SU-100
Encyclopedia
The SU-100 was a Soviet
tank destroyer
. It was used extensively during the last year of World War II
and saw service for many years afterwards with the armies of Soviet allies around the world.
, built on the same chassis as the T-34-85 tank. It was designed and built at the UZTM (Russian abbreviature УЗТМ for Уральский Завод Тяжелого Машиностроения - Ural Heavy Machinery Factory, also called Uralmash
) in Yekaterinburg
. The SU-100 quickly proved itself to be among the best self-propelled anti-tank guns of World War II, able to penetrate 125 mm (4.9 in) of vertical armor from a range of 2000 m (1.2 mi) and the sloped 85 mm (3.3 in) front armor of the German Panther from 1500 m (0.93205910497471 mi). This was quite capable of defeating the frontal arc of any German tank in service with the exception of the King Tiger, for which Soviet soldiers gave it the obscene nickname "Pizdets vsemu" ("Fuck up everything").
The development was conducted under supervision of L. I. Gorlitskiy
, chief designer of all medium Soviet self-propelled guns. The work started in February 1944 and first prototype of SU-100, called "Object 138", was built in March. After intensive testing with different models of 100 mm gun Soviet engineers approved the D-10S
gun for mass production. This gun was developed in Constructors Bureau of Artillery Factory No. 9 under guidance of F. F. Petrov
. After the Second World War it was installed on T-54 and T-55
tanks and its derivatives were in service forty years after initial development. The hull of SU-100 had major improvements over the SU-85
; thickness of front armour plate was increased from 45 millimetre, and the commander's workplace was made in small sponson on the right side of the hull; combined with the commander's cupola this greatly improved the commander's effectiveness. For better ventilation two ventilator units were installed, instead of only one as in the SU-85. Mass production began in September 1944.
in March 1945, when Soviet forces defeated the German Operation Frühlingserwachen
offensive at Lake Balaton
. By July 1945, 2,335 SU-100s had been built.
The vehicle remained in service with the Red Army
well after the war; production continued in the Soviet Union until 1947 and into the 1950s in Czechoslovakia
. It was withdrawn from Soviet service in 1957 but many vehicles were transferred to reserve stocks. Some exist to this day in the Russian Army holding facilities.
Many Warsaw Pact
countries also used the SU-100, as did Soviet allies such as Egypt
, Angola
and Cuba
. A few SU-100 were delivered to Yugoslavia after the war, under the designation M-44. The SU-100 saw service in the fighting that accompanied the 1956 Suez Crisis
, in which the Egyptians used SU-100s against Israel's M4 Sherman
tanks. The vehicle was also utilized in the 1967 Six-Day War
and the 1973 Yom Kippur War
. It was modified slightly to adapt it to the sandy conditions of the Middle East, thus creating the SU-100M variant. Exported SU-100s continued in service until the 1970s, and in some countries, even later. Yugoslavs used them during the civil war however due to lack of spare parts they were quickly retired, but performed satisfactory. The SU-100 remains in use by the Vietnam People's Army
and the Korean People's Army Ground Force despite the age of the design.
SU-100s entered service with the People's Liberation Army
(PLA) of China
in 1955 after Soviet forces left Dalian
. The armaments in Dalian were sold to China, including 99 SU-100s, 18 IS-2 heavy tanks, 16 T-54s and 224 T-34s, with which PLA formed its 1st Mechanised Division.
, which is popular with both Russian armoured
soldiers and civilians.
A SU-100 is used by the protagonists in the movie The Misfit Brigade, where it is portrayed as a German tank, possibly because it resembles the Jagdpanzer 38 (t) tank destroyer
and the Jagdpanther
. Ironically, the film has a scene where the Germans spot one, supposedly captured by the Russians, and proclaim: "That's one of ours! It sure is, and it's a terrible paint job. You can still see the cross! ... Ivan's pinched my tank!"
The film is also known as Wheels of Terror, based on the book by Sven Hassel.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
tank destroyer
Tank destroyer
A tank destroyer is a type of armored fighting vehicle armed with a gun or missile launcher, and is designed specifically to engage enemy armored vehicles...
. It was used extensively during the last year of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and saw service for many years afterwards with the armies of Soviet allies around the world.
Development
It was developed in 1944 as an improvement to the SU-85SU-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...
, built on the same chassis as the T-34-85 tank. It was designed and built at the UZTM (Russian abbreviature УЗТМ for Уральский Завод Тяжелого Машиностроения - Ural Heavy Machinery Factory, also called Uralmash
Uralmash
Uralmash is a heavy machine production facility of the Russian engineering corporation OMZ. The facility is located in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The surrounding residential area where workers live is also called Uralmash....
) in Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
. The SU-100 quickly proved itself to be among the best self-propelled anti-tank guns of World War II, able to penetrate 125 mm (4.9 in) of vertical armor from a range of 2000 m (1.2 mi) and the sloped 85 mm (3.3 in) front armor of the German Panther from 1500 m (0.93205910497471 mi). This was quite capable of defeating the frontal arc of any German tank in service with the exception of the King Tiger, for which Soviet soldiers gave it the obscene nickname "Pizdets vsemu" ("Fuck up everything").
The development was conducted under supervision of L. I. Gorlitskiy
Lev Gorlitsky
Lev Izrailevich Gorlitsky was a Soviet weapons designer....
, chief designer of all medium Soviet self-propelled guns. The work started in February 1944 and first prototype of SU-100, called "Object 138", was built in March. After intensive testing with different models of 100 mm gun Soviet engineers approved the D-10S
D-10 tank gun
The D-10 is a Soviet antitank gun developed in late World War II, and installed in tank destroyers and tanks. Versions of the 100 mm gun were installed on new T-55 tanks as late as 1979, and continue to be in active service in many countries.- History :...
gun for mass production. This gun was developed in Constructors Bureau of Artillery Factory No. 9 under guidance of F. F. Petrov
Fyodor Petrov
Fyodor Fyodorovich Petrov was a Soviet artillery designer....
. After the Second World War it was installed on T-54 and T-55
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
tanks and its derivatives were in service forty years after initial development. The hull of SU-100 had major improvements over 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...
; thickness of front armour plate was increased from 45 millimetre, and the commander's workplace was made in small sponson on the right side of the hull; combined with the commander's cupola this greatly improved the commander's effectiveness. For better ventilation two ventilator units were installed, instead of only one as in the SU-85. Mass production began in September 1944.
In service
The SU-100 saw extensive service during the last year of the war. It was used en masse in HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in March 1945, when Soviet forces defeated the German Operation Frühlingserwachen
Operation Frühlingserwachen
Operation Frühlingserwachen was the last major German offensive launched during World War II. The offensive was launched in Hungary on the Eastern Front...
offensive at Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of its foremost tourist destinations. As Hungary is landlocked , Lake Balaton is often affectionately called the "Hungarian Sea"...
. By July 1945, 2,335 SU-100s had been built.
The vehicle remained in service with the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
well after the war; production continued in the Soviet Union until 1947 and into the 1950s in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. It was withdrawn from Soviet service in 1957 but many vehicles were transferred to reserve stocks. Some exist to this day in the Russian Army holding facilities.
Many Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
countries also used the SU-100, as did Soviet allies such as Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. A few SU-100 were delivered to Yugoslavia after the war, under the designation M-44. The SU-100 saw service in the fighting that accompanied the 1956 Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, in which the Egyptians used SU-100s against Israel's M4 Sherman
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
tanks. The vehicle was also utilized in the 1967 Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
and the 1973 Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
. It was modified slightly to adapt it to the sandy conditions of the Middle East, thus creating the SU-100M variant. Exported SU-100s continued in service until the 1970s, and in some countries, even later. Yugoslavs used them during the civil war however due to lack of spare parts they were quickly retired, but performed satisfactory. The SU-100 remains in use by the Vietnam People's Army
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
and the Korean People's Army Ground Force despite the age of the design.
SU-100s entered service with the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
(PLA) of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1955 after Soviet forces left Dalian
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
. The armaments in Dalian were sold to China, including 99 SU-100s, 18 IS-2 heavy tanks, 16 T-54s and 224 T-34s, with which PLA formed its 1st Mechanised Division.
In popular culture
The crew of a World War II SU-100 and their vehicle are the heroes of the old Soviet film «На войне как на войне» Na vojne kak na vojne ("All's fair in love and war" (literally: "In wartime it's like wartime")), one of several Soviet films made about self-propelled artillery men. Veterans of the German-Soviet War found this picture quite realistic. The movie includes a Soviet tankmen songSoviet Tankmen's Song
The Soviet Tankmen's Song is a popular tune originating in the Russian film A na Voine kak na Voine , about the crew of an SU-100 self-propelled gun. It has no title and is referred to by its first line: Po Polyu Tanki Grokhotali...
, which is popular with both Russian armoured
Armoured warfare
Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
soldiers and civilians.
Hetzer
The Jagdpanzer 38 , later known as Hetzer , was a German light tank destroyer of the Second World War based on a modified Czechoslovakian Panzer 38 chassis. The project was inspired by the Romanian "Mareşal" tank destroyer.The name Hetzer was at the time not commonly used for this vehicle...
and the Jagdpanther
Jagdpanther
The Jagdpanther was a tank destroyer built by Nazi Germany during World War II based on the chassis of the Panther tank. It entered service late in the war and saw service on the Eastern and Western fronts...
. Ironically, the film has a scene where the Germans spot one, supposedly captured by the Russians, and proclaim: "That's one of ours! It sure is, and it's a terrible paint job. You can still see the cross! ... Ivan's pinched my tank!"
The film is also known as Wheels of Terror, based on the book by Sven Hassel.
External links
- The SU-100 Tank Destroyer at Battlefield.ru
- SU-100 at WWIIvehicles.com
- SU-100 data at OnWar.com