Full Name | Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 85 |
Class | Heavy Vehicle |
Movement | 6 |
Armor Value | 5 |
Vs Infantry (RNG / FPR) | 5/6 |
Vs Vehicle (RNG / FPR) | 7/11 |
Traits | |
Period | Mid-1943-1945 |
Theaters of Service |
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This Soviet tank destroyer was built on the chassis of the T-34 medium tank. It carried the 85 mm D-5T (L/55) gun in a closed-top, casemate structure. The type offered a low profile, adequate armor protection, and good mobility. When first under development in early 1943, its main gun was more than adequate, capable of penetrating the Tiger I from 1,000 meters. As the war progressed, however, the 85 mm main gun was less effective at knocking-out German armor. Further, with the T-34 and KV-1 tanks up-gunned with the same 85 mm gun beginning in early 1944, Soviet military planners requested new tank destroyer designs featuring more powerful armament. The Soviets produced 2,050 of these 29.6-tonne vehicles between mid-1943 and late 1944. A crew of four operated the type, and it had a maximum speed of 34 mph.