SU-85
Encyclopedia : S : SU : SU8 : SU-85
 SU-85 of the Polish 13th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment. This vehicle is missing its first road wheel. | |
| SU-85 | |
|---|---|
| General characteristics | |
| Crew | 4 |
| Length | 8.15 m |
| Width | 3.00 m |
| Height | 2.45 m |
| Weight | 29.2 tonnes |
| Armour and armament | |
| Armour | 45 mm |
| Main armament | 85 mm D-5T gun |
| Secondary armament | none |
| Mobility | |
| Power plant | 12 cyl. diesel model V-2 500 hp (375 kW) |
| Suspension | Christie |
| Road speed | 55 km/h |
| Power/weight | 17 hp/tonne |
| Range | 400 km |
The SU-85 was a Soviet self-propelled antitank gun used during World War II, based on the chassis of the T-34 medium tank. Unlike earlier Soviet self-propelled guns which were meant to serve as either assault guns or antitank weapons, this vehicle was a dedicated tank destroyer.
History
In the first period of WW2 Soviet tanks such as the T-34 and KV-1 had sufficient firepower to destroy any German tank they encountered. However, in the fall of 1942, Soviet forces first encountered the German Tiger tank. By spring 1943, they knew of the existence of the German Panther tank, although the Panther was not seen in combat until July 1943 at the battle of Kursk.
These new-generation German vehicles meant that the Red Army required a more powerful gun. The SU-85 was a modification of the earlier SU-122 assault gun, essentially replacing the SU-122's 122 mm howitzer with a high-velocity 85 mm D-5T anti-tank gun. The 85 mm could penetrate the side armor of a Panther or Tiger at long range, and do so from a small, highly mobile vehicle with all-around armor protection.
The SU-85 entered combat for the first time in August 1943. They were employed by Soviet, Polish and Czech forces right up to the end of the war. There were two versions: the basic SU-85 had a fixed commander's cupola with rotating periscope and three vision blocks; the improved SU-85M had the same commander's all-around vision cupola used on the T-34/85. The SU-85 was succeeded in production by the improved SU-100 late in 1944.
Variants
The SU-85M used the hull of the SU-100, which was larger, and so could carry 60 rounds instead of 48.
See also
- List of Soviet tanks - covers all periods
External links
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