Since the advent of artillery in the arsenals of the armies of different countries, the need arose to specialize various types of guns for their intended purpose. Continuous improvement of defensive fortifications, offensive equipment and battle tactics led to the division of powerful weapons into classes.
Ancient stone throwers
In fact, siege devices - the distant ancestors of artillery guns - helped attacking warriors to capture castles and fortresses long before the mass use of gunpowder began. In catapults and ballistas, to communicate the initial velocity to the projectiles (which were usually stones, containers with boiling resin, large steles or logs), the elastic properties of the stretched ropes were used, into which a metal wire was woven into the manufacture. The impulse accumulated during twisting was released at the moment of release of a special lock. Then the word "howitzer" arose. The technical characteristics of the “stone-throwing machine” (the word Haubitz is translated from German) were very modest, they fired a couple of tens of meters and produced more psychological impact, although under certain conditions and with good knowledge of the calculations they could well cause a fire (if the shell was incendiary). Progress in the field of lethal devices has led to an increase in the role of remote-control weapons.
Artillery classes
Starting in the fourteenth century, European armies began to use artillery. Mortars at that time became the most powerful class of guns. Even their sinister name (derived from the Dutch mortier, which in turn borrowed the Latin root mort - “death”) indicated a high lethal efficiency. Further downward was the howitzer, the technical characteristics of which (projectile weight and range) were somewhat inferior to those of the mortar. The most common and mobile class was considered a canon (canon). The caliber was different, but it was not only about them. The main feature of the class of guns was the design of the barrel, which determines their purpose. According to the structure of the artillery of the army of a particular state, even then it was possible to draw conclusions about the strategic plans and military doctrine of his government.
The evolution of mortars and howitzers
During the First World War, the positional nature of hostilities prompted the warring parties to use heavy siege weapons. The word "mortar" became obsolete shortly after the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Short-barreled fat freaks gave way to lighter large-caliber mortars and attack bomber aircraft. After the inclusion of almost all missile countries in the arsenals, including ballistic ones, the need to use heavy, difficult to transport and slow-moving guns was completely exhausted. The last attempts to use them were the attempts of German designers to create some monsters, terrifying in size, like "Karl", which had a caliber of 600 mm. The main difference between this obsolete class was a short barrel with thick walls. A large elevation angle approximately corresponded to the modern mortar rate. The cartouche loading method, which remained today mainly with powerful ship and coastal guns, also did not contribute to the popularity of mortars. Explosives have a large specific surface, they are hygroscopic, and in the conditions of a real front it is almost impossible to provide storage conditions at a fixed humidity. But the mass of the shell and the howitzer firing range became such that it became quite possible to assign the functions that the mortar had previously performed to this class of artillery.
Parabolic trajectories, or Why are howitzers needed?
To answer this question, we should first consider the ballistic trajectories of different classes of guns. Everyone knows that a physical body released at an initial linear speed, whether it is an ordinary pebble or a bullet, flies not in a straight line, but in a parabola. The parameters of this figure may be different, but with the same starting pulse, an increase in the elevation angle will lead to a decrease in the horizontal distance over which this object will fly. The height will be maximum at a right angle to the horizontal, but in this case there is a risk that the fired projectile (or the same pebble) will fall directly on the thrower’s head. The steepness of the trajectory is what distinguishes the howitzer from the gun. It also determines the purpose of the gun.
In what cases and from what to shoot
If we assume that the enemy seeks to seize the positions of any army, then an attack should be expected from him. Tanks and infantry supported by attack aircraft will rush to the previously fired fortified area. In response, the defending side will use countermeasures, fire from its own artillery and small arms. But if the attack is expected, then the corresponding field fortifications will be preliminarily erected, trenches of the full profile will be dug, bunkers and bunkers will be built, the firing sectors of which will make it difficult to mine the defense strip. In general, each side will do everything to impede the actions of the enemy. In this situation, fire on defensive units deepened into the ground can be conducted only along a trajectory called a mounted one. Flat (that is, almost parallel to the horizon) shooting will be ineffective: enemy soldiers are securely hidden behind parapet and other defenses. An ordinary gun will be almost useless. The howitzer, the characteristic of which is mounted, will help to “smoke” the defenders from the trenches and dugouts, bringing down shells on their heads directly from the sky. Those who defend themselves fire cannons. They need to destroy as many enemy tanks and soldiers fleeing to positions. They seek to repel the attack.
Howitzer caliber
The tasks of modern howitzer artillery far went beyond the previously outlined circle. The hinged trajectory of the projectile is good not only for the destruction of manpower, sheltered in the trenches and dugouts, but also for other purposes. Fortified areas are often protected by a thick layer of reinforced concrete and are deeply dug into the ground. The frontal armor of tanks and other armored vehicles is able to withstand the impact of many armor-piercing weapons, while at the same time it has more vulnerabilities on top. If a conventional gun has high accuracy due to the high initial velocity of the projectile, then one of the conditions for achieving the last parameter is the relatively low weight of this projectile itself. Large caliber - this is the difference between a howitzer and a gun. For this class of guns, 100 mm shells are needed, and there are also larger ones.
B-4
The howitzer is a heavy weapon, and this property, combined with its offensive purpose, creates certain difficulties. An example of its rather successful application is the famous B-4 (52-G-625), created in the thirties and having gone through the whole war. The mass of the gun, including the carriage, the barrel with the retractable parts and the swinging part, exceeds 17 (!) Tons. In order to move it, a tractor tractor is needed. In order to reduce the specific load on the soil, a tracked chassis was used. The caliber of this gun is 203 mm, or 8 inches. It is difficult to lift the projectile, it weighs from a centner to 145 kilograms (concrete slaughtering option), therefore, the supply of ammunition is carried out on a special live roll. The calculation consists of fifteen people. With a relatively low initial velocity of the projectile (from 300 to 600 m / s), the firing range of the B-4 howitzer exceeds 17 km. Maximum rate of fire - one shot in two minutes. The gun had tremendous destructive power, which was demonstrated during the assault on the Mannerheim line during the Winter War with Finland. However, after a few years it became clear that the future belongs to self-propelled artillery systems.
SU-152
The next step taken by Soviet designers in the direction of creating the most advanced self-propelled guns was the SU-152. It served as a kind of response to the appearance of powerfully armored German tanks equipped with long-barreled guns that allow firing at our equipment from long distances (kilometer or more). The surest way to destroy a well-defended target was to cover it with a heavy projectile flying along a hinged parabolic trajectory. The ML-20 152 mm howitzer mounted on a tank (KV) chassis with a fixed wheelhouse and equipped with retraction mechanisms turned out to be a means capable of solving this problem.
Carnation
The post-war period in the military-technical aspect is characterized as a time of rapid growth of technological capabilities. Piston aircraft engines are being replaced by jet propulsion. Part of the tasks traditionally entrusted to the artillerymen are begun by the rocket launchers. However, at the same time, a reassessment of the ratio of efficiency and price occurs. The Cold War, in a sense, has also become a competition between economic systems. The times when “did not stand behind the price” have passed. It turned out that the cost of one artillery shot is much lower than the launch of a tactical missile with approximately equal effectiveness, expressed in destructive force. In the USSR, this was not immediately understood: the Khrushchev leadership fell into a certain euphoria after the appearance of rocket delivery vehicles in the arsenal of the Soviet Army. In 1967, at the Kharkov Tractor (of course) plant, “Carnation” was developed - the first Soviet “flower” self-propelled howitzer. Technical characteristics significantly exceeded the parameters of all artillery guns produced earlier by the USSR military-industrial complex. The use of active rockets (a hybrid of artillery ammunition with a missile) was envisaged, in which case the firing range increased from 15.3 kilometers to 21.9. The charges could be different: cumulative, high-explosive, high-explosive, electronic (interfering), smoke and others, including special (chemical). The large distance to the end point of the trajectory allowed the use of weapons of mass destruction. The lightly armored corps housed ammunition of forty shells.
"Acacia"
The howitzer, developed in the mid to late sixties, entered service in 1970. She can shoot at a distance of 20-30 km (depending on version). The machine itself is quite light, weighs much less than the average tank, which was achieved by reducing the mass of armor. Direct fire is also possible, but the main purpose remains the same - remote hitting targets. The chassis is made according to the front-engine scheme, which paid off in the war years. The design takes into account the experience of creating the self-propelled guns-100, and the motivation for reminiscence was the presence of the M-109 guns capable of firing a low-power nuclear tactical charge (TNT equivalent of 100 tons). The answer was "Acacia" - a howitzer with no worse characteristics.
Czech "Dana"
Most often, the armies of the socialist countries were armed with Soviet models of military equipment, but there were exceptions. Obviously, recalling the former glory (and before World War II, Czechoslovakia was one of the leading manufacturers of weapons in Europe and the world), engineers from Czechoslovakia in the mid-seventies designed and manufactured a new artillery gun, which possessed a number of tactical and technical data that were outstanding for that time. The self-propelled howitzer "Dana" was characterized by high rate of fire (one shot per minute), had a relatively small crew (6 people), but its main advantage was the remarkable Tatra chassis, with high cross-country ability, maneuverability and speed. The leadership of the country even considered the possibility of acquiring this Czech miracle for the needs of the Soviet Army, but, knowing that work was underway in our country to create our own, even more advanced howitzer guns, this idea was abandoned, limited to purchasing several copies to study the “fraternal experience” ". The self-propelled howitzer "Dana" and today is in service with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Libya and several other countries, where this gun was delivered after the collapse of the USSR. During the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, the Russian Army captured three Dans as trophies.
D-30: artillery classic
With all the abundance of self-propelled artillery systems, the usual wheeled howitzer remains the cheapest option. The 152 mm Soviet-made gun is known for its characteristic silhouette throughout the world. In the combat position, the carriages, when unfolded, completely rests against the ground with three beds in such a way that the wheels do not touch the ground, which provides, on the one hand, a reliable stop and, on the other, allows circular firing. The main characteristic of the D-30 howitzer is the distance of the shot up to 5.3 km, which in most cases is quite enough. Transporting the guns is not a problem: it weighs 3.2 tons, which makes it possible to transport it across almost all bridges, and you can use the usual Ural as a tractor. Simplicity, reliability and high efficiency - these are the characteristic features of Russian weapons. D-30 and D-30A are willingly purchasing different countries for defense needs, and some of them (China, Yugoslavia, Egypt, Iraq) considered it necessary to purchase documentation for their production. And another important function is this howitzer. A photo in which a traditional midday salvo is fired in the Peter and Paul Fortress certainly adorns this weapon.
