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ZSU 57 2 anti-aircraft self-propelled artillery unit. Correspondence duel

Immediately after the end of the Great Patriotic War, the production of anti-aircraft guns 61-K and 72-K was discontinued. Both of these guns had an insufficient rate of fire and a number of design flaws; their bulky and heavy four-wheeled carts did not allow them to effectively accompany the infantry with fire and wheels. At the same time, during the war, about 68% of all aircraft were shot down using 25-37 mm anti-aircraft guns.

The S-60 became the first domestic anti-aircraft field gun, the guidance of which was carried out remotely, using servo drives powered by PUAZO-6 or PUAZO-b-bO. In turn, POISO received data from radar station gun guidance SON-9.

Mounted on a four-wheeled cart, this gun could more or less satisfactorily cover military rear areas and infantry in defense. However, for air defense of tank and motorized troops on the offensive

In flight and on the march, a cannon on a towed cart was not suitable. Therefore, in 1947, NII-58, under the leadership of V.G. Grabin, began designing a twin 57-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun S-68 based on the S-60, intended for installation both on a tracked chassis and on a wheeled vehicle. Its prototype with electric drive ESP-76 was installed on the S-79A cart and passed tests, but did not go into production. The tracked chassis was created on the basis of units of the T-54 medium tank. In the self-propelled version, the vehicle received the factory name - product 500, and the army name - ZSU-57-2.

Complex tests of the ZSU-57-2 were carried out in 1950. According to the museum armor tank troops in Kubinka, its serial production was carried out at plant N2 174 in Omsk from 1955 to 1960. But according to other sources, production of S-68 guns for this vehicle began at plant No. 946 only in 1957 (249 of them were produced that year).

The ZSU-57-2 was a lightly armored tracked vehicle with a rotating turret that provided all-round anti-aircraft fire from automatic cannons. The main parts of the vehicle are the armored hull, turret, armament, power plant, power transmission, chassis, electrical equipment, communications and fire-fighting equipment.

The armored corps was divided into three sections: control, combat and power. The first was located on the left in the bow of the hull, it contained the driver’s seat; the second - in the middle part of the hull and in the turret; the third was in the rear of the vehicle and was separated from the combat partition by a partition. The body was welded from armor plates 8 - 13 mm thick.

The turret of a welded structure, open at the top, was located on a ball support above the cutout of the turret sheet of the hull roof. To install the cannon, there was an embrasure in the front part. The rear wall of the turret with a window for exiting cartridges was made removable, which made it easier to install the gun. In the stowed position, the upper cutout of the tower was covered with a folding canvas awning with 13 plexiglass viewing windows. To open the awning, it was enough to unfasten the straps and throw it back. To collect spent cartridges and clips supplied by the gun conveyor through a window in the rear wall, a sleeve collector was installed outside the rear of the turret.

There were 5 seats in the turret: in front - the left loading machine gun; behind him (in the middle) is the gunner; behind, to the right of the gunner's seat - the sight installer; to the right of the gun in front is the loading right machine gun; behind, symmetrically with the seat of the gunner - the commander of the vehicle. When firing, the loaders' seats were removed, placed on a suspended floor and secured with clips.

Management Department:

1 - driver's seat, 2 - shock absorber bracket, 3 - left PMP control lever, 4 - speedometer, 5 - driver's hatch closing mechanism handle, 6 - emergency exit hatch handle, 7 - emergency exit hatch locking, 8 - handle observation device, 9 - protective glass monitoring device, 10 - PPO signal panel, 11 - instrument panel, 12 - rocker lever, 13 - fuel priming pump handle, 14 - fuel distribution valve handle, 15 - drinking tank, 16 - right PMP control lever, 17 - PPO signal , 18 - fuel supply control pedal, 19 - foot brake pedal, 20 - main clutch pedal, 21 - spare parts box.

ZSU-57-2 first releases. The barrels of the S-68 cannon are raised to the maximum elevation angle.

The barrel of the machine gun consisted of a pipe, a copier and a muzzle brake. The pipe was a monoblock, made integral with the breech. On the outer surface of the breech of the pipe there was a longitudinal ridge for attaching a copier. On the sides of the breech there were cutouts in the shape of a projectile. Barrel length with muzzle brake - 4365 mm (76.6 klb); length of the threaded part - 3560 mm; the steepness of the rifling is constant - 35 calibers, total rifling - 24. The assembled barrel with the knurling was inserted into the neck of the cradle and, using two sector protrusions on its breech, was connected to the barrel clip.

The piston longitudinally sliding valve was located in the cradle. The shutter was opened during firing using an accelerator mechanism during recoil. The shutter was moved to the front position and closed using the springs of the forward mechanism located on the hydraulic buffer and in the bolt frame. The knurl is spring. The recoil brake is a hydraulic spindle type. The recoil brake cylinder remained stationary during firing. Rollback length 325 - 370 mm.

The swinging part of the gun consisted of two parallel machine guns, connected to each other into a single block by cradles. It was balanced by weights attached to the cradles, and was secured in the machine using two trunnions, which were a large ball bearing. Vertical and horizontal guidance of the S-68 gun was carried out by an electro-hydraulic drive, powered by a DC electric motor through hydraulic universal speed controllers (URS).

The gun mount was installed on the bottom of the turret. It consisted of a body with a bracket, a mechanism for mounting the gun in a traveling manner and a conveyor. The lifting mechanism was located on the left side of the machine and had two drives: electro-hydraulic (with continuously adjustable guidance speed) and manual.

Installation of the S-68 gun (top view): 1 - muzzle brake(right and left), 2 - barrel (right and left), 3 - cradle (right and left), 4 - manual cocking handle for the right magazine carriage, 5 - right magazine, 6 - right magazine tray, 7 - right cocking handle bolt, 8 - seat of the loading right automatic machine, 9 - gear reducer with a column of the rotation mechanism, 10 - swing of the manual drive of the rotation mechanism, 11 - URS of the rotation mechanism, 12 - right collimator, 13 - swinging part of the sight, 14 - commander's seat, 15 - sight control platform, 16 - range flywheel, 17 - conveyor manual drive flywheel, 18 - conveyor gearbox, 19 - sight installer's seat, 20 - aircraft model (target course indicator), 21 - sight table, 22 - gunner's seat, 23 - left collimator, 24 - electric release button, 25 - gear reducer of the lifting mechanism, 26 - URS of the lifting mechanism, 27 - swing of the manual drive of the lifting mechanism, 28 - release pedal of the left machine gun, 29 - release pedal of the right machine gun, 30 - seat of the loading left machine gun, 31 - left bolt cocking handle, 32 - mutual locking mechanism lever (left), 33 - mutual locking mechanism lever (right), 34 - left magazine tray, 35 - left magazine, 36 - manual cocking handle of the left magazine carriage, 37 - rear sight .

Installation of the S-68 gun (rear view):

1 - tower floor fencing,

2 - course stabilizer pedal, 3 - course stabilizer switch-off box, 4 - left tray, 5 - control column for URSs, 6 - swing of the manual drive of the lifting mechanism, 7 - left collimator, 8 - sight table, 9 - rear window cover of the machine, 10 - right collimator, 11 - swing of the manual drive of the rotation mechanism, 12 - alarm box, 13 - radio station, 14 - flywheel of the manual drive of the conveyor, 15 - right tray, 16 - stopper flywheel, 17 - casing, 18 - starting and restarting device, 19 - stowage of ammunition under the floor, 20 - floor of the tower.

Placement of cannon shots in the turret of the vehicle: 1 - a tray for attaching clips, 2 - a bar for the upper mounting of clips, 3 - a rack for stacking five clips, 4 - stacking two clips on the right inclined sheet of the turret, 5 - laying a clip on the left inclined sheet of the turret.

Shots of 57-mm automatic cannons S-60 and S-68

ZSU-57-2 turret. On the right inclined sheet there is an antenna input cup and an antenna for the 10RT-26E radio station, on the left and right of the tower there are arcs for attaching the awning, on the rear sheet there is a sleeve collector.

The mass of the twin S-68 cannon was 4500 kg.

The gun sight is automatic, anti-aircraft, construction type; was intended to solve the problem of determining the meeting point of a projectile with a target when firing. To do this, the following initial (input) data were previously determined and installed on the sight: target speed, heading angle and slant range. The speed of the target was determined by the type of aircraft, the heading angle - by the apparent direction of movement of the target, the range to the target - by eye or using a rangefinder.

When using the electric-hydraulic drive, two crew members worked with the sight: the gunner aimed the gun in the azimuth and elevation of the target; The sight installer set the initial data of the sight - speed, heading angle and range, and, if necessary, the dive or pitching angle. When using a manual guidance drive, three crew members worked with the sight: the vehicle commander aimed the gun in azimuth, the gunner aimed at the target elevation, and the sight installer set the initial sight data.

The ZSU-57-2 ammunition consisted of 300 unitary cannon rounds located in special ammunition racks in the turret and hull. The main part of the ammunition (248 rounds) before loading into the vehicle

Hull (bow):

1 - right side sheet, 2 - roof over the fan, 3 - entrance louvers, 4 - fender, 5 - bracket for fastening the fender, 6 - niche sheet, 7 - front folding mud flap, 8 - front tank filler cap, 9 - upper inclined sheet, 10 - covers of the driver's observation devices, 11 - emergency exit hatch cover, 12 - bracket for mounting the headlight, 13 - rack for attaching the board, 14 - tow hook, 15 - can for attaching spare tracks, 16 - lower inclined sheet, 17 - guide wheel crank bracket, 18 - support roller balancer bracket, 19 - balancer support, 20 - hydraulic shock absorber bracket, 21 - bumper knuckle, 22 - final drive housing, 23 - hinged part of the rear mud flap.

well, it was loaded into clips and placed in the turret (176 rounds) and the bow of the hull (72 rounds). Part of the ammunition (52 rounds) was not loaded into clips and was placed in special compartments under the rotating floor. Shots with armor-piercing shells loaded into clips were placed in the rear of the turret to the right and left of the gun mounting. The supply of clips was carried out by the loader manually.

The charge for all shells is the same - 1.2 kg of 11/7 grade pyroxylin powder, cartridge weight 6.6 kg, case length 348 mm. The initial projectile speed is 1000 m/s. Ballistic firing range 12 km, but fragmentation shells were equipped with a self-liquidator with a response time of 12 - 16 s, which provided a slant range of 6.5 - 7 km.

Table of armor penetration by BR-281 and BR-281U shells

(starting speed 1000 m/s)

The B-54 engine was a 12-cylinder, V-shaped, four-stroke, high-speed, compressorless liquid-cooled diesel engine. It was installed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the machine on a pedestal welded to the bottom of the hull. Engine displacement is 38.88 liters, weight is 895 kg.

Three fuel tanks with a total capacity of 640 liters were located in the ZSU body. External tanks were installed on the right side of the vehicle, on the fender. Each capacity is 95 liters.

A mechanical power transmission with stepwise changes in gear ratios was located in the rear part of the hull. It consisted of a guitar, a main dry friction clutch, a five-speed gearbox, two planetary rotation mechanisms, two final drives, a fan drive and a compressor drive.

The tracked propulsion unit consisted of two tracks 580 mm wide, two drive wheels, two guide wheels with track tensioning mechanisms and eight road wheels. Cast drive wheels with removable ring gears were located at the rear. The chassis had four hydraulic shock absorbers connected to the balancers of the front and rear road wheels.

The main source of energy was the G-74 direct current generator with a power of 3 kW (108 A at 27 - 29 V) at a rotation speed of over 2100 rpm (that is, at an engine crankshaft speed of 1200 rpm and above). To start the engine and to power the on-board network when the generator is not working, six batteries of type 6-STEN-140M or 6-MST-140 were installed on the machine. The voltage of the six batteries was 24 V, their total capacity was 420 Ah.

I - handrail, 2 - right shield, 3 - hook, 4 - bracket,

5 - stop, 6 - rubber lining, 7 - antenna input glass, 8 - arc,

9 - radio station bracket,

10 - bottom of the tower,

11 - ring, 12 - window, 13 - base of the machine,

14 - shell,

15 - plate.

Disarmed and barefoot ZSU-57-2 as targets at one of the training grounds.

External communication of the ZSU-57-2 was provided by a portable radio station 10RT-26E, and internal communication by a TPU-47 tank intercom. The radio station provided reliable telephone communication when driving at a distance of 7 to 15 km, and when stopping - from 9 to 20 km.

Relatively few ZSU-57-2 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns were produced. They entered service with a number of tank regiments, where they were required to have one ZSU battery of 4 units. Where there was a shortage of ZSU-57-2, 14.5-mm twin ZTPU-2 anti-aircraft machine gun mounts were used on the BTR-40 and BTR-152 chassis.

The ZSU-57-2 received its baptism of fire in Vietnam War, and they fought on the territory of both Northern and South Vietnam. Beginning in the 60s, a number of ZSU-57-2s were sold or transferred to the GDR, Poland, Finland and Iran*. Iranian ZSU-57-2 participated in the war with Iraq. In the PRC, an anti-aircraft self-propelled gun was created and put into serial production, which was an artillery unit of the ZSU-57-2 mounted on a chassis Chinese tank"59".

The ZSU-57-2 had a number of disadvantages - a low rate of fire, manual clip loading, and the inability to fire on the move. The fire efficiency of the ZSU-57-2 battery was even lower than the batteries of towed 57-mm S-60 cannons, controlled from PUAZO-6 with SON-9, and then from the RPK-1 “Vaza” radar instrument system. After all, when shooting at jet aircraft at low and ultra-low altitudes and determining the speed of the target “according to the type of aircraft”, and the distance to the target - “by eye or using a rangefinder”, the probability of hitting is extremely low (one would like to say - “into white light, like for a pretty penny"). During the 1967 war in the Sinai Peninsula, much was done characteristic photo: a MiG-17 plane flies over Israeli positions at an ultra-low altitude, and the soldiers did not have time to react to it - no one even turned their heads towards the plane. It is clear that the ZSU needed at least an order of magnitude more rapid-fire guns, the angular guidance speed is not 20-30 deg/s, but 50-100 deg/s and a fully automated radar fire control system.

*According to the Military Balance directory, ZSU-57-2 also arrived in Angola, Syria, Egypt, Cuba, Hungary and the DPRK. - Approx. ed.

Of course, this assessment of the ZSU-57-2 is given in hindsight, from the perspective of the 90s. To be fair, we note that the ZSUs of our potential opponents were not superior in firepower to the ZSU-57-2. In the 50s, the US Army was armed with the M19 ZSU on the chassis light tank M24 Chaffee, developed in 1945, and M42 on the chassis of the M41 light tank, which entered service with the troops since 1954. And the British Army was armed with self-propelled guns based on the Crusader tank, created in 1943. All these vehicles were armed with 40-mm Bofors cannons (American ZSUs were twin, and British ones were single). The weight of their projectile was 0.934 kg, the initial speed was 875 m/s, and the rate of fire was 120 rounds/min per barrel. All sights are manual optical. However, in 1956, the M42 ZSU was modernized and, having received the M42A1 index, was equipped with a T50 target detection and tracking radar system. Thus, even before the launch of mass production, the ZSU-57-2 began to significantly lose to its main enemy in the fire control system.

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Anti-aircraft self-propelled gun ZSU-57-2

In 1947, at NII-58 under the leadership of V.G. Grabina began designing a twin 57-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun S-68, intended for installation on a tracked chassis created on the basis of units of the T-54 medium tank. In the self-propelled version, the vehicle received the factory name - “product 500”, and the army name - ZSU-57-2. Comprehensive tests of the ZSU-57-2 were carried out in 1950, and were put into service in 1955. Its serial production was carried out at plant No. 174 in Omsk from 1955 to the end of 1959. The plant of the Ministry of Heavy Engineering in Krasnoyarsk was also engaged in assembling cars.

The ZSU-57-2 was a lightly armored (maximum armor thickness did not exceed 13 mm) tracked vehicle with a rotating turret open on top, providing all-round anti-aircraft fire from automatic cannons. To install them, there was an embrasure in the front part. The rear wall of the turret was made removable, which made it easier to mount the gun. In the stowed position, the upper cutout of the tower was covered with a folding canvas awning with 13 plexiglass viewing windows. To collect spent cartridges and clips fed by the gun conveyor through a window in the rear wall, a cartridge collector was installed outside the rear of the turret. There were five seats in the turret: in front - the left loading machine gun; behind him (in the middle) is the gunner; behind, to the right of the gunner's seat - the sight installer; to the right of the gun in front is the loading right machine gun; behind, symmetrically with the seat of the gunner - the commander of the vehicle. When firing, the loaders' seats were removed, placed on a suspended floor and secured with clips.

The twin 57-mm S-68 automatic cannon consisted of two S-60 type assault rifles that had the same design, with the parts of the right machine gun being a mirror image of the parts of the left one. The machines were connected to each other into a single block by cradles. It was balanced by weights attached to the cradles and secured in the machine using two axles. Vertical and horizontal guidance of the S-68 gun was carried out by an electro-hydraulic drive. The gun mount was installed on the bottom of the turret. It consisted of a body with a bracket, a mechanism for mounting the gun in a traveling manner and a conveyor. The lifting mechanism was located on the left side of the machine and had two drives: electro-hydraulic (with continuously adjustable guidance speed) and manual. The gun sight is automatic, anti-aircraft, construction type; was intended to solve the problem of determining the meeting point of a projectile with a target when firing. To do this, the following initial data were previously determined and installed on the sight: target speed, heading angle and slant range.

The speed of the target was determined by the type of aircraft, the heading angle - by the apparent direction of movement of the target, the range to the target - by eye or using a range finder.

The total rate of fire was 200–240 rounds/min, the initial projectile speed was 1000 m/s. Maximum range firing: vertical - 8800 m, horizontal - 12,000 m. Pointing angles ranged from -5° to +85°. Vertical guidance speed - 20 degrees/s, horizontal - 30 degrees/s.

The ZSU-57-2 ammunition consisted of 300 unitary cannon rounds located in special ammunition racks in the turret and hull. The main part of the ammunition (248 rounds) was loaded into clips before being loaded into the vehicle and placed in the turret (176 rounds) and the bow of the hull (72 rounds). Part of the ammunition (52 rounds) was not loaded into clips and was placed in special compartments under the rotating floor. Shots with armor-piercing shells loaded into clips were placed in the rear of the turret to the right and left of the gun mounting. The supply of clips was carried out by the loader manually.

The power plant, transmission and all chassis components were borrowed from the T-54 tank, but the number of road wheels on board was reduced from five to four. The combat weight of the vehicle was 28 tons. Maximum speed movement - 50 km/h.

Relatively few ZSU-57-2 anti-aircraft self-propelled guns were produced - 867 units. They entered service with a number of tank regiments, where they were required to have one battery of four ZSUs.

The ZSU-57-2 had a number of disadvantages - a low rate of fire, manual clip loading, and the inability to fire on the move. The fire efficiency of the ZSU-57-2 battery was even lower than the batteries of towed 57-mm S-60 cannons, controlled from PUAZO-6 with SON-9, and then from the RPK-1 “Vaza” radar instrument system. After all, when shooting at jet aircraft at low and ultra-low altitudes and determining the speed of the target “by aircraft type” and the range to the target “by eye or using a rangefinder”, the probability of a hit is extremely low. Apparently due to these shortcomings, the Secular Army from the beginning of the 1960s began to gradually get rid of not very successful combat vehicles. IN different time they were sold or transferred as military assistance to the armies of friendly countries: East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Egypt, Democratic Republic of Vietnam, North Korea, Angola, Syria, Egypt, Finland, Iraq and Iran.

The ZSU-57-2 received its baptism of fire in the Vietnam War, and they fought on the territory of both North and South Vietnam. ZSU-57-2 took part in combat operations in the Middle East, as well as in the Iran-Iraq War. Apparently in last time ZSUs of this type were used in combat in March 1999 during the repelling of NATO air raids on the territory of Yugoslavia.

Main characteristics

Briefly

Details

7.7 / 7.7 / 7.7 BR

6 people Crew

103% Visibility

forehead / side / stern Booking

13 / 15 / 10 housings

15 / 13 / 13 towers

Mobility

28.0 tons Weight

992 l/s 520 l/s Engine power

35 hp/t 19 hp/t specific

54 km/h forward
8 km/h back50 km/h forward
7 km/h back Speed

Armament

296 rounds of ammunition

2.0 / 2.6 sec recharge

4 shells clip size

120 shots/min rate of fire

5° / 85° UVN

Economy

Description

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Main characteristics

Armor protection and survivability

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Mobility

Armament

Main weapon

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Additional weapon

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Machine gun weapons

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Use in combat

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Advantages and disadvantages

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Historical reference

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Media

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So, it was precisely the comprehension of the experience gained during the war that showed the complete inconsistency of the military air defense available in the Red Army. In general, everything with our air defense was very bad, and smart people who had fought came to the conclusion that something had to be done in this situation.

Tankers especially asked for protection from aviation. A tank is a very tasty target both in those years and today, by the way. And his priority is precisely that of a tank. Quite big. And the tank brigade of the second half of the 40s relied on only an anti-aircraft machine-gun company.

This is 48 personnel and 9 DShK machine guns. For 65 tanks and 146 trucks, I note. According to states No. 010/500 - 010/506 (November 1943). Separate anti-aircraft guns tank brigade It wasn't supposed to be at all. An ugly arrangement, of course.

But even in the divisional structure there were negligible air defense assets. And they were equipped mainly with towed 37-mm 61-K or 25-mm 72-K anti-aircraft guns, which still had to be deployed and prepared for battle before repelling the raid.

Practice has shown that more tasty morsel for German aviation in the Great Patriotic War, what the unit on the march was not and could not be.

At the same time, the enemy was armed with enough a large number of self-propelled air defense systems, the main difference from towed ones was that they were ready to open fire without any additional training.

If you carefully study the issue, then the Red Army had mobile air defense systems. On trucks.

On the one hand, it’s cheap and cheerful, on the other, there is a complete lack of any protection from enemy aircraft. Not the best situation, given that the Germans have, albeit lightly, armored mobile air defense systems.

The current situation had to be corrected by adopting anti-aircraft weapons self-propelled gun, capable of firing on the move, keeping up with tanks on the march. And the installation would have to have a sufficient caliber to effectively destroy enemy bombers and armored attack aircraft.

The first serial ZSU created in the USSR was the ZSU-37, armed with a 37-mm 61-K cannon. Conditionally serial, since its production was limited to 75 vehicles produced in 1945, which on the scale of the Red Army was not even a drop in the ocean.

A more serious application was the 57-mm S-60 automatic cannon, developed in the design bureau of V. G. Grabin. The gun was a success, but in its original version it still had the same drawback - low mobility. Therefore, already in 1947, even before the S-60 was put into service, the development of its twin version began under the designation S-68, intended for arming a self-propelled gun.

For the new ZSU, a chassis was created based on the T-54 medium tank. The new self-propelled gun received the factory designation “product 500” and the army ZSU-57-2 and was put into service after comprehensive tests carried out in 1950.

The ZSU was produced at plant No. 174 in Omsk from 1955 to 1960, a total of 857 units were produced.

The ZSU crew consisted of six people:
- driver mechanic. Placed in the frontal part of the hull on the left;
- gunner;
- gunner-sight installer;
- loading the right and left guns (2 people);
- installation commander.

The place of the mechanical driver in the ZSU

Apart from the driver, all crew members were housed in an open turret.

The body of the ZSU-57-2 is welded, made of armor plates 8-13 mm thick. The turret was rotating, welded, and was located in the central part of the hull on a ball bearing. The rear armor plate was removable.

In the stowed position, the tower could be covered with a tarpaulin awning.

The crew positions were located like this: in front on the left - the left gun loader, behind him in the center of the turret - the gunner, to the right of the gunner there was a sight installer, in front on the right - the loader of the right gun, behind in the center of the turret - workplace ZSU commander.

Sight installer's location 13

Top view from the gunner's position.

View from the loader's position.

Manual aiming mechanism. Not for the weak!

A sleeve collector was attached to the rear plate of the turret.

The automatic operation of the gun was based on the principle of using recoil energy with a short barrel stroke. The gun had a monoblock barrel, a piston sliding bolt, a hydraulic recoil brake, a spring knurl and was equipped with a muzzle brake.

Vertical (−5...+85°) and horizontal guidance were carried out using electro-hydraulic drives powered by an electric motor.

The horizontal guidance speed was 30°, vertical guidance - 20° per second.

In the event of a failure of the electric drive, the possibility of manual aiming remained: the vehicle commander was responsible for horizontal guidance, and the gunner was responsible for vertical guidance. This was a very problematic action, since in this case the commander and gunner must have physical training significantly above average.

The guns are fed by clips, from box magazines for 4 rounds. The practical rate of fire was 100-120 rounds per minute per barrel, but the maximum duration of continuous firing was no more than 40-50 shots, after which the barrels needed to be cooled.

The ammunition load of the ZSU-57-2 was 300 unitary rounds, of which 176 in 44 magazines were placed in stowage in the turret, 72 in 18 magazines were located in the bow of the hull, and another 52 rounds not loaded into clips were placed under the floor of the turret.

In general, the combat effectiveness of the ZSU-57-2 depended on the qualifications of the crew and the training of the platoon commander and was not too high. This was primarily due to the lack of radar in the guidance system. Effective lethal fire could only be carried out while stopping; firing “on the move” at air targets was not provided for at all.

The comparative firing efficiency of the ZSU-57-2 was significantly lower than that of a battery of S-60 guns of similar design, since the latter had PUAZO-6 with SON-9, and later the RPK-1 “Vaza” radar instrument system.

However, the strong point of using the ZSU-57-2 was constant readiness to open fire, no dependence on the tug, the presence of armor protection for the crew.

ZSU-57-2 were used in the Vietnam War, in the conflicts between Israel and Syria and Egypt in 1967 and 1973, as well as in the Iran-Iraq War. Due to the relatively low rate of fire and the lack of automated radar guidance devices, this vehicle was not very effective.

In April 2014, video footage of the use of ZSU-57-2 by the Syrian army in battles in the vicinity of Damascus appeared.

However, when assessing the effectiveness of the ZSU-57-2, it is worth mentioning not only the disadvantages. Yes, the low rate of fire and the lack of automated radar guidance and tracking devices are undoubtedly weak side. However, when accompanying tanks, the ZSU-57 could take on more than just the role of an air defense system.

It is also worth considering the fact that the ZSU was not the only means of air defense of a tank regiment, for example, but a means of collective air defense against aircraft flying at altitudes up to 4000 m, since altitudes up to 1000 m were covered by DShK/DShKM anti-aircraft machine guns, of which the tank regiment had as many as armored vehicles. The effectiveness is not very high, but, nevertheless, a certain resistance to enemy aircraft could be provided.

On the other hand, in conflicts where the ZSU-57 took part, the armies that used the installation were well aware of the low effectiveness of the ZSU as an air defense weapon.

But the installation showed itself well in the role of self-propelled guns accompanying tanks, or, in other words, modern language, BMPT. And in this regard, the ZSU-57-2 was, perhaps, more effective than an air defense weapon. At least on the battlefields there were very few armored targets capable of withstanding a hit from the BR-281U armor-piercing projectile, which from a distance of 1000 m, flying out of the barrels at a speed of 1000 m/s, confidently penetrated up to 100 mm of armor.

ZSU-57-2 still left a certain mark on our military history as a testing platform. Which was followed by both “Shilka”, “Tunguska” and “Pantsir”, as well as the BMPT and BMOP projects currently being implemented.

In 1944, the Central Design Bureau, under the leadership of V.G. Grabin, began designing a new 57-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun S-60. It was accepted into service in January 1950 and launched into mass production the same year. The S-60 became the first domestic anti-aircraft field gun, the guidance of which was carried out remotely, using servo drives powered by PUAZO-6 or PUAZO-6-60. In turn, PUAZO received data from the SON-9 gun guidance radar. Mounted on a four-wheel base, this gun could more or less satisfactorily cover military rear areas and infantry in defense. However, the towed gun was not suitable for air defense of tank and motorized troops in the offensive and on the march.

Therefore, in 1947, at NII-58 under the leadership of V.G. Grabina began designing a twin 57-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun S-68 based on the S-60, intended for installation on both a tracked chassis and a wheelbase. Its prototype with an electric drive, ESP-76, was installed on the S-79A base and passed tests, but did not go into production. The tracked chassis was created on the basis of units of the T-54 medium tank. In the self-propelled version, the vehicle received the factory name - product 500, and the army name - ZSU-57-2.

Comprehensive testing ZSU-57-2 carried out in 1950. Its serial production was carried out at plant No. 174 in Omsk from 1955 to 1960. But according to other sources, the production of S-66 guns for this vehicle began at plant No. 946 only in 1957 (249 of them were produced that year).

The armored corps was divided into three control sections, combat and power. The first was located on the left in the bow of the hull, it contained the driver's seat, the second - in the middle part of the hull and in the turret: the third - in the rear of the vehicle and was separated from the combat partition by a partition. The body was welded from armor plates 8-13 mm thick.

The turret of a welded structure, open at the top, was located on a ball support above the cutout of the turret sheet of the hull roof. To install the cannon, there was an embrasure in the front part. The rear wall of the turret with a window for exiting cartridges was made removable, which made it easier to install the gun. In the stowed position, the upper cutout of the tower was covered with a folding canvas awning with 13 plexiglass viewing windows. To open the awning, it was enough to unfasten the straps and throw it back. To collect spent cartridges and clips fed by the gun conveyor through a window in the rear wall, a cartridge collector was installed outside the rear of the turret.

There were 5 seats in the turret, in front of the left loading machine gun; behind him (in the middle) - the gunner, behind, to the right of the gunner's seat - the sight installer: to the right of the gun in front - the loading right machine gun, behind, symmetrically with the seat of the navoach - the commander of the vehicle. When firing, the loaders' seats were removed, placed on a suspended butt and secured with clips.

The S-68 twin automatic cannon consisted of two S-60 type assault rifles that had the same design, with the parts of the right machine gun being a mirror image of the parts of the left one. The principle of operation of the automation is the use of recoil energy during a short recoil of the barrel. Vertical and horizontal guidance of the S-68 gun was carried out by an electro-hydraulic drive, powered by a DC electric motor through hydraulic universal speed controllers (UGS).

The gun sight is automatic, anti-aircraft, construction type: it was intended to solve the problem of determining the meeting point of the projectile with the target when firing. To do this, the following initial (input) data were previously determined and installed on the sight: target speed, heading angle and slant range. The speed of the target was determined by the type of aircraft, the heading angle - by the apparent direction of movement of the target, the range to the target - by eye or using a rangefinder.

When using an electro-hydraulic drive, two crew members worked with the sight, the gunner aimed the gun in the azimuth and elevation of the target, the sight installer set the initial data of the sight - speed, heading angle and range, and, if necessary, the dive or pitching angle. When using a manual guidance drive, three crew members worked with the sight: the vehicle commander aimed the gun in azimuth, the gunner aimed at the target elevation, and the sight installer set the initial sight data.

The charge for all shells is the same - 1.2 kg of 11/7 grade pyroxylin powder, cartridge weight 6.6 kg, case length 348 mm. The initial velocity of the projectile is 1000 m/s. The ballistic firing range reached 12 km, but the fragmentation shells were equipped with a self-destructor with a response time of 12-16 s. which provided a slant range of 6.5-7 km.

The B-54 engine was a 12-cylinder, V-shaped, four-stroke, high-speed, compressorless, liquid-cooled diesel engine. It was installed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the machine on a pedestal welded to the bottom of the hull. Engine displacement is 38.88 liters, weight is 895 kg.

Three fuel tanks with a total capacity of 640 liters were located in the ZSU body. External tanks were installed on the right side of the vehicle, on the fender. Each capacity is 95 liters.

A mechanical power transmission with stepwise changes in gear ratios was located in the aft part of the hull. It consisted of a guitar, a main dry friction clutch, a five-speed gearbox, two planetary rotation mechanisms, and two final drives. fan drive and compressor drive.

The main source of energy was the G-74 constant current generator with a power of 3 kW (108 A at 27-29 V) at a rotation speed of over 2100 rpm (that is, at an engine crankshaft speed of 1200 rpm and above). To start the engine and to power the on-board network when the generator is not working, six batteries of the 6-SPEN-140M or 6-MST-140 type were installed on the vehicle. The voltage of 6 batteries was 24 V, their total capacity was 420 Ah.

The ZSU-57-2 received its baptism of fire in the Vietnam War, and they fought on the territory of both North and South Vietnam. Since the 60s, a number of ZSU-57-2s have entered the armies of the GDR, Poland, Finland, Iran, Angola, Syria, Egypt, Cuba, Hungary and the DPRK. Iranian ZSU-57-2 participated in the war with Iraq. In the PRC, an anti-aircraft self-propelled gun was created and put into mass production, which was an artillery unit of the ZSU-57-2 mounted on the chassis of the Chinese Type 59 tank. After modernization of the main combat tank type 59 received the designation Type 69 and, in turn, became the basis for the Type 80 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, which was completely analogous to the ZSU-57-2.

In the 50s, the US Army was armed with the M19 ZSU on the chassis of the M24 Chaffee light tank, developed in 1945, and the M42 on the chassis of the M41 light tank, which entered service with the troops since 1954. And the British army was armed with self-propelled guns based on the Crusader cruiser tank, created in 1943. All these vehicles were armed with 40-mm Bofors cannons (American ZSU - twin, and British - single). The weight of their projectile was 0.934 kg, the initial speed was 875 m/s. rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute per barrel. All sights are manual optical. However, in 1956, the M42 ZSU was modernized, was equipped with a T50 target detection and tracking radar system and received the M42A1 index. Thus, even before the launch of mass production, the ZSU-57-2 began to significantly lose to its main enemy in the fire control system.

Production of the ZSU-57-2 has been completed. War vehicles this type is still in service today ground forces Algeria, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran. Iraq, North Korea, Mozambique, Romania, Syria, Vietnam and the former Yugoslavia.

Combat weight, t 28
Classic layout diagram
Crew, people 6
Case length, mm 6220
Length with gun forward, mm 8480
Case width, mm 3270
Height, mm 2750
Ground clearance, mm 425
Armor type steel homogeneous
Body forehead, mm/deg. 8-13
Armament
Caliber and brand of gun 2? 57 mm S-68
Gun type rifled automatic
Barrel length, caliber 76.6
Gun ammunition 150 per barrel
Angles VN, degrees. -5…+85
Automatic anti-aircraft sights, construction type
Engine type V-shaped
12-cylinder four-stroke diesel liquid cooled
Engine power, l. With. 520
Highway speed, km/h 50
Speed over rough terrain, km/h 25-30
Cruising range on the highway, km 400-420
Cruising range over rough terrain, km 300-320
Specific power, l. s./t 18.6
Suspension type: individual torsion bar
Climbability, degrees. thirty
Wall to be overcome, m 0.8
Ditch to be overcome, m 2.7
Fordability, m 1.4