The monument was erected in the city of Novomoskovsk, Tula region on Komsomolskaya street near house 28.
Free parking is available nearby.
Free access, you can touch, climb. There is no security.
The condition of the monument is excellent.
Date of filming - 02 May 2016.
01.
All photos are clickable up to 3648x2736.
A unique specimen of the BM-13 "Katyusha" guards rocket launcher based on the STZ-5-NATI tracked tractor.
Released in June 1941 at the Moscow Compressor plant
This combat vehicle died, falling under the ice of the Shatsk reservoir, on December 14, 1941.
47 years later, in November 1988, an expedition of enthusiasts, under the auspices of the newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda", discovered "Katyusha" and was able to pull her ashore.
On May 9 of the following year, the restored car passed through the streets of Novomoskovsk in the ranks of the festive parade.
And then she took her place on the pedestal at the Novomoskovsk History and Art Museum.
A documentary was filmed about these events - the expedition of the newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda" to raise the BM-13 "Katyusha" combat rocket launcher from the bottom of the Shatsk reservoir (Novomoskovsk, Tula region). November 1988.
02. Commemorative plaque on the pedestal. 
In 2015, the Katyusha tracked vehicle underwent restoration and again led the parade:
03. The car was part of the 12th separate guards mortar division of rocket artillery. 
04. The division was formed in Alabino.
In the army since November 9, 1941.
The battalion was armed with BM-13-16 vehicles on the chassis of the STZ-5-NATI tractor.
During the Tula offensive operation, the division provided fire support to Soviet troops during the liberation of Stalinogorsk (now Novomoskovsk, Tula region).
With two volleys from the area of the village of Urusovo, covering the accumulation of German troops at the Maklets station, on December 12-13, the division began redeploying to the southern bank of the Shat in the Stalinogorsk area.
However, having come under intense shelling, the convoy returned to Prudki and crossed the Shat across the ice.
A car, a tractor and several military vehicles passed, but one of the Katyushas sank. 
05. "Katyusha" weapons are relatively simple, consisting of rail guides and a device for their guidance.
Rotary and lifting mechanisms and an artillery sight were provided for aiming.
In the rear of the vehicle there were two jacks, providing greater stability when firing.
There are 16 rocket guides on the machine. 
06. The body of the rocket (rocket) was a welded cylinder divided into three compartments - the warhead compartment, the engine compartment (combustion chamber with fuel) and the jet nozzle.
The M-13 rocket for the BM-13 ground installation had a length of 1.41 meters, a diameter of 132 millimeters and weighed 42.3 kg.
Solid nitrocellulose was inside the plumage cylinder.
The mass of the warhead of the M-13 projectile is 22 kg.
The explosive mass of the M-13 projectile is 4.9 kg - "like six anti-tank grenades."
The firing range is up to 8.4 km. 
07. The STZ-5-NATI tractor, a tracked tractor produced in the USSR, at the Stalingrad Tractor Plant in 1937-1942 on the basis of the SKHTZ-NATI tractor, served as a platform for this instance of the Guards mortar.
Other names of the tractor are STZ-NATI 2TV, STZ-5 "Stalinets".
A total of 9,944 STZ-5-NATI tractors were produced, including 3,438 units before the start of the war. 
08. Serial production of transport tractors of the STZ-5 brand was mastered in 1937 at the Stalingrad Tractor Plant (STZ).
The tractor was developed by a design bureau formed from employees of STZ and the NATI institute. The general management was carried out by V.Ya. Slonimsky. 
09. The tractor is made according to the scheme usual for artillery tractors with a front engine and driver's cab.
In this case, the engine is located inside the cabin between the seats of the commander of the calculation of the artillery gun and the driver.
A fuel tank is located behind the cab and a cargo platform is mounted with folding sides, benches for placing the crew of the tool and with a removable tarpaulin awning.
When the tractor was converted into a "Katyusha", the cargo platform was dismantled, and a launcher, guidance devices and support jacks were installed in its place.
The tractor was equipped with a 1MA four-cylinder carburetor engine.
It was multi-fuel, since it was started on gasoline with an electric starter or a starting handle, and after warming up, it was transferred to kerosene or naphtha.
When driving on dirt roads, the average speed was up to 10 km / h. 
10. BM-13 is a low-precision area weapon with a large dispersion of shells over the terrain.
As a result, it was pointless to deliver accurate strikes.
Therefore, "Katyushas" were used by divisions of several vehicles that fired at one target at the same time.
The detonation of the explosive (HE) in the projectile was carried out from two sides (the length of the detonator was only slightly less than the length of the cavity for the explosive) and when two detonation waves met, the gas pressure of the explosion at the meeting point increased sharply, as a result of which the fragments of the body had a much greater acceleration. warmed up to 600 - 800 ° C and had a good igniting effect.
In addition to the hull, part of the rocket chamber was also torn apart, heating up from the gunpowder burning inside, this increased the fragmentation effect by 1.5 - 2 times compared to artillery shells of a similar caliber.
That is why the legend about the "termite charge" in the Katyusha ammunition arose.
The "termite" charge was tested in Leningrad in the spring of 1942, but it turned out to be superfluous - after the Katyusha salvo, everything was on fire.
The combined use of dozens of missiles at the same time also created the interference of blast waves, which further enhanced the damaging effect. 
11. Mechanical drive for vertical guidance of the launcher. 
12. Standard artillery sights with remote reel, liquid levels and panorama mount. 
13. The most striking detail of the monument is a fire extinguisher in its proper place. 
14. Support jacks. They were lowered and raised manually. 
15. Maximum tractive effort of the machine - 4850 kgf.
It was sufficient to tow all the artillery pieces that were in service with the Red Army's rifle division during the Second World War.
The STZ-5 tractor was the most massive means of mechanical traction in the artillery of the Red Army. 
16. In the undercarriage, on each side, there are four rubberized track rollers and two carrier rollers. 
17. Small-link caterpillar chain.
In the front "bumper" you can see the hole for the "curve starter".
And under the frame are welded very nifty front tow hooks. 
18. The tractor had good cross-country ability.
So, he was able to overcome ditches up to 1 m deep and force fords up to 0.8 m deep.
With an artillery gun on a trailer, he could move along the highway at speeds up to 14 km / h.
In 1937, the production of the first tracked tractor of an original domestic design began in Stalingrad. It was named STZ-NATI, since the Stalingrad Tractor Plant (STZ) and the Scientific Automotive Tractor Institute (NATI) participated in its creation. And since this model was also produced at the Kharkov Tractor Plant, the name was transformed into SKHTZ-NATI.
The first domestic tractors, such as the wheeled one produced at the Putilov plant, the caterpillar G-50, which was produced by the Kharkov steam locomotive plant (now the Malyshev Plant), were created on the basis of foreign models. However, they did not take into account the peculiarities of our country.
In 1929, after comparative tests of many foreign tractors, NATI specialists formulated technical requirements for domestic tractors and recorded them in the articles "Technical standards for a Russian tractor" and "On the type of tractor for Russia." The STZ-NATI model was developed on the basis of these requirements. This unified agricultural and transport machine, with an elastic suspension of rollers, a metal track with cast links, a semi-closed cabin, most fully met the conditions of production and operation in the Soviet Union.
With the appearance in the 1930s of the STZ-NATI (SKHTZ-NATI) tractor, the transition of the domestic tractor industry to its own models began, the design of which took into account the peculiarities of natural conditions, the production and operation of agricultural machinery in the USSR.
In May 1935, heads of tractor factories gathered in Moscow to discuss the issue of transferring production to the production of tracked vehicles. Representatives of the Stalingrad and Kharkov enterprises announced that they are ready to submit the first samples in two months. A kind of competition began for the right to produce a new tractor. It all depended on whose project would be more successful.
Sample STZ
The Stalingrad tractor builders were confident of success - by that time they were already designing such a tractor together with NATI. The first prototype was entrusted to test the order-bearer A. M. Lewandovsky, the foreman of the assembly, who laid the first furrow.
In July 1935, at the NATI experimental field, in Likhobory, STZ showed the members of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the government three models of tracked tractors, KhTZ - one. Tractors pulled seven-plow couplings from two plows. According to the terms of the competition, in order to ensure a stable plowing depth, it was necessary to use a semi-rigid suspension, however, STZ engineers, in violation of the requirements, used an elastic suspension. As a result, the Stalingrad model showed higher technical qualities, and the Kharkov model lost, but both the Stalingrad and Kharkov tractor plants decided to transfer to the production of a new domestic caterpillar tractor.
In the same year, samples of the new model were tested in NATI, in agricultural work. The designers of the institute and the plant worked together to eliminate the discovered shortcomings. By the middle of 1936, 25 tractors were manufactured at STZ. In the summer, they underwent interdepartmental agricultural field trials.
Compared to predecessor
At that time, at both tractor plants, in Stalingrad and Kharkov, the STZ-1 (or CT3-15 / 30) wheeled tractor was mass-produced. Naturally, the new model was compared with the previous one.
The tracked tractor had significant advantages. It had a semi-enclosed cockpit, elastic suspension on four balancer carriages with coil coil springs, and a toothed three-way gearbox. The water-cooled four-cylinder kerosene carburetor engine developed twice the power (52 hp). At the same time, SKHTZ-NATI consumed 25% less fuel for processing one hectare of land. The STZ-1 tractor on soft plowing worked 0.35-0.4 hectares per hour, the SKHTZ-NATI - 0.8-0.9.
In addition, the tracked tractor could be used in a wide variety of conditions, including in places where high cross-country ability was needed. At the same time, the new tractor required more materials and more complex handling. So, in the manufacture of STZ-1, 340 parts were subject to mechanical processing, and for SKHTZ-NATI - 720. In the forging shop, 104 and 220 parts were processed, respectively, in the press shop - 320 and 630.
Reconstruction of production
In 1936, STZ did not reduce the production of the wheeled model and at the same time carried out the reconstruction, which was required for the production of a new tractor. First of all, new shops were put into operation: model, press, with an area of 20 thousand square meters. m, and steel, with 16 electric furnaces and 9 molding conveyors, with an area of 55 thousand square meters. m (one of the largest in the USSR). It housed 2.5 km of conveyors and conveyors.
The mechanical assembly and tool shops, as well as the repair base, have been significantly expanded. In addition, a motor-tractor laboratory was created. American and German equipment on which the wheeled model was produced was replenished with Soviet-made machines. The machine tool equipment has almost doubled. Accordingly, new technologies have been developed for the manufacture of many assemblies and parts.
To complete the reconstruction, the plant was stopped for only two months. The new tractor rolled off the large assembly line at 22:25 on July 11, 1937.
How to fulfill the plan?
It was not immediately possible to establish a rhythmic release of SHTZ-NATI. The main conveyor did not work for the first week. The plan had to be adjusted. In the third quarter, the plant produced 26 tractors. By the end of the year - 1006, half of the planned, at the beginning of the first quarter of 1938, 20 tractors were produced per day instead of 50.
Of course, there were objective reasons for this. Firstly, production began before the construction and installation of equipment was completed (and its deliveries were delayed). The press and iron foundries were not completely ready, the technological process in the mechanical ones was not debugged. Secondly, already in the fields in the first SKHTH-NATI tractors produced, the machine operators discovered design flaws. It was necessary to refine the design of some units and parts on the fly.
As it happened more than once in Soviet times, socialist competition helped, that is, the situation was pulled out by the enthusiasm of the workers. On December 31, 1937, the mechanics of the tractor workshop Matyushkov, Vlasov, Krymsky and other workers of Karpov's brigades fulfilled the shift quota by 946%. The team made a commitment to achieve a 1000% completion of the shift task and completed it. Heavy forge foreman E.V. Semyonov from ND Strunkov's brigade improved the technology for stamping a bar, thanks to which instead of the planned 90 bars per shift, they began to stamp 200 bars.
In October 1938, the plant exceeded the plan: instead of 1445 tractors it produced 1457, instead of 1245 motors - 1308, spare parts were also produced more than the norm. In 1938, the plant collected 9307 agricultural, 136 transport and 532 swamp machines and produced 38.8% of spare parts in excess of the plan. On November 21, 1938, the 10,000th SKHTZ-NATI rolled off the assembly line.
Transport option STZ-5
In parallel with the agricultural version, SKHTZ-NATI, the designers developed the transport one. It received the designation STZ-NATI-2TV, but later it was better known under the name STZ-5. STZ engineers I.I. Drong and V.A. Kargopolov and specialists of NATI A.V. Vasiliev and I. I. Trepenenkov. STZ-5 was extremely unified with SKHTZ-NATI, and both models were produced on the same conveyor.
This tractor had a layout traditional for transport tractors. A two-seater (for the driver and gun commander) closed wood-metal cabin was in front, above the engine. Behind it and the fuel tanks was a wooden cargo platform with drop sides and a removable canvas top. The platform had four folding semi-soft seats for the gun crew and a place for ammunition and artillery equipment.
The frame consisted of two longitudinal channels connected by four different cross members. The 1MA engine, four-cylinder, carburetor, with magneto ignition, was actually multi-fuel - this was especially important for army tractors. It started up on gasoline with an electric starter or a starting handle, and after warming up to 90 ° C, it was transferred to kerosene or naphtha.
To prevent detonation and increase power, especially when operating in the summer with increased loads, on kerosene, water was injected into the cylinders through a special carburetor system, and from 1941 an anti-knock combustion chamber was introduced.
In the gearbox, the gear ratios were changed to increase the power range and travel speeds, and another (reduction) gear was introduced. When driving on it at a speed of 1.9 km / h, the STZ-5 developed a thrust of 4850 kgf, that is, at the limit of the traction of the tracks with the ground.
The undercarriage was more adapted to driving at high speeds: the track step was halved, the support and support rollers were rubberized. A vertical capstan with a 40 m cable was installed on the rear axle housing under the platform for pulling trailers, self-pulling the tractor and towing other machines. The cab had opening front and side windows, as well as adjustable louvers in the front and rear parts.
Dealing with overloads
Since 1938, transport copies began to be sent to the artillery units of tank and mechanized divisions. The tractor had good cross-country ability. So, he was able to overcome ditches up to 1 m deep and force fords up to 0.8 m deep. With an artillery gun on a trailer, he moved along the highway at a speed of up to 14 km / h. On unpaved roads, it developed a speed of up to 10 km / h.
The maximum tractive effort of the tractor, 4850 kgf, was sufficient to tow all the artillery pieces that were in service with the rifle divisions of the Red Army during the Second World War. When there were not enough more powerful artillery tractors, the STZ-5 was towed and heavier than they were supposed to, guns and trailers. But even when working with overload, the tractors usually survived.
STZ-5 was the most widespread means of mechanical traction in the Red Army. It continued to be produced until August 1942, when German troops broke through to the territory of the Stalingrad Tractor Plant. A total of 9,944 of these tractors were produced.
In 1941, the M-13 multiple launch rocket launchers - "Katyusha", were mounted on the STZ-5 chassis, which were first used in the battles near Moscow. During the defense of Odessa, where there were many STZ-5 tractors, they were used as a chassis for homemade NI tanks with thin armor and machine-gun armament, usually removed from outdated or damaged armored vehicles. In the first years of the war, many tractors were captured and fought in the enemy army under the name Gepanzerter Artillerie Schlepper 601 (r).
Altai option
The Kharkov Tractor Plant switched to the production of a new tractor in 1937. During the Great Patriotic War, KhTZ was evacuated to the city of Rubtsovsk, Altai Territory. They began to build a new plant here - the Altai Tractor Plant. In August 1942, the first SKHTZ-NATI tractors came out of its workshops. They began to be designated ATZ-NATI or ASKHTZ-NATI and were produced here until 1952. The Stalingrad and Kharkov plants in 1949 switched to the production of the DT-54 tractor, which was distinguished by a diesel engine, a closed-type cab and the location of the fuel tank.
Historical series "TM"
STZ - transport
In 1932, at the Stalingrad Tractor Plant, under the leadership of the chief designer V.G. Stankevich, the development of a plow tractor of medium power began. It was immediately decided to make it a universal - agricultural, transport and tractor, like the English "Vickers-Carden-Lloyd", which our military tested in 1931. And the future tractor was supposed to be used in the army, as an artillery tractor and transport vehicle, in order to accelerate the motorization and mechanization of the Red Army.
By May 1933, this versatile tractor (with an experimental diesel engine) - "Komsomolets" - was ready. However, it came out overweight, not very reliable, the layout left much to be desired. The main thing was found out - the impossibility of combining the contradictory properties of the three machines operating in such different conditions. So the idea of a universal tractor had to be abandoned.
In the summer of 1933, NATI engineers proposed making two tractors, agricultural and transport, unifying their components and assemblies as much as possible, so that one conveyor could be used for the production of both machines. In particular, in the agricultural version, it was supposed to use a 4-speed gearbox with the possibility of increasing the number of steps, 2-roller interlocked spring-balance suspension carriages, light and openwork cast tracks, a closed cabin - something that is more inherent in high-speed tracked vehicles. (This idea came in handy in the 1960s, when agriculture needed tractors with higher operating speeds.)
For the simultaneous creation of two tractors at the Stalingrad plant, a design bureau was formed, composed of 30 factory and institute workers under the general leadership of V.Ya. Slonimsky (NATI), in order to speed up the work. Designers I.I. Drong and V.A. Kargopolov (STZ), A.V. Vasiliev and I.I. Trepenenkov (NATI).
After testing the first two experimental series of STZ-5 at the beginning of 1935, they built a third, improved one, and on July 16, these tractors, together with agricultural STZ-Z (see "TM", Nq 7 for 1975), were demonstrated at the NATI test site to the country's top leadership headed by I.V. Stalin; all members of the Politburo rode in the back of the STZ-5. The new machine was approved, the identified shortcomings were eliminated by the next year, and both tractors began to prepare for serial production at
Stalingrad plant.
STZ-5 had a layout that has become traditional for transport tractors - in front of a two-seater metal cabin with an engine inside, between the seats. Behind it with fuel tanks was a 2-meter wooden cargo platform with drop sides, benches and a removable canvas top - to accommodate the crew, ammunition and artillery equipment. The light frame consisted of two longitudinal channels connected by four crossbars.
The diesel engine had to be abandoned - it was not possible to work it out. The 1MA engine was a typical tractor - 4-cylinder, carburetor, magneto-ignited, low-speed / and relatively heavy. But it turned out to be hardy and reliable, which is why it was produced until 1953. It started up on gasoline with an electric starter (which was not available on STZ-Z) or with a starting handle, and after warming up to 90 degrees, it was transferred to kerosene or naphtha, that is, it was multi-fuel, which is important in army conditions. To prevent detonation and increase power, especially when working in the summer with increased loads, on kerosene, water was injected into the cylinders through a special carburetor system, and from 1941 an anti-knock combustion chamber was introduced.
In the gearbox connected to the rear axle, the gear ratios were changed, increasing the power range to 9.8 (versus 2.1 for STZ-Z) and another downshift was introduced. When driving on it at a speed of 1.9 km / h, the tractor developed a traction of 4850 kgf - at the limit of the adhesion of the tracks to the ground.
The rear axle with side clutches and brakes was borrowed from STZ-3, rubberized support and support rollers and a small-link track with a half-pitch reduced by half, which were better suited for high speeds, were used in the chassis. Under the loading platform, on the rear axle crankcase, a vertical capstan was mounted, which served for self-pulling, pulling trailers, as well as towing other vehicles. This simple device replaced the winch, which was considered an indispensable accessory for artillery tractors.
In the front and rear parts of the cockpit, adjustable shutters were installed, which created flow ventilation, which was especially important in the summer - from a running engine, the temperature in the metal cockpit often rose to 50 degrees.
In 1938, the first 309 serial STZ-5s were produced, sending them to the artillery units of tank and mechanized divisions. They towed 76-mm regimental and divisional guns, 122- and 152-mm howitzers of the 1938 model, 76-mm anti-aircraft guns (and then 85-mm). Soon STZ-5 became the most widespread
in the Red Army.
In the summer of 1939, army tests were carried out near the town of Medved, Novgorod Region. On them, the tractor overcame ditches up to 1 m deep, forced fords up to 0.8 m, walls 0.6 m high.As part of the STZ-5 battery with a trailer, it moved along the highway at an average speed of 14 km / h and 10 km / h along country road. They did not demanded more from him, given the "peasant origin" - a small specific power, a narrow track, chosen taking into account the work of an agricultural fellow with a 4-body plow, low ground clearance, underdeveloped track lugs, significant specific pressure. Due to the revealed longitudinal swing at high speeds, the military asked to install a fifth road roller. However, the tractor's endurance did not cause any complaints - it successfully completed the Stalingrad - Moscow - Stalingrad runs twice.
At the beginning of the war, there was a shortage of more powerful artillery tractors and the massive STZ-5 sometimes had to "plug the holes", towing heavier than they were supposed to, guns and trailers. The tractors worked with overload, but withstood, rescuing the gunners from the most difficult situations.
The lack of suitable cross-country vehicles forced the installation of M-13 multiple launch rocket launchers on the STZ-5. They were first used in battles in the fall of 1941 near Moscow. At the same time, the defenders of Odessa used the STZ-5 as a chassis for homemade NI tanks, covered with light armor - boiler iron and armed with machine guns.
Despite the heavy losses of military equipment, by the fall of 1941 all factories had stopped production of artillery tractors in order to increase the production of tanks. Since then, the entire burden of supplying the army with transport tracked vehicles fell on the Stalingrad tractor. Despite the fact that he also made tanks, 3146 STZ-5s were produced there from June 22 to the end of the year (they had to master the production of components themselves), and in 1942 the production reached 23-25 vehicles per day. The Stalingraders produced them until August 13, when the Germans went to the outskirts of the plant.
In total, he gave the army 9944 STZ-5, including 6506 from the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. However, on September 1 of that year, there were only 4,678 transport tractors in it - combat losses affected, in addition, a lot of vehicles remained behind the front line. By the way, STZ-5 were also used in the German Wehrmacht, where they were given the designation STZ-601 (g).
And in the Red Army they served until victory, then, until the 50s, they worked in the national economy together with the STZ-Z (ASHTZ-NATI), which were still being produced.
The idea of using tractors as a base for self-propelled artillery installations in the USSR was implemented in the early 30s. Then ACS SU-2 and SU-4 were created, but things did not progress beyond the prototypes. The Germans obtained a completely different result in 1940. Taking trophy French transporters as a basisRenault UE, they already in 1940 created self-propelled guns with anti-tank guns 3.7cm Pak... It turned out, although not the most perfect car, but a massive one and with minimal production costs. A year later, in the USSR, the ZIS-30 was created in a very similar way, which became the first truly massive Soviet ACS of the war period.
Anti-tank ersatz
In the USSR, the use of artillery tractors as a base for tank destroyers began to be seriously considered in the spring of 1941. First of all, it was about the STZ-5 tractor. To improve its mobility, it was planned to install a more powerful ZIS-16 engine in the car, as well as lengthen the base to give it greater longitudinal stability. As a weapon, it was supposed to use the 57-mm anti-tank gun ZIS-2, which was just being tested, and at factory # 92, preparations were already underway for its serial production.
The Voroshilovets heavy artillery tractor was also considered as a base for a tank destroyer. In the back of this car, it was supposed to install an 85-mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1939 model (52-K). Both cars were planned to be partially booked.
The SPG projects were discussed on June 9, 1941. Simultaneously with the tank destroyer on the extended STZ-5 base, it was also proposed to build an anti-aircraft self-propelled gun with armament in the form of a 37-mm 61-K automatic cannon. However, this plan did not last long. During the meeting, the idea of self-propelled units based on the STZ-5 and Voroshilovets chassis was rejected due to poor booking, overload of the chassis, as well as small ammunition and power reserve. At the same time, the following phrase was voiced at the meeting:
"We can agree that the installation of a 57-mm ZIS-4 cannon based on the STZ-5 tractor units should be regarded as a self-propelled anti-tank gun."
The outbreak of the Great Patriotic War buried the pre-war plans for self-propelled guns. Instead of working on promising self-propelled guns, it was necessary to increase the production of tanks. In addition, the curtailment of the production of tractors began so that they did not take up resources at factories where tanks were produced in parallel.
The first such victim was the light, partially armored Komsomolets tractor. According to the decree of the Council of People's Commissars (SNK) of the USSR dated June 25, 1941, plant number 37 of the People's Commissariat of Medium Machine Building (NKSM) named after Ordzhonikidze in Moscow was ordered to stop the production of these tractors by August 1. It is worth noting that this miniature car with a motor from a GAZ AA truck was not even considered as a base for a self-propelled installation. Since 1940, the GAZ-22 artillery tractor was created to replace the Komsomolets. All the more surprising is what happened in the summer of 1941.
The initiative to develop new models of self-propelled artillery this time did not come from the Main Artillery Directorate (GAU) or the Main Armored Directorate (GABTU), but from the People's Commissar of Armaments. On July 1, 1941, the People's Commissar D.F.Ustinov issued an order to design self-propelled units within two weeks using a base of tractors and trucks. The creation of the self-propelled installation of the 57-mm anti-tank gun ZIS-2 was entrusted to the developers of the gun itself - the team of the design bureau of plant # 92. The work on this topic was headed by P.F.Muravyov under the general supervision of V.G. Grabin.
The choice of possible chassis for the new ACS was not rich. The STZ-5 tractor was dropped due to low speed and possible overload. There were trucks and ... a light tractor "Komsomolets". As a result, it was decided to concentrate on two platforms: GAZ AAA and Komsomolets.
A prototype of the ZIS-30 self-propelled gun, late July 1941. The machine does not yet have coulters and folding floor panels.
The variant of installing the ZIS-2 on the GAZ AAA chassis, designated ZIS-31, looked more like a spare. On the one hand, the truck chassis was a more stable platform than the small artillery tractor. But, on the other hand, it potentially suffered from the same problems as STZ-5.
According to the requirements for the ACS, its cabin and engine compartment were armored, and this created an additional load on the chassis. As well as the gun itself with ammunition transported to it. The combat weight of the wheeled self-propelled guns reached 5 tons, which roughly corresponded to the weight of the BA-10 armored car. If when driving on normal roads it did not look particularly critical, on off-road the situation changed dramatically.
Initially, it was supposed to produce 3000 ZIS-30. These plans eventually had to be cut 30 times.
A completely different picture was observed with Komsomolets. The combat weight of the self-propelled unit based on it, designated ZIS-30, was the same 5 tons, but due to the tracked chassis, the cross-country ability was higher than that of the ZIS-31. At the same time, in contrast to the wheeled self-propelled unit, the conversion of Komsomolets into the ZIS-30 required minimal changes to the base vehicle. Instead of crew seats, a U-shaped structure was installed, on which a gun was placed. Packages with shells were placed on the sides. According to the description of the factory # 92 design bureau, the ammunition load was 30 rounds (other sources indicate 20). The aiming angles turned out to be the same as those of the ZIS-31: 28 degrees horizontally and from -5 to +15 vertically.
To support tank brigades
The prototype ZIS-30 was ready by July 20, 1941. The explanatory note indicated that, if necessary, a 76-mm ZIS-3 cannon, a prototype which was built at about the same time, could be installed on the SPG. Already on July 21, a draft GKO decree “On the production of self-propelled units of the 57 mm anti-tank gun ZIS-2 on the Komsomolets tractor and the production of 76 mm guns model 1939 (USV) on the carriage ZIS-2” was prepared.
The scope of the plans is impressive: from August to December 1941, it was supposed to release 3,000 ZIS-30. The problem was that the wishes of Grabin and NKV did not correspond to the prevailing realities. It was impossible to find such a number of "Komsomol members", since they were taken out of production on August 1 in order to free up the capacity of plant number 37 for the production of small T-30 tanks. Therefore, by the decree of the State Defense Committee (GKO) No. 252ss of July 23, 1941, much more modest plans were approved:
“1) To oblige the NKV (People's Commissar of Armaments - Ed.) Comrade Ustinov to install the first one hundred 57 mm anti-tank guns on the Komsomolets tractor.
2) To oblige the NKSM (People's Commissar of Medium Machine Building - Ed.) Comrade Malyshev to submit to the plant No. 92 NKV 100 pcs. tractors Komsomolets before 08/10/1941.
3) To oblige the NKV t. Ustinov from 10.8 to release 57 mm anti-tank guns on a trailer, using the GAZ-61 as a tractor.
4) To oblige comrade Malyshev from 10.8 to supply the plant No. 92 NKV with GAZ-61 vehicles, in an amount that ensures the production of 57 mm anti-tank guns.
5) With regard to the production of 57 mm anti-tank guns and divisional 76 mm guns at Plant No. 92, remain with the previous decision.
6) The proposal of the Gorky Regional Committee and Plant No. 92 to install 57 mm cannons on a GAZ-AAA car should not be accepted. "
As you can see, the same document at the same time finally determined the GAZ-61-416 car for the role of the main tractor for the ZIS-2. As for the ZIS-30 self-propelled guns, the situation with the release of even hundreds of such vehicles was not the easiest. The production of a prototype did not at all mean that the car would immediately go into production. The GAU of the Red Army quite reasonably considered that it was necessary to conduct field tests. The test program was approved on August 10, 1941, and the tests themselves took place on the tenth of the month.
Taking into account the test results, some changes were made to the design of the machine. Most notable was the appearance of the openers, which dropped when firing. This partially compensated for the longitudinal swing of the ZIS-30 during firing, which was inevitable given the short length of the Komsomolets. Also, folding floor panels appeared, which simplified the work of the calculation in the firing position.
Serial ZIS-30. The folded-down floor panels, on which the crew stood in battle, are clearly visible
Where big problems were associated with the organization of mass production of the ZIS-30. In addition to the fact that the release of the ZIS-2 guns slightly did not keep up with the established rates, big problems surfaced directly with the basic tractors. By September 1941, factory # 37 was no longer making them, so they had to go to extreme measures and withdraw the Komsomolets from the units.
All this led to the fact that the first ZIS-30s began to leave factory # 92 only in mid-September 1941. Finally, the production of a batch of 100 SPGs was completed in early October 1941. Nevertheless, it was this vehicle that became the first truly mass-produced light self-propelled gun of the Red Army during the war period. By the way, all ZIS-30s left the factory in three-color camouflage.
Machine in firing position, openers folded back
The overwhelming majority of the ZIS-30 went to tank brigades. The list of formations that received light SPGs looks like this:
However, the list of parts where the ZIS-30 got to is not limited to this. The main problem with the study of the combat use of this vehicle is that SPGs at that time belonged to the department of the GAU KA. Therefore, the "tankers" (GABTU) did not have much attention to their combat use. Even in correspondence, they are often referred to either as simply anti-tank guns or as "Komsomol members".
It is worth noting that the prevailing opinion about the use of these self-propelled guns by the Red Army only in the fall-winter of 1941, to put it mildly, does not correspond to reality. ZIS-30 are occasionally found in documents in the summer and autumn of 1942. For example, two such self-propelled guns at that time were in the units of the 20th army. And some cars survived until 1944.
Padded ZIS-30 launcher, October-November 1941. Three-color camouflage is noticeable
The report of the Southern Front, drawn up in early April 1942, speaks volumes about the combat qualities and assessment of the ZIS-30 in the troops. It was prepared following the use of the ZIS-30 in the motorized rifle battalion of the 4th Guards Tank Brigade (formerly 132nd Tank Brigade). As the positive qualities of the vehicle, this document indicated good sights, a long range of destruction of enemy tanks, reaching 2-2.5 kilometers, as well as high maneuverability. The vehicle was easily camouflaged, and the presence of a gun shield reduced the likelihood of hitting the crew by fragments of enemy shells.
A typical example of the combat use of the ZIS-30 was the repulsion of an enemy attack on March 17, 1942. One ZIS-30, firing 13 shots, knocked out 3 German tanks at a distance of 2 kilometers, the rest turned back. These vehicles were also used in the offensive, accompanying Soviet tanks. In this case, the goal for them was not only enemy tanks, but also firing points.
ZIS-30 during the Battle of Moscow, December 1941. The photo is clearly staged as the coulters and floor panels are not folded back.
At the same time, there were claims to the car. The main problem of the ZIS-2 gun was its recoil devices. As for the tracked base, here, quite expectedly, the engine was criticized. In off-road conditions, especially snow-covered, its power was often not enough. In addition, among the shortcomings, a very weak booking was indicated. The last phrase from the report speaks eloquently about the wishes of the military: "It would be advisable to install the gun on the T-60 chassis."
Coincidentally, just by the time the Southern Front report was drawn up, GAU and GABTU were preparing requirements for a light SPG using T-60 units.
Local Initiatives
The ZIS-30 was by no means the only Soviet self-propelled unit on the chassis of an artillery tractor, although it went into production alone. Most of the rest of them were developed by various design bureaus in a proactive manner, but some were the result of the very order for NKV, which led to the creation of the ZIS-30.
Tank destroyer A-46 on the chassis of the A-42 tractor, reconstruction by Alexander Kalashnik, Omsk
These self-propelled units include the developments of the plant # 183. According to Ustinov's order of July 1, 1941, the development of an ACS with an 85-mm 52-K anti-aircraft gun was assigned to plant # 8. In fact, the work on this machine was carried out by the collective of plant No. 183.
On August 27, 1941, a technical meeting was held here, at which SPG projects were discussed. Among them were an 85-mm self-propelled gun based on the T-34, which was designed since 1940 (later it turned into the U-20 project), an 85-mm self-propelled gun based on the A-42 tractor, designated A-46, and two self-propelled units based on the Voroshilovets heavy artillery tractor. The participants of the meeting did not even consider the project of an ACS based on the T-34. As for the A-46 project, which was initially a higher priority, it quickly disappeared into oblivion, since the A-42 tractor never went into production.
The meeting participants had a completely different opinion about the SPG, which was being developed on the basis of Voroshilovets. Initially, it was about installing an 85-mm 52-K anti-aircraft gun on this tractor, but at the same time another machine was developed at plant No. 183. Unfortunately, only a textual description of her has survived, but it is also impressive. The vehicle with a combat weight of 23 tons was supposed to have armor with a thickness of 30 mm in the frontal part and 20 mm along the sides. As a weapon, it was supposed to be equipped with either a 76-mm F-34 cannon or a 57-mm ZIS-4 cannon, paired with a DT machine gun. The installation was supposed to be a turret, with a circular rotation. The height of the line of fire was 2300 mm, that is, not much more than that of the T-34. By the time of discussion, the self-propelled unit was made in the form of a mock-up, and its working drawings were also prepared.
Minutes of the technical meeting at the plant No. 183. So far, this is all that is known about the turret ACS based on the Voroshilovets artillery tractor
This project was approved, and the 76 mm F-34 cannon was approved for it. The first 25 SPGs were supposed to be produced in October-November 1941, in excess of the Voroshilovtsy plan. It was assumed that the first sample will go for testing, after which the necessary changes will be made to the serial ACS. In addition, it was even planned to further develop the self-propelled gun with the installation of an 85-mm cannon in it. This work was to be carried out jointly with the plant No. 8 with the deadline for the completion of the preliminary design by September 15, 1941.
In early September, an order was issued from the GAU KA to urgently manufacture a prototype machine with an F-34. However, by the middle of the month, the plant №183 was not at all up to the ACS based on "Voroshilovets". The final point in the fate of the machine was put by the deputy people's commissar of the tank industry, I.I.
SU S2, Chelyabinsk, October 1941
At the same time, in the fall of 1941, work on a self-propelled unit based on the Stalinets S-2 tractor was initiated at ChTZ. In terms of characteristics and purpose, it approximately corresponded to STZ-5, but at the same time it turned out to be twice as heavy. The fate of this tractor was not the most successful: against its background, even STZ-5, to which the troops had enough claims, looked more advantageous.
Front view of SU S2 raises a number of questions about engine maintenance
Realizing perfectly well that in its current form, "Stalinets S-2" is not suitable as a base for an ACS, at ChTZ they developed an elongated chassis, in which only the drive wheel and support rollers remained from the C-2 undercarriage. The suspension became torsion bar, and sloths from KV-1, slightly reduced in diameter, were used as road wheels and sloths. On the chassis, the designers have perched a welded hull, and the location of the seats in the cockpit has been preserved. A crew member in the passenger seat was given a DT machine gun as a load.
The main armament of the self-propelled guns was the 122-mm howitzer M-30, which was located in the rear of the hull. The howitzer was placed on the chassis along with a gun shield. A fighting compartment was organized at the back, spacious enough to accommodate the crew of the gun and ammunition.
It is clearly visible how bulky the car turned out
In October 1941, the vehicle, designated SU C2, was tested at the factory. On this, however, her story ended. The army needed not an ersatz self-propelled gun with vague prospects, but a KV-1. In the fall of 1941, ChTZ was the only manufacturer of heavy tanks. For the sake of the KV-1, the ChTZ-65 and S-2 tractors were discontinued.
Nevertheless, the engineers of SKB-2 of the Kirov plant evacuated from Leningrad continued to work on various projects. For example, the designer NF Shashmurin designed the Zloba Narodnaya two-seat tankette with a combat weight of 2.5 tons, armor 20-25 mm thick and a power plant in the form of two starting engines from the S-65 tractor. SKB-2 also designed the "Raid Vehicle", which was a lightweight tank based on the T-34, which had an estimated speed of 70 km / h and an increased cruising range. These projects also went to the trash can.
152-mm self-propelled guns 152-SG on the chassis of the Komintern artillery tractor, early April 1942
The projects of self-propelled units, which were designed by the engineers of Plant No. 592 E. V. Sinilshchikov and S. G. Pererushev, turned out to be much more elaborate. In the course of work on the 122-SG (SG-122) self-propelled gun, they also developed artillery mounts on other chassis.
The most powerful among them was the 152-SG self-propelled gun (152-mm self-propelled howitzer), developed on the basis of the Comintern artillery tractor. The car received an armored hull open from above, which had rational angles of inclination of the sheets. The thickness of her armor was 15 mm, and, according to calculations, at a distance of 200 meters, it was not penetrated by the DShK bullet. A variant of the self-propelled guns with an armor thickness of 30 mm was also being worked out. However, for a vehicle whose main task was to fire from closed positions, bulletproof armor was quite enough.
As a weapon for it, it was supposed to use a 152-mm howitzer model 1909/30. Combat weight 152-SG was estimated at 18.5 tons, and the crew consisted of 5 people. This vehicle did not advance further than the draft design, since the Cominterns were already in short supply, and the model 1909/30 howitzers. were in short supply.
Light self-propelled unit 45-SP
The 45-SP tank destroyer (45-mm self-propelled gun), which was based on the STZ-5 chassis, had a similar fate. Unlike the KhTZ-16 armored vehicle, the 45-SP gun was shifted to the side, and the fighting compartment was made half-open. The thickness of its frontal armor plates was 20 mm, while they were also located at rational angles of inclination. The combat weight of the vehicle was estimated at 8.5 tons, and the maximum speed was 20-30 km / h. Such optimistic assessments look very doubtful, since the KhTZ-16 with the same mass had a maximum speed of less than 20 km / h and at the same time its engine was overheating. Another armored vehicle of the GABTU KA was not required, especially since it was in April 1942 that the production of the T-70 with exactly the same 45-mm cannon was launched.
Tank destroyer developed by A.S.Shitov and P.K. Gedyk, UZTM, June 1942
One of the last projects of Soviet self-propelled guns on a tractor base was created in the summer of 1942. It was called simply and succinctly, "Tank Destroyer", and it was designed by the engineers of UZTM A.S. Shitov and P.K. Gedyk. The project, dated June 29, 1942, was based on a heavily modified base of the Stalinets S-2 artillery tractor. Some design elements of the tank destroyer, in particular the installation of weapons, were made clearly based on similar elements of the BGS-5 assault ACS (the progenitor of the SU-32), where the ZIS-5 gun was installed in cast armor on a special pin.
The tank destroyer was distinguished by a very small height - only 1800 mm. Its crew consisted of three people: a driver-mechanic, a gunner-commander, and a loader. Unlike other Sverdlovsk self-propelled guns of that period, this project had a closed wheelhouse. However, the representatives of the GABTU KA were not impressed by it. Not only were the much more advanced SU-31 and SU-32 already being tested at that time, but the necessary production base was also missing for the Tank Destroyer. The Stalinist S-2 has not been produced since November 1941, and its successor, the S-10, never went into production.
Sources and Literature:
- Materials of TsAMO RF.
- Materials of the RGASPI.
- Materials from the author's archive.
IRON FORCES
THE GREAT DOMESTIC
Until the beginning of the 30s, the military leadership of the USSR made no serious attempts to transfer the artillery of the Red Army from horse-drawn to mechanical. Only a small number of civilian tractors were then used to tow heavy guns. It was believed that horses were capable of performing most of the tasks associated with the transportation of artillery. After 1934, the production of a whole galaxy of Soviet tracked army tractors began, which then took part in the Great Patriotic War.
"PIONEER" AND "KOMSOMOLETS"
The first, not very successful, attempt to create a military tractor was a car called "Pioneer". Developed in 1935 by the Scientific Automotive Tractor Institute and introduced into production in 1936, it contained a number of drawbacks that were unacceptable for the army. "Pioneer" did not have enough power and stability when cornering. In addition, there was not enough room for artillery crew personnel. One of the biggest drawbacks was the lack of armor protection - both for the driver and the vital components of the tractor itself. When assembling these tractors, many units (engine, transmission, differential) from the T-37 light amphibious tank were used.
The design of the Komsomolets T-20 tractor (1936 release) has already taken into account the "childhood diseases" inherent in the "Pioneer". The cockpit, which housed the driver and the shooter (the tractor was also armed with a DT machine gun), was protected by riveted-welded armor, which protected from bullets and shrapnel. The GAZ-A engine was located behind the cab, and the 4-speed gearbox in conjunction with the demultiplier from the three-axle GAZ-AAA truck, which optimized the power distribution, if necessary, allowed the tractor to move at an extremely low speed - about 2 km / h, while towing a trailer weighing 3 tons. For the convenience of production in the design of "Komsomolets" used nodes from a serial tank, in this case - from the T-38. The locations of the artillery crew, if necessary, were covered with a tarpaulin awning. The levers and control pedals in the cockpit were duplicated from the side of the shooter. Modifications of the Komsomolets were produced in small quantities at various factories. So the Moscow plant No. 37 named after Ordzhonikidze produced an unarmored version of this tractor with GAZ-11 and GAZ-M engines (1939), and the Gorky Automobile Plant, in addition to the above, installed GAZ-22 engines on Komsomolets. Before the start of the war, the Soviet army numbered about 6,700. these tractors. A small number of "Komsomol members" (100 pieces) were used during the war as a chassis for 57-mm anti-tank guns. All in all, over the years of production (1936-1941) 7780 "Komsomoltsev" were produced.
STZ-5
Larger than Komsomolets, the STZ-5 tractor was put into production at the Stalingrad Tractor Plant in 1937. Its carburetor 4-cylinder 1MA engine could run on various fuels such as gasoline, kerosene, naphtha (heavier than gasoline is a refined product). When developing the tractor, the designers were tasked with unifying its components and assemblies as much as possible with the STZ-3 agricultural plow tractor, which was created simultaneously with the STZ-5. In this regard, the army tractor did not have the characteristics corresponding to its purpose. The cross-country ability of STZ-5 was low, the ground clearance was small, the narrow track was more suitable for towing agricultural machinery, the small width of the tracks created a high specific pressure on the ground, the ratio of engine power to vehicle weight (specific power) was also insufficient. Unlike Komsomolets, STZ-5 had a body similar to that of trucks, which made it possible to use it not only as a tractor, but also for transporting large loads or people. This machine was produced both in the pre-war period and during the war. A total of 9,944 units were produced. At STZ-5, BM-13 multiple launch rocket launchers were installed, lightly armored NI tanks ("frightened") with machine-gun armament, light tanks with a 45-mm gun were created.
"KOMMUNAR"
From 1924 to 1931 the Kommunar tractor was produced, which was an ordinary agricultural machine, but was widely used by the Red Army during the Second World War. The production of this tractor was carried out at the Kharkov steam locomotive plant named after I. Comintern. A car with engines for operation on kerosene (power 50 hp) and gasoline (power 75 and 90 hp) was produced. "Kommunar" did not fully meet the requirements of an army tractor, since it could not carry artillery crews and had a low speed of movement, but it coped well with the tasks of towing heavy guns or evacuating damaged tanks. In total, about 2000 pieces were produced. these tractors, a small number of experimental self-propelled units SU-2, SU-5, D-10, D-14 tanks, and the D-15 chemical tank were produced on its basis.
SERIES "STALINETS"
Along with the Kommunar, civilian tractors such as the Stalinets S-60 and S-65 were used to tow heavy and medium artillery and tanks. On the S-60 (years of manufacture 1933-1937) a carburetor engine (power 60 hp) was installed, which ran on naphtha. A batch of these tractors with gas generator engines was also produced. In 1937, the S-60 was replaced by the first Soviet diesel tractor S-65 (manufactured in 1937-1941). Its engine (power 65 hp) could run both on diesel fuel and on a mixture of autol with kerosene.
In 1937 this tractor won the Grand Prix at the Paris exhibition. The gas generator modification SG-65 has also been produced since 1938. A total of 37182 S-65 and 7365 SG-65 units were manufactured.
In September 1940, the production of the Stalinets S-2 tractor, designed specifically for the army, began. With the cockpit and engine moved forward, the car looked like an STZ-5. The well-proven diesel four-cylinder four-stroke MT-17 engine was installed on the tractor. He, like the engine of the S-65 tractor, could also run on diesel fuel and on a mixture of autol with kerosene. Starting the engine in cold weather was facilitated by a special starting gasoline engine of low power (20 hp). Like many army tractors, the C-2 was equipped with a winch located under the platform. Since the tractor was developed in a hurry, it contained a number of drawbacks, one of which was an unsuccessful gearbox that overloaded the engine at some speed conditions, especially when towing a load. Another significant drawback was the design of the undercarriage, which took away the engine power for the movement of the tractor itself. During the years of production (1940-1942), 1275 C-2 units were assembled.
"COMINTERN"
Artillery tractor "Comintern", which earned the fame of reliable and easy-to-use, began to be produced at the Kharkov steam locomotive plant in 1935. In terms of layout, this tractor looked more like a bonneted truck - the engine was located in front, the cabin was closer to the center (it was installed converted from the ZIS-5 truck ), behind it is a cargo platform. The engine of the KIN tractor could run on any grade of gasoline and its mixture with naphtha and kerosene. It was distinguished by its endurance and reliable starting at low temperatures, but the disadvantage was its high fuel consumption. Thanks to the successful five-speed gearbox, the "Comintern" could move in the speed range from 2.6 km / h to 30.5 km / h (on the highway) and retained a good supply of tractive effort in all gears. The Comintern was capable of towing all types of artillery. The volume of the issue is 1798 units.
"VOROSHILOVETS"
The most powerful tractor of the pre-war and war periods - "Voroshilovets" - was produced in 1939 by the Kharkov steam locomotive plant. It was equipped with a tank 12-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine V-2V (power 375 hp). The power unit could run on diesel fuel, light gas oil (an additive to diesel fuel), a mixture of engine oil with kerosene. The engine had two starting systems - from two electric starters and from a compressed air cylinder. During the war period, due to the insufficient number of V-2V engines, which were used to equip tanks, M-17T tank gasoline engines from BT-7 (400 hp) and experimental V-4 (300 hp) were installed on Voroshilovets. h.p.).
"Voroshilovets" could tow the heaviest artillery, and even heavy tanks. In the back, he could carry both people (up to 16 people) and cargo (up to 3 tons). The tractor was distinguished by its smooth running, good distribution of loads along the tracks and a fairly high speed, which could reach up to 42 km / h, with full load on the highway - up to 20 km / h, on a dirt road - up to 16 km / h. A total of 1123 units of Voroshilovets tractors were produced by September 1941.
I-12
With the beginning of the war, all tractor plants, except for Stalingrad, stopped producing artillery tractors and switched to tank products. STZ continued to produce tractors until the Germans launched an offensive on the plant itself. In connection with the forced cessation of production at STZ and the general shortage of tractors in the army, the Yaroslavl Automobile Plant received design documentation developed by NATI for an army tractor with a factory index I-11. It was planned to install two GAZ-MM automobile engines on the tractor, but their production was discontinued after the German air raids on the Gorky Automobile Plant. In this regard, it was decided to use the American diesel two-stroke engines GMC-4-71 (110 hp) supplied under Lend-Lease. In 1943, these machines went into production under the designation Ya-12. Later the plant produced modifications I-13 with a ZIS-5M carburetor engine, Ya-13F with a forced ZIS-MF carburetor engine. A total of 1,666 tractors of this series were produced.
Unfortunately, for all the years of the war, the industry was not able to provide the army with a sufficient number of transport and artillery tractors. This was especially painful at the beginning of the war, when thousands of guns remained on the battlefield due to the lack of mechanized traction. This deficiency was partially covered by domestic wheeled and half-tracked trucks, civil tractors, captured vehicles, as well as cars supplied under Lend-Lease. However, this deficit was still felt until the very end of the war. In the pre-war and war periods, the design bureaus and factories did not leave time to refine the designs, and the machines were produced with multiple flaws, capricious in operation and inconvenient to maintain. And who knows, perhaps the course of the Great Patriotic War would have developed differently if the country's top and military leadership had realized the need to mechanize artillery and provide the army with the necessary number of tractors of various specifications.
In March 2009, an interesting debut took place at the XIII Oldtimer-Gallery of Ilya Sorokin (Moscow, Russia): immediately after the completion of the restoration, "Stalinets" S-65 arrived at the exhibition hall.
During the war years, this tractor was used as an artillery tractor, but during the retreat of the Red Army in the fall of 1941, the car was thrown into a swamp. The tractor has lain in the Pskov region at a depth of seven meters to this day. In the 60s, however, there were attempts to raise it to the surface, but they were unsuccessful. It was only at the end of 2008 that the enthusiasts of the "Yevgeny Shamansky Workshop" pulled "Stalinets" out of the swamp, and he was immediately sent for restoration.
Lying in a marsh environment favorable for conservation, the tractor was in relatively good condition. The restoration of this monument of the glorious heroic era consisted of a bulkhead of all units and parts, after which: the tractor started up and drove off!
At its first public display, the car attracted everyone's attention. During the whole period of the exhibition, a video monitor at the stand of "Yevgeny Shamansky's Workshop" showed filming of the process of pulling the tractor and an accelerated tape of the restoration process.
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Specifications
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