Soviet artillery pieces
Used in the Winter War
(The contents of this page are based
on the book "Itsenäisen Suomen Kenttätykit 1918 - 1995"
by Jyri Paulaharju, Published by Military Museum of Finland,
1996")
Since no source (that I can get my hands on) is able to give a thorough
list of Soviet artillery pieces used in the Winter War, I have decided
to include here only artillery types that the Finns managed to capture
(except the 76 K 02-30/40 and 152 H 37 which were used by the Red
Army but not captured by the Finns).
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The designation of guns in Finland
was, and is, as follows:
- The first number is the Caliber of the gun in
millimeters (mm)
- Then the letter that follows identifies the type
of the gun
K = cannon
H = howitzer
LK = gun short
VK = mountain gun
VH = mountain howitzer
RK = infantry gun
KH = gun-howitzer
- The last number is the year of development (or
when it was accepted in service or some other year used to identify
the model)
Some of the guns have also the official
Russian designations in addition to the Finnish ones. If so,
an English translation of the Russian designation is included
below it. The Russian designations were
provided by Andrey Sysa, St.Petersburg
General
information of artillery weapons and shells
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122 K
31
(Note, the stats are with normal shrapnel/HE shells.)
Light
cannons
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76 K 02-30
"76-mm polkovaya pushka obr. 1902/30"
76 mm regimental cannon model 1902/30
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
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mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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76.2
30
6.35- 4.82
424 - 625
-6 - +35
3.0 - 10.6
1 320
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Photographed in the Artillery Museum in
Hämeenlinna, Finland
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In the 1930's, the Red Army decided to modernize their large
stocks of "Model 02 Putilov"-guns. The soviet artillery industry
incorporated new propellants, projectiles and on some guns,
new barrels (see below; 76 K 02-30/40). The changes
on the carriage allowed more elevation, thereby increasing range.
Finnish forces captured 32 guns of this type during the Winter
War.
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76 K 02-30/40
"76-mm divizionnaya pushka obr. 1902/30"
76 mm divisional cannon model 1902/30
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
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mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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76.2
40
6.35
680
-3 - +37
13.5
1 350
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(Picture source: "Field guns
in Finland 1918-1995", p.71)
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Some of the old model 1902 guns received a new barrel, 40 Caliber
long. The designer was V.N.Sidorenko and the original
type name was "76-mm pushka obr. 1902/30 g L/40". The change
increased muzzle velocity and increased range.
The Finns didn't capture any guns of this type during the Winter
War (12 were captured during the Continuation War),
but it's nearly certain that this type was also used.
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Max range
Weight in action
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mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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76.2
13.3
6.5
290
-5 - +35
5.5
327
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Photographed in the Artillery Museum in
Hämeenlinna, Finland
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This mountain gun was produced by Obuhov, and was used in the
first time in the Russo-Japan war as horse drawn artillery.
The gun had many weak points, for instance low muzzle velocity
resulting in short range.
The Finns captured 4 guns in Suomussalmi, and while the picture
above is on a naval mount, the captured guns were on field gun
mounts.
Note, the weight in action is without the gun shield.
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
|
mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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76.2
16.5
4.82 - 6.61
387
-6 - +35
3.0 - 8.1
780
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The soviet artillery industry developed
an improved version from the 76 LK 13 gun. There were two infantry
gun models. The main difference between the types, were the
wheels. The weight of the gun with metal wheels and rubber tires
was 902 - 920 kg.
Each Soviet infantry regiment had 6 guns of this type. A total
of 54 guns were captured during the Winter War by the Finns, as
several soviet regiments were annihilated.
The 76 RK 27 is photographed in the Military
Museum in Helsinki, Finland. The 76 RK 27-30 is photographed in
the Artillery Museum, in Hämeenlinna, Finland.
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76 K 36
"76-mm divizionnaya pushka obr.1936"
76 mm divisional cannon model 1936
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
|
mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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76.2
51.1
6.4
688
-5 - +75
3.0 - 13.6
1 620
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Photographed in the Military Museum in
Helsinki, Finland
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This gun was to became one of the mainstays of the soviet field
artillery regiments during the early days of WWII.
This gun first saw action against the Japanese in 1938
at the Khasan lake in the Far East.
The Finns captured 37 guns and some were taken into use immediately.
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Special
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76 RekK 35 (76 K/DRP)
"76-mm batal'onnaya dinamo-reaktivnaya pushka Kurchevskogo"
"76 mm battalion dynamo-reactive cannon by Kurchevskiy"
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Max range
Weight in action
|
mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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76.2
30
4.7
?
?
6.5
200
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During the 30's the Soviet Union produced a family of recoilless
guns, which were originally developed to be used as support
weapons for paratroopers. Surprisingly little has been written
about them in international weapon books. On the Raate-road
two of these strange looking guns were captured attached on
trucks.
"The gun was designed by L.V. Kurchevskiy in 1930 and entered
service in 1932. These recoilless guns were mounted on GAZ-A
trucks which became SU-4 self-propelled guns"*
The guns raised immediate international interest and The Illustrated
London News wrote about them in April 6th 1940. The guns were
extensively test-fired and studied. One of the guns was secretly
shipped to Germany after the Winter War, to be thoroughly studied,
and it was never returned. The other gun was stored and is now
in the Military Museum in Helsinki, Finland.
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These pictures of the 76 K/DRP were taken
from "The Winter War 60 years" -exhibition in the Military
Museum in Helsinki, Finland.
DRP means "dinamo-reaktivnaya pushka"
= dynamo-reactive cannon*
* = Information kindly provided by Andrey
Sysa, St.Petersburg, Russia
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Light howitzers
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122 H 09-30 & 122 H 10-30
"122-mm gaubitsa obr.1909/37" and "122-mm gaubitsa obr.1910/37"
"122 mm howitzer model 1909/37" and "122 mm howitzer model 1910/37"
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
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mm
cal
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
deg (°)
km
kg
kg
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121.9
14*
12.8**
23.05
361
-1 - +44.5*
-3 - +44.5**
5.0 - 8.5
1 450*
1 466**
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The Soviet Union started modernizing
her 122 mm howitzers on 1937 (therefore the Russia designations
of the guns are different than the Finnish ones, as the latter
weren't aware of the exact year).
In the H 09-30, a muzzle break was added, the carriage was strengthened
as the gun was modified to accept a bigger charge.
The H 10-30 received the same modifications excluding the muzzle
break. Both guns were photographed in
the Artillery Museum, in Hämeenlinna, Finland.
A total of 35 guns, of both models, were captured during the
Winter War. All Finnish 122 H 09 and H 10's were later modified
with similar changes.
* = 122 H 09-30 (Russian designation 122 H 09-37)
** = 122 H 10-30 (Russian designation 122 H 10-37)
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Heavy howitzers
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
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mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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152.4
14
40.6
382
-1 - +37.5
9.5
2 725
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Photographed in the Artillery Museum in
Hämeenlinna, Finland
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This gun was a modernized version of the Russian 152 H 09.
Numerous changes were made to the gun and carriage in the 1930's.
14 guns were captured by the Finns.
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
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mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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152.4
32.3
48.96
650
-2 - +65
17.23
7 270
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Photographed in the Artillery Museum in
Hämeenlinna, Finland
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This Model 1937 (ML-20) Gun-Howitzer was undoubtedly one of
the most important soviet heavy artillery pieces throughout
World War 2.
The gun was designed by F.F.Petrov, and it was mostly assembled
from various existing and reliable parts. The gun was, after
some modifications, fitted in the assault guns SU-152 and JSU-152.
Finnish forces didn't capture any gun of this type in the Winter
War.
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Heavy cannons
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122 K 31
"122 mm Cannon-Howitzer A-19 Model 1931/1937"
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
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mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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121.92
46.3
21.7 - 25.0
560 - 788
-4 - +45
14.3 - 20.0
7 100
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Photographed in the Artillery Museum in Hämeenlinna, Finland
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This heavy cannon was designed in the Soviet Union, and introduced
into service in 1931. The chief designer was S.Shukalov.
This heavy cannon was used by High Command artillery units,
and so no guns were captured by the Finns in the Winter War.
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Super heavy howitzers
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Caliber
Barrel length
Shell weight
Muzzle velocity
Elevation
Range
Weight in action
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mm
cal
kg
m/s
deg (°)
km
kg
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203
25
98 - 100
538 - 607
0 - +60
12.8 - 16
15 800 - 17 700
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Photo courtesy of Alexander V. Korovin,
St. Petersburg.
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This super heavy howitzer was one
of the tools, that were used in breaking the defenses of the
Finnish Mannerheim Line during the Winter War. There were at
least 4 different modifications of this gun made, and it has
some special characteristics. It was mounted on a special tractor
mount (although it looks a bit like a self propelled howitzer,
it wasn't).
The photo on the left is courtesy of
Col. Jyri Paulaharju.
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There were also many other guns, especially heavy and super
heavy guns, that the Red Army used and more info can be found in
the following web site:
www.battlefield.ru/guns/index.html
"Soviet guns 1920 - 1945"
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See also
General
information of artillery weapons and shells
Back to
Artillery weapons
in the Winter War
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