SU-152 (Zveroboy)

The self-propelled SU-152 proved its worth against the most stubborn of German armor and fortifications.

By mid 1942 the Soviet army needed a mobile heavy siege gun for fixed fortifications. Up to this point most Soviet howitzers were pulled by horses with the guns crew do to the fact that draft animals were more plentiful than trucks or tractors. Weather was part of the decision with snow and mud making horse drawn guns a slow process and leisurely moving carts were vulnerable to attack. The primary need became apparent when the Soviet army went on the offensive and towed siege guns did not complement the dual requirement of a siege weapon and tank destroyer. The Soviet State Defense Committee, as was their practice, looked for a tank platform currently in production able to provide what was called for in the requested heavy gun and to minimize production time. The self propelled SU-152 was a product of Joseph Kotin who married the ML-20 heavy gun with the in production chassis of the KV-IS heavy tank. The project started on 12/31/42 and was completed in just 25 days.

The SU-152 was designed to house five crew members, left of the gun that was mounted right of center was the driver behind him the gunner and last the loader. The commander and the breech operator were seated on the right. The accommodations were tight and uncomfortable, not unusual in Soviet vehicles. The body was divided into two major compartments one for the crew, gun and 20 rounds of ammo, the second for the diesel engine providing 600 hp ( 13hp/ton) along with a gas tank holding 615 liters of diesel fuel. A major upgrade from the cart and horse was the 12 torsion bar suspension with speeds up to 27 mph. The armor in front had 75 mm (2.95in); the side had 60 mm (2.36in) and the top 20 mm (.78 in).

Germany had the Tiger Tank in the field on the Eastern front that supported an 88 mm gun and 100 mm armor. The problem for the Tiger was the SU-152 with its heavy shells that weighed 48.8 kg (107.36 lbs) with a 1.5 rpm rate of fire the SU-152 could destroy a Tiger even at maximum range. The SU-152 was the only Soviet AFV that was able to stand its ground with the Tiger. The heavy gun would salvo rounds at enemy tanks and with direct hits could blow the turret right off the tank. The 107.36 lb round was enough to destroy the feared German Elefant tank destroyer and the explosive power was enough to destroy armored vehicles even with a near miss.

By early 1943 the combat losses and reduced production made way for the replacement the ISU-152 that was better armored and was proven to be more reliable with fewer mechanical breakdowns.