The Wehrmacht of Germany for a long period of time used quite successfully heavy artillery weapons on various types of traction. When the armament fleet reached critical limits, the leadership faced the task of mastering tracked platforms for transporting self-propelled guns. Hummel is one of the most advanced and efficient developments, combining maneuverability, high maneuverability and firepower.
How the howitzer was made
The Blitzkrieg experience showed that careful planning of combat operations often faded into the background. Tanks not so rarely went into a breakthrough, moving away from the infantry and artillery due to their mobility. As a result, they were left without the necessary support. If the issue with infantry soldiers was resolved through the operation of armored personnel carriers and other equipment, it was almost impossible to quickly prepare heavy howitzers and artillery installations in the rapid offensive mode.
The Hummel self-propelled guns were decided to be put on a tracked chassis, which made it self-propelled, providing successful support for the Germantanks. Here another problem arose - the requirements of the military varied so much that a certain universal concept was not enough. In parallel, various machines designed for specific tasks were being developed.
Interim solution
In 1941, the German command of the armed forces gave the task of producing self-propelled howitzers to several companies. Among them:
- Rheinmetall.
- Krupp.
- Daimler-Benz.
- Skoda.
At the same time, the producers expressed strong indignation due to the critical deadlines. As a result, the problem was solved by the appearance of the so-called "intermediate solution". The Wehrmacht required the development and creation of only two types of equipment - artillery mounts equipped with a 105 mm cannon and a 150 mm howitzer.
The preliminary name is due to the fact that in the future it was planned to manufacture radically different self-propelled guns, produced not from tanks and the remains of other vehicles, but being full-fledged units capable of performing the assigned tasks. However, the maximum implementation of existing and developed technologies was required. At the same time, the designers had to meet the minimum deadlines and reduce the cost of products.
Design
Studies have shown that the Hummel tank destroyer is the most suitable for mounting guns IFH-18 (105 mm) and SFH-18 (150 mm). For this, the chassis of the PZ. KPF-2/4 tanks were used. Mostly alterations were carried out in the direction of the transfer of the motorcompartment in the middle part from the stern, and the side compartment was located at the rear of the combat unit.
Chassis armor has not undergone significant transformations. Protection was provided by elements designed to withstand various types of small arms and shrapnel. It was planned to ensure the stability of the installation, regardless of the position of the gun. In addition, it was necessary to guarantee the maximum possible supply of combat kit and fuel storage on a par with base tanks. It was also assumed that the crew of the Hummel self-propelled guns would be six fighters for a 105 mm gun and 7 for a 150 mm gun. All new components and assemblies were planned to be manufactured using existing equipment using existing technologies. At the same time, mechanical processing should be kept to a minimum.
Restrictions in development
The howitzer in question was developed in parallel with another project called Vespa. Designers already at the initial stage faced limitations in the chosen structural scheme. The main disadvantage of the chassis in question was the expected and well-known problem area regarding early conversion projects. It consisted in a rather limited supply of ammunition. On the self-propelled guns "Hummel" he was only 18 shells. Therefore, almost a quarter of the updated installations were built according to the type of armored personnel carrier for transporting charges. But it became possible to convert such instances into a combat vehicle without visiting a workshop or hangar.
The supply of light and heavy self-propelled guns to combat units began in the firsthalf of 1943. The existing doubts regarding the failure of the "intermediate solution" were dispelled after the successful use of such equipment in the battles of the batteries of tank divisions. Their units received excellent artillery support. The subsequent deterioration of the military position of the Wehrmacht was the reason for the rejection of further development of such projects. Only a few prototypes of combat self-propelled guns of this configuration were built.
Design features
The forerunner of the Hummel was called the Geschutzwagen. It was equipped on the chassis of the PZKPF tank with a 150 mm SFH-18 cannon. To create this design, selected systems of armored vehicles were used. The exterior of the running units corresponded to the J. V Ausf. F vehicle, and the internal equipment included elements of the PzKpfw tank as much as possible. III Ausf.
Among the differences from the prototypes, a modified body part, the presence of road wheels in the running gear, sloth caterpillars, track tensioners and the like are noted. From the second tank, the self-propelled gun got the Maybach power unit with a transmission unit (a type of SSG-77). The equipment of vehicles from this machine also used control units and a braking system.
Specially for the German self-propelled guns "Hummel", the designers have developed new shafts that transform the traction force from the engine, exhaust pipes, oil filters, inertial starters, winter gear and fuel lines. The combat compartment on experimental self-propelled guns was located inaft compartment, was open at the top. He weathered the crew protected by a canvas awning mounted over the wheelhouse.
The motor block was placed in the middle, and the controller in charge of control was installed in front. These two compartments were isolated from one another. Access inside was carried out through a pair of hatches. Additional weapons (except for the cannon) - MG-34 or MG-42 machine guns. The crew used pistols and machine guns as defensive weapons.
Other equipment
Hummel self-propelled guns, the photo of which is shown below, were also equipped with a reliable HL-120TRM engine and SSG-77 transmission. At the same time, the existing node did not guarantee the machine a sufficient reserve of specific power.
The equipment of the radio and transmitters corresponds to those of artillery spotters. Often, radio stations worked together with these units, as well as spotters like Funksprechgerat f FuSprG 0 and Bordsprechgerat BoSprG. The receivers operated in the medium frequency range and were equipped with a 30-watt transmitter.
Technical characteristics of the self-propelled guns "Hummel"
The following are the main parameters of the machine in question:
- Variety - self-propelled howitzer.
- Length/width/height - 7170/2970/2810 mm.
- Armored equipment - from 10 to 30 mm.
- The range of movement on one gas station is up to 215 kilometers on the highway.
- Maximum speed is 40 km/h.
- The number of crew members is 6/7 people.
- Armament - gun 105or 150 mm and several MG-42 machine guns.
Combat use
The Germans managed to create 115 self-propelled guns of the Hummel-M1-16 self-propelled gun type. Only about fifty vehicles were sent to combat units. The rest of the equipment was stationed in educational buildings.
The total volume of production of the considered military equipment amounted to 724 units, which proved to be quite successful. Ten copies were converted from tanks, and the rest of the vehicles from armored personnel carriers. Definitely self-propelled guns "Hummel" M-1-16 can be called the most popular self-propelled artillery installation of the Second World War. Panzer divisions were created in early 1943, after which the leadership approved a new staff, known as KStN 431 f. G. (Frei-Gliederung).
Notation
On the sides of the vehicles in question, not tank three-digit numbers from A to F were applied, but extended designations, up to the letters G and O. Usually marks were placed on the frontal part and stern armor plates of the cabins. If we touch on the decoding of symbols, we can note the following:
- 1 – first company.
- 5 - fifth platoon.
- 8 is the eighth car.
However, such designations on combat artillery self-propelled guns were extremely rare.
In the second half of the hostilities, divisional emblems were applied to the armored vehicles of the Nazis in some cases. Most often, the crews themselves left peculiar marks related to the names of wives, children and other relatives.
Conclusion
When the self-propelled guns in question were in mass production, most of the crews modified the equipment on their own. They focused on strengthening the protective grilles, the location of the exhaust pipes, the installation of spare rollers and other little things that definitely played a positive role in the development of the combat vehicles in question.
