85mm Air Defense Gun Model 1939 (M1939) (KS-12 / 52-K)

History of the 85mm Type 1939 (M1939) Anti-Aircraft Gun (KS-12/52-K)

In the 1930s, the development of aircraft around the world took off by leaps and bounds. Therefore, the world's air defense forces need to undergo a similar evolution to keep up with many of the current ground-based products that are being obsoleted by faster, higher-flying aircraft. The Soviet Union was such a force, it had vast airspace in case it came under attack.

Rather than developing an entirely new system for the Red Army from scratch, Soviet authorities opted to use the existing successful 76.2 mm (3 in) Type 1938 anti-aircraft gun as the basis for a new, more powerful and capable anti-aircraft weapon.

Design and development work soon produced the 85 mm (3.346 in) Type 1939 anti-aircraft gun. Similar in scope and operation to its predecessor, the Model 1939 was essentially nothing more than an enlarged and improved version of the original 76.2mm system.

A key difference is the multi-baffle muzzle brake mounted on the business end of the barrel, a physical feature that the Model 1938 clearly lacked. Forward armor shields can be mounted on gun mounts as an option for added crew protection during intense combat, but provide little real protection overall.

Like the German Army's fabled "88" anti-aircraft gun, the Red Army saw double value in their M1939 and used it as an anti-tank weapon when needed.

The 85mm mount is mounted on a quad frame for maximum portability. From trucks and jeeps to light tanks, the vehicle could be maneuvered into position by any number of tractors in service with the Red Army at the time.

A crew of seven was once able to bring the weapon to a precise location in the target area. The artillery system itself is completely separate from the carriage and can achieve an upward angle of attack to engage oncoming enemy aircraft, or a horizontal angle of attack to combat oncoming enemy vehicles or infantry. Altitude is limited to +82 degrees and -2 degrees, while horizontal is 360 degrees. During transport, the gun was leveled and secured with an inverted "V" bracket. The gun weighs 9,303 pounds while traveling and 6,739 pounds when loaded.

Overall, the system is over 23 feet long in transit, and the barrel itself is over 15 feet long. In addition to the standard Flak airburst shrapnel, the M1939's crew received a supply of anti-tank shells.

When the M1939 went into production, the Kaliningrad factory outside Moscow was directly threatened by the sudden German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. So the Soviets started moving manufacturing facilities out of the area and moving them to safety in the eastern Ural Mountains. Over time, facilities were put in place, and production of the new M1939 soon began.

When the number of deliveries specified, the M1939 was officially recognized as the standard anti-aircraft gun of the Soviet Army.

The M1939 proved to be an excellent artillery platform throughout the war. The system was delivered to active front lines and used to defend strategic positions. During the war, the weapon proved so valuable to both sides that even the Germans considered it a trophy.

The advancing Germans captured enough M1939s and usable 85mm ammunition that many of the M1939s re-entered service with the Wehrmacht under the designation 8.5cm Flak M. 39(r) and were widely used with their excellent 88mm guns for powerful results . In addition, other captured M1939s were sent back to Germany to be converted into the Bundeswehr's standard 88 mm caliber and used for the defense of the homeland under the new designation 8.8 cm anti-aircraft gun M.39(r).

Before the end of the war, the M1939's role in the Soviet Army was replaced by a more powerful 85mm model (KS-18) in the 1944 series. The Model 1944 was more or less the same weapon system as the M1939 that preceded it, but its projectiles were equipped with a higher power propellant, making the M1944 a better replacement for the M1939.

The 85mm gun was further modified for use in the SU-85 tank destroyer, and many M1939/M1944 guns remained in service during the Vietnam Air War in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The M1939 is still in service with a handful of countries around the world, mainly the former Soviet satellite states and Cold War allies.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

Depends on the ammunition carrier. Usually used with anti-tank ammunition.

Changes