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.
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
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).

Contents

[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 The mass production of outdated model 1937 guns was stopped in 1943.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

Rear view
Rear view
Breech
Breech
  • Ammunition types:
    • Armor piercing: AP B-240 / BR-240, APCR BR-240P.
    • Fragmentation.
    • Canister.
    • Smoke.
    • Armor piercing chemical.
  • 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

[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 anti-tank gun M1930 (1-K) | 45 mm anti-tank gun M1937 (53-K) | 45 mm anti-tank gun M1942 (M-42)
57 mm anti-tank gun M1943 (ZiS-2) | 100 mm field gun M1944 (BS-3)
Mountain guns
76 mm mountain gun M1938
Regimental guns
76 mm regimental gun M1927 | 76 mm regimental gun M1943
Divisional guns
76 mm divisional gun M1902/30 | 76 mm divisional gun M1936 (F-22) | 76 mm divisional gun M1939 (USV)
76 mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3) | 107 mm divisional gun M1940 (M-60) |122 mm howitzer M1909/37
122 mm howitzer M1910/30 | 122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30) | 152 mm mortar M1931 (NM)
Corps and Army level guns
107 mm gun M1910/30 | 122 mm gun M1931/37 (A-19) | 152 mm howitzer M1909/30
152 mm howitzer M1910/37 | 152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10) | 152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1)
152 mm gun M1910/30 | 152 mm gun M1910/34 | 152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20)
Very heavy guns
152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2) | 203 mm howitzer M1931 (B-4) | 210 mm gun M1939 (Br-17)
280 mm mortar M1939 (Br-5) | 305 mm howitzer M1939 (Br-18)
Air defense guns
25 mm automatic air defense gun M1940 (72-K) | 37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)
76 mm air defense gun M1938 | 85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K)
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