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SU-85 self-propelled gun

Designing self-propelled of tanks-destroyers, armed by 85-mm gun, began under the order of GoKO May 5 1943. At the end of May variants of 85mm guns for arms SPs were made at ZAKB and Factory #9. The gun of ZAKB received the index S-18 and was intended for arms of heavy tanks KV. For installation in SP it added a Cardan frame and armor of a new type. But the sizes of parts of the S-18 gun appeared very large. It gave large difficulties for installation of a gun in a cabin SU-85.

Uralmashzavod wanted to adapt S-18 in a cabin SU-85. It was made by two different ways in machines SU-85-I and SU-85-IV. SU-85-I made new gun-cradle and armor protection. The coaxial machine gun was removed. SU-85-IV variant was made on demand of ZAKB. The gun was left without changes, but the cabin of SP was a little bit changed in a forward part. SU-85-IV was rejected, and SU-85-I lost tests to the machine SU-85-II. On a service these SPs were not accepted.

The project SU-85-II was made by Design Office of Uralmashzavod for 85-mm gun D-5, developed by a factory ? 9. At first this gun was considered only as reserve variant, if there will be the difficulties with S-18 gun. But the tests had shown advantages of convenience of application D-5 and its more reliable work. After governmental tests the commission under presidency of the Lieutenant General Tank Troops Taranovitch recommended SU-85-II for acceptance for a service of tank troopses in quality "85-mm assault AT self-propelled gun SU-85" in preferece to the SU-122.

The first regiment with SU-85 come to the front in September 1943.

SU-85BM

After study of a damaged "Ferdinand", GAU has put forward the requirements about creation of special 85-mm Anti-tank gun with ballistics, close to the ballistics of German StuK 43 (PaK 43). At first a 85-mm gun of increased power was made by DB of a factory #9. The gun D-5-S-85BM kept a cartridge case from 85-mm AA gun, and at the expense of increase of a gunpowder charge and length of a barrel, initial speed of an armor-piercing shell it was possible up to 950 m/s. Tests SU-85BM, armed this gun, passed in January - March 1944. The SU-85BM was not accepted for service.

ZAKB in the spring of 1944 made an 85-mm a self-propelled gun S-34-1B, in which round were used a cartridge case with gunpowder from 100-mm gun. New cannon, mounted in battle cabin of SU-85, has passed tests in the summer 1944, but it is unsuccessful. Unstable flight of the armor-piercing shell was observed.

In the autumn 1944 a new 85-mm high-power gun for SU-100 has offered by DB of factory #9. The new gun D-10-85PM used a cartridge case from 100-mm gun with an strengthened charge, and the barrel of a gun it was in addition lengthened by a special smooth pipe of length 1 m. The tests were conducted till March 1945 and were stopped.

None of these self-propelled guns were accepted for service.