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They call it a simple weapon mounted on a wheeled or tracked self-propelled chassis and intended exclusively for firing from closed positions. Therefore, to be legally accurate, the design designated as SU-100 should be called either an assault gun or an anti-tank self-propelled gun. But let’s not quibble over the names, but consider the history of the creation of the artillery mount.

History of the creation of the SU-100

Already in production self-propelled gun SU-85. Its main task was to fight the TIGER tank. The fact is that the appearance of this tank on the battlefield caused panic among the command staff of our army. Only an 85 mm anti-aircraft gun and a 57 mm anti-tank gun, which were not produced at that time, could fight it. It was not possible to quickly install an anti-aircraft gun barrel into a T-34 tank. It required an enlarged turret, but the tank’s famous sloping side armor (which is always presented as a brilliant invention of Soviet tank builders) did not allow this to be done. Another bottleneck was the machine, or rather the lack thereof, that could cut the ring gear on an oversized tower. There were only two such machines, not at the factory, but in the entire Soviet Union. Both machines were either English or American (another greeting to those who think that we ourselves won the war) and they were fully loaded with the manufacture of turrets for tanks of the JOSEPH STALIN series. But the barrel from an anti-aircraft gun was installed in a self-propelled gun with a box-shaped conning tower without any problems. But the problem with the TIGER tank was not completely solved. The fact is that an armor-piercing shell from an anti-aircraft gun penetrated the side armor of a tiger 82 millimeters thick from a distance of 1500 meters. And it penetrated the frontal armor one hundred millimeters thick from a distance of a thousand meters. But the tiger’s armor-piercing projectile with a caliber of 88 millimeters penetrated EVERYTHING from a distance of one and a half kilometers. For those who are especially meticulous, I’ll explain. ALL this (going from bottom to top) is a non-hardened nose beam 150 millimeters thick, frontal sloping armor, a gun mantlet - this is for the T-34 and the SU-85. For the KV tank ALL this frontal armor with a screen with a total thickness of one hundred and five millimeters.
Therefore, I wanted something more powerful. In their publications about the armament of the SU-100, many authors simply state that it was decided to create a tank gun with the ballistics of the B-34 naval gun. Can you imagine what the ballistics of the B-34 are (that is, 900 meters per second for a caliber projectile) for 1943? It's a little bit easier than flying to the moon today. It’s simpler for a naval gun; there are no weight restrictions; one barrel with a bolt on the B-34 weighed four tons. Attempts to create a land version of a one hundred millimeter cannon with a high initial speed in the form of an anti-aircraft gun lasted approximately from the year 1933. The closest to success was the K-73 model. So there were many options, but the SU-100 was equipped with a D-10S tank gun from the ninth plant. Which became a long-liver and was installed on many tank models but was already called D-10T. The weight of the barrel with the bolt was approximately one and a half tons. The wedge shutter is semi-automatic. That is, when the projectile is chambered, the bolt wedge closes itself, throwing back the loader’s hand. After the shot, it opens and ejects the cartridge case. On the street healthy man can fire fifteen times a minute from a gun with such a bolt. But in a tank there are no more than six, and on average four shots are obtained. It all depends on whether the tank is stationary or moving and from which stowage the shells need to be taken out.

SU-100 device

To create a new self-propelled gun, the SU-85 body was used with minimal changes. The main difference was the presence of a new commander's cupola, which extended beyond the dimensions of the conning tower.

Comparison of two self-propelled guns; the new one has a cylindrical commander's cupola visible on the starboard side.

The SU-100 self-propelled gun had inclined armor made of rolled armor plates of various thicknesses. The front of the conning tower had a thickness of 75 millimeters at the top sheet and 45 at the bottom. The upper armor plate had a slope of fifty degrees and the lower one fifty-five. The sides of the hull and deckhouse were assembled from armor plates 45 millimeters thick. The side surfaces of the cabin had a slope of twenty degrees, and the sides of the hull were vertical. And holes were made in all the sides of the fighting compartment (I wouldn’t dare call them holes) for firing a pistol. Look carefully at the photographs; these holes look good, although sometimes they are plugged with armored plugs.

The photograph clearly shows that due to the fan protruding beyond the dimensions of the engine, the engine itself is raised from the floor of the case by thirty centimeters, thereby greatly increasing both the height and weight of the case. An unhardened bow beam is visible in the bow. The sloping armor in the stern is infuriating; if it doesn’t help much at the front, then why hang it on the stern? Direct armor (in the upper part) and a triangular gas tank of three hundred liters are required there. And so it (the gas tank) was placed in the fighting compartment so that if it was hit, the crew had no chance at all.

Please note - on the side of the well-fed man, above and to the right of the headlight is the neck of the gas tank. On the other side, above the driver's hatch, there is a hole for firing a pistol. There is a hole for the sight in the gun mask.

The driver's position was located to the left of the gun, the self-propelled gun commander was located in the turret to the right of the gun, the loader was located behind him, and the gunner was located behind the driver to the left of the gun. For boarding and disembarking the crew, the armored hull of the self-propelled gun had: a hatch in the roof of the commander's cupola, a driver's hatch in the upper frontal plate, and a hatch in the aft part of the conning tower roof. In addition, on the right side of the bottom of the SU-100 hull there was a landing hatch. A double-leaf hatch in the front left part of the roof of the fighting compartment served to install a gun panorama. In addition, in the frontal plate above the driver's hatch, as well as in the sides and stern of the wheelhouse, there were holes for firing from personal weapons, closed with armor plugs. That is, even at the design stage it was predicted that the combat vehicle would be abandoned by the infantry to the mercy of fate. Ventilation of the fighting compartment was carried out using two fans installed in the roof of the fighting compartment. Access to the engine and transmission units of the SU-100, like the T-34 tank, was through hatches in the roof of the engine and transmission compartment and a hinged upper aft plate.

The chassis is completely taken from the T-34 tank with all its shortcomings. The weight of the self-propelled gun increased to 31 tons, and due to the frontal armor plate and the length of the gun it was shifted forward. Therefore, the springs on the ancient candle-type pendant began to be made from thicker wire. The long gun made maneuvering difficult, especially on the battlefield.

The photograph clearly shows that although the height of the engine compartment of the T-34-85 and SU-100 are the same, the overall height of the self-propelled gun is significantly less due to the lack of a turret.

Armament and ammunition of the SU-100

The self-propelled gun was armed with a D-10 gun with a length of fifty-six calibers. The initial speed of a high-explosive projectile weighing 15.6 kilograms was 900 meters per second. Armor-piercing caliber shells due to more weight developed a slightly lower speed. The projectile's power was just over six million joules. His blow did not penetrate but broke through high-hardness armor, so armor against large-caliber projectiles becomes more plastic but correspondingly less hard. A new phenomenon was noted: crews often abandoned tanks that did not have end-to-end damage. It turned out that the sound of a powerful projectile hitting the armor caused a shell-shock-like state in the crew.

The gun was mounted in a frame, and the frame itself was mounted on the front plate. The turning angle was very limited. Twenty degrees up, three down and sixteen in the horizontal plane.

The self-propelled gun had thirty-three rounds of ammunition. Please note - the sharp-headed armor-piercing projectile (far left) looks much dumber in appearance than the blunt-headed one (far right). Many poor students of the tank school made mistakes due to this external discrepancy. The sharp-headed projectile is very prone to ricochet, but is much easier to manufacture.

The photographs show post-war shells for one hundred millimeter caliber guns. Sub-caliber with a detachable tray, non-rotating, with arrow-shaped killing elements.

Self-propelled artillery unit SU-100 in battles

Production of the SU-100 began at the end of 1944 at a rate of two hundred vehicles per month. And then UNEXPECTEDLY it turned out that armor-piercing shells for the D-10S cannon were not produced (hello to those who believe that there was order under Stalin). Therefore, self-propelled guns entered battle only in the early spring of 1945. The SU-100 fought its main battle in the area of ​​Lake Balaton against the best German tank divisions. They performed well in ambushes, but they lost an open battle because the armor did not help and the one who got there first won. The Germans had the advantage of better optics and crew training with a higher rate of fire - I already wrote that the TIGER was the best anti-tank self-propelled gun. One of our disadvantages was the small angle of rotation of the gun.

SU-100 is a Soviet self-propelled gun of the Second World War period, belongs to the class of tank destroyers, medium in weight. The self-propelled gun was created on the basis of the T-34-85 medium tank by Uralmashplant designers at the end of 1943 and beginning of 1944. At its core, it is a further development of the SU-85 self-propelled gun. It was developed to replace the SU-85, which had insufficient capabilities to combat German heavy tanks. Serial production of the SU-100 self-propelled gun began at Uralmashzavod in August 1944 and continued until March 1946. In addition, from 1951 to 1956, the self-propelled guns were produced in Czechoslovakia under license. In total, according to various sources, from 4,772 to 4,976 self-propelled guns of this type were produced in the USSR and Czechoslovakia.

By mid-1944, it became completely clear that the Red Army's means of combating modern German tanks were clearly insufficient. It was necessary to qualitatively strengthen the armored forces. They tried to solve this issue by using a 100-mm gun on a self-propelled gun with the ballistics of a B-34 naval gun. The preliminary design of the vehicle was presented to the People's Commissariat of the Tank Industry in December 1943, and already on December 27, 1943, the State Defense Committee decided to adopt a new medium self-propelled gun armed with a 100 mm gun. The place of production of the new self-propelled gun was determined to be Uralmashzavod.

The development deadlines were very tight, however, having received the drawings of the S-34 gun, the factory was convinced that this gun was not suitable for self-propelled guns: it has very impressive dimensions, and when pointed to the left, it rests against the second suspension, not allowing placement on the previous one. driver's hatch in place. In order to install this gun on a self-propelled gun, serious changes to its design were required, including its sealed housing. All this entailed a change in production lines, displacement of the driver's workplace and controls by 100 mm. to the left and changing the suspension. The weight of the self-propelled guns could increase by 3.5 tons compared to the SU-85.

In order to cope with the problem that had arisen, Uralmashzavod turned for help to plant No. 9, where at the end of February 1944, under the leadership of designer F. F. Petrov, the 100-mm D-10S gun, developed on the basis of a naval anti-aircraft gun, was created B-34. The created gun had less weight in comparison with the S-34 and was freely mounted in the serial body of the self-propelled gun without any significant changes or increase in the weight of the vehicle. Already on March 3, 1944, the first prototype of the new self-propelled gun, armed with the new D-10S gun, was sent for factory testing.

The tactical and technical characteristics of the new SU-100 self-propelled gun allowed it to successfully fight modern German tanks at a distance of 1,500 meters for the Tigers and Panthers, regardless of the point of impact of the projectile. The Ferdinand self-propelled gun could be hit from a distance of 2000 meters, but only if it hit the side armor. The SU-100 had exceptional firepower for Soviet armored vehicles. Its armor-piercing projectile penetrated 125 mm at a distance of 2000 meters. vertical armor, and at a distance of up to 1000 meters it pierced most German armored vehicles almost right through.

Design Features

The SU-100 self-propelled gun was designed based on the units of the T-34-85 tank and the SU-85 self-propelled gun. All main components of the tank - chassis, transmission, engine - were used unchanged. The thickness of the front armor of the wheelhouse was almost doubled (from 45 mm for the SU-85 to 75 mm for the SU-100). The increase in armor coupled with an increase in the weight of the gun led to the fact that the suspension of the front rollers was overloaded. They tried to solve the problem by increasing the diameter of the spring wire from 30 to 34 mm, but it was not possible to completely eliminate it. This problem reflected the design legacy of the backward suspension of the Christie tank.

The body of the self-propelled gun, borrowed from the SU-85, has undergone, although few, very important changes. In addition to increasing the frontal armor, the self-propelled gun now has a commander's cupola with MK-IV viewing devices (a copy of the British ones). Also, 2 fans were installed on the vehicle to better clean the fighting compartment from powder gases. In total, 72% of the parts were borrowed from the T-34 medium tank, 7.5% from the SU-85 self-propelled guns, 4% from the SU-122 self-propelled guns, and 16.5% were designed anew.

The SU-100 self-propelled gun had a classic layout for Soviet self-propelled guns. The fighting compartment, which was combined with the control compartment, was located in the front part of the hull, in a fully armored conning tower. Here were located the controls for the self-propelled gun mechanisms, the main armament complex with sighting devices, gun ammunition, a tank intercom (TPU-3-BisF), and a radio station (9RS or 9RM). The bow fuel tanks and some useful tools and spare parts (spare parts) were also located here.

In front, in the left corner of the wheelhouse, there was workplace the driver, opposite whom there was a rectangular hatch in the frontal plate of the hull. 2 prismatic viewing devices were mounted in the cover of its hatch. To the right of the gun was the position of the vehicle commander. Immediately behind the driver's seat there was a gunner's seat, and in the left rear corner of the conning tower there was a loader's seat. In the roof of the cabin there were 2 rectangular hatches for boarding/disembarking the crew, a fixed commander's cupola and 2 fans under hoods. The commander's cupola had 5 viewing slots with armored glass; MK-IV periscope viewing devices were located in the commander's cupola hatch cover and the left wing of the gunner's hatch cover.

The engine compartment was located immediately behind the combat compartment and was separated from it by a special partition. In the middle of the MTO, a diesel engine V-2-34, which developed power of 520 hp. With this engine, the self-propelled gun weighing 31.6 tons could accelerate on the highway to 50 km/h. The transmission compartment was located in the rear of the self-propelled gun, there were the main and side clutches with brakes, a 5-speed gearbox, 2 inertia-oil air cleaners and 2 fuel tanks. The capacity of the internal fuel tanks of the SU-100 self-propelled gun was 400 liters, this amount of fuel was enough to complete a 310-km march along the highway.

The main armament of the self-propelled gun was a 100-mm rifled gun D-10S mod. 1944. The length of the gun barrel was 56 calibers (5608 mm). The initial speed of the armor-piercing projectile was 897 m/s, and the maximum muzzle energy was 6.36 MJ. The gun was equipped with a semi-automatic horizontal wedge bolt, as well as a mechanical and electromagnetic trigger. To ensure smooth aiming in the vertical plane, the gun was equipped with a spring-type compensating mechanism. The recoil devices consisted of a hydropneumatic knurler and a hydraulic recoil brake, which were located above the gun barrel on the right and left, respectively. The total mass of the gun and recoil mechanisms was 1435 kg. The SU-100 self-propelled gun ammunition included 33 unitary rounds with BR-412 armor-piercing tracer shells and OF-412 high-explosive fragmentation shells.

The gun was installed in the front slab of the wheelhouse in a special cast frame on double axles. Pointing angles in the vertical plane ranged from -3 to +20 degrees, in the horizontal plane 16 degrees (8 in each direction). The gun was aimed at the target using two manual mechanisms - a screw-type rotating mechanism and a sector-type lifting mechanism. When firing from closed positions, the Hertz panorama and side level were used to aim the gun; when firing direct fire, the gunner used the TSh-19 telescopic articulated sight, which had a 4x magnification and a field of view of 16 degrees. The technical rate of fire of the gun was 4-6 rounds per minute.

Combat use

The SU-100 self-propelled guns began to enter service with the troops in November 1944. In December 1944, the troops began to form 3 separate self-propelled artillery brigades of the RGVK, each of which consisted of 3 regiments armed with SU-100 self-propelled guns. The brigade's staff included 65 SU-100 self-propelled guns, 3 SU-76 self-propelled guns and 1,492 average personnel. The brigades, numbered 207th Leningradskaya, 208th Dvinskaya and 209th, were created on the basis of existing separate tank brigades. At the beginning of February 1945, all formed brigades were transferred to the fronts.

Thus, brigades and regiments armed with SU-100 self-propelled guns took part in the final battles of the Great Patriotic War, as well as in the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army. The inclusion of these self-propelled guns into the attacking mobile groups significantly increased their striking power. Often the SU-100 was used to complete a breakthrough in the tactical depth of the German defense. The nature of the battle was similar to an attack on an enemy hastily preparing for defense. Preparations for the offensive took a limited time or were not carried out at all.

However, the SU-100 self-propelled guns were not only able to attack. In March 1945, they took part in defensive battles near Lake Balaton. Here, as part of the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, from March 6 to 16, they participated in repelling the counterattack of the 6th SS Panzer Army. All 3 brigades formed in December 1944, armed with the SU-100, were brought in to repel the counterattack, and separate self-propelled artillery regiments armed with the SU-85 and SU-100 self-propelled guns were also used in defense.

In the battles from March 11 to 12, these self-propelled guns were often used as tanks due to large losses of armored vehicles. Therefore, an order was given along the front to equip all self-propelled guns light machine guns for better self-defense. Based on the results of the March defensive battles in Hungary, the SU-100 earned a very flattering assessment from the Soviet command.

Without a doubt, the SU-100 self-propelled gun was the most successful and powerful Soviet anti-tank self-propelled gun period of the Great Patriotic War. The SU-100 was 15 tons lighter and at the same time had comparable armor protection and better mobility in comparison with the identical German tank destroyer Jagdpanther. At the same time, the German self-propelled gun, armed with the 88-mm German Pak 43/3 cannon, surpassed the Soviet one in armor penetration and the size of the ammunition rack. The Jagdpanther gun, due to the use of a more powerful PzGr 39/43 projectile with a ballistic tip, had better armor penetration at long distances. A similar Soviet projectile, the BR-412D, was developed in the USSR only after the end of the war. Unlike the German tank destroyer, the SU-100's ammunition load did not include cumulative or sub-caliber ammunition. At the same time, the high-explosive fragmentation effect of the 100-mm projectile was naturally higher than that of the German self-propelled gun. In general, both of the best medium anti-tank self-propelled guns of World War II did not have any outstanding advantages over them, despite the fact that the possibilities of using the SU-100 were somewhat wider.

Performance characteristics: SU-100
Weight: 31.6 t.
Dimensions:
Length 9.45 m, width 3.0 m, height 2.24 m.
Crew: 4 people
Reservation: from 20 to 75 mm.
Armament: 100 mm D-10S gun
Ammunition: 33 rounds
Engine: twelve-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine V-2-34 with a power of 520 hp.
Maximum speed: on the highway – 50 km/h
Cruising range: on the highway – 310 km.

Structurally, the medium anti-tank self-propelled gun SU-100 was in many ways similar to the earlier SU-85. The main differences between these two vehicles concerned only the type of artillery system and related hull modifications. The SU-100 chassis, completely borrowed from the SU-85, included the following components (for one side):
- five road wheels with a diameter of 830 mm with rubber tires and individual spring suspension;
- front steering wheel, cast, with a crank mechanism for tensioning the tracks;
- rear drive wheel with six rollers for engagement with the ridges of the track tracks;
- the caterpillar consisted of 72 cast steel tracks with a width of 500 mm and a pitch of 172 mm (36 with a ridge and 36 without a ridge), the total mass of the caterpillar was 1150 kg.

Self-propelled gun SU-100 - video

Due to the increased mass, the thickness of the suspension springs was increased from 30 to 34 mm. Otherwise, the chassis elements did not undergo any changes and were completely interchangeable with T-34 tanks and SU-85 self-propelled guns. The body had a welded structure and was assembled from sheets of rolled armor steel. Structurally, it consisted of the bottom, bow and stern parts, sides, roof of the fighting compartment and roof of the engine-transmission compartment. Self-propelled gun armor was differentiated. The bow of the hull was wedge-shaped and was formed by two inclined armor plates. The top armor plate, 75 mm thick, was installed at an angle of 50°. In it, offset to the starboard side, a cutout was made for installing a gun; on the left there was a hatch closed by an armored cover with two viewing devices. The lower frontal armor plate had a thickness of 45 mm and was installed at an angle of 55°. Two towing hooks were welded to it.

The sides and stern of the cabin also had a slight slope, but the thickness of the armor was limited to 45 mm. Landing handrails, brackets for external tanks and racks for fastening spare parts and accessories were also attached here. Along the sides there were fenders, ending with mud “wings”. Spare parts boxes were installed on the shelves, one on the left front and one on the back right. The roof of the fighting compartment was made of a single sheet of armor 20 mm thick, in which were mounted: a gun stopper cap, a double-leaf panorama hatch, a double-leaf landing hatch (L-shaped), a commander's cupola, an exhaust fan with a spherical armored cap. In the lower part of the body, made of armor plate 20 mm thick, there were holes for mounting brackets for road wheels, tension wheels and drive wheels. The final drive housing was welded to the rear part of the armor plate.

The engine and transmission compartment of the SU-100 was protected by an armor box consisting of two rear armor plates 45 mm thick, two inclined side armor plates and three upper armor plates. Although the thickness of the MTO side sheets was similar to the fighting compartment, their installation angle was increased. Cutouts were made in the upper side armor plates for longitudinal shutters and three hatches intended for access to the oil tank and the suspension shafts of the fourth and fifth rollers. On top, the side sheets were covered with convex armored caps with meshes for the passage of air to the blinds. The transmission compartment had a hinged convex sheet metal lid with five windows covered with mesh. The side gear housings, two towing hooks and two hinges of the upper hinged plate were mounted to the lower aft armor plate. The upper armor plate was folding and had a hatch with a lid in the center, and on the sides there were cutouts with armored caps for exhaust pipes.

The bottom of the hull was “stacked” and assembled from four sheets of armor 20 mm thick, connected by welds with reinforced linings. An emergency hatch was made in the middle part of the bottom on the right (the lid opened down and to the right). The self-propelled gun was equipped with the same engine as its predecessors. The MTO was equipped with a 12-cylinder 4-stroke uncompressor diesel V-2-34 with a rated power of 450 hp. at 1700 rpm. Operating power was 400 hp. at 1700 rpm, maximum – 500 hp. at 1800 rpm. To clean the air entering the engine cylinders, a Multicyclone air cleaner was used. The engine could be started using an ST-700 electric starter with a power of 15 hp. or compressed air, for which there were two cylinders in the control compartment. Typically used for the B-2-34 diesel fuel DT, but the use of gas oil grade “E” according to OST 8842 was also allowed. The main fuel supply was in a 400-liter fuel tank located in the rear of the hull. Fuel was supplied to the engine using an NK-1 pump. 95-liter spare fuel tanks could be mounted on the sides of the MTO. The lubrication system was circulation and pressure from a three-section gear oil pump. The capacity of the oil tanks was 80 liters. The cooling system is liquid, closed, with forced circulation. On both sides of the engine, two tubular radiators with a capacity of 95 liters were mounted, tilted towards it.

The transmission of the SU-100 self-propelled gun did not differ from the tank one and consisted of a multi-disc main dry friction clutch, a manual 5-speed gearbox (with constant gear mesh), multi-disc side clutches, single-stage final drives and floating band brakes.

The electrical equipment was made according to a single-drive circuit with a network voltage of 12 and 24 V. It included a GT-4563A generator with a power of 1 kW and four 6-STE-128 batteries with a capacity of 128 A/h each. Consumers of electrical energy included an ST-700 starter with a starting relay for starting the engine, two MV-12 fan motors that provided ventilation for the fighting compartment, external and internal lighting devices, a VG-4 signal for external sound signaling, an electric trigger for the gun firing mechanism, a heater for the protective glass of the sight, an electric igniter for smoke bombs, a radio station and an internal intercom, telephone communication devices between crew members. The SU-100 of early production was equipped with a short-wave transceiver simplex radio station 9-RS or 9-RM, which provided communication at a distance of up to 25 km. For communication between crew members, an internal intercom TPU-3-bis-F was used.

The armament of the SU-100 consisted of a 100-mm D-10S cannon, model 1944, with a barrel length of 56 calibers. The total weight was 1435 kg. The gun had horizontal guidance angles ranging from 16° and vertical guidance from -3° to +20°. Maximum length recoil when fired did not exceed 570 mm. The main trigger mechanism was electric, but there was also a mechanical manual one. Complete with the D-10S gun, a telescopic articulated sight TSh-19 was installed (for direct fire), as well as a side level and a panorama (for shooting from closed positions). The practical rate of fire of the gun is 5-6 rounds per minute. The gun was mounted in a cutout of the frontal armor plate and protected by fixed armor of a complex shape, which was bolted to the hull. Externally, the gun installation is protected by a movable armored spherical mask.

Ammunition self-propelled gun SU-100

The gun's ammunition consisted of 33 rounds placed on racks in the rear (8) and on the left side (17) of the fighting compartment, as well as on the floor on the right (8). The range of ammunition for the D-10S turned out to be very wide, especially closer to the end of the war. It included six types of shots:

Armor-piercing shells

UBR-412 - a unitary cartridge with an armor-piercing tracer sharp-headed projectile BR-412 and an MD-8 fuse

UBR-412B - unitary cartridge with an armor-piercing tracer blunt-headed BR-412B projectile and an MD-8 fuse

UD-412 – unitary smoke shot weighing 30.1 kg with RGM, RGM-6, V-429 fuses

UD-412U – unitary smoke shot weighing 30.1 kg with B-429 fuse

UBR-421D - unitary cartridge with an armor-piercing tracer projectile with a ballistic armor-piercing tip BR-412D

UBK9 – unitary cartridge with a cumulative projectile BK5M

Unitary cartridge with an armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile.

The last three types of shells appeared in the SU-100 ammunition load only after the end of the war, so that after 1945 the standard equipment included 16 high-explosive fragmentation, 10 armor-piercing and 7 cumulative rounds. Thus, the SU-100 self-propelled gun was more of a multifunctional assault weapon than a specialized anti-tank weapon.

High-explosive fragmentation shells

UO-412 – unitary cartridge with O-412 naval fragmentation grenade and RGM fuse
- UOF-412 – unitary cartridge with high-explosive fragmentation grenade OF-412 and RGM fuse
- UOF-412U - unitary cartridge with a high-explosive fragmentation grenade OF-412 with a reduced charge and an RGM fuse

Additionally, two 7.62-mm PPSh submachine guns with 1,420 rounds of ammunition (20 discs), 4 anti-tank grenades and 24 F-1 hand grenades were stowed in the fighting compartment. To set up a smoke screen on the battlefield, two MDS smoke bombs were installed at the rear of the vehicle, which were ignited by the loader by turning on two toggle switches on the MDS panel mounted on the engine bulkhead.

Surveillance devices were few in number, but very well placed on the body of the self-propelled gun. The driver in the stowed position drove the car with the hatch open, and in the combat position he used optical viewing devices with armored covers. The commander's cupola, located on the starboard side, had five observation targets with armored glass. An MK-4 surveillance device was mounted on the roof.

The standard paint for the SU-100 was protective green on all surfaces. Three-digit numbers and a unit identification mark were painted in white paint on the sides of the conning tower. IN winter period self-propelled guns were painted with easily washable white paint. Sometimes marks could be placed on the roof and sides of the cabin for identification from the air. These could be circles and stripes, but in one of the cases white crosses were used. Inscriptions and slogans were allowed on the sides, for example: “Soviet Prospector”, “For the Motherland”, etc.

Combat use of the SU-100 self-propelled gun in Hungary

The first important battle in a long battle path SU-100 became an operation to destroy enemy troops in the Budapest area. In the late autumn of 1944, Soviet troops managed to blockade the city, but the German-Hungarian group located in the “ring” was very strong. It was necessary to transfer reserves - in December, the 1st Guards Tank Corps of I.N. Russiyanov arrived at the disposal of the command of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. It is curious that this unit was created from the remnants of units of the 100th rifle division(!), which actually defended Minsk alone three years earlier. During this time, the corps departed several times for reorganization and, before being sent to Hungary, received a very motley composition. Russiyanov’s unit received both relatively new T-34s and “worn” M4A2 “Sherman” transferred from other units. To strengthen the corps, three self-propelled artillery regiments equipped with 59 of the latest SU-100s were immediately introduced into its composition. Having unloaded on the eastern bank of the Danube, the command instructed the self-propelled guns to conduct an offensive in the Bichke area before the enemy managed to gain a foothold there. During January 4, the crews of three SU-100 regiments and infantry units outflanked the German 93rd Infantry Division and rushed behind enemy lines. The settlement was occupied by Soviet troops, who went on the defensive in anticipation of a counterattack. Since its direction remained unknown, the forces of the regiments were greatly stretched along the front. By the morning of January 6, two SU-100 regiments were transferred to the operational subordination of the 18th Tank Tank, which had been badly damaged in recent battles near the village of Bayna. The baptism of fire of the “hundreds” took place on January 7 near Zhambek.
On this day, the Germans managed to push through the defenses of the 49th Infantry Division, whose formations began to retreat. Left alone with the enemy, the crews of the 382nd SUP were forced to fight back with all available means. The German offensive was stopped at great cost - 9 self-propelled guns were destroyed and 2 more self-propelled guns were knocked out.

However, the most fierce battle, which resulted in a counter tank battle, flared up on January 9 near Zamol. Having received the order to counterattack the enemy, units of the 1st Guards. The brigade ran into strong anti-tank defenses. Around noon, in the Gyula area, the Germans brought significant tanks into the battle, which led to heavy mutual losses - during that day the brigade lost 18 tanks (mostly Sherman) and more than 600 personnel.

Next, the 382nd regiment was transferred to the subordination of the 21st Infantry Division and took part in the defense of Szekesfehervár, and the self-propelled guns of the 1st Guards Brigade, consisting of two batteries, were sent to Barachka and Felshe-Belshe. It was here that the guards were attacked by tank formations of the SS Viking and Totenkompf divisions. The SU-100 had a more than worthy opponent - in addition to various StuG and Pz.IV, the Germans brought heavy tanks Pz.VI “Tiger” and Pz.VI “Konigtiger” into battle. The enemy managed to drive a “wedge” into the formations of two cavalry divisions, which had practically no tanks, and made their way to Barachka. On the morning of January 24, the Wehrmacht launched a general offensive with the participation of three tank divisions IV Corps, but was not successful and the attack fizzled out.

In total, from January 19 to January 25 (during Operation Conrad II), the 1st Guards Mechanized Corps lost 54 “Americans” and 17 SU-100s. The beginning for the “hundreds” did not seem to look very rosy, but we must not forget that in a number of cases self-propelled guns were used as assault weapons and operated without the support of infantry and tanks.

Due to the aggravation of the situation, the front command on January 25 brought the last reserves into the battle, including the 145th SUP equipped with the SU-100. The front was stabilized by January 30, after which the defeat of the remaining enemy forces began. The assault on Budapest ended on February 15, when the remnants of the IX SS Mountain Corps made a breakthrough and were even able to achieve some successes. True, out of 28,000 German and Hungarian soldiers, about 800 managed to break through to their own. However, the battle on Hungarian soil did not end there.

To defeat the remaining German-Hungarian forces, the Soviet command planned an operation on Lake Balaton. Although the armored forces of the Red Army also suffered heavy losses, their strike potential was still strong. During the Balaton operation, the 207th, 208th and 209th self-propelled artillery brigades, which had previously been in reserve, distinguished themselves. By March 10, the total number of SU-100s was already 188 vehicles minus losses.

The defensive battle developed successfully for the Soviet troops, but both sides suffered significant losses. The command of the 28th Army was forced to transfer the 208th Brigade to the front edge of the front, transferring it to the subordination of the 135th Rifle Corps, but this measure was clearly too late. The self-propelled guns were ordered to move forward in the morning of March 9 in two regiments to the Nagyherczek - Deg area, and the third regiment was left in the army reserve in the Szar area. There was practically no preparation for the march, so on the Tsetse-Szekesfehervár highway the 1068th Regiment came under attack from those who had broken through German tanks and lost 14 out of 21 self-propelled guns.

Another regiment fighting in Slovakia found itself in a similar situation months later. A post-war photograph with three burnt-out SU-100s on the road near Brno is now widely known. All self-propelled guns were hit by fire from a single German anti-tank self-propelled gun firing from an ambush. This once again proved that even a defeated enemy should not be discounted and it was worth conducting reconnaissance before the march. On the other hand, the armor of the SU-100 clearly could not withstand fire from 75 mm and 88 mm anti-tank guns.

It was not possible to make up for this loss then. In total, on March 8-9, the 208th brigade knocked out and destroyed 14 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns, as well as 33 armored personnel carriers. Our own combat losses amounted to 12 self-propelled guns, 8 of which burned out.
During March 10, repelling a counterattack of enemy forces, the crews of the 1951st and 1953rd regiments inflicted significant damage on it. Thus, the SU-100 under the battery commander, Senior Lieutenant A. Kocherga, as well as combat vehicles junior lieutenants Vorozhbitsky and Samarin, three German tanks and self-propelled guns were each knocked out and burned. On another section of the front, a battery of the 1952nd regiment under the command of Captain Vasiliev knocked out three “royal tigers” without suffering any losses of their own.

On the same day, the 1953rd Regiment was transferred to the 5th Cavalry Corps and was given the task of organizing an ambush and destroying German troops trying to break out of the encirclement in the Simontornia area. Having camouflaged their vehicles in the forest through which the Germans were preparing to attack, the crews organized hidden firing positions. On the morning of March 11, 14 German tanks, including heavy ones, went on the attack. At the signal, the self-propelled guns entered their positions and opened fire from a distance of 1,500 meters. Despite the great distance, the Germans immediately lost three tanks and were forced to stop the attack.

The actions of the self-propelled gun crews deserved the highest praise, however, due to the large losses in tanks, which reached 50-70% by the end of the Balaton operation, during March 11-12, SU-100 batteries were used for a purpose unusual for them - direct infantry support. The result was quite expected and led to the loss of several dozen vehicles, most of which could not be restored. Suffice it to say that in the 208th sabr, as of March 5, there were 63 “hundred parts,” but by March 16 their number had decreased to 23.

Shot on the side of a Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf. B "Tiger II", tactical number 331, commander of the 3rd company Rolf von Westernhagen of the 501st heavy tank battalion, operating as part of the 1st SS Panzer Corps. Shot down by a SU-100 battery under the command of Captain Vasilyev (1952nd self-propelled artillery regiment). The number (93) of the Soviet trophy team is visible on board. Hungary, Lake Balaton region.

The main result of the battle in Hungary was the consolidation of the practice of ambushes, the implementation of which began back in 1944 with the use of the SU-85. As a rule, the “hundredth” battery was camouflaged in the forest or on the reverse slopes of the mountains, and the firing positions were set up 100-200 meters in front. An observation post was set up nearby, manned by an officer and the commander’s SU-76 and T-34. When the enemy appeared, the self-propelled guns fired several shots and went to cover, preventing the enemy from detecting themselves. If panic arose among the attackers, the “execution” continued. Typically, the SU-100 opened fire from a distance of 1000-1300 meters, and shells fired from the D-10S cannon often covered the target the first time. For medium tanks of the Pz.IV type, this ended in partial destruction of the hull, and large holes appeared in the armor of the Panthers and Tigers.

The report on combat operations in defensive battles near Budapest noted that the SU-100 self-propelled guns, with slightly larger dimensions, have a significant advantage over the SU-85 in terms of firepower. Although the rate of fire of the D-10S in combat conditions was 3-4 rounds per minute (5-6 for the D-5S-85 cannon), the mass of the shot noticeably compensated for this lag. It was also noted that “the frontal part of the SU-100 is invulnerable for light and medium artillery; for heavy tanks and 88-mm artillery, the frontal armor is insufficient and very fragile.” Among the shortcomings, complaints were made about the tight operation of the gun guidance mechanisms and the greater vulnerability of the sighting devices. In addition, there was a desire to equip the SU-100 with machine guns, as was done on the heavy ISU-152. The final conclusion stated that 100-mm self-propelled guns are “the most effective means fighting enemy heavy tanks.”

Performance characteristics of the SU-100

Layout diagram: combat and control compartments at the front, engine and transmission compartment at the rear
- Years of production: 1944-1956
- Years of operation: since 1944
- Number of issued, pcs.: 4976

Crew: 4 people

Weight of SU-100

Combat weight, t: 31.6

Overall dimensions of SU-100

Case length, mm: 6100
- Length with gun forward, mm: 9450
- Width, mm: 3000
- Height, mm: 2245
- Ground clearance, mm: 400

Reservation of SU-100

Armor type: rolled and cast steel, homogeneous
- Housing forehead (top), mm/deg.: 75 / 50°
- Body forehead (bottom), mm/deg.: 45 / 55°
- Hull side (top), mm/deg.: 45 / 40°
- Hull side (bottom), mm/deg.: 45 / 0°
- Hull stern (top), mm/deg.: 45 / 48°
- Hull stern (bottom), mm/deg.: 45 / 45°
- Bottom, mm: 20
- Housing roof, mm: 20
- Gun mask, mm/deg.: 40-110
- Cabin side, mm/deg.: 45 / 0-20°
- Cabin stern, mm/deg.: 45 / 0°
- Cabin roof, mm/deg.: 20

Armament of the SU-100

Caliber and brand of gun: 100 mm D-10S mod. 1944
- Gun type: rifled
- Barrel length, calibers: 56
- Gun ammunition: 33
- HV angles, degrees: −3…+20°
- GN angles, degrees: ±8°
- Sights: telescopic articulated TSh-19, Hertz panorama, side level.

Engine SU-100

Engine type: V-shaped 12‑cylinder diesel liquid cooled
- Engine power, l. p.: 520

Speed ​​SU-100

Highway speed, km/h: 50
- Speed ​​over rough terrain, km/h: 20

Cruising range on the highway, km: 310
- Cruising range over rough terrain, km: 140

Specific power, l. s./t: 16.4
- Specific ground pressure, kg/cm²: 0.80

Climbability, degrees: 35°
- Overcoming wall, m: 0.73
- Overcoming ditch, m: 2.5
- Fordability, m: 1.3

Photo of self-propelled gun SU-100

Self-propelled gun Su-100 of the Syrian army destroyed by the Israeli Air Force

Egyptian self-propelled gun Su-100 captured by the British

Self-propelled gun Su-100 of the Algerian army

Equipment

This game tactic is the most preferable for this tank destroyer, since the camouflage coefficient of the SU-100 is almost the best in the game. In combination with camouflage net, stereo tube And rammer this vehicle will be an excellent ambush sniper.

Equipment

The first and second equipment slots are filled with standard first aid kit And repair kit in case of crits, the third can be placed either fire extinguisher, or tightened speed controller/lend-lease oil. A fire extinguisher is less preferable, since in the event of a fire, almost double the damage from the vehicle is removed, which leads to almost immediate destruction, considering that this AT is thrown towards level 7-8 tanks. Therefore, you must choose between a less expensive but more dangerous regulator and a safer but more expensive oil. Both perform the same function, the only difference is the result. When using the first, there is a possibility of breaking the engine, which will negatively affect the survivability of the SU-100, so it is recommended to use an oil that is more expensive, but more reliable. Actually, the oil itself will allow the SU-100 to accelerate much faster, which is a definite advantage when taking a position in a timely manner before an enemy attack.

Ammunition All ammunition is loaded with armor-piercing shells. It makes sense to take several high-explosive fragmentation ones in case the grapple is knocked down.

Equipment

When choosing this tactic, the player must understand that the SU-100 ceases to be a tank destroyer. It becomes something between PT and ST, designed to support the attack of the allies heavy tanks, pushing the flank. Consequently, it is inevitable that the tank's firepower and driving performance will be enhanced. This is facilitated rammer, reinforced aiming drives And ventilation.

Equipment

In this case, the equipment remains standard, namely: first aid kit, repair kit, fire extinguisher. When resorting to this combat tactic, every unit of strength is extremely important, as is every shot of this tank destroyer, so it must live as long as possible.

Ammunition is completely filled with armor-piercing shells. With such a game, it will no longer be possible to return to base, and the D2-5S gun penetrates absolutely all tanks of the level that this tank can encounter.

Equipment

When choosing this tactic, the player must understand that the SU-100 does not cease to be a tank destroyer, but is called upon to be at the same time more active, like the ST, to support and cover the attack of allied heavy tanks and during base defense. Consequently, she uses active light and her camouflage to occupy more comfortable and better positions. In some cases it can replace RT. This is facilitated coated optics And ventilation. By resorting to this “active ambush” combat tactic, you will be able to suppress the enemy’s offensive, causing serious damage while defending the base.

Equipment

Equipment remains standard, namely: first aid kit, repair kit, fire extinguisher.

Ammunition Filled with armor-piercing, sub-caliber shells to penetrate more armored vehicles at a higher level, and several high-explosive fragmentation shells in case the base is captured. With such a game, it is possible to return to base.

Review of video guide for the SU-100 tank World of Tanks

SU-100 is a representative of the 6th level of the Soviet aircraft. This combat unit has a unique design, which is unique to, and was created on the basis of. After leveling up this tank, there are 2 development paths to choose from, the first starts with the model, the second path starts with the model.

The SU-100 tank, which has excellent balanced characteristics, allows you to use different styles of use for the game. Firepower provides a powerful 100 mm gun with a penetration of 175 mm and damage of 230 hp. The rate of fire reaches 9 rounds per minute. Why didn’t I choose the 122 mm gun? To be honest, it does not justify itself in battle and significantly limits combat effectiveness.

The maximum acceleration is 50 mph, and the reverse reserve is 14 mph. Excellent indicators, allowing for active resistance on all flanks on the map. Weight reaches 39 tons. Engine power is 520 hp. And the review stopped at 350 meters.

Armor indicators:

• Body: forehead - 75 mm, sides - 45 mm, pocket - 45 mm.

A certain set of modules allows you to unlock the full potential of this technology:

• Rammer - reduces the gun reload time;
• Camouflage net - allows you to quickly hide in a passive position;
• Stereo tube - increases the viewing range, which allows you to fire from a long distance with impunity.

• repair kit;
• fire extinguisher;
• first aid kit

Crew.

An excellent crew is the key to an excellent battle.

• Commander: light bulb, military brotherhood, camouflage, eagle eye, repair;
• Mechanic-driver: sniper, combat brotherhood, camouflage, off-road king;
• Gunner: virtuoso, military brotherhood, camouflage, vindictive;
• Loader: camouflage, combat brotherhood, repair, non-contact ammunition rack;

Weaknesses of technology

Since this battle monster is a successor, then everything weak spots were also passed down by inheritance, except that the already impenetrable areas of technology were strengthened.

The frontal projection is very difficult to penetrate into any area of ​​the tank. It is necessary to accurately target the commander's observation hatch, which is guaranteed to let damage through. Plus, you can try to break through the driver's hatch, which is located to the right of the gun mantlet, but due to the slope of the armor, it does not always break through. In addition, if it is located higher than the SU-100, then you can try to penetrate the upper armor of the gun mantlet with the canopy of the projectile, it is not so strong and its penetration makes it impossible for the enemy to shoot.

WOT SU100 world of tanks

The side projection penetrates perfectly into any area; special attention should be paid to the rear part; successful penetration causes the engine to catch fire. It is worth remembering that it is mandatory to fire at the front track rollers, which can immobilize the enemy, depriving them of any opportunity to resist.

All the above information should become your key knowledge, which will allow you to make the most of your weak and strengths SU-100.

Battle tactics.

This combat model has excellent characteristics that allow this combat monster to be used in various playing styles. In almost any situation (except for the position at the bottom of the team), this vehicle can be used as a breakthrough tank, this becomes possible due to the excellent armor angles and the impressive frontal armor indicator.