Monday, 7 December 2020

Video: SPG or Tank Destroyer?

In this week's video, I take a look at a commonly asked question: what's the difference between a self propelled gun and a tank destroyer? Was the SU-152 either or both? Watch and find out!

3 comments:

  1. SPGs designation that's interesting case. As example, in Poland vehicles like SU-85, SU-100, etc. (casamate style Soviet SPGs) typically are described as "self propelled gun" or "armoured gun", but exist Polish booklet from 1945 which reffer SU-85 as "85 mm assault gun". In this case term assault gun probably come from German terminology.

    ReplyDelete
  2. To my thinking, since artillery was the preferred method for destroying tanks anyway, at least on defense, calling the ISU regiments "self-propelled artillery" doesn't at all diminish their anti-tank role.

    Moreover, like in many things, choosing large-caliber weaponry on their SPGs that could blow either fortifications or enemy armor to smithereens is being practical. That's a superior solution than just a high-velocity smaller-caliber weapon that just does one thing (fight tanks) well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On the flipside HV small-bore stuff can be mounted on a MUCH smaller, lighter and nimbler chassis. Tradeoffs, tradeoffs...

      OFC the Soviets just called all their self-propelled stuff with the wonderfully dry term "self-propelled installation" (according to how Wiki translates it) anyway irrespective of the specific niche it was designed for so tomato, toh-mah-to. It's really just administrative nomenclature anyway.

      Delete