Armored is rightly called the "battle bus". But most of all it fits the definition of one of the first Soviet mass-produced cars in this class. We are talking about the heavy armored personnel carrier BTR-152, which failed to start mass production in 1950 , along with an armored personnel carrier BTR-40. BTR-152, created using a truck chassis elements ZIS-151, could with relative comfort and comfort of carrying 17 Marines, and together with the crew of APCs carrying 19 human.
BTR-152. From idea to implementation
Until the end of the Second World War, the Red Army had their own armored vehicles, and attempts to create it have been neglected. The emphasis has shifted to the production of tanks and self-propelled artillery, which are also needed edge. Despite this, Soviet commanders were well aware the possibility of armored personnel carriers.
The only media machine, which during the war operated in the Red Army, was a light wheeled American bronetransportёr M3A1 Scout Car, the APC was also used as a light reconnaissance armored car.
His first produced Soviet armored vehicles with an eye on competitors' machines, so the BTR-40 was created as a domestic analogue "Scout", a heavy armored personnel carrier BTR-152 was generated based on the experience of use and command use of two half-track APCs: American M3 and the German Sd Kfz 251. true, the concept of semi-tracked or fully tracked armored personnel carriers, Soviet designers had already abandoned, opting for wheeled military vehicles.
This choice was rational. Wheeled armored vehicles were cheaper and easier to manufacture and operation, and their production could be deployed at the facilities of the existing automotive businesses. In addition, the train drivers of wheeled vehicles was easier, their wheel could always put yesterday's driver, and wheeled armored personnel carriers were more running speed and have a longer life.
During assembly of the BTR-152 in the Soviet Union answered the Stalin Plant (ZIS) in Moscow (after debunking the cult of personality he was renamed ZIL). But the new armored personnel carriers collected not only in the capital, in production also participated Bryansk Automobile Plant. In total, the two companies had been collected in total 12421 armored personnel carrier. Series production is BTR-152 continued with 1950 by 1955 year, other armored versions on the same chassis - up 1962 of the year.
Fate APCs BTR-152 is inseparably linked with that terrain five-ton truck ZIS-151 6x6. Tests of this machine designers ZIS factory started in May 1946 of the year. It is based on components and assemblies of the chassis, it was decided to build the first Soviet heavy armored personnel carrier. By November 1946 , a group of designers led by B. M. Fittermana started to develop a new combat vehicle, received index "Object 140".
According to the terms of reference designers had to create an armored personnel carrier combat weight of about 8,5 ton with bulletproof and anti-splinter reservation and capacity 15-20 human. As arms considered a machine gun.
By May 1947 year were prepared two prototype future cars. Factory tests armored personnel carriers near the town of Chekhov continued to 1949 of the year. At the same time, in May and December 1949 of the year 8 of 12 built armored vehicles used to carry out full-fledged military trials, which ran parallel with the state tests of the new machine.
After removing all the shortcomings identified 24 Martha 1950 year heavy wheeled armored personnel carrier, received the designation BTR-152, It was officially adopted by the Soviet Army. already 28 March was arrested Chief Designer Fitterman machines, Shortly before his arrest, dismissal of the chief designer of the company. His arrest took place in the framework of investigation of the case "On the subversive group in the factory ZIS". In December of the same year he received 25 years in the camps, and began to serve his sentence in Rechlage, It was fully rehabilitated and restored in the party in 1955 year. Such were the times.
surprisingly, that the creator of the heavy wheeled armored personnel carriers BTR-152 gave the country the slightest minicar - Boris was also the chief designer of "Zaporozhets" ZAZ-965, but that's another story.
Technical features BTR-152
One of the main achievements of designers ZIS experts call treatment to the carrier hulls (ZIS-100). Frame in a new heavy armored personnel carrier was not, only side amplifiers, which were used to mount a number of components and assemblies combat vehicle. In this case, the designers did a good job on the hull configuration and rational arrangement bronelistov, at the same time the body was found suitable for placement and dismount landing, It was spacious enough.
The decision to abandon the frame allowed the developers to make the Armored Corps on 200 mm below without loss of spatial rigidity. Unlike the American M3 armored personnel carrier winch, installed on BTR-152, located under the bow bronekapotom and was protected from bullets and shell fragments.
Also, unlike Americans, which for its M3 Armored chose simple shapes to make better use of internal space, ZIS factory worked on the rational arrangement bronelistov, creating a thoughtful "break" character housing, Some bronelisty were arranged at angles 30-45 degrees to the vertical, which increased bullet resistance of the whole structure. The shape of the body, the new Soviet BTR was closer to a German half-track armored personnel carriers "Ganomag".
Most armor thickness was in the front part of the housing - to 13-14 mm, bead and feed different armor thickness 8-10 mm. This reservation was enough to protect against bullets of rifle caliber and shell splinters and mines weighing up 12 grams, in the frontal part of the APC and kept hitting 12.7 mm bullets. From armor-piercing bullets caliber, small-caliber guns and large fragments of the BTR-152 were supposed to protect the passive factors: high speed, maneuverability, low silhouette. Body Length APCs was 6830 mm, width - 2320 mm, height - 2050 mm (for machine gun - 2410 mm).
In BTR-152 body armor designers set open, on conventional models closed from the weather could only tarpaulin. This decision reduced the security of troops, but it was typical of those years for armored vehicles. The housing bonnet arrangement was made by welding from the armor plates, and consisted of three compartments, It was typical for a time period of APCs. Ahead was located power pack with engine, followed by the separation of management should, which housed space combat vehicle commander and driver, All aft troop compartment occupies a spacious, calculated immediately on 17 fighters.
To accommodate the landing along the sides of the body are sufficiently long longitudinal bench, their backs were Clamps AK. Mehvoda commander left the APC through a side door, troops leave the car through the double doors, disposed in the rear part of the housing, parachute but it was possible and right across the board. On the door are often placed and a spare wheel.
The heart of an armored personnel carrier was the forced induction engine, which was especially important for machines, which it was to operate in off-road conditions. The base 6-cylinder engine ZIS-120 (maximum capacity 90 hp) It managed to force almost to the limit. Increasing capacity has been achieved by increasing the compression ratio to 6,5, which automatically increased the requirements for fuel, BTR-152 ate the best at that time in the gasoline Army - B-70.
In addition, the designers of "hyped" ZIS-120, increasing the rotational speed at the expense of durability piston. But with the fighting machine with a reduced resource engine is running the military were prepared to tolerate. As a result of all the changes the new engine ZIS-123B to dokrutili 110 HP. (guaranteed in accordance with GOST), Engine power actually reached 118-120 HP. Such power was sufficient, to disperse the armored personnel carrier with a combat weight 8,7 tons to 80-87 km / h on the motorway. Reserve in the amount of fuel 300 liters was enough for 550 km ride over highway.
A well-designed chassis, forced induction engine and the new all-terrain tires with a tread "Christmas tree", allowed to increase speed over the ground up 60 kmh, to compare the truck ZIS-151 - no more 33 kmh.
BTR-152 during the riots in Hungary, 1956 year
The main armament of an armored personnel carrier, designed to destroy infantry, unarmored targets and fire weapons at ranges of up to 1000 m, It was a heavy machine gun 7.62 mm SGMB (a special version of the machine gun SG-43) with belt feed, which was placed in an APC without broneschitka. Staff ammunition gun was 1250 rounds. In addition to the weapons on armored personnel carriers installed radio 10RT-12, which during the day provides a stable connection at a distance of up to 35-38 km in the parking lot and up 25-30 km while driving.
Qualification APCs BTR-152
To begin with the 1950s heavy Soviet armored personnel carrier has been very successful fighting machine. This is evidenced by both large series - 12,5 thousands of APCs in different embodiments, and the geography of export deliveries. Soviet BTR-152 managed to serve in the armies of more than 40 countries in the world. At the same time in China launched a mass production of a licensed copy of an armored personnel carrier under its own Type-56 designation.
The advantages of the BTR-152 include a well permeability of the terrain, large enough for such equipment speed, especially on the ground, excellent capacity. Not all of those years armored vehicles could carry 19 soldier, including crew. Also successful was recognized scheme and booking thickness, which is greater than that seen in the American wheel-tracked armored personnel carriers M3, not to mention the wheel "scouts".
The obvious disadvantage of the machine include weak armament, represented only 7.62 mm heavy machine gun and a personal weapon of the paratroopers. Many foreign models BTR those years were armed with more powerful heavy machine guns.
Israeli armored personnel carrier "Nimda Shoet"
About, armored personnel carrier that turned out really good, evidenced by the fact, Israelis appreciated captured from Egypt armored personnel carriers BTR-152. In the army of Israel noted the good barrier properties of the Soviet Armored Corps and rational arrangement bronelistov, which did not stop landing. Impressed by the Arab trophies in Israel launched a release of its own wheeled armored personnel carrier "Nimda Shoet", which resembles the Soviet war machine.
/Sergey Yuferev, topwar.ru/
