ASU-57
Encyclopedia
The ASU-57 was a small, lightly constructed Soviet
assault gun
specifically designed for use by Soviet airborne divisions. From 1960 it was replaced by the ASU-85
.
and the SU-76
assault gun, and armed with the new 76mm gun D-56T. The ASU-76 turned out to be too heavy, even though the armour was only 3 mm thick, and the project was cancelled. Anatoly Kravtsev's team came up with the similar, amphibious K-73. This vehicle was armed with Charnko's 57mm anti-tank gun Ch-51 and was even more thinly armoured than the ASU-76. This project too was shelved.
In 1949, Astrov was instructed to continue with his project, but with reduced weight and with the Ch-51 gun as main armament instead of the D-56T since it offered better anti-tank performance. The redesigned Ob.572 was developed simultaneously with the light artillery tractor Ob.561 (AT-P) and was accepted for series production from 1951 as the ASU-57, after successfully passing the various test phases in 1949.
(PP-128-500 or P-7) along with the troops. It was lightly armored and armed with a 57 mm gun Ch-51, a development of World War II ZIS-2
but with some similarities to the Ch-26. From 1954, an improved 57mm gun Ch-51M with much shorter double-baffle muzzle brake was fitted. The gun fired standard caliber 57x480R ammunition of the ZIS-2 anti-tank gun, such as the BR-271 series and the O-271U, of which it had 30 on board. The ASU-57's engine was taken from the GAZ-M-20 "Pobeda"
civilian car.
The ASU-57 was a successful design, and saw service with Soviet airborne divisions for around 20 years before being replaced by the ASU-85
. During its years of operation 54 vehicles would have been assigned to each airborne division
.
One main drawback was the vehicle's welded aluminum hull, which offered little protection for the crew. However for airborne troops such vehicles are invaluable, giving lightly armed soldiers who are isolated behind enemy lines mobile artillery
support on the battlefield.
Every vehicle was equipped with a radio 10 RT-12 and intercom system TPU-47. Late-production models (from 1961) had the R-113 and R-120, as well as a TVN-2 night vision device for the driver.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
assault gun
Assault gun
An assault gun is a gun or howitzer mounted on a motor vehicle or armored chassis, designed for use in the direct fire role in support of infantry when attacking other infantry or fortified positions....
specifically designed for use by Soviet airborne divisions. From 1960 it was replaced by the ASU-85
ASU-85
The ASU-85 is a soviet-designed airborne self-propelled gun of the Cold War Era. From 1959 it replaced the open-topped ASU-57 in service but was in its turn replaced by the BMD-1 from 1969.-Development history:...
.
Development history
The task to develop a light-weight airborne assault gun with 57 or 76mm gun for the airborne troops was given to two design bureaus, Astrov (OKB-40) in Mytishchi and Kravtsev in Moscow. Nikolaj Astrov's OKB-40 designed the ASU-76, based on components of the light tank T-70T-70
The T-70 was a light tank used by the Red Army during World War II, replacing both the T-60 scout tank for reconnaissance and the T-50 light infantry tank for infantry support. The T-80 light tank was a more advanced version of the T-70 with a two-man turret—it was only produced in very small...
and the SU-76
SU-76
The SU-76 was a Soviet self-propelled gun used during and after World War II.- History :The SU-76 was based on a lengthened and widened version of the T-70 tank chassis...
assault gun, and armed with the new 76mm gun D-56T. The ASU-76 turned out to be too heavy, even though the armour was only 3 mm thick, and the project was cancelled. Anatoly Kravtsev's team came up with the similar, amphibious K-73. This vehicle was armed with Charnko's 57mm anti-tank gun Ch-51 and was even more thinly armoured than the ASU-76. This project too was shelved.
In 1949, Astrov was instructed to continue with his project, but with reduced weight and with the Ch-51 gun as main armament instead of the D-56T since it offered better anti-tank performance. The redesigned Ob.572 was developed simultaneously with the light artillery tractor Ob.561 (AT-P) and was accepted for series production from 1951 as the ASU-57, after successfully passing the various test phases in 1949.
Design
The ASU-57 was designed to be a light-weight assault gun that could be air-dropped and deployed by rocket-assisted parachuteParachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
(PP-128-500 or P-7) along with the troops. It was lightly armored and armed with a 57 mm gun Ch-51, a development of World War II ZIS-2
ZiS-2
The ZiS-2 was a Soviet 57-mm anti-tank gun used during World War II. The ZiS-4 was a version of the gun meant to be installed in tanks. ZiS stands for Zavod imeni Stalina , the official title of Artillery Factory No...
but with some similarities to the Ch-26. From 1954, an improved 57mm gun Ch-51M with much shorter double-baffle muzzle brake was fitted. The gun fired standard caliber 57x480R ammunition of the ZIS-2 anti-tank gun, such as the BR-271 series and the O-271U, of which it had 30 on board. The ASU-57's engine was taken from the GAZ-M-20 "Pobeda"
GAZ-M20 Pobeda
The GAZ-M20 "Pobeda" was a passenger car produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ from 1946 until 1958. It was also licensed to Polish Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych.The first Pobeda was developed in the Soviet Union under chief engineer Andrei A. Liphart...
civilian car.
The ASU-57 was a successful design, and saw service with Soviet airborne divisions for around 20 years before being replaced by the ASU-85
ASU-85
The ASU-85 is a soviet-designed airborne self-propelled gun of the Cold War Era. From 1959 it replaced the open-topped ASU-57 in service but was in its turn replaced by the BMD-1 from 1969.-Development history:...
. During its years of operation 54 vehicles would have been assigned to each airborne division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
.
One main drawback was the vehicle's welded aluminum hull, which offered little protection for the crew. However for airborne troops such vehicles are invaluable, giving lightly armed soldiers who are isolated behind enemy lines mobile artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
support on the battlefield.
Every vehicle was equipped with a radio 10 RT-12 and intercom system TPU-47. Late-production models (from 1961) had the R-113 and R-120, as well as a TVN-2 night vision device for the driver.
Variants
- ASU-57KShM - An unknown number of ASU-57s was converted into command and staff vehicles . These had the gun removed and were fitted with additional signals equipment.
- BSU-11-57F or 2T2 - Recoilless gun carrier for the B-11B-11 recoilless rifleThe B-11 recoilless rifle is a Soviet 107 mm smoothbore recoilless rifle. It entered service in 1954, and was typically towed by a 6x6 ZIL-157 truck or a UAZ 4x4 truck.Designed by KBM, Kolomna....
of 107mm. Prototype only. - ASU-57P or Ob.574 - From 1951, work on an amphibious variant of the ASU-57 started. This version had a re-designed front hull and was armed with a Ch-51P gun with 30 rounds. Even though the 5 prototypes passed the evaluation with success, series production was never started.
External links
- Sword of the Motherland Foundation
- Walkaround of ASU-57 presented in the Central Museum of Armed Forces (Moscow)
- Walkaround of 2T2 presented in Il'inskoye (Moscow)
- Walkaround of APNP-1 presented in Il'inskoye (Moscow)
- Poster
- http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/misc/vehicles/stewartasu57.htm
- K-73 in Kubinka
- ASU-57P prototype during IDELF-2008
