Katyusha shots during the war. Rocket launchers - from Katyusha to Smerch

Katyusha - appeared during the Great Patriotic War 1941-45 not official name barrelless field rocket artillery systems (BM-8, BM-13, BM-31 and others). Such installations were actively used Armed Forces USSR during World War II. The popularity of the nickname turned out to be so great that post-war MLRS on automobile chassis, in particular BM-14 and BM-21 Grad, were often referred to colloquially as “Katyushas”.

Back in 1921, employees of the Gas Dynamics Laboratory N.I. Tikhomirov and V.A. Artemyev began developing rockets for aircraft.

In 1929-1933, B. S. Petropavlovsky, with the participation of other GDL employees, conducted official tests of rockets of various calibers and purposes using multi-shot and single-shot aircraft and ground launchers.

In 1937-1938, rockets developed by the RNII (GDL together with the GIRD in October 1933 formed the newly organized RNII) under the leadership of G. E. Langemak were adopted by the RKKVF. RS-82 rockets of 82 mm caliber were installed on I-15, I-16, and I-153 fighters. In the summer of 1939, RS-82 on I-16 and I-153 were successfully used in battles with Japanese troops on the Khalkhin Gol River.

In 1939-1941, RNII employees I. I. Gvai, V. N. Galkovsky, A. P. Pavlenko, A. S. Popov and others created a multi-charge launcher mounted on a truck.

In March 1941, field tests of the installations, designated BM-13 ( fighting machine with 132 mm caliber shells). RS-132 rocket of 132 mm caliber and launcher on the base truck ZIS-6 BM-13 were put into service on June 21, 1941; It was this type of combat vehicle that first received the nickname “Katyusha”. During the Great Patriotic War, a significant number of variants of RS shells and launchers for them were created; In total, Soviet industry produced more than 10,000 rocket artillery combat vehicles during the war years
It is known why BM-13 installations began to be called “guards mortars” at one time. The BM-13 installations were not actually mortars, but the command sought to keep their design secret for as long as possible:
When, at a firing range, soldiers and commanders asked a GAU representative to name the “true” name of the combat installation, he advised: “Call the installation as an ordinary artillery piece. This is important for maintaining secrecy."
There is no single version of why the BM-13 began to be called “Katyusha”. There are several assumptions:
Based on the title of Blanter’s song “Katyusha”, which became popular before the war, based on the words of Isakovsky. The version is convincing, since for the first time Captain Flerov’s battery fired at the enemy on July 14, 1941 at 10 o’clock in the morning, firing a salvo at the Market Square of the city of Rudnya. This was the first combat use of Katyushas, ​​confirmed in historical literature. The installations were shooting from a high, steep mountain - the association with the high, steep bank in the song immediately arose among the fighters. Finally, the former sergeant of the headquarters company of the 217th separate communications battalion of the 144th is alive rifle division 20th Army Andrei Sapronov, now a military historian, who gave it this name. Red Army soldier Kashirin, having arrived with him at the battery after the shelling of Rudnya, exclaimed in surprise: “What a song!” “Katyusha,” answered Andrei Sapronov (from the memoirs of A. Sapronov in the Rossiya newspaper No. 23 of June 21-27, 2001 and in the Parliamentary Gazette No. 80 of May 5, 2005).
What kind of verses they didn’t come up with at the front based on their favorite song!
There were battles at sea and on land,
Shots roared all around -
Sang songs "Katyusha"
Near Kaluga, Tula and Orel.
— — — — — — — — — — — — —
Let the Fritz remember the Russian Katyusha,
Let him hear her sing:
Shakes out the souls of enemies,
And it gives courage to its own!
Through the communications center of the headquarters company, the news about a miracle weapon called “Katyusha” within 24 hours became the property of the entire 20th Army, and through its command - the entire country. On July 13, 2012, the veteran and “godfather” of Katyusha turned 91, and on February 26, 2013 he passed away. He left his on the desk last job- a chapter about the first salvo of Katyusha rockets for the upcoming multi-volume history of the Great Patriotic War.
There is also a version that the name is associated with the “K” index on the mortar body - the installations were produced by the Kalinin plant (according to another source, by the Comintern plant). And front-line soldiers loved to give nicknames to their weapons. For example, the M-30 howitzer was nicknamed “Mother”, the ML-20 howitzer gun was nicknamed “Emelka”. Yes, and the BM-13 was at first sometimes called “Raisa Sergeevna,” thus deciphering the abbreviation RS (missile).
The third version suggests that this is how the girls from the Moscow Kompressor plant, who worked on the assembly, dubbed these cars. [source not specified 284 days]
Another, exotic version. The guides on which the projectiles were mounted were called ramps. The forty-two-kilogram projectile was lifted by two fighters harnessed to the straps, and the third usually helped them, pushing the projectile so that it lay exactly on the guides, and he also informed those holding that the projectile stood up, rolled, and rolled onto the guides. It was allegedly called “Katyusha” (the role of those holding the projectile and the one rolling it was constantly changing, since the crew of the BM-13, unlike cannon artillery, was not explicitly divided into loader, aimer, etc.) [source not 284 days indicated]
It should also be noted that the installations were so secret that it was even forbidden to use the commands “fire”, “fire”, “volley”, instead they were sounded “sing” or “play” (to start it was necessary to turn the handle of the electric generator very quickly), that , may also have been related to the song “Katyusha”. And for our infantry, a salvo of Katyusha rockets was the most pleasant music. [source not specified 284 days]
There is an assumption that initially the nickname “Katyusha” had a front-line bomber equipped with rockets - an analogue of the M-13. And the nickname jumped from an airplane to a rocket launcher via shells. [source not specified 284 days]
An experienced squadron of SV bombers (commander Doyar) in the battles on Khalkhin Gol was armed with RS-132 missiles. SB (fast bomber) bombers were sometimes called "Katyusha". It seems that this name appeared during civil war in Spain in the 1930s.
In the German troops, these machines were called “Stalin’s organs” because of the external resemblance of the rocket launcher to the pipe system of this musical instrument and the powerful stunning roar that was produced when launching missiles. [source not specified 284 days]
During the battles for Poznan and Berlin, the M-30 and M-31 single-launch installations received the nickname “Russian Faustpatron” from the Germans, although these shells were not used as an anti-tank weapon. With “dagger” (from a distance of 100-200 meters) launches of these shells, the guards broke through any walls.

It all started with the development of black powder-based rockets in 1921. N.I. took part in the work on the project. Tikhomirov, V.A. Artemyev from the gas dynamic laboratory.

By 1933, the work was almost completed and official testing began. To launch them, multi-charge aviation and single-charge ground launchers were used. These shells were prototypes of those later used on Katyushas. The development was carried out by a group of developers from the Jet Institute.

In 1937-38, rockets of this type were put into service air force Soviet Union. They were used on the I-15, I-16, I-153 fighters, and later on the Il-2 attack aircraft.

From 1938 to 1941, work was underway at the Jet Institute to create a multi-charge launcher mounted on a truck. In March 1941, field tests were carried out on installations called BM-13 - Fighting Machine 132 mm shells.

The combat vehicles were equipped with high-explosive fragmentation shells of 132 mm caliber called M-13, which were put into mass production just a few days before the start of the war. On June 26, 1941, the assembly of the first two production BM-13s based on the ZIS-6 was completed in Voronezh. On June 28, the installations were tested at a training ground near Moscow and became available to the army.

An experimental battery of seven vehicles under the command of Captain I. Flerov first took part in the battles on July 14, 1941 for the city of Rudnya, occupied by the Germans the day before. Two days later, the same formation fired at the Orsha railway station and the crossing of the Orshitsa River.

Production of BM-13 was established at the plant named after. Comintern in Voronezh, as well as at the Moscow Compressor. The production of shells was organized at the Moscow plant named after. Vladimir Ilyich. During the war, several modifications of the rocket launcher and its projectiles were developed.

A year later, in 1942, 310 mm shells were developed. In April 1944, they created self-propelled gun with 12 guides, which was mounted on a truck chassis.

origin of name

In order to maintain secrecy, management strongly recommended calling the installation BM-13 whatever you like, as long as not to reveal the details of its characteristics and purpose. For this reason, soldiers at first called the BM-13 a “guards mortar.”

As for the affectionate “Katyusha”, there are many versions regarding the appearance of such a name for a mortar launcher.

One version says that the mortar launcher was called “Katyusha” after the name of Matvey Blanter’s song “Katyusha”, a popular song before the war, based on the words of Mikhail Isakovsky. The version is very convincing because when Rudnya was shelled, the installations were located on one of the local hills.

The other version is partly more prosaic, but no less heartfelt. There was an unspoken tradition in the army of giving affectionate nicknames to weapons. For example, the M-30 howitzer was nicknamed “Mother”, the ML-20 howitzer gun was called “Emelka”. Initially, the BM-13 was called “Raisa Sergeevna” for some time, thus deciphering the abbreviation RS - rocket.

The installations were such a guarded military secret that during combat operations it was strictly forbidden to use traditional commands like “fire”, “volley” or “fire”. They were replaced by the commands “play” and “sing”: to start it, you had to turn the handle of the electric generator very quickly.

Well, another version is quite simple: an unknown soldier wrote on the installation the name of his beloved girl - Katyusha. The nickname stuck.

Performance characteristics

Chief designer A.V. Kostikov

• Number of guides - 16
• Guide length - 5 meters
• Weight in camping equipment without shells - 5 tons
• Transition from traveling to combat position - 2 - 3 minutes
• Time to charge the installation - 5 - 8 minutes
• Volley duration - 4 - 6 seconds
• Type of projectile - rocket, high-explosive fragmentation
• Caliber - 132 mm
• Maximum projectile speed - 355 m/s
• Range - 8470 meters

The predecessors of modern rocket launchers can be considered guns from China. The shells could travel a distance of 1.6 km, firing a huge number of arrows at the target. In the West, such devices appeared only 400 years later.

History of the creation of rocket guns

The first rockets appeared solely thanks to the advent of gunpowder, which was invented in China. Alchemists discovered this element by accident when they were making an elixir for eternal life. In the 11th century, gunpowder bombs were first used, which were directed to the target from catapults. It was the first weapon whose mechanism resembles rocket launchers.

The rockets created in China in 1400 were as close as possible to modern guns. Their flight range was more than 1.5 km. They consisted of two rockets equipped with engines. Before they fell, a huge number of arrows flew out of them. After China, such weapons appeared in India, then came to England.

General Congreve developed on their basis in 1799 the new kind gunpowder shells. They were immediately accepted into service with the British army. Then huge cannons appeared that fired missiles at a distance of 1.6 km.

Even earlier, in 1516, the grassroots Zaporizhian Cossacks near Belgorod, when destroying the Tatar horde of the Crimean Khan Melik-Girey, used even more innovative rocket launchers. Thanks to new weapons, they were able to defeat the Tatar army, which was much more numerous than the Cossack army. Unfortunately, the Cossacks took the secret of their development with them, dying in subsequent battles.

Achievements of A. Zasyadko

A big breakthrough in the creation of launchers was made by Alexander Dmitrievich Zasyadko. It was he who came up with and successfully implemented the first RCD installations volley fire. From one such design it was possible to fire at least 6 missiles almost simultaneously. The installations were light in weight, which made it possible to transport them to any comfortable spot. Zasyadko's developments were highly appreciated by Grand Duke Konstantin, the Tsar's brother. In his report to Alexander I, he petitioned for Colonel Zasyadko to be awarded the rank of major general.

Development of rocket launchers in the 19th-20th centuries.

In the 19th century, the design of rockets using nitro powder ( smokeless powder) started studying N.I. Tikhomirov and V.A. Artemyev. The first launch of such a rocket was made in the USSR in 1928. The shells could cover a distance of 5-6 km.

Thanks to the contribution of the Russian professor K.E. Tsiolkovsky, scientists from the RNII I.I. Gvaya, V.N. Galkovsky, A.P. Pavlenko and A.S. Popov in 1938-1941, the multi-discharge missile launcher RS-M13 and the BM-13 installation appeared. At the same time, Russian scientists are creating rockets. These missiles - "eres" - will become the main part of the as yet non-existent Katyusha. They will work on its creation for several more years.

Installation "Katyusha"

As it turned out, five days before Germany attacked the USSR, L.E.’s group. Schwartz demonstrated a new weapon called “Katyusha” in the Moscow region. The rocket launcher at that time was called BM-13. The tests were carried out on June 17, 1941 at the Sofrinsky training ground with the participation of the Chief of the General Staff G.K. Zhukov, people's commissars of defense, ammunition and weapons, and other representatives of the Red Army. On July 1, this military equipment left Moscow for the front. And two weeks later, “Katyusha” experienced its first baptism of fire. Hitler was shocked to learn about the effectiveness of this rocket launcher.

The Germans were afraid of this weapon and tried in every possible way to capture or destroy it. Attempts by designers to recreate the same weapon in Germany were unsuccessful. The projectiles did not gain speed, had a chaotic flight path and did not hit the target. Soviet-made gunpowder was clearly of a different quality; it took decades to develop. German analogues could not replace it, which led to unstable operation of the ammunition.

The creation of this powerful weapon opened a new page in the history of the development of artillery weapons. The formidable Katyusha began to bear the honorary title of “weapon of victory.”

Development Features

The BM-13 missile launchers consist of a six-wheeled four-wheel drive truck and a special design. A system for launching missiles on a platform installed there was attached to the cockpit. A special lift using hydraulics raised the front part of the installation at an angle of 45 degrees. Initially, there was no provision for moving the platform to the right or left. Therefore, to aim at the target, it was necessary to completely deploy the entire truck. 16 missiles fired from the installation flew along a free trajectory to the enemy’s location. The crew made adjustments while firing. More modern modifications of these weapons are still used by the armies of some countries.

The BM-13 was replaced in the 1950s by the jet BM-14.

Grad rocket launchers

The next modification of the system in question was “Grad”. The rocket launcher was created for the same purposes as previous similar models. Only the tasks for developers have become more complicated. The firing range had to be at least 20 km.

The development of new shells was undertaken by Scientific Research Institute 147, which had not previously created such weapons. In 1958, under the leadership of A.N. Ganichev, with the support of the State Committee for Defense Technology, began work on the development of a missile for a new modification of the installation. To create it, they used the technology of making artillery shells. The cases were created using the hot drawing method. The projectile was stabilized by the tail and rotation.

After numerous experiments with Grad rockets, they were the first to use a tail consisting of four curved blades that opened at launch. Thus, A.N. Ganichev was able to ensure that the missile fit perfectly into the tubular guide, and during flight its stabilization system turned out to be ideal for a firing range of 20 km. The main creators were NII-147, NII-6, GSKB-47, SKB-203.

Tests were carried out at the Rzhevka training ground near Leningrad on March 1, 1962. And a year later, on March 28, 1963, the country accepted the Grad into service. The rocket launcher went into serial production on January 29, 1964.

Composition of "Grad"

SZO BM 21 includes the following elements:

A rocket launcher, which is mounted on the rear of the chassis of the Ural-375D vehicle;

Fire control system and transport-loading vehicle 9T254 based on ZIL-131;

40 three-meter guides in the form of pipes installed on a base that rotates in a horizontal plane and points vertically.

Guidance is carried out manually or using an electric drive. The unit is charged manually. The car can be driven charged. Shooting is carried out in volleys or single shots. With a salvo of 40 shells, manpower is affected over an area of ​​1046 square meters. m.

Shells for "Grad"

Can be used for shooting Various types rockets. They differ in firing range, weight, and target. They are used to destroy manpower, armored vehicles, mortar batteries, airplanes and helicopters at airfields, mining, installing smoke screens, creating radio interference, and poisoning with a chemical substance.

There are a huge number of modifications of the Grad system. All of them are in service with various countries peace.

Long-range MLRS "Hurricane"

Simultaneously with the development of the Grad, the Soviet Union was developing a long-range rocket launcher. Before the appearance of the Hurricane, they tested the R-103, R-110 Chirok, and Korshun missile launchers. All of them were rated positively, but were not powerful enough and had their drawbacks.

At the end of 1968, development of a long-range 220-mm SZO began. Initially it was called "Grad-3". In full new system was taken into development after the decision of the USSR Ministry of Defense Industry of March 31, 1969. At the Perm gun factory No. 172 in February 1972, a prototype of the Uragan MLRS was manufactured. The missile launcher was put into service on March 18, 1975. After 15 years, the Soviet Union hosted 10 Uragan MLRS rocket artillery regiments and one rocket artillery brigade.

In 2001, so many Uragan systems were in service in the countries of the former USSR:

Russia - 800;

Kazakhstan - 50;

Moldova - 15;

Tajikistan - 12;

Turkmenistan - 54;

Uzbekistan - 48;

Ukraine - 139.

The shells for the Hurricanes are very similar to the ammunition for the Grads. The same components are 9M27 missile parts and 9X164 powder charges. To reduce the range of action, brake rings are also put on them. Their length is 4832-5178 mm, and their weight is 271-280 kg. The funnel in medium-density soil has a diameter of 8 meters and a depth of 3 meters. The firing range is 10-35 km. Fragments from shells exploding at a distance of 10 m can penetrate a 6-mm steel barrier.

For what purposes are Uragan systems used? The missile launcher is designed to destroy manpower, armored vehicles, artillery units, tactical missiles, anti-aircraft systems, helicopters in parking lots, communication centers, military-industrial facilities.

The most accurate MLRS "Smerch"

The uniqueness of the system lies in the combination of indicators such as power, range and accuracy. The world's first MLRS with guided rotating projectiles is the Smerch missile launcher, which still has no analogues in the world. Its missiles are capable of reaching a target that is located 70 km from the gun itself. The new MLRS was adopted into service in the USSR on November 19, 1987.

In 2001, Uragan systems were located in the following countries (former USSR):

Russia - 300 cars;

Belarus - 48 cars;

Ukraine - 94 cars.

The projectile has a length of 7600 mm. Its weight is 800 kg. All varieties have a huge destructive and damaging effect. Losses from Uragan and Smerch batteries are equivalent to tactical actions nuclear weapons. At the same time, the world does not consider their use as so dangerous. They are equivalent to weapons such as a cannon or a tank.

Reliable and powerful “Topol”

In 1975, the Moscow Institute of Heat Engineering began to develop mobile system, capable of launching a rocket from various locations. The Topol missile launcher became such a complex. This was the Soviet Union's response to the advent of controlled American intercontinental aircraft (they were adopted by the United States in 1959).

The first tests took place on December 23, 1983. Over the course of a series of launches, the rocket proved to be a reliable and powerful weapon.

In 1999, 360 Topol complexes were located in ten position areas.

Every year in Russia one Topol rocket is launched. Since the creation of the complex, about 50 tests have been carried out. All of them went through without any difficulties. This indicates the highest reliability of the equipment.

To destroy small targets, the Tochka-U divisional missile launcher was developed in the Soviet Union. Work on the creation of this weapon began on March 4, 1968, according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers. The contractor was Kolomenskoye Design Bureau. Chief designer - S.P. Invincible. The Central Research Institute of AG was responsible for the missile control system. The launcher was produced in Volgograd.

What is an air defense missile system

A set of various combat and technical means that are linked together to combat enemy attack weapons from air and space is called an anti-aircraft missile system (SAM).

They are distinguished by the location of military operations, by mobility, by the method of movement and guidance, and by range. These include the Buk missile launcher, as well as Igla, Osa and others. What is different about this type of design? The anti-aircraft missile system includes means for reconnaissance and transportation, automatic tracking of air targets, an anti-aircraft launcher guided missiles, devices for missile control and tracking, equipment control equipment.

Subsequently, by analogy with “Katyusha”, the nickname “Andryusha” was given by Soviet soldiers to another rocket artillery installation BM-31-12, but this nickname did not become so widespread and popular.

History of the creation of weapons

M-13 shell

Memorial complex (1 km northeast of the village of Pishchalovo, Orsha district). The site of the first use of the BM-13 “KATYUSHA” installation.

Back in 1920, employees of the Riga VEF plant under the leadership of Alexander Tipainis developed an experimental prototype of the Oscars experimental rocket launcher. Despite the success of the prototype, no funds were allocated for further production, and the project never reached the mass production stage. In January 1921, the drawings and other important documentation fell into the hands of Soviet security officers and NKVD agents. [ ] In 1921, employees of the Gas Dynamics Laboratory (GDL) N.I. Tikhomirov and V.A. Artemyev began developing rockets for aircraft.

In 1938-1941, at Research Institute No. 3 of the NKB (from 1938, former RNII) under the leadership of chief designer A.V. Kostikov, engineers: I.I. Gvai, V.N. Galkovsky, A.P. Pavlenko, R. I Popov, N.I. Tikhomirov, V.A. Artemyev and others created a multi-charge launcher mounted on a truck.

In March 1941, field tests of the installations, designated BM-13 (combat vehicle with 132 mm caliber shells), were successfully carried out. The 132 mm M-13 rocket and the launcher based on the ZIS-6 BM-13 truck were put into service on June 21, 1941; It was this type of combat vehicle that first received the nickname “Katyusha”. The BM-13 installations were first tested in combat conditions at 10 a.m. on July 14, 1941. The battery of Captain Flerov, who took part in the creation of the BM-13, fired at enemy troops and equipment at the railway junction of the city of Orsha. Since the spring of 1942, the rocket mortar was installed mainly on English and American all-wheel drive chassis imported under Lend-Lease. The most famous among them was the Studebaker US6. During the Great Patriotic War, a significant number of variants of RS shells and launchers for them were created; In total, Soviet industry produced approximately 10,000 rocket artillery combat vehicles during the war years.

Origin of the nickname

There is no single version of why the BM-13 began to be called “Katyusha”. There are several assumptions. The most common and well-founded are two versions of the origin of the nickname, which are not mutually exclusive:

• Based on the title of Blanter’s song, which became popular before the war, based on the words of Isakovsky “Katyusha”. The version is convincing, since Captain Flerov’s battery fired at the enemy, firing a salvo at the Market Square of the city of Rudnya. This was one of the first combat uses of Katyushas, ​​confirmed in historical literature. The installations were shooting from a high, steep mountain - the association with the high, steep bank in the song immediately arose among the fighters. Finally, until recently, Andrei Sapronov, a former sergeant of the headquarters company of the 217th separate communications battalion of the 144th Infantry Division of the 20th Army, was alive until recently, later a military historian, who gave it this name. Red Army soldier Kashirin, having arrived with him at the battery after the shelling of Rudnya, exclaimed in surprise: “What a song!” “Katyusha,” answered Andrei Sapronov (from the memoirs of A. Sapronov in the Rossiya newspaper No. 23 dated June 21-27, 2001 and in the Parliamentary newspaper No. 80 dated May 5, 2005). Through the communications center of the headquarters company, the news about a miracle weapon called “Katyusha” within 24 hours became the property of the entire 20th Army, and through its command - the entire country. On July 13, 2012, the veteran and “godfather” of Katyusha turned 91, and on February 26, 2013 he passed away. On the desk he left his latest work - a chapter about the first salvo of Katyusha rockets for the multi-volume history of the Great Patriotic War, which is being prepared for publication.
• The name may be associated with the “K” index on the mortar body - the installations were produced by the Comintern plant. And front-line soldiers loved to give nicknames to their weapons. For example, the M-30 howitzer was nicknamed “Mother”, the ML-20 howitzer gun was nicknamed “Emelka”. Yes, and the BM-13 was at first sometimes called “Raisa Sergeevna,” thus deciphering the abbreviation RS (missile).

In addition to the two main ones, there are also many other, less known versions the origin of the nickname - from very realistic to having a purely legendary character:

Similar nicknames

In addition to being widely known throughout the world popular nickname“Katyusha”, in relation to Soviet rocket artillery combat vehicles during the Great Patriotic War, there were also a number of its analogues, less known.

There is an opinion, stated in English-language sources, that the BM-31-12 combat vehicle, by analogy with the Katyusha, received the nickname “Andryusha” from Soviet soldiers, although, perhaps, “Andryusha” was called the M-30. Also very popular, it, however, did not receive such significant distribution and fame as the Katyusha, and did not spread to other models of launchers; even the BM-31-12s themselves were often called “Katyushas” rather than by their own nickname. Following the “Katyusha”, Soviet soldiers also christened a German weapon of a similar type with the Russian name - the 15 cm Nb.W 41 (Nebelwerfer) towed rocket mortar, which received the nickname “Vanyusha”. In addition, the high-explosive M-30 rocket, used from the simplest portable frame-type multiple rocket launchers, subsequently also received several humorous nicknames of a similar type: “Ivan Dolbay”, associated with the high destructive power of the projectile, and “Luka” - on behalf of the character Luka Mudishchev from a 19th-century pornographic poem, in connection with the characteristic shape of the projectile head; Due to the obvious obscene subtext of the joke, the nickname “Luka,” which had a certain popularity among soldiers, was practically not reflected in the Soviet press and literature and remained little known in general.

Mortar launchers were called “Marusya” (derived from MARS - mortar artillery rockets), and on the Volkhov Front they were called “guitar”.

While in the Soviet troops the BM-13 combat vehicles and analogues received the stable nickname “Katyusha”, in the German troops these vehicles were nicknamed “Stalin’s organs” (German: Stalinorgel) - due to the association appearance package of rocket launcher guides with the pipe system of this musical instrument and because of the characteristic sound made when launching rockets. Soviet installations of this type became known under this nickname, in addition to Germany, also in a number of other countries - Denmark (Danish: Stalinorgel), Finland (Finnish: Stalinin urut), France (French: Orgues de Staline), Norway (Norwegian: Stalinorgel), The Netherlands (Dutch: Stalinorgel), Hungary (Hungarian: Sztálinorgona) and Sweden (Swedish: Stalins orgel).

The Soviet nickname “Katyusha” also spread among German soldiers - Katjuscha. From the memoirs of intelligence officer N.P. Rusanov, we know about the inadequate reaction of some German soldiers to this word:

When they brought him (the sergeant major) to his team, there was a Katyusha at the headquarters. As soon as the German heard this word “Katyusha”, he immediately began to shake all over, rushed to the side, so that they could barely hold him back. How much laughter we boys had! .

Notes

1. Luknitsky P. N. Through the entire blockade. - L.: Lenizdat, 1988. - P. 193.
2. Gordon L. Rottman.// FUBAR (F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition): Soldier Slang of World War II. - Osprey, 2007. - P. 278-279. - 296 p. - ISBN 1-84603-175-3.
3. Katyusha- article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
4. Steven J. Zaloga, James Grandsen. Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two. - London: Arms and Armor Press, 1984. - P. 153. - 240 p. - ISBN 0-85368-606-8.
5. “Luka” and “Katyusha” against “Vanyusha”. “Equipment and weapons” No. 1 1995
6. AKIMOV V. N., KOROTEEV A. S., GAFAROV A. A. and others. Weapon of Victory - “Katyusha” // Research Center named after M. V. Keldysh. 1933-2003: 70 years at the cutting edge of rocket and space technology. - Mechanical engineering. - M, 2003. - P. 92-101. - 439 p.
7. Pervushin A.I."Red space. Starships of the Soviet Empire." 2007. Moscow. "Yauza", "Eksmo". ISBN 5-699-19622-6.
8. MILITARY LITERATURE - [Military History]- Fugate B., Operation Barbarossa
9. Andronikov N. G., Galitsan A. S., Kiryan M. M. et al. Great Patriotic War, 1941-1945: Dictionary-reference book / Under. ed. M. M. Kiryana. - M.: Politizdat, 1985. - P. 204. - 527 p. - 200,000 copies.
10. "K-22" - Battle cruiser / [under general. ed. N. V. Ogarkova]. - M.: Military publishing house of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, 1979. - P. 124. - (Soviet Military Encyclopedia: [in 8 volumes]; 1976-1980, vol. 4).
11. Alexander Borisovich Shirokorad. “Luka” and “Katyusha” against “Vanyusha”. Multiple launch rocket systems in the Great Patriotic War (undefined) . Independent Military Review (March 5, 2010). Retrieved November 29, 2011. Archived February 8, 2012.
12. Warbot J. J."Etymology // Russian language. Encyclopedia. - 2nd ed., revised and supplemented. - M.: Great Russian Encyclopedia; Bustard, 1997. - P. 643-647.
13. Lazarev L. L. The legend of the first "Katyusha"// Touching the sky. - M.: Profizdat, 1984. Archived March 4, 2016 on the Wayback Machine.
14. http://www.moscow-faq.ru/articles/other/2010/January/5070 http://operation-barbarossa.narod.ru/katuscha/m-31.htm

In the protocol of interrogation of German prisoners of war, it was noted that “two captured soldiers in the village of Popkovo went crazy from the fire of rocket launchers,” and the captured corporal stated that “there were many cases of madness in the village of Popkovo from the artillery cannonade of the Soviet troops.”

T34 Sherman Calliope (USA) Multiple launch rocket system (1943). Had 60 guides for 114 mm M8 rockets. Installed on a Sherman tank, guidance was carried out by turning the turret and raising and lowering the barrel (via traction)

One of the most famous and popular symbols of the Soviet Union’s victory weapon in the Great Patriotic War is the BM-8 and BM-13 multiple launch rocket systems, which were affectionately nicknamed “Katyusha” by the people. The development of rockets in the USSR began in the early 1930s, and even then the possibility of their salvo launch was considered. In 1933, the RNII - Jet Research Institute was created. One of the results of his work was the creation and adoption of 82- and 132-mm rockets into aviation service in 1937-1938. By this time, considerations had already been expressed about the advisability of using rockets in ground forces Oh. However, due to their low accuracy, the effectiveness of their use could only be achieved when firing simultaneously big amount shells. The Main Artillery Directorate (GAU) at the beginning of 1937, and then in 1938, set the institute the task of developing a multi-charge launcher for firing multiple rocket launchers with 132-mm rockets. Initially, the installation was planned to be used to fire rockets for chemical warfare.

In April 1939, a multi-charge launcher was designed based on the principle new scheme with longitudinal guides. Initially, it received the name “mechanized installation” (MU-2), and after the design bureau of the Kompressor plant was finalized and put into service in 1941, it was given the name “combat vehicle BM-13.” The rocket launcher itself consisted of 16 guides for grooved type rockets. The placement of guides along the vehicle chassis and the installation of jacks increased the stability of the launcher and increased the accuracy of fire. Loading of rockets was carried out from the rear end of the guides, which made it possible to significantly speed up the reloading process. All 16 shells could be fired in 7 - 10 seconds.

The formation of guards mortar units began with the decree of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks dated June 21, 1941 on the deployment serial production M-13 shells, M-13 launchers and the beginning of the formation of rocket artillery units. The first separate battery, which received seven BM-13 installations, was commanded by Captain I.A. Flerov. The successful operations of rocket artillery batteries contributed to the rapid growth of this young type of weapon. Already on August 8, 1941, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin began the formation of the first eight regiments of rocket artillery, which was completed by September 12. By the end of September, the ninth regiment was created.

Tactical unit

The main tactical unit of the Guards mortar units became the Guards mortar regiment. Organizationally, it consisted of three divisions of M-8 or M-13 rocket launchers, an anti-aircraft division, and service units. In total, the regiment consisted of 1,414 people, 36 combat vehicles, twelve 37-mm anti-aircraft guns, 9 DShK anti-aircraft machine guns and 18 light machine guns. However, the difficult situation on the fronts due to the decrease in the production of anti-aircraft guns artillery pieces led to the fact that in 1941 some rocket artillery units did not actually have an anti-aircraft artillery battalion. The transition to a full-time regiment-based organization ensured an increase in fire density compared to a structure based on individual batteries or divisions. A salvo of one regiment of M-13 rocket launchers consisted of 576, and a regiment of M-8 rocket launchers consisted of 1,296 rockets.

The eliteness and significance of batteries, divisions and regiments of rocket artillery of the Red Army were emphasized by the fact that immediately upon formation they were given the honorary name of guards. For this reason, as well as for the purpose of maintaining secrecy, Soviet rocket artillery received its official name - “Guards Mortar Units”.

An important milestone in the history of Soviet field rocket artillery was GKO Decree No. 642-ss of September 8, 1941. According to this resolution, the Guards mortar units were separated from the Main Artillery Directorate. At the same time, the position of commander of the Guards mortar units was introduced, who was supposed to report directly to the Headquarters of the Main Supreme Command (SGVK). The first commander of the Guards Mortar Units (GMC) was 1st rank military engineer V.V. Aborenkov.

First experience

The first use of Katyushas took place on July 14, 1941. The battery of Captain Ivan Andreevich Flerov fired two salvos from seven launchers at the Orsha railway station, where a large number of German trains with troops, equipment, ammunition, and fuel had accumulated. As a result of the battery's fire, the railway junction was wiped off the face of the earth, and the enemy suffered heavy losses in manpower and equipment.

T34 Sherman Calliope (USA) - multiple launch rocket system (1943). Had 60 guides for 114 mm M8 rockets. It was installed on a Sherman tank, guidance was carried out by turning the turret and raising and lowering the barrel (via a rod).

On August 8, Katyushas were deployed in the Kiev direction. This is evidenced by the following lines of a secret report to Malenkov, a member of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks: “Today at dawn at the Kiev UR, new means known to you were used. They hit the enemy to a depth of 8 kilometers. The installation is extremely efficient. The command of the area where the installation was located reported that after several turns of the circle, the enemy completely stopped pressing the area from which the installation was operating. Our infantry boldly and confidently moved forward.” The same document indicates that the use of the new weapon caused an initially ambiguous reaction from Soviet soldiers, who had never seen anything like it before. “I am telling you how the Red Army soldiers told it: “We hear a roar, then a piercing howl and a large trail of fire. Panic arose among some of our Red Army soldiers, and then the commanders explained where they were attacking from and where... this literally caused the soldiers to rejoice. Very good review given by artillerymen...” The appearance of the Katyusha came as a complete surprise to the Wehrmacht leadership. Initially, the use of Soviet BM-8 and BM-13 rocket launchers was perceived by the Germans as a concentration of fire large quantity artillery. One of the first mentions of BM-13 rocket launchers can be found in the diary of the head of the German ground forces, Franz Halder, only on August 14, 1941, when he made the following entry: “The Russians have an automatic multi-barrel flamethrower cannon... The shot is fired by electricity. When fired, smoke is generated... If such guns are captured, report immediately.” Two weeks later, a directive appeared entitled “Russian gun throwing rocket-like projectiles.” It said: “The troops are reporting that the Russians are using a new type of weapon that fires rockets. A large number of shots can be fired from one installation within 3 to 5 seconds... Each appearance of these guns must be reported to the general commander of the chemical forces at the high command on the same day.”

By June 22, 1941, German troops also had rocket launchers. By this time, the Wehrmacht chemical troops had four regiments of six-barreled 150 mm chemical mortars (Nebelwerfer 41), and the fifth was under formation. The regiment of German chemical mortars organizationally consisted of three divisions of three batteries. These mortars were first used at the very beginning of the war near Brest, as historian Paul Karel mentions in his works.

There is nowhere to retreat - Moscow is behind

By the fall of 1941, the bulk of the rocket artillery was concentrated in the troops of the Western Front and the Moscow defense zone. Near Moscow there were 33 divisions out of 59 that were in the Red Army at that time. For comparison: the Leningrad Front had five divisions, the Southwestern Front had nine, the Southern Front had six, and the rest had one or two divisions each. In the Battle of Moscow, all armies were strengthened by three or four divisions, and only the 16th Army had seven divisions.

The Soviet leadership attached great importance to the use of Katyushas in the Battle of Moscow. In the directive of the Supreme Command Headquarters, issued on October 1, 1941, “To the commanders of front troops and armies on the procedure for using rocket artillery,” in particular, the following was noted: “Units of the active Red Army have recently received new powerful weapons in the form of M-8 and M- combat vehicles. 13, which are the best means of destroying (suppressing) enemy personnel, his tanks, engine parts and fire weapons. Sudden, massive and well-prepared fire from the M-8 and M-13 divisions ensures an exceptionally good defeat of the enemy and at the same time causes a severe moral shock to his manpower, leading to a loss of combat effectiveness. This is especially true in this moment, when the enemy infantry has much more tanks than we do, when our infantry most of all needs powerful support from the M-8 and M-13, which can be successfully opposed to the enemy tanks.”

A rocket artillery division under the command of Captain Karsanov left a bright mark on the defense of Moscow. For example, on November 11, 1941, this division supported the attack of its infantry on Skirmanovo. After the division's salvoes, this settlement was taken almost without resistance. When examining the area where the volleys were fired, 17 destroyed tanks, more than 20 mortars and several guns abandoned by the enemy in panic were discovered. During November 22 and 23, the same division, without infantry cover, repelled repeated enemy attacks. Despite the fire from machine gunners, Captain Karsanov’s division did not retreat until it completed its combat mission.

At the beginning of the counteroffensive near Moscow, not only enemy infantry and military equipment, but also fortified defense lines, using which the Wehrmacht leadership sought to delay the Soviet troops, became targets of Katyusha fire. The BM-8 and BM-13 rocket launchers fully justified themselves in these new conditions. For example, the 31st separate mortar division under the command of political instructor Orekhov used 2.5 division salvoes to destroy the German garrison in the village of Popkovo. On the same day, the village was taken by Soviet troops with virtually no resistance.

Defending Stalingrad

The Guards mortar units made a significant contribution to repelling the enemy's continuous attacks on Stalingrad. Sudden volleys of rocket launchers devastated the ranks of the advancing German troops, burning them military equipment. At the height of fierce fighting, many guards mortar regiments fired 20-30 salvos per day. The 19th Guards Mortar Regiment showed remarkable examples of combat work. In just one day of battle he fired 30 salvos. The regiment's combat rocket launchers were located with the advanced units of our infantry and destroyed a large number of German and Romanian soldiers and officers. Rocket artillery was greatly loved by the defenders of Stalingrad and, above all, by the infantry. The military glory of the regiments of Vorobyov, Parnovsky, Chernyak and Erokhin thundered throughout the entire front.

In the photo above, the Katyusha BM-13 on the ZiS-6 chassis was a launcher consisting of rail guides (from 14 to 48). The BM-31−12 installation (“Andryusha”, photo below) was a constructive development of the Katyusha. It was based on a Studebaker chassis and fired 300-mm rockets from cellular rather than rail-type guides.

IN AND. Chuikov wrote in his memoirs that he would never forget the Katyusha regiment under the command of Colonel Erokhin. On July 26, on the right bank of the Don, Erokhin’s regiment took part in repelling the offensive of the 51st Army Corps of the German Army. At the beginning of August, this regiment joined the southern operational group of forces. In early September, during German tank attacks on the Chervlenaya River near the village of Tsibenko, the regiment again fired a salvo of 82-mm Katyushas at the main enemy forces in the most dangerous place. The 62nd Army fought street battles from September 14 until the end of January 1943, and Colonel Erokhin’s Katyusha regiment constantly received combat missions from Army Commander V.I. Chuikova. In this regiment, the guide frames (rails) for projectiles were mounted on a T-60 tracked base, which gave these installations good maneuverability on any terrain. Being in Stalingrad itself and choosing positions beyond the steep bank of the Volga, the regiment was invulnerable to enemy artillery fire. Erokhin quickly brought his tracked combat installations to firing positions, fired a salvo, and with the same speed again went into cover.

In the initial period of the war, the effectiveness of rocket mortars was reduced due to an insufficient number of shells.
In particular, in a conversation between Marshal of the USSR Shaposhnikov and Army General G.K. Zhukov, the latter stated the following: “volleys for R.S. (missiles - O.A.) at least 20 are required to be enough for two days of battle, but now we are giving negligible amounts. If there were more of them, I guarantee that it would be possible to shoot the enemy with just RSs.” Zhukov’s words clearly overestimate the capabilities of Katyushas, ​​which had their drawbacks. One of them was mentioned in a letter to GKO member G.M. Malenkov: “A serious combat disadvantage of the M-8 vehicles is the large dead space, which does not allow firing at a distance closer than three kilometers. This shortcoming was especially clearly revealed during the retreat of our troops, when, due to the threat of the capture of this latest secret equipment, the Katyusha crews were forced to blow up their rocket launchers.”

Kursk Bulge. Attention, tanks!

In anticipation Battle of Kursk Soviet troops, including rocket artillery, were intensively preparing for the upcoming battles with German armored vehicles. Katyushas drove their front wheels into dug recesses to give the guides a minimum elevation angle, and the shells, leaving parallel to the ground, could hit tanks. Experimental shooting was carried out on plywood mock-ups of tanks. During training, rockets smashed targets to pieces. However, this method also had many opponents: after all, combat unit M-13 shells were high-explosive fragmentation, not armor-piercing. The effectiveness of Katyushas against tanks had to be tested during the battles. Despite the fact that the rocket launchers were not designed to fight against tanks, in some cases Katyushas successfully coped with this task. Let us give one example from a secret report addressed personally to I.V. during the defensive battles on the Kursk Bulge. To Stalin: “On July 5 - 7, the guards mortar units, repelling enemy attacks and supporting their infantry, carried out: 9 regimental, 96 divisional, 109 battery and 16 platoon salvos against enemy infantry and tanks. As a result, according to incomplete data, up to 15 infantry battalions were destroyed and scattered, 25 vehicles were burned and knocked out, 16 artillery and mortar batteries were suppressed, and 48 enemy attacks were repelled. During the period July 5–7, 1943, 5,547 M-8 shells and 12,000 M-13 shells were used. Particularly noteworthy is the combat work on the Voronezh Front of the 415th Guards Mortar Regiment (regiment commander Lieutenant Colonel Ganyushkin), which on July 6 destroyed the crossing of the Sev River. Donets in the Mikhailovka area and destroyed up to one company of infantry and on July 7, participating in a battle with enemy tanks, shooting with direct fire, knocked out and destroyed 27 tanks...”

In general, the use of Katyushas against tanks, despite individual episodes, turned out to be ineffective due to the large dispersion of shells. In addition, as noted earlier, the warhead of the M-13 shells was high-explosive fragmentation, and not armor-piercing. Therefore, even with a direct hit, the rocket projectile was unable to penetrate frontal armor"Tigers" and "Panthers". Despite these circumstances, the Katyushas still caused significant damage to the tanks. The fact is that when a rocket hit the frontal armor, the tank crew was often incapacitated due to severe concussion. In addition, as a result of Katyusha fire, tank tracks were broken, turrets jammed, and if shrapnel hit the engine part or gas tanks, a fire could occur.

Katyushas were successfully used until the very end of the Great Patriotic War, earning the love and respect of Soviet soldiers and officers and the hatred of Wehrmacht soldiers. During the war years, BM-8 and BM-13 rocket launchers were mounted on various cars, tanks, tractors, installed on armored platforms of armored trains, combat boats, etc. Katyusha “brothers” were also created and participated in battles - heavy rocket launchers M-30 and M-31 300 mm caliber, as well as BM-31−12 300 mm caliber launchers. Rocket artillery firmly took its place in the Red Army and rightfully became one of the symbols of victory.