News from Heroes and Leaders mod

[asl3d]

Soviet Scout platoons had many roles on the battlefield in Second World War. They spent a lot of time gathering information, finding ‘tongues’ or German prisoners for Smersh to interrogate for vital intelligence on their plans, or more conventionally prowling around investigating the enemy’s defenses.
Every Soviet rifle regiment had a scout platoon as the commander’s eyes and ears on the battlefield . The soldiers of the scout platoon were usually hand picked for their field craft and fighting ability. Officially scout platoons were 52 men strong at the start of the war on the Eastern Front, but the difficulty in finding suitable candidates and the desperate shortage of soldiers meant that the platoon quickly drooped in strength until the official complement was just over twenty scouts.
The detailed organization of these units is unclear, and was probably very different between units depending on circumstances. It appears that a full strength scout platoon had two squads of nine scouts in its most common form. However, the Red Army had a policy of rebuilding entire divisions rather than feeding in replacement piecemeal, so like any unit in the Red Army, scout platoons were unlikely to remain at full strength for long.
When a major attack was planned, the scouts were sometimes used to find hidden routes closer to the enemy and lead troops forward to open the battle with a surprise assault. Interestingly, female soldiers were often used in scout platoons as well as sniper and machine-gun units. Many of the women in scout units were at least as clever and bloodthirsty as the men they fought with.
There is a false image of Scouts formed as small bands of heroic scouts sneaking about doing their dastardly work, or facing off against far stronger platoons when cornered. Conversely, in the bloodiest moment of the Battle of Stalingrad, Scouts really were Soviet soldiers used their own bodies as shields, covering women and children escaping on ferry boats from a bombardment that killed 40,000 civilians in a single day. The Scouts naval troops arrived in Stalingrad in August, 1942, just a month after the German Army began their onslaught. As a marine unit, the leaders commanded what was left of a reconnaissance platoon, 17 scouts who had survived previous missions on the front lines. They performed recalls reconnaissance missions deep inside enemy territory, crawling for hours and hide in ravines to gather intelligence on the location and number of enemy troops and weapons.

[Zecke]

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[asl3d]

The early Red Army abandoned the institution of a professional officer corps as a "heritage of tsarism" in the course of the Revolution. In particular, the Bolsheviks condemned the use of the word "officer" and used the word "commander" instead. The Red Army abandoned epaulettes and ranks, using purely functional titles such as "Division Commander", "Corps Commander", and similar titles.
However, still one had to use functional titles to address commanders, which could become as awkward as "comrade deputy head-of-staff of corps". If one did not know a commander's position, one used one of the possible positions - for example: "Regiment Commander" for K-9. This rank system stayed on for a decade.
Further complications ensued from the functional and categorical ranks for political officers (e.g., "Brigade Commissar", "Army Commissar 2nd Rank"), for technical corps (e.g., "Engineer 3rd Rank", "Division Engineer"), for administrative, medical and other non-combatant branches. Suddenly, in the midst of crisis, Stalin completely eliminated the commissars on 12 August 1940, and put full responsibility for the units' combat readiness and political status on the commander. After the purges and turmoil in the military in the previous few years, Stalin apparently hoped this would generate a rapid improvement in the readiness of the military in the face of the rapidly growing threat from Germany. This new "freedom" was not to last however, because the political imperatives of the state saw the reintroduction of commissars in July of 1941 and strengthening of the system as the war went on. Officially, the commissars were to reduce the workload on the commanders by relieving him of political work, but "together with the commander he bore full responsibility for the military unit's accomplishment of the combat mission..." Additionally, the commissars' role in indoctrinating the troops and inoculating them against "corrupt influences" in the conquered territories. The educators reacted quickly to all impressions of the Red Army soldiers and attempted appropriately and convincingly to explain to their comrades-in-arms all the questions which came up...
On May 7, 1940 further modifications to the system took place. The ranks of "General" or "Admiral" replaced the senior functional ranks of Combrig, Comdiv, Comcor, Comandarm; the other senior functional ranks ("Division Commissar", "Division Engineer", etc.) remained unaffected. On November 2, 1940 the system underwent further modification with the abolition of functional ranks for NCOs and the reintroduction of the Podpolkovnik (sub-colonel) rank. For the most part the new system restored that used by the Imperial Russian Army at the conclusion of its participation in World War I.
In early 1942 all the functional ranks in technical and administrative corps became regularized ranks (e.g., "Engineer Major", "Engineer Colonel", "Captain Intendant Service", etc.). On October 9, 1942 the authorities abolished the system of military commissars, together with the commissar ranks, and they were completely integrated into the regular officer corps.
In early 1943 a unification of the system saw the abolition of all the remaining functional ranks. The word "officer" became officially endorsed, together with the epaulettes that superseded the previous rank insignia, styled like the Imperial Russian Army before, and Marshal and Chief Marshal ranks created for the various arms and branch commands of the Red Army.

[asl3d]

Soviet infantry: photo of family.

[delta07d]

Great work. Looking forward to the mod. Really appreciate what you are doing.

Thanks.

[asl3d]

Thank you very much "delta07d"

[asl3d]

The PTRD-41 was an anti-tank rifle produced and used from early 1941 by the Soviet Red Army during World War II. It was a single-shot weapon which fired a 14.5×114mm round. Although unable to penetrate the frontal armor of German tanks, it could penetrate the thinner sides of early-war German tanks as well as thinly armored self-propelled guns.
In the years between the World Wars, the Soviet Union began experimenting with different types of armor-piercing anti-tank cartridges. Finding the 12.7×108mm insufficient, they began development of what became the 14.5×114mm armor-piercing round. Rukavishnikov developed an antitank rifle designated M1939 to accommodate this cartridge, but it didn't have large success because of some manufacturing issues, a sufficient number of more effective anti-tank guns in the Red Army, and high expectations about new German tank armor.
In 1939 the USSR captured several hundred Polish Model 35 anti-tank rifles, which had proved effective in the September Campaign when Poland was invaded by Germany. Vasily Degtyaryov copied its lock and several features of the German Panzerbüchse 38 when hasty construction of an anti-tank rifle was ordered in July 1941.
In 1941, the loss of huge amounts of anti-tank artillery created a need for a stop-gap anti-tank weapon, so famous USSR weapons designers such as Vasily A. Degtyaryov and Sergei G. Simonov designed two anti-tank rifles. Both were considered simpler and more suitable to wartime production than an updated Rukavishnikov rifle. Simonov used elements of his 1938 design, a 7.62 mm automatic rifle.
The PTRD and the similar but semi-automatic PTRS-41 were the only individual anti-tank weapon available to the Red Army in numbers upon the outbreak of the war with Germany. The 14.5 mm armor-piercing bullet had a muzzle velocity of 1,012 m/s. It could penetrate an armor plate up to 35 to 40mm (40mm with tungsten ammunition) thick at a distance of 100 meters at 0 degrees. During the initial invasion, and indeed throughout the war, most German tanks had side armor thinner than 40mm (Panzer I and Panzer II); 13-20mm (Panzer III and Panzer IV series); 30mm (Panzer V, Panther mid-1943). However, due to the high velocity and small size of the round, it had a very high chance of shattering or utterly failing against armor it should have penetrated, especially if the target was struck at an oblique angle.
Due to the obsolescence and inadequate ability against tanks, PTRD users were instructed to attempt to shoot view ports rather than actually try to penetrate the vehicles' armour. Despite the good range of fire, this tactic was quickly found ineffective due to the absence of telescopic sights: the simple mechanical iron sights did not allow for proper aiming at the required distances. The muzzle brake, however effective, kicked up a very visible cloud of dust or snow and debris and served to give away the position of the PTRD team. After poor results against the enemy tanks the PTRD and PTRS were finally relegated to anti-materiel duty in 1943[citation needed] as they were still effective against lesser armored vehicles such as armored half-tracks, armored cars and unarmored vehicles. Guns captured by the Germans were given the designation 14.5 mm PaB 783(r).
The PTRD suffered from numerous flaws; the most notable are the lack of penetration versus enemy vehicles and inability to aim accurately with a telescopic sight, which frustrated PTRD teams, its size and weight which hampered its mobility and deployment, and its immense muzzle blast which gave away the unit's firing position. The PTRD also would occasionally jam during shell ejection, leading to a practice of dipping shells in oil before loading. The PTRD was eventually replaced by the RPG series of anti-tank rocket launchers.

[asl3d]

The Maxim HMG, while revolutionary in design, was problematic for several reasons. Chiefly, it wasn’t very portable and water-cooled, meaning the outside jacket of the weapon had to be refilled with clean water in order to prevent malfunctions. That all changed in 1927 when Soviet weapons engineer Vasily Alekseyevich Degtyaryov submitted his prototype for what is commonly refer to as the DP-28 Light Machine Gun. The DP-27 was an improvement of the earlier DP-26, both designed by Vasily Degtyaryov. The Degtyaryov machine gun DP-28 is a light machine gun firing the 7.62×54mmR cartridge that was primarily used by the Soviet Union starting in 1928. His new design was exactly what the Red Army was looking for – a highly portable machine gun to serve in support of Infantry attacks. The new machine gun was made by the thousands at the V.A. Degtyarev Weapons Plant located in Kovrov, Russia. The city of Kovrov is located 166 miles East of Moscow, a location far enough behind Russian defenses that it allowed the plant to safely continue production of these guns even at the height of Operation Barbarossa – the Nazi invasion of Russia.
The DP-27 was relatively cheap and easy to manufacture – early models had fewer than 80 parts. The DP was especially able to withstand dirt in a reliable fashion. It featured a flapper-locked breech and was gas-operated by way of a long-stroke gas piston. It fed from a narrow, 47-round pan magazine, which gave it its nickname — “record player.” The DP-28’s charging handle was beneath the receiver on the right-hand side. It ejected from the bottom of the receiver. It had a grip safety that protruded from just behind the trigger guard. The DP-28 weighed nine kilograms unloaded and fired between 500 and 600 rounds per minute.
One of the DP's main drawbacks though was its bipod; it could not withstand much abuse and broke easily. Furthermore, the recoil spring was located under the barrel, around the gas piston; this was one of the design problems of the DP, since the spring tended to lose its temper due to overheating. Also, the pan with 47 rounds that fed in from the top, was relatively small and continuous fire for long periods could not be relied on as much as contemporary belt-fed weapons. The ammunition was troublesome for automatic fire. Degtyarov had to use a flat pan magazine, which could feed those cartridges reliably, but was too heavy itself, uncomfortable to carry and prone to damage. Due to the design of the magazine, reloading an empty magazine with cartridges took a very long time. A redeeming factor was that the DP's lower cyclic rate of fire did reduce the risk of barrel overheating.
Despite its numerous problems, the DP had a reputation as a relatively effective light support weapon. It was nicknamed the "Record player" by Red Army troops because the disc-shaped pan magazine resembled a gramophone record and its top cover revolved while the weapon was fired.
To address the flaws, the Soviets modified the DP in 1943, re-designating it the DPM. DPM, modernized version adopted in 1943–44, with a more robust bipod fastened to the cooling jacket and the recoil spring housed in a tube projecting from the rear of the receiver which necessitated a pistol grip for this model of the weapon. This necessitated a new stock design that incorporated a pistol grip. This change also improved the balance and handling of the gun when firing from the bipod.
The Soviet Union manufactured nearly 800,000 DPs and variants. Soviet premier Joseph Stalin made Degtyaryov a Hero of Socialist Labor in 1940. He rose to the rank of major general of engineering and artillery in the Soviet army before dying in 1949 at the age of 69.

[bgreen]

This is excellent work detailed background info and great end user product.. really looking forward to this new addition to the family... Thanks heaps!

[asl3d]

Thank you very much "bgreen."
I thank you for your words of encouragement.
Really, I am also having a lot of fun while working on this mod.
Heroes of Stalingrad reminds me more and more of my favorite board game: Advanced Squad Leader. Naturally, I do everything possible to make this happen.
Best regards,

[asl3d]

DS-39 was a Soviet medium machine gun, designed by Vasily Degtyaryov, that was used during the Second World War. Degtjarev made the first prototype in year 1930 and the test-series manufactured in year 1934 was tested several years. Degtjarev improved the design with help of test results and while these improvements later proved lacking the Soviets seemingly did not spot them at that time. So they decided to replace Maxim machinegun in production with DS-39 machinegun in 22nd of October 1939.
Indeed, DS-39 was lighter and it was structurally simpler than Maxim machinegun, but it also had serious reliability problems. The basic reason behind the problems was the rimmed 7.62 mm x 54R cartridge, which demands more complicated feeding system in belt-fed weapons than its non-rimmed competitors. Also fabric ammunition belts (the same ones that the Soviets used in their Maxim machineguns) that the Soviets still used with DS-39 probably didn't exactly help in reliability either. The weapon came with new light tripod, which Degtjarev had designed especially for this machinegun. This tripod was otherwise good, but proved problematic when it was set to its highest setting. With its this setting the machinegun placed on it balanced poorly and proved to have excessive muzzle-climb. So do to these factors using the machinegun for anti-aircraft use was difficult.
Tech-wise DS-39 was full-automatic only gas-action weapon with adjustable gas-regulator. It was air-cooled and looked bit like smaller version of 12.7-mm DShK heavy machinegun. By adding spring-loaded buffer to the mechanism the weapons rate-of-fire could be doubled (to 1,200 shots / minute) for antiaircraft use, but this doesn't seem to have been popular - almost certainly because with it the already existing reliability problems got a whole new magnitude. Structurally (especially when it came to its bolt) this machinegun was based also to DP light machinegun, which Degtjarev had designed earlier. Eventually the Soviets noticed the problems and tried fixing them, but in June of 1941 Germany invaded Soviet Union and they run out of time for improvements. In that situation the Soviets decided to stop manufacturing of DS-39 and to return old, heavy and complicated but reliable Maxim machinegun back to production.
Tula Arsenal was the only manufacturer of DS-39 machinegun, it manufactured 10,345 of them between June of 1940 and June of 1941. From those 10,345 machineguns it made 6,628 in year 1940 and 3,717 in year 1941. Some changes were made during the production. Maybe the most notable of these were changes made to barrel attachment system. In the old version the barrel was locked with screw and screwdriver was needed for replacing barrel. In the new version the barrel was locked with a switch and no tools were required for replacing barrel. Another part going through changes during manufacturing was safety-switch. Due to weapons shortage following German attack in 1941 the Soviets issued also DS-39 machineguns to 2nd line troops of their Red Army. Year 1942 Degtjarev still came up with improved version prototype of DS-39, but in testing the Soviets organized in May of 1943 the SG-43 prototype proved more reliable and durable than the improved DS-39.

[asl3d]

The ROKS-2 and ROKS-3 were man-portable flamethrowers used by the USSR in the Second World War. The ROKS-2 Flamethrower was used by Soviet forces from 1935-1945 and it used in many different battles along the Eastern Front. There is controversy about whether the rifle and backpack camouflage actually worked very well, but even so, the ROKS Flamethrower was used by Soviet and Finnish troops.
The ROKS-2 was designed not to draw attention so the fuel and gas tanks were concealed under a sheet-metal outer casting that resembled knapsack; the flame projector was designed to resemble a standard Mosin–Nagant rifle. The purpose of this was to prevent the operator from being specifically targeted by the enemy. The flame shots were ignited by firing specially modified 7.62×25mm Tokarev cartridges.
The ROKS-2 was used, amongst other engagements, during the close-range fighting during the first days of the Battle of Kursk in 1943. The weight of the ROKS-2 is about 25 kg full and it was capable of storing about 10 liters of fuel. The ROKS-2 could keep firing burning fuel for about 6–8 seconds at a time and the range was around 30–35 meters. The main components of the ROKS-2 were the fuel hose, the fuel tank, and a pressurized nitrogen tank. The nitrogen tank was placed right under the disguised fuel tank. The flamethrower was activated when the user pulled the trigger of the flamethrower. They were operated by two-man teams of combat engineers.
The only variant produced of the ROKS-2 flamethrower was the ROKS-3, which was introduced as a far more simplistic models to save on production time and costs. Other than the minor stripping down of the weapon, it still retained many of the original features of the ROKS-2 and looked very similar. The ROKS-3 was a simplified model that designed to be easier to manufacture, it did away with the disguise for the backpack, though it retained the flame projector designed to resemble a rifle. Both models carried around 9 liters of fuel. The fuel was propelled by nitrogen gas pressurized at 115 bars and, under ideal circumstances, had a maximum range of around 45 meters.

[asl3d]

The name "Molotov cocktail" was coined by the Finns during the Winter War. The name was an insulting reference to Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov, who was one of the architects of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact signed in late August 1939.
A Molotov cocktail is a breakable glass bottle containing a flammable substance such as gasoline, alcohol or a napalm-like mixture, with some motor oil added, and usually a source of ignition such as a burning cloth wick held in place by the bottle's stopper. The wick is usually soaked in alcohol or kerosene, rather than petrol.
Incendiary bottles are one of the simplest and most reliable means for destroying tanks, armored cars, transport trucks, warehouses, landed airplanes, and enemies in cover. In the hands of a brave soldier, they are a fearsome weapon. Skilled and sudden use can not only strike the enemy, but cause panic and compromise enemy organization.
The bottles work as follows: when they hit a solid object, the bottle breaks, and the liquid inside of it ignites, either with a match attached to the bottle, a special metallic igniter, or a capsule inside the bottle.
In action, the wick is lit and the bottle hurled at a target such as a vehicle or fortification. When the bottle smashes on impact, the ensuing cloud of fuel droplets and vapor is ignited by the attached wick, causing an immediate fireball followed by spreading flames as the remainder of the fuel is consumed.
Other flammable liquids such as diesel fuel, methanol, turpentine, jet fuel, and isopropyl alcohol have been used in place of, or combined with petrol. Thickening agents such as solvents, foam polystyrene, baking soda, petroleum jelly, tar, strips of tire tubing, nitrocellulose, XPS foam, motor oil, rubber cement, detergent and dish soap have been added to help the burning liquid adhere to the target and create clouds of thick, choking smoke.
The Red Army used bottles with self-igniting "KS" fluid and flammable mixtures # 1 and # 3. To destroy the enemy tanks with bottles, each soldier carried 3 bottles, one with liquid KS and two with liquid # 1 and # 3. The soldier had to position himself in a trench, crevice, crater of shells, behind a fence, in a hole, a ditch or any other concealment, camouflage and hide from bullets and shrapnel. The soldier had to watch the movements of the tanks. When they approached, the soldier had prepared their bottles to throw them. If his bottles had used matches, he rips off the paper covers.
When the tank or cart is 15-20 meters away, the soldier takes a KS bottle, holds the cylindrical part and throws it into the tank, followed by one or two bottles # 1 and # 3. If the bottles have matches, turn them on before throwing them. Bottles # 1 and # 3 can be held by the neck, if it is more comfortable. Pull bottles with metal lighters or capsules in the same way as bottles with matches, after the KS bottle.
The soldiers had to throw the bottles while they were standing or crouching, aiming at their target. They pointed to the engine (a tank has it in the back, an armored car in the front), observation ports, poorly sealed hatches; 2-3 well-placed bottles can ignite the tank or cart.

[asl3d]

The PM M1910 was a heavy machine gun used by the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and the Red Army during Russian Civil War and World War II. The Russian M1910 Maxim Sokolov variant represents a thought process from a very different age. Invented by the American-born British inventor Sir Hiram Maxim in 1889, the machinegun that bears his name was the worldwide standard for automatic weapons by 1900. The militaries of Germany, Great Britain, as well as the US Navy among others had it in regular service. When the Russians adopted it, they greatly simplified the design to make it as soldier proof as possible. With the adoption of the short-wheeled mount and a steel plate shield to protect the gunner, the gun became known as the Pulemyot Maxima Sokolov Model of 1910, or simply PM 1910. It was adopted in 1910 and was derived from Hiram Maxim's Maxim gun, chambered for the standard Russian 7.62×54mmR rifle cartridge. The M1910 was mounted on a wheeled mount with a gun shield and was replaced in Soviet service by the SG-43 Goryunov, which retained the wheeled and shielded carriage, starting in 1943. However, production of the Maxim did not end until 1945.
The gun used distinctive and easily recognized short recoil and toggle locked mechanisms that gave users the feeling of holding onto a steam locomotive when fired. Rear spade grips served as handles while a solenoid button between the grips, pushed by the thumbs, fired the gun. Capable of rattling off ten rounds of ammunition per second, the gun would overheat quickly. To keep it cool enough to fire continuously, a 4-liter water jacket was fitted around the 28.4-inch barrel. To keep this jacket from boiling empty from the red-hot barrel inside it, a water can, condenser collector, and tubes were supplied and an oversized cap on the jacket, about four inches in diameter, could be opened to pack the insides with snow in the winter. In a pinch the whole gun, wheels and all, could be attached to skis and pulled over the steppes when the snow got too deep.
The weapon has a low profile to the ground, less than two feet, which leads to simplicity when firing from a prone position. Gun crews were also issued simple stands to elevate the guns if needed.
Simplicity and durability were a rule in these guns. It must be remembered that conscripted Russian peasants fresh from the farms and with no mechanical background had to be trained to use and maintain these guns. The two spade grips concealed reservoirs that held lubricant and solvent. To apply these, you just unscrewed the top caps of the grips, to which were attached applicators inside the reservoirs. To clean the solid milled steel breechblock, an operator just opened the lid and lifted it up and out.
Watertight 22-pound ribbed green metal cans held 250-round canvas belts of 7.62x54R ammunition. Even when many armies switched to metal links, the Russians retained these canvas belts because, when properly waxed, they were almost impervious to freezing and could be reused in the field without a linker. Another metal can held three modular cans of water, solvent, and lubricant. This kept the Maxim pumping out rounds non-stop at methodical rate of about 600-rounds per minute as long as the ammo held up.
None of these heavy steel parts, thick ballistic shields, canvas belts, birch wheels, and other required accessories were very light. All told a fully equipped PM1910 could tip the scales at 170-pounds including ammunition, water, and solvents/lubricants. Weight is indeed a sign of reliability, at least in a water-cooled machine gun, but you can see why these were set on wheels.

[asl3d]

The Soviet RGD-33 is an anti-personnel fragmentation stick grenade developed in 1933. It was designed to replace the ageing Model 1914 grenade and was used during World War II. The grenade was complicated to use and manufacture. After the German invasion of the USSR, the simple and crude RG-42 was developed to slowly replace it.
The grenade was unusual but not unique, in that it had an optional "jacket" – a thick metal fragmentation sleeve weighing an average of 270 grams. When fitted over the grenade the sleeve improves the kill radius by producing a number of diamond-shaped, heavier fragments. With the jacket installed the grenade was said to be in "defensive" mode.
The grenade was composed of three separate pieces that were stored in different crates until use: the warhead and sleeve, spring-loaded handle, and fuse tube. They were assembled and issued only before combat. The operator arms the fuse by flipping the switch to the left, exposing the red dot. The operator then throws the grenade; a good throw could send the grenade 30 to 40 meters. The forward momentum of the head and the spring-loaded handle cause the fuse clip to drop back and then move forward, striking the fuse and beginning the time delay.
Upon detonation the shell fragments in rectangular, thin fragments, which, along with the casing and detonator fragments, decelerate rapidly in air. Due to the fragments' rapid loss of velocity, the kill radius is small, making this grenade an "offensive" type. The fragmentation kill radius was approximately 15 meters with the sleeve and 10 meters without. As with most grenades of this era, there is potential for large fragment projection a great distance further than the throw.
The Soviet RG-42 was a fragmentation grenade designed by S.G. Korshunov. It was originally introduced during World War II from 1942 onwards as an emergency measure to replace the complex RGD-33 grenade. It continued in use with the USSR and its Warsaw Pact allies in the post-war period until replaced in 1954 by the RGD-5 grenade. Stockpiles were held for emergency or reserve issue, military aid, or foreign sales. They were eventually destroyed in the 1980s due to the TNT filling degrading and becoming unsafe.
Unlike the RGD-33, the RG-42's components were simple to produce and assemble. Only the fuse required specialized manufacture and the parts could be easily assembled by hand by cottage labor. Partisans often made copies of the simple design when out of contact.
It contained about 200 grams of explosive charge (TNT) in a cylindrical stamped-metal can. It used the 3.2 to 4 second UZRGM fuse, also used in the RGD-5, RG-41, and F1 grenades. The grenade could be thrown about 35–40 meters and has an effective blast radius of around 10 meters. The total weight of the grenade with the fuse was about 500 grams.

[asl3d]

The RPG-1 (hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher) was a Soviet lightweight anti-tank rocket equipped with a shaped charge warhead. The design was inspired by similar weapons being introduced by the US and Germany in the late-World War II period. Work on the design began in 1944 and continued until 1948, but it was not put into production, as the RPG-2 was selected for this role instead. The RPG-1 introduced the basic physical and mechanical layout that was also used on the RPG-2 and the much more famous and ubiquitous RPG-7.
In 1944 the Soviets extensively tested new anti-tank weapons, including the German Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck as well as the US bazooka. They decided to produce their own design combining the best features of all of these, and started development under G.P. Lominskiy at the Main Artillery Directorate's Small Arms and Mortar Research Range.
Initially known as the LPG-44, named after the program's start date, the weapon was intended to be smaller and lighter than the Panzerfaust, but easily reloadable like the bazooka. Its PG-70 warhead was a HEAT round, named for its size, 70 millimeters wide at its widest point. Development was largely completed by the end of 1944 and the system was renamed the RPG-1 and the round became the PG-1.
The RPG-1 launcher consisted mainly of a 1-metre long, 30 millimeters diameter soft steel tube. The rear 3⁄4 was covered by a thin wooden sheath to protect the operator from the heat of firing. Immediately in front of the sheath was the pistol grip firing trigger, and in front of that a cocking lever. A leaf sight flipped forward and up from the top of the tube above the trigger. Sighting was taken by comparing range markings on the leaf sight against the outermost portion of the round, a solution also used on the Panzerfaust. The empty launcher weighed only 2 kilograms.
The PG-70 was inserted into the muzzle of the launcher and fired using a simple percussion cap firing a 30 millimeters cartridge. Three ring-shaped stabilizing fins were mounted on a tube that extended down the outside of barrel of the launcher, avoiding the need for flip-out fins or other solutions that would fit inside the barrel. The round was 425 millimeters long and weighed 1.6 kilograms. It fired at a muzzle velocity of 40 meters per second and had a maximum effective range of about 75 meters. A trained two-man crew could fire 4 to 6 rounds per minute.
However, continued testing ran into a series of problems. A major issue was problems in the firing cap, and that the propellant tended to have inconsistent performance based on temperature changes. The design itself proved to have considerably less armor penetration than the Panzerfaust, around 140 millimeters of RHA equivalent, which was too small for modern tanks like the Panther. It did, however, retain the Panzerfaust's low velocity, making it accurate only over perhaps 50 meters, with a maximum range of only 75 meters.
Work continued to try to address these issues, but in 1947 a totally new design started that would emerge as the RPG-2. This design was clearly superior, and work on the RPG-1 ended in 1948.

[asl3d]

The RPG-40 was an anti-tank hand grenade developed by the Soviet Union in 1940.
Its anti-tank capability came from blast effect produced by the detonation upon contact of 760 grams of explosive contained in it. This effect enabled about 20 mm of armor to be penetrated, and secondary damage, such as spelling, by contact with thicker armor. This made the grenade very effective against earlier German tanks, but ineffective against later models, such as the Panzer IV and the Panzer V, leading to the RPG-43 replacing it in 1943.
The RPG-43 ("hand-held anti-tank grenade") was a high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) hand grenade that entered service in 1943, replacing the earlier model RPG-40. The RPG-43 used a shaped charge HEAT warhead, whereas the RPG-40 used the simpler HE (high explosive) warhead. The RPG-43 had a penetration of around 75 mm of rolled homogeneous armor at a 90 degree angle. Later in the war, it was improved and became the RPG-6.
During the early days of Operation Barbarossa, the USSR's only infantry anti-armor weapons were anti-tank rifles, anti-tank guns, and the RPG-40. These were adequate against early German tanks such as the Panzer I and Panzer II but, as the war progressed, they were found to be nearly useless against the heavier Panthers and Tigers. The RPG-43 was developed as a result, and it was produced in large numbers until the end of the war. After the war, it was passed on extensively to Soviet client states, and was used in the numerous Arab–Israeli conflicts. Despite being thoroughly outdated, it can still be encountered in many third world nations, mainly due to its reliability and low cost.
The RPG-43 externally was shaped like an oversized stick grenade with a 95 mm HEAT warhead on the end. It weighed 1.247 kg of which 612 g was high explosive. When thrown, a cylindrical metal cone was released from the rear of the grenade and held by fabric strips to stabilize flight and increase the likelihood of a 90 degree hit. Its range was limited by how far the user could throw it, and was obviously shorter than the contemporary rocket-propelled US Bazooka and recoilless German Panzerfaust, so that the user had to get closer and was in more danger of being seen. However, it was much smaller than rocket weapons and produced no sound, smoke, or light when launched, and therefore did not betray the thrower's position. Despite its limitations, it was cheap and quick to manufacture, allowing it to become the main Soviet infantry anti-tank weapon of World War II.
Overall the RPG-43 was an awkward and difficult weapon to use effectively. To use it, the user had to get within throwing range of an enemy tank, which was often dangerous. Despite having a powerful warhead, it took a skilled user to make the most of it as, like all shaped-charge weapons, it was effective only if the striking angle was close to 90 degrees. It also had to hit hard enough to detonate the impact fuse, or it would bounce harmlessly off the tank.
The RPG-6 was designed as a replacement for the RPG-43. The RPG-43 had a large warhead, but was designed to detonate in contact with a tank's armor; it was later found that optimal performance was gained from a HEAT warhead if it exploded a short distance from the armor, roughly the same distance as the weapon's diameter. In the RPG-6 this was achieved by adding a hollow pointed nose section with the impact fuse in it, so that when the weapon detonated the warhead was at the optimum distance from the armor. The weapon was a success and went into mass production.

[asl3d]

HaL Soviet availability of Support Weapons:

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The Soviet Navy purchased a number of Bofors 25 mm Model 1933 guns in 1935, trials of the weapon were successful and it was decided to develop a 45 mm version of the weapon designated the 49-K. The development under the guidance of leading Soviet designers M. N. Loginov, I. A. Lyamin and L. V. Lyuliev was successful, but the army thought that the 45 mm caliber was a little too large for an automatic field weapon. In January 1938 the Artillery Factory Number 8 in Sverdlovsk was ordered to develop a 37 mm weapon based on the same design. The task was fulfilled by the chief designer of the factory, Mikhail Loginov, and his assistant Lev Loktev. Firing trials of the new 61-K were conducted in October 1938. Competitive firing trials were conducted in 1940 between the 61-K and the Bofors 40 mm/56. There were no substantial differences found between them.
The 37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K) was a Soviet 37 mm caliber anti-aircraft gun developed during the late 1930s and used during World War II. Guns of this type were successfully used throughout the Eastern Front against dive bombers and other low- and medium-altitude targets. It also had some usefulness against lightly armored ground targets. Crews of the 37 mm AD guns shot down 14,657 Axis planes. The mean quantity of 37 mm ammunition to shoot down one enemy plane was 905 rounds
The weapon was initially installed as a single-barrel weapon on a four-wheeled ZU-7 carriage, and was soon ready for service. In the firing position the wheels are raised off the ground and it is supported by four screw jacks, one at the front, one at the rear of the carriage and one either side on outriggers. When travelling, the barrel is pointed to the rear and is held in position by a lock hinged at the rear of the carriage. Basically a shield is mounted to each side front of the gun bt most countries have removed the shield. The M1939 37 mm anti-aircraft gun is towed most of the time by a military truck or light tactical vehicle as the GAZ-63.
An initial order for 900 units was placed. The gun was operated by a crew of eight men. A total of 200 rounds of ammunition were carried which were fed into the gun in five-round clips. Total Soviet production was around 20,000 units, ending in 1945.
Armor penetration of the armor-piercing (AP) rounds is reported as 37 millimeters of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) at 60°at 500 meters range and 28 millimeters of RHA at 90° at 1500 meters range. The M-1939 can fired FRAG-T, AP-T, HVAP or HE ammunitions. The 37 mm M1939 anti-aircraft gun has an effective slant range of 2,499 m. Effective altitude limit with an elevation of +45º is 1,768 m and with an elevation of +65º is 2,865 m. Self-destruct range is 4,389 m.
The naval mounting was produced as the 70K, and had entered service before the German invasion of the Soviet Union replacing the semi-automatic 45 mm/46 21-K on many ships. It was fitted in large numbers to Soviet ships during the Second World War, including the T301 class minesweeper. One drawback was that the 70K required a barrel change after every 100 rounds fired.

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The 76 mm air defense gun M1938 was 76.2 mm Soviet air defense gun, created by Soviet artillery designer M.N.Loginov, was small series issued in 1938-1940 at the plant number 8 in Podlipki. This gun was a modernized version of the 76 mm air defense gun M1931, with a slightly modernized barrel and a completely new two-axle carriage ZU-8.
For Soviets these guns were 76 mm model 1931 and model 1938. The model 1931 has been credited as design of G. P. Tagunov and was based to German 75-mm antiaircraft-gun made by Rheinmetall mainly for export. On the other hand the Soviets also received assistance from Rheinmetall and in addition they had acquired also one of the heavy Bofors anti-aircraft guns, so also Bofors designs might have impacted the development. The gun was approved to Red Army use in year 1931 and the Soviets issued first guns in 1932. Already in 1938 they introduced improved version called model 1938. The main difference between the two models was introduction of new driving device named ZU-8, but smaller improvements were made also to the actual gun. While transport equipment of model 1931 was the usual one axle with 2 wheels type new ZU-8 had two axles with four wheels, which made transporting these guns considerably easier. Likely this two-axle ZU-8 driving device was based to Bofors design introduced with Swedish 75-mm anti-aircraft gun m/37 (7,5 cm luftvärnskanon m/37). These guns were manufactured in Red Putilov factory (previous Putilov artillery factory) in Leningrad. The maximum towing for m/1931 gun was only 20 km/h. During World War 2 both of these guns saw lot of use with Soviet military. This carriage was also used for the more powerful 85 mm 52-K air defense gun, developed in 1939.
The Germans also captured these guns in large numbers and armed large number of their anti-aircraft gun units in air-defence of home front with them. German names for these guns were 7.62 cm Flak M 31 (r) and 7.62 cm Flak M 38 (r), after running out of captured ammunition Germans modified the guns to 88-mm caliber. In that new calibre these guns were known as 7.62/8.8 cm Flak M 31 (r) and 7.62/8.8 cm Flak M 31 (r). They used two methods for this modification process: Relining the barrel or replacing it with barrel from German 8,8 cm Flak 18. In either case the process was relatively simple as besides barrel the largest change required was replacing recuperator spring with stronger version, which could take the increased recoil.
The cannon 1931 had a good ballistics, but the military did not suit big transition time from traveling to combat and back (up to 5 minutes). Therefore, it was redesigned flitches - instead of the two-wheeled carts chetyrehkolёsnaya new memory-8 was developed, which was imposed and swinging of the gun mod. 1931 G. It is possible to reduce the specified time of 1 minute 20 seconds. Is also increased speed carriage on Highway 35 50 km / h.
In 1939, the Red Army was adopted based on it created a more powerful 85-mm anti-aircraft gun 52-K, which has replaced in the production of 76-mm anti-aircraft gun, the 1938 sample. 76.2-mm anti-aircraft guns were used in the first stage of the Great Patriotic War, but later were replaced by 52-K in order to avoid difficulties with the calculation instruction and the supply of ammunition for the multi-type of materiel.
The 85 mm gun was chosen for mass production by the Soviet authorities and tooling was switched from the 76.2 mm AD guns, to the 85 mm gun. As a result of this decision, the total number of M1938 AD guns, delivered to the Red Army, was relatively small. These guns were used in the first stages of the German-Soviet War and were gradually replaced by the more powerful 52-Ks.
The external appearance of the 76 mm and 85 mm AD guns is very close; the two types can be differentiated by their muzzle brake, the larger gun possessing the larger muzzle brake.