For many of us Duster is associated today with a compact crossover of "Reno", which is represented in the Russian market and is quite popular among car owners. Meanwhile, long before the appearance of the car is the same nickname became an American self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, created after the Second World War on the basis of light tank M41 «Walker Bulldog".
Built large enough series ZSU practically used to combat low-flying air targets, but it proved to be excellent in Vietnam, which terrifies the Vietcong.
M42 Duster from idea to realization
In the late 1940s, a large number of military vehicles had on the American military arsenal, created on the base of light tank M24 «Chaffee", combat debut of which took place in the Second World War. Among them there was also a self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon M19, primary arms which was coupled 40mm setting of the guns "Bofors". This setting was released a small series, not more 300 MAT.
The fighting is part of the Second World War did not take, but it has been used by US forces during the Korean War. Fighting shown on the Korean peninsula, that the chassis tank M24 is not highly reliable, therefore, the military decided to launch the process of developing a new family of combat vehicles already on the basis of a better light tank M41 "Walker Bulldog".
New light tank, which was originally designed to replace in the "Chaffee" troops, It was created in the period from 1946 by 1949 year. Serial production of the M41 tank continued in the US until the end of the 1950s. On the chassis, "Walker Bulldog" light tank American designers have created a number of different in purpose combat aircraft - from 155-mm self-propelled howitzer M44, to tracked armored M75, which was not the most successful machine, but impressive series was released in 1780 copies.
Another development of the American military-industrial complex has become constructed on the base of the tank, "Walker Bulldog" self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon M42 Duster, armed with twin 40-mm gun mount.
First, Americans have studied the option of creating a new ZSU, which would be able to communicate on the battlefield with a machine targeting, equipped compact radar. However, the technical base of the 1950s did not allow to realize this idea. Industrial and technological base were not ready to, to create a small size radar, which would continue to be operated when mounted on a crawler and driving on rough terrain.
As a result, priority was given to the creation of the traditional anti-aircraft system with an optical guidance system on the target, which differed little from the war machines of the Second World War.
MAT M19
ZSU prototype of the future received the designation T141, its testing and certification process continues in the US before the end of 1952 of the year, and at the end 1953 , a new self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon was officially accepted into service the US Army under the symbol M42.
During the years of mass production, which was completed in 1959 year, American industry was transferred to the military about 3700 these combat vehicles, who remained on the army until 1969 of the year, and then continued the service already in the units of the National Guard, where the equipment is actively used until the early 1990s. In the army, by the beginning of the 1970s was replaced by the installation of more advanced ZSU M163, primary arms of which was 20 mm six-barreled gun M61 «Volcano".
Design features ZSU M42 Duster
New American ZSU keep the chassis of the M41 tank with torsion bar suspension and five road wheels on each side, but the body fighting vehicle has undergone significant alteration. Externally, the new anti-aircraft gun was a hybrid of "Walker Bulldog" light tank, which set tower with 40mm guns by setting M19.
tank corps was seriously redraw designers. If the rear end remained virtually unchanged, the front and middle significantly altered, this space has actually been re-designed. Separately, you can note, that, unlike the M19, on a new installation crew compartment housed not in feed, and in the central part of the housing.
In front of the self-propelled body antiaircraft, nickname later received Duster, the designers have placed the separation of management, which grew in volume as compared to the light tank. The ZSU there were two crew members of the space - mehvoda and installation commander, first sat on the left, second from right, with respect to the axis of the combat vehicle.
Kits changed slope frontal sheet body (reduce its), and is also located in the roof of the two hatches for the driver's compartment of the crew members to access their workplaces. In the frontal part of the body directly in the center of the inclined armor plate appeared impressive size rectangular hatch, which has become one of the hallmarks of the combat vehicle. The main purpose of the new hatch was loading ammunition into a fighting machine.
Light Tank M41 "Walker Bulldog"
In the central part of the body designers positioned upwardly open circular rotation tower, borrowed from the previous ZSU M19. This had a major change in body, because the shoulder straps of a tank tower and the tower of the ZSU M19 did not match in size. In an open tower were four crew seats - calculating commander, gunner and two loaders. In most cases, the crew consisted of five, instead of six, since the calculation of the duties the commander assumed the installation commander, but it was still on the machines of platoon commanders of the six crew members.
ZSU main armament was a twin installation of a 40-mm automatic cannon M2A1, representing a licensed version of the well-known anti-aircraft gun Swedish Bofors L60, which is sold all over the world and still is in service with many countries. Rate guns was 240 rounds per minute, while after 100 shots on the trunk were instructed to make a stop at the shooting, since the cooling air trunk was.
At the ends of the barrel installed massive flame arrestors, which were dismantled in many settings, taking part in the hostilities in Vietnam. Ammunition consisted of installation 480 shots. guns reach the height was 5000 m, when fired at ground targets - up 9500 m. Angles pointing guns from -5 to +85 degrees.
Rotating tower could be carried out in manual mode, and with electrohydraulically, while in the speed gain was insignificant (10,5 seconds in manual mode against 9 seconds to turn on the tower 360 electric degrees).
In the motion setting gasoline powered cylinder engine model Continental AOS-895-3, the same power plant air cooling was used on light tank M41 "Walker Bulldog". engine power 500 HP. it was enough, to disperse the self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon M42 mass 22,6 tons to 72 kmh. Cruising on the highway was 160 kilometers. The reason is not the most outstanding performance is the lack of fuel supply, limited all 140 gallons.
ЗСУ M42 Duster
Fighting application units M42 Duster
Although the first ZSU M42 Duster began to enter the army as early as 1953 year, new combat vehicle was not in time for the war in Korea. In the American Division a new self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon quickly replaced not only the predecessor machine, but towed options 40mm "Bofors". Full combat debut of the American self-propelled anti-aircraft guns went to war in Vietnam, where practically used light tanks M41 "Walker Bulldog", but I found a job for machines, built on the basis of their.
According to the states of each of the mechanized and armored divisions of the US Army included a division of ZSU M42, Total 64 install. Later, these divisions of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns and entered into the American airborne divisions. In this way landing parachute systems are not allowed, calculation was for the delivery of heavy transport aircraft on the captured airfields.
Like any other self-propelled anti-aircraft installations, M42 Duster main task was to fight against air targets, but in the absence of such, they were quite effective against ground targets. 40-mm automatic gun allows you to confidently deal with infantry, and military equipment of the enemy, including lightly armored targets.
M42 Duster in Vietnam with removed flame arresters
As you might guess, Vietnam installations not used for its intended purpose, since the air enemy of the Americans missing. true, effectively deal with modern jet aircraft installation of the enemy could not if they wanted to. By the end of the 1950s it was the older machines, armament, sights and fire control system which remains on the art of the Second World War.
But "Duster", possessed a high density of fire 40mm cannon, It proved to be very helpful in the defense of stationary objects from ground attacks: they were used to protect air bases, Artillery strongholds, escort military convoys.
It was during the Vietnam plant and got its name Duster (raises dust). Really, when fired at ground targets, SoL when the guns were positioned horizontally, install quickly clouded cloud rises from the dust of the earth. Partly for this reason, many of ZSU in Vietnam were removed fire extinguishers. Besides, that this upgrade reduced dust formation by firing, It increases the psychological and the effect on the enemy soldiers, which are self-propelled anti-aircraft dubbed "Fire Dragon".
Really, only a few "Duster" could create in the way of the advancing enemy infantry fire wall, turning the advancing infantry units into a bloody mess. In this 40-mm shells were effective against armored enemy targets. Armor-piercing projectiles installations without any problems posed punched North Vietnam, Soviet amphibious tanks PT-76, as well as their Chinese counterparts "Type 63".
Installing M42 Duster firing, Fu Tai, 1970 year
Realizing the futility of daily attacks, Vietcong preferred to operate at night, but even that little was saved by return fire rapid-fire anti-aircraft guns. Especially for action in the dark battalions, armed ZSU M42 Duster, searchlight batteries were equipped with two types of: 23-inch and more advanced 30-inch searchlights (76 см AN/TVS-3). These projectors can work not only in the visible, but also in the infrared spectrum. In night mode, they worked in the infrared, allowing observers, equipped with night vision devices, find purpose, after which the enemy was illuminated by ordinary light and the victim of concentrated fire, from which it was almost impossible to escape.
In Vietnam, the ZSU M42 Duster used by the Americans about 1971 of the year, then remaining in the line installation began airing the South Vietnamese Army as part of the "Vietnamization" war policy.
/Sergey Yuferev, topwar.ru/
