85mm Model 1946 (D-44)

History

The Soviet counterattack against German positions during World War II (1939-1945) placed great emphasis on the quality and effective field artillery of the Red Army. Work on the design of the new system began in 1943 and continued until 1944, when the 85mm divisional anti-tank field gun D-44 (GRAU designation "52-P-567") was produced. Since mass production did not begin until late 1945, the D-44 did not enter service during World War II, but did not enter service until 1946. Manufacturing was taken over by Uralmash, with about 10,800 produced from 1945 to 1953.

In service with the Red Army, the D-44 replaced the aging 76.2mm ZiS-3 anti-tank (AT) gun. In service since 1941/1942 (over 103,000 units built).

The D-44 used an effective 85mm barrel with a large brake mounted on the muzzle - the gun was taken from the main gun of the famous WWII T-34-85 medium tank. The recoil device is located behind a small shield and provides basic frontal protection for the rifle crew, usually eight people, each with a specific role in the firing operation. The recoil system incorporates a hydraulic recoil buffer to delay the detonation of the propellant charge and the violent impact of the outgoing shell.

Elevation (-7 to +35 degrees) and traverse (54 degrees) are controlled by a series of handwheels, with an integrated aiming device (5.5x magnification OP-2-7). The gun, recoil system, and associated hardware are mounted on a mounting assembly that sits on a two-wheel (GAZ-AA rubber tires) split trailer.

The trailing arm allows the gun to be towed when gathering behind a moving vehicle and serves as an additional cushion against the ground when firing. A dozer-type assembly is attached to the end of each arm.

The total weight of the D-44 is 3,800 lbs. It measures 27 feet 4 inches long, 5 feet 10 inches wide and 4 feet 8 inches high.

The D-44 ended up spending a long and useful life in the Soviet Armed Forces and its global allies. This weapon has evolved along some forms, such as the "SD-44" in 1954. This variant includes its own projectile storage pod and auxiliary power unit (APU). The APU provides 14 hp, enabling the crew to move the cannon system on the road at speeds of up to 24 km/h.

However, these increases come at a price, as the weight increases to 4,950 pounds. The D-44N from the 1960s was a low-light/night model equipped with an APN 3-7 series infrared (IR) system.

In practice, D-44 has proven itself very well. A well-trained and experienced crew can fire at 20 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of up to 3,380 feet per second. Effective range is up to 1,260 yards, with a maximum range of 17,110 yards.

Projectile types include basic HE (High Explosive) and AP (Armor Piercing) rounds. Added additional support for HVAP-T (high velocity, armor-piercing tracer) and HEAT-FS (high-explosive, anti-tank, stabilized fin) rounds.

After being widely distributed and used by the Soviet Army, the D-44 was exported and used by the armies of Cambodia, China (locally produced as "Type 56"), East Germany, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Syria and Vietnam. In Chinese stockpiles, the weapons were identified as "Type 56" and these weapons are still in service with the Pakistan Army today.

Polish brands are the original D-44M (D-44) and D-44MN (SD-44). These were partially modernized in the early 1980s to extend their useful life.

Post-war combat operations using the D-44 gun included the Korean War (1950-1953), the Vietnam War (1955-1975), and various Arab wars against the newly formed State of Israel.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

Depends on the ammunition carrier.

Changes