September 44. The Uralmashzavod plant begins serial production of SU-100 self-propelled guns - one of the best medium guns of WW2. The caliber of a combat weapon is 100 mm, maneuverability and armor protection are not bad for their time. There were also disadvantages that are so characteristic of self-propelled guns of this type. The departure of a long-barreled gun made it difficult to maneuver in confined spaces, the center of gravity created an overload of the front rollers, as a result, the marching mounts of the ACS could not withstand the loads. Further development of long-barreled self-propelled guns based on the T-34 is not possible. A new base was required to solve technical problems. The plant "Uralmashzavod" in the summer of 44, begins the development of new self-propelled guns based on various domestic tanks. October 44. The plant presents the following projects to the technical council of the tank industry:
- a self-propelled gun mount with a 122 mm D-25 gun - SU-122P. ACS is made in metal and is being tested;
- a self-propelled gun mount with a 100 mm D-10S gun - ESU-100. ACS was designed with an electric transmission and had a rear-mounted fighting compartment;
- a self-propelled gun mount with a 100 mm D-10S gun - SU-100-M-1. The ACS was supposed to use the re-assembled aggregate part of the T-34. It had a rear arrangement of the fighting compartment;
- a self-propelled gun mount with a 100 mm D-10S gun - SU-100-M-2. ACS must use the V-2-44 engine and the assembly of the units from the T-44. It had the rear location of the fighting compartment;
- a self-propelled gun mount with a 122 mm D-25 gun - SU-122-44. ACS must use the layout of the units from the T-44. It had the front location of the fighting compartment.
The decision of the technical council, the best ACS project - SU-100-M-2. According to the order of the People's Commissar of the Tank Industry dated 10.21.44, No. 625, the plant is starting to create a sample SU-100-M-2 for testing. The ACS turned out to be surprisingly compact. The weight of the vehicle did not go beyond the medium-class armored vehicles; the self-propelled guns armor could be significantly increased. In 45, the commission from the People's Commissar of the Tank Industry, having familiarized himself with the progress of work, remains satisfied with the situation and sets the deadline for the creation of the first sample for May 45. The sample is named "Uralmash-1".
March 45. The plant is rapidly creating two types of ACS - SU-101 and SU-102. The SU-101 is an SPG with a 100 mm D-10S gun, and the SU-102 with a 122 mm D-25S gun. Both samples were completed on time. Additionally, the body of the gun mount was manufactured for testing for armor resistance.
SU-101 device
The self-propelled gun mount SU-101 was created on the basis of units from the T-44 and T-34-85. ACS belonged to the class of armored vehicles as an anti-tank weapon. After testing the ACS project, it was proposed to modify and use more powerful guns with a large caliber on the tested SU-101 base. The layout of the ACS used the aft production of the fighting compartment. MTO according to the scheme - front location. The driver's seat is on the left in the bow compartment, on the right is the engine with transmission mechanisms. In the armored wheelhouse, to the left of the gun, sit the gunner, behind him the vehicle commander, to the right of the gun sits the loader. To inspect the battlefield, the ACS is equipped with MK-4 devices. The vehicle is entered through a hatch located in the stern of the wheelhouse and hull, the command hatch is located on the wheelhouse, for the driver-mechanic, the hatch is equipped in the control compartment. The self-propelled guns carried a 100 mm D-10S rifled gun, previously used in the SU-100 self-propelled gun mount. In addition, the self-propelled guns had a large-caliber machine gun 12.7 mm DShK. The gun had vertical guidance angles from 2 to 18 degrees, horizontal guidance angles sectoral 22.5 degrees. For the production of direct fire, a telescopic sight of the TSh-19 type was used. To produce a shot from a gun from a closed position, a Hertz panorama was used. The rate of fire from the gun is three rounds per minute. Ammunition ACS - 36 ammunition for the gun and 450 for the machine gun. The machine gun is mounted on a turret, which is mounted on a movable base of the commander's hatch. Vertical guidance of the machine gun from 84 to -6 degrees. To fire at enemy air targets, the shooter uses a collimator-type sight. In hostilities, the machine gun can be used to engage ground targets.
The SPG's armor class is projectile. In the production of self-propelled guns used armored rolled sheets from 15 to 120 mm. Structurally, the sheets were installed with the calculated tilt angles. The frontal armored version of the self-propelled guns is 90 mm, with an angle of 27 degrees, the armor of the cabin is 120 mm sheets, installed at an angle of 55 degrees. To provide a smoke screen at the stern of the wheelhouse, 2 bombs with a smoke charge are installed. In the compartment with MTO, which is located in the bow of the ACS, there is a DD V-44 longitudinally installed, the engine power is 500 hp. To start the engine, a ST-700 starter was used, or air from 2 installed cylinders. Fuel tanks hold 370 liters of diesel fuel, spare tanks hold 360 liters of diesel fuel. The declared cruising range is 167 kilometers.
The design of the transmission repeats the design of the units from the T-34-85. Changes in the design are mainly associated with the location of the MTO department in the bow of the ACS. The undercarriage is similar to the T-44 tank, from which they took the tracker and individual torsion bar suspension. EO ACS - single-wire type. The lighting is installed using a two-wire electrical circuit. On board the ACS, there was a voltage of 12 and 24 volts. Source - 4 batteries of rechargeable type 6STE-128, battery capacity 256 A * h. To provide external communication, a 9RS radio station was used, for communication inside the car, TPU-3-BIS-F negotiators were used. In addition, there was a light alarm and a tank phone for communication between the commander and the driver-mechanic.
The fate of the SU-101
Autumn 45. Factory tests of the SU-101 sample. During the tests, various technical problems were identified and modified or eliminated. ACS at the end of factory tests is recognized as ready for field combat tests. The sample called "Uralmash-1" undoubtedly surpassed the previously created self-propelled guns in many characteristics. The vehicle has turned out to be more compact, maneuverability has improved, and it is more convenient for the crew to enter and exit. The increase in the characteristics of the armor, the result of the compactness of the ACS. Tests of the durability of the armored hull showed a result that surpassed all the hulls of the ACS and tanks available at that time. The armor in the front of the self-propelled guns was inaccessible for any anti-tank ammunition of the German army. And the weight of the ACS SU-101 corresponded to the weight of the T-34-85. Not without its drawbacks. There is less free space in the car than even the SU-100. When firing, there was a shock wave effect on the roof of the hull. Perhaps the combination of these and other reasons (the victory in WW2, the beginning of the reduction of armament and the number of troops, a large number of self-propelled guns already released, the armament of the army with a T-54 tank with a 100 mm gun) did not allow the SU-101 to continue its existence. Work on the ACS first stops, and then completely stops. At the moment, the SU-101, as a historical example of the military power of the Soviet Union, is in the VIM BTViT in Kubinka.
The main characteristics of the ACS:
- weight 34800 kilograms;
- the crew of the car is 4 people;
- model year of construction 1945;
- length 7.12 meters;
- width 3.11 meters;
- height 2.6 meters;
- clearance 42 centimeters;
- speed up to 50 km / h;
- rise up to 34 degrees;
- obstacle up to 120 centimeters high;
- moat up to 3.5 meters;
- ford up to 150 centimeters.
