As mentioned in the previous part of the virtual tour of the Military Museum of the Chinese Revolution, in the 1930s, there was active military-technical cooperation between Germany and China. By the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, China had a number of German 37-mm anti-tank guns 3, 7 cm Pak 29. This gun was produced by Rheinmetall AG since 1929 and had wooden wheels without suspension. Subsequently, the gun was modernized and put into service under the designation 3, 7 cm Pak. 35/36. Cannons 3, 7 cm Pak 29 and 3, 7 cm Pak 35/36 used the same ammunition and mainly differed in wheel travel. In 1930, a license was sold to China to manufacture the 3, 7 cm Pak 29 gun, and it was produced at an artillery plant in Changsha under the designation Type 30.
The mass of the Type 30 gun in the firing position was 450 kg. Combat rate of fire - up to 12-14 rds / min. An armor-piercing projectile weighing 0, 685 g left the barrel with an initial speed of 745 m / s and at a distance of 500 m along the normal could penetrate 35 mm armor. Taking into account the fact that the Japanese army, fighting in China, did not have anti-cannon armor, 37-mm guns of the German model were a very effective means of anti-tank defense.
In the initial period of the war in China, the Imperial Japanese Army used Type 89 medium tanks (maximum armor thickness 17 mm), Type 92 light tanks (maximum armor thickness 6 mm), Type 95 light tanks (maximum armor thickness 12 mm) and Type 94 tankettes (maximum armor thickness 12 mm). The armor of all these vehicles at real firing range could be easily penetrated by a 37-mm projectile. However, due to the small number, poor organization and poor preparation of the Chinese artillery crews, the Type 30 anti-tank guns did not have much effect on the course of hostilities.
Another anti-tank weapon of German origin in the collection of the Military Museum of the Chinese Revolution is the 50-mm anti-tank gun 5 cm Pak. 38.
Unfortunately, the information plate does not reflect the history of the appearance of this weapon in China. It is possible that the 5 cm Pak. 38 was delivered to the PRC in the early 1950s for use by Chinese volunteers in Korea. It is known that the Chinese and North Korean units that fought against the UN forces actively used captured German small arms and artillery systems transferred by the Soviet Union. Even taking into account the use of anti-cannon-armored tanks on the Korean Peninsula, the 5 cm Pak. 38 represented a certain combat value.
At a distance of 500 m, a 50-mm armor-piercing projectile weighing 2 kg, with an initial speed of 835 m / s, could normally penetrate 78 mm thick armor. Thus, the 5 cm Pak. 38 had a definite chance of hitting the American M4 Sherman tank. A well-trained crew could provide a combat rate of fire of up to 15 rds / min. The main disadvantage of this weapon with a relatively small caliber was its mass, which reached 840 kg in a combat position. That made it difficult to roll over rough terrain by the forces of calculation.
In addition to the German ones, the museum collection contains Japanese anti-tank guns of 37-47 mm caliber. In 1936, Japan began mass production of the 37-mm Type 94 anti-tank gun. Its device largely repeated the 37-mm Type 11 infantry cannon, but more powerful ammunition was used for firing at armored vehicles. A 37-mm armor-piercing projectile weighing 645 g with an initial speed of 700 m / s, at a distance of 450 m along the normal could penetrate 30 mm of armor. The mass of the gun in the combat position was 324 kg, in the transport position - 340 kg. Rate of fire up to 20 rds / min. Possessing good ballistic data and rate of fire for its time, the 37 mm Type 94 cannon had an archaic design in many ways. The unsprung travel and wooden, iron-studded wheels did not allow it to be towed at high speed. Until the second half of 1943, more than 3400 guns were produced.
In 1941, a modernized version of the anti-tank gun, known as Type 1, was adopted. The main difference was the barrel, which was lengthened to 1850 mm, which made it possible to increase the muzzle velocity of the projectile to 780 m / s.
Although the armor penetration of the 37-mm Type 1 gun was already insufficient in the early 1940s, 2,300 copies were produced by April 1945.
Individual 37-mm anti-tank guns were occasionally captured by the Kuomintang and communist troops during the Sino-Japanese War. More than two hundred 37-mm cannons were at the disposal of the PLA after the victory over the Kuomintang. However, by the beginning of the 1950s, these weapons were hopelessly outdated and were used mainly for training purposes.
In 1939, a 47-mm Type 1 anti-tank gun was adopted in Japan. The gun received a sprung suspension and wheels with rubber tires. This made it possible to provide towing with mechanical traction. The mass of the 47-mm gun in the firing position was 754 kg. The initial speed of 1.53 kg of armor-piercing tracer projectile is 823 m / s. At a distance of 500 m, a projectile, when hit at a right angle, could penetrate 60 mm of armor.
For the late 1930s, the Type 1 gun met the requirements. However, combat experience has shown that the frontal armor of an American medium tank can steadily penetrate at a distance of no more than 200 m. shooting at manpower and light field fortifications. Before the end of World War II, Japanese industry managed to deliver about 2300 47-mm Type 1 guns. Several hundred of these guns abandoned by the troops of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and transferred by the Soviet Union were in the PLA in the early 1950s.
The exposition of the Military Museum of the Chinese Revolution presents 40 and 57-mm anti-tank guns of British production: QF 2 pounder and QF 6 pounder.
The 40 mm QF 2 pounder cannon had a very original design. "Two-pounder" in battle rested on a low base in the form of a tripod, due to which a horizontal guidance angle of 360 ° was ensured, and the wheels were lifted off the ground and fixed to the side. After switching to a combat position, the gun could easily turn to any point, allowing firing at moving armored vehicles in any direction. The firm grip of the cruciform base increased the firing efficiency, since the gun did not "walk" after each shot, keeping its aiming. The two-pounder was superior to the 37-mm German anti-tank gun 3, 7 cm Pak 35/36 in a number of ways. At the same time, in comparison with many guns of that time, the design of the British 40-mm cannon was quite complex, moreover, it was much heavier than other anti-tank guns. The mass of the gun in the combat position was 814 kg. An armor-piercing 1, 08-kg projectile that left the gun barrel at a speed of 850 m / s, at a distance of 457 m, penetrated 50-mm homogeneous armor. The rate of fire was 20 shots / min.
How this British-made 40-mm cannon ended up in a Chinese museum is unclear. Perhaps the gun was captured by the Japanese imperial army in one of the British colonies in the Far East, and later, after the surrender of Japan, it was at the disposal of the Chinese.
The history of the 57 mm QF 6 pounder cannon is more transparent. The Six-Pounder was captured by Chinese volunteers during the fighting on the Korean Peninsula. The museum exhibits a modification of the QF 6 pounder Mk IV with an elongated barrel equipped with a muzzle brake.
The first anti-tank "six-pounders" entered the troops in May 1942. At that time, the "six-pounder" easily dealt with any enemy tank. An armor-piercing 57-mm projectile weighing 2, 85 kg at 500 m, when hit at an angle of 60 °, confidently pierced 76-mm armor. In 1944, APCR shells with 120-140 mm normal penetration from a distance of 900 m appeared. The design of the 6-pounder gun was much simpler than that of the 2-pounder. The bifurcated bed provided a horizontal guidance angle of 90 °. The mass of the gun in the firing position was 1215 kg. Rate of fire - 15 rds / min. From 1942 to 1945, more than 15,000 six-pounders were produced. The QF 6 pounder guns were in service with the British army until the late 1950s and were actively used during the Korean War.
At the end of 1941, the first 37-mm M3A1 anti-tank guns appeared in China. In its class, it was a very good gun, not inferior to the German 3, 7 cm Pak. 35/36. However, the American 37-mm cannon by the early 1940s against the background of the Japanese 47-mm Type 1 and the German 50-mm 5 cm Pak. 38 looked pale. However, the production of 37 mm guns continued until the end of 1943. From 1940 to 1943, more than 18,000 37 mm anti-tank guns were fired in the United States.
Although in North Africa and Italy, the 37-mm cannons performed mediocre, they successfully fought against weakly armored Japanese armored vehicles in Asia and were used until the end of hostilities. The energy of 37-mm shells was quite enough to overcome the thin armor of Japanese tanks. At the same time, M3A1 guns cost significantly less than 57- and 76-mm anti-tank guns, better maneuverability, compactness and the possibility of towing by a Willys MB jeep were also important factors. With a mass of about 400 kg, the 37-mm gun could be moved and masked by the crew, which was especially important in off-road conditions on the islands overgrown with jungle. In addition to fighting armored vehicles, the 37-mm M3A1 cannon was used as a direct infantry support weapon. In the latter case, the low power of a fragmentation projectile weighing 0.86 kg, containing 36 g of TNT, significantly limited its effectiveness, but against the massive attacks of the Japanese infantry, a grape-shot with 120 steel bullets has proven itself well.
For the American 37-mm anti-tank gun, two types of armor-piercing shells were created. Initially, the ammunition load included a shot with a projectile weighing 0.87 kg, which had an initial velocity of 870 m / s. At a distance of 450 m along the normal, it pierced 40 mm armor. Later, a projectile was adopted with an increased muzzle velocity and equipped with a ballistic tip. The penetration of this projectile has increased to 53 mm.
Until 1947, the Americans supplied the Kuomintang with about 300 37-mm anti-tank guns. A significant part of them were captured by the Chinese communists. These guns were used in the initial period of hostilities in Korea, and as training guns were in service with the PLA until the mid-1960s.
The fighting in the summer of 1943 in Sicily and southern Italy revealed the failure of American 37-mm guns against German medium tanks. In mid-1943, the Americans curtailed the production of the M3A1, replacing it on the assembly line with the 57-mm M1 cannon, which was a slightly modified version of the British six-pounder. Later, modifications of the M1A1 and M1A2 appeared, featuring an improved horizontal guidance mechanism. Until the end of World War II, more than 15,000 guns were produced by the US industry. In terms of its main characteristics, the American 57-mm anti-tank gun was fully consistent with the British original.
Taking into account the fact that the ammunition load included a fragmentation grenade weighing 2.97 kg, containing about 200 g of explosives, 57-mm anti-tank guns could be successfully used against manpower. It was in this role that the guns supplied to the troops of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek were used. M1A2 cannons were also present in the UN forces operating on the Korean Peninsula. Several American-made 57mm guns were captured by the PLA.
The museum collection also features Soviet-made anti-tank guns and their Chinese counterparts. From 1937 to 1941, China received several hundred Soviet 45-mm anti-tank guns Model 1934 and Model 1934. 1937 45-mm anti-tank gun was created on the basis of the 37-mm gun of the 1930 model (1-K), which, in turn, was designed by the German company Rheinmetall-Borsig AG and had much in common with the anti-tank gun 3, 7 cm Pak 35/36.
At the end of the 1930s, the 45-mm cannon was a completely modern anti-tank gun, with good armor penetration and acceptable weight and size characteristics. With a mass in the combat position of 560 kg, a calculation of five people could roll it over a short distance to change position. The characteristics of the gun made it possible to successfully fight at all ranges of aimed fire with armored vehicles protected by bulletproof armor. At a distance of 500 m, an armor-piercing projectile pierced 43-mm armor during normal tests. The initial velocity of an armor-piercing projectile weighing 1, 43 kg was 760 m / s. The ammunition also included fragmentation and grape-shot shots. A fragmentation grenade weighing 2, 14 kg contained 118 g of TNT and had a continuous damage zone with a diameter of 3-4 m. The rate of fire of a 45-mm gun was 15-20 rds / min.
In 1942, the 45-mm anti-tank gun M-42 was adopted by the Red Army. Compared to earlier samples of the same caliber, it had increased armor penetration. This was achieved by lengthening the barrel and by using a more powerful ammunition, which made it possible to increase the muzzle velocity of the armor-piercing projectile to 870 m / s. At a distance of 500 m, an armor-piercing projectile normally penetrated 61 mm of armor. With a firing distance of 350 m, a sub-caliber projectile could penetrate 82 mm thick armor. From the middle of 1943, due to the increased protection of German tanks, the M-42 anti-tank gun no longer fully met the requirements, due to the relatively low manufacturing cost, good mobility and ease of camouflage at the firing position, its use continued until the end of hostilities. From 1942 to 1946, 11,156 M-42 guns were produced in the USSR.
After the end of World War II, the Soviet Union handed over to the Chinese communists about 1,000 M-42 anti-tank guns. Weapons of this type were very actively used by the PLA during the Korean War. The weight in the firing position of 620 kg made it possible to lift the guns to the tops of the hills without the use of mechanical traction. As a rule, 45-mm cannons supported infantry with fire, but in a number of cases they were successfully used against American armored vehicles. Although the M-42 guns were hopelessly outdated by the mid-1950s, their service in the PLA combat units continued until the mid-1960s.
A much greater danger for all, without exception, American and British tanks that fought on the Korean Peninsula, were 57-mm armor-piercing shells from the ZiS-2 cannons.
According to the armor penetration table, a 57-mm armor-piercing projectile weighing 3, 19 kg with an initial speed of 990 m / s at 500 m normally penetrated 114 mm of armor. A subcaliber armor-piercing projectile of a reel-to-reel shape weighing 1.79 kg with an initial speed of 1270 m / s under the same conditions could penetrate 145-mm armor. The ammunition also contained shots with a fragmentation grenade weighing 3, 75 kg, containing 220 g of TNT. At a distance of up to 400 m, buckshot could be used against enemy infantry.
The exact number of 57-mm ZiS-2 cannons delivered to China is unknown, but in 1955, the PRC began mass production of a Chinese licensed analogue known as the Type 55. For 10 years, the Chinese industry produced about 1000 57-mm Type 55 anti-tank guns, which were in service until the early 1990s.
To combat tanks during the Korean War, divisional 76, 2-mm ZiS-3 cannons were also used. An armor-piercing projectile weighing 6, 5 kg had an initial speed of 655 m / s, and at a distance of 500 m along the normal it could penetrate 68 mm of armor. A sub-caliber projectile, which weighed 3.02 kg, leaving the barrel at a speed of 950 m / s, pierced 85 mm armor at the same distance along the normal. This was enough to defeat the M4 Sherman medium tanks, but the frontal armor of the M26 Pershing and M46 Patton tanks for 76, 2 mm shells was invulnerable.
The insufficient penetration of armor-piercing and sub-caliber shells was partly compensated by the presence of a round with a cumulative grenade in the ammunition load, which, if hit at a right angle, could penetrate 90-100 mm thick armor. From the second half of 1952, the Chinese volunteers used 76, 2-mm ZiS-3 guns mainly for firing from closed positions.
After the end of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula, the PLA command was concerned with increasing the combat characteristics of anti-tank artillery. In this regard, within the framework of military-technical cooperation with the USSR, several dozen 85-mm D-44 anti-tank guns were purchased.
The development of the D-44 anti-tank gun began during the Great Patriotic War; it was possible to adopt the weapon only in 1946. Outwardly, the D-44 strongly resembled the German 75-mm anti-tank Cancer 40. Before the end of production in 1956, more than 10,000 units were produced. The mass of the gun in the combat position was 1725 kg. Combat rate of fire 15 rds / min. An armor-piercing projectile weighing 9, 2 kg had an initial speed of 800 m / s, and at a distance of 1000 m along the normal it could penetrate 100 armor. A sub-caliber projectile weighing 5, 35 kg left the barrel with an initial speed of 1020 m / s and at a distance of 500 m, when hit at a right angle, pierced 140 mm armor. A cumulative projectile, regardless of the normal range, penetrated 210-mm armor. In the 1960s, due to the increased protection of Western tanks, the D-44 guns were transferred to divisional artillery, where they replaced the 76.2-mm ZiS-3, and the fight against tanks was assigned to more powerful artillery systems and ATGMs.
From the second half of the 1950s, the 85-mm Type 56 gun, which is a licensed copy of the D-44, began to enter service with the PLA anti-tank divisions. These guns, along with the 57-mm Type 55 guns, until the early 1990s, formed the basis of the anti-tank artillery attached to the PLA's infantry and tank divisions.
