D-44 (Model 1946)

History

During World War II (1939-1945), the Soviet Union fought against Germany. The Soviet Red Army used powerful field artillery to counterattack German positions. They developed a new artillery system called the 85mm divisional anti-tank field gun D-44 between 1943 and 1944. However, mass production didn't start until 1945, and the gun wasn't used in combat until 1946. Uralmash was responsible for manufacturing, producing about 10,800 units between 1945 and 1953.

The D-44 replaced the older 76.2mm ZiS-3 anti-tank gun, which had been in service since 1941/1942. The D-44 used an effective 85mm barrel with a brake at the front, taken from the main gun of the WWII T-34-85 medium tank. The gun had a recoil system with a hydraulic buffer to manage the kickback and control the firing process. A crew of eight people operated the gun, with each person having a specific role. The gun's elevation could range from -7 to +35 degrees, and it could rotate up to 54 degrees using handwheels. An aiming device with 5.5x magnification (OP-2-7) was integrated.

The gun and its hardware were mounted on a trailer with two rubber-tired wheels (GAZ-AA). The trailer had a trailing arm that allowed the gun to be towed behind a moving vehicle and also acted as a cushion when firing. Each trailing arm had a dozer-type assembly attached to it.

Specification

BASIC

Year of Service: 1946

Origins: Soviet Union

Crew: 8

Production: 10,800

Manufacturer: Uralmash - USSR

Operator: Albania; Algeria; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Cuba; East Germany; Egypt; Georgia; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Hungary; Iran; Iraq; Laos; North Korea; Mali ; Morocco; Mozambique; Pakistan; Poland; Romania; Somalia; former Soviet Union; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Syria; Ukraine; Vietnam

Roles

Anti-Tank/Anti-Tank

Base models or variants can be used to track, engage, and defeat armored enemy elements at long distances.

Fire Support/Attack/Breakthrough

Support allied forces with direct/indirect fire, attacking forward positions and/or breaking through fortified areas of the battlefield.

Dimensions and Weight

Length: 27.2 feet (8.3m)

Width: 5.8 feet (1.78m)

Height: 4.7 feet (1.42m)

Weight: 3,803 lbs (1,725 kg)

Tonnage: 1.9 tons

Power and Performance

Area: 9. 7 miles (15.7 km)

Weapon: 1 x 85mm barrel

VARIANTS

D-44 - Base Serial Number

SD-44 - Model 1954; Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) added

D-44N - Variant with infrared support for low light/night combat missions

Type 1946 - Alternative name

Type 56 - Chinese name for the locally produced jackal

D-44M - Polish Modernization

D-44D-44MN - Polish Modernization D-44N