This article is about the Soviet SPG called the SU-76, you may be looking for the Soviet conversion of Panzer IIIs called the SU-76i

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The SU-76 was a self propelled gun used by the Soviet Union

during World War II. It had two 6 cylinder, gasoline powered, GAZ 203 engines capable of propelling the SU-76 at speeds of up to 28 mph. The main production model of the SU-76M not the first SU-76 because the early SU-76 had several problems including the engine layout on the modified T-70 chasis.

This problem caused the SU-76 to be quickly replaced by the SU-76M. The SU-76M had an armament of either a ZiS-3 or a 4.8 inch howitzer along with an MG. It also had a crew of 4 and armor protection of up to 1.1 inches or 0.5 inches. The weight of the SU-76M was about 22,000 pounds and the length was 16.4 feet. It also had a 4 speed forward, 1 speed reverse transmission and was capable of carrying about 60 rounds for its main gun.^[1]

VariantsEdit

The only variants of the SU-76 were the SU-76M of course, the SU-76B which had a closed crew compartment as the SU-76M had an open top, and the ZSU-37. The SU-76B was basically the same to the SU-76M besides having a closed crew area and it had few versions of itself made. The ZSU-37 was an anti-aircraft self-propelled gun that had a 37mm M1939 Air Defense Gun.

HistoryEdit

The SU-76's first prototype was called the OSU-76 and it was based on the T-60 chasis, not the T-70.^[2] It was used first in 1942 and it earned the nickname Suchka ("bitch"). It was used by Soviet forces at first to combat tanks, but eventually German armor proved to tough for the SU-76M to handle and it was used to support infantry instead. They were used until the end of WWII and were even sometimes modified to be used to carry cargo.

However, the Soviets responded by ceasing attempts at building anti-tank self-propelled guns like the SU-76 and instead began constructing the thoroughly armoured tank destroyers such as SU-85 and SU-100, using T-34 chassis and more powerful hull-mounted cannons.

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ http://www.wwiivehicles.com/ussr/self-propelled-guns/su-76.asp
2. ↑ http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=284

v • d • e Tracked Armored Vehicles of the Red Army Light Tanks T-50 Light Tank • T-60 Scout Tank • T-70 Light Tank • BT-2 Cavalry Tank • BT-7 Cavalry Tank • T-26 Medium Tanks T-28 • T-34 • T-44 Heavy Tanks T-35 • KV-1 • IS-2 • IS-3 Self Propelled Guns KV-2 • SU-76 • SU-85 • SU-122 • SU-152 • ZSU-25 • ZiS-30 • ZSU-37 Tank Destroyers SU-100 • ISU-152