We paid quite a lot of attention to samples of foreign weapons, especially artillery weapons, which the Red Army inherited from tsarist Russia. And finally, the time has come to talk about a truly Soviet weapon of the pre-war era. A weapon that even today commands respect for its size and power.
The First World War brought an understanding to the command of the leading armies of the world of the importance of artillery of special and high power. The army of the 20th century began to change very quickly. Technical innovations that began to appear in various parts of the world, not only radically changed the ways of conducting hostilities, but also required a quick response from the opposing side.
The Red Army was rather careful with the weapons that the young republic got from the Russian Empire and the interventionists. However, the number of such weapons was extremely small. Most of the guns were of foreign production, obsolete not only morally, but also physically.
Affected by the wear of the barrels, the fatigue of the machines. This is normal, considering that some of the guns plowed not only the First World War, but also the Civil War.
Hence, a rather typical problem for this type of artillery appeared: it became difficult to really maintain such weapons in a combat-ready state. Lack of both the spare parts themselves and the technology, materials, and production capabilities for the production of spare parts …
Already by the mid-20s, the leadership of the Red Army began consultations on the rearmament of the army with samples of its own production. And in 1926, the Revolutionary Military Council of the Soviet Union sets the task of replacing foreign guns with Soviet ones. Moreover, the decision specifies the priority calibers of such guns.
The creation of new artillery systems for the Red Army was difficult. And in terms of design and technology. But nevertheless, the design bureaus coped with this task. The first Soviet 152-mm BR-2 cannon of high power, model 1935, was developed.
The very history of the appearance of this weapon is interesting. The fact is that two factories were engaged in the design of this product at once: OKB 221 of the Stalingrad plant No. 221 "Barrikady" and the design bureau of the Leningrad plant "Bolshevik".
The plant in Stalingrad developed a cannon as part of the creation of a triplex: a 203-mm howitzer, a 152-mm cannon and a 280-mm mortar. It was this requirement that was put forward by the GAU of the Red Army in 1930. "Bolshevik" was only given a task for a cannon. The reason was simple. It was on the "Bolshevik" in 1929 that the long-range 152-mm barrel B-10 was created. The task was simplified by the fact that the GAU only required to "put" a new barrel on the carriage of a 203-mm howitzer (B-4), which had already been developed by that time.
A prototype of the Bolshevik cannon was presented for testing on July 21, 1935. "Barricades" were able to present their sample only on December 9th. Field tests were carried out quickly enough and, as a result, the B-30 gun of the Bolshevik plant was recommended for military tests.
By the end of 1936, a batch of 6 guns had been manufactured. Honestly, even today it is difficult to understand the logic of the Red Army command of those years. The fact is that during the military tests, not even flaws were revealed, but defects (!) Of the design, which were simply impossible to eliminate. Moreover, in the course of the military firing, an event that did not fit into any framework happened. The gun literally fell apart.
The fault was mistakes in design and not quite high-quality manufacturing of samples. The cannon was unable to withstand the force of its shot.
However, despite the deplorable test results, the BR-2 … gun was adopted. The serial production of the gun was supposed to begin at the Stalingrad plant No. 221 "Barricades". In official documents, the gun was referred to as "the 152-mm high-power cannon, model 1935".
The new element of the system was a 152-mm barrel with a piston bolt and a plastic obturator.
For firing, they used shots of the cap separate loading with shells having various purposes. The firing range of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile (weight 48, 77 kg) was equal to 25,750 meters, which fully corresponded to the requirements for this weapon.
The 152mm cannon of the 1935 model was quite mobile. In the stowed position, it could be disassembled into two carts, transported by tracked tractors at a speed of up to 15 kilometers per hour. The tracked undercarriage of the carriage provided a fairly high cross-country ability of the system.
Before the war, 152-mm cannons of the 1935 model of the year were adopted by a separate high-power artillery regiment of the RGK (according to the state - 36 guns of the 1935 model, personnel of 1,579 people). In wartime, this regiment was supposed to become the basis for the deployment of another of the same unit.
Today, many experts argue about the merits and demerits of the tracked track for the BR-2. Why was there a "fence in the garden" when it would be possible to do with a wheel drive, which would definitely reduce the total weight of the weapon? It seems to us that there is a need to bring some clarity to this issue.
You need to start with the main argument of the opponents of caterpillars. For all the seeming ease of wheel travel, it is very hard to believe that a rather complex and heavy carriage could "carry wheels" much lighter than caterpillars. Or - to lighten the carriage by all available methods, which is equivalent to the invention of a new weapon.
Moreover, it is necessary to take into account the Soviet roads of that time. More precisely, their absence. A spring or autumn thaw with a 100% probability would have buried heavy implements in the mud so that there would be no way to pull them out. The caterpillar drive gave low pressure on the ground, respectively, the gun could, firstly, go without looking back almost everywhere the tractor could pass, and secondly, fire without lengthy preparation of the terrain.
Alternative way out? He is, but is he good? Make a system not from 2 parts, but from 3-4. But what about the deployment time then?
And the realities of that time must be taken into account. Well, we didn't have good wheeled tractors. But there were tractors. "Stalinists" (we wrote about this machine) plus AT-T tractors specially designed for these guns. "Heavy artillery tractor."
Both vehicles provided the declared speed of movement of the gun - 15 km / h. It turns out that in the pre-war period, the caterpillar track was preferable for such guns and howitzers.
A wheeled version of the BR-2 appeared only in 1955. The guns that remained in service at that time received a new index BR-2M. By the way, in this version the gun is transported as a whole, the barrel and carriage together. The mobility of the system has really improved.
But back to the weapon. BR-2 was designed to destroy objects in the near rear of the enemy: warehouses, high-level command posts, railway stations, field airfields, long-range batteries, troop concentrations, as well as the destruction of vertical fortifications by direct fire.
The performance characteristics of the 155-mm cannon of the 1935 model (BR-2):
Weight in firing position - 18,200 kg.
Mass in the stowed position: 13 800 kg (gun carriage), 11 100 kg (gun carriage).
Caliber - 152.4 mm.
The height of the line of fire is 1920 mm.
Barrel length - 7170 mm (47, 2 clb.).
Barrel bore length - 7000 mm (45, 9 clb).
Length in firing position - 11448 mm.
Width in firing position - 2490 mm.
The clearance of the monitor carriage is 320 mm.
The clearance of the gun carriage is 310 mm.
The muzzle velocity is 880 m / s.
The angle of vertical guidance is from 0 to + 60 °.
The horizontal guidance angle is 8 °.
Rate of fire - 0.5 rounds per minute.
The maximum firing range is 25750 m.
The weight of the high-explosive fragmentation projectile is 48, 770 kg.
Transport speed on the highway in separate form - up to 15 km / h.
Calculation - 15 people.
An amazing fact for artillery systems. The cannon took part in two wars. Soviet-Finnish and Great Patriotic War. And during this period not a single weapon was lost. Although, in some sources you can find mention of the loss of one gun to the Finnish company. Not confirmed primarily by the Finns.
In the Red Army at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, there were 28 "working" guns. In total, there were 38 (according to other sources 37) guns. We had exactly the same number of guns in 1945.
The difference in 10 guns is very simple to explain. Polygon and test specimens.
Little is known about the combat use of the BR-2. It is believed that they started the war in 1942. When retreating, such weapons are not very effective, so the initial period of the Br-2 was spent in the rear. And in 1941 there was practically no ammunition for the guns.
There is information about their use during the Battle of Kursk. Also, these guns in April 1945 were in service with the artillery group of the Eighth Guards Army. The cannons were used during the Berlin offensive to engage targets in the Seelow Heights.
The statistics of our archives of the Ministry of Defense show that in 1944, 9,900 rounds were used up for the BR-2 cannon on the Leningrad (7100 rounds), First Baltic and Second Belorussian fronts. In 1945 - 3,036 shots, the consumption of shells for these guns in 1942-43 was not recorded.
In general, if we talk about the BR-2, it should be noted that despite all the shortcomings and shortcomings, the weapon is an epoch-making one. And it should be treated as a breakthrough in the Soviet design thought of that time.
The double row of rollers provided good rolling and weight distribution.
Turning the guidance wheels is a below average pleasure. But weaklings did not serve on these guns.
Places for calculation are more than Spartan.
Modern asphalt could not stand it even in rather cool weather. Even in spite of the protection on the tracks. Not a tank, but still …
Today, many people compare the BR-2 with similar Western weapons. You can find many advantages, you can compare the characteristics of the tools. Interesting occupation, but not necessary.
Yes, the Americans had a Lanky Tom (155-mm M1 gun) of the 1938 model. Good weapon. 4 tons lighter than our cannon. Wheeled. You can compare them. But why? Above, we voiced thoughts about caterpillars. It is difficult to imagine "Lanky Tom" on our roads. For those interested, it is enough to find on the Internet photographs of German 105-mm cannons buried in the mud tightly after firing.
The Br-2 cannon can quite easily be considered the progenitor of our heavy and super-heavy artillery, the representatives of which we have already talked about and will talk about in the future.
