SU-100Y Self-Propelled Gun
Encyclopedia
The SU-100Y was a Soviet prototype
self-propelled gun
, developed from the prototype T-100 tank
. It was developed during the Winter War
with Finland
to include a 152 mm gun to destroy concrete defensive structures like bunkers and anti-tank obstacles. It did not see service before the end of the war but was brought into use in the Second World War in defence of Moscow
.
During the development of this vehicle, the ABTU
proposed to mount the large, high velocity 152 mm cannon on the T-100 in order to give it the capacity to destroy bunkers and other strong fixed fortifications. The plant manager at N°185 proposed to stop the development of the prototype to use T-100 as a self-propelled gun armed with the 100 and 130 mm naval guns. This idea was accepted and on January 8, 1940, the plans of the T-100-X were finalized and sent to the Izhorskyi factory. The T-100-X had a box-shaped fighting compartment and was equipped with the 130 mm B-13 naval gun. For mobility, kept the torsion bar suspension system, as was the trend in modern tanks of the day. During the development of the prototype the shape of the fighting compartment was modified to reduce ammunition loading times. The new design was the SU-100Y (sometimes called T-100 there). The designs of the SU-100Y were sent to the Izhorskyi factory on February 24, 1940 and assembly began on the first of the month. The self-propelled gun was tested for the first time on March 14. As the Winter War
was finished, the SU-100Y never saw combat.
During the Winter War it was proposed to modernize the T-100 with a more powerful armament, the 152 mm M-10 gun, able to destroy concrete structures, particularly in dragons teeth, a common anti-tank measure amongst Europe's fixed fortifications during World War II. A new turret to accommodate the 152 mm howitzer was implemented around March 1940. This new model was designated T-100-Z. However this project was abandoned because of KV-1 and the 152mm equipped KV-2 tanks were superior. In April 1940, the N°185 factory proposed a self-propelled gun (prototype 103) for coastal defence based on the T-100 and armed with the B-13 130 mm naval gun installed in a rotating turret with three 7.62 mm machine-guns. This project never went beyond the drawing boards.
When work was stopped on the T-100 project, the SU-100Y was transported to Kubinka
in the summer of 1940. In November 1941, at the most critical moment of battle in the suburbs of Moscow, the SU-100Y, together with the 152 mm gun armed experimental SU-14
and Su-14-1, was pressed into service in an Independent Artillery Division for Special Duties. Further information of the combat record of the unit has not been made known. The SU-100Y prototype survived the war and is a part of the collection at the Kubinka Tank Museum
.
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
self-propelled gun
Self-propelled gun
A self-propelled gun is form of self-propelled artillery, and in modern use is usually used to refer to artillery pieces such as howitzers....
, developed from the prototype T-100 tank
T-100 tank
The T-100 was a twin-turreted Soviet heavy tank prototype, designed in 1938–39 as a possible replacement for the T-35.The T-100 was designed to by N. Barykov's OKMO design team at S.M. Kirov Factory No. 185 in Leningrad...
. It was developed during the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
with Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
to include a 152 mm gun to destroy concrete defensive structures like bunkers and anti-tank obstacles. It did not see service before the end of the war but was brought into use in the Second World War in defence of Moscow
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated Hitler's attack on Moscow, capital of...
.
History
In December 1939, the Northwest Command of the Red Army requested that the N°185 factory develop a vehicle based on the T-100. The vehicle had not only to operate as a self-propelled gun, but also to be used to lay bridges, transport explosives, and recover tanks destroyed or damaged on the battlefield.During the development of this vehicle, the ABTU
Abtu
Abtu is the name of a sacred fish, according to Egyptian mythology, and of the city of Abydos, the place where Osiris and the early rulers of Egypt were buried....
proposed to mount the large, high velocity 152 mm cannon on the T-100 in order to give it the capacity to destroy bunkers and other strong fixed fortifications. The plant manager at N°185 proposed to stop the development of the prototype to use T-100 as a self-propelled gun armed with the 100 and 130 mm naval guns. This idea was accepted and on January 8, 1940, the plans of the T-100-X were finalized and sent to the Izhorskyi factory. The T-100-X had a box-shaped fighting compartment and was equipped with the 130 mm B-13 naval gun. For mobility, kept the torsion bar suspension system, as was the trend in modern tanks of the day. During the development of the prototype the shape of the fighting compartment was modified to reduce ammunition loading times. The new design was the SU-100Y (sometimes called T-100 there). The designs of the SU-100Y were sent to the Izhorskyi factory on February 24, 1940 and assembly began on the first of the month. The self-propelled gun was tested for the first time on March 14. As the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
was finished, the SU-100Y never saw combat.
During the Winter War it was proposed to modernize the T-100 with a more powerful armament, the 152 mm M-10 gun, able to destroy concrete structures, particularly in dragons teeth, a common anti-tank measure amongst Europe's fixed fortifications during World War II. A new turret to accommodate the 152 mm howitzer was implemented around March 1940. This new model was designated T-100-Z. However this project was abandoned because of KV-1 and the 152mm equipped KV-2 tanks were superior. In April 1940, the N°185 factory proposed a self-propelled gun (prototype 103) for coastal defence based on the T-100 and armed with the B-13 130 mm naval gun installed in a rotating turret with three 7.62 mm machine-guns. This project never went beyond the drawing boards.
When work was stopped on the T-100 project, the SU-100Y was transported to Kubinka
Kubinka
Kubinka is a town in Odintsovsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Setun River, west of Moscow. Population: Kubinka was the location of the Soviet Union's tank proving grounds, and today is the home of the Kubinka Tank Museum...
in the summer of 1940. In November 1941, at the most critical moment of battle in the suburbs of Moscow, the SU-100Y, together with the 152 mm gun armed experimental SU-14
SU-14
The SU-14 was a prototype Soviet heavy self-propelled gun built on a T-35 chassis. The SU-14-1 variant of 1936 carried a 152.4 mm B-10 naval cannon which could fire 43.5 kilogram shells at ranges up to 20 km. Its armour was 20 to 30mm thick. It never entered serial production.-External...
and Su-14-1, was pressed into service in an Independent Artillery Division for Special Duties. Further information of the combat record of the unit has not been made known. The SU-100Y prototype survived the war and is a part of the collection at the Kubinka Tank Museum
Kubinka Tank Museum
The Kubinka Tank Museum is a large museum of armoured fighting vehicles in Kubinka, just outside Moscow. It has many famous tanks from World War I, World War II and the Cold War. The museum also houses many unique vehicles, such as the Panzer VIII Maus, Troyanov super-heavy tank and a Karl-Gerät...
.