ISU-152

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ISU-152
ISU-152 in a military museum in Ukraine (2006)

ISU-152 in a military museum in Ukraine (2006)
General properties
crew 5
length 9.05-9.18 m
width 3.07 m
height 2.48 m
Dimensions 45.5 tons
Armor and armament
Armor 90 mm, tower front 120 mm
Main armament 152 mm ML-20S cannon howitzer
Secondary armament 12.7 mm FlaK machine gun DSchK
agility
drive W-2IS , V-12 diesel with water cooling 38,880 cm³
520 PS (388 kW)
suspension Torsion bar suspension
Top speed 37 km / h (road) / 19 km / h (terrain)
Power / weight 11.3 hp / ton
Range 220 km, 370 km with additional tanks

The ISU-152 ( Russian ИСУ-152 ) was a heavy Soviet tracked vehicle with a gun of the caliber 152.4 mm (6  inches ) as a primary weapon . The armored self-propelled gun with twelve-cylinder - diesel engine was the time of World War II, designed and built from 1943 to 1946. The Red Army used them in the German-Soviet War from January 1944. The ISU-152 were used as tank artillery ( howitzer ) for fire support for tanks and infantry and as tank destroyers against the heavy tanks of the Wehrmacht .

The term ISU means " S amochodnaja U stanowka (Selbstfahrlafette) on the chassis ( pan with chain drive ) of the I S -Panzers " or " ISU stanowka"; the "I" served to distinguish it from the SU-152 self-propelled gun, which was based on the chassis of the KW-1 tank. As with this one, the 152 stands for the caliber of the main weapon.

The drafts for the ISU-152 in the design office of experimental plant No. 100 in Chelyabinsk lasted from June to November 1943. After acceptance by the Red Army on November 6, 1943, the Kirov tank production plant in the city of Chelyabinsk ( Russian: Кировский заквод наркомтанод наркомтанано в г. Челябинске , in short TschKS, today Tscheljabinski Traktorny Zavod  - URALTRAK ) in December 1943 with serial production. After the end of the Leningrad blockade in January 1944 and the restoration of the facilities, the Kirovwerk (Кировский Завод) in Leningrad (Leningradski Kirowski Sawod, LKS) also manufactured the ISU-152 from 1945. Both companies stopped series production in 1946.

The ISU-152 proved to be a reliable and combat-strong model of the Soviet self-propelled artillery with a long period of service. They were also used in the Soviet Army until the mid-1970s. The Soviet Union sold or supplied ISU-152 free of charge to its allies Poland , Czechoslovakia , People's Republic of China, and Egypt during World War II and in the post-war period . Some vehicles took part in the Korean War and armed conflict in the Middle East .

history

development

The drafts in the design office of Opytny Zavod No.100 ( Russian Опытный завод №100 , experimental farm No. 100) began in June 1943. At that time it was already clear that the heavy tank KW-1S would be in series production by the new and more powerful IS -1 tanks of the same class would be replaced. The criticism of the performance of the KW-1 concerned the armament, which had the same effectiveness as that of the cheaper T-34 medium tank , as well as the armor which, under the conditions of 1942/43, was insufficient for a heavy breakthrough tank . However, the chassis of the KW-1S were used for the production of the heavy SU-152 assault guns and, unlike the KW-1s tanks, there was no doubt about their necessity for the Red Army . The excellent combat characteristics of the SU-152  - it was the only Soviet armored vehicle that, despite a number of serious shortcomings, could effectively fight the new German tanks, as well as fortifications and other unarmored targets - raised the question of the serial production of a successor on the new chassis IS-1 instead of the gradually obsolete KW-1S .

The head of the work was Josef Jakowlewitsch Kotin , one of the leading Soviet specialists in the development of heavy tanks at the time. Since 1940, all Soviet series combat vehicles of this class were developed under his leadership. GN Moskvin was the chief designer of the new assault gun. The project was named IS-152 in its initial phase . The first prototype was built in August 1943, it represented a transition variant from the SU-152 to the new vehicle, in which many new details were used in the old armored hull. Together with the IS-1 and KW-85 tanks, this prototype was demonstrated to the highest Soviet command, including Josef Stalin , in August or early September 1943 - historians give different dates. Josef Stalin showed interest in the new vehicle and spoke to the crew of the prototype himself about the measures taken to remedy deficiencies in the design.

Resolution No. 4043ss of the State Defense Committee of the USSR , issued on September 4, 1943, adopted the new assault gun for the Red Army, the details of the preparation for serial production, as well as some measures to simplify this process, were included in Order No. 540 of the Tank Industry- People's Commissars of September 7, 1943.

During the tests, however, due to the hectic development, the transitional prototype showed some shortcomings and its price was significantly higher than planned. Therefore, serial production of the SU-152 continued in September 1943 and all work was directed to the second IS-152 prototype that month . This vehicle, called "Object 241", was built in early October. The factory trials and the later state tests were successful and the costs were comparable to those of the SU-152 .

As a result, with the resolution of November 6, 1943, the State Defense Committee accepted the "Object 241" under the designation ISU-152 for the Red Army and ordered series production in the TschKS. The first series of 35 ISU-152s should be finished by January 1, 1944. In December 1943, the new ISU-152 and the old SU-152 were produced simultaneously on the TschKS production line; since January 1944 the company only built ISU-152 , the series production of its predecessor was finally stopped.

As a result of the high capacity utilization of the ChKS due to the serial production of the IS-2 , the armored hulls of the ISU-152 were supplied by the Uralsky Sawod Tjashjologo Maschinostrojenija (USTM, Russian Уральский завод тяжёлого машиностроения , the heavy engineering factory of the Ural engineering factory ). This company was a center of Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle construction and, in addition to the ISU-152 tanks , manufactured medium-sized assault guns and tank destroyers such as the SU-122 , SU-85 and SU-100 .

Serial production

From November 1943 to December 1945, the TschKS and LKS built 2574 ISU-152 assault guns (of which 1885 were vehicles until May 1945). The production numbers are shown in the following table:

Series production of the ISU-152 from 1943 to 1947
Manufacturer 1943 1944 1945 1946-1947 total
TschKS, Chelyabinsk 35 1340 1099 - 2474
LKS, Leningrad - - 100 216 316
All in all 35 1340 1199 216 2790

Series production ended in 1946 (some sources give the year 1947 as the end time of production), a total of 2790 vehicles of this type were produced. Licenses for the production of the ISU-152 in other states were not sold.

The number of ISU-152 armored hulls manufactured rose so rapidly in early 1944 that Plant No. 172, the only manufacturer of the ML-20S cannon howitzers, could not equip all of them with their main armament, although the production volume of the ML-20 field guns was already high was reduced several times in favor of the ML-20S variant (1809 pieces in 1942, 1002 in 1943 and only 275 in 1944). Due to the lack of ML-20S cannon howitzers, serial production of a new assault gun with a different main weapon, the ISU-122, began in April 1944 . This vehicle differed from the ISU-152 only in the armament, instead of the ML-20S cannon howitzer, the A-19S cannon in 121.92 mm caliber was installed together with a new sighting telescope and ammunition mounts for 30 projectiles. There were no problems with the delivery of this main weapon, it was already in abundance in armaments stores in 1943 and was sufficiently produced. Thanks to the higher armor penetration power and lower explosive power of the 122 mm projectiles compared to the 152 mm ammunition, the ISU-122 was preferred as a tank destroyer , but they could also be used successfully as assault guns.

Insinuation

The ISU-152 -Sturmgeschütze together with their SU-152 -Vorgänger- and ISU-122 -Schwestermodellen were in the independent heavy, self-propelled artillery regiments ( Russian Отдельный тяжёлый самоходно-артиллерийский полк, ОТСАП , OTSAP ) used. 56 of these units were reorganized from May 1943 to 1945, all were immediately after the establishment of the Guard counted. The first OTSAP armed with ISU-152 was reorganized in December 1943 and had its first combat mission in January 1944. Originally, an OTSAP comprised twelve SU-152 assault guns and another heavy KW-1s armored command vehicle , after the development of the ISU-152 However, the new layout plan No. 010/461 for the regiments was adopted.

Each OTSAP then carried four batteries , each with five ISU-152s, as well as an additional self-propelled gun for the regimental commander, a total of 21 assault guns. The regimental commander was usually a colonel or lieutenant colonel , the battery commanders were captains or first lieutenants . The commanders of the line vehicles were usually lieutenants or sub-lieutenants , the other crew members were sergeants (usually a gunner and driver) or common soldiers . In addition to the four batteries, the regimental commander had several other sub-units available:

  • Regimental staff with command train (the regimental commander's ISU-152 belonged to the latter, this train could have an off-road vehicle or a motorcycle for reconnaissance and communications);
  • MPi rifle company
  • rear services:
    • Regimental infirmary
    • Supply unit
    • Pioneer train ,
    • Repair train
    • Transport train with some trucks for supplies
    • Ammunition train.

A regiment could sometimes use ISU-152 and ISU-122 assault guns at the same time, but commanders tried to avoid this situation in order to simplify the supply of ammunition. The only heavy self-propelled artillery brigade , the 66th Nevelskaya Heavy Self- Propelled Artillery Brigade, did not have an ISU-152 (it was armed with ISU-122 and SU-76 ); so the OTSAP were the only units that officially used ISU-152 assault guns as main armament.

For their fighting spirit in the liberation of Belarusian cities , eight OTSAPs received their names as an honorary title in addition to their official standard designation, three other OTSAPs were awarded a Red Banner Order.

commitment

During the Hungarian uprising in Budapest in 1956 , the ISU-152 apparently abandoned with an open maintenance hatch at the stern

Overall, the ISU-152 successfully combined three main types: the role of a heavy assault gun, tank destroyer and self-propelled howitzer. However, in each of these categories there were different and more specialized self-propelled artillery vehicles with better characteristics compared to the ISU-152 . During the Second World War, ISU-152 were not only in service in the USSR but also in the units of the Polish Army deployed in the Soviet Union . After the Second World War they were delivered or sold to the People's Republic of China and Egypt , and accordingly they were used in combat in the Korean and Arab-Israeli wars . In the former, their number was not great, in the latter, they were used in fixed firing positions on the banks of the Suez Canal . Some vehicles were captured by the Israeli forces . During the suppression of the Hungarian uprising in 1956, the ISU-152 of the Soviet Army once again confirmed their great destructive potential, but the insurgents also managed to damage or destroy some vehicles. At the end of the 1950s, the ISU-152s that remained in service were modernized and only about fifteen years later they were finally retired.

ISU-152 as a heavy assault gun

The main purpose of the ISU-152 was to provide fire support to the attacking tanks and infantry. The 152.4 mm ML-20S cannon howitzer was able to fire the heavy OF-540 steel splinter explosive projectile with a total weight of 43.56 kg and a 6 kg TNT charge. With these projectiles, both free-standing unarmored targets with detonators set for fragmentation and infantry protected by field fortifications with detonators could be fought very effectively. The usual tactic of ISU-152 was to operate in the second line of the order of battle of a tank attack, about 100 to 200 meters behind the first vehicle line, which usually consisted of heavy IS tanks with equal mobility. It was not uncommon for the ISU-152 to lead an advance themselves, especially during infantry attacks. However, they were used less often as turretless tanks than the lighter armored and armed SU-76 and SU-85 . Sometimes the ISU-152 supported offensive actions with direct fire from firing positions, for example when overcoming the Svir during the Svir-Petrozavodsk operation . On June 21, 1944, light floating tanks and amphibious wheeled vehicles with infantrymen from the 98th and 99th Guards Rifle Divisions crossed the river after the artillery preparations had ended. The 338th, 339th and 378th OTSAPs covered the crossing with a total of 63 ISU-152s by holding down or destroying the enemy positions. Due to this support fire, the Soviet losses during the crossing were minimal (6 tanks out of 40). Subsequently, this operation was mentioned in Soviet tactical instructions during the war and in military science articles of the post-war period as a model of the successful interaction of weapons in solving a complicated combat task .

The ISU-152 also proved themselves in their main function as "bunker destroyers". During the repeated breakthrough of the Mannerheim Line in 1944, they destroyed both concrete and field fortifications and showed their high resistance to enemy fire. On June 25, 1944, two vehicles were captured by the Finnish army; one of these was repaired, but later destroyed by the Soviet troops.

ISU-152 with a damaged drive, used in the urban battle of the 1956 Hungarian uprising.

The ISU-152 had a special meaning in city battles, for example in the storm of Berlin , Budapest or Königsberg . The good armor protection of the vehicles allowed them to approach the opposing house positions and destroy them with a direct shot. The Soviet instructions even underlined the importance of the maneuver in the cramped conditions of the city struggle: the attacking tanks or assault guns should take cover, fire and take cover again. This was very dangerous for the crew of rifled guns due to enemy machine gun and sniper fire .

In city battles, the ISU-152 were used individually or in groups of two with some infantrymen to reduce the casualties caused by “Faustniks”, the nickname for enemy soldiers with anti-tank weapons such as the Faustpatrone and Panzerfaust . These infantry groups usually consisted of a few MPi riflemen , a sniper or at least a good marksman, and sometimes a soldier with a backpack flamethrower . The super - heavy DSchK anti-aircraft machine gun was an effective weapon against "Faustniks" who sought cover in buildings, behind rubble and barricades.

The skillful cooperation between the crews and the infantrymen assigned to them made it possible to carry out the combat task with low losses. In addition to reports from the front about these successful operations, there are also numerous examples of insufficient tactical experience on the part of Soviet commanders. Their armored forces, including ISU-152 , were frantically led to direct attack en masse without preparation or infantry support , as a result of which they were easily destroyed by the city defenders.

In city fights in narrow streets, the great performance of the main weapon of the ISU-152 sometimes led to unwanted side effects, as a contemporary witness report shows:

«Полтора этажа дома вместе с вражеским противотанковым орудием и его прислугой рухнуло на землю. А в нашем расположении от мощной воздушной волны выстрела с треском лопнули толсположении от мощной воздушной волны выстрела с треском лопнули толсположении толстые снахма. Их тяжелые осколки посыпались на головы "зрителей" в результате были ранены руки и спины у десяти человек, а у двоих сломаны ключицы .. "

“One and a half floors together with the enemy anti-tank gun and its crew fell to earth. But at our position, the pressure wave struck thick window panes in the vicinity of the vehicle, the heavy splinters of which rained on the heads of the "spectators". As a result, ten men were wounded in the back and hands and two others broke their collarbones. "

In its role as an assault gun, the ISU-152, despite its shortcomings , earned a high degree of esteem among Soviet soldiers. As a consequence of this and the needs of the Red Army (from 1946 Soviet), they continued to be produced in series even after the end of the Second World War. Production of most other types of combat vehicles ended as early as 1945.

ISU-152 as a tank destroyer

The ISU-152 were able to successfully fight enemy armored vehicles, although they were inferior to pure tank destroyers with special anti-tank guns. In this role, the ISU-152 took over the nickname "Sweroboj" ( Russian зверобой , big game hunter) from its predecessor SU-152 . The armored bullets BR-540 and BR-540B with a weight of 48.9 kg and a muzzle velocity of 600 m / s were intended for use against armored targets . Sometimes the concrete bullets were also used for this purpose. The separate charge and the heavy weight of the tank projectiles reduced the rate of fire to one or two rounds per minute, but this was offset by the highly destructive effect of a hit on the target. Even if the armor was not penetrated, the heavy armored vehicles often failed as a result of the strong mechanical impact. The hit had a lasting effect on the mechanics, injured the crew, split the armor plates inside and caused fuel to leak out of damaged tanks and pipes with subsequent ignition. DF Losa, commander of an M4 Sherman tank during the conquest of Vienna, wrote about the anti-tank operations of the ISU-152 , which supported his unit in combat: “One of the Panthers ... had lost his turret when the large-caliber concrete bullet hit. The second heavy tank turned into a huge fire. "

The OF-540 explosive shell used with the gun could also be used against enemy tanks with good results. The consequences of a hit varied from repairable damage to the chassis and armament to the complete destruction of the armored vehicle.

The ISU-152 were not pure tank destroyers , like the German Jagdpanther or the Soviet SU-100 , they had a higher rate of five to eight rounds per minute, even if only for a short time. On the other hand, careful camouflage, a quick change of firing position and use in groups could reduce the deficiencies as a tank destroyer. For example, on April 7th, a battery of the 378th OTSAP in East Prussia fended off a counterattack by 30 enemy tanks using a fanned out battle order to cover as wide an area as possible. The battery had no losses, only the chassis of two ISU-152s were slightly damaged. They reported more than six destroyed and damaged enemy tanks. In addition, there were many pure tank destroyers in the Red Army from late 1944 until the end of the war, such as SU-85 , SU-100 and ISU-122 , which is why ISU-152 battles against enemy armored forces were not as frequent as for its predecessor SU- 152 , which in the second half of 1943 and the first few months of 1944 was the only effective anti-tank weapon against the new heavy German armored vehicles. The ISU-152 were used as assault guns more often than other Soviet combat vehicles due to their more powerful firepower.

ISU-152 as a self-propelled howitzer

If not often, the ISU-152 were also used as self-propelled howitzers for indirect fire, for example the 368th OTSAP fired backfire against an enemy base and four batteries for 107 minutes on January 12, 1945 during the Sandomir-Silesia operation . After 980 rounds, the fire was suppressed by two batteries, and eight destroyed artillery pieces and infantry in battalion strength were reported. The Red Army had no special vehicles for this mission like the German vehicles Hummel and Wespe , the American M7 Howitzer Motor Carriage or the British Sexton . The armored and mechanized units of the Red Army were mainly equipped with rifled artillery, but the guns, crews, tugs and horses were very vulnerable on the march and often could not support the tanks and motorized infantry during a quick breakthrough of the enemy defenses . As self-propelled howitzers, the ISU-152 were also used for artillery preparation . The maximum firing range was about 13 kilometers, despite the elevation range limited to 20 °. However, the possibilities for indirect fire were severely limited by the length of the reloading process. In addition, unlike the rifled ML-20 gun with a 65 ° elevation range , the ML-20S in the ISU-152 could not fire the projectiles in a steep trajectory. This limited the use of the ISU-152 as a self-propelled howitzer.

Nevertheless, after the Second World War, the trend in the use of the ISU-152 shifted from being used as an assault gun to that of an armored howitzer. The tanks of the new generation, T-54 , T-55 and T-62 , which were produced in large numbers , achieved higher combat and marching speeds than the heavy and slow ISU-152 could have successfully supported in fast offensives. The armor protection of the ISU-152 was insufficient against the new anti-tank weapons, but the projectiles of the 100 mm or 115 mm tank guns of the new tanks performed well against enemy field fortifications. In the situation of stagnation in the development of self-propelled and tubular artillery, the ISU-152 were received as assault guns for city battles, as well as for use as self-propelled howitzers, where the requirements for armor protection and speed were not so critical. An important factor in their continued use, however, was the development of the 152 mm nuclear projectiles at the end of the 1950s. In the role of nuclear and normal self-propelled artillery, the ISU-152 were finally replaced in the 1970s by the new 152-mm self-propelled howitzers 2S3 Acacia and 2S5 Hyacinth .

technical description

The ISU-152 were similar in structure to the other Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicles of their time (with the exception of the light SU-76 ). The fully armored tank hull and the structure were divided into two main parts: the crew, the gun and ammunition as well as two fuel tanks were located in the front part, the driver and combat area. The diesel engine , radiator, fuel tank and power transmission were installed in the stern compartment.

Armored hull and body

The armored hull and the structure of the assault gun were welded together from various rolled armor plates with thicknesses of 20, 30, 60, 75 and 90 mm . The vehicles of the first series had a cast tub front; When stronger rolled armor plates were later available in sufficient quantities, this was replaced by a welded construction. The armor protection varied depending on the side of the vehicle; the front of the vehicle could withstand a maximum of 7.5 centimeters from projectile hits. The front and side panels of the superstructure and the front and rear armor of the armored hull were clearly inclined for better protection against hits , the other parts were vertical.

Compared to its predecessor SU-152 , the armored hull of the ISU-152 was higher due to the increased ground clearance and the structure was more spacious due to the reduced inclination of the armor plates. The latter made it easier to penetrate the armor. To compensate for this negative effect, the armor plates of the superstructure were reinforced from 60 to 75 mm in the SU-152 to 90 mm. The enlarged structure also made it possible to improve the working conditions of the team. Some of the armor plates (e.g. above the engine and the rear space of the superstructure) were removable in order to allow access for maintenance purposes.

The main armament, the 152.4 mm ML-20S cannon howitzer , was installed offset to the right in the front armor plate. The barrel brake and the retractor were protected by a cast spherical armor cover, which also served as a counterweight for the heavy gun barrel in the journal . The protruding part of the cover was removable for maintenance.

Positions of the crew members:
1 driver
2 commander
3 gunner
4 breech gunner
5 loader

The driver, gunner and loader positions (counting from the front) were to the left of the gun in the armored hull and superstructure. The commander and behind him the breech gunner sat to the right of the gun. The vehicle had two hatches for entry and exit of the crew, which were equipped with rod spring mechanisms to facilitate opening. The circular hatch on the right-hand side of the vehicle roof was intended for the commander, for the other crew members a rectangular double-wing hatch was let in at the seam between the roof and the rear of the superstructure. The circular hatch on the left side of the roof was not intended for the crew, but for the attachment of the panoramic telescope , but could be used to exit in an emergency. An emergency exit hatch was let into the tub floor behind the driver's seat. Various hatches, ventilator and maintenance openings (tank or drain openings for fuel , water , oil , and a hatch for quick ammunition input in the event of indirect fire ) were distributed over the armored hull . Some of them were provided with armored covers or plugged.

Armament

The 152 mm ML-20S cannon howitzer for SU-152 and ISU-152 assault guns

The main weapon of the ISU-152 was the ML-20S cannon howitzer with a caliber of 152.4 mm (six inches) with a rifled barrel. It was a variant of the gun of the 152-mm cannon howitzer M1937 (also ML-20 ), which was adapted for use in the self-propelled gun. The official designation of the gun in the Red Army was 152-мм гаубица-пушка обр. 1937/43 гг. (152 mm cannon howitzer M1937 / 43) . МЛ-20С (ML-20S) was an equivalent designation of the developer and manufacturer, the Motowilichinski sawod No.172 (Motowilicha-Werk No. 172). The letter S stands for Samochodny ( Russian самоходный , German "self-driving"). The cannon howitzer was mounted in a frame with horizontal pegs and this frame was attached to the front panel and the ceiling of the superstructure by vertical shaft pegs. The system thus formed a form of cardanic suspension . The ML-20S had a barrel length of 29 caliber lengths (L / 29), the line of fire was at a height of 1800 mm.

The installation of the main weapon by means of the frame system made it possible to enlarge the interior space of the superstructure in comparison with other structural solutions (e.g. a pedestal system as in the SU-122 ), but only allowed a much more limited directing area. The ML-20S in the ISU-152 had an elevation range of −3 ° to + 20 °, and the lateral alignment range was a total of 10 °. The core range was 3.8 kilometers, the maximum range was about 13 kilometers. The maximum distance in a direct shot at a target with a height between 2.5 and 3 meters, at which the curvature of the projectile trajectory played no or an insignificant role in the aiming, was 800 to 900 meters. The control wheels of the gearbox for the lateral and vertical direction were attached to the left of the barrel and in front of the gunner's workplace. Both straightening works were hand-operated. The position of these steering wheels was the first major difference between the ML-20S variant and the ML-20 field gun, in which they were on different sides of the barrel. The presence of a loading cradle and the trunnion further to the muzzle were the other differences between the ML-20S and ML-20 . The tubes of the ML-20S and ML-20 were interchangeable until May 1944 , after which time they became incompatible due to some changes in the design of the ML-20S . The cannon howitzer was equipped with a screw cap and an electric trigger. A mechanical trigger was available for emergencies.

The combat set for the cannon howitzer was 20 pieces of separate ammunition. The projectiles were stored along the left and right sides of the superstructure. The propellant charges in pods had the same arrangement, another part was on the floor of the combat compartment and on the rear of the superstructure. In comparison with the broad spectrum of possible projectiles and propellant charges for the ML-20 field gun, only a small proportion of them were also fired with the ML-20S , although the ammunition could be used without restriction in both variants. The main types of bullets available for the ML-20S were:

Ammunition nomenclature
Type Name ( Transl.  / Russian) Bullet weight, kg Weight of the explosive charge, kg Muzzle velocity, m / s
Calibrated tank bullets
Armored bullet with pointed head and tracer (English AP-T) BR-540 / БР-540 48.8 0.66 600
Armored bullet with flattened head, bullet hood and tracer (English APCBC-T) BR-540B / БР-540Б 46.5 0.48 600
Concrete floors
Concrete floor (English HEAC) Г-545 / G-545 56.0 4.2 about 630
Fragmentation projectiles
Steel fragmentation projectile (HE-Frag) ОФ-540 / OF-540 43.6 5.9-6.25 655
Bulletin board for 152 mm ML-20S cannon howitzer
Calibrated BR-540 armored bullets with a pointed head
Firing range, m Angle of incidence 30 °, mm Impact angle 0 °, mm
500 105 125
1000 95 115
1500 85 105
2000 75 90
Calibrated BR-540B armored bullets with a flattened head
Firing range, m Angle of incidence 30 °, mm Impact angle 0 °, mm
500 105 130
1000 100 120
1500 95 115
2000 85 105
These data were determined using the Soviet method (Jakob-de-Marres formula, cement armor of high hardness (1.1 to 1.3 strength of the RHA) as the target). It should be noted that the penetration capacity depended markedly on the production batch of the bullets and the technology of manufacture. Direct comparison with similar data from other guns is not possible.
ISU-152 with the ML-20S howitzer pointing left. The side straightening range was 10 ° for the left and right alignment.

The BR-540B armored bullet with a flattened head was developed in 1944 and has been in use since the beginning of 1945, because the BR-540 armored bullet with a pointed head had a tendency to ricochet off the inclined front armor plate of the Panther or Tiger Type B when hit . The G-545 concrete bullets were rarely part of the combat kit, they were only used against bunkers or heavily fortified buildings in city battles. Only two of 13 possible propellant charges for the ML-20 field gun were used with the ISU-152 , namely the "special" Sh-545B charge ( Russian Ж-545Б , a one-piece propellant charge) for tank projectiles and the full ShN-545 - Charge ( Russian ЖН-545 , sleeve with a maximum of propellants) for fragmentation explosive and concrete projectiles.

After the Second World War, the operational profile of the ISU-152 changed from its use as an assault gun to its main use as a self -propelled howitzer, so that all other types of 152 mm ammunition ( smoke , propaganda, light , gas , nuclear projectiles ) were used with the ML-20S .

From the start of series production, some and, since January 1945, all ISU-152s were equipped with the super- heavy DSchK machine gun with a caliber of 12.7 mm. This machine gun had a barrel length of 78.7 caliber lengths (L / 79) and was mounted with the anti-aircraft system on the circular commander's hatch on the ceiling of the superstructure. The combat set for the DSchK was five cartridge boxes, each with a belt with 50 cartridges, a total of 250 rounds. The main purpose of this weapon was anti-aircraft, but it was often used for self-defense against enemy infantrymen.

The crew was equipped with two PPSch-41 or PPS-43 submachine guns with 1491 rounds (21 target magazines ) and twenty F-1 hand grenades. Sometimes a signal pistol with ammunition added to the inventory.

engine

The ISU-152 drove a twelve-cylinder - V-engine ( four-stroke - diesel engine ) of the type W-2IS at. The water-cooled engine developed around 382  kW (520 hp) at 2000 min −1 . The engine had a fork angle of 60 °, a compression ratio of around 14-15: 1, and its total weight was around 1000  kg . The engine was equipped with a type NK-1 injection pump and a type RNK-1 speed governor . The engine could be started either with a flywheel starter or with compressed air. The auxiliary electric motor for the flywheel starter had an output of 0.88 kW, and the compressed air was fed in from two previously filled reservoirs. The cooling system with oil pump had two cooling elements arranged in a horseshoe shape above the engine block. The W-2IS was equipped with a WT-5 type “ multi-cyclone ” oil filter .

Additional equipment included a preheater for use in cold weather conditions. There were two small containers between the sides of the tub and the engine. The oil, heated by two wick burners, was transported to the engine according to the principle of a thermosiphon system. These wick burners ran on diesel fuel and were also used to heat the fighting compartment. The thermosiphon is a passive construction that does without a conventional pump and uses the different specific gravity of the operating fluid at different temperatures to drive the oil circuit. The system used the pipes and the radiator of the cooling system to heat the entire engine; The radiator and the two tanks were integral parts of the engine. The other part of the preheater was a device for heating the fresh air of the engine. This device was mounted in the air filter and consisted of a fuel atomizer with spark plugs . During the filtering process, the flame of burning diesel fuel heated the fresh air.

The three internal fuel tanks together held 500 liters. Two were in the fighting compartment behind the front armor plate of the superstructure to the left and right of the gun. The third tank was located between the right side of the tub and the engine. The vehicle also had four additional tanks with a total capacity of 360 liters. These had no connection with the engine's fuel line and were on the outside of the pan. The driving range was 220 kilometers on the road without additional tanks. Diesel fuel DT or gas oil E was used as fuel .

Power transmission

The ISU-152 was equipped with a fully mechanical power transmission . The individual assemblies were:

Compared to the previous model SU-152 , the power transmission of the ISU-152 had a new component - the planetary gear in the steering device. This mechanism increased the reliability of the power transmission (that was a weak point of the KW chassis) and simplified the control somewhat. As a result, the average driving speed also increased slightly.

drive

The track drive of the ISU-152
Diameter of the rollers of the ISU-152
Driving wheel 820 mm
Roller / guide wheel 550 mm
Support roller 385 mm

The track drive of the ISU-152 was traditionally used for heavy tanks in Soviet tank construction at the time of World War II. The roller drive consisted of six rollers with three support rollers and a drive wheel at the rear. The guide wheel in front was identical to the rollers. It was also part of the chain tensioning mechanism. The two-part castors were individually torsion bar sprung without additional shock absorbers . All wheels and rollers were cast. The support rollers were adopted from the SU-152 without any changes. The deflection of all swing arms was limited by stops welded close to the armored hull. The crawler belt was a hinged chain and consisted of 86 short punched chain links with a row of teeth and 160 mm in length and 650 mm in width.

Fire protection equipment

The ISU-152 had a carbon tetrachloride - fire extinguisher fitted. He was able to fight a fire successfully; So there are mentions in Soviet front-line reports that burning IS tanks and vehicles on the same chassis could easily be extinguished. The crews were instructed to put out the fire under gas masks , as the carbon tetrachloride on the glowing metal surface reacted with atmospheric oxygen to form phosgene (carbon dioxide dichloride) . At that time, no more dangerous carbon dioxide fire extinguishers were used in Soviet tank construction.

Electrical equipment

The current source was a GT-4563A - generator with the control switch RRA-24F (1 kW) and two successively connected 6-STE-128 - storage batteries having a total capacity of 128 ampere hours . The two working voltages were 12 and 24 volts. The pantographs were:

  • the exterior and interior lighting, the illuminating device for the sight scale;
  • the electric trigger of the ML-20S cannon howitzer;
  • the horn and the signaling circuit from the infantry mounted on the tank to the crew (button and acoustic signal);
  • a voltage and ammeter ;
  • the communication means: radio and intercom;
  • the engine electrics: auxiliary motor of the flywheel starter, glow plugs for preheating, etc.

The tub served as a return conductor ( ground potential ).

Sighting devices and vision devices

The main weapons of the ISU-152 were equipped with two types of sighting devices. For direct fire, the ML-20S cannon howitzer had the ST-10 sighting telescope , which could be used up to a range of 900 meters. For greater distances (both direct and indirect fire) the gunner should use the second panoramic telescope, which was standardized with that of the ML-20 field gun. The maximum firing range when using the panoramic telescope was 13 kilometers. The panoramic telescope was supplemented with a special attachment for observation through the circular hatch on the left side of the roof. All sighting devices had illumination devices for their scales. The over heavy dshk machine gun was equipped with a K-8T - Kollimatorfernrohr equipped for high-lying targets and air defense.

All hatches in the roof of the superstructure - both those for the entry and exit of the crew and for the panoramic telescope - were equipped with an Mk-IV corner mirror for observation, and the vehicle was equipped with three of these devices. Two corner mirrors were available to the driver , one in the observation hatch in the front panel and another in the sloping armor panel on the left side of the body.

News media

The ISU-152 were with a 10R - or 10RK - radio equipment under construction and a TPU-4 to F equipped -Panzergegensprechanlage for four participants.

The 10R Plant consisted of the AM - transmitter , the receiver and the converters for connection to the 24 V on-board power supply. From a technical point of view, which was 10RT 1 half-duplex - tubes - shortwave radio system with heterodyne receiver . The transmission power was 20 watts. The transmitter and the receiver operated in the frequency range from 3.75 to 6 MHz. When stationary, the range in voice mode without radio interference was 20 to 25 kilometers, while the range was reduced while driving. The largest ranges were achieved through the pure use of code systems (e.g. Morse code ) without voice transmission. The frequency was kept constant by a removable quartz crystal; there was no frequency adjustment in the radio transmitter, but in the receiver. The 10R system made it possible to establish a connection via two fixed frequencies. A set of 15 quartz oscillator pairs (results in 30 working frequencies) was available for selecting the frequency.

The 10RK radio system was a manufacturing improvement of the 10R . Compared to the previous model, this was simplified and made cheaper in series production. With the 10RK , frequency tuning was also introduced in the radio transmitter and the number of quartz crystals was reduced to 16. The range remained the same as with the 10R .

The TPU-4-BisF intercom enabled communication inside the noisy tank and through connection to the radio system with the outside world.

Technical specifications

Self-propelled artillery vehicle ISU-152
General properties
classification Heavy assault gun
Chief designer Josef Jakowlewitsch Kotin
Prototype designation Object 241
Manufacturer Tscheljabinski Kirovsky Sawod (Kirov factory in Tscheljabinsk )
Leningradski Kirovsky Sawod (Kirov factory in Leningrad )
Weight 45.5-46.0 tons
Length over all 9050-9180 mm
Length over armored hull 6770 mm
Length over printing area 4310 mm
Width over everything 3070 mm
height 2480 mm (without DSchK -MG)
Ground clearance 460-470 mm
crew 5 men (commander, gunner, driver, loader, bolt gunner)
Years of construction 1943–1946 or 1947
number of pieces 2790 (1885 to May 1945)
Armament
Main armament 1 × 152.4mm ML-20S cannon howitzer
Secondary armament 1 × 12.7 mm MG Degtjarjow-Shpagin DSchK , 2 × 7.62 mm MP Schpagin PPSch or Sudajew PPS
ammunition 20 projectiles (30 for ISU-152K and ISU-152M ), 250 rounds of DSchK MG ammunition, 1491 rounds of MP ammunition, 20 F-1 hand grenades
Armor, hull
Bow above 60 mm / inclination 12 °
Bow below 90 mm / 60 °
page 90 mm / 90 °
Rear up 60 mm / 41 °
Stern down 60 mm / 49 °
ceiling 30 mm / 0 °
ground 20 mm / 0 °
Armor, structure
Gun mantlet 60 or 100 mm / arched
front 90 mm / 60 °
page 75 mm / 75 ° (front), 60 mm / 75 ° (rear)
Rear 60 mm / 90 °
ceiling 30 mm / 0 °
agility
engine 12-cylinder diesel engine W-2IS with 520 hp
Power to weight ratio 11.3-11.4 hp / ton
Top speed: (road / terrain) 35 km / h / 15-19 km / h
Fuel supply 500 liters
Fuel consumption per 100 km (road) 227 liters
Driving area (road) 220 km
Drive position back
suspension Torsion bar
Chain width 650 mm
Ground pressure 0.81-0.82 kg / cm²
Wading ability 1.3-1.5 m
Trench crossing ability: 2.5 m
Climbing ability: 1.0 m
Gradeability: 36 °
Bank slope: 30 °

Versions

Series vehicles

During the Second World War

An early version of the ISU-152 with a cast hull front
A later version of the ISU-152 with a welded tub front

There were no official designations for the individual ISU-152 versions during World War II, but two versions existed that differed in a number of details:

  • ISU-152 on chassis of the IS tank, mainly manufactured in 1943 and the first half of 1944 , had a cast hull front;
  • ISU-152 on chassis of the IS tank manufactured in the second half of 1944 had a tub front welded from two rolled armor plates. This version of the vehicle also had an enlarged fuel tank volume and a gun armor panel that was reinforced by up to 100 mm.

From the start of series production, some and, since January 1945, all ISU-152s were equipped with the super-heavy 12.7 mm DSchK machine gun for anti-aircraft defense; some vehicles manufactured earlier received these installed in the course of repair work.

After the Second World War

A modernized ISU-152K

The good combat and service characteristics of the ISU-152, as well as a certain stagnation in the development of self-propelled and tubular artillery (effect of the enthusiasm of the military and state leadership for missile weapons) led to the decision to modernize the ISU-152 remaining in service . Their ML-20S cannon howitzers were also suitable for nuclear bullets in caliber 152 mm, which were developed in the USSR in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Since 1958, modernization has been brought about in two programs:

  • ISU-152М (prototype named Object 241М );
  • ISU-152K (prototype named Object 241K ).

Both ISU-152 modernization programs included

  • the installation of a commander's cupola;
  • the installation of a night vision device along with infrared target lights for this;
  • the replacement of the W-2IS engine with a more modern W-54 ;
  • the increase in the ammunition supply carried from 20 to 30 projectiles;
  • the replacement of the sights and the radio and anti-tank intercom with more modern models.

Chain covers such as those of the IS-2M tank, additional tanks and a wooden beam (as a base for the chains if the vehicle got stuck) were also installed. Therefore, the appearance of the modernized ISU-152K and ISU-152M differed significantly from the original version.

Test vehicles

  • ISU-152-1 (also ISU-152BM or Object 246 ) - a heavy experimental tank destroyer, developed in April 1944 in the design office of Opytny Zavod No. 100 under Kotin's direction. This was a mass-produced ISU-152 with a new main weapon: the ML-20S cannon howitzer was replaced by the powerful BL-8 cannon with a caliber of 152.4 mm. The BL-8 also had the designation OBM-43 ( Russian ОБМ-43 , abbreviation for О рудие б ольшой м ощности , "great performance gun") and was developed in the OKB-172 under II Ivanov's direction. The main purpose of this cannon was the fight against very heavily armored vehicles like the German Ferdinand or Jagdtiger . It had a barrel length of about 46 caliber lengths (L / 46) and a muzzle velocity of 850 m / s. However, the tests carried out showed many flaws in the design of the cannon and projectiles, so the gun had to be redesigned, the vehicle itself was later converted to the ISU-152-2 .
  • ISU-152-2 (also ISU-152BM or Object 247 ) - a heavy experimental tank destroyer, developed in the summer of 1944 in the design office of Opytny Zavod No. 100 under Kotin's direction. This was the former ISU-152-1 -versuchsjagdpanzer with the improved variant BL-10 of the 152-mm high-performance gun. The intended purpose and ballistic properties of the BL-10 gun remained unchanged from the BL-8 predecessor. The tests of the ISU-152-2 led to the same result as with the ISU-152-1 . The gun could have been redesigned, but after the end of World War II, all further development of the ISU-152-2 was stopped. The BL-10 gun was returned to the manufacturer.

The ISU-152 M1945 ( Russian ИСУ-152 обр. 1945 г. ) or Object 704 was not a version of the mass-produced ISU-152 , but a new development on the chassis of the heavy IS-3 tank.

Vehicles on ISU-152 chassis

2P19 launcher on ISU-152K chassis of the 9K72 missile weapon complex R-11 "Elbrus" in the Artillery Museum in Saint Petersburg
Tank command vehicle on ISU chassis

After the end of the Second World War, some chassis of the ISU-152 (as well as ISU-122 ) were used for the development of self-propelled over-heavy cannons or rocket launchers . Disarmed ISU-152 and ISU-122 with welded gun openings were also used as recovery and observation tanks and as tank command vehicles under the designation ISU-T . Some of these vehicles were also given to civil organizations for use as tractors and means of transport in the field. The Soviet railway used some disarmed ISU-152s as recovery vehicles in rescue trains for cleaning up after railway accidents.

The BTT-1 tank had the same chassis, but had more options than the ISU-T . Shock absorbers for moving failed tanks were welded to the armored hull with the help of a wooden beam. The rear of the vehicle had a spur; There was also a platform above the engine compartment and a removable hand-operated crane with a load capacity of three tons. Instead of the main weapon and ammunition, a powerful cable winch powered by the diesel engine was installed in the superstructure. The BTT-1T variant was instead equipped with cables , pulleys and other equipment for pulling vehicles.

Received vehicles

Many ISU-152s have survived the fighting of World War II, the subsequent armed conflicts and their retirement. Today they are museum exhibits or are used for monument purposes. They are particularly numerous in the exhibitions of military museums or memorials in Russia , Ukraine and Belarus ; some vehicles are memorials at the troop locations of the armies of these countries. Some museum vehicles are roadworthy, usually they take part in parades and historical military shows celebrating the end of the war in Europe .

ISU-152 are also issued in a number of other states, e.g. B. in the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst , in the tank museum Parola , Finland and in the tank museum Batey-ha-Osef , Israel .

Additional information

See also

literature

  • Свирин М. Н .: Самоходки Сталина. История советской САУ 1919-1945. Эксмо и др., Москва 2008, ISBN 978-5-699-20527-1 .
    (Russian and in Cyrillic script; series: Sowetskie tanki ; German roughly: Michail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. Eksmo et al., Moscow 2008)
  • Солянкин А. Г. и др .: Советские тяжёлые самоходные артиллерийские установки 1941–1945 гг. Цейхгауз, Москва 2006, ISBN 5-94038-080-8 .
    (Russian and in Cyrillic script; German roughly: AG Soljankin et al .: The Soviet heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles     1941–1945. Zeughaus, Moscow 2006)
  • Карпенко А. В .: Тяжёлые самоходные артиллерийские установки. [Танкомастер]. 2001, number 4
    (Russian and in Cyrillic script; German roughly: AW Karpenko: Die heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles. [Tankomaster]. 2001, number 4)
  • Барятинский М. Б .: «Зверобои». Убийцы «Тигров». Москва, Эксмо и др., 2009, ISBN 978-5-699-28275-3 .
    (Russian and in Cyrillic script; series: Arsenal Kollekzija ; German roughly: Michail B. Barjatinski: Die “Großwildjäger”. Die Tigerköter. Eksmo et al., Moscow 2009)
  • Желтов И. Г. и др .: Танки ИС. [Танкомастер]. 2004, специальный выпуск
    (Russian and in Cyrillic script; German roughly: Igor G. Scheltow et al .: Die IS-Panzer. In: Tankomaster . Special     edition 2004)

Web links

Commons : ISU-152  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  • ( G ) Mikhail N. Swirin: Stalin's self-propelled artillery vehicles. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945.
  1. ^ Mikhail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 270.
  2. ^ Mikhail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 271.
  3. ↑ a b Michail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 272.
  4. ↑ a b c Michail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 273.
  5. ^ Mikhail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 378.
  6. ^ Mikhail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 326.
  7. ^ Mikhail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 334.
  8. ↑ a b Michail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 283.
  9. ^ Mikhail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 282.
  10. ^ Mikhail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 376.
  11. ^ Mikhail N. Swirin: The self-propelled artillery vehicles of Stalin. The history of the Soviet self-propelled artillery vehicle 1919–1945. P. 350.
  • ( T ) AG Soljankin u. a .: The Soviet heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles 1941–1945.
  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Soljankin AG et al .: The Soviet heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles 1941–1945. Pp. 12–19 (Russian).
  2. ↑ Soljankin AG and Others: The Soviet heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles from 1941 to 1945. P. 31 (russ.)
  3. ↑ Soljankin AG and Others: The Soviet heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles from 1941 to 1945. P. 32 (Russian).
  4. ↑ Soljankin AG and Others: The Soviet heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles from 1941 to 1945. P. 37 (Russian).
  • ( B ) Michail B. Baryatinsky: The "big game hunters". The tiger slayers.
  1. ↑ a b c d Michail B. Baryatinsky: "The Big Game Hunters". The tiger slayers. P. 55.
  2. ↑ a b Michail B. Baryatinsky: The «Big Game Hunters». The tiger slayers. P. 87.
  3. ↑ a b Michail B. Baryatinsky: The «Big Game Hunters». The tiger slayers. P. 85.
  4. ↑ Michail B. Baryatinsky: The "Big Game Hunters" . The tiger slayers. S. 63 .
  5. ↑ Michail B. Baryatinsky: The "Big Game Hunters". The tiger slayers. P. 58.
  6. ↑ Michail B. Baryatinsky: The "Big Game Hunters". The tiger slayers. P. 42.
  • Other documents
  1. ^ Igor G. Scheltow u. a .: The IS tanks. P. 47.
  2. ↑ a b c Широкорад А. Б. Энциклопедия отечественной артиллерии. - Мн .: Харвест, 2000. - 1156 с. (Russian and Cyrillic script; German: AB Schirokorad : Encyclopedia of Russian Artillery. Harvest, Minsk 2000, ISBN 985-433-703-0 )
  3. ↑ a b c page «The Russian Battlefield» (Russian)
  4. ↑ Maxim W. Kolomijez: The amphibious tanks T-37, T-38, T-40 . In: Almanach “Front Illustration” . No. 3 . Moscow 2003, ISBN 5-901266-01-3 , pp. 79 (Russian: М. В. Коломиец. Танки-амфибии Т-37, Т-38, Т-40 .).
  5. ↑ Финляндские бронетанковые войска ( Memento from September 24, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ↑ page “4. Jägerplatoon of the Finnish Army " ( Memento from January 18, 2014 in the web archive archive.today )
  7. ↑ DF Losa: Дмитрий Федорович Лоза: Танкист на "иномарке" ( "The tank soldier on foreign wagons "), Яуза, Эксмо, 2005, ISBN 5-699-12314-8, accessed September 29, 2014 online .
  8. ↑ На одной из «Пантер» […] от удара крупнокалиберного бетонобойного снаряда снесло башню. Второй тяжелый танк вспыхнул огромным костром. Лоза Д. Ф. Танкист на «иномарке». - М .: Яуза, Эксмо, 2005. - с. 320 ISBN 5-699-12314-8 (Russian and in Cyrillic script; German: DF Losa: The tank soldier on foreign wagons. )
  9. ↑ О. А. Лосик: Организация и применение танковых войск вусловиях ядерной войны. издательство БТВТ, 1962; German roughly: OA Lossik The organization and use of the armored forces under the conditions of the nuclear war. BTWT-Verlag, 1962.
  10. ↑ G. Tschlijanz: The Soviet troops own transmission and receiving technology. ( Memento of the original from June 14, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (soot.) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.qrz.ru
  11. ^ Igor G. Scheltow u. a .: The IS tanks. P.56.
  12. ↑ AW Karpenko: The heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles. Pp. 41, 49.
  13. ↑ Photo of the former ISU-152 vehicle in the rescue train  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / fotki.yandex.ru  
  14. ↑ Page The Shadock's website : Remaining ISU-152 and ISU-122 (PDF; 12.4 MB, English)

Remarks

  1. ↑ T-37A and T-38 floating tanks (some sources also mention T-40 ) of the 92nd independent tank regiment and Ford GPA amphibious vehicles of the 275th independent motorized battalion for special disposal.
  2. ↑ The Panther was a heavy tank in the Soviet classification.
This article was added to the list of excellent articles on October 8, 2009 in this version .