SU-76
| SU-76 | |
|---|---|
SU-76M in the museum in Nizhny Novgorod |
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 4th |
| length | 5.00 m |
| width | 2.70 m |
| height | 2.10 m |
| Dimensions | 10.2 tons |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | Front 35 mm, side 16 mm |
| Main armament | 1 × 76.2 mm SiS-3Sh cannon with 62 rounds |
| Secondary armament | no |
| agility | |
| drive | two six-cylinder engines GAZ -203 , each with 85 PS (63 kW) |
| suspension | Torsion bar |
| Top speed | 45 km / h |
| Power / weight | 17 hp / ton |
| Range | 450 km on the road and 295 km off-road |
The SU-76 was a light Soviet self-propelled gun of the Second World War , which was used both for anti-tank and as an artillery vehicle. After the T-34 , it was the most-built Soviet armored vehicle of the war.
construction
Development of the vehicle began in February 1942. At first, attempts were made to build the vehicle on the basis of the T-60 , but then switched to the hull of the T-70 . First, due to a lack of material, a drive design was used that had already caused problems with the early T-70s . The two motors each drove a chain. It was controlled by regulating the speed of the two motors independently of each other. Since this worked poorly in practice, the self-propelled gun was very unpopular with the crews, which earned it the nickname “Suka” (“bitch” - see also Russian Mat ). It was not until the beginning of 1943 that the final version SU-76M came to the front, in which both engines were on the right-hand side and the chains were driven via a gearbox.
The landing gear consisted of an extended tub of the T-70 with an additional pair of rollers. Like this one, it was powered by two GAS truck engines . In order to create space for the armament, the driver's area was relocated to the left side of the hull.
The armament consisted of the SIS-3 gun . The cannon was housed in a lightly armored, non-rotating, open-top structure. In this the gun mount could be aimed. The superstructure, which was useless against increased enemy positions and aircraft and armored only against small calibers, was also the vehicle's greatest weakness.
During the Korean War , the SU-76 was also used by the Korean People's Army .
12,671 units were built.
rating
Its construction is similar to the German Marder tanks . The use for anti-tank defense is also a parallel. With the SU-76 , the Soviet army had a simple but powerful support vehicle at its disposal. It was fast enough to keep up with the T-34 tanks . As a tank destroyer , however, it was only moderately successful, as the Wehrmacht began to bring heavier tanks to the front as soon as it was commissioned. As an assault artillery gun, however, it was a valuable support for the infantry.
Soviet sources emphasize the simple construction and the uncomplicated mass production, and the small size and lightness, which made it possible to take full advantage of the cover and camouflage properties of the area and to accompany the infantry at all times.
Web links
- ORF Lower Austria: Russian armored vehicle fished from Danube (June 22, 2009)
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Igor Schmeljow: Panzer from seven decades . Berlin 1988, p. 77.