76 mm tank gun M1940 F-34
| 76 mm tank gun M1940 F-34 | |
|---|---|
 The F-34 was the standard gun on theT-34 medium tank.Shown here is a T-34 Model 1943. | |
| Type | Tank gun |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| Used by |  Soviet Union Nazi Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | P. Muraviev |
| Designed | 1939 |
| Manufacturer | Factory No. 92 |
| Produced | 1940 |
| Specifications | |
| Barrellength | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) L/42.5 |
| Shell | Fixed QF76.2 × 385 mm. R |
| Shellweight | 6.5 kg (14 lb 5 oz) |
| Caliber | 76.2 mm (3.00 in) |
| Breech | Semi-automatic vertical sliding-wedge |
| Elevation | 5° to 32° |
| Traverse | 360°[1] |
| Rate of fire | 5-10 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 680 m/s (2,200 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 2.0 km (1.2 mi)(effective 800m)[1] |
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2015) |
The76 mm tank gun M1940 F-34(76-мм танковая пушка обр. 1940 г. Ф-34) was a 76.2 mmSoviettank gunused on theT-34/76tank. A modified version of thegun,the76 mm tank gun M1941 ZiS-5(76-мм танковая пушка обр. 1941 г. ЗиС-5), was used onKV-1tanks duringWorld War II.Nowadays, the two versions are often referred to just by theirfactory designations,as "F-34" and "ZiS-5", respectively.
History
[edit]The F-34 was designed before the start of World War II by P. Muraviev ofVasiliy Grabin's design bureau atFactory No. 92inGorky.The gun was superior to both contemporary 76.2mmguns, Gorky's F-32 and the LeningradKirov Plant'sL-11,but it was the latter that had already been approved for the new T-34 medium tank. The initial T-34 Model 1940 with L-11 was in production whenGermany invaded the Soviet Union.
The F-34 was ready for production, but MarshalGrigory Kulik's high-handed interference with tank appropriation had made the relevant bureaucrats too fearful of being arrested to approve the better gun. Grabin and the director of theKharkov Locomotive Factory(KhPZ), the centre of T-34 production, conspired to produce the F-34 anyway, and began to install the gun on new tanks. The new T-34 Model 1941 tanks, which were issued mostly to company and platoon commanders, were immensely popular with their crews. Letters from tank units reachedStalin'sState Defense Committee(GKO), which officially authorized production.
Also, due to Kulik's meddling, the KV-1 heavy tank model 1940 had ended up mounting Grabin's older F-32 gun, making it more poorly armed than the T-34 medium tank. Chief Designer of TanksJoseph Kotinconvinced the GKO to allow the use of the F-34 gun on the KV-1 heavy tank Model 1941. The ZiS-5 was a version of the gun designed to better fit the KV-1's turret.
In 1943, the thickarmorof the new GermanTigerandPanther tankshad rendered the F-34 gun obsolete, and experiments were conducted to find a replacement. The better-penetrating 57 mmZiS-2high velocity antitank gun was installed on some T-34/57 tanks, but the smaller-bored gun couldn't fire an adequatehigh explosiveround for general use. A more heavily armoured T-34 prototype was built, theT-43,but it was still vulnerable to the Tiger's88,and its mobility suffered too much from the weight of armour.
In the end, the F-34 was replaced by theD-5TandZiS-S-5385 mm calibre guns on the T-34-85 tank, and by 122mm and 152 mm guns on the newIS-2heavy tank and inthe Soviets' casemate-type,turretlesstank destroyer.
Comparison of guns
[edit]
TheL-11gun was mounted on the initialT-34Model 1940 medium tank and theKV-1Model 1939 heavy tank. The F-32 was on the KV-1 Model 1940. Subsequent models of both tanks mounted the F-34 until it was replaced by 85mm guns in the T-34-85 medium tank and KV-85 heavy tank.
| Gun | L-11 | F-32 | F-34 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length (calibres) | L/30.5 | L/31.5 | L/42.5 |
| F-354high explosive(HE) | |||
| weight (kg) | 6.23 | 6.23 | 6.23 |
| muzzle velocity (m/s) | 610 | 613 | 680 |
| OF-350high explosive fragmentation(HE-Frag) | |||
| weight (kg) | 6.21 | 6.21 | 6.21 |
| muzzle velocity (m/s) | 610 | 638 | 680 |
| BR-353Ahigh explosive anti-tank(HEAT) | |||
| weight (kg) | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| muzzle velocity (m/s) | ? | ? | 325 |
| penetration (mm) | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Armour-piercing(AP) | |||
| weight (kg) | 6.51 | 6.51 | 6.3 |
| muzzle velocity (m/s) | 612 | 613 | 680 |
| penetration at 500 m (mm) | ? | 60 | ? |
| penetration at 1,000 m (mm) | 50 | 50 | 60 |
| BR-350/BR-350Aarmour-piercing high explosive(APHE) | |||
| weight (kg) | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| muzzle velocity (m/s) | 612 | 613 | 655 |
| penetration at 500 m (mm) | 62 | ? | 69 |
| penetration at 1,000 m (mm) | 56 | ? | 61 |
| BR-350Parmour-piercing, composite rigid(APCR) | |||
| weight (kg) | ? | ? | 3.0 |
| muzzle velocity (m/s) | ? | ? | 965 |
| penetration at 500 m (mm) | ? | ? | 92 |
| penetration at 1,000 m (mm) | ? | ? | 60 |
See also
[edit]Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
[edit]- Ordnance QF 75 mm:contemporary British tank gun
- 7.5 cm KwK 40:contemporary German tank gun
- 75 mm Gun M2/M3/M6:contemporary US tank gun
References
[edit]- ^abcamvas."Guns and Ammo of Soviet Tanks".armchairgeneral.Retrieved2017-09-17.
- ^Zaloga, Steve (1984).Soviet tanks and combat vehicles of World War Two.Grandsen, James. London: Arms and Armour Press. p.225.ISBN0853686068.OCLC12810882.
- Zaloga, Steven J.; James Grandsen (1984).Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two.London: Arms and Armour Press.ISBN0-85368-606-8.
External links
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