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43M Zrinyi

1943 SELF-PROPELLED ARTILLERY WORLD WAR 2

43 million zrinyi stories

The 43M Zrinyi tracked assault gun originated in Hungary and developed from the Turan medium tank family during World War II. Hungary joined the Axis powers in 1940, and its troops participated in the subsequent large-scale land invasions of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union in 1941. Now fully involved in the World War, the Hungarians were not unaware of the success of the German assault guns, as these armored vehicles were built from improved, outdated tank hulls and found new battlefield value as self-propelled weapon systems.

After the disastrous consequences of Soviet medium and heavy tanks in Hungarian armor, the Hungarian authorities sought similar developments based on assault guns.

The Turan medium tank was chosen as the starting point, retaining the basic hull, chassis, engine and running gear. The most notable deviation was the removal of the turret and weapons. A solid superstructure was hastily added to its place.

This design element provides a robust, precise launch platform and is cheaper and faster to manufacture than comparable armored systems with fully articulated turrets. Instead, the entire tank would have to rotate in the desired firing direction, as lateral movement was inherently limited by the fixed structure - which proved to be a tactical limitation in the field.

However, the vehicle can mount larger caliber guns and fight alongside adaptable main battle tanks, so the limitations are negligible.

From the beginning, the Hungarian army needed two versions of the Stug Gun concept. The first version used a long-barreled 76mm anti-tank gun (based on the German PaK 40) as its main weapon, acting as a dedicated "tank killer". The second version is equipped with a 105mm field howitzer for infantry support missions. The 76mm armed version was named "Zrinyi I", while the 105mm armed version was named "Zrinyi II".

Hungarian war planners were very optimistic about the success of this type, planning for a total of eight full assault battalions, each armed with about 30 Zrinyi assault guns, to support the existing armoured and infantry battalions.

The hull of the Turan tank was slightly wider in order to accommodate the intended weapons. The development of the Zrinyi I began to lag behind the Zrinyi II, which had a main gun mounted and was undergoing field testing until January 1943. It was then accepted as "43M Zrinyi 105" and mass-produced immediately. However, the Zrinyi I was not completed as a prototype until late 1943. At this time the model was being tested and approved for service, and mass production began in mid-1944 under the designation "44M Zrinyi I".

However, the Soviet occupation of Hungary brought the Zrinyi initiative to a halt, and only 60 Zrinyi II specimens and Zrinyi I prototypes were produced. This ended the tenure of the Hungarian homegrown assault gun.

Only one Zrinyi II survives today, this one at the Kubinka Tank Museum outside Moscow.

Zrinyi was piloted by a crew of four, including the driver, commander, gunner and loader. Its operating weight is specified at 19,600 kg to 21,600 kg, and the barrel is 5.68 meters long, 2.99 meters wide and 2.33 meters high. In addition to the main armament, the vehicle is armed with an 8mm Danuvia 34/40 machine gun. Armor thickness is 13mm to 75mm. The engine is a 260-horsepower water-cooled Manfred Weisz V8 V8.

The cruising range is 220 kilometers, and the top speed on the road is 43 kilometers per hour. The engine is linked to a drivetrain that provides six forward and six reverse gears.

The name Zrinyi comes from the Hungarian hero Nikolaus Count Zrinyi, who was killed in battle with the Turkish army in 1566.