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SERIES TWENTY TWO

(US)
155 mm Gun Motor Corrioge T.6.
155 mm Gun Motor Corrioge M' l2' "King Kong"
(US)
(US)
Corgo Corrier T. 14 ond M.30' (su)
Soviet Assoult Gun Corrioge lS U - 122' D'255 (su)
ioviet Assoult Gun Corrioge ISU - 122' A-195

SUPER DETAILED DRAWINGS PRESENTED lN I z 76 AND I :

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l!9VEa. View of.soft plofe l55mm Gun Motor Corrioge T.6 os originolly monufoctured token on 4th Februory
1942. This vehicle hod the eorly
{{irl M.3 type verticol volut! suspension ond o hydroulicoly op"-ted-'
recoi I spode. Both driver ond co-driver hod side doors os we ll os top hltches . Heod lJmps *"r; ;;;^JJ
;
the front trock guords ond there wc' no stowoge of equipment. (u.s. officiol photo)

COVER ILLUSTRATION - DRAWN BY GEORGE BRADFORD.

The United Stotes l55mm Gun Motor Corrioge M.l2 consisted of the obsolete First World Wor l55mm Gun
M.l9lSmountedontheMoinchossiscomponentsoftheMediumM.3tonkosocorrioge. Whilstonlyo
relotively smoll l^uontity of these vehicles were built ond sow oction, they were the t[in end of the iJge
in getting heovy Self-propelled Guns occçted by the U.S. A"rmy.

l55mm GUN MOTOR CARRIAGE T 6 AND M12. - 1941/44 SERIES 22, No.85ltl6(US)
Drowings ond historicol reseorch by D.p.Dyer.

Th.e French l55mm gun Gronde Puissonce Filloux, (Greot Power Filloux) nomed ofter it,s designer Coptoin
Filloux, wos used by fhe U,S. Artillery in the World Wor l. ,

They found it to be the best ÿpe of heovy field ortillery developed ond used up until then becouse of it,s
simplicity, wide troverse, .lfg:i:!l recoil slatem, lonj ronge, Lnd durobility.' These guns of French
monufocture were designoted M.1917 by the U.S. A,rmy. Pioduction of o slightly modified
version of this
gun took ploce in Americo ond wos designoted M.lglB-MI
Towords the end of the fint World Wor ond following the French odoption of ten ton Renoult
troctors os self-
propelled mounts for the GPF, the U.S. produced the Motor Corriogl Uk.lt.
ihis wos o speciol Holt
designed chossis mounting the l55mm gun, ond ten were produced. They were never
used in oction.
lmmediotely ofter the A,rmistice the U.S. Chief of Stoff, on the suggesrion of the
Chief of Field Artillery
oppointed o boord of Officers to moke o study of the most suitoble-c-olibres, types
of ommunition, ond forms
of tronsport for the ortillery ossigned to the field Army. This boord wos h"iaâ Uy Brigodier
Generol
Westervelt, ond becqme known voriously os the 'Wesiervelt Boord' or the ,Coliber Booid,.
A penetroting
survey wos mode ond the report concluded thot every item of the hordwore of wor
used by the'U.S.Army"
required improvement. Amongst it's recommendotions for ortillery tronsport the
Boord odvocoted immediote
motorisotion.of oll weopons lorgerthon theT5mm gunond the 4" howitzer. ln their summory,the l55mm gunwos
required to hove o speed of six miles per hour if trocked or twelve miles per
hour if wheeled.
Fulfilment of the 'Coliber Boord' recommendotions for motorisotion fell for short of
the gool ond the nrotor-
isotion of ortillery soon come to be o controversiol motter. ln the yeorc
immediotely fJlowing the ,Cqliber

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ABOVE: Prior to dispotch overseos seventy-four l55mm Gun Motor Corrioges were overhouled to include
vorious improvements thot hod been incorporoted meonwhile during production of the Medium Tonks on which
they were bosed. The obove photo shows one such vehicle ofter fitiing of sond shields. The item, behind the
hond winch for roising the spode, is o looding troy for hondling shells. (u.s. officiol photo)

Boord' report the Ordnonce Deportment undertook o series of development proiects for Self-propelled mounts,
but in eoch cose work wos holted either by lock of finonce, lock of intereit on the port of t'he'fi"ta ertille.y,
or both. As lote os 1938 between forty ond sixÿ percent oi the Army's ortillery wos still horse drown.
A
goodmonyortillerymencontendedthothorsedroftwosmoresotisfocioqythonmochine. Horsesneitherron
out.of petrol, nor required repoirs ond spore porh. lf theField Artilleiydid not wont Self-propelled guns
the
Ordnonce Deportment could not foist them upon the users even hod they sufficient funds
to develoo them.
ïowing by troctors wos relotively occeprobre io the Fierd e.iiil".y. È;r;;;
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Until 1925., when development-work wos obondoned, the l55mm gun wos
tested on on improved Holt Troctor
type chossis
designoted Motor Corrioge MklX which oppeored in 1920, ond olso on vorious Chrisfie Convert-
oble mounts of which four were built.
Over.the following sixteen yeors the Ordnonce Deportment did
their best to interesf the user orms in Self-
propelled Ârtillery, but the Army Ground Force wà odomont
thot towJ *rii.f ** more monoueveroble,
less conspicuous, less likely to be out of ocfion for repoir,
ond less expensive.
with the ovoilobility of reeorch funds os Americo storted her mossive re-ormoment
progrom, studies were mode
by ordnonce technicol stoff into the possibility of mounting the l55mm gun
Mk' ll onto o corrioge consisting of rhe principie
M.l9lg MI from the Motor corrioge
"orpon"ni,
of the then-new Medium Tonk M.3. Approvol
for.the monufocture of o pilot model to Le designoted l55mm Gun Moror corrioge i.6 *o, obtoined in June
I94l ' Work commenced on this ot Rock lslond-A,rsenol the following
delivered to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Moryrond, for testing
,."tr,, tÀllo.pleted pilor being
in themiddreof Februory rg42, The rower hu,
ond suspension of this vehicle wos the some o, used on
the MIdium rrrr,s rc* *itÀleturn rollers mounted
centrolly obove the bogies. The engine wos moved forword
to the spoce normolly occupied by the fighting
comPortment of the M'3, ond o shortened tronsmission
shoft connected to thJ stondord georbox ond fînol
drive' The driver ond co-driver sot either-side of the georbox ond werethis p-rial
vision porh.fitted with protectoscopes for forword visiJn.. m"ai* M.3 ÿpe
"rirt their heods, ond
Both hod entry hotches over
both olso hod o side door. Fuel ionks were locoted in the sponsons
itself wos mounted behind the engine. At the extreme ..o, engine. The gun
"ltir.r.iJ"
oi the vehicle wos o "iine
recoil spode which wos
roised ond lowered by hydroulic ronrs.
Certoin mechonicol defech were reveoled during testing moinly
with regord to the hydroulic mechonism
of the recoil spode which were serious enough to n"""rri-tot" complete
red"rign. Authoriÿ wos requested for
permission to proceed with the immediote production of fifty
vehicle, p.io. to"rionàordisotion, buf this wos
with held pending Service Boord tests. Thà T.6 , fitted wit[, o modifii
-".i1-rp.J", wc shipped to the
4
 Field Artillery Boord ot Fort Brogg towords the end of Moy 1942.
The Field A,rtillery Boord were very pleosed with the T.6 reporting thot it wos superior in mobilîty
ond monoeuverobility tô other weopons of o similor colibre. For exomple o tocticol test of moving the gun
from firing position to firing position over o distonce of six miles took thirty-five minutes wifh fhe T.6
ogoinst three hours for moving the some gun on o wheeled mount towed by o troctor.
Stondordisotion of the T.6 os the M. l2 wos opproved qt the end of August 1942, ln the interim it oppeors
thot production of these vehicles hod olreody èommencd ot the Pressed Steel Cor Co., no officiol outhoriÿ
for tËis oction hos been troced. The first series vehicle come off the production line in September, 50 beîng
completed by November, ond o further 50 by Morch 1943. lt could be thot Ordnonce Deportment, knowing
of tË" opporition by certoin Army Ground Force Generols to the whole concept hod decided to force their
hondr wiih o foit o;compli. On the other hond it moy hove been o genuine error by the monufocturing
concern, on incorrect report, or even documents thot went ostroy. Whotever the truth, the impression one
goins thereofter is thot;hilsr the A,rmy Ground Forces hod been forced to occept the M.l2 they tried_to
ieloy ,sing them for os long os possib[e. A few were put on extended tests, but the moioriÿ were only used
for troining or kept in storoge for over o yeor.
Towords the end of 1943 reports hod orrived from overseos regording the use (by both the Russions ond Germons)
of big guns to fire point blonk ot defensive positions, impelled the Armoured Boord. to recommend immediote
p.od,i"tion of gun motor corrioges for medium ond heovy ortillery. Even then,.with, the moss of evidence in
iouo* of h"ou-y grn. being seli-propelled the Army Ground Forces disopproved of the recommendotions
pertoining to tiÀ, stoting thot ihe existing M.l2is would meet oll onticipoted requirements lot
1911'

By Februory 1944, every chonge ond modificotion.hoving been finolised for the M.l2 outhority
wos given
for Boldwin Locomotive to r"Uiita sevenÿ-five vehicles. This gove sufficient vehicles to equip six
Bottolions
eoch consisting of three Botteries of four guns with three spore. Rebuilding sevenÿ-four vehicles w-os
-of hod been effected'
completed by iloy 1944 ond by the end oiJrly lg4,fshipment to the bottle fronts overseo
TheM.l2differedfromthepilotT.6verylittle. Themoindifferencesbeingthelgter. l4ReofverJicol
gun loyer,for the
volute spring suspension fitti with the tioiling return rollers, A rudimentory gun shield
were corried' The shells were
ond o *'in"foperoted recoil spode. Ten shelli together with chorges ond fuses
Two.chorges were secured centrolly
occomodoted verticolly in l."""rro, in the floor oi the gun comportment.
behind the gun, the ,"roinJ", of the chorges being locoted in iocks beneoth the two gun crew members-seots
with seots formed from
ot the reor of the left hond sponson. A fuither Wo gun crew members were provided
riser of the bottom step fitted between the orms àf the recoil spode. On the underside of this seot the
the
BELOW: This photo shows onother view of the rebuilt vehicle on poge
4' . Stowoge.in this photo is not correct
should be locoted on the inside foce of the left hond fuel tonk
obove the engine comportment'-.
iÀ"
"ro*bo, is friü*itl ti" t-lt insteod of in it's brocket on the right hond sponson woll'
ond the storter hondle Oioi"", 5
(U.S, officiol photo)

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THE FIELD ARTILLERY BOARD

FORT BRACG, N.C.
lieg.No. aV - 1941t Date 3-3-1943
1 Exhibit À - 1 File No. 451. 3/r
oR3. Test No. )-?ïJ ltem No. 336
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."h t re cr ïr ei.
ABOVE: The obove photo token ot the Field A,rtillery Boord test oreo ot Fort Brogg in Morch 1943 shows
o

stondord M.l2 with ihe recoil spode lowered. Of inierest is the correct stowoge position of the golvonised
bucket between the two spode seots, ond the webbing "sofety belts" for the occuponts
of these seoh '
( Officiol U. S. Photo. )
the spode seot show o.n
BELOW: Although the torpoulin is not present, the strops for retoining some under
tfri, ,i"", of the ihi*y-fift'f' frl.fZ produced. ihit ,ehi"le is in trovelling order. A point of
interest is thot
reor of the left hond sponson hod not yet been increosed 7
itu h"igft of orrorrilote orornd ihe seots ot the
ot this time. (U.S. officiol photo)

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 vehicle torpoulin wos stowed, ond the footrest wos formed from the lid of o corbine box.
The spode wos
roised by meorx of o hond operoted winch on the right hond fuel tonk cover,
iJ ,.toin"a in position by o
tie rod eoch side. Folding chocla were corried onihe R.H. front t.o"k gro.a-oia used to
stop the vehicle
moving forword on counter recoil.
The reoson for the brockets ottoched to the reor bogies is.obscure,
Some photogrophs oppeor to show wedges
driven in between this ond the trock qnd it is suggÀted thof rhey might b; to
return rollers when the gun wos fired. lt could bà thot they weie to-relieve
,tÇil" trock iumping ofirË
sheJr stresses on the ràr bogie,
or oct os supporh for the sponsons.
On-e of the items requested during the rebuilding were sond
shields otherwise there were no notice6le
differences. A convos cover wos designed to fit over the gun compor;"^;;.-;r;;*t
the crew in inclement
weother, but it is not thought thot this ever become stondoid issue, in view
of the foct thot should o leok
occur in thc exhoust system it would be extremely dongerous for the gun crew.

::"tll^",*lr-:b'_:l"l"type.of sunutilis{, M.l2'sprovedrheodvonrosesof theheovySelf-propelledsun.

TheT.S3whichutilisedtheformoremodernl55mmgunM.'2onowid-er
lt-t,','l:-T*î'"t.**..Y"?limited.
ond longer chossis with Horizontol.VoluJe Spring
Suspension ond 23" trocks storted comin-g off the production
line-in Februory I945 ond srondordised in m"y ir+s is the m.ao.
At the some time the M.12 wos reclossified
os.Limited Stondord, being declored.obsolete in August 1945.
lt is of interest to note thot from the time the
pilot wos recommended the T.83 took exoctry on" yËo, to stondordisotion
b.ing opfrou"a.
The only known remoining exomple of the M.l2 is retoined
ot Aberdeen proving Ground, Morylond.
The moin series of scole drowings , by Phil Dyer, ore the result of severol yeors work ond reseorch which
includes detoiled.meqsuring of the only vehicle still in existonce
ot the Aberdeen proving Ground. ïhese
drowings ond the historicol doto which hove.been compiled
so corefullf uy lrrr'iïy". ond his mony Americon
friends ore the most occurofe possible with the moteriol exish to_doy.
<Ed.
B-ELOW:_ These.two photogrophs compore the reor
view of the M.l2 w'ith spode lowered with the Corgo
Corrier T.14 pilot olso,#ith toilgote lowered. The M.12 shown
is on eorly vehicle in view of there being
o step down directly behind the gun mount where the looding
plotform wos on the T.6 originolly.

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Excerpi from o Bottle Ground report on the M.'12

"Bottle of Seigried Line" - bottle of movement ended tempororily when the U.S. First Army reoched the
Germon border. The bottle of the Siegfried line begon. During this bottle the bottolion hod o duol role:
os on Artillery bottolion delivering supporting fire, ond os o siege gun reducing pillboxes ond other fixed
fortificotions in the oreo. lt is not possible ot this time to give o detoiled technicol occount of the use of
theM.l2ososiegegun. Mostof thepillboxesdestroyedorneutrolisedbythebottolionorestill onlhe
other side of the front lines. Some generol observotions con be mode even now/ however.
When the mobile phose of the compoign ended with the investment of the Siegfrîed Line 'B' bottery wos
detoched from the bottolion ond ottoched to the 9th lnfontry Division for the specific purpose of direct fire
ogoinst pillbox missions in oddition to it's regulor ortillery work for the 3rd Armoured Division.

From l5th to 24th September., thirty-five direcf fire missions were ossigned to the bottolion. Of these
twenty-eight were pillboxes ond seven were fortified houses or observoiion posts. Sixteen of these missîons
were completely successful. On eoch of these missions complete destruction of the pillbox, penetrotion, or
direci surrender to the fire of the M. l2 wos occomplished. On the remoining nineteen missions vorying
degrees of neutrolisotion were ochieved. ln most of these lotter coses it hos been possible to occupy the
pillboxes or oiher structures on which the fire wos delivered, but from prisoner of wor reports it is concluded
thot cosuolties due to concussion ond chipping of concrete occurred in oll coses. An overoge of ten rounds
were fired on eoch mission.
Bosed on the experiences so for goined we belive thot the M.l2 suitobly employed, will destroy, penefrote,
or knock-out of oction pillboxes of the Siegfried Line iype. The proiectile produces cosuolties ond lowers
morole of the pillbox occuponts. No penetroiion of the heovy I4" steel cupolos which the better type
pillboxes hove ore known of. lt is olso difficult to penetrote the best type of concrete, but in some coses
seven feet of concrete were penetroted foirly eosily,
The optimum ronge for the pillbox workwould oppeor to be between I000 ond 2000 yords. At this ronge there
is very little loss of occurocy or muzzle velocity, ond the crew ore out of ronge of much of the enemy's smoll
orms fire. Pillbox ottocks should be closely co-ordinoted wiih the supporting infontry ond tonks so thot
neutrolising fire moy be delivered on the pillboxes while the M. l2 is shooting for destruction Most of the
missions were fired by individuol pieces, but perhops mossing the simulloneous fire of severol M. I2's would
greotly increose the concussion effecf os well os the shottering ond penetrotion of the concrete, thus
conserving ommunition,
Rood morches of 200 miles hove been occomplished in one doy ond the full irock corrioges hos olso mode
possible cross country mobility
BELOW: Preporîng on M.l2 for oction towords ihe end of the wor in Germony. The bottery wos being emploced
for long ronge firing, os instonced by most of the gun crew not bothering io weor their helmets. ln the fore-
ground one shell is shown in the looding troy, furlher shells ore loyed out on o torpoulin to keep ihem cleon.
ih" member to the left is ,ho*n two of the ronging rods used in positioning the gun. I
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 l55mm Gun Mofor Cor.ioge M 12
Scole | :48 (à', ro l, 0',).

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Armoment

Moinr 155 mm M l9l7Al

Technicol Specificotion for 155 mm Gun Motor Corrioge M 12. Colibre, ond length in colibres: l5S nn/ca (6. l02 ins) ÿ3g
Sæting: Driver, co-driver ond 4 members of gun crew Troverse: 14 degrees R 14 degrees L. Operotion: Hond.
Weighr, Combot læded: 58,770 lbs. 2é.21 Long tons. Elevotionr plus 30 degrees, minus 3 degràes.
29.4 Short tons. 26.65 Tonnes. Rote of fire: 4 rounds per minule.
M*. Ronge: opprox:20,000 yords. Muzzle velocity2,y'.g
Perforrcnce opprox:
Speed, Mu.Ræd: 20 m.p.h. (32 Km.p.h.) Proiecrile weighr: HE 94 lbs, Ap 100 lbs, smoke 123 lbs.
Mox.Grodienf: 22 dgrees (Ai6)
Fording depth: 3' 0" (91.4 cm) Stowoge
Trench crossing: 6' 0" (182.9 cm) Ammunition, seporote looding: l0 rds.
Step: l' 6" ( 45.7 cm) lnfernol Fuel copocity: 166.6 lmp gols. 200 U.5. gols.
Ground pressure: 12.6 lblq.ins (0.88 Kg/sq.cm)
757 Litres. 80 Octone hinimum
Ronge(internol fuel) Ræd: 190 Miles (306 Km)
Dimensions
Hull, Drivers plote: I " (25.4 mm)
Length 22' O" (670 cn) Sides, upper: (12.7 nn) or O degrees.
Widrh overol l: 8, 10, (269 cn)
I"
Decking: 3/8" 19.4 mn) ot 90 deqrees
Height:(To top shield roised) 8'10" (269 cm) Engine covers: 3/8" (9.4 nn) ot 90 degrees
Ground clæronce: l' 5" (4i1.2 cm) Gun shield: (12.7
ï" nn\
Fire height of sun: 7" 2" (218 cn)
Rood wheel dio (overoll)l' 8" (50.8 cm)

Trockwork
Cenlres: 7' 0" (213 cm)
Length on ground: 12' 8" (386 cm)
Technicol specificofion voriotion for Corgo Corrier M 30
widrh: 4" (40.6 cm)
Pi ich: 6" (15.2 cm) Crew: 2
Nurùer of links per trock: 79. Weight, Combot looded:45,580 [5s. 20.3 Long toro
T;,pe; Rubber Slock Double Pin. 22,8 Short tons, 20.5 tonn6.
Mæhonicol Detoils DiheEi06
Engine: Continentol R-975C-l 400 HP 9 cylinder Length overoll: l9' r o,,(604 cm)
oir cooled petrol. Height to MG ring: 9' 1"(2U cm)
Tronsmission: Synchromesh 5F lR Ground cleoronce: l' 7"(18 cm)
Steering: Controlled differentiol Armoment
Suspension: Verticol volute lpri^9.
I x .50 col M 2. HB.
Ammunition: 1000 rds of .50 colibre.

10
 Droings of the M l2 fomily of vehicles,
reproduced hcrc ot I :48 scolc(l
Frm top lo boftom:
Section viow of thc T6 - nole thc cmplex
recoi I spodc mechonism.
Sidc view of the Corgo Corriar M 30.
Side view of the l55mm Gun À,lotor Corrioge
M12

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 CARGO CARRTER T 14 AND M 30. _ 1942/14 SERIES 22, No. 87(US)
Drowing ond historicol reseqrch by D.P.Dyer.

ln Morch 1942 afftr receipt of the Pilot T.6 it wos reolised thot the omount of ommunition thot could be
corried in this vehicle would severely restrict it's operotion. A proiect wos therefore initioted by the
Ordnonce Deportment for the development of o componion vehicle bosed on the chossis of the T.6
This vehicle wos to corry odditionol ommunition ond wos to service the gun motor corrioge. This wos
designoted T.14. The Field Artillery Boord recommended this development in July 1942 (ot the some tiryre
os they recommended odoption of the T.6) ond outhority wos gronted for procurement of fifty. Militory
chorocteristics were opproved in August ond the soft plote pilot model T,14, together with o production M.l2
hod stowoge orrongements decided upon ot Erie Proving Ground by representotives of the Armored Force ond
Field Artillery Boord eorly in September. 38 hod been completed by eorly November. ln view of production
hoving commenced prior to study of the pilot model o lot of confusion occured with regord to modiiicotions
requested ond it is not known exoctly how mony T. l4's were produced or when they wére completed. A
recommendotion for stondordisotion of the T.l4 os Corgo Corrier M.30 wos mode in September but never
opp-e^ors to hove been opproved olthough the Ordnonce Deportment from then on olwop refered
to it os the
M.30. Rebuilding of seventy-five of these Corgo Corriers took ploce ot the some time os the rebuilding of
the M. l2's ond they were shipped overseos ot the some time on ihe bosis of one corgo corrier to eoch Glun
Motor Corrioge. Automotivelly the some vehicle o the gun corrioge the Corgo Coiriers differed in hoving
stowoge for fourÿ shells in ploce of the gun mount. A comportment to the reàr of the right hond fuel tonÈ
contoined nine propelling chorges, ten were stowed in the centre of the vehicle behind ihe shells, ond o
further twenty-one in o comportment behind the left hond fuel tonk. The reor of the vehicle wos iormed b,
o toilgote which when lowered formed steps for entry into the vehicle for looding ond unlooding. With th;
toilgote roised the riser for the bottom step (with the oddition of cushions) formi seots for threl gun crew
members. A further two seots were locoted ot the reor of the sponsons in line with the toilgote sJots. The
corgo comPortment wos surmounted by o ring mount for o .50 col mochine gun for onti-oircroft ond locol
defence. À o point of interest the weight of l55mm ommunition corried tàtoled 2.2llong tons(2,5 short tons)
The M.30 wos declored obsolete ot the some time crs the M.12 ond none ore thought to be sfill in
existence.
BELOW: This vehicle wc the pilot Corgo Corrîer T.14. Being converted directly from the T.6
which hod the
some Wqr Deportment Number 307053. lt retoined the reor tro=ck guords with o siep
up to the sponson
extensions. The ties to the reor bogies were not topered, ond heJl;ghts *.r" ,ornted on the iront trock
guords. Froptol views of the some vehicle olso show brockets for thelun troveling lock fitted
to the drivers
front plote (U.S. officiol photo)

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These two views show o production Corgo Corrier T. 14 with the toilgote lowered. The .50 col mochine gun
on the ring mount is enclosed in.it's protective woterproof cover. TÀe brocket on the right reor propelloit
chorge comportment cover would oppeor to be for o spore .50 col mochine gun borrel, ê.orr"rr'r.r"
contoined in the two boxes on the fuel tonks, ond, cr on the M. 12 these boxes were sometimes fitted with lids
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ABOVE: lnthisviewofT.14number29(U.S.4080932) shownintrovellingorderitwill benotedthotthe
drivers hood is in the roised position. This hood consisted of o folding convos cover with o tronsporent
windshield fitted with o windscreen wiper. lt wos fitted over the drivers opened top hotch for use when he
wos driving the vehicle with his seot in the roised position.

BELOW: Abotteryof M.l2's,fittedoutfordeepwoding,comingoshoreduringtheNormondylondings.

It is interesting to see the woy the deep woding screens hove been fitted. Note the extended exhoust pipes
on the sides. (l .W.M. Photo)

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ABOVE: Unfortunotely good guolity photogrophs of the IS U series of Assoult Guns ore not reodily
ovoiloble, however, the photogroph used here illustrotes the generol loyout of one of the units fitted with
thesome gun os the lS I ond ll tonks. This model wc known os the ISU 122 D-255.

sovtET tsu - r22 GUN MOTOR CARR|AGE. - 1944/45 SERTES 22, No.88/89(SU)
Historicol reseorch by J. F. Milsom. Drowings by K. M. Jones.

During I9(l the Soviet High Commond instigoted o progromme for the production of o series of self-propelled
ortillery pieces bosed on current Red Army tonk chossis. ln the heovy closs, two weopons were to be mounted
on the KV chossis; these consisted of the l52mm M-1937/43 (ML-20S) corps howitzer ond the l22mm gun
M-1944(D-25S). Afterunsuccessful ottemphtomounttheseweoponsintheoldKV-ll turret,more.
sotisfoctory solutions were ochieved with cosemote mountings, These become designoted SU-152 ond 5U-122
respectively. The SU-122 consisted of the Model 1931-37 l22mm gun mounted on o modified KV chossis; the
weopon v/os interchongeoble with the I52mm howitzer to form the SU-152. Both were stondordized during
1944. Not long ofter production wos underwoy, however, the lS-l heovy tonk oppeored ond os o result newer
more sotisfoctory mountings for these weopons were developed on this chossis. The weopons now become the
ISU-152 ond ISU-122 (D-25S). The ISU-122 (D-25S) wos encountered by the Germons towords the end of
World Wor ll where it become designoted eroneously os the SU-249. SU-249 wos o foctory number ond not
lhe nomencloture by which the vehicle wos generolly known in the Soviet Army. After o short while produc-
tion of the ISU-I22 with the D-25S gun wos discontinued ond further vehicles received the modified I22mm
corps gun M-1931/37 (A-19) ond were correspondingly designoted ISU-122 (A-l95). This second vehicle hor
olso been referred to os the ISU-122A ond by the Hungorions, who were issued with severol, os the ISZ-122.

The ISU-122 (D-25S) is believed to hove been produced either os o stop-gop meosure to provide weopons to
field units during World Wor ll ot o time when the Soviet Army wos short of o suitoble heovy ossoult gun, or
ii moy hove been formed os o result of the unbolonced production of component tonk ports. The ISU-122s
were produced up to the end of World Wor ll when production is believed to hove ceosed.

The ISU-I22 (A-l95) consisted of o modified l22mm corps gun M-1931/37 (A-19) mounted in o fixed super-
structure on the lS-l or ll chossis. The ISU-122 (d-25S) wos identicol to ISU-122 (A-l95) excepr for the gun
ond montlet. The gun, o 122mm M-I943 (D-25), wos the some os thot used on the lS series of heovy tonks.
Disfinguishing feotures were its thinner borrel ond double-boffle muzzle-broke. The montlet wos smoller ond
more rounded thot thot of the ISU-122 (A-l95).
The supersturcture consisted of o fully-enclosed comportment mounted on the front holf of the chosis. The
front of the superstructure wos set slightly bock from the front of the hull. lt consisted of o single piece,
sloping plote, with o mossive, two-piece montlef mounted on the right-hond side. The montlet wos covered
by o shield which wos hinged to the right front of the roof, Eoch side of the superstructure topered slightly
to the front ond reor ond consited of two unequol size ormour plotes welded togefher with o verticol seom,

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 left. This hotch could be
The reor plote wcr verticol ond contoined o rectongulor oc.cess door on the extreme
opened, Lither îndependently or in coniunction with on odiocent hotch on the roof, to form o single lorge
untron"L to the vehicle. ThL roof wos flot ond contoined two round hotches neor the front, in oddition to the
rectongulor hotch ot the left reor.
The hull wc the some os thot of the lS-l heovy tonk. The reor deck wos flot ond hod o single roised engine
comportment vent extending ocross the entire width. The reor plote wos brood, hod o prominent shope.ond
extended ocross the entire izidth of the chossis. Mudguords extended forword, beyond the chossis, ot the front
of the vehicle,
The suspension system wos the torsion-bor type identicol to thot of the lS tonks, consisting of 6 individuolly-
sp.ung double rood *heelr three double trotl-support rollers, ond o reor drive sprocket on eoch side. The
torsion bors extended the full width of the vehicle. The single-pin steel trock wos opproximotely 26 inches
wide.
The ormour voried considerobly in thickness on both the superstructure ond the hull. Rolled ormour plote wos
used exfensively on the supersiructure, ond the hull wos mode of shoped costings. Armour thickness, which wcrs
greotest on the front, voried from I90mm on the montlet to 90mm on the front of the superstructure. The sides
of the superstrucfure ond the hull were 60-90mm thick whereos the reor deck ond the roof of the superstructure
overoged 25mm thickness.
The engîne wcr the some os ihot used in the eorly IS tonks ond consisted of the reor-mounted V-type 12 cylinder
diesel which developed 512-550 HP ot 2,000 rpm. The engine wos woter-cooled ond hod o Pressure-tyPe
lubricotion system.
The fuel copocity hos been estimoted to be 66-106 golls of diesel fuel contoined in the moin tonks, eoch of
fourcylindiicolly shoped ouxilliory tonks which moy be corrîed on the reor deck, ond eoch of two smoller
cylinjricol tonks which were sometimes corried on the reor plote. An odditionol tonk could be corried behind
the superstructure.
Theormomentofbothmodelsconsistedof al22mmgunondo12,TmmAAMG. Themoingun,usedonthelSU-122
(A-l9S) wos the l22mm M-1931/44 (A-l95) which wos bollisticolly fhe some os the stondqrd Soviet I22mm corps
M-1931/37 (A-l 9) from which it hod been odopted. This gun hod o reinforcing bond on the end of the borrel.
The moin gun used on the ISU-122 (D-25S) wos the l22mm M-1931/44 (D-25S) which hod the some bollistic
chorocteriitics os the l22mm tonk gun M-i943 (D-25) used on o[l the lS series of heovy tonks ond hod o double-
boffle muzzle-broke. Both weopons fired seporote looding ommuntion ond hod o ronge of opproximotely
I6,000 yords . The ISU-122 (D-25S) hod o higher rote of fire, 5-6 rounds per minute, whereos the ISU-I22
(A- l95) fired only 3 rounds per minute. The A-l95 fired slower becouse it hod o screw type breoch-block
whereos the D-25S hod o sliding-wedge type breoch-block. A12,7nm duol-purpose mochine-gun (DsHK) wos
pedestol-mounted forword of the right-hond hotch on the superstructure roof of both vehicles. In oddition two
tripod mounts were corried ond two mochine-corbines, os well os 25 hond-grenodes.
BELOW: ThemoreregulorversionofthelSUl22withtheA-l95gun. RussionlnfontryrideononlSU
during the finol stoges of the wor on the Eqst Front.
>NOTE. Bellono Militory Vehicle Prints normolly used fhe vehicle designotion in the nomencloture of the
country of origin on the grounds thoi this is the only correci title. ln the cose of Soviet vehicles this is
not possible due to iheir olphobet. However, insteod of the correct Russion designotion we ore using the
occepted "English " phonetic equivolent. Thus the occurote designotion for the Joseph Stolin tqnk is
the lS,similorlyihe ossoultgunsorethe lSU.The"Germon"phoneticgives JSondJSU,butif
18 this sptem is used the KV(Klimenti Vorishilov) must be designoted os the KW.

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Prlnted by tà. Klngodlle Pro.t Llmlttd Readlng.