Main Menu
Soviet Union's Katyusha BM-13 132 mm Rocket Launcher
Cover name: Kostikov Guns1
Soviet nickname: Katyusha "Katerina"
German nickname: Stalin's Organ
Katyusha BM-13 |
Design
The M-132 started development in 1938.1 The first designs had the rockets mounted so that they fired over the sides, but these weren't satisfactory.1 The ZiS-5 truck was the first chassis used.1
The first self propelled artillery weapon produced in quantity by the Soviet Union was the BM-13 rocket launcher.1
Lend-Lease
Under Lend-Lease the Soviet Union received over 100,000 2.5 ton 6x6 Studebaker trucks and almost 10,000 of these were converted to Katyushas.1 The Studebakers had better cross country capabilities than any of the other chassis available to the Soviet Union.1
The cab had anti-blast armor over the windscreen.1
Prototype
Prototypes were first tested in August 1939.1
Production
- BM-13-16:
- Production started in 19401
Variants
- BM-13-16: Mounted 132 mm rockets.1
- ??: Mounted M-30 300 mm rockets.1 Entered service in 1944.1
Usage
Initially only units under the control of the NKVD (secret police) were issued Katyushas.1
First Action
Katyushas were used for the first time in July 1941 at Orsha.1
Post World War II
Some variants of the Katyusha weapons system remained in service with the Soviet Military until 1980s.1
| Katyusha BM-13 132 mm Rocket Launcher | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 41 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 6 tons1 6,096 kg1 |
| Length w/gun | 24' 6"1 7.47 m1 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height with rocket rails down | 10'1 3.05 m1 |
| Width | 7' 3"1 2.21 m1 |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 16: 5.2" rockets1 16: 132 mm rockets1 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 51 |
| Hull Front, Upper | |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Studebaker Hercules JXD1 |
| Cylinders | 61 |
| Net HP | 871 |
| Transmission | |
| Fuel type | Petrol1 |
| Octane | |
| Capacity | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | |
| Max speed | 45 mph1 72 kph1 |
| Cross country speed | |
| Road range | 230 miles1 370 km1 |
| Cross country range | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | |
| Fording depth | |
| Trench crossing | |
| Vertical Obstacle | |
| Suspension (Type) | |
| Wheels each side | |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Track length | |
| Tires | |
| Track width | |
| Track centers/tread |
Sources:
- World Encyclopedia of Armored Fighting Vehicles, Jack Livesey, 2006
