SU-122-54 Self-propelled artillery installation
Most of the best self-propelled artillery mounts of the Great Patriotic War were built on the basis of a tank chassis, because of which they differed in the front location of the combat compartment. This layout for self-propelled guns greatly facilitated the development and serial production, however, it imposed some operational limitations. After the War, it was decided to use only the central or aft accommodation of the fighting compartment in new projects. The latest combat vehicle with the front cabin, adopted for service, was the SAU SU-122-54.
The emergence of the project SU-122-54 was associated with the desire of the military to update the fleet of vehicles. Until the end of the 1940s, the Soviet Army still had a significant number of equipment created during the last war. These samples did not fully satisfy the army, because of which they needed to be replaced. In the framework of the program of large-scale re-equipment of ground forces in 1946, the medium tank T-54 was created, which was later proposed to be used as the basis for developing other types of armored vehicles. In 1948, it was decided to make this tank the basis for a promising self-propelled gun.
The decision to develop a new Self-propelled Artillery Installation [SAU - Samohodnaya Artilleriyskaya Ustanovka] based on a serial tank was taken in the first half of 1948. On June 22, the decision was consolidated by a resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers. In accordance with this document, the Design Bureau of Plant No. 174 (Omsk) was to create a new model of SAU based on the chassis of a medium T-54 tank. As the main weapon of the machine, it was proposed to use the 122mm D-25 cannon. The first draft of the project was required in the next few weeks.
The draft of the new self-propelled gun received the working designation "Object 600". Later another name appeared, reflecting the purpose of the vehicle, the caliber of the main weapon and the chassis type - SU-122-54. The project manager for the new project was I.S.Bushnev. The leading designer was A.E.Sulin.
In accordance with the initial resolution of the Council of Ministers, the development of the “Object 600” project should have taken only a few weeks. However, in practice the creation of working documentation took longer. Delay and departure from the established schedule were associated with problems in interaction with other enterprises. Plant No. 9 (Sverdlovsk), which manufactured the D-25 cannons, was to send the required armament documentation to Omsk, but for various reasons the papers arrived much later than was required. Because of this, OKB-174 was only able to complete the required work a few months after the previously set date for their completion.
By the end of the year, OKB-174 specialists had formed the general provisions of the project and had worked on various design features of the advanced SAU. According to the project created by this time, a wooden model of the self-propelled gun was built. In December, the documentation and the layout were presented to the customer in the person of a special commission of the Ministry of Transport Engineering, which oversaw the development of military equipment.
In general, the project was approved, but a number of its features became a source for comments. The design office received a list of necessary improvements, after which it returned to the design work. It was necessary to correct various shortcomings made when creating the first version of the self-propelled gun. It took about half a year to eliminate the identified deficiencies. In July 1949, a new self-propelled model was built in Omsk, which, together with the necessary documents, was again shown to the commission. A few weeks later, in August 1949, the project received official approval.
The customer approved the project in its current form, which allowed OKB-174 specialists to begin preparing the documentation necessary for the construction of a full-fledged prototype. However, work was soon suspended due to some problems with the chassis. As the serial production of the medium tank T-54 was constantly being "finalized" and "improved". The changes that had accumulated by the middle of 1949 forced the authors of the Object 600 project to start its processing taking into account the current state of the base tank.
Soon there was a decision to transfer the prospective project to another organization. Omsk OKB-174 was assigned to work on other projects, and all documentation on the “Object 600” was ordered to be transferred to Plant No. 183 (Nizhny Tagil). In mid-October 1949, OKB-183 received a new version of the technical specifications for the project, according to which it should have been changed. To fulfill the updated requirements, the new authors of the project decided to change the main design features of the future SAU. In particular, it was planned to change the layout of the hull. Naturally, such modifications of the existing project led to another delay in work.
In May 1950, due to the outlined difficulties and various problems, the project of the SAU “Object 600” was returned to Omsk designers. Those rejected the proposals of their colleagues and continued the development of the original appearance of the armored vehicle. Due to this, the development of a full-fledged project was completed within a few months. In the fall, Plant No. 174 began construction of the first prototype, which ended in December. Soon the prototype self-propelled gun went to the factory tests.
By this time, the designers of the OKB-174 formed most of the features of self-propelled guns, which later did not change. Nevertheless, some adjustments, including quite serious ones, were made later. Thus, the first prototype and serial machines of the “Object 600” type had some differences, but mostly they were similar.
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