Assault gun Sturmtiger
Assault gun Sturmtiger 38 cm RW61 on Tiger Storm Mortar;
During the 2nd World War, Germany produced many specialized types of armored vehicles, including assault tanks. These vehicles were used to support infantry operations in built-up areas, as well as to fight enemy fortifications. The first machine of this class was the Sturminfanteriegeschuetz 33, created on the basis of the Sturmgeschuetz III assault gun and armed with a 150 mm 15 cm sIG 33 heavy infantry howitzer. most of them were lost at Stalingrad. The next assault tank was the Sturmpanzer IV Brummbaer (Sd.Kfz.1942). The Brummbaer was created on the basis of the PzKpfw IV tank and was also armed with a 24mm howitzer. In the period from 166 to 150, the German army received 1943 vehicles of this type. The third and heaviest assault tank was the Sturmtiger, which entered service in 1945.
In early May 1942, work began on the project "Sturmpanzer" "Baer" (assault tank "Bear"). The tank was supposed to be armed with a 305-mm cannon placed in a fixed wheelhouse on the chassis of the Panzerkampfwagen VI "Tiger" tank. The new tank was supposed to weigh 120 tons. It was planned to put on the tank a 12-cylinder Maybach HL230P30 engine with a power of 700 hp, which would allow this colossus to reach a speed of about 20 km / h. The armament of the "Bear" consisted of a 305-mm cannon, fixed in a mask. Only aiming in the vertical plane was provided, the elevation angle was from 0 to 70 degrees, the maximum range of fire was 10500 m. A high-explosive projectile weighing 350 kg contained 50 kg of explosives. The length of the “Bear” reached 8,2 m, width 4,1 m, height 3,5 m. The armor was located at an angle, its thickness on the sides was 80 mm, and on the forehead 130 mm. Crew 6 people. The tank remained at the drawing stage, but represented the first step towards the future Sturmtiger.
In the fall of 1942, fierce street fighting in Stalingrad gave the heavy assault tank project a second wind. By that time, the only assault tank "Brummbaer" was still in the development stage. On August 5, 1943, it was decided to install a 380-mm mortar on the chassis of the PzKpfw VI "Tiger" tank. Initial plans to arm the vehicle with a 210 mm howitzer had to be revised, as the necessary gun was not available. The new vehicle was named “38 cm RW61 auf Sturm (panzer) Moeser Tiger”, but is also known as “Sturmtiger”, “Sturmpanzer” VI and “Tiger-Moeser”. The most famous of the names of the tank was "Sturmtiger".
The new vehicle had a silhouette similar to that of the Brummbaer, but was based on a heavier chassis and carried heavier weapons. The construction of the prototype was entrusted to Alkett in early October 1943. On October 20, 1943, the prototype was already demonstrated to Hitler at the Aris training ground in East Prussia. The prototype was created on the basis of the "Tiger" tank. The cabin was assembled from cast steel plates. After testing, the car received a recommendation for mass production. In April 1944, it was decided to use the hulls of damaged and decommissioned Tigers for the production of assault tanks, and not new chassis. From August to December 1944, 18 Sturmtigers were assembled at the Alkett company. 10 were ready in September and 8 in December 1944. The plans provided for the release of 10 cars per month, but it was never possible to achieve such indicators.
Serial vehicles were produced on the basis of a late-type chassis, with all-metal road wheels. The sides and undercarriage remained unchanged, but the frontal armor of the hull was partially cut off to install an angular cabin. The car was equipped with a standard 700-horsepower Maybach HL230P45 engine and a Maybach OLVAR OG 401216A gearbox (8 forward and 4 reverse gears). Power reserve 120 km, maximum speed 37,5 km/h. Fuel consumption 450 l per 100 km, fuel tank capacity 540 l. The dimensions of the tank were somewhat different than those of the turret version: length 6,82 m (Tiger 8,45 m), width 3,70 m (3,70 m), height 2,85 m / 3,46 m with lifting crane (2,93 m). The mass of the "Sturmtigr" reached 65 tons, while the tower "Tiger" weighed only 57 tons. The cabin had thick walls: 80 mm sides and a 150 mm forehead. The cabins were made at the Brandenburger Eisenwerke company. Firm "Alkett" "reanimated" the lined "Tigers", and the finished cars came to a warehouse in Berlin-Spandau.
The Sturmtigr was armed with a short-barreled 38 cm Raketenwerfer 61 L/5,4 breech-loading rocket launcher. The rocket launcher fired high-explosive rockets at a range of 4600 to 6000 meters. The rocket launcher was equipped with a telescopic rangefinder “RaK Zielfernrohr 3 × 8. Two types of rockets were used: high-explosive Raketen Sprenggranate 4581 ”(mass of a high-explosive charge 125 kg) and cumulative “Raketen Hohladungs-granate 4582”. Cumulative missiles could penetrate a layer of reinforced concrete 2,5 m thick.
The rocket launcher was developed by Rheinmetall-Borsing from Düsseldorf, and was originally intended to combat submarines. The rocket launcher could be guided in the horizontal plane by 10 degrees to the left and right, and in the vertical plane in the sector from 0 to 65 degrees (theoretically up to 85 degrees). The return reached a value of 30-40 tons.
The most interesting from a constructive point of view was the gas exhaust system. Gases practically did not get inside the fighting compartment, but when fired into the air, a cloud of dust rose, which made it necessary to constantly change the firing position. Later, the barrel of the rocket launcher was balanced with metal rings, which made aiming easier. "Sturmtigr" could destroy any house with one shot, but its ammunition load was only 14 shots.
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In addition to the Jagdtigr tank destroyer, the Henschel company developed in 1944 on the basis of the T-VIB tank "King Tiger" another self-propelled unit - the Sturmtigr assault gun. The installation was intended to perform special tasks, such as the fight against long-term firing points. The installation was armed with a muzzle loaded 380-mm mortar firing projectiles weighing 345 kg. The mortar was installed in the supports of the conning tower, mounted in front of the tank. The cabin was equipped with a mechanical winch, a tray for loading mortars and a lifting device for loading ammunition into the car. It also installed a radio station, a tank intercom and fire control devices. The self-propelled unit had strong armor, very heavy weight and low maneuverability. It was produced in small series until the end of the war. A total of 18 installations were released.
