45-mm anti-tank gun M1942 (M-42)

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45-mm anti-tank gun model 1942 года (М-42)

M-42 in Poznań citadel, Poland.
Type anti-tank gun
Place of origin USSR
Production history
Produced 1942-1945
Number built 10,843
Specifications
Weight combat: 625 kg
travel: 1,250 kg

Caliber 45 mm
Carriage split trail
Elevation -8° to 25°
Traverse: 60°
Rate of fire 15-20 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity 870 m/s
Maximum range 4.55 km

M-42 was 45-mm Soviet light semi-automatic anti-tank gun. Full official name is 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1942 (M-42) (Russian: 45-мм противотанковая пушка образца 1942 года (М-42)). These guns were used from 1942 until the end of Great Patriotic War.

Contents

[edit] History

M-42 45 mm anti-tank gun in Finnish Tank Museum in Parola
Enlarge
M-42 45 mm anti-tank gun in Finnish Tank Museum in Parola

The M-42 was developed by the no. 172 plant in Motovilikha as an upgrade of the 45-mm anti-tank gun M1937. The gun received longer barrel, shells with more powerful cartridge and thicker shield (7 mm instead of 4.5 mm). Some minor changes were also introduced in order to speed up production.

These guns were used from 1942 until the end of Great Patriotic War. In 1943, due to its insufficient anti-armor capabilities against new German tanks such as Tiger, Panther and Panzer IV Ausf H, the M-42 was partially replaced in mass production by more powerful 57-mm ZiS-2 anti-tank gun. However the M-42 remained in production as it was quite effective against lighter vehicles and could pierce the side armour of Panther and Panzer IV Ausf H. Fragmentation shell and canister shot gave the gun some anti-personnel capability.

Mass production of M-42 ceased in mid-1945. The total number of guns produced is 10,843.

[edit] Ammunition

  • Ammunition types:
    • Armor piercing.
    • Fragmentation.
    • Canister.
    • Smoke.
  • Projectile weight:
    • AP: 1.43 kg
    • APCR: 0.85 kg
    • Fragmentation: 2.14 kg
  • Armor penetration, AP shell, 90 degrees:
    • at 500 m: 61 mm
    • at 1000 m: 51 mm

[edit] References

  • Shunkov V. N. - The Weapons of the Red Army, Mn. Harvest, 1999 (Шунков В. Н. - Оружие Красной Армии. — Мн.: Харвест, 1999.) ISBN 985-433-469-4

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Soviet Artillery of Great Patriotic War
Anti-tank guns
37-mm gun 1-K | 45-mm gun M1937 | 45-mm gun M-42 | 57-mm gun ZiS-2 | 100-mm gun BS-3
Mountain guns
76-mm mountain gun M1938
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122-mm howitzer M1909/37 | 122-mm howitzer M1910/30 | 122-mm howitzer M-30
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152-mm howitzer M-10 | 152-mm howitzer D-1 | 152-mm gun M1910/30
152-mm gun M1910/34 | 152-mm gun-howitzer ML-20
Very heavy guns
152-mm gun M1935 | 203-mm howitzer B-4 | 210-mm gun M1939
280-mm mortar M1939 | 305-mm howitzer M1939
Air defense guns
25-mm gun 72-K | 37-mm gun 61-K | 76-mm gun M1938 | 85-mm gun 52-K


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