151st Sikh Infantry, Background
Heavy losses suffered by the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front following the German spring offensive in March 1918 resulted in a major reorganization of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force:


151st Sikh Infantry, Background
In fact, the 75th Division already had four Indian battalions assigned, so of the 36 battalions needed to reform the divisions, 22 were improvised by taking whole companies from existing units already on active service in Mesopotamia and Palestine to form the 150th Infantry (3 battalions), 151st Sikh Infantry (3), 152nd Punjabis (3), 153rd Punjabis (3), 154th Infantry (3), 155th Pioneers (2), 156th Infantry (1) and the 11th Gurkha Rifles (4). The donor units were then brought back up to strength by drafts. In the event, just 13 of the battalions were assigned to the divisions and the remaining nine were transferred from Mesopotamia to India in June 1918.


151st Sikh Infantry, History, Nomenclature
Oddly, the designation of the regiment varied between the battalions. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were 151st Sikh Infantry whereas the 3rd Battalion was 151st Punjabi Rifles, hence 1st Battalion, 151st Sikh Infantry, 2nd Battalion, 151st Sikh Infantry and 3rd Battalion, 151st Punjabi Rifles. Gaylor states that the 2nd Battalion was 151st Indian Infantry; it is notable that no other Indian infantry regiment incorporated Indian in their titles at this time. Other sources designate both the 2nd and 3rd battalions as 151st Infantry.


151st Sikh Infantry, History, Formation
The 151st Sikh Infantry / 151st Punjabi Rifles was formed of three battalions in May 1918. The 1st Battalion was formed in Mesopotamia with companies posted from battalions serving in the 17th and 18th Indian Divisions. It was transferred to India in June 1918 and later took part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 as part of the Kohat Brigade.


151st Sikh Infantry, History, Formation
In contrast, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were formed in Palestine with companies posted from battalions serving in the theatre particularly from the 3rd (Lahore) and 7th (Meerut) Divisions. They were assigned to British divisions and took part in the final Allied offensive of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (the Battles of Megiddo).


151st Sikh Infantry, History, 1st Battalion
The 1st Battalion was formed in Mesopotamia in May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from:


151st Sikh Infantry, History, 1st Battalion
The battalion was transferred from Mesopotamia to India in June 1918 and joined the Allahabad Brigade in the 8th (Lucknow) Division where it remained in until the end of the First World War. In May 1919, it mobilized with the Kohat Brigade and took part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War. The battalion was disbanded on 15 May 1921.


151st Sikh Infantry, History, 2nd Battalion
The 2nd Battalion was formed near Jaffa on 30 May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from:


151st Sikh Infantry, History, 2nd Battalion
On 10 June, the battalion joined the 29th Brigade, 10th (Irish) Division and remained with the division for the rest of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, taking part in the Battle of Nablus (19–21 September 1918).


151st Sikh Infantry, History, 2nd Battalion
The 10th (Irish) Division concentrated near Tul Karm in the middle of October and was there when the Armistice of Mudros came into effect at noon on 31 October. The division moved to Sarafand (now Tzrifin) by 12 November and moved back to Egypt, concentrating in Cairo by 1 December. It was there when demobilization began in January 1919. The battalion was disbanded on 31 July 1920.


151st Sikh Infantry, History, 3rd Battalion
The 3rd Battalion was formed at Latrun and 'Ain 'Ariq between 24 May and 27 June 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from:


151st Sikh Infantry, History, 3rd Battalion
The battalion joined the 179th Brigade, 60th (2/2nd London) Division at 'Ain 'Ariq on 4 June. It remained with the division for the rest of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, taking part in the Battle of Sharon (19–21 September 1918).


151st Sikh Infantry, History, 3rd Battalion
After the Armistice of Mudros, the 60th Division was withdrawn to Alexandria by 26 November 1918 where demobilization gradually took place. Three Indian battalions returned to India in February 1919 and the last had departed by 31 May 1919. The battalion was disbanded on 15 May 1921.


151st Street station
151st Street was a local station on the demolished IRT Ninth Avenue Line in Manhattan, New York City. It had 2 levels. The lower level had two tracks and two side platforms and served local trains. The station was built as part of the Dual Contracts and had one track that served express trains that bypassed this station. The next stop to the north was 155th Street. The next stop to the south was 145th Street. The station opened on November 15, 1917 and closed on June 11, 1940.


151st Theater Information Operations Group
The 151st Theater Information Operations Group, or 151st TIOG, is an Information Operations formation of the United States Army, headquartered at Fort Totten, New York. Founded in 2009, the 151st TIOG is the only Theater Information Operations Group in the U.S. Army Reserve. It is composed mostly of Army Reserve Soldiers in two battalions based out of Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (Camp Parks), Fort George G. Meade, and Fort Totten. The current commander is Colonel Marlene Markotan, who assumed command in July 2019.


151st Theater Information Operations Group
Historically, 151st TIOG was a major subordinate command under the 76th Operational Response Command (76th ORC). In October 2015, the 151st TIOG was realigned to the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) (USACAPOC(A)). The 151st TIOG gained the 303rd Information Operations Battalion and deactivated the 302nd Information Operations Battalion after the 152nd TIOG was deactivated in late 2015.


151st Theater Information Operations Group
Regionally aligned and globally engaged, the 151st TIOG is the U.S. Army Reserve Information Operations force provider to primarily USEUCOM, USAFRICOM, USCENTCOM, USSOUTHCOM, and United States Cyber Command. Since the establishment of the TIOGs in 2009, the demand signal for IO support to theater activities and operations has increased drastically. The command's soldiers bring civilian expertise, education, and qualifications not found among regular active duty soldiers. The projects they coordinate are the subject of many of the "Good News" stories run in the media each day across Africa, Europe, Middle East, and various other locations.


151st Theater Information Operations Group, Information Operations
Information Operations (United States) is a category of direct and indirect support operations for the United States Military. By definition in Joint Publication 3-13, "IO are described as the integrated employment of electronic warfare (EW), computer network operations (CNO), psychological operations (PSYOP), military deception (MILDEC), and operations security (OPSEC), in concert with specified supporting and related capabilities, to influence, disrupt, corrupt or usurp adversarial human and automated decision making while protecting our own." Information Operations (IO) are actions taken to affect adversary information and information systems while defending one's own information and information systems.


151st Theater Information Operations Group, Subordinate units
The 151st TIOG primary mission is on order, to deploy modular and tailorable Information Operations forces worldwide in order to gain and maintain information dominance by conducting Information Warfare operations in the Information Environment." Information Operations (IO) are actions taken to affect adversary information and information systems while defending one's own information and information systems.


151st Theater Information Operations Group, Subordinate units
Information Operations units are the field commander's capability to synchronize and de-conflict information related capabilities (IRC) in the commander's information environment. The soldiers make up teams which interface and provide Information Operations expertise to the staff. 151st TIOG Information Operations soldiers are particularly suited for this mission since they are Army Reserve soldiers with civilian occupations such as law enforcement, engineering, medicine, law, banking, public administration, etc; and, civilian education and qualifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Juris Doctor (J.D), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Public Administration (MPA), etc.


151st Theater Information Operations Group, Subordinate units
Information Operations soldiers have been integral to U.S. missions across North West Africa, East Africa, Europe, Middle East, and various other locations.


151st meridian east
The meridian 151° east of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Australasia, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.


151st meridian east
The 151st meridian east forms a great circle with the 29th meridian west.


151st meridian east, From Pole to Pole
Starting at the North Pole and heading south to the South Pole, the 151st meridian east passes through:


151st meridian west
The meridian 151° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.


151st meridian west
The 151st meridian west forms a great circle with the 29th meridian east.


151st meridian west, From Pole to Pole
Starting at the North Pole and heading south to the South Pole, the 151st meridian west passes through:


152
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by Graham87 (talk | contribs) at 11:21, 10 January 2021 (1 revision imported: import old edit from the Nostalgia Wikipedia). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


152
Year 152 (CLII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Glabrio and Homullus (or, less frequently, year 905 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 152 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.


152 (North Irish) Regiment RLC
152 (North Irish) Regiment RLC is a British Army regiment of The Royal Logistic Corps.


152 (North Irish) Regiment RLC, History
The regiment was formed in the Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) in 1967 with two transport squadrons. It was redesignated 152 (Ulster) Ambulance Regiment RCT in the 1980s, and transferred into The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) in 1993 as 152 (Ulster) Ambulance Regiment RLC. In 1999 it acquired a third squadron from 157 Transport Regiment and was put under the administrative control of the Army Medical Services. In 2006 it re-roled as a transport regiment and was transferred back to control of The Royal Logistic Corps, returning an ambulance squadron to 157 Transport Regiment and acquiring a newly raised third transport squadron.


152 (North Irish) Regiment RLC, History
Under Army 2020 the regiment was paired with 9 Regiment RLC under 102nd Logistic Brigade, while the regiment joins 104th Logistic Support Brigade. As part of this plan, the regiment became a specialist 'Fuel Support' regiment in 2015, the only unit of its type in the army. The regiment also works closely with the Royal Engineers' 516 Specialist Team (Bulk Petroleum).


152 (film)
152 is a 2006 Japanese short horror film written, produced, directed and edited by Darryl Knickrehm. It was an official selection, at the 2006 Calgary Underground Film Festival and at the 2007 Kansai International Film Festival.


152 (number)
152 (one hundred [and] fifty-two) is the natural number following 151 and preceding 153.


152 (number), In mathematics
152 is the sum of four consecutive primes (31 + 37 + 41 + 43). It is a nontotient since there is no integer with 152 coprimes below it.


152 (number), In mathematics
152 is a refactorable number since it is divisible by the total number of divisors it has, and in base 10 it is divisible by the sum of its digits, making it a Harshad number.


152 (number), In mathematics
Recently, the smallest repunit probable prime in base 152 was found, it has 589570 digits.


152 Atala
Atala (minor planet designation: 152 Atala) is a large main belt asteroid that was discovered by brothers Paul Henry and Prosper Henry on 2 November 1875, but the discovery was credited to Paul. It is a type D asteroid, meaning that it is composed of carbon, organic rich silicates and possibly water ice.


152 Atala
The asteroid is named for the eponymous heroine of the 1801 novella Atala by François-René de Chateaubriand. The Henry brothers also named the last of their discoveries, 186 Celuta, after another Chateaubriand heroine. Both Atala and Céluta are American Indian fictional characters.


152 Atala
An occultation of a star by Atala was observed from Japan on 11 March 1994. Subsequent occultations have been observed as recently as 2006.


152 Atala
Photometric of this asteroid made in 1981 gave a light curve with a period of 5.282 ± 0.004 hours with a brightness variation of 0.50 in magnitude.


152 BC
Year 152 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcellus and Flaccus (or, less frequently, year 602 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 152 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.


152 H 88
152 H 88 is the name of a series of modernized 152 mm towed heavy howitzers with 32 caliber barrels. The guns of the series  share the same barrel as well as other similar qualities, but differ slightly in appearance, since they consist of three different, older (modernized) versions. The modernization was carried out by Vammas Oy from 1988 to mid-1990s. The modernization project consisted of numerous modifications to the guns, some of which had already undergone earlier smaller modifications. The most important change was the replacement of the original barrels by a Finnish-made 152 mm barrel. Also the gun carriages were subjected to various modifications. After the modernization, increased towing speeds were made possible. The breech mechanism is manually operated in all the guns. All the 152 H 88 series artillery pieces are being withdrawn from service and scrapped (as of 2007).


152 H 88, Versions
The two Soviet models were either taken as war booty during the Continuation War or bought from the Germans. The German 15 cm sFH 18 guns were bought during the Interim Peace and saw service during the Continuation War.


152 H 88, Ammunition
The howitzers use a cased variable charge separate-loading propellant system. The Soviet type ammunition is usually transported as complete in a wooden box. The weight of the projectile is 43 kg (with a 6 kg explosive charge), and the weight of the largest propellant charge is 8 kg. The guns can fire high-explosive fragmentation shells, which have a muzzle velocity of about 650 m/s and an effective radius of 50–150 meters.


152 H 88, Ammunition
The Soviet-made 152 mm D-20 howitzer (152 H 55) uses the same ammunition as the 152 H 88 series guns.


152 Nassau
152 Nassau, home to Nassau Street Sessions Recording Studio, was a historic recording studio building in Atlanta, Georgia. The studio recorded blues, jazz, and country musicians in the South beginning in June 1923. Despite the efforts of preservationists and music history aficionados, in 2019, the building was slated to be torn down and replaced by a hotel and restaurant. A Margaritaville Resort is due to open on the site.


152 Nassau
One of the first commercial recordings by a rural white musician, Fiddlin' John Carson's "The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane" was recorded in the building on June 19, 1923. Georgia Public Broadcasting reported that it was the first country music hit. Fannie May Goosby's "Grievous Blues" and Lucille Bogan's "The Pawn Shop Blues" were also recorded there, notable as the first rural blues to be recorded. Other artists to record songs at the studio include Eddie Heywood, Sr., and the Morehouse College Quartet.


152 Nassau
Ralph Peer was one of those involved in the studio. The building was later used as a museum with Gone with the Wind memorabilia.


152 Nassau, Demolition
Demolition began in August 2019 but was halted after the rear of the building had been torn down. However, a lawsuit attempting to prevent demolition was thrown out in October 2019.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892
The 152mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892 was a Russian naval gun developed in the years before the Russo-Japanese War that armed a variety of warships of the Imperial Russian Navy during the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. Guns salvaged from scrapped ships found a second life on river gunboats of the Soviet Navy during the Russian Civil War and as coastal artillery and railway artillery during World War II.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892
In 1941 it was estimated that there were 196 guns (82 in the Baltic, 70 in the Pacific, 37 in the Black sea and 7 in the Northern fleet) still in use as coastal artillery. After independence in 1917 Finland was estimated to have inherited 100 guns and some remained in use until the 1980s. The last was decommissioned in 2003.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, History
In 1891 a Russian naval delegation was shown three guns designed by the French designer Canet. One was a 75/50 gun caliber gun, one was a 120/45 gun, and the last was a 152/45 gun. All three guns used fixed QF ammunition which produced a rate of fire of 15 rpm for the 75/50 gun, 12 rpm for the 120/45 gun and 10 rpm for the 152/45 gun. The Russians were impressed and in 1892 they negotiated a production license for all three guns.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, History
In practice the rate of fire of 10 rpm was hard to achieve due to difficulties with ammunition handling. The practical rate of fire varied by class of ship from a low of 2 rpm in the Petropavlovsk-class battleships, to a high of 7 rpm in single deck mounted guns. In 1901 the fixed ammunition was changed to separate loading QF cased charge and projectile.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Construction
There were two main series of the 152/45 guns produced. The first series of guns were constructed of a thick A tube, a 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) long B tube and jacket. 215 of the first series of guns were built between 1897–1901, 181 at the Obhukov factory and 37 at the Perm factory. During the Russo-Japanese war a number of gun barrels burst in action and a strengthened series of 133 guns were produced, 21 at the Obhukov factory and 112 at the Perm factory between 1909–1918. The strengthened series of guns had a thinner A tube reinforced with three sections of B tube and a jacket which was 4 m (13 ft 1 in) long.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Naval Use
The 152/45 guns armed the majority of armored cruisers, pre-dreadnought battleships and protected cruisers of the Imperial Russian Navy built between 1890–1916.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
As Finland became independent the northern half of the coastal fortifications in Imperial Russian Peter the Great's Naval Fortress fell in to Finnish hands mostly intact. The coastal guns included about 100 pieces of the 152 mm 45 caliber Canet guns and this type became the primary coastal gun of its class in Finland. It was given a designation of 152/45 C. There was considerable variation between the guns as they included both naval and army coastal gun models from different years. There were also different gun mountings used with about 70 guns on taller coastal gun mountings but the remaining 30 guns were on lower ship deck mounts with lower maximum elevation and range.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
Finnish coastal artillery made modifications to the gun mountings during the interwar period. The most significant of these was inverting the gun so that the recuperating springs were on top of the gun which allowed increasing the maximum elevation and thus the range. Inverting the gun however required also strengthening the recuperator, adding an equilibrator to correct the changed balance and other changes to the mounting and elevation mechanism. Increased maximum elevation also allowed using the gun as an anti-aircraft weapon.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
To increase maximum range even more the ammunition for the guns was modified by adding a ballistic cap to existing ammunition which increased the range by a factor of 1.5. Additionally Finns changed the gun loading practice to allow reloading without the need to return the gun to zero elevation after each shot. This practice increased the rate of fire.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
During World War II 152/45 C was the de facto Finnish standard coastal gun with 95 guns in the inventory at the beginning of 1939. During Winter War coastal batteries equipped with the gun defended against Soviet Navy attacks before the sea was frozen. The guns also provided important artillery support for the Finnish army: at both ends of the Mannerheim line were coastal batteries equipped with 152/45 C guns, and their role was important given the Finnish lack of field artillery.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
Other coastal batteries in the northern part of Lake Ladoga also supported land battles, and later in the war coastal forts in Gulf of Vyborg and Kotka participated in the fighting. 18 guns were lost during the war, most when the coastal forts had to abandoned. 76 guns remained in use after Winter War.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
During the Interim Peace Finland began constructing Salpa Line to fortify the new border to replace Mannerheim Line fortifications. Salpa Line artillery included six 152/45 C guns. In the Continuation War 152/45 C was involved in the fighting again and several guns were lost to barrel explosions or simply worn out. Some guns lost in the Winter War were recaptured bringing the total to 78 pieces in 1943. By 1 May 1944 the number had dropped to 60. During World War II 152/45 C guns were also used as anti-aircraft guns.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
The guns, designed originally before aircraft had been invented, were not especially effective in this role even after the modifications that had been done. Despite the limitations they were used against enemy bomber formations, especially in the defense of Helsinki and also against fighters. Finland also used 152/45 C guns as railway guns.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
The first trials with a 152/45 C gun mounted in a railway wagon in Finland was performed in 1924 and the gun was given the designation of 152/45 CRaut. Winter War mobilization plans called for two gun railway battery, but due to equipment problems only a single gun was available for most of the war. In Continuation War the battery was expanded to four guns. On 21.9.1941 the battery was renamed as 2nd railway battery after 1st railway battery had been formed from captured Soviet 180 mm railway guns. The battery was disbanded and the guns removed from the railway wagons after the war, but the plans for re-forming it remained in place. In 1962 there were three guns reserved for forming a railway artillery battery.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
After the Continuation War ended with Moscow Armistice Allied Control Commission demanded that all coastal guns larger than 120 mm in calibre east of Porkkala had to be removed and placed in storage. This included the coastal fortifications around Porkkala, fortifications of the capital Helsinki (18 152 mm guns) and the Kotka-Hamina area forts (17 152/45 C guns). This restriction was lifted in 1947 after signing of the Paris Peace Treaty. 152/45 C guns were badly worn out after the war, and several had cracked or broken barrels.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use
An investigation of the barrel failures concluded that the guns could not withstand the pressures created by the gunpowder used. This led to a development of a new light weight high explosive shell which could be fired by a half-charge of gunpowder. The worn out gun barrels were replaced with newly developed 50 caliber 152 50 Tampella barrels.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use, 152 50 Tampella
Already near the end of the World War II Tampella company was ordered to construct new gun barrels for 152/45 C guns. Due to the end of the war this did not happen, but in the early 1950s there was again available funds to start modernizing the guns. Tampella barrel was longer than the original at 50 calibers and it had different, progressive rifling with 48 1.25 millimetres (0.049 in) deep grooves instead of the original constant 38 1.0 millimetre (0.039 in) deep grooves.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use, 152 50 Tampella
Due to these changes the modernized gun could not use the ammunition of the original guns and new ammunition was developed for it using cartridge cases. The maximum range of the modernized gun was 25 kilometres (16 mi). The new barrels were also equipped with muzzle brakes. The new guns were given the designation 152 50 T and they started equipping coastal batteries in 1959. A total of 29 guns were built. In 1960s concern for the vulnerability of fixed guns against napalm led to adding a protective metal cupola for the guns. An overpressurization system was also fitted.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Finnish use, 152 50 Tampella
The cupola was built of thin metal and provided only very limited armour protection against small shrapnel. Smaller changes to the gun mounting were also made, including replacing the recoil springs. The modernized guns replaced older 152/45 C guns but some original models remained in less important positions. Bolax battery is unique where the cupola armour was fitted but the guns themselves were not modernized. By the 1980s the 152 50 T was in turn being replaced with 130 53 TK and they were withdrawn from service in 2003.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Ammunition
Early ammunition was of Fixed QF type while later ammunition was of Separate QF. The projectiles weighed 41.4 kg (91 lb) and the charge weighed 12 kg (26 lb).


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Photo gallery
A gun captured by the Germans at Kaunas Fort (now Lithuania).


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Photo gallery
Forward gun on the Cruiser Aurora that fired the first shot of the Bolshevik Revolution.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Photo gallery
152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892 coastal gun on Kuivasaari Island. Manufactured by the Obukhov State Plant in 1896, serial number 30.


152 mm 45 caliber Pattern 1892, Photo gallery
Finnish railway artillery at night near Vanozero in Karelia during the Continuation War.


152 mm air defense gun KM-52
The 152 mm air defense gun KM-52 is a type of experimental anti-aircraft artillery developed by the Experimental Design Bureau (now independent as NPO Novator) of Plant No.8.


152 mm air defense gun KM-52
Originally developed as the 152 mm air defense gun KS-52 in 1949, the gun had a muzzle velocity of 1030 m/s, firing a 49 kg shell at 10 rounds per minute with a travel weight of 46 tons. After inspection by the Soviet Artillery Committee (the Artkom) and the Ministry of Armaments, work on the KS-52 was halted in 1949.


152 mm air defense gun KM-52
Resolution No. 2966-1727 of November 26, 1951 from the Council of Ministers approved development of a "152 mm air defense gun on the basis of the KS-30", which was entrusted to OKB-8 and the Design Bureau of Plant No.172. Its head designer was Tsyrulnikov. The new gun, carrying the designation KM-52, was not fully developed until 1954. The Technical Council of the Ministry of Defense Industry inspected the gun on January 28–29, 1955.


152 mm air defense gun KM-52
Production work of the KM-52 and its shells were distributed to different factories; the gun itself was mainly assigned to Plant No.172 (now Motovilikha Plants), who received different gun parts from other plants, including barrels from Plant No.232 (now Obukhov State Plant), which were in turn made from technical drawings by Plant No.8, GSP-152 traverse mechanisms from TsNII-173 (headed by Monastyrsky). Plant No.710 (now the defunct Podolsk Electro-Mechanical Plant). Shells were developed in NII-24, built by Plant No.73 with casings developed by NII-147. Firing mechanisms were developed from that of the SM-27 gun.


152 mm air defense gun KM-52
Plant No.221 (now Titan-Barrikady) also prepared two barrels and sent them to Plant No.172 in 1955. The KM-52 underwent factory testing in December 1955, and was delivered on December 28. The KM-52's gun carriage did not differ greatly from that of the KS-30. It achieved a rate of fire of 16-17 rounds per minute and 16 units were accepted into service in 1957.


152 mm air defense gun KM-52
Controlled experiments with the gun in 1957 produced some results, but a Resolution adopted by the Council of Ministers in June 1958 halted development of rocket assisted projectiles for the KM-52 alongside all work on the gun.


152 mm gun M1910/30
152-mm gun model 1910/30 was a Soviet gun, a modernization of World War I era 152-mm siege gun M1910. The gun was briefly used by RKKA in the German-Soviet War.


152 mm gun M1910/30, Description
M1910/30 was powerful long range gun with big (40°) maximum elevation. It was equipped with interrupted screw breechblock and recoil system consisting of hydraulic buffer and hydro-pneumatic recuperator. The carriage was of single trail type and had metal wheels with solid tires. The crew was protected by 7 mm shield.


152 mm gun M1910/30, Description
In transportation, the barrel was removed and transported separately. It took some 10–15 minutes to set the gun up for combat and up to 23 minutes to make it ready for transportation.


152 mm gun M1910/30, Development and production history
The gun resulted from a modernization of the 152-mm siege gun M1910, initially developed by Schneider. The upgrading project was prepared by the design bureau of the Main Artillery Directorate, its main purpose was to increase range. The changes included:


152 mm gun M1910/30, Development and production history
In 1930 the modernized gun was adopted as 152-mm gun model 1910/30 (Russian: 152-мм пушка образца 1910/30 годов).


152 mm gun M1910/30, Development and production history
The production began in 1930 at Krasniy Putilovets plant. Later Barrikady and Bolshevik plants joined the production effort. In addition to newly built pieces, all existing M1910 guns were converted to the new standard; the conversion was finished by 1 November 1936.


152 mm gun M1910/30, Development and production history
Since the upgrade of 1930 didn't address a problem of limited mobility, in 1934 additional modernization was performed, resulting in 152-mm gun M1910/34. In 1935 the production of M1910/30 was stopped.


152 mm gun M1910/30, Organization and service
According to RKKA organization, 152-mm guns were employed by corps artillery and by the Reserve of the Main Command, typically instead of 152-mm gun-howitzer M1937 (ML-20). Heavy gun regiments of Reserve of the Main Command had 24 pieces each.


152 mm gun M1910/30, Organization and service
By the outbreak of the German-Soviet War RKKA possessed some 120-150 M1910/30s. They undoubtfully saw combat in the war, though due to their limited number the details of their service are unknown.


152 mm gun M1910/30, Organization and service
One piece was captured by the Finnish Army. That gun is currently on display in Hämeenlinna The Artillery Museum of Finland. The Germans assigned the M1910/30 the designation 15.2cm K 438(r).


152 mm gun M1910/30, Summary
The M1910/30 was a result of limited modernization of World War I era weapon, which didn't address its insufficient mobility (due to lack of suspension and separate transportation of barrel) and limited traverse.


152 mm gun M1910/30, Summary
On the other hand, RKKA liked the ballistic characteristics of the gun. Subsequent modernizations, which concentrated mostly on the gun carriage, resulted in improved M1910/34 and eventually in the famous ML-20.


152 mm gun M1910/34
152-mm gun model 1910/34 (Russian: 152-мм пушка образца 1910/34 годов) was a Soviet 152.4 mm (6 inch) heavy gun, a modernization of the 152-mm gun M1910/30, which in turn was based on 152-mm siege gun M1910.


152 mm gun M1910/34, Description
M1910/34 combined a barrel of the M1910/30 with a carriage of the 122-mm gun M1931. The barrel was of built-up construction; it was equipped with interrupted screw breechblock and recoil system consisting of hydraulic buffer and hydro-pneumatic recuperator. The split-trail carriage had leaf spring suspension and wheels with solid rubber tires.


152 mm gun M1910/34, Development and production history
The first upgrade of the 152-mm siege gun M1910 resulted in a weapon with improved characteristics, but didn't address some significant shortcomings, namely insufficient mobility (due to unsprung carriage and separate transportation of barrel) and limited traverse. The new modernization was an attempt to solve these problems by using a modern split trail carriage of the 122-mm gun M1931. A prototype went through ground trials starting 16 May 1934. The trials lasted until 16 January 1935, then the gun was given to the army for testing.


152 mm gun M1910/34, Development and production history
The responses were mostly positive and the gun was officially adopted as 152-mm gun model 1910/34. Because of its maximum elevation angle of 45°, it was sometimes referred to as howitzer. In fact, even the developers initially called the piece 152-mm howitzer model 1932 and later 152-mm howitzer model 1934. The latter name can also be seen in some official documentation.


152 mm gun M1910/34, Development and production history
Production at the Perm plant started in 1934 and continued until 1937, with a total of 275 pieces built.


152 mm gun M1910/34, Organization and employment
According to RKKA organization, 152-mm guns were employed by corps artillery and by the Reserve of the Main Command, typically instead of 152-mm gun-howitzer M1937 (ML-20). Heavy gun regiments of Reserve of the Main Command had 24 pieces each.


152 mm gun M1910/34, Organization and employment
According to different sources, at the outbreak of Great Patriotic War the Red Army possessed either 146 M1910/34s or all 275 pieces. These undoubtfully saw combat in the war, though due to their limited number the details of their service are unknown. A few pieces were captured by Germans which adopted them as 15,2 cm K.433/2(r).


152 mm gun M1910/34, Summary
The second modernization of the M1910 significantly improved mobility and traverse of the gun. The barrel was not transported separately anymore, which meant much faster set up time. Improved elevation led to slightly longer range. However, there were still some problems. The elevation mechanism was combined with equilibrator in a single device - a construction which resulted in slow elevation. The maximum elevation angle of 45° was considered insufficient. Some elements of the gun, mostly of the upper carriage, were hard to produce. As a result, more attempts to improve the design followed, eventually resulting in the 152-mm gun-howitzer M1937 (ML-20).


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2)
152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2) (Russian: 152-мм пушка обр. 1935 г. (Бр-2)) was a Soviet 152.4 mm heavy gun, produced in limited numbers by the Barrikady Plant in Stalingrad in the late 1930s. The most unusual feature of the gun was its tracked carriage, shared by a number of Soviet heavy artillery systems of the interwar period. Despite a number of drawbacks, most notably limited mobility and short service life of the barrel, the weapon was employed throughout the German-Soviet War; an upgraded variant with wheeled carriage, Br-2M, remained in service at least until the 1970s.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, B-10
Work on a long range 152 mm gun for Reserve of the Main Command units started in 1929, when the Bolshevik Plant in Saint Petersburg received from the Artillery Directorate requirements specifications for such a piece. The project received a factory index B-10. First barrel was manufactured in April 1932; it was sent for trials even before the carriage, which had an unusual tracked construction, was ready. Development and testing of the B-10 continued until 1935; a number of problems were revealed, including slow elevation, low rate of fire and short service life.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, B-10
As a result, the gun was not adopted. The two produced barrels were experimentally modified for firing pre-rifled projectiles and polygonal projectiles respectively. The experiments didn't produce practical results. An attempt to improve elevation speed by use of an electric motor failed to provide smooth elevation. The Soviet Navy briefly considered adopting a derived weapon as a coastal gun, in towed or self-propelled variant, the latter based on T-28 medium tank chassis. Only the towed variant, B-25, reached factory trials; eventually it was canceled because of shortcomings of the design and decision of the Army not to adopt the B-10.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, B-30 and Br-2
In the early 1930s the Artillery Directorate ordered a development of a "heavy artillery triplex", consisting of a 152 mm gun, a 203 mm howitzer and a 280 mm mortar utilizing the same carriage. The Bolshevik Plant and the Barrikady Plant in Stalingrad were entrusted with the development. The 152 mm gun projects were called B-30 (sometimes referred to as B-10-2-30) and Br-2 respectively. Both mated a barrel ballistically identical to that of the B-10, to a tracked carriage of the 203 mm howitzer M1931 (B-4).


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, B-30 and Br-2
Late in 1936, the Bolshevik Plant delivered an experimental series of six pieces. A number of longer (55 calibres) barrels and a number of barrels with deeper rifling were manufactured. The B-30 barrels were also used for ultimately unsuccessful experiments with pre-rifled shells and with "Ansaldo system" variable depth rifling.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, B-30 and Br-2
While generally similar to the competing design, the Br-2 had different barrel construction (built-up vs loose liner), slightly different breechblock and featured an equilibrating mechanism.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, B-30 and Br-2
Despite results of trials, which favored the B-30, the Artillery Directorate decided to adopt the Br-2. The reasons for the decision are not clear. However, it was decided to switch to free tube barrel construction in production pieces, making the gun somewhat more similar to the B-30.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, Improved variants
Although the Br-2 was adopted, it was evident that the gun had significant drawbacks. One of the problems was very short life of the barrel: it took about 100 shots for the muzzle velocity to drop 4%. In an attempt to tackle the problem, an experimental piece with longer (55 calibers) barrel was produced; another experimental barrel had smaller chamber and deeper rifling. The latter solution was eventually preferred and from 1938 a variant with deep rifling replaced the original barrel in production. It was claimed that the new variant had five times longer service life. However, service life of the new barrel was measured using different criterion (10% drop in muzzle velocity), so actual improvement was probably much smaller.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, Improved variants
Another drawback of the gun was its low mobility, aggravated by separate transportation of the barrel. Attempts to improve the tracked carriage (such as the experimental T-117, which was tried out in 1939) were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1938 the Artillery Directorate issued specifications for a wheeled carriage for the Br-2 and the 203 mm howitzer M1931 (B-4). The project was handled by the design bureau of Plant no. 172 (located in Perm), headed by F. F. Petrov.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, Improved variants
Because the design bureau was busy with other tasks, the development of the new carriage - factory index M-50 - advanced slowly; it never advanced past the design phase and was canceled after the outbreak of the German-Soviet War. An improved wheeled cart Br-15 for barrel transportation was considered in 1940 but was never adopted, because it couldn't improve the mobility of the carriage. It took until 1955 to develop a variant of the Br-2 - designated Br-2M - which had wheeled carriage and didn't require separate transportation.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, Improved variants
The Br-2 was also used in a number of unsuccessful experiments with discarding sabot shells, intended to increase range. These included experiments carried out in 1940, with 162 mm barrel firing 162/100 mm shells. The barrel was damaged during the experiments; additionally, the gun was found to have unsatisfactory ballistics and problems with loading. Firing 152/107 mm shells failed to produce significant improvement in  range.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, Br-19
The Br-19 was an experimental piece which combined elements of late production Br-2 (breechblock, barrel with deep rifling) with elements of B-30. The gun was tried out in 1939; it found superior to the Br-2 and was recommended for production, which, however, never started.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, Br-21
The Br-21 was an experimental 180 mm gun developed privately at the Barrikady Plant by mating Br-2 barrel bored out to the 180 mm caliber to carriage of B-4. The gun reached trials on 20 December 1939. The gun turned out to be more powerful and accurate than the Br-2, but was never adopted, because of the need to produce a new ammunition.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Development and production, Production
The Br-2 was in production from 1936 or 1937 to 1940. At least 37 pieces were manufactured. Early pieces had barrels with the original "shallow" rifling (at least seven, built in 1936-37), while late production pieces had barrels with the newer "deep" rifling (27 in 1939-40).


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Description
The Br-2 had a long - 47.2 calibers - barrel of free-tube construction, with interrupted screw breech. The recoil system with variable recoil length consisted of hydraulic recoil buffer and hydro-pneumatic recuperator. The gun utilized bag loading ammunition. For assistance in loading, a special hoisting crane was used.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Description
The single trail tracked carriage was essentially the same as used for the 203 mm howitzer M1931 (B-4) and the 280 mm mortar M1939 (Br-5). It included an equilibrating mechanism of pushing type. The carriage allowed transportation of the weapon to short distances with the speed of 5–8 km/h. For longer distances, the barrel was removed from the carriage and transported separately on a special cart. In this case, it took from 45 minutes to two hours to prepare the weapon for combat.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Description
Several types of carts were used for barrel transportation. Guns produced in 1937 received the Br-6 cart. Other types used were the wheeled Br-10 (11.1 tons with the barrel) and the tracked Br-29 (13.42 tons with the barrel). In the trials report of 7 August 1938 both were referred to as unsatisfactory; the former because of bad passability and the latter because of excessive weight.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Description
For transportation of carriages, Voroshilovets tracked gun tractors were used. Less powerful Komintern tracked gun tractors were employed to pull gun carts.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Organization and service
As of June 1941, the Br-2 guns were issued to the heavy gun regiment of the Reserve of the Main Command. The regiment consisted of four battalions, each with three two-gun batteries, totaling 24 pieces. Two independent two-gun batteries also existed. After the outbreak of the German-Soviet War, the gun was employed by independent six-gun battalions. Later the organization was changed once again, to super heavy gun regiments of four two-gun batteries, totaling six Br-2 and two 210 mm gun M1939 (Br-17). By May 1945, the Red Army had four such regiments.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Organization and service
The Br-2 (or possibly B-30) saw combat in the Winter War against Finland, one piece was lost. As of June 1941, the RKKA possessed 37 or 38 pieces, of them 24 in the aforementioned heavy artillery regiment and further four in two independent batteries. These batteries were given to the Arkhangelsk military district for use as coastal artillery. The rest of the guns, mainly early production guns with shallow rifling and experimental pieces, remained in storage depots and proving grounds. There is only a fragmentary information of the actual combat use of the Br-2. Some sources mention the guns being used in the Battle of Kursk; the 8th Guards Army employed them in the Battle of the Seelow Heights. By the end of the war, Reserve of the Main Command still had 28 pieces, so apparently none were lost.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Organization and service
The modernized Br-2M remained in service at least until the 1970s.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Organization and service
Surviving pieces can be seen in the Central Armed Forces Museum (Moscow), in the Artillery Museum (Saint Petersburg) and on the Sapun Mountain (Sevastopol).


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Self-propelled mounts
The only self-propelled mount of the Br-2 was a variant of the experimental SU-14, based on the chassis of the T-35 heavy tank with elements of T-28 medium tank, and intended to carry either 203 mm howitzer or 152 mm gun. The prototype armed with Br-2 is referred to as SU-14Br-2. In Autumn 1941 the experimental piece shelled German forces from Kubinka proving ground. The vehicle is still on display in the Kubinka Tank Museum.


152 mm gun M1935 (Br-2), Ammunition
The Br-2 fired specially developed ammunition. The shallow rifling pieces and the deep rifling ones also used different projectiles. High explosive / fragmentation and anti-concrete projectiles were produced; there is some indication that chemical and "special" (i.e. nuclear) projectiles also existed, though it is not completely clear. The bagged charge allowed three charges - full, no. 1 and no. 2.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B
The 2A65 "Msta-B" is a Soviet towed 152.4 mm howitzer. The "B" in the designation is an abbreviation for Buksiruyemaya, which means towed. This weapon has been fielded in Soviet and Russian forces since at least 1987 and is currently in service with Russian front and army level artillery units. The 2A65 howitzer, like many pieces of Soviet artillery, is capable of firing nuclear artillery shells.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Development
In addition to the towed 152 mm 2A36 gun covered in detail in a separate entry, Russia also deployed a new 152 mm towed howitzer, designated the 2A65, which was allocated the NATO designation of the M1987. This was the year that the weapon was first identified by Western intelligence. According to United Nations sources there were no exports of this weapon between 1992 and 2006.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Development
The 152 mm 2A65 is also referred to as the MSTA-B and the weapon forms the main armament of the 152 mm self-propelled artillery system, the 2S19, which is also referred to as the MSTA-S. Full details of the latter are given in a separate entry. In the designation MSTA-B the latter stands for Buksiruemyi, or towed.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
The 152 mm howitzer 2A65 (M1987) is mounted on a conventional split trail carriage and, when deployed in the firing position, rests on three points, the hydraulic circular firing jack under the forward part of the carriage and the two spades at the rear. Each of the box section trails has a caster wheel to assist the gun crew in bringing the weapon into action. When deployed in the firing position, these swing upwards through 180° and rest on top of each trail.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
The 152 mm ordnance is fitted with a muzzle brake and a semi-automatic breech mechanism, spring-operated ramming system, hydraulic counter-recoil device and a liquid-cooled recoil brake. Elevation and traverse is manual, two-speed, with the direct and indirect sighting devices being located on the left side of the weapon. Pneumatic brakes are fitted as standard.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
The gun fires the same 152 mm ammunition types as the 152 mm 2S19 self-propelled artillery system and, more recently, a new family of separate loading (for example projectile and charge) 152 mm has been introduced. The standard OF45 high-explosive projectile weighs 43.56 kilograms, has a maximum muzzle velocity of 823 meters per second and a maximum range of 24.7 km. The charges include OF72 (long range), OF58 (full charge) and OF73 (reduced charge).


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
The OF45 projectile can be fitted with different rear ends, for example various types of screw-on boat tails, or the OF61 base bleed projectile which weighs 42.86 kilograms, has a maximum muzzle velocity of 828 m/s and a maximum range of 29 km. The OF23 cargo projectile weighs 42.8 kg, has a maximum range of 26 kilometers and contains 42 High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) bomblets, each of which can penetrate 100 millimeters of conventional steel armour.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
Other types of projectile include the HS30 jamming round and the Russian 152 mm Krasnopol laser-guided projectile, which is covered in the entry for the 2S19 self-propelled artillery system. A 155 mm version of this system has been developed but as far as it is known this has not been exported. China has developed a new 155 mm/52 calibre SP artillery system called the PLZ52. This has a turret very similar to the 2S19. In addition to these new 152 mm projectiles the 2A65 can fire all standard types of 152 mm ammunition fired by the older Russian D-20 towed gun-howitzer and the 2S3 self-propelled gun-howitzer.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
The howitzer is towed by either the KrAZ-260 6x6 truck or the Ural 4320 6x6 truck. The gun consists of a distinctive four-wheeled carriage, and has an armored shield that slopes to the rear and extends over the wheels. It has been fielded since 1987 and was first deployed by Soviet forces in Eastern Europe.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
In Russian Army service, the 2A65 is deployed with the 9th Artillery Brigade in Luga, the 288th Artillery Brigade in Inzhenernyy, and the 291st Artillery Brigade in Maykop, as well as being stored in Perm and near Novgorod. It is also in service with other units in other Russian military districts, including the 381st Guards "Warsaw" Artillery Regiment of the 150th Motor Rifle Division. The total number of active 2A65 howitzers in Russian service is estimated at 370.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
The 2A65 is also in service with the Ukrainian Ground Forces, in the 11th Artillery Brigade, Ternopil and the 55th Artillery Brigade, Zaporizhia.


152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B, Description
In Defense Forces of Georgia, 2A65 is in service within 5th Artillery brigade of Eastern Army Command.


152 mm howitzer M1909
The 152 mm howitzer M1909 (Russian: 152-мм гаубица обр. 1909 г.) was a Russian Empire 152.4 mm (6 inch) howitzer. Developed by the French arms manufacturer Schneider et Cie it saw service throughout World War I.


152 mm howitzer M1909
Initially it was classified as fortress howitzer (Russian: kryepostnaya gaubitsa), compared to the lighter Schneider design, 152 mm howitzer M1910, which was adopted as a field howitzer. However, during World War I it started to be used as a field howitzer as well. It was later developed by the Soviet Union into the 152 mm howitzer M1909/30 which saw service throughout the Great Patriotic War.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30
152 mm howitzer M1909/30 (Russian: 152-мм гаубица обр. 1909/30 гг.) was a Soviet 152.4 mm (6 inch) howitzer, a modernization of the 152 mm howitzer M1909, initially designed by Schneider. It was the most numerous 152 mm howitzer employed by Red Army in World War II.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Development and production history
From the late 1920s the RKKA sought to upgrade its World War I-era artillery pieces. One of the modernized weapons was the 152 mm howitzer M1909, initially designed by the French arms manufacturer Schneider. After a number of experiments it was determined that the muzzle velocity of the piece could be increased to about 395 m/s (further increase could result in a damage to the carriage). In 1930 at the Bolshevik Plant, the gun was experimentally fitted with a muzzle brake.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Development and production history
In 1930-1931, the Perm plant developed a modernization project. Initially, the only element of the project was lengthening the chamber to 340 mm (upgraded barrels received a mark "lengthened chamber"). In late production pieces minor changes in breechblock, cradle and elevation mechanism were introduced. Some pieces also had their wooden wheels replaced by steel ones with rubber tires. The modernized weapon was officially adopted as 152-mm howitzer model 1909/30.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Development and production history
The M1909/30 was a typical short-barrel howitzer, intended mostly for shooting with elevations from +20° to +41°, using separately loaded ammunition. The gun had interrupted screw breechblock; hydraulic recoil buffer and hydro-pneumatic recuperator were both mounted under the barrel. The carriage was of single trail type with limited traverse and, typically, unsprung wooden wheels (some pieces produced from 1937 had metal wheels with solid rubber tires). With the gun was issued limber, which had either wooden or metal wheels.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Development and production history
From 1931 to 1941 the Perm plant delivered 2,188 pieces.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Organization and employment
Under the organization of 1939, each rifle division had a howitzer regiment with a 152-mm howitzers battalion (12 pieces). In July 1941 these regiment were cancelled. Same fate befell 152-mm howitzers battalions of motorized and armored divisions.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Organization and employment
Corps artillery units didn't employ 152-mm howitzers early in the war (they did use howitzer-guns ML-20); but from late 1943 the recreated corps artillery included a regiment consisted of five batteries (totaling 20 pieces), equipped, along with other types, with 152-mm howitzers. By 1 June 1944, there were 192 such pieces in corps artillery.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Organization and employment
Reserve of the Main Command included howitzer regiments (48 pieces) and heavy howitzer brigades (32 pieces), sometimes organized into artillery divisions.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Organization and employment
The howitzer was used by the RKKA in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol and in the Winter War. At the outbreak of the German-Soviet War the M1909/30 was still the most numerous 152-mm howitzer in Soviet service. On 1 June 1941, the RKKA possessed about 2,500 pieces, about twice as much as the newer M-10s, which were soon removed from production. Although from 1943 the M1909/30 was again being gradually replaced, this time by D-1, it was still in service by the end of the war.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Organization and employment
A number of guns of this type fell into the hands of Wehrmacht in 1941-42; these were adopted as 15,2 cm sFH 445(r). Germans also produced ammunition for these guns. Most of the pieces were assigned to coastal artillery.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Organization and employment
Finnish Army captured 14 pieces during the Winter War, and 85 more early in the Continuation War. The guns were actively used in combat. As a training weapon, the M1909/30 remained in Finnish service until the 1980s.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Summary
The M1909/30 was a relatively minor upgrade of a World War I-era howitzer, which did not address the main flaws of the latter, namely:


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Summary
A short barrel meant short range, less than that of its main adversaries, such as the German 15 cm sFH 18 (8.8 km vs 13.3 km). Low muzzle velocity and small traverse also made the gun helpless against enemy armor.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Summary
On the other side, the M1909/30 was rugged and reliable. It was also relatively light and could be set up for combat in 30–40 seconds. Thanks to it, the howitzer was well liked in the RKKA.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Summary
In 1930 the Soviet Union still was not ready for development and mass production of modern artillery, so the upgrade of old guns was a reasonable decision.


152 mm howitzer M1909/30, Ammunition
When set to fragmentation action, the OF-530 produced fragments which covered an area 70 m wide and 30 m deep. When set to HE action, the exploding shell produced a crater about 3.5 m in diameter and about 1.2 m deep.


152 mm howitzer M1910
The 152 mm howitzer Model 1910 Schneider or, more properly, 6 dm polevaja gaubitsa sistemy Schneidera as it was designated in Tsarist times, was a French howitzer designed by Schneider et Cie. It was used by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union during World War I, the Russo-Polish War and the Russian Civil War. Finland captured nine during the Finnish Civil War, but did not use them during that conflict. They did see combat during the Winter War and the Continuation War.


152 mm howitzer M1910, Description
The 152 mm howitzer Model 1910 Schneider was a conventional design for its time. It used a box carriage with wooden wheels, a Gun shield to protect the crew and a hydro-pneumatic recoil system mounted under the barrel. It used an interrupted-screw breech with separate-loading ammunition; the shell being loaded first followed by the proper amount of propellant in a brass cartridge case.


152 mm howitzer M1910, History and use
Schneider designed the howitzer to meet an Imperial Russian specification and it was accepted as the Model 1910 Schneider to distinguish it from the Krupp design also bought that same year. It was manufactured by the Putilov Factory and the Perm Artillery Factory. It was used on the Eastern Front during World War I and fought in the Russo-Polish War and the Russian Civil War. Surviving examples were upgraded in the Thirties with a new carriage with pneumatic tires as the 152 mm gaubitsa obr. 1910/30.


152 mm howitzer M1910, History and use
Finnish weapons were used for training before the Winter War began, but were issued to Heavy Artillery Battalion 4 during the war. During the Continuation War they served with Heavy Artillery Battalion 30 although they were withdrawn relatively quickly because they were worn out and stored until 1966 against future need.


152 mm howitzer M1910, History and use
When World War I broke out this was the most modern howitzer design that France had available so it was re-barreled in 155 mm (6.1 in), the standard French caliber. Schneider later used the M1910 carriage for their Canon de 105 modèle 1913, Canon de 155 L modèle 1877/14, Canon de 155 C modèle 1915, Canon de 155 L modèle 1917 and Canon de 155 L modèle 1918 guns.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37
152 mm howitzer M1910/37 (Russian: 152-мм гаубица обр. 1910/37 гг.) was a limited production Soviet 152.4 mm (6 inch) howitzer, a modernization of the 152 mm howitzer M1910, initially designed by Schneider. The gun was employed by Red Army in World War II.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Development and production history
The gun resulted from a modernization of the 152 mm howitzer M1910. The M1910 was initially designed by Schneider. Putilov Plant and Perm Plant delivered 348 pieces in 1911-27. By 1936, the RKKA possessed 101 M1910s, including 5 practice pieces.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Development and production history
Work on modernizing the gun started in 1936. Because of small number of M1910s in service, extensive upgrade was not considered worthwhile. The gun was rechambered for larger cartridge, same as used by the 152 mm howitzer M1909/30; upgraded barrels received a mark "lengthened chamber". Some pieces also had their wooden wheels replaced by steel ones with rubber tires, resulting in much higher transportation speed of 18 km/h. The modernized weapon was officially adopted as 152 mm howitzer model 1910/37.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Development and production history
By 1941, all M1910 howitzers were upgraded. There was no production of new pieces.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Development and production history
The design of M1910/37 was typical for World War I era howitzer. The gun had short (12 calibers) barrel with eccentric interrupted screw breechblock; hydraulic recoil buffer and pneumatic recuperator were both mounted under the barrel. The carriage was of single trail type with limited traverse and, typically, unsprung wooden wheels (some pieces received metal wheels with solid rubber tires). The gun was typically towed by a horse team (eight horses) by means of a limber. For each gun three horse-drawn ammunition boxes were issued; each box held 22 projectiles and 24 propellant charges.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Organization and employment
Under the organization of 1939, each rifle division had a howitzer regiment with a 152 mm howitzers battalion (12 pieces). In July 1941 these regiment were cancelled. Same fate befell 152 mm howitzers battalions of motorized and armored divisions.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Organization and employment
Corps artillery units didn't employ 152 mm howitzers early in the war (they did use howitzer-guns ML-20); but from late 1943 the recreated corps artillery included a regiment consisted of five batteries (totaling 20 pieces), equipped, along with other types, with 152 mm howitzers. By 1 June 1944, there were 192 such pieces in corps artillery.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Organization and employment
Reserve of the Main Command included howitzer regiments (48 pieces) and heavy howitzer brigades (32 pieces), sometimes organized into artillery divisions.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Organization and employment
By the outbreak of German-Soviet War older 152 mm howitzers were being replaced by the newer M-10. However the M-10 production rate was slow, so by June 1941 the M1910/37 was still in service and was employed by the RKKA in the German-Soviet War. However, no details of its service are available.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Summary
The M1910/37 was a relatively minor upgrade of a World War I-era howitzer, which did not address the main flaws of the latter, namely:


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Summary
A short barrel meant short range, less than that of its main adversaries, such as the German 15 cm sFH 18 (8.8 km vs 13.3 km). Low muzzle velocity and small traverse also made the gun helpless against enemy armor.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Summary
On the other side, the M1910/37 was rugged, reliable and relatively light.


152 mm howitzer M1910/37, Ammunition
When set to fragmentation action, the OF-530 produced fragments which covered an area 70 m wide and 30 m deep. When set to HE action, the exploding shell produced a crater about 3.5 m in diameter and about 1.2 m deep.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10)
152-mm howitzer M1938 (M-10) (Russian: 152-мм гаубица обр. 1938 г. (М-10)) was a Soviet 152.4 mm (6 inch) howitzer of World War II era. It was developed in 1937–1938 at the Motovilikha Mechanical Plant by a team headed by F. F. Petrov. Although production of the gun was stopped in 1941, it saw combat with the Red Army until the end of World War II and remained in service until the 1950s. Captured pieces were used by Wehrmacht and the Finnish Army. The latter kept the M-10 in service until 2000.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10)
In a tank-mounted variant, M-10T, the gun was mounted on the KV-2 heavy tank.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Development history
By the early 1930s the Red Army (RKKA) started to look for a replacement for the 152-mm howitzer M1909 and the 152-mm howitzer M1910. Those pieces, developed before World War I, had unsprung fixed trail carriages and short barrels, which meant poor mobility, insufficient elevation and traverse angles and short range. Although both pieces were eventually modernized, resulting in the 152-mm howitzer M1909/30 and the 152-mm howitzer M1910/37 respectively, these were relatively minor upgrades which brought only limited improvement in some areas and didn't address others. It was clear that a completely new design was needed. However, at that time, the Soviets had little experience in developing modern artillery pieces.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Development history
An initial attempt was made to overcome that issue through a collaboration with Germany. Constrained by the limitations of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was looking for ways to proceed with weapons development and joint projects gave them such an opportunity. Among other weapons supplied by Germans was a heavy howitzer, designated 152-mm howitzer M1931 (NG) in the USSR. Soon the Motovilikha Mechanical Plant (MMZ) was tasked with the production of this gun. However, only eight pieces were completed in 1932–1934 until production was stopped. The design proved to be too complicated for the Soviet industry of the early 1930s, similar to other designs like 122-mm howitzer M1934 or 20-mm and 37-mm autocannons. Also it was considered somewhat heavy at 5,445 kg in travelling configuration. But these early failures gave Soviet developers some valuable experience.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Development history
In 1937, F. F. Petrov and his design team at the Motovilikha Ordnance Plant started work on a new design, the M-10. Technical papers were submitted to the Artillery Directorate on 1 August 1937 and on 2 November the first prototype was completed. Ground trials (19–25 October 1938) featured two pieces: No. 302 (L/25 barrel with constant rifling) and No. 303 (L/20 barrel with progressive rifling). The No. 303 was found to be superior. The trials also revealed numerous defects in the gun construction: the howitzer suffered from insufficient upper carriage strength, leaks in the recoil buffer, unreliable suspension etc.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Development history
For army tests early in 1939, an improved design with a longer barrel was presented. Another series of army tests followed from 22 December 1939 to 10 January 1940, but even before it started—on 29 September 1939—the gun was adopted as 152 mm divisional howitzer model 1938. Later, the word divisional was removed from the designation.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Production history
The M-10 entered production at the Plant No. 172 in 1939. Until the end of the year, four pieces were manufactured, 685 more in 1940 and 833 in 1941. About 340 barrels for KV-2 heavy tanks were also built (for 334 serial production tanks and a few prototypes and experimental vehicles).


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Production history
Soon after the outbreak of the war, mass production of the gun was halted. The following reasons are typically cited:.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Production history
Some found these arguments questionable. Later in the war, corps artillery employed the 152-mm howitzer M1943 (D-1) with the same ballistics. Production rates were growing. Even early in the war, the Red Army wasn't passive, but tried to attack at every opportunity; moreover, howitzers are certainly useful in defensive combat too, e.g. for suppressing enemy howitzers. A historian M. Svirin offered the next explanation instead:


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Description
The M-10 was much more advanced design compared to older Soviet 152 mm howitzers. It had a modern split trail carriage which allowed for a much larger traverse. The trails were of riveted construction. The carriage was equipped with suspension and wheels from the ZiS-5 (truck), increasing towing speed.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Description
The barrel, much longer than that of older designs, was fitted with an interrupted screw breechblock with recoil devices consisting of a hydraulic recoil buffer and hydro-pneumatic recuperator. The recoil travel was variable. A gun shield provided some protection from bullets and shell fragments.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Description
Unlike its eventual successor, the D-1, the M-10 was not equipped with a muzzle brake. While softening recoil and thus allowing for a lighter carriage, a muzzle brake has the disadvantage of redirecting some of the gases that escape the barrel toward the ground where they raise dust, revealing the gun position.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Description
The gun could be towed by an artillery tractor or a team of horses. In the latter case, a 400-kg limber was used.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Organization and employment
Under the organization of 1939, each rifle division had a howitzer regiment with a 152-mm howitzer battalion (12 pieces). In July 1941 these regiments were cancelled. The same fate befell 152-mm howitzer battalions of motorized and armored divisions.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Organization and employment
In 1944, rifle corps of the Red Army had one artillery regiment each. Those regiment consisted of five batteries (totaling 20 pieces), equipped with 152-mm howitzers, 122-mm or 107-mm guns.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Organization and employment
Reserve of the Main Command included howitzer regiments (48 pieces) and heavy howitzer brigades (32 pieces). Those could be merged to form artillery divisions.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Organization and employment
On 1 June 1941 the RKKA possessed more than thousand M-10s. Many were lost in the early phase of the war, combined with a decision to stop the production it meant only limited quantity remained in service; these remaining guns in dwindling numbers were used for the remainder of World War II. The M-10 was used against personnel, fortifications and key objects in the rear.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Organization and employment
Many guns were captured by the Wehrmacht early in the war, and adopted as 15,2 cm sFH 443(r). The Finnish Army captured 45 pieces and further 57 were purchased from Germany in 1944. In Finland the howitzer, designated 152 H 38, was issued to five heavy artillery battalions and actively used in battle. Finns rather liked the gun, but considered it somewhat heavy. After the end of the hostilities, the M-10 remained in the Finnish service; in the 1980s there were some considerations of modernizing it, but the idea was dropped; the guns were stored in the army depots until 2000 and then they were finally retired and scrapped.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Organization and employment
The surviving M-10 howitzers can be seen in various military museums and war memorials, for example in the:


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Variants
In addition to the towed howitzer, a vehicle-mounted variant was developed for use in KV-2 heavy tanks. This variant—152 mm tank howitzer M1938 (M-10T)—had a shorter barrel.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Variants
A single prototype with powder bag loading was built in 1939.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Summary
The M-10 project provided the RKKA corps artillery with a modern 152-mm howitzer, which combined good  firepower with good mobility (although, as the example of the D-1 shows, the latter characteristic could be improved without compromising the former). When compared to a typical contemporary howitzer of similar calibre, the M-10 had shorter range, but was lighter. E.g. the German 15 cm sFH 18 had a range of 13,325 m—about one kilometer longer than that of the M-10—but also weighed much more (5,510 kg in traveling position).


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Summary
The same can be said about the US 155-mm howitzer M1 (14,600 m, 5,800 kg) or 149-mm howitzer manufactured by the Italian Ansaldo (14,250 m, 5,500 kg). A German howitzer with characteristics similar to those of the Soviet one—the 15 cm sFH 36—didn't reach mass production. Compared to older pieces such as the French Schneider model 1917 (11,200 m, 4,300 kg), the M-10 had advantage in range and comparable weight.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Ammunition
The M-10 used separate-loading ammunition, with eight different charges. The charges ranges from the "full charge" Zh-536 and smaller charges ranging from the "first" to "sixth", which was the smallest. A "special charge" was used with the BP-540 HEAT projectile. Propellant charges were produced in "full" and "third" variants in munitions factories. All other charges were derived from removing small gunpowder bags from the charge cartridge. For flash suppression there was a special chemical mixture which was inserted into cartridges before night firing. 152 mm projectiles for the M-10 weighed about 40 kg, making a difficult job for loaders, who had to carry the projectiles alone.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Ammunition
When set to fragmentation mode, the OF-530 projectile produced fragments which covered an area 70 meters wide and 30 meters deep. When set to high-explosive (HE) action, the exploding shell produced a crater about 3.5 meters in diameter and about 1.2 meters deep. The OF-530 is still fired from modern 152 mm ordnance pieces of the Russian Army.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Ammunition
The G-530 HEAC anti-concrete shell had a muzzle velocity of 457 m/s when fired with the "first" charge. At a range of one kilometer it had 358 m/s terminal velocity and was able to punch through up to 80 centimeters of reinforced concrete before detonating a TNT charge which increased the total penetration to 114 centimeters. The G-530 could not be fired with a "full" charge without putting the crew at risk of having the shell explode in the barrel. A special version of the shell, the G-530Sh, was developed to allow use with the full charge.


152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10), Ammunition
The BP-540 HEAT projectile was not used during World War II. It had an armour penetration of 250 millimeters at an incident angle of 90°, 220 millimeters at 60°, 120 millimeters at 30°.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1)
The  D-1 howitzer M1943 (Russian: 152-mm gaubitsa obr. 1943 g. (D-1)) is a Soviet World War II-era 152.4 mm howitzer. The gun was developed by the design bureau headed by F. F. Petrov in 1942 and 1943, based on the carriage of the 122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30) and using the barrel of the 152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10). The powerful and mobile D-1, with its wide range of ammunition, significantly increased the firepower and breakthrough abilities of Red Army tank and motor rifle formations. Several hundred D-1s were manufactured before the end of World War II.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1)
Post World War II, the D-1 saw combat in numerous conflicts during the mid- to late 20th century. The long operational history of D-1 howitzers in national armies of numerous countries is a testimony to its qualities; the gun still remains in service in a number of post-Soviet states and some other countries. The D-1 is widely considered a valuable element of Soviet artillery.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Development and production, Background
In 1941 the Soviet Union decided to cease production of the 152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10). One of the reasons was the disbanding of the Rifle Corps between August and September 1941 and the consequent removal of the corps artillery. Moreover, all 152 mm howitzers were excluded from divisional artillery. As a result, there was no series production of 152 mm howitzers during 1942.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Development and production, Background
However, the rifle corps were re-established in late 1942 and the previous organization of artillery at the corps level was reintroduced. As a result of the halting of 152 mm howitzer production, the Red Army corps artillery lacked a weapon more mobile than the heavy 152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20) (typically employed by army-level and Reserve of the Main Command artillery units), but more powerful than the 122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30).


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Development and production, Response to the challenge
In 1942, trying to solve the problem of lack of a suitable mobile 152 mm howitzer, the design bureau headed by F. F. Petrov started to work privately on a new howitzer, based on the carriage of the M-30 and the barrel of the M-10 (which was fitted with a muzzle brake in order to reduce the recoil and thus prevent damage to the lighter carriage). The approach allowed production to begin on the new howitzer almost immediately from the stockpile of parts for both earlier guns. Given the war situation and shortages of artillery, this solution was both elegant and expedient.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Development and production, Response to the challenge
Early in 1943 Petrov notified the People's Commissar of Armaments Dmitriy Ustinov about the new project. On 13 April Ustinov informed Petrov that the State Committee of Defence had requested for five of the new guns to be sent to the testing grounds on 1 May. On 5 May, two pieces were received for trials; two days later, on 7 May the gun was recommended for adoption, and on 8 August 1943 it was officially adopted as the 152 mm howitzer M1943. One and a half months later, the first series production D-1 howitzers were delivered to the Red Army representatives.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Development and production, Production
The D-1 was manufactured solely at No. 9 Plant (UZTM) in Sverdlovsk from late 1943 to 1949. During World War II, the howitzer was only produced in small numbers because Plant No. 9 was also responsible for the mass production of the 122 mm howitzer M-30. This resulted in critical shortages of the 152 mm howitzers in the Red Army corps artillery until the end of the war.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Description
The D-1 howitzer was essentially a combination of the barrel of the 152-mm howitzer model 1938 (M-10) on the carriage of the 122-mm howitzer M1938 (M-30). Since the new carriage was lighter than that of the M-10, the barrel was fitted with a massive double-baffle muzzle brake DT-3 to soften the shock of recoil. The breech block was of interrupted screw type, the recoil system consisted of a hydraulic buffer and a hydro-pneumatic recuperator. The separately loaded ammunition included a variety of shells and eight different propellant charges in cartridges.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Description
The carriage was nearly identical to the carriage of the M-30. It had suspension and steel wheels with pneumatic rubber tires. The trails were initially of riveted construction, but were eventually replaced in production by welded ones. Late production pieces were equipped with caster wheels to ease manhandling. Time to set up for combat was about two minutes. In an emergency it was possible to fire without splitting trails; however this was at the price of a drastically reduced traverse (1°30'). Since the gun was not equipped with a limber, it could be towed only by vehicle. The maximum towing speed was 40 km/h on paved roads, 30 km/h on cobbled roads and 10 km/h off-road. To give the crew some protection from bullets and shell fragments, the gun was fitted with a shield.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Description, Comparison with contemporary howitzers
From a technical and tactical point of view, the D-1 project provided the Red Army (RKKA) corps artillery with a modern 152 mm howitzer, which combined both good mobility and firepower. When compared with a typical contemporary howitzer of similar caliber, the D-1 had shorter range, but was much lighter. For example, the German 15 cm sFH 18 had a range of 13,325 meters – about one kilometer longer than that of the D-1 – but also weighed almost two tons more (5,510 kilograms in traveling position).


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Description, Comparison with contemporary howitzers
The same can be said of the US 155-mm howitzer M1 (14,600 meters, 5,800 kilograms) or the 149 mm howitzer manufactured by the Italian Ansaldo (14,250 meters, 5,500 kilograms). A German howitzer with characteristics similar to those of the D-1 – the 15 cm sFH 36 – did not reach mass production. Compared with older pieces such as the French Schneider model 1917 (11,200 meters, 4,300 kg), the D-1 had the advantage in both weight and range.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Organization and employment
The D-1 was employed by corps artillery and the reserve of the main command units. In 1944, the rifle corps of the Red Army had one artillery regiment each. Those regiments consisted of five batteries (totaling 20 guns), equipped with the D-1 along with various other 152 mm howitzers, 122 mm gun M1931/37 (A-19), 152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20)  or 107 mm gun M1910/30. Reserve of the Main Command included howitzer regiments (48 pieces) and heavy howitzer brigades (32 pieces). Those could be merged to form artillery divisions.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Organization and employment
The Red Army employed D-1 howitzers from 1944 onwards, during the final stages of World War II. The D-1 was used primarily used against personnel, fortifications and key structures in the enemy rear. The anti-concrete G-530 shell was also sometimes used against armored vehicles with good results. During its service the gun earned a reputation for being reliable and accurate. The D-1 was finally withdrawn from service in the mid-seventies.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Organization and employment
After the war the gun was supplied to many countries around the globe, including former Warsaw Pact allies, such as Poland. As of the early 2000s it remains in service in Afghanistan, Albania, China, Cuba, Hungary, Iraq, Mozambique, Syria, Vietnam and other countries. The gun was employed in the Arab-Israeli Conflict and also in some conflicts in former republics of Soviet Union. The long operational history of D-1 howitzers in the national armies of numerous countries is an additional testimony to its qualities.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Organization and employment
The D-1 was seen in use during the April 2016 battles between the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army and the Azerbaijani Forces. It was used by the NKR Defense Forces.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Organization and employment
Surviving D-1 howitzers can be seen in various military museums and war memorials, e. g. in the Museum of Artillery and Engineering Forces, Saint Petersburg, Russia; in the Museum of Heroic Defense and Liberation of Sevastopol on Sapun Mountain, Sevastopol; in the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Kiev, Ukraine; in Poznań Citadel, Poland and in Polatsk, Belarus, as a memorial piece.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Variants
In addition to the towed howitzer, Petrov's team developed a vehicle-mounted variant of the D-1. Red Army offensive operations in the summer and fall of 1943 reawakened interest in the idea of a heavy "artillery" tank similar to the KV-2, that could provide close fire support to rifle and tank units and would be capable of demolishing heavy fortifications. Probable causes for the development of such a vehicle were the cessation of mass production of the SU-122 medium assault gun and diversion of SU-152 heavy assault guns for anti-tank actions.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Variants
The tank variant of the D-1 was originally intended for mounting in a variant of the KV-1s heavy tank. It utilized the mount of the 85 mm D-5, leading to the unofficial name D-1-5 and eventually to the official designation of D-15. Only one example was built. There is no information about the gun being mounted in the KV tank. By October 1943 Soviet authorities were anticipating the start of mass production of the powerful IS-2 heavy tank; as a result the idea of a specialized artillery tank based on the obsolete KV chassis was dropped.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Variants
Another project combining the T-34 tank chassis with the D-15 gun was also considered. Designated SU-D15, the medium assault gun was intended as a replacement for the SU-122. Although the project received a lot of support from the authorities it never entered production, both because of its shortcomings (the heavy gun put too much strain on the suspension and ammunition stowage was too limited) and because it was made redundant by the ISU-152. However lessons learned mounting a powerful gun in the T-34 allowed for rapid development of the SU-100 tank destroyer.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Ammunition
The D-1 had a large variety of ammunition, including high-explosive, armor-piercing, HEAT, shrapnel, illumination, and chemical.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Ammunition
The D-1 used separate loading ammunition, with eight different charges. The charges included the "full charge" Zh-536 and smaller charges ranging from the "first" to "sixth", which was the smallest. A "special charge" was used with the BP-540 HEAT projectile. Propellant charges were produced in "full" and "third" variants in munitions factories. All other charges were derived from them by removing small gunpowder bags from the charge cartridge. For flash suppression there was a special chemical mixture which was to be inserted into a cartridge before night firing. 152 mm projectiles for the D-1 weighed about 40 kg; a difficult job for the loaders, who had to carry the projectiles alone.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Ammunition
When set to fragmentation mode, the OF-530 projectile produced fragments which covered an area 70 meters wide and 30 meters deep. When set to high-explosive (HE) action, the exploding shell produced a crater about 3.5 meters in diameter and about 1.2 meters deep. Despite the D-1's withdrawal from service in the mid- 1970s, the OF-530 is still fired from modern 152 mm ordnance pieces of the Russian Army.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Ammunition
The G-530 HEAC anti-concrete shell had a muzzle velocity of 457 m/s when fired with the "first" charge. At a range of one kilometer it had a 358 m/s terminal velocity and was able to punch through up to 80 centimeters of reinforced concrete before detonating a TNT charge which increased the total penetration to 114 centimeters. The G-530 could not be fired with a "full" charge without putting the crew at risk of having the shell explode in the barrel. A special version of the shell, the G-530Sh, was developed to allow use with the full charge.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Ammunition
The BP-540 HEAT projectile was not used during World War II. It had an armour penetration of 250 millimeters at an incident angle of 90°, 220 millimeters at 60°, 120 millimeters at 30°.


152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1), Ammunition
In the late 1950s old ammunition stocks for the D-1 were removed from the Soviet inventory. The only shells retained were the OF-530, O-530, G-530/G-530Sh, and possibly chemical shells. The Soviet Army also possessed a 152 mm nuclear shell, but it is not clear whether that shell could be used with the D-1.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20)
The 152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20) (Russian: 152-мм гаубица-пушка обр. 1937 г. (МЛ-20)), is a Soviet heavy gun-howitzer. The gun was developed by the design bureau of the plant no 172, headed by F. F. Petrov, as a deep upgrade of the 152-mm gun M1910/34, in turn based on the 152-mm siege gun M1910, a pre-World War I design by Schneider. It was in production from 1937 to 1946. The ML-20 saw action in World War II, mainly as a corps / army level artillery piece of the Soviet Army. Captured guns were employed by Wehrmacht and the Finnish Army. Post World War II, the ML-20 saw combat in numerous conflicts during the mid to late twentieth century.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Description
The ML-20 was officially classified as howitzer-gun, i.e. an artillery system which combines characteristics of a howitzer and (to lesser extent) of a gun and therefore can be used in both roles. This universality was achieved by wide range of elevation angles and by using separate loading with 13 different propellant loads. The gun was fitted with both telescopic sight for direct fire and panoramic sight for an indirect one. For ballistic calculations and meteorological corrections a special mechanical device was developed. The device, called meteoballistic summator, consisted of a specialized slide rule and a pre-calculated table. After World War II similar devices were introduced for other types of guns.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Description
The barrel was either monobloc or built-up. Some sources indicate that a third type—with loose liner—also existed. To soften recoil, a large slotted muzzle brake was fitted. The breechblock was of interrupted screw type, with forced extraction of cartridge during opening. A safety lock prevented opening of the breechblock before the shot; if there was a need to remove a shell, the lock had to be disabled. To assist loading when the barrel was set to high elevation angle, the breech was equipped with cartridge holding mechanism. The gun was fired by pulling a trigger-cord.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Description
The recoil system consisted of a hydraulic buffer and hydro-pneumatic recuperator. Each held 22 litres of liquid. Pressure in the recuperator reached 45 Bar.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Description
The carriage was of split trail type, with shield and balancing mechanism, leaf spring suspension and steel wheels with rubber tires (some early production pieces received spoked wheels with solid tires from M1910/34). During transportation the barrel was usually retracted. The gun could also be towed with the barrel in its normal position, but in this case the transportation speed was limited, about 4–5 km/h (compared to 20 km/h with barrel pulled back). The gun could be set up for combat in 8–10 minutes. The carriage, designated 52-L-504A, was also used in the 122-mm gun model 1931/37 (A-19).


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Description
This gun was also mounted in two Soviet assault guns/tank destroyers employed during WWII. These are the SU-152 and ISU-152.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Development history
Among other artillery pieces the Red Army (RKKA) inherited from the Imperial Russian Army a 152-mm siege gun M1910, developed by Schneider. The gun was modernized twice in 1930s, resulting in the 152-mm gun M1910/30 and the 152-mm gun M1910/34. However, its mobility, maximum elevation and speed of traverse still needed improvement. In 1935-36 the No. 172 Plant in Motovilikha tried to continue the modernization works, but the Main Artillery Directorate (GAU) insisted on more significant upgrade.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Development history
Consequently, the design bureau of the plant developed two guns ML-15 and ML-20. While the former project was initiated by GAU, the latter started as private development; the team working on it was led by F. F. Petrov. Both guns used barrel and recoil system of the M1910/34. The ML-20 also inherited the wheels, suspension and trails from the older gun.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Development history
The ML-15 reached ground tests in April 1936, was returned for revision and was tested again in March 1937, this time successfully. The ML-20 went through ground tests in December 1936 and through army tests next year. After some defects (mostly in carriage) were eliminated, the ML-20 was recommended for production and on 22 September 1937 it was adopted as 152-mm howitzer-gun model 1937 (Russian: 152-мм гаубица-пушка образца 1937 года (МЛ-20)).


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Development history
It is not clear why the ML-20 was preferred. The ML-15 was lighter (about 500 kg less in combat position, 600 kg in traveling position) and more mobile (maximum transportation speed 45 km/h). On the negative side, the ML-15 had a more complicated carriage (however, the final version of the ML-20 carriage incorporated some features of the ML-15). Some sources claim that the choice was made because of the economic factor—the ML-20 was more similar to the M1910/34, thus requiring fewer adjustments for production.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Production history
The gun was in production from 1937–1946. 6,884 guns were manufactured and about 4,000 ML-20S barrels were used in the SU-152 and ISU-152 self-propelled guns. The ML-20 was eventually replaced by the D-20 152 mm gun with identical ballistics, which entered production in 1956.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Production history
Smaller production rates toward the end of the war were caused by two reasons. First, most of the barrels produced in these years were ML-20S. Second, after the Soviets started to field heavy tanks such as the JS series that used the A-19 122mm gun, the plant was ordered to increase the production of the A-19 instead of the ML-20.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Red Army
The ML-20 was originally intended for corps artillery. Together with the 122-mm gun A-19 it formed a so-called "corps duplex". In 1940-41 there were three types of corps artillery regiments:


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Red Army
Soon after the outbreak of Operation Barbarossa, the corps artillery was eliminated (as rifle corps themselves were eliminated). It was restored later in the war. The new corps artillery regiments were supposed to be armed with 122-mm guns or 152-mm howitzers, but some memoirs mention that the ML-20 was also used.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Red Army
From 1943 the gun was employed by artillery regiments of armies. Such regiments had 18 ML-20s. Guard armies from early 1945 had artillery brigades with 36 ML-20s.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Red Army
The ML-20 also used by artillery regiments (24 pieces) and brigades (36 pieces) of the Reserve of the Main Command.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Red Army
It was primarily used for indirect fire against enemy personnel, fortifications and key objects in the near rear. Heavy fragments of the OF-540 HE-Fragmentation shell were capable of piercing armour up to 20–30 mm thick, making a barrage dangerous to thinly armored vehicles and to some extent to heavier armoured ones as the fragments could damage chassis, sights or other elements; sometimes a close explosion caused damage inside a vehicle even though the armour remained intact. Direct hit of a shell often resulted in tearing away a turret of a medium tank or jamming it in case of a heavy tank.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Red Army
The first combat use of the ML-20 was in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, in limited numbers. It also saw combat in the Winter War against the Mannerheim Line fortifications. The gun continued to be used throughout the World War II.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Red Army
Excellent characteristics of the gun, including reliability and ease of maintenance, allowed it to remain in service with the Soviet Army for a long time after the war.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Other operators
In the early stage of the German invasion of the Soviet Union hundreds of ML-20 were captured by the Wehrmacht. The gun was adopted by Germans as 15.2 cm KH.433/1(r). From February 1943 Germans manufactured ammunition for the gun.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Other operators
The Finnish Army captured 37 guns of the type in 1941–44 and received additional 27 from Germany. These guns were adopted as 152 H 37. A number of barrels were mated with carriages of A-19 to create 152 H 37-31. While the gun was generally liked, the Finnish Army didn't possess enough prime movers suitable for towing such a massive piece. As a result, some of the guns were assigned to coastal artillery. Two pieces were captured back by the Red Army. A number of these guns were modernized in 1988 and as of 2004 still remain in reserve as 152 H 88-37. (all of the 152 H 88 series are being withdrawn as of 2007).


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Organization and employment, Other operators
After the war the ML-20 was widely exported to Warsaw Pact allies and to many states in Asia and Africa (in some of those states the gun still remains in service). It was adopted by Egypt and Syria and saw action in Arab–Israeli conflict. In 2002 a TV documentary featured ML-20 employed by the Afghan Northern Alliance forces against the Taliban fighters; it seems likely that the guns were initially supplied to the Najibullah's regime.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Variants
The barrel was manufactured in two variants − monobloc or built-up. Some sources indicate that a third type - with loose liner - also existed.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Variants
Except the basic variant, the only variant to reach mass production was the ML-20S, developed for use in self-propelled guns, with differently placed controls for easier operation in small enclosed compartments.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Summary
The ML-20 was one of the most successful Soviet artillery pieces of World War II. Its characteristics positioned it between classical short-range howitzers and special long-range guns. Compared to the former, the ML-20 has better range (e.g. the German 15 cm sFH 18 had range of 13.3 km), which often allowed it to shell positions of enemy artillery while remaining immune to enemy fire. Its advantage over the latter was in weight and cost, and therefore in mobility and production rate.


152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20), Summary
For example, the German 15 cm K 39 with range of 24.7 km weighed 12.2 tons and only 61 pieces were built; of the excellent 17 cm K 18 (23.4 t, 29.6 km) 338 pieces were manufactured; lighter 10.5 cm sK 18 (5.6 t, 19.1 km) was more common (2,135 pieces) but its 15 kg shell was much less powerful than a 44 kg shell of ML-20. German attempts to produce an analogue to the ML-20 were unsuccessful. The 15 cm sFH 40 was never produced due to construction defects; the 15 cm sFH 42 had insufficient range and only 46 pieces were built. In 1943 and 1944 Wehrmacht announced requirements for a 15 cm howitzer with a range of 18 km, but none reached production.