52-K
Encyclopedia
The 85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K) was an 85-mm Soviet air defense gun, developed under guidance of leading Soviet designers M. N. Loginov and G. D. Dorokhin. This gun was successfully used throughout the German-Soviet War against level bombers and other high- and medium-altitude targets. In emergencies they were utilized as powerful anti-tank weapons. The barrel of 52-K was the base for the family of 85-mm Soviet tank guns. Crews of 85-mm AD guns shot down 4,047 Axis aircraft. The mean quantity of 85-mm ammunition required to shoot down one enemy plane was 598 rounds. After the war some 52-Ks were refitted for peaceful purposes as anti-avalanche guns in a mountainous terrain.
Virtually every country behind the Iron Curtain
received this gun after World War II for their air defense. In the Soviet Union itself, these guns were largely superseded by the 100
and 130 mm guns.
, was meant for air defense. Like many anti-aircraft (AA) guns of the era it was provided with antitank ammunition
in the event a tank
should appear.
of the T-34 medium tank was found to be severely lacking in long-range firepower, compared to the German Tiger I heavy tank's long-barreled 88-mm gun. Military planners directed Gen. V. Grabin
's and Gen. F. Petrov
's design bureaus to develop new 85mm tank guns based on the M1939's antitank ammunition.
Petrov developed the new D-5 85mm gun, which was shortly mounted on the chassis of the SU-122
self-propelled gun to create the SU-85
tank destroyer. Grabin, working on the ZiS-53 at Joseph Stalin Factory No. 92
in Gorky
, was reassigned to the Central Artillery Design Bureau (TsAKB) in Moscow, and his project was turned over to 23-year-old A. Savin. Another team led by K. Siderenko was assigned to yet another 85mm gun project, the S-18.
The resulting guns were tested at Gorokhoviesky Proving Grounds near Gorky, with Grabin's ZiS-53 winning the competition. Unfortunately, the new T-34-85 tank's turret had been designed for the already-available D-5 gun, and didn't mate properly with Grabin's gun. Initial production of the T-34-85 tank was approved with the D-5 gun (designated D-5T, for "tank").
Savin was put to work modifying Grabin's gun to fit and incorporating other improvements, and his initial was added to its designation in recognition of his contribution: ZiS-S-53. The T-34-85 Model 1944, which included an improved 3-man turret
layout, started production with this gun in the spring of 1944. When later tested against German armor, it was found that the tank gun developed from the 85-mm AA gun lacked the power of its predecessor and a new antitank gun was made, the 122-mm gun.
Virtually every country behind the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
received this gun after World War II for their air defense. In the Soviet Union itself, these guns were largely superseded by the 100
100 mm air defense gun KS-19
100 mm air defense gun KS-19 was a Soviet anti-aircraft gun. Following the end of the Second World War the Soviet Union introduced into service the 100 mm KS-19 and 130 mm KS-30....
and 130 mm guns.
Description
Adopted in 1939, the 85-mm M1939, like its counterpart the 88-mm gun88 mm gun
The 88 mm gun was a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun from World War II. It was widely used by Germany throughout the war, and was one of the most recognizable German weapons of the war...
, was meant for air defense. Like many anti-aircraft (AA) guns of the era it was provided with antitank ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
in the event a tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
should appear.
Organization
85-mm M1939 guns were organized into heavy anti-aircraft regiments of 16 guns. The regiments were organized into divisions of the field anti-aircraft forces.Tank guns
By 1943, the 76.2mm F-34 tank gunF-34 tank gun
The 76 mm tank gun M1940 F-34 was a 76.2 mm Soviet tank gun used on the T-34/76 tank. A modified version of the gun, the 76 mm tank gun M1941 ZiS-5 was used on KV-1 tanks during World War II...
of the T-34 medium tank was found to be severely lacking in long-range firepower, compared to the German Tiger I heavy tank's long-barreled 88-mm gun. Military planners directed Gen. V. Grabin
Vasiliy Grabin
Vasiliy Gavrilovich Grabin was a Soviet artillery designer. He led a design bureau at Joseph Stalin Factory No...
's and Gen. F. Petrov
Fyodor Petrov
Fyodor Fyodorovich Petrov was a Soviet artillery designer....
's design bureaus to develop new 85mm tank guns based on the M1939's antitank ammunition.
Petrov developed the new D-5 85mm gun, which was shortly mounted on the chassis of the SU-122
SU-122
The SU-122 was a Soviet self-propelled howitzer used during World War II. The number "122" in the designation represents the caliber of the main armament—a 122 mm M-30S howitzer.-Development history:...
self-propelled gun to create the SU-85
SU-85
The SU-85 was a Soviet self-propelled gun used during World War II, based on the chassis of the T-34 medium tank. Earlier Soviet self-propelled guns were meant to serve as either assault guns, such as the SU-122, or as mobile anti-tank weapons; the SU-85 fell into the latter category...
tank destroyer. Grabin, working on the ZiS-53 at Joseph Stalin Factory No. 92
Joseph Stalin Factory No. 92
Joseph Stalin Factory No. 92 was a Soviet artillery factory in the Sormovo district of Gorky. It included the TsAKB artillery design bureau led by Vasiliy Grabin.Its products included* ZiS-2 57mm antitank gun...
in Gorky
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
, was reassigned to the Central Artillery Design Bureau (TsAKB) in Moscow, and his project was turned over to 23-year-old A. Savin. Another team led by K. Siderenko was assigned to yet another 85mm gun project, the S-18.
The resulting guns were tested at Gorokhoviesky Proving Grounds near Gorky, with Grabin's ZiS-53 winning the competition. Unfortunately, the new T-34-85 tank's turret had been designed for the already-available D-5 gun, and didn't mate properly with Grabin's gun. Initial production of the T-34-85 tank was approved with the D-5 gun (designated D-5T, for "tank").
Savin was put to work modifying Grabin's gun to fit and incorporating other improvements, and his initial was added to its designation in recognition of his contribution: ZiS-S-53. The T-34-85 Model 1944, which included an improved 3-man turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
layout, started production with this gun in the spring of 1944. When later tested against German armor, it was found that the tank gun developed from the 85-mm AA gun lacked the power of its predecessor and a new antitank gun was made, the 122-mm gun.
See also
- Designations of Russian towed artilleryDesignations of Russian towed artilleryThe official designations of Russian and Soviet artillery consists of three sequential parts – weapon caliber, weapon type, and finally a unique identifier for each variant...