Monday 10 July 2017

Experimental Tank Guns in 1940, part 2

We saw some Soviet pre-war prospective guns in a previous article, let's take a look at the rest of the list.

Name
Mass
Oscillating part mass
Top speed (kph)
Practical rate of fire RPM
Horizontal range
Vertical range
Max. range (km)
Muzzle velocity
m/s
Shell mass (kg)
Effect/
Notes
152 mm M-10 tank howitzer in the KV tank
53 tons
1890
Up to 20
1-2
360
-3
+12
6
436
51.07
Penetrates 90 mm of armour at 1000 m
122 mm corps gun for the KV tank
54 tons
3200
Up to 20
2-3
360
-3
+15
13
800
25.2
Penetrates 130 mm at 30 degrees at 1000 m (calculated)
85 mm SPG on T-34 chassis (tank destroyer)
26 tons
1200
Up to 40
15
360
-5
+45
17
800
9.2
Penetrates up to 88 mm at 30 degrees at 1000 m (calculated)
130 mm SPG (B-13) for the SMK
64 tons
-
Up to 20
2
6
+12
15
870
33.5
Penetrates 130 mm of armour and 40 mm of iron liner at 4400 m. Ready by September 1st, 1940.
152 mm SPG (Br-2) for the SMK
64 tons
4200
Up to 20
0.5
6
+12
13
860
51.07
Penetrates 130 mm of armour at 30 degrees at 5000 m and 150 mm of armour at 0 degrees at 1100 m. Ready by September 1st, 1940.
55-60 mm anti-tank gun
1000 kg
-
Up to 50
15
60
+25
13
At least 1000
Up to 3
Penetrates 70 mm of armour at 1000 m at 30 degrees (calculated)
76 mm anti-tank gun based on the USV or F-22
Up to 1800 kg
1200
Up to 50
15
55
+45
15
813
6.5
Penetrates 70 mm of armour at 30 degrees at 1000 m. Uses shells from the mod. 1931 AA gun. Ready by October 1st, 1940

The first entry is pretty self explanatory: this is the KV-2. By this time, 4 KV-2s have been assembled, but it has not gone into production quite yet, so it still shows up on the experimental list. The second entry is quite interesting: some kind of proto-IS-2. It's interesting to see such a powerful gun in a rotating turret so early in the war.

Next, we have something my readers should already be familiar with. The 85 mm gun on a T-34 chassis is the U-20 tank destroyer

Now here's something a little more obscure. Fans of Soviet tank history will know that the T-100, SMK, and KV faced off for the title of the Red Army's next heavy tank during the Winter War. By the summer of 1940, when this list was composed, the KV had already won. However, it seems that the SMK wasn't quite dead yet. Two SPGs, one with a 130 mm gun and one with a 152 mm gun, are still being pitched. The tank may have never moved forward, but the idea of SPGs with these guns remained. The 130 mm S-26, based on the B-13, was used in the ISU-130 SPG. The 152 mm Br-2 on a self propelled chassis was a long-lived dream of Soviet artillerymen, with several attempts, like the U-19, and S-51.

The 55-60 mm anti-tank gun is another familiar sight. This is, quite obviously, the ZIS-2. The 76 mm anti-tank gun, however, is more interesting. There were attempts to build guns for the KV (ZIS-5, first iteration) and T-34 (S-54) with the ballistics of this gun, so it's only logical that a towed version would also be made. This particular implementation looks similar to the Pak 36(r), with the existing F-22 being adapted for a more powerful round.

5 comments:

  1. In my opinion some WWII designations are incorrect, the KV2 is one of the most obvious in the Soviet side. It's not a tank but a specialized vehicle, hence it would have to be denomined as a SPG.

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    Replies
    1. It was the responsibility of the GABTU, not the GAU, therefore it is a tank :P

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    2. The KV2 was in the category of 'artillery tank' like the T-26 w/76.2mm howitzer or the BT-7A. They may seem like SPGs to you (or me) but that's what they called them.

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  2. It was not the only one badly designated vehicle in WWII. How would you name a vehicle built with the main goal "to fight other armoured fighting vehicles"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would designate it as a tank destroyer, but Germans designated the Panzer 3 as a tank.

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