BP-43

History

Armored trains and railroad guns were a staple of World War I (1914-1918) combat due to the extensive network and general maturity of European railways. As a result, the strategy for using such machines remained largely unchanged until World War II (1939-1945), and all major powers continued to invest in these machines and support them in battle. For the USSR, this included the OB-3 and MBV-2 classes of armored trains, although they are now being developed to more modern standards, and the last major armored train type to emerge from fighting in the East became the "PB-43" ".

Development of the PB-43 began in early 1942, when the Germans had turned against their former allies. In June 1941, Operation Barbarossa was carried out, marking the full-scale invasion of the Soviet Union by the Axis Powers an invasion that lasted until December of that year and inflicted heavy casualties on the Red Army.

The operation, however, was not the knockout strike envisioned by the invaders, and the Soviets eventually responded with a massive counterattack, stalling what was once a rapid advance along the Eastern Front.

The PB-43 is equipped with no less than four PL-43 artillery carriages, each with the fully armored and rotatable turret of the classic T-34/76 medium tank. The assembly was placed on an armored bunker-like structure to provide protection from small arms, artillery and air strikes. The bunkers are equipped with point defense machine guns, usually from the DT series of flexible ball mounts.

To protect the artillery vehicles, engineers added a pair of PVO-4 anti-aircraft vehicles, armed with one or two 37mm automatic cannons, also with a steel armored superstructure, with siding that dropped when the cannons were needed. Completing the design is the armored PR-43 locomotive (with radio) required for propulsion power, attached to the tender (sometimes equipped with 4 x Maxim machine guns for additional flexible air defense).

Also towed were up to four security/support vans that could accommodate ground troops and be used to protect the train from ground attack.

The total production of the PB-43 armoured train series reached 21 units, of which two were delivered before the end of 1942 and the majority of production after 1943. The last unit came online in 1944.

This class is used on the entire eastern line permitted by the railway network, contributing significantly in Kyiv and parts of Eastern Europe. In addition to direct contact, the trains were used as border guards, semi-mobile defensive bunkers, and VIP transport for Stalin himself when needed.

By 1945, the inherent tactical and strategic value of armoured trains and artillery cars was diminishing, largely due to the restrictive nature of trains, which operated only where the track allowed. Furthermore, despite their airborne anti-aircraft solutions and semi-mobility, these types are largely vulnerable to air strikes.

As a result, self-propelled guns (SPGs) proved to be the better and cheaper ground solution, often deployed alongside anti-aircraft vehicles and close air support until the last days of the war. Nonetheless, the armored train's contribution to the Soviet defense and, ultimately, the offensive proved crucial.

Specification

BASICS

Year of Service

1943

Origins

Soviet Union

Crew

80

Production

21

Manufacturer

National Factory - USSR

Carrier

Soviet Union

Power and Performance

Engine:

1 x 0-8-0 coal-fired steam locomotive for power.

Speed

19.9 km/h

(32.0 km/h)

Area

74.6 km

(120.0 km)

Weapons

4 x 76.2mm main gun and fire support turret. 4 x DT machine guns are mounted on flexible ball mounts in the hull superstructure for infantry defense. 4 x Maxim machine guns mounted on trainable anti-aircraft mounts. 2 to 4 x 37 mm automatic cannons for anti-aircraft.

All personal weapons carried by support personnel and ground troops.

AMMUNITION

Not Available.

VARIANTS

BP-43 - Base Series Designation; twenty-examples completed.