In early 1943, before the command of the Red Army, the question of the need to develop and implement in the production of heavy self-propelled artillery Installations To defeat highly fortified enemy defense strips, as well as for the destruction of German tanks with a large thickness of armor, such as SAU Ferdinand and the new tank "Jagdpanzer".

After the creation of the KB team No. 100, the object of 237- - the prototype of future tanks and its successful tests of GKO issued an order on the speedy production of new tests of the IS-1 on the SCC, which at that time was engaged in the production of a heavy tank of KV-85. Middle T-34 and severe SU-152. The latter was built on the basis of heavy gangcake kV-1c, equipped with a 152-mm Gaubic ML-20C, had a fixed logging installed instead of the tower. This self-propeller has already managed to prove himself in Bigwe in the Kursk arc. 152-mm her shells successfully pierced armor of the latest German tanks with almost any distances.

Production of Tanks IP-1 on ChKZ gradually displaced the production of other tanks. And before the designers, the question was raised on the basis of new heavy tanks Installation is the same by armament with Su-152. It turned out that for the construction of a new SAU, it is necessary to re-develop a combat logging, since the geometrically, the IP and KB housing differed greatly. The new armored chapter increased in height, which certainly increased the visibility of the car on the battlefield, but also the conditions of the crew improved. The artisystem was supposed to be left unchanged. Thus, thanks to the accumulated experience in the production of SU-152 in a short time at the factory, a SAU was created under the index "Object 241".

An experienced sample was published on the test on November 21, 1943. The car successfully passed them and was launched under the index of ISU-152. The lack of trunks of guns ML-20C seriously slowed down the release of new SAU, but by December 1943, in parallel with the release of ISU-122 and IP-1, the plant manufactured 30 ISU-152.

The construction of the power plant, transmission, chassis, electrical equipment and radio equipment did not differ from the IP units. Fuel tanks had a modified form. The housing was welded from armor plates. Internal layout included two compartments: control and combat; Powerful.

Armored catering made of rolled sheets began to be placed in the front of the case. In it, a 152-mm Gaubitian cannon was located on a special machine, shifted to the right from the longitudinal axis of the machine.

The commander's turret was not, the commander led to observation through the periscopic device. Rubbed on the roof of the roof. To control fire, ISU-152 was equipped with a telescopic sight of the ST-10 and the Panorama Hertz, which provided fire management both direct vending and closed positions.

The external connection was carried out using a radio station, a tank negotiation device was served for the inner. Communication with a landing, which was located on the stern part of the case, was carried out using sound alarm.
The crew consisted of four or five people: SAU commander, gun commander, mechanic-driver, charging and castle. If the crew was reduced to four people, then the duties of the castle performed charging.

The ISSU-152 ammunition was 20 shots of separate charging with armor-powered tracing shells. The rest of the ammunition was fragantic fugasic grenades and cartridges for the carriage of the crew
In the process of production in the design of the ISU-152, careless changes. On the windows of later releases, a radio station was replaced (10pc instead of JR), a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft gun was installed on the roof of the combat cutting, the container of external fuel tanks was increased.

In 1944-1945 Attempts to increase the firepower of ISU-152. The length of this in the prototional order for self-propelled was installed long-life 152-mm guns BL-8 and BL-10. But when testing, the long trunks of the guns prevented the passage of SAU on rough terrain, and many other flaws were revealed. The car was not adopted to production. These prototypes have been preserved to this day at the Museum in Cuba.

From the beginning of 1944, self-propelled artillery shelves, armed Su-152. They began to be equipped with Installations of ISU-152 and ISU-122. Until the end of the war, 53 such shelf were formed, each of which was 21 cars of a particular type.

The main task of new regiments of the ISU is support for offensive operations, so most of them were in the reserve of armies and fronts. Fire support from SAU ISU was to be carried away from large distances, since the limited horizontal shelling sector did them with vulnerable at the near and approach from the flank. As a fighter tanks, ISU-122 was suitable, the armor of the gun of which was much better than that of ML-20C installed on ISU-152. The main task with the use of 152-mm SAU was to knock out the enemy from highly fortified tranches, where concrequity and fragmentation-fuke-sized shells of self-propelled guns simply did not leave the chance of salvation. It was well established by ISU-152 and in street fighting, when knocking out the enemy from dilapidated buildings.

For the first time, new self-propelled plants were widely applied in the summer of 1944 in operation - Bagrition. Shelves self-propelled artillery Especially distinguished in battles for Polotsk and Vitebsk. Heavy self-propelled shelves that were attached to tank and rifle compounds were directly used with the support of attacking infantry and tanks. In the fights in Eastern Prussia in the winter of 1945, there were often cases of the transition of individual enemy regiments in a counteroffensive, but the powerful artillery opposition to SAU ISU of the 390th Guards TCAP reflected these attempts.

Quite often, ISU-152 was used with art preparations. There was a case when when conducting the Sandomir-Silesian operation, the 368th Guards TSAP of the 1st Ukrainian Front of ISU-152 for almost two hours a concentrated fire was led from a closed position on the four batteries of the enemy.

ISU-152 was successfully applied and during the storming of powerful fortified structures of Königsberg and in battles for Berlin. She became the most powerful SAU of the USSR of the Second World War. The nicknames of this formidable car speak for themselves for themselves - the Soviet "St. John's wort" and the German "Dosenoffner" (canned cans ").

The release of ISU-152 did not stop after the end of the war. In 1956, these cars were a major modernization. Instead of the engine B-2Is, installed in-54k. Bade devices of communication, as well as instruments of observation and guns. On the roof of armor logging, a commander turret with seven viewing blocks of TNP and a TPK device was installed. Small changes contributed to the running part, increased the capacity of fuel tanks and ammunition. Upgraded SAU received the index of the ISU-152K. Later, in 1959, the second modernization was conducted, during which the nodes of the chassis were replaced with the IS-2M tank nodes. Such a car was named Iercu-152m.
Improved ISU-152m and ISU-152K continued to serve in the Soviet Army for a long time, took part in an armed conflict in Hungary in 1956. It is also known that two SAUs were transferred to Egypt, where they served as stationary firepoints along the shores of the Suez Canal.

The legendary "St. Jersey" ISU-152

In connection with the adoption of the 1943 adoption by the Red Army of the new heavy tank of IP and the removal from the production of KV-1C, there was a need to create a heavy SAU on the basis of a new heavy tank. The Resolution of the State Committee of Defense No. 4043Ss dated September 4, 1943 prescribed an experienced plant No. 100 in Chelyabinsk together with the technical administration of the main armored control of the Red Army until November 1, 1943 to design, make and test the IP-152 artist on the basis of the IP tank.

When developing, the installation received the factory designation "Object 241". The lead designer was appointed G. N. Moskvin. The prototype was manufactured in October. For several weeks, SAU was tested for NIBT polygon in Cuba and an artillery scientific and test pillar (Aniop) in Gorokhovets. On November 6, 1943, the State GKO decision was adopted under the designation of the ISU-152, and its mass production began in December.

The layout of ISU-152 did not differ in principle innovations. The combat cut, made of rolled armor sheets, was installed in the front of the hull, combining into one volume of control and combat branch. The motor-transmission office was in the stern part of the case. The nose of the body on the installations of the first releases was made by cast, on the machines of the last editions had a welded structure. The number and accommodation of crew members were the same as that of Su -152. If the crew consisted of four people, then the charges of charging performed the castle. For planting the crew in the roof of the roaster there were two round hatches in the front and one rectangular in the fodder. All hatches were closed by two-rolled covers, in the upper sashs of which the MK-4 observation devices were installed. In the windshield sheet of logging was located the observation hatch of the driver mechanic, which closed by armor cork with a glass bottle and observation slit.

The design of the combat log in itself is not subject to fundamental change. Because of the smaller width of the IP tank, compared to the KV, had to reduce the slope of the onboard sheets from 250 to 150 to the vertical, and the tilt of the feed sheet was eliminated at all. The thickness of the reservation has increased from 75 to 90 mm in the head of the logging and from 60 to 75 mm in the onboard.

The gun mask had a thickness of 60 mm, and subsequently it was brought to 100 mm. The roof of the cut consisted of two parts. The front of the roof was welded to the front, zoom and onboard sheets. In addition to two round hatches, a hole was made to install the fan of the combat department (in the middle), which was closed outside the armored cap, and the hatcher was also provided for accessing the filler neck of the left front fuel tank (left) and the antenna entry hole (right). The rear sheet of the roof was performed removable and fastened with bolts. It should be noted that the installation of the exhaust fan has become a significant advantage of the ISU-152, compared with the CU-152, in which the exhaust forced ventilation was not at all, and the crew members during the battle sometimes lost consciousness from accumulating powder gases. However, according to the memoirs of self-propeller, and on the new car, the ventilation leaves much to be desired - when the shutter is opened after the avalanche of thick powder smoke, similar to the sour cream, flowed from the trunk of the gun and slowly spread over the floor of the combat department.

The roof over the motor-transmission compartment consisted of a removable sheet over the engine, grids over the aircraft windows to the engine and armor lattices over the blinds. In a removable sheet, there was a hatch to access nodes and engine units closed by a folding lid. In the back of the sheet, two hatches were located to access the fuel and oil tanks. The medium feed sheet of the case in the combat position was screwed by bolts, during repair it could be thrown back on the hinges. To access the transmission units, it had two round hatches that closed with folding armored lids. The bottom of the body was welded from three armor sheets and had hatches and holes closed by armored lids and traffic jams.

152-mm Gaubice-gun ML-20C ORG.1937 / 43. Mounted in a cast frame, playing the role of the upper machine gun, and was protected by the cast armored mask borrowed from Su-152. The swinging part of the self-propelled Gaubitian-gun had minor differences, compared to the field: a folding tray was installed to facilitate charging and additional traction to the trigger, the handles of the flywheel lifting and turning mechanisms were located at the gunner on the left in the course of the machine, the trumps were rendered forward for a natural balancing. . Vertical guidance angles ranged from -30 to +200, horizontal - in the sector 100. The height of the fire line was 1800 mm. For shooting, a direct vendor was used by a telescopic sight of ST-10 with a semi-dependent aiming line, a panorama of hertz with an extension beloved was used with a closed fighter position, whose lens came out of the cut through the open left upper hatch. When shooting at night, the scale of the sight and panorama, as well as the aiming and gun arrow were highlighted with electric light bulbs of the "Light 5" instrument. The shooting range of direct vendor was 3800 m, the largest - 6200 m. Rapidity - 2- 3 SECURITY / MIN. The gun had an electric and mechanical (manual) descent. Electrosque gasheet was on the handwheel handle of the lifting mechanism. On the guns of the first editions were used mechanical (manual) descent. Lifting and swivel sector-type mechanisms were attached to the brackets to the left cheek of the frame.

The ammunition consisted of 21 shots of separate sleeve charge with armor-piano-tracing oscillation shells of BR-540, fragant-of-540 and steel gobish grenade grenades and ancient gobic garnets from stal wall cast iron 0-530A. The armor-sized tracing shells were in the niche of combat logging on the left side in the special framework, the fragantic fuzasy grenades are in the same place, the sleeves with combat charges in the niche logging in a special framework and in the Homutic laying. Part of the sleeves with combat charges posted an action on the bottom under the gun. starting speed The armor-piercing projectile at a weight of 48.78 kg was 600 m / s, on the range of 1000 m he pierced the armor with a thickness of 123 mm.

On the part of the cars since October 1944, an anti-aircraft transport turret with a 12.7-mm machine gun of DShk arrived was installed on the rotating chase of the commander hatch. 1 938 years. Amusement to the machine gun was 250 ammunition. In addition, two PPH machine gun (later - PPS) with ammunition 1491 cartridge and 20 hand-held grenades F-1 were laid in the combat department.

The power plant and transmission were borrowed from the IC-1 tank (IS-2). On ISU-152, a 12-cylinder four-stroke diesel B-2IS (B - 2-10) with a capacity of 520 hp was installed. at 2000 rpm. The cylinders were located y-figuratively at an angle of 600. The degree of compression 14-15. Mass engine 1000 kg. The start of the engine was carried out by an inertial starter that had handheld and electric drives, or with compressed air cylinders.

The total capacity of the three fuel tanks was 520 liters. Another 300 liters was transported in three outer tanks that are not connected to the power system. Fuel is forced, with the help of a high pressure high pressure fuel pump HK-1.

The lubrication system is circulating, under pressure. A circulation tank was built into the tank of the lubrication system, which ensured the fastest oil heating and the ability to use gasoline oil sounding method.

The cooling system is liquid closed, with forced circulation. Radiators - two, plate-tubular, horseshoe-shaped mold installed above the centrifugal fan.

To clean the air entering the cylinders of the engine, two air purifiers of the VT-5 type "MultiCiclone" were installed on the SAU. In the heads of the air cleaners were built into the nozzles and the wicked candles to heal the suction air in the winter. In addition, wick heaters operating on diesel fuel were used to heat the coolant in the engine cooling system. These same heaters also enhanced combat branch of the machine on long parking.

The SAU transmission included a multidiscory main friction friction friction (ferroc steel), a four-stage eight-speed transmission transmission with a demultiplier, two-stage planetary mechanisms for rotation with multi-disc blocking friction and two-stage on-board transmissions with a planetary side.

The chassis of the SAU in relation to one board consisted of six dual cast support rollers with a diameter of 550 mm and three supporting rollers. The leading wheels of the rear layout had two removable gear crowns with 14 teeth each. The guide wheels are cast, with a crank mechanism of caterpillars, interchangeable with support rollers. Suspension individual torsion. Steel caterpillars, small-grained, out of 86 alogy shops each. Tracks stamped, 650 mm wide and step 162 mm. Gearing set.

For external radio communications on machines, radio stations were installed 10p or 10kk, for the internal - negotiation device TPU-4-BISF. To communicate with the landing assault, there was a sound alarm button.

Already in early 1944, ISU-152 was released by the lack of guns ML-20. Anticipating this situation, at the Artillery Plant No. 9 in Sverdlovsk, a barrel of 122-mm corpus gun A-19 was put on the cradle of guns ML-20C and as a result they received a severe arthone of ISU-122 "Object 242"). An experienced installation sample in December 1943 was tested on the Gorokhovetsky polygon. Decree of the GKO dated March 12, 1944, ISU-122 was adopted by the Red Army. Serial production of the machine began on the SKZ from April 1944 and continued until September 1945.

IRSU-122 was an option to SAU ISU-152, in which 152 mm ML GABIBER-gun ML- 20C was replaced by a 122-mm gun A-19 arr.1931 / 37. At the same time I had to change a few and mobile reservation to the gun. The height of the fire line was 1790 mm. In May 1944, the design of the A-19 Gun trunks were made, which violated the interchangeability of new trunks with previously released. The upgraded tool received the name "122 - mm self-propelled gun arr. 1931/45 Both instruments had a piston shutter. The length of the barrel was 46.3 caliber. The A-19 gun device was largely equally with ML-20C. It was distinguished from the last barrel of a smaller caliber with an increased 730 mm long, lack of a muzzle brake and a smaller number of cuts. To guide the gun, the sector-type lifting mechanism and the rotary mechanism of the screw type were used. The corners of the vertical fitting ranged from -30 to +220, horizontally - in the 100 sector. To prevent the lifting mechanism from inertial loads, the passing link in the form of a conical friction clutch placed between the worm wheel and the gear of the lifting mechanism was introduced into its design. When shooting, a telescopic was used for the installation of ST-18, which was distinguished from at the value of the ST-10 only with cutting scales, and panoramic with a semi-independent or with an independent aiming line (Panorama Hertz). The shooting range of direct vendor was 5000 m, the largest - 14300 m. Freeding capacity - 2 - 3 SECTION / MIN.

In the amplification of the installation, 30 shots of separately gylby charging with an armor-piano-tracing oscillation of the BR-471 and armor-piercing shell with a ballistic tip of the BR-47 B, as well as fragant-burglar cannon grenades: all-circuable short of-471n, with a screw head and long - OF-471. The initial velocity of the armor-piercing projectile at a weight of 25 kg was 800 m / s. Additionally, two PPS (PPS) machine gun (PPS) with ammunition 1491 (21 disk) and 25 hand-held grenades F-1 were laid in the combat department.

From October 1944, an anti-aircraft gun of DSHK was installed on the part of the cars with 250 ammunition.

In April 1944, a self-propelled artillery installation of ISU-122C (ISU-122-2, "Object 249") was created in the KB of Plant No. 100 (ISU-122-2, "Object 249". In June, the installation was tested at aniope in Gorokhovets, and August 22, 1944 was adopted. In the same month, its mass production on the SCC was launched in parallel with ISU-122 and ISU-152, which continued until September 1945.

ISU-122C was created on the basis of ISU-122 and was different from it by installing a gun D-25C arr. 1944 with a horizontal wedge semi-automatic shutter and dung brake. The height of the fire line was 1795 mm. Stem length - 48 calibers. Due to the more compact anti-tottack devices and the execution of the gun, it was possible to increase the rate of fire to 6 SET / min. The corners of the vertical tip ranged from -30 to +200, horizontally - in the 100 sector (70 to the right and 30 to the left). Gun sights - Telescopic TS-17 and Panorama Hertz. The shooting range is a straight entrance - 5000 m, the maximum - up to 15000 m. Amusement - the same as the A-19 gun. Externally, SU-122C was different from the CU-122 trunk of the gun and a new cast mask with a thickness of 120 -150 mm. 1944 to 1947 was manufactured 2790 self-propelled installations ISU-152, 1735 - ISU-122 and 675 - ISU-122C. Thus, the total release of heavy artsmodes - 5,200 pieces - exceeded the number of heavy tanks of IP - 4499 units. It should be noted that, as in the case of the IS-2, the Leningrad Kirov plant should be connected to the release of self-propelled guns at its base. Until May 9, 1945, the first five ISU-152 were collected there, and by the end of the year - another hundred. In 1946 and 1947, the production of ISU-152 carried out the axis only on LCZ.

Since the spring of 1944, heavy self-propelled-artillery shelves SU-152 rearmed with Installations of ISU-152 and ISU-122. They were translated into new states and everyone was assigned the title of Guards. In just the end of the war, 56 such regiments were formed, each ISU-152 or ISU-122 was used in each (part of these regiments - mixed composition). On March 1, 1945, the 143rd separate Tank Nevelsky Brigade in the Belarusian-Lithuanian Military District was reorganized in the 66th Guards Nevelsky Heavy Self-Proper-Artillery Brigade of the RVGC Three Poland (1804 people, 65 ISU-122 and three Su-76). Heavy self-propelled-artillery shelves, crown with tank and rifle parts and connections, first used to support infantry and tanks in the offensive. Following in their combat order, SAU destroyed the firepoints of the enemy and provided infantry and tanks successful promotion. In this phase, the onset of SAU became one of the main means of reflection of tank counterattacks. In some cases, they had to advance the fighting orders of their troops and take a blow to themselves, thereby providing freedom of maneuver supported tanks.

For example, on January 15, 1945 in Eastern Prussia, in the area of \u200b\u200bBorov, the Germans, the Germans, with the support of tanks and self-propelled guns, counterattacked the combat orders of our advancing infantry, together with which the 390th Guards Heavy Self-propelled-artillery regiment operated. The infantry under the pressure of the superior enemy forces has moved for the combat order of self-propeller who met the German's blow to concentrated fire and bonded supported units. The counterattack was repulsed, and the infantry was again obtained to continue their offensive.

Heavy SAU was sometimes attracted to participation in art preparations. At the same time, the fire was conducted both direct vendor and closed positions. In particular, on January 12, 1945, during the Sandomir-Silesian operation, the 368th Guards Regiment of the ISU-152 of the 1st Ukrainian Front for 107 minutes was a fire on the support point and the four artillery and mortar batteries of the enemy. After releasing 980 shells, the regiment suppressed the two mortar batteries, destroyed eight guns and to one battalion of soldiers and opponent officers. It is interesting to note that additional ammunition was pre-laid out in advance on firing positions, but the projectiles who were in combat vehicles were consumed first of all, would be significantly reduced by the pace of shooting. For the subsequent replenishment of heavy SAU, shells required up to 40 minutes, so they stopped the fire in advance before the start of the attack.

Very effectively heavy SAU were used in the fight against the tanks of the enemy. For example, in the Berlin Operation April 19, the 360th Guards Heavy Self-propelled-artillery regiment supported the offensive of the 388th Rifle Division. Parts of the division were traded by one of the east of Lakhtenberg, where they secured. On the other day, the opponent will force up to one shelf of infantry with the support of 15 tanks began to counteratactics. Upon reflection of attacks during the day, 10 German tanks and up to 300 soldiers and officers were destroyed by fire.

In the battles on the Zemric Peninsula during the East Prussian operation, the 378th Guards Heavy Self-Proper-Artillery Regiment, when reflected, Cottage successfully applied combat order Shelf fan. It provided the shelf shelling in the 1800 sector than the struggle with the tanks of the enemy attacked from different directions. One of the batteries of ISU-152, having built his battle-order by the fan at the front with a length of 250 m, successfully reflected on April 7, 1945, a counterattack of 30 enemy tanks, having hanged six of them. The battery did not suffer. Only two cars received minor damage to the chassis.

At the final stage of the Great Patriotic War, a characteristic feature of the use of self-propelled artillery was fighting in large settlements, including well fortified. As you know, the attack on the major settlement is a very complex form of combat and in many ways differs in many ways from offensive battle under normal conditions. Martialctions Almost always dismeteed to a number of separate local battles for individual objects and resistance sites. This forced the advancing troops to conduct battle in the city to create special assault detachments and groups that have great independence.

The assault detachments and assault groups were the basis of combat orders of units and parts leading the city. Self-propelled artillery shelves and brigades were attached to small-scale divisions and buildings, in the latter they were fully or units were attached to the rifle shelves, which were used to enhance assault detachments and groups.

The assault groups included self-propelled artillery batteries and separate installations (usually two). The SAU, which included the assault groups, had the tasks of direct accompaniment of infantry and tanks, reflection of the counterattack of tanks and self-propelled guns of the enemy and consolidation in occupied objects. Accompanying the infantry, SAU with a direct vendor with place, less often with short stops, fighter points and anti-tank guns of the enemy, his tanks and self-propelled guns were destroyed, ruined, barricades and houses adapted for defense, and thereby ensured the promotion of troops. For the destruction of buildings, a volley fire was sometimes used, which gave very good results. In combat orders of assault groups, self-propelled-artillery installations were usually moved together with tanks under the cover of infantry, if there were no tanks, they moved along with infantry. The nomination of self-propelled-artillery installations for action ahead of the infantry turned out to be unjustified, as they at the same time carried large losses from the enemy fire.

In the 8th Guards Army of the 1st Belorussian Front in the battles for the Polish city, Poznan in the composition of the storm groups of the 74th Guards Railway Division were included in two or three ISU-1 52 of the 394th Guards Heavy Self-propelled-artillery regiment. February 20, 1945 in battles for the 8th, 9th and 1 0 quarter quarters of the city directly adjacent to the southern part of the Citadel, the assault group as part of the platoon of infantry, three ISU-152 and two T-34 tanks purified from the opponent No. 10. Another group as part of the platform of infantry, the two self-propeller installations of the ISU-152 and the three flamethous TO-34 stormed the 8th and 9th quarters. In these battles, SAU acted quickly and decisively. He approached the houses and focused the German firepoints placed in the windows, basements and other places of buildings, as well as the breaks in the walls of the buildings for the passage of their infantry. Under the actions along the streets of self-propelled, they moved, pressing to the walls of the houses and destroying the enemy fire facilities located in buildings on the opposite side. With its fire, the installation was mutually covered with each other and ensured the promotion of infantry and tanks. Forward self-propelled-artillery installations moved alternately by pampets, as infantry and tanks are promoted. As a result, the quarters were rapidly engaged in our infantry and Germans with great losses moved to the Citadel.

Back in December 1943, given that in the future, the enemy may have new tanks with more powerful booking, the GKO has prescribed a special decree to design and manufacture self-propeller installations for April 1944 with an enhanced power guns:

With a 122-mm gun having an initial speed of 1000 m / s with a weight of a 25 kg;
with a 130-mm gun having an initial speed of 900 m / s with a mass of the projectile of 33.4 kg;
with a 152-mm gun having an initial speed of 880 m / s with a mass of a projectile of 43.5 kg.
All these guns pierced with a 200 mm thick armor at a distance of 1500-20 m.

In the course of execution of this decision were created in 1944 - 1945, artsmotes were tested: ISU-122-1 ("Object 243") with 122-mm gun BL-9, ISU-122 - 3 ("Object 251") from 122 - MM gun C-26-1, ISU-130 ("Object 250") with a 130-mm C-26 gun; ISU-152-1 ("Object 246") with 152-mm gun BL-8 and ISU-152-2 ("Object 247") with a 152-mm gun BL-10.

The BL-8 guns, BL-9 and BL-10 developed OKB- 172 (not to be confused with the plant No. 172), all the constructors of which were prisoners. Hence the decoding of the letter abbreviation in the indices of the installations: "BL" - "Beria of Lavrenty".

The BL-9 gun (OBM-50) was designed under the leadership of I.I. Ivanova. She had a piston shutter and was equipped with a system of blowing the trunk channel with compressed air. The angles of vertical guidance ranged from -20 to + 18 ° 30 \\ ", horizontally - in the 9 ° 30 ° sector \\" (Right 70, left 2 ° 30 \\ "). When shooting, a telescopic sight of the ST-18 and Panorama of Hertz was used. Drives The instruments are the same as in the self-propelled installation of the ISU-122. Balanting the swinging part relative to the axis of the TPEF was made with the help of goods attached to the fixed part of the gun fence. In the adjustment of installation included 21 shot-sleeve charges with armor-sized shells. The initial speed of the armor-piercing projectile Massage 11, 9 kg was 1007 m / s and 200 m / s exceeded a similar indicator 122-mm of cannons D-25. Construction of the case and armor cutting, power point, Transmission, chassis and electrical equipment of the car were borrowed from the self-propelled installation of the ISU-122. For an external connection, a radio station 10-RK-26 was served, for the internal - tank negotiation device TPU-4BIS-F.

The first prototype of the BL-9 gun was made in May 1944 at factory No. 172, and in June it was established on IPU-122-1. This car was presented for polygon tests on July 7, 1944. Preliminary tests in Gorokhovets in August 1944, the installation could not withstand due to the low vitality of the barrel. The new trunk was made by the beginning of February 1945, and after its installation, self-propelled office was re-adopted on the tests held in May 1945. On the latter, the trunk rupture occurred during the shooting due to metal defects. After that, further work on ISU-122-1 stopped.

Self-propelled installation of ISU-152-1 (IRSU-152 BM) was created in April 1944 in the KB of Plant No. 100, on the initiative of OKB-172, which proposed to be placed in the installation of the Su-152, the 182-mm BL-7 gun designed BL-2 gun ballistics.

The modification of the gun for installation in the SAU received the index of the BL-8 (OBM-43). It had a piston shutter, a muzzle brake of the original design and a system of blowing a trunk channel with compressed air from cylinders. Vertical guidance angles were from -3 ° 10 \\ "up to + 17 ° 45 \\", horizontal - in the 8 ° 30 \\ "sector (right 6 ° 30 \\", left 2 °). Line height - 1655 mm. When shooting was used by the telescopic sight of the ST-10 and the Panorama of Hertz. The shooting range was 18,500 m. The guidance drives remained unchanged compared to installing ISU-122. Amusement included 21 shot of separate-sleeve charging. The initial speed of the armor-piercing projectile reached 850 m / s. In connection with the installation of a new gun, the design of the armor mask was somewhat changed.

When carrying out the tests of the BL-8 guns, "unsatisfactory indicators on the action of shells", the unreliability of the muzzle brake and the piston shutter, as well as the poor conditions of the calculation, were identified. Large trunk departure (the total settle length was 12.05 m) limited the maneuverability of the machine. According to the test results, the BL-8 was replaced by the BL-10 gun with a wedge semi-automatic shutter.

In December 1944, the self-propelled installation of the ISU-152-2 with the BL-10 gun passed the tests on the Leningrad Aniope. She could not withstand them due to unsatisfactory survivability of the trunk of guns and a small angle of horizontal guidance. The gun was sent to refinement at Plant No. 172, however, before the end of the war, her finished was not completed.

The C-26 and C-26-1 guns were designed in CACB under the direction of V.G. Grabe. A 130 mm C-26 cannon had a ballistics and ammunition from the sea gun B-13, but had a number of fundamental constructive differences, since it was equipped with a dool brake, a horizontal wedge shutter, etc. The length of the gun barrel is 54.7 caliber. Footing range Direct vendor - 5000 m, rapid fiction -2 SECTION / MIN. The gun ammunition consisted of 25 shots of separate-gilz charging with armor-piercing projectiles.

The initial speed of the armor-piercing projectile with a mass of 33.4 kg - 900 m / s. The C-26-11 gun had the same ballistics as the 122-mm Bl-9 gun, and was distinguished from it the presence of a horizontal wedge shutter and the modified design of individual nodes. Stem length - 59.5 caliber. The shooting range is a straight flooring - 5000 m, the maximum - 16000 m. Cheating - 1.5 - 1.8 SET. / min. The initial speed of the armor-piercing projectile weighing 25 kg - 1000 m / s.

Self-propelled ISU-130 and ISU-122-3 manufactured at factory No. 100 in the fall of 1944. As a base, during their creation, SAU ISU-122C was used. In October 1944, ISU-130 has passed factory tests, and in November - December of the same year - polygon. According to their results, it was decided to send a gun to the CACC for refinement, which was dragged to the end of the war. The running and artillery tests of the ISU-130 ended only in June 1945, when the adoption of this SAU into arms lost meaning.

An experimental sample of SAU ISU-122-3 passed polygon tests in November 1944 and could not stand them because of the unsatisfactory survivability of the barrel. The refinement of the trunk was completed only in June 1945.

Self-propellants with prototypes of guns were characterized by the same disadvantages as the rest of the SAU on the chassis of the IP tank chassis: a large departure of the barrel forward, which reduced maneuverability in narrow aisles, the small angles of horizontal guidance of the gun and the complexity of the very guidance, which made it difficult to shoot on moving goals; low battle rainformation due to relatively small combat branch; big mass of shots; Separately and sleeve charging and the presence of a row of a piston shutter gun; Bad visibility from cars; Small ammunition and the complexity of its replenishment during the battle.

At the same time, the good anti-false resistance of the case and cutting these SAUs, achieved by installing powerful armor plates under rational angles of inclination, allowed them to use them on the distance of the direct shot and to effectively affect any purpose.

On the basis of Isa, self-propelled and with more powerful guns were designed. So, in early 1944, the SAU C-51 project was translated on the Tank Chassis. However, due to lack of need quantity 203-mm Gaubitz B-4, the production of which was already completed, decided to create a self-propelled version of the 152-mm high power of BR-2.

By the summer of 1944, a new saau received the C-59 index was made and enrolled on polygon tests. The design of the C-59 as a whole was similar to the C-51, but was based on the Tank Chassis IP-85. When conducting tests on aniope, the same disadvantages were identified as when testing C-51. And not wise - despite the already extended negative experience, the installation again did not supply the coulter! And this is despite the fact that the return when shooting is a complete charge of a 152-mm gun was greater than when shooting from 203-mm warmness. Do not artillery designers know this? However, soon work on this type SAU has stopped.

In July 1944, the head of the Leningrad branch of CACC I.I. Ivanov sent an order of self-propelled installation of a special power-210-mm BR-18 guns to the technoproject of the NKV-210-mm guns of BR-18 on Paired Tank Chassis T-34. Since the CAAC branch did not have time to make the necessary draft design documentation for the desired period, the project was led to the archive.

At the end of the war, experienced factory No. 100, Uralmashzavod and Artillery Plant No. 9 As part of the "Bear" topic, developed a long-range rainfame SAU, intended for the monitoring of struggle and artillery raids. It was assumed to create a double-rich 122-mm artisystem, in which the charging of one barrel would be carried out due to the energy of the second. Installation layout with 76 mm tools worked fine, but for some reason, artillery designers have not taken into account that 122-mm cannons have separate charging. As a result, it was not possible to mechanize this process. In 1945, SAU was already designed with implements placed on the sides of the machine to relieve manual charging. A year later, it was produced by its wooden model, but the self-propeller was not fulfilled in the metal.

Self-propelled-artillery installations of ISU-122 and ISU-152 were in service with the Soviet Army and in the postwar years. And those and others are upgraded. For example, since 1958, regular radio stations and TPUs on ISU-122 were replaced by "Granat," and TPU R-120.

After the ISU-152 is accepted as a standard SAU at the end of the 1950s, IRSU-122 self-propelled installations began to disarm and re-equip into tractors. The YSU-T tractor was the usual self-propeller with a dismantled cannon and a brewed ambrazura.

On November 16, 1962, heavily evacuation tractor BTT accepted. It existed in two modifications - BTT-1 and BTT-1T. The BTT-1 machine body has been changed mainly in the frontal part. Two box damper stops were welded to the lower frontal sheet for pushing tanks using a log. The roof of the cutting was changed, to which the beam was welded to increase rigidity. In the machine compartment, located in the middle part of the housing, placed the winch (traction force 25 TC, the working length of the cable 200 m) with the power take-off mechanism from the engine. The winch control was carried out by a mechanic-driver from the engine room, in which there was a second seat and two levers of control for this purpose. In the stern part of the machine there was a coupling device for stopping in the ground. A folding crane was installed on the tractor - an arrow with a loading capacity of 3 tons with a manual drive. On the roof of the power department there was a cargo platform designed to transport up to 3 tons of cargo. The tractor towing device was equipped with a duplex with bilateral depreciation and a rigid coupling. The B-54-East engine was installed on the machine. Its feature was a crankshaft borrowed from the engine B- 12-5. To move at night, the mechanic-driver has a Night Device of BVN. The mass of the tractor was 46 tons. The crew included two people. On the BTT-1T tractor, instead of the traction winch, a tablet or upgraded set of rigging equipment was laid, designed for traction 15 TC.

As for the ISU-152, these cars were in service with the Soviet Army until the 1970s, until the new generation SAU arrived in the troops. At the same time, ISU-152 was upgraded twice. The first time in 1956, when SAU received the designation of ISU-152K. On the roof of the cutting set a commander turret with a TPDA device and seven viewing blocks of TNP; ML-20C GABET-gun amplifies increased to 30 shots, which demanded changes in the location of the internal equipment of the combat department and additional waggings; Instead of the sight A ST-10, an improved telescopic was installed at the PS-10 intake. All machines mounted an anti-aircraft machine gun of DSHKM with ammunition 300 ammunition. SAU put the engine in 54k with a capacity of 520 hp With the ejection cooling system. The capacity of fuel tanks increased to 1280 liters. The lubricant system was improved, the design of radiators became different. In connection with the ejection engine cooling system, the fastening of the outer fuel tanks has been changed. Machines were equipped with radio stations 10-РТ and TPU-47. The mass of self-propelled has increased to 47.2 tons, but the dynamic characteristics remained the same. The reserve has increased to 360 km.

The Great Patriotic War is not in vain, among other things, they also call "MOT MOTORS". The outcome of the largest combat operations in the war years depended directly from the presence of tanks and self-propelled plants in the arms of the army of the warring countries. A lot of books and movies used by the parties used by the parties. The legendary installations are German "Ferdinand" and soviet fighter Tanks ISU-152 "St. John's wort". The debut of these steel giants took place in the battle on the Kursk arc.

ISU-152 Zvethoya is one of the most severe Soviet self-propelled artillery plants. Many often confuse this fighting machine with SU-152, when creating a chassis part of which rollers tank KV-1C were used. ISU-152 "Zvetle" designers equipped with rollers from the Soviet heavy tank IC-2. Since self-propelled artist (SU) was constructed at its base, it was decided to add the first letter of the tank name. Under the index 152, the gauge of ammunition is specified, which uses the main weapons of this combat vehicle. The tank was intended to destroy such German analogues as "Tiger" and "Panther".

In historical and many other literary sources, a popular name of the legendary Soviet combat vehicle became popular - "St. Jobby". Tank ISU-152 Soldiers of Wehrmacht called Dosenoffner ("tin knife").

The beginning of the creation of saau

The debut of self-propelled artistors took place in the first world. But in those years they did not receive any wide use. However, the need for powerful artillery systems felt all the warring parties, especially Germany and Soviet Union. For a short period of time between the first and second world wars, weapons constructors and engineers of these two states were intensively developed by the options for powerful self-propelled artillery guns.

Soviet gunsmiths for this purpose used a tank basis of such models as T-28 and T-35. However, these works were never completed. In 1941, design work was activated again. The reason was the numerous requests to the Soviet leadership from the current army, which for the assault of enemy fortifications in the offensive under Stalingrad especially needed artillery support. The problem was that at that time the Red Army had only towed artillery, which was negatively reflected on its mobility, made vulnerable.

In 1942, design work was started on SU-152. In 1943, the Soviet troops have already received the first batch - twelve combat vehicles. However, their mass production lasted not long.

The production of this tank turned out to be too expensive, and its effectiveness is small. According to eyewitnesses, these combat vehicles were not reliable enough. It is the technical malfunctions, and not the fire of the enemy was the reason that the tanks often had to leave on the battlefield.

In the same year, the model used to create a chassis in SAU - KV-1C - removed from weapons, and the installation itself was decided to finalize. Su-152 Just like the tank, was removed from the conveyor. Her place was taken by ISU-152 Zvethoy. The history of the creation of this combat vehicle begins in 1943. As a tank base, IC-2 was now used instead of kV-1c. At its base and the ISSU-152 "Zvethoye" is assembled.

The production of a new self-propelled artist was not massive. In total, no more than 670 units were issued. All work on design and creation was performed as soon as possible. Already in 25 days, the first ISU-152 Zvethoya was ready. Photo of the combat vehicle is presented in the article.

Who was developed tank?

Work on the creation of ISU-152 "St. Johscoy" was carried out by the design office of the Experimental Plant No. 100 in the city of Chelyabinsk. The leader became Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin. Under his beginning, the entire line of Soviet heavy tanks was created. The chief designer ISU-152 "St. Murice" - G. N. Moskvin. The first cars were issued by the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant (ChKZ) in 1943. Several units manufactured workers of the Leningrad Kirov plant (LKZ). Only three years (from 1943 to 1946) was carried out by the serial production of ISU-152 "Zvethoy".

Design Description

The layout of this self-propelled artist is no different from the other Soviet SAU. The combat machine is protected by an armored case. The design of the tank consists of two parts: armor cabings and feed.

The crew consisted of five people. The front of the body, being a combat and simultaneously managerial department (armor), has become a place of dislocation of the driver, a gunner and charging, the entire ammunition and the main tool. The location of the engine and the transmission became the aft part. The commander and the castle were located to the right of the gun. According to eyewitnesses, the chances of the crew get out alive when choping the tank were minimal. The reason for this was the presence of a fuel tank in the cut.

What was the armored person?

The frontal parts of the first ISU-152 were cast. Then the armor casting was replaced with a welded design. For this, armored rolled plates were used in the production of housings and logging, which provided the tank differentiated anti-freck protection. Their thickness was 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 cm and 5 mm. With their installation, rational angles of inclination were taken into account. As a result, this affected the height and volume of armor in ISU-152 Zvethoy.

Characteristics of the degree of security of sides of this tank, compared to Su-152, were slightly lower. But designers managed to compensate for the thickening of the armor. Fixed-free armored housings and moving cast spherical armored accessories were used to protect the anti-collecting devices, which were also used as a balancing element.

Device of a tank corps

To land and exit the crew of the ISSU-152, it is equipped with a special rectangular dual-sided hatch located in the top of the case between the roof and rear sheet of armor. On the right side of the tank tool was located still hatch rounded form. To the left of the gun also had a hatch, but he was not intended for the crew. Through these hatches, only the extensions of panoramic sights were displayed. If necessary, the crew could leave the ISU-152 using the emergency hatch in the bottom of the case. The combat kit was loaded into the tank through small hatches. The combat vehicle was equipped with repairing small hatches, with the help of which was provided with quick access to the neck of the fuel tank, the tank aggregate or to any other node.

What armed a combat machine?

The main tank gun was used by the 152-millimeter Gaubitz ML-20C, which was previously used as a towed version (sample of 1937).

For the installation of the gun on the tank, a frame was used on the frontal side armor. In contrast to the towed variant, the Maubits on ISU-152 are established so that the flywheels that provide vertical and horizontal vendor are located not from two sides of the tools, but moved to the left side. Such a design solution provided convenient operation for the crew. In ISU-152, the vertical corner was from -3 to +20 degrees, horizontal - 10. The maintenance of the fire was produced at a height of 180 cm. The shooting was carried out using electrical or manual mechanical descents.

In 1945, weapon designers decided to equip the tank with a large-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun DSHK 12.7 mm. He could have an open or anti-aircraft sight K-8T and was designed for firing 250 cartridges. The machine gun mount was the turret at the right commander hatch.

In addition to the tank gun and machine gun, the crew for self-defense was armed with two PPS or PPS machines. Their ammunition consisted of 1491 cartridges, which were kept in twenty disks. Also at the disposal of the crew were hand grenades F-1 in the amount of 20 pieces.

Ammunition

Unlike the towed gun ML-20C, only two types of shells were provided for a tank gun:

• Armorbonic tracing. Weight such ammunition almost fifty kilograms. It was able to develop the maximum speed of up to 600 m / s. This type could be replaced by armor-piano-tracing stupid shells containing ballistic tips.
• Fragantic fugasic. The weight of the projectile was 44 kg. The ammunition possessed the initial speed of 650 m / s.

In addition to the ammunition, concrequitable cannon shells attached. The tank warmness was adapted for shooting with projectiles of various types.

Engine

ISU-152 worked on a four-stroke V-shaped 12-cylinder diesel engine B-2-IC, the power of which was 520 liters. from. Its launch was carried out using an inertial starter using both manual and electrical drives, as well as compressed air collected in two tanks. The Fuel Pump of the NK-1 and the fuel flow rate of the fuel attached to Diesel B-2Is. With the help of the filter "MultiCon", a cleaning of the air arriving to the air engine was performed. The motor-transmission compartment was equipped with heating devices that facilitate the start of the engine at a minus temperature. In addition, they were used for heating and combat tank compartment. Total fighting machine There have three fuel tanks and four additional outdoor, which were not associated with the entire fuel system.

Transmission

For the combat vehicle, a mechanical transmission was provided. It consisted of the following elements:

• Multidiscian main friction.
• Four-stage gearbox.
• Two onboard two-stage planetary turning mechanisms.
• Two combined onboard gearboxes (double row).

The tank was equipped with mechanical management drives. The presence of planetary mechanisms for rotation Tank ISU-152 was distinguished from the previous model. Due to these nodes, the transmission has become more reliable, which cannot be said about the combat vehicles created on the basis of the sq tank.

Device chassis

ISU-152 was equipped with an individual torsion chassis. On each side of the side there were solid two-tie support rollers (6 pieces). For each of them, a special stroke limiter was provided, which was connected with a bronorcupus with welding. To maintain the tank caterpillar used three small solid supporting rinks. Su-152 had a similar design. The caterpillar tension was carried out using a screw mechanism. The caterpillars were equipped with special one-core trades, 986 pieces), whose width was 65 cm.

Electrical equipment

The power source for single-wire electrical wiring in ISU-152 was the P-4563A generator using a 1 kW RPA-24F relay generator. Also, the power supply could be carried out using two sequentially connected 6-ST-128 batteries. Their total container was 128 a / h. The energy in the tank was necessary to ensure:

• Outdoor and internal lighting of the combat vehicle.
• Illuminated targeted devices.
• Outdoor audio signal.
• Operations of control and measuring instruments (ammeter and voltmeter).
• Functioning of the radio station and a tank negotiation device.
• The operation of the electric motor of the inertial starter, the bobbins of the candles used during the winter start-up engine.

Device sights and observation means

Survey the environment of the crew of the ISU-152 tank crew through the hatches of landing-disembarkation that were equipped with special periscopic devices. For the driver mechanic, an observation device with a triplex was provided. Protection This adaptation provided an armored damper. The place for installing the device was the hatch-tube, arranged on the left side of the tank warmness. In the sky situation, this hatch advanced, due to which the driver's mechanic increased the radius of the review.

During the shooting of a straight flooring at a distance of 900 meters for the guns, Telescopic sights of ST-10 were developed. When shooting with a closed position, as well as with a direct vendor at a distance exceeding 900 meters, a panorama of Hertz was used. For this, special extension cords were developed, which provided an overview through the hatch in the roof of the tank. Due to the presence of special highlighting devices for shooting from ISU-152, it was possible at night.

What was the connection with the crew?

A radio station was used as a means of communication in the tank. It included the transmitter, the receiver and the schurifer (the same-locking motor generator), with which the power supply of the radio station in the Bath machine "St. John's Comfort" was carried out. The ISU-152 Tank, in contrast to his predecessor, had a technologically improved model 10p: the radio station was equipped with a function of smooth frequency selection. Its manufacturing was much easier and less expensive. With the help of a TPU-4-BISF tank negotiation device, a quality relationship between crew members was provided. Due to this device, an external connection was also maintained. To do this, the radio headset was connected to the radio station.

The use of combat vehicles

The battle on the Kursk arc was a fighting attachment for ISU-152 "Zvertoy". The use of these tanks did not play a decisive role in the outcome of the battle. However, the model entered the story how almost the only sample of armored vehicles capable of amazing german saau At any distance. In the Kursk battle, only 24 "Hyverico" took part. This tank was fatal for many types of vermochet armored vehicles. With help armor-piercing shells The armored protection of the German "Tigers" and "Panther" was easily made easily.

In case there are not enough armorbonic ammunition, they were replaced by concrect and fragmentation fugas. Although it was impossible to break through the armor with such projectiles, they were still very effective for dissemination of sights and guns in the tanks of the enemy. Soviet concrementary shells have a very large energy capable of hitting his tower from a pursuit in a combat machine.

The main task of ISU-152 was the provision of fire support for tanks and infantry at the occurrence. This combat vehicle was very effective during battles in urban conditions. In the Great Patriotic Budapest, Berlin and Königsberg stormed using "Zverbokov".

After the modernization of ISU-152, a Soviet army was used for a while. He was removed from weapons in 1970. For some time, unrealized units of "Zverbokov" were supplied to Egypt. There they were used in the Middle Eastern Armed Arab-Israeli conflict.

In 1956, "Zverobi" were used by Soviet troops to suppress the Hungarian uprising. The tank especially distinguished himself when destroying sniper sitting in residential buildings. Already the very fact of participation in the battle of the legendary tank provided a strong psychological impact on their tenants: fearing that the tank would destroy the facade, the inhabitants of the house were pushed by Hungarian snipers from him.

National model ISSU-152 "Zvertoy"

To the attention of those who are interested in modeling, today there is a children's gift option created on the basis of the legendary Soviet tank. Model ISU-152 Zvethoya is produced by the "Star" manufacturer specifically for children over eight years old. Special step by step instruction is attached to the goods. In the Gift Set of ISU-152 "Zvetle" ("Star"), except for 120 plastic parts, glue and paint with a tassel are included. According to consumers, all plastic elements hold quite well, manufactured very high quality and have high detail.

The ISU-152 model "Zvethoy" ("Star") has a successful imitation of welding seams, MTO grids and hinges for hatches. It was highly appreciated by the imitation of the zenith machine gun DSHK. If desired, the ISU-152 model "Zvethoy" can be collected both open and closed hatches. The set has a scale: 1:35. Model size: 30 cm (length), 0.88 cm (width) and 0.82 cm (height). Children's set of ISU-152 "Zvetle" ("Star") will be a useful toy: a fascinating process of assembling the legendary tank will familiarize the child with Aza engineering specialization.

Conclusion

ISU "Zvethoy" was used by the Soviet army to the very end of the Great Patriotic War. Already closer to the end of the war of these tanks, it was becoming less and less. The reason for this was the worniness of their engines and the running units. Many "Zveroby" were cut on the metal.

Already after the victory, several units survived. Now the museums in the cities of Russia and other CIS countries became the place of their location.

Work on the creation of SAU ISU-152 began in June 1943. In October 1943, the first prototype was built, "Object 241". On November 6, 1943, SAU was adopted under the final name of ISU-152. In the same month, the serial production of ISU-152 began. In December 1943, ISU-152 completely replaced its predecessor Su-152 on assembly lines. ISU-152 immediately received the nickname - "St. John's wort" which she inherited from his predecessor Su-152. In the Wehrmacht ISU-152 was called "Dosenöffner" (it. "Canning knife").

ISU-152 armor was quite adequate for the late stage of World War II. The frontal 90-mm armored corpalists, inclined at an angle of 30 °, confidently defended the car from the most common German 75-mm anti-tank gun Pak 40 at distances over 800 m. ISU-152 was light in repair; often hit the enemy of self-propelled in a couple of days of repair in field conditions Returned to line.

After eliminating "childhood diseases", ISU-152 has proven itself very reliable and unpretentious self-propelled; It is easily mastered by not trained crews.

The main weapons of ISU-152 was a 152-mm Gaubita-gun ML-20C. The gun was mounted in the frame on the front armor of the cut and had vertical vertex angles from -3 to + 20 °, the horizontal fitting sector was 10 °. The height of the fire line was 1.8 m; The range of the direct shot is 800-900 m in the target with a height of 2.5-3 m, the range of shots is a direct vendor - 3800 m, the highest range of shooting - 6200 m. The shot was made by means of an electric or manual mechanical descent.

The gun ammunition was 21 shot of separate charging. Shells laid along both sides of the cutting, charges - there, as well as on the bottom of the combat department and on the back wall of the cutting.

ISU-152 was equipped with a four-stroke V-shaped 12-cylinder diesel engine of 520 liters. from. (382 kW). In the motor-transmission office, heating devices were installed to facilitate the start of the engine during the cold season.

They could also be used to heal the combat branch of the machine. ISU-152 had three fuel tanks, two of which were located in the combat department, and one in the engine transmission.

The main use of ISU-152 was the fire support for the upcoming tanks and infantry. 152.4-mm (6-inch) Gaubita-gun ML-20C had a powerful fragantic-fuza-540 header with a mass of 43.56 kg, equipped with 6 kg of trotyl (trinitrotoluola, TNT). These shells were very effective both against the indiscriminate infantry (with the installation of the fuse for a fragmentary action) and against the fortifications, such as dots and trenches (with the installation of the fuse for a fugasal action). One entry of such a projectile in the usual city house of medium-sized was enough to destroy everything alive inside.

ISU-152 could also successfully act as a fighter tanks, although significantly inferior to specialized fighters of tanks, which were armed with anti-tank guns.

It is appropriate to notice that ISU-152 was not a real tank fighter; She had a low pace of fire compared to the "real" fighters of tanks, such as the German "Jagdepanta" or domestic Su-100 (their pace of fire reached 5-8 shots per minute, although in a short period of time).

On the other hand, a thorough disguise, a quick change of firing positions and the use of ISU-152 groups of 4-5 cars significantly softened the lack of rapidity.

ISU-152 were particularly in demand in urban battles, such as the storms of Berlin, Budapest or Konigsberg.

A good reservation of self-propelled suggests allowed it to be shifted to a shot of a straight entry to destroy enemy firepoints.

From November 1943 to May 1945, 1885 ISU-152 was made. Serial production of self-containers ended in 1946.

You can say, finally got! No, there is still a bunch of stories about other tanks, sau and zras, but it is something! ISU-152. "St. John's wort. Although I would call otherwise.

If literary, then this is an armor of Armageddon of that time. The quintessence of death, slow and calm. You can hide and try to bother it. Please, as they say. Successes. You can try to escape using speed. No problem. The projectile is still faster.

The entire appearance of self-propelled shifts speaks of one principle. Tom: "We slowly go down from the hill, slowly overcoming the river, and you Khan."

Say - multipato emotions. I agree. But even modern "Msta", which will be discussed a little later, does not cause such feelings. "Msta" modern, sophisticated such, well, I do not know how to say. "St. John's wort" is a concentrated brutal, especially when you begin to understand its essence.

And the essence is simple. Took the most powerful Gaubitz-gun 152-mm (ML-20, which is fine-witted?) And scalked it with a bronorcupus. And they watered it on the tank chassis.

The first swallow was called Su-152. Swallow weighed 45.5 tons and was made on the chassis of the SV-1C tank. Happened. After removing the sq-1c from production, 670 of these heavy assault tools were released, which could (partly) perform the role of SAU.

Swallow successfully told the ti "Tigram" and "Panthers" on the Kursk arc, and if not frankly weak KV chassis, probably, they would be released further.

But intelligence reported on the developments of new heavy tanks in the Germans (which corresponded to reality) and it was decided in a completely Soviet spirit. Above, further, stronger or as there yet.

ISU-152 is just that. The base from Isa, from him and the letter "and" in the title. Due to the smaller width of the IP tank compared to the KV, it was necessary to reduce the slope of the onboard sheets from 250 to 150 to the vertical, and the tilt of the feed sheet was eliminated at all.

The thickness of the reservation has increased from 75 to 90 mm in the head of the logging and from 60 to 75 mm in the onboard. The gun mask increased from 60 mm to 100 mm.

This picture you can rate the thickness of the armor. Did not bother

The huge advantage of ISU-152 compared to the CU-152 was the installation of forced exhaust ventilation. When opening the shutter after a shot of a thick powder smoke, similar on consistency on sour cream, slowly spread through the semi of the combat department ... members of the SU-122 crew often during the battle sometimes lost consciousness from accumulated powder gases after the consumption of half of the ammunition.

152-mm Gaubice-gun ML-20C ORG.1937 / 43. Mounted in a cast frame, playing the role of the upper machine gun, and was protected by the cast armor mask, the same as SU-152.

Unlike the field warmness, a folding tray was installed on ISU-152 to facilitate charging and additional traction to the trigger, handles of the lifting and rotary mechanisms were located at the gun on the left in the course of the machine, the trunctions were rendered forward for a natural balancing.

For shooting, a direct vendor was used by a telescopic sight of ST-10, a panorama of hertz with an extension clerk was used to maintain fire from a closed fighter positions, whose lens came out of the cut through the open left upper hatch.

The shooting range of direct vendor was 3,800 m, the greatest - 6,200 m. Cheating - 2-3 shots per minute.

The gun had an electric and mechanical (manual) descent. Electrosque gasheet was on the handwheel handle of the lifting mechanism. On the instruments of the first editions were used only manual descent.

The ammunition consisted of 21 shots of separate sleeve charge with armor-piano-tracing oscillation shells of BR-540, fragant-of-540 and steel gobish grenade grenades and ancient gobic garnets from stal wall cast iron 0-530A.

The armor-sized tracing shells were in the niche of combat logging on the left side in the special framework, the fragantic fuzasy grenades are in the same place, the sleeves with combat charges in the niche logging in a special framework and in the Homutic laying. Part of the sleeves with combat charges was placed on the bottom under the gun.

The initial velocity of the armor-piercing projectile at a weight of 48.78 kg was 600 m / s, on the range of 1000 m he pierced the armor with a thickness of 123 mm.

On the part of the machines from October 1944, an anti-aircraft trailer with a 12.7-mm machine gun of DShK began to be installed on the rotating chase of the commander hatch. Amusement to the machine gun was 250 ammunition.

In addition, there were two PPS machine gun (later PPS), 20 disks with cartridges and 20 hand grenades F-1 as a personal crew.

Since the spring of 1944, heavy self-propelled-artillery shelves, armed Su-152, rearranged by installments by ISU-152 and ISU-122. They were translated into new states and everyone was assigned the title of Guards. In just the end of the war, 56 such regiments were formed, in each ISU-152 or ISU-122 (or those, and others, such shelves were called mixed).

What else can you show?

From my point of view, the most unfortunate man in the crew is a driver-mechanic. This is a plan in his place. Won there, below, where the dashboard ... It is very difficult to climb, even more difficult to get out, plus places are not very much.

Devices minimum. There is no speedometer, but there is no particular speed. And not much need, in principle.

The hatches of the crew are all equipped with periscopes.

Personal lighting devices appeared for mechvoda.

Summing up for ISU-152, it can be said that self-propeller was a successful model of a universal heavy self-propelled artillery unit. The best confirmation of this is the term of its service, which has lasted until the 70s of the last century. And participation not in one local conflict.

A well armored monster with a gun, which did not exist then armor, and even reliable and unpretentious - what else to wish?

There were, of course, the disadvantages. The most weighty I would call a small ammunition. Total 20 shots. Large shells, in addition, were a long time to load ammunition, about 40 minutes. Well, weaklikov did not take wickers in the artilleryrs, however, the silhoye was required.

The second minus - optics. Well, it has already become a classic. The telescopic sight of ST-10 was rewarded to shoot at a distance of up to 900 m, although the tool allowed the shooting of a direct vendor at a distance of up to 3.5 km. Yes, there was a panoramic sight, but here just the opposite, the telescopic was needed on the far distance.

I read in memoirs that in the 45th year our artillerymen practiced such a way as the maintenance of fire in one point by several SAU. With this scenario, insufficient accuracy was somewhat compensated.

The hitting of a fragant-of-grade projectile next to the goal often brought it out of order, even without breaking through armor. The explosive wave and fragments could damage any tank and SAU instrument, the running part, sights.

The shooting of ISSU-152's fragoration-fugasic shells on armored technique was quite commonplace, because in the ammunition 13 shots from 20 were precipitatingly fugas. The remaining 7 were armor-piercing (or, much less often, concrect). But I repeat, 152 mm of the projectile was enough to do business.

Do you know what is fun in our? Compare ISU-152 not anything with anyone. I wanted to spend a couple of analogies, but in no way. If you take for TTX criteria, weapons and use, then you must admit: there were no analogues.

There were guns of large calibers (150-155-mm) on a self-propelled basis among the Germans and Americans. But that "Hummel" in the Germans that M12 among Americans were very easy-fertilized games on the basis of medium tanks. And no one was neither anti-tank sau, no assault guns.

Heavy fighter "Jagdepanta" tanks? Yes, similar to TTX, but a purely anti-tank machine.

The Germans have assault guns that could fight tanks. Stug III and Stug IV. But both self-propelled shifts were significantly easier for ISU-152 for armament and mass, and also weaker book.

SAU STUPZ IV "BRUMMBÄR" ... caliber Yes, the rest is no.

Self-propeller was also easier by mass, and its short-barreled gaubita caliber 150-mm to the gun was rather a mortar than a full-fledged cannon.

"Jagdtigr". Looks like the truth.

Gun by a 128 mm caliber and booking at the ISU-152 level, and in some places and abruptly. But the weight is almost 2 times more than our self-propelled. Plus, again, explicit anti-tankist.

And, most importantly. Number. That is what a real contribution could make. 79 "Yagdtigrov" and 340 "Brumbar" - in comparison with three more thousands of only ISU-152 ...

Best? Best. Maybe not the most, here with ISU-122 it will be necessary to compare, but nevertheless.

We thank the administration of the Museum of Patriotic Military History in Padicovo for the provided instance of ISU-152.