The SU-122 was a self-propelled artillery piece used by the Soviet Army during World War II. It consisted of a 122-mm howitzer which was mounted in a fixed turret that was welded to the chassis of the efficient T-34 tank. It entered service in December 1942 and first saw combat action in January 1943 on the Leningrad Front. The SU-122 was massively produced by the Stalin Ural Tank Factory (Uralvagonzavod), from 1942, with more than 1,100 units manufactured. It was employed at every military operation and battle of the Eastern Front, such as the Battle of Kursk, and the Battle of Berlin.
Technical Characteristics
The SU-122 featured the powerful 122mm M30S howitzer, which had been taken off of its split-trail carriage and adapted to be mounted on the T-34 tank chassis. This howitzer had a maximum range of almost 12 km. It had an interrupted screw breech and a hydropneumatic recoil system. Its crew of 5 soldiers were well protected in the 45mm-thick steel plate turret. Each one of the bogy of the track rolling train had the American Christie suspension system, which was very reliable and sturdy. Since it was relatively fast for a self-propelled gun, it was very suitable for both mobile and urban warfare.
Specifications
Weight: 31 tons
Length: 6.95 m
Width: 3 m
Height: 2.32 m
Power Plant: Klimov V-12 diesel engine, delivering almost 500 hp.
Maximum Speed: 55 km/h
Below, the SU-122 on the Eastern Front in the Summer of 1943.
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