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The first Soviet serial armored personnel carrier BTR-40

The first Soviet serial armored personnel carrier BTR-40

The first Soviet armored personnel carrier, which was put into production, He appeared in the country after the completion of the Great Patriotic War. By the development of the machine began constructors car GAZ plant, which are already in 1948 was able to provide a military light armored personnel carrier BTR-40. The new combat vehicle was created with all-wheel drive truck components and assemblies GAZ-63.

On the way to the first armored personnel carrier

Before the start of World War II in the Soviet Union did not have his armored, but there was a huge amount of armored vehicles like a cannon, and machine gun armament. Experience fighting quickly demonstrated, that the troops in dire need of specialized vehicles, which could be used as a part of mechanized and tank units to transport infantry.

During the war this problem trying to somehow overcome by the use for the purposes of non-core armored artillery tractors "Komsomolets", the number of which in the army melted away like ice on a sunny spring day, captured equipment, as well as lend-lease supplies. In particular, the Soviet Union was on the Lend-Lease more 3000 American light armored vehicles M3A1 Scout, but this amount was not enough.

At the same time the country's attempts to create their own armored. For example, on the basis of all-wheel drive armored car BA-64. Option armored vehicle BA-64E was released a small series. Since the machine is disassembled tower, roof also absent, and in the rear of the chassis housed the door. Such an armored vehicle could carry up 6 human, of them all 4 Marines. But to create a full armored vehicle based on the chassis of cars SUV it was impossible, so the machine was rated very low mass and it is not built.

Besides, at 1944 , the Soviet Union tried to create an analog of the German semi-tracked armored personnel carriers "Ganomag" and American M3. Experienced half-track armored personnel carrier B-3 on the basis of tank T-70 parts and truck ZIS-5 was developed by designers of VMS plant 1944 year, but testing of this machine are not impressed by the military, who noted the lack of thrust-and the associated low speed and reliability of the new car.

The first Soviet serial armored personnel carrier BTR-40 M3A1 Scout

a big problem, interfering to create their own armored personnel carrier during the war, was congestion Soviet industrial production of tanks and self-propelled artillery pieces of various types, spare capacity for the deployment of heavy-duty armored vehicles production was not simple.

In the end, until the end of the war could be seen painting, when the Soviet motorized infantry moved on the armor of tanks. Placing soldiers on the armor was a forced measure and is only suitable for the transportation of troops without active opposition from the enemy's hand. soldiers, which were placed in tanks without any protection, It was easily vulnerable to small arms fire and shrapnel exploding shells and mines near.

The birth of the BTR-40

The task of creating their own armored become a priority for the industry after the war. To work on a new car at the factory in Gorky began in 1947 year. At the same time, Soviet designers repelled by the American light multi-purpose armored M3A1 Scout, which was taken as a model. This armored vehicle and military suit, who were well acquainted with him.

The tactical and technical requirements directly pointed out to a new machine, that APC should be designed "on the model of the American M3A1». At the same time on a number of requirements specification requirements of the machine was supposed to surpass the US APC indicators. Reservation must have been serious efforts, military demanded, to the armored car was well protected in front by hitting 12.7 mm bullets, and on the sides and stern - from 7.62 mm bullets, M3A1 such protection is not provided.

It is worth to pay tribute to the designers of the Gorky Automobile Plant, who did not blindly copy M3A1. Retaining the overall concept and layout model, Soviet armored personnel carrier outwardly very different from the American "Scout". To enhance the body armor front and upper body bronelisty combat vehicle designers positioned at a large angle of inclination. Also in Gorky abandoned the buffer roller in front of the machine, replacing it with a winch. The principal difference from the American light armored vehicle frame structure is the use of carrying armored corps.

The first Soviet serial armored personnel carrier BTR-40 Four-wheel drive truck GAZ-63

To build the first specialized armored vehicle GAZ plant designers decided on the basis of the cargo-wheel drive car GAZ-63. When creating a combat vehicle designers have tried to make the APC to unify with conventional cars, which serially produced at the enterprise. In addition to the elements of the chassis and other components, new armored vehicle received by the truck and row "Six". Wherein, despite the high level of commonality with truck, the use in the construction of the BTR-40 frame designers abandoned.

Active work to create a light armored vehicle were conducted with 1947 by 1949 year. In this field testing has been completed 9 September 1948 of the year, after which the Commission recommended the adoption of a new sample of armored vehicles into service. However, mass production of the new armored personnel carriers was delayed more than a year. All this time, the ongoing process of refinement of experimental machines, as well as meeting the new requirements on the part of HBTU, changing the composition of weapons and armored corps booking.

As a result, a series of light armored vehicle went already 1950 year. And ordinary citizens were able to get acquainted with the novelty only 1951 year during the traditional November parade on Red Square.

The first Soviet serial armored personnel carrier BTR-40 Marines leave the BTR-40

It is worth noting, that parallel the factory ZIS in Moscow were working on the final design BTR-152, which was created on the basis of truck chassis ZIS-151. Both armored vehicle entered service in 1950 year and complement each other. Created in Gorky BTR-40 armored personnel carrier was easy, able to carry up to 8 Marines, Muscovite and designed by designers BTR-152 was a heavier machine, capable of carrying in troop compartment to 17 Marines.

In this case, the military had already bet on the wheeled armored vehicles, This state of affairs persists in the Russian army today. The choice in favor of wheeled armored personnel carrier was made because of their lower cost in production and operation, as well as the possibility of mass production of existing automotive plants.

The first Soviet serial armored personnel carrier BTR-40 BTR-40 with awning

Design features of the BTR-40

New Soviet APC represented biaxial combat vehicle 4x4. Light armored vehicle had bonneted layout and traditional technique for his age structure. The front housing portion housed engine-transmission compartment, followed by the separation of management for two people: the driver and the commander of an armored personnel carrier, the disposal of which had a walkie-talkie. For separation control was placed in the feed compartment amphibious, designed to carry 8 Marines.

Armored personnel carrier was an open-topped box-shaped hull of. The hull was welded and are made of thick armor plates 8 mm (bead) and 6 mm (stern). The most significant reservations were in the front part of the car - from 11 to 15 mm. For the embarkation and disembarkation of the landing crew used the double doors in the back of the cabinet, and Marines have always been able to leave the APCs, just over the side. For the embarkation and disembarkation of crew on each side of the driver's compartment in the hull were made small folding doors. For protection from the elements on top of the body can be stretched tarpaulin.

The legacy of the truck GAZ-63 armored personnel carrier went to the new bridges, which have been suspended on semi-elliptic leaf springs and shock absorbers are also equipped with double-acting. As an armored personnel carrier was the same transfer case, combined with dual direct and downshift. The driver had the opportunity to turn off the front axle.

In this frame structure by, as noted above, designers abandoned. This will reduce the length of the machine body to 5000 mm, and the wheel BTR-40 base has been reduced to 2700 mm. At the GAZ-63, these figures were all-wheel drive truck 5525 and 3300 mm, respectively,.

The first Soviet serial armored personnel carrier BTR-40 BTR-40 in Budapest, 1956 year

The heart of the armored personnel carrier was the six-cylinder engine GAZ-40, which was an accelerated version of the engine GAS-11, GAZ-63 truck-mounted. The motor has a new carburetor, and its capacity increased to 78 HP. This power is enough, to disperse the BTR Combat weight 5,3 tons to 78 km / h on the motorway, cross-country car could travel at speeds of up to 35 kmh.

Despite, that the thrust-machine was low enough (about 14,7 HP. per tonne against 20 in M3A1, equipped with a more powerful engine), APC could carry for a two-ton trailer and, It is making light armored vehicle very versatile. Also, the BTR-40 could easily climbing up steep 30 degrees, moats width to 0,75 m and depth of the passages 0,9 m.

The standard armament of light armored personnel carriers BTR-40 was a 7.62 mm machine gun Goryunova SG-43 with ammunition from 1250 rounds. Besides, Marines could use to fire their personal firearms: AK and SKS rifles. To fire at the enemy could be through 4 embrasures in the sides of body, as well as the top side of the combat vehicle.

Serial production of the new armored personnel carriers continued to 1950 by 1960 year, during this time was collected about the USSR 8,5 thousands of BTR-40 in different versions. On the basis of armored trucks were created for transporting anti-tank guns, self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, armed with 14.5-mm machine guns CPV, staff and command vehicles.

AT 1956 It was established version of the armored protection against damaging factors of nuclear weapons, the new model has a hermetically sealed body, while the number of paratroopers dropped to six people. Besides, this version took into account the combat experience of the use of armored vehicles in Hungary 1956 year, when the troops suffered from enemy fire from the upper floors of buildings.

/Sergey Yuferev, topwar.ru/

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