The 2A3 Kondensator 2P (Object 271) was a 406-mm, self-propelled, super high-power howitzer, which was in service with the Red Army between 1956 and 1960. Designed by Vasiliy Gavrilovich Grabin in 1954, it was built in the Soviet Union by the Leningrad Kirov Plant. It was specifically conceived to fire tactical nuclear ammunition to destroy communication centers, command posts, airfields, and industrial facilities. The howitzer itself was known as the SM-54.
The 2A3 Kondensator 2P was based on the chassis of the T-10M tank, which was a 52-ton tank massively produced and fielded during the Cold War. It had a structure (suspension, track, and hull) strong enough to absorb the powerful recoil energy at the moment of firing. The ordnance of this heavy self-propelled howitzer comprised tip-ring parts and gun-laying and loading mechanisms. The gun was an SM-54 type. To traverse this artillery piece, the driver had to pivot-steer the whole vehicle. For elevation, the howitzer was laid by means of a hydraulic hoist.
The 406-mm Kondensator 2P was intensely tested between 1957 and 1959. During firing, the recoil force was so great that it pushed the vehicle several meters backwards. To load the howitzer, it had to be in the horizontal position and all loading operations had to be carried out with the help of special equipment. The State-run Kirov Plant delivered a total of four 2A3 Kondensator 2P self-propelled howitzers, plus the prototype.
Specifications
Type: super heavy, self-propelled howitzer
Caliber: 406-mm
Weight of Shell: 550 kg
Weight of Vehicle: 64 tons
Chassis: T-10M tank
Length: 20 m
Width: 3.080 m
Height: 5.73 m
Power Plant: one 750-HP, V12 diesel engine.
Maximum Speed: 30 km/h
Maximum Firing Range: 25 km
Sight: S-71-5 type
Below, two pictures of the 2A3 Kondensator 2P (SM-54) self-propelled artillery piece.
0 Post a Comment:
Post a Comment