber armor-piercing; fragmentation and buckshot. The weight of the projectile ranged from 1.7 to 3.7 kg, depending on its type, the initial velocity ranged from 700 to 1270 m/s; armor penetration - 109 mm at a distance of 1000 m at a meeting angle - 90 °. A total of 13.7 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 57 mm; length - 7 m; width - 1.7 m; height - 1.3 m; barrel length - 4.1 m; clearance - 350 mm; weight in combat position - 1050 kg; in the marching - 1900 kg; rate of fire - 25 rounds per minute; highway transportation speed - up to 60 km / s; fire line height - 853 mm; firing range - 8.4 km; direct shot range - 1.1 km; the thickness of the shield cover was 6 mm; calculation - 6 people.

Structurally, the ZiS-3 was an overlay of the barrel of the F-22USV divisional gun model on the light carriage of the ZiS-2 anti-tank 57-mm gun. The gun had suspension, metal wheels with rubber tires. To move by horse traction, it was completed with a unified limber model 1942 for regimental and divisional guns. The gun was also towed by mechanical traction: trucks of the ZiS-5, GAZ-AA or GAZ-MM types, a three-axle all-wheel drive Studebaker US6, light all-wheel drive Dodge WC vehicles. The ZIS-3 gun was put into service in 1942 and had a dual purpose: a divisional field gun and an anti-tank gun. Moreover, to fight tanks, the gun was used more in the first half of the war. The gun was also armed with self-propelled guns "SU-76". During the war, divisional artillery had 23.2 thousand guns, and anti-tank units - 24.7 thousand. During the war years, 48,016 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 76.2 mm; length - 6 m; width - 1.4 m; barrel length - 3; weight in the stowed position - 1.8 tons, in combat - 1.2 tons; rate of fire - 25 rounds per minute; armor penetration of a projectile weighing 6.3 kg with an initial speed of 710 m / s - 46 mm at a distance of 1000 m; barrel survivability - 2000 shots; maximum firing range - 13 km; transition time from transport to combat position - 1 minute; the speed of transportation on the highway is 50 km/h.

The Germans named the most gigantic cannon of the Second World War by the female name "Dora". This artillery system, caliber 80 centimeters, was so huge that it moved only by rail. She traveled half of Europe and left an ambiguous opinion about herself.

Dora was developed in the late 1930s at the Krupp plant in Essen. The main task of the super-powerful gun is the destruction of the forts of the French Maginot Line during the siege. At that time, these were the strongest fortifications that existed in the world.

"Dora" could fire shells weighing 7 tons at a distance of up to 47 kilometers. The fully assembled "Dora" weighed about 1350 tons. The Germans developed this powerful weapon while preparing for the battle for France. But when the fighting began in 1940, the most big gun World War II was not yet ready. In any case, the Blitzkrieg tactics allowed the Germans to capture Belgium and France in just 40 days, bypassing the Maginot defensive line. This forced the French to surrender with minimal resistance and the fortifications did not have to be stormed.

"Dora" was deployed later, during the war in the East, in the Soviet Union. It was used during the siege of Sevastopol to shell the coastal batteries that heroically defended the city. Preparation of tools from traveling position it took a week and a half to shoot. In addition to the direct calculation of 500 people, a security battalion, a transport battalion, two railway trains for the transport of ammunition, an anti-aircraft division, as well as its own military police and a field bakery were involved.

A German gun as high as a four-story house and 42 meters long fired up to 14 times a day concrete-piercing and high-explosive shells. To push out the largest projectile in the world, a charge of 2 tons of explosives was needed.

It is believed that in June 1942, "Dora" fired 48 shots at Sevastopol. But due to the long distance to the target, only a few hits were obtained. In addition, heavy blanks, if they did not hit the concrete armor, went into the ground for 20-30 meters, where their explosion did not cause much damage. The supergun did not show the results that the Germans had hoped for, having “swollen” a lot of money into this ambitious miracle weapon.

When the resource of the barrel came out, the gun was taken to the rear. It was planned to use it under besieged Leningrad after repairs, but this was prevented by the deblockade of the city by our troops. Then the supergun was taken through Poland to Bavaria, where in April 1945 it was blown up so that it would not become a trophy for the Americans.

In the XIX-XX centuries. there were only two weapons, with a large caliber (90 cm for both): the British Mallet mortar and the American Little David. But the "Dora" and the same type "Gustav" (which did not take part in the hostilities) were the largest caliber artillery that participated in the battles. It is also the largest self-propelled unit ever built. Nevertheless, these 800 mm guns went down in history as "a completely useless work of art."

The Third Reich developed many interesting and unusual projects"Wonder Weapon" For example, .