45-mm anti-tank gun M1937 (53-K)
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| 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 (53-K) | |
|---|---|
 45 mm anti-tank gun M1937, displayed in Finnish Tank Museum in Parola. |
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| Type | anti-tank gun |
| Place of origin | USSR |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1937-1943 |
| Number built | 37,354 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | combat: 560 kg travel: 1,200 kg |
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| Caliber | 45 mm |
| Carriage | split trail |
| Elevation | -8° to 25° |
| Traverse: | 60° |
| Rate of fire | 15-20 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 760 m/s |
| Maximum range | 4.4 km |
45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 (53-K) was light semi-automatic anti-tank gun used in the first stage of Great Patriotic War, created by Soviet artillery designer M.N. Loginov. Due to insufficient armor penetration it was replaced in service by more powerful 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1942 (M-42).
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[edit] History
45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 (53-K) (Russian: 45-мм противотанковая пушка образца 1937 года (53-К)) was a combination of a modified carriage of the 37 mm anti-tank gun model 1931 (built according to a documentation bought from Rheinmetall) with a 45 mm barrel. The resulting light semi-automatic anti-tank gun was adopted for the Red Army service in 1937. These guns were used in the first stage of Great Patriotic War, but their anti-armour capabilities allowed them to fight successfully only with German light tanks and armoured personnel carriers. Early models of Panzer III and Panzer IV could also be knocked out at close range but this put Soviet artillerymen into a great danger. In fact such combat was a self-sacrificial one, but sometimes it was the only way to survive and to win. Due to these circumstances, model 1937 guns were replaced with more powerful model 1942. The mass production of outdated model 1937 guns was stopped in 1943. The total number of guns produced is 37,354 pieces.
The gun was employed by anti-tank platoons of rifle battalions (2 pieces) and by anti-tank battalions of rifle divisions (12 pieces). It was also used by separate anti-tank regiments (4-5 batteries of 4 pieces each).
[edit] Ammunition
- Ammunition types:
- Projectile weight (AP): 1.43 kg
- Armor penetration:
- AP shell, 90 degrees:
- at 500 m: 43 mm
- at 1000 m: 32 mm
- AP shell, 60 degrees:
- at 500 m: 38 mm
- at 1000 m: 23 mm
- APCR shell, 90 degrees:
- at 100 m: 88 mm
- at 500 m: 66 mm
- AP shell, 90 degrees:
[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
- 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 at rustrana.ru (Russian)
- 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1937 manual at xlt.narod.ru (Russian)
- Armor penetration table
| 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 |
| Regimental guns |
| 76-mm gun M1927 | 76-mm gun M1943 |
| Divisional guns |
| 76-mm gun M1902/30 | 76-mm gun F-22 | 76-mm gun USV | 76-mm gun ZiS-3 122-mm howitzer M1909/37 | 122-mm howitzer M1910/30 | 122-mm howitzer M-30 |
| Corps and Army level guns |
| 122-mm gun A-19 | 152-mm howitzer M1909/30 | 152-mm howitzer M1910/37 152-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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