Heavy anti-aircraft guns. The weapon of our victory is anti-aircraft guns

Infantry guns The positional nature of the fighting of the First World War gave rise to a whole class of infantry (trench) artillery, represented by various guns and mortars designed for mounted fire, destruction field fortifications and defeats

Recoilless rifles These artillery systems would more accurately be classified not as infantry, but as “parachute” guns, since they were created to arm parachute units. From common in post-war years recoilless rifles, such guns differed, first of all,

20-mm anti-aircraft guns The development of 20-mm automatic guns was carried out in Germany during the First World War. The Becker system gun turned out to be quite successful, and was subsequently brought to mass production in Switzerland by Oerlikon. Quite big

37-mm anti-aircraft guns The history of the first production model of the German 37-mm anti-aircraft gun is like two peas in a pod similar to the history of the creation of the 20-mm Flak 30 cannon. Its development under the brand name ST 10 was carried out by Rheinmetall under Soviet order. Complete set in 1930

88-mm anti-aircraft guns By the beginning of World War II, the Wehrmacht had several dozen more 7.5 cm Flak 14 anti-aircraft guns. These guns, which were a slightly improved version of the guns from the First World War, were already outdated. The basis of the Reich's air defense was

Captured anti-aircraft guns Unlike field and anti-tank artillery, in the field of anti-aircraft, the “contribution” of the Czech company “Skoda” to the weapons of the Wehrmacht was relatively modest. Among the samples of this company, we note the following: 7.65 cm Flak 33(t) and Flak 37(t) - 76.5 mm anti-aircraft guns mod. 33 and

CHAPTER 4. ULTRA-LONG RANGE GUN AND GUN ON RAILWAY PLATFORMS Ultra-long-range guns have existed in one form or another for centuries - giant siege bombards of the 15th century fired stones weighing up to 700 kg. The mobility of artillery installations of this type

Anti-aircraft "Shermans" The best self-propelled artillery anti-aircraft gun on the chassis of the Sherman tank (although it appeared too late to fulfill the task for which it was intended) was created in Canada. Used on this machine

P. Popov, Major General of the Engineering and Technical Service, State Prize laureate

The appearance of the first military airships and airplanes was greeted differently by artillerymen from different countries. The French and Germans, for example, believed that conventional ones were quite suitable for fighting new targets. field guns, installed in positions so that shooting at large elevation angles is possible. The Italians stood for universal guns, capable of firing equally successfully at both ground and air targets. Russian artillerymen understood earlier than others that the development of airships and aviation would inevitably require special anti-aircraft guns. A few years later, the French and Germans recognized the validity of this point of view, and by the beginning of the First World War, such guns were in service with the Russian, French and German armies. England, Italy and the USA had to create anti-aircraft guns during the war.

All the first medium-caliber anti-aircraft guns, 75-77 mm, were designed for light field guns and mounted on vehicles. They fired shrapnel at up to 20 rounds per minute. Among them, the domestic 76-mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1914 model, created by designer F. Lander on the instructions of the Artillery Committee, stood out for its precision of operation, simplicity and originality of the design of the sighting device.

The moral impact on pilots who refused to carry out a combat mission when the planes fell into the explosion zone, and quite high percent of downed enemy airplanes (20-25% of all aircraft destroyed in the air) recommended anti-aircraft artillery as effective remedy fight against an air enemy. And when, at the end of the First World War, airplanes for various tactical purposes with increased maneuverability appeared, the rapid improvement and cultivation of anti-aircraft artillery began. The advent of low-flying aircraft required guns with a pointing speed and rate of fire that could only be achieved in a small-caliber automatic system. To defeat strategic bombers flying at high altitudes, artillery was needed with such a height reach and such a powerful projectile that could only be achieved in guns large caliber. Thus, in addition to the previous medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery, small and large caliber artillery is emerging.

Even during the war years there was an idea that combat missions small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery can be dealt with by guns of two calibers - 20 mm and 37-40 mm. And at the turn of the 20-30s in different countries Several dozen prototypes of guns of these calibers are being created. 20 mm guns were characterized by the pace of the machine gun ( greatest number rounds per minute allowed by the design of the gun) - 250-300 rounds per minute and weighing in the stowed position 700-800 kg. For 37-40 mm guns, the machine's firing rate was 120-160 rounds per minute, and its weight was 2500-3000 kg. The guns fired fragmentation tracers and armor-piercing shells, were highly maneuverable and could be used to repel attacks by enemy armored forces.

In the years between the two wars, work continued on medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery guns. The best 75-76 mm guns of this period had a height reach of about 9500 m and a rate of fire of up to 20 rounds per minute. This class showed a desire to increase calibers to 80; 83.5; 85; 88 and 90 mm. The height reach of these guns increased to 10-11 thousand m. The guns of the last three calibers were the main weapons of medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery of the USSR. Germany and the USA during the Second World War. All of them were intended for use in combat formations of troops, they were relatively light, maneuverable, quickly prepared for battle and fired fragmentation grenades With remote fuses.

England and France became the first countries to use air defense their capitals, heavy field guns adapted for firing at airships and airplanes. In France these were 105 mm, and in England - 4-inch (101.6 mm) guns. This is how the calibers of the guns, called large in anti-aircraft artillery, were predetermined. By the end of the war, special 105-mm anti-aircraft guns appeared in France and Germany. In the 30s, new 105 mm anti-aircraft guns were created in France, the USA, Sweden and Japan, and 102 mm in England and Italy. The maximum reach of the best 105-mm gun of this period is 12 thousand m, elevation angle -. 80°, rate of fire - up to 15 rounds per minute. It was on the guns of large-caliber anti-aircraft artillery that power electric motors for aiming and a complex energy system first appeared, which marked the beginning of the electrification of anti-aircraft guns.

The initial velocity of the projectile is the most important ballistic performance guns - determines the speed of delivery of the projectile to the target. And the entire development of anti-aircraft artillery took place under the sign of a steady increase in initial speed. This can be done in two ways: increasing the weight of the powder charge and decreasing the weight of the projectile. The first way leads to rapid deterioration of the trunk walls, the second is effective within limited limits. That is why, in the end, the initial speed increased much more slowly than the anti-aircraft gunners would have liked. In the 30s, speeds of 800-820 m/sec were typical for anti-aircraft guns, but even these relatively moderate speeds were achieved only because at the end of the 20s prefabricated barrels appeared, which made it possible to replace worn-out elements. In some designs, the entire burnt inner pipe was replaced, in others - only the most burnt part of it. Later, a physicochemical method was found to reduce the heat of the trunk.

No matter how perfect the anti-aircraft guns themselves are, the combat success of batteries is unthinkable without a device that instantly produces firing settings. By the end of the 20s, some foreign companies created samples of such anti-aircraft artillery fire control devices - PUAZO, which were attached to each anti-aircraft battery. The creation of PUAZO and automatic sights, stereoscopic rangefinders, synchronous transmissions and intra-battery telephone communication completed the development of all the material and technical elements of anti-aircraft batteries typical for the beginning of the Second World War.

In this war Soviet Union entered with three types of modern anti-aircraft guns.

All Soviet anti-aircraft guns from the Great Patriotic War Patriotic War were more perfect and powerful than the German ones. In artillery, the power of a gun is estimated by a coefficient representing the ratio kinetic energy projectile at the muzzle to the caliber cube. This coefficient for our anti-aircraft guns was 490, 595, 778, respectively, and for the German ones - 453, 430, 598. Moreover, our 25-mm gun mod. 1940 turned out to be the world's first anti-aircraft gun with a coefficient exceeding 750.

Second World War, confirming the effectiveness of existing anti-aircraft weapons, caused its further improvement. The Germans created a 37-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun mod. 43 at a rate of 240 rounds per minute. They also had integrated installations - twin installations of 37-mm guns mod. 43 and quad installations of 20-mm guns mod. 38 g with a total technical rate of fire of 480 and 1680 rounds per minute.

Combat experience has shown that the range (height) of actual fire of 37-mm automatic anti-aircraft guns does not exceed 2500-3000 m, and 20-mm - 1000 m. In an effort to increase the range of small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery, large-caliber automatic anti-aircraft guns began to be created. The Germans now have such a 50-mm cannon mod. 41 g with an initial speed of 840 m/sec, a projectile weight of 2.19 kg and a rate of 130 rounds per minute. Later, from literary sources, work became known that was not completed in Germany on the 55 mm caliber (1000 m/s, 2.2 kg, 130 rounds per minute) and in Sweden on the 57 mm caliber (850 m/s, 3 .0 kg, 120 rounds per minute). Thus, anti-aircraft gun production came close to the invasion of automation into the area of ​​medium calibers: the task of creating a 75-76 mm anti-aircraft gun was next in line.

A serious innovation in anti-aircraft weapons were guns of new large calibers. American 120 mm (4.7 in) and German 128 mm anti-aircraft guns appeared with characteristics respectively; initial speed - 945 m/sec and 880 m/sec, projectile weight - 22.7 kg and 25.43 kg, rate of fire - 12 and 10 rounds per minute, maximum height reach - 14 km and 12 km. These were electrified guns with power electric motors for the fuze setter, rammer and each guidance mechanism. Four-gun batteries 120 mm American guns were served by an electric generator with a capacity of 60 kW, and German 128 mm - 48 kW.

In the American 120-mm guns, all electric motors were controlled automatically and remotely from the PUAZO. Thus, a modern large-caliber anti-aircraft gun became the fruit of a creative collaboration between cannon engineers and engineers on electrical, electronic and hydraulic machines and devices.

Later, German research became known in the field of creating an anti-aircraft gun with a caliber of 240 mm with an initial speed of 1020 m/sec, a projectile weight of 205 kg, a rate of fire of 8 rounds per minute and a maximum reach at an altitude of 36 km. Since the introduction of electric motors to land anti-aircraft guns, the technical obstacles to creating such a weapon, if the need arose, have essentially disappeared.

During the Second World War, a new milestone was determined in increasing the initial speeds of anti-aircraft guns. In the USA, a 120-mm anti-aircraft gun with an initial speed of 945 m/sec was adopted, and in Germany - an 88-mm model. 41 g, with an initial speed of 1000 m/sec, a projectile weight of 9.4 kg and a maximum height reach of 15 thousand m. At the same time, the Germans were working on creating other anti-aircraft guns with the same initial speed.

During the war, we began and soon after its end created three new large automatic anti-aircraft systems. These were complexes with modern powerful 57-mm automatic, 100-mm and 130-mm anti-aircraft guns. The latter covered altitudes of over 20 km.

However, no matter how powerful the barrel anti-aircraft systems, only with their help you can’t solve everything modern challenges fight against the air enemy. The low probability of hitting modern air targets, especially those flying at high altitudes, gave rise to the emergence of anti-aircraft guided missiles.

(airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft). Used to protect troops and facilities from enemy air attacks. If necessary, it is used to combat ground and/or surface enemies. Organizationally, it can be part of the air defense units and formations of the ground forces and the Navy.

The main requirements for anti-aircraft artillery are a high rate of fire and initial projectile velocity, making it possible to hit high-speed and maneuverable targets at the greatest possible distances, both in range and in flight altitude. Therefore, anti-aircraft guns, like anti-tank artillery guns, are distinguished by long barrels. In addition, automatic firing systems are widely used in anti-aircraft artillery.

The fire was carried out mainly by high explosive shells, which exploded at a certain altitude and hit enemy aircraft with shrapnel at a distance of up to 100 meters from the explosion site. A direct hit was optional; The main type of fire was barrage, in which fire was carried out along the course of the aircraft in front of them, as a result of which the enemy was forced to either turn away from the target or fly through a zone of dense fire with numerous fragments.

Story

The origin and development of anti-aircraft artillery is associated with the emergence of air attack weapons. Initially, aircraft were fired from conventional 76-mm field guns, as well as naval guns mounted on special machines. At the same time, anti-aircraft guns were developed.

Among the first, the 76-mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1914/15 model was created by the Russian designer F.F. Lender at the Putilov plant.

In 1915-1916, to ensure shooting, instruments (coursefinders, rangefinders) were designed and put into service, and special tables were developed to determine the coordinates of a moving air target and corrections when firing.

In 1916, anti-aircraft searchlights began to be used to ensure night shooting.

After the First World War, due to rapid development aviation, the process continued rapid development anti-aircraft weapons.

Classification

By caliber

By caliber, anti-aircraft guns are divided into:

• small caliber (20 - 60 millimeters);
• medium caliber (60 - 100 millimeters);
• large caliber (over 100 millimeters).

One of the components of the artillery was anti-aircraft artillery, designed to destroy air targets. Organizationally, anti-aircraft artillery was part of the military branches (Navy, Air Force, ground troops) and at the same time constituted the country's air defense system. It provided both protection of the country’s airspace as a whole and cover individual territories or objects. Anti-aircraft artillery weapons included anti-aircraft weapons, as a rule, heavy machine guns, guns and missiles.

An anti-aircraft gun (gun) means a specialized artillery piece on a carriage or self-propelled chassis, with all-round firing and a large elevation angle, designed to combat enemy aircraft. It is characterized by a high initial projectile speed and aiming accuracy; therefore, anti-aircraft guns were often used as anti-tank guns.

By caliber, anti-aircraft guns were divided into small-caliber (20 - 75 mm), medium-caliber (76-100 mm), large-caliber (over 100 mm). Based on design features, automatic and semi-automatic guns were distinguished. According to the method of placement, guns were classified into stationary (fortress, ship, armored train), self-propelled (wheeled, half-tracked or crawler-mounted) and trailed (towed).

Anti-aircraft batteries of large and medium calibers, as a rule, included anti-aircraft artillery fire control devices, reconnaissance and target designation radar stations, as well as gun guidance stations. Such batteries later began to be called anti-aircraft artillery complex. They made it possible to detect targets, automatically aim guns at them and fire in any weather conditions, time of year and day. The main methods of firing are barrage fire at predetermined lines and fire at lines where enemy aircraft are likely to drop bombs.

Anti-aircraft gun shells hit targets with fragments formed from the rupture of the shell body (sometimes with ready-made elements present in the shell body). The projectile was detonated using contact fuses (small caliber projectiles) or remote fuses (medium and large caliber projectiles).

Anti-aircraft artillery originated before the outbreak of World War I in Germany and France. In Russia, 76 mm anti-aircraft guns were manufactured in 1915. As aviation developed, anti-aircraft artillery also improved. To defeat bombers flying at high altitudes, artillery was needed with a height reach and a powerful projectile that could only be achieved by large caliber guns. And to destroy low-flying high-speed aircraft, rapid-fire small-caliber artillery was needed. Thus, in addition to the previous medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery, small and large caliber artillery arose. Anti-aircraft guns of various calibers were created in a mobile version (towed or mounted on vehicles) and, less commonly, in a stationary version. The guns fired fragmentation tracer and armor-piercing shells, were highly maneuverable and could be used to repel attacks by enemy armored forces. In the years between the two wars, work continued on medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery guns. The best 75-76 mm guns of this period had a height reach of about 9,500 m and a rate of fire of up to 20 rounds per minute. This class showed a desire to increase calibers to 80; 83.5; 85; 88 and 90 mm. The height reach of these guns increased to 10 - 11 thousand m. The guns of the last three calibers were the main weapons of medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery of the USSR, Germany and the USA during the Second World War. All of them were intended for use in combat formations of troops; they were relatively light, maneuverable, quickly prepared for battle and fired fragmentation grenades with remote fuses. In the 30s, new 105 mm anti-aircraft guns were created in France, the USA, Sweden and Japan, and 102 mm in England and Italy. The maximum reach of the best 105-mm gun of this period is 12 thousand m, elevation angle is 80°, rate of fire is up to 15 rounds per minute. It was on the guns of large-caliber anti-aircraft artillery that power electric motors for aiming and a complex energy system first appeared, which marked the beginning of the electrification of anti-aircraft guns. In the interwar period, rangefinders and searchlights began to be used, intra-battery telephone communication was used, and prefabricated barrels appeared, which made it possible to replace worn-out elements.

In World War II, rapid-fire automatic guns, shells with mechanical and radio fuses, anti-aircraft artillery fire control devices, reconnaissance and target designation radar stations, as well as gun guidance stations were already used.

The structural unit of anti-aircraft artillery was a battery, which usually consisted of 4 - 8 anti-aircraft guns. In some countries, the number of guns in a battery depended on their caliber. For example, in Germany, a battery of heavy guns consisted of 4-6 guns, a battery of light guns - of 9-16, a mixed battery - of 8 medium and 3 light guns.

Batteries of light anti-aircraft guns were used to counter low-flying aircraft, since they had a high rate of fire, mobility and could quickly maneuver trajectories in the vertical and horizontal planes. Many batteries were equipped with an anti-aircraft artillery fire control device. They were most effective at an altitude of 1 - 4 km. depending on caliber. And at ultra-low altitudes (up to 250 m) they had no alternative. Best results achieved by multi-barrel installations, although they had greater ammunition consumption.

Light guns were used to cover infantry troops, tank and motorized units, defend various objects, and were part of anti-aircraft units. They could be used to combat enemy personnel and armored vehicles. Small-caliber artillery was the most widespread during the war. The best weapon considered to be a 40-mm cannon from the Swedish company Bofors.

Batteries of medium anti-aircraft guns were the main means of combating enemy aircraft, subject to the use of fire control devices. The effectiveness of the fire depended on the quality of these devices. Medium guns were highly mobile and were used in both stationary and mobile installations. The effective range of the guns was 5 - 7 km. As a rule, the area of ​​destruction of aircraft by fragments of an exploding shell reached a radius of 100 m. The 88-mm German cannon is considered the best weapon.

Batteries of heavy guns were used mainly in the air defense system to cover cities and important military installations. Heavy guns were mostly stationary and were equipped, in addition to guidance devices, with radars. Also, some guns used electrification in the guidance and ammunition systems. The use of towed heavy guns limited their maneuverability, so they were more often mounted on railway platforms. Heavy guns were most effective when hitting high-flying targets at altitudes of up to 8-10 km. Moreover, the main task of such guns was rather barrage fire than direct destruction of enemy aircraft, since the average ammunition consumption per shot down aircraft was 5-8 thousand shells. The number of heavy anti-aircraft guns fired, compared to small-caliber and medium-caliber ones, was significantly less and amounted to approximately 2 - 5% of total number anti-aircraft artillery.

Based on the results of World War II the best system Air defense was possessed by Germany, which not only had almost half of the anti-aircraft guns of the total number produced by all countries, but also had the most rationally organized system. This is confirmed by data from American sources. During the war, the US Air Force lost 18,418 aircraft in Europe, 7,821 (42%) of which were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery. In addition, due to anti-aircraft cover, 40% of the bombing was carried out outside the designated targets. The effectiveness of Soviet anti-aircraft artillery is up to 20% of aircraft shot down.

Estimated minimum number of anti-aircraft guns produced by some countries by type of gun (excluding transferred/received)

In addition to the data provided, Germany used 41 types of anti-aircraft guns of various calibers captured in Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the USSR, France, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. For example, Soviet 642 37 mm caliber guns, 723 76.2 mm caliber guns and 163 85 mm caliber guns (recalibrated to 88 mm) served in the German army under the designation 3.7 cm Flak М39(r), Flak МЗ1 (r) and Flak M38(r), respectively. At least 250 Italian 90 mm anti-aircraft guns were used under the name 9 cm Flak 41 (i). More than 160 French 75 mm anti-aircraft guns went to the Wehrmacht and were designated 7.5 cm Flak.M. 33(f) and 7.5 cm Flak.M. 36(f). In turn, Germany supplied guns to its allies, as own production, and trophy ones. In total, Germany used 56.5 thousand captured anti-aircraft guns (27% of the total number of its own production), incl. 39.7 thousand small-caliber, 13.6 thousand medium-caliber and 3.2 thousand large-caliber.

At the end of 1941, one of those miracles that never ceases to amaze the world happened. Defeated, bloodless, almost completely destroyed, the Red Army seemed to rise from the dead, first throwing the Wehrmacht back from Moscow, then defeating Paulus’s army at Stalingrad and finally intercepting strategic initiative in the Battle of Kursk, which predetermined the outcome of the war.

A new book by an authoritative military historian dedicated to these events is not an ordinary chronicle of military operations, more than an ordinary description of the battles of 1941 - 1943. In his landmark study, leading American specialist did something that none of his colleagues had dared to do before - he conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Soviet war machine and her work in the first years of the war, revealing the mechanics of the “Russian military miracle”.

Encyclopedic in its coverage of material, unprecedented in its accuracy and depth of analysis, this work has already been recognized as a classic.

Having studied a huge volume of archival documents, assessing the combat capabilities and tactics of both sides, the balance of forces on the Soviet-German front and the style of warfare, David Glantz examines in detail the process of accumulation of the Red Army combat experience, which allowed it to first catch up with the enemy and then surpass the Wehrmacht, which was considered invincible.

This fundamental work debunks many myths existing in both German and American historiography. Glantz irrefutably proves that the decisive victory over Germany was won precisely on the Eastern Front and was by no means accidental, that the outcome of the war was decided not by “generals Mud and Frost”, not by the stupidity and incompetence of Hitler (who was in fact an outstanding strategist), but by the increased skill Soviet command and the courage, dedication and steadfastness of the Russian soldier.

Note 1: Due to the low quality of the original scan, the tables are left with pictures.

Flak

Separate anti-aircraft artillery divisions, which provided rifle corps with protection from air attacks (one division per rifle corps), consisted of three batteries equipped with four 76-mm or 85-mm guns each, with a total battalion strength of 12 anti-aircraft guns. However, as of June 22, there were full-time anti-aircraft artillery divisions in only 40 of the 61 Red Army rifle corps. Although a typical rifle corps, consisting of three rifle divisions, supported by a single separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion, were supposed to have 48 anti-aircraft guns, 72 quadruple 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine guns and 27 mounted 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns, by the beginning of the war only a few of them were fully equipped with anti-aircraft weapons.

In addition to these anti-aircraft artillery forces, the Red Army also included battalions of armored trains and individual armored trains, which were used throughout the war as platforms for anti-aircraft guns and, as a rule, were subordinate to the country's air defense.

Together with the Red Army as a whole during Operation Barbarossa heavy losses they carried her too anti-aircraft troops:

“Due to the large losses of aviation and the impossibility of massing it, the air defense of the troops was carried out mainly by anti-aircraft artillery and small arms, adapted for firing at air targets. The air defense troops suffered heavy losses in materiel during operations. Besides, significant amount anti-aircraft artillery weapons were used to equip anti-tank fighter units. Production of anti-aircraft artillery weapons in connection with the beginning of the evacuation industrial enterprises decreased. All this led to a large shortage of firepower in air defense units. For example, by the end of the second month of the war, the Southwestern Front had only 232 - 76.2 mm and 176 - 37 mm anti-aircraft guns, which amounted to 70 and 40% of the front’s standard requirement for this artillery, respectively.”.

When the NKO began to simplify the military structure of the Red Army in the summer of 1941, in addition to abolishing the rifle corps, it also reduced the number of anti-aircraft forces located in rifle regiments and divisions, shifting responsibility for air defense to individual anti-aircraft artillery divisions of the combined arms armies. For example, by December 1941, the NKO transformed the anti-aircraft companies of rifle regiments into platoons with three 12.7 mm heavy anti-aircraft machine guns, and anti-aircraft divisions rifle divisions - into anti-aircraft batteries equipped with six 37-mm anti-aircraft guns and nine trucks. This reduction process culminated at the end of December with the liquidation of anti-aircraft platoons in rifle regiments and anti-aircraft batteries in rifle divisions. This was done mainly due to the reduction in the German air threat, with the result that the 108 separate anti-aircraft artillery divisions available in the RVGK on 1 January 1942 seemed capable of protecting the Red Army field forces until larger ones could be formed air defense forces RVGK.

At the beginning of 1942, the NKO began to strengthen the anti-aircraft forces of the RVGK, beginning to form small anti-aircraft artillery regiments to protect the field armies. These regiments consisted of three batteries with four 37-mm anti-aircraft guns each and two anti-aircraft machine gun companies: one of three platoons of four Maxim machine guns, and one of two platoons of four DShK machine gun with a total regiment strength of 326 people, twelve 37 mm guns, twelve 7.62 mm and eight 12.7 mm machine guns. The NKO assigned 35 of these regiments to the active fronts in June 1942, including 18 to the Western, eight each to the Bryansk and Southwestern, and one to the North Caucasus. In addition, on June 2, the NKO improved the control of anti-aircraft troops, subordinating all anti-aircraft units, guns and machine guns, as well as all air surveillance, target recognition and communications equipment in the active fronts and armies to the chief of artillery of the Red Army and the newly appointed deputy artillery commanders in the active fronts and armies.

To further strengthen the anti-aircraft forces, the NKO began to form two new types of anti-aircraft artillery divisions in early and mid-August 1942. The first consisted of three batteries with four 76-mm or 85-mm guns and one DShK machine gun in each, the second had the same structure and the same weapons, but numbered 514 people and was reinforced by a battery of six searchlights. Finally, at the end of August 1942, the NKO formed another, heavier version of the anti-aircraft regiment - from two divisions with 12 guns each. However, by the end of the year, only eight such regiments had been formed.

Despite these attempts to strengthen air defense, front and army commanders experienced considerable difficulty in amassing a sufficient number of anti-aircraft weapons to protect their troops during major operations. Therefore, on October 22, 1942, the NKO issued an order, signed by Stalin, requiring everyone air fronts and armies to form anti-aircraft artillery groups, which, together with front-line aviation had to cover their troops during major operations:

1. For cover from enemy aircraft strike groups V initial position and when it comes, in addition to the use of cover aircraft, create anti-aircraft groups from army air defense regiments and by removing anti-aircraft batteries and anti-aircraft machine gun companies of rifle and other formations operating on the main and secondary directions.

Assign from 1/2 to 2/3 of all military anti-aircraft assets of the front (army) to the anti-aircraft group.

An anti-aircraft group is assigned to a strike group of an army or front to cover it.

2. Particularly carefully, on the spot and on the move, organize an observation and warning service so that the anti-aircraft group has time to prepare in a timely manner to open fire on enemy aircraft and create barrage fire, and the troops have time to receive necessary measures to reduce losses from bombing and machine gun fire from enemy aircraft.

3. The command of the anti-aircraft group of the advancing army is entrusted to the deputy chief of army artillery for air defense, at whose disposal the army headquarters is allocated necessary funds communications.

4. Provide assistance and support to all command personnel of all branches of the military the help you need anti-aircraft batteries and machine-gun companies of an anti-aircraft group advancing behind the advancing troops: let them through crossings out of turn, allow them to overtake columns of troops on the roads, help anti-aircraft units when exiting roads to occupy firing positions.

In accordance with this order, already on October 31, 1942, part of the anti-aircraft artillery regiments was consolidated into 18 new anti-aircraft artillery divisions of the RVGK. Such a division consisted of a headquarters, four army-style anti-aircraft artillery regiments with three four-gun batteries each, as well as a small logistics service. It had a total strength of 1,345 personnel, forty-eight 3 7-mm anti-aircraft guns, 48 ​​Maxim machine guns and 32 DShK machine guns.

As a result, the anti-aircraft artillery of the RVGK increased from 108 regiments on January 1, 1942 to 27 anti-aircraft artillery divisions, 123 separate anti-aircraft artillery regiments and 109 separate anti-aircraft artillery divisions by January 1, 1943, and to 30 divisions, 94 separate regiments and 95 individual divisions - on February 1, 1943.

This increase became possible only because the Soviet military industry produced 3,499 37-mm anti-aircraft guns and 2,761 85-mm anti-aircraft guns in 1942, and another 5,472 37-mm anti-aircraft guns and 3,713 85-mm anti-aircraft guns in 1943. mm caliber. However, despite this increase in production, the continued shortage of medium 85 mm anti-aircraft guns did not allow anti-aircraft forces The Red Army can effectively fight aircraft flying at an altitude of more than 3000 meters.

In 1943, the NKO significantly strengthened and improved its anti-aircraft artillery forces. In the second half of February, he reorganized the anti-aircraft artillery divisions, adding a fire control company to each of them, eliminating one of the light regiments to reinforce each of the remaining three with a fourth battery, and adding to each division a fourth medium regiment with 85 mm anti-aircraft guns capable of shooting down enemy aircraft at an altitude of more than 3000 meters. Initially, these divisions consisted of three light regiments with four batteries of four 37 mm anti-aircraft guns each for a total regimental strength of 16 guns, one medium regiment divided into four 4-gun batteries, for a total regimental strength of sixteen 76 mm or 85 -mm anti-aircraft guns and enhanced rear service. In total, the division had 64 anti-aircraft guns. In addition, the NKO completed the removal of anti-aircraft batteries from the rifle divisions, using their material to help equip the new artillery divisions of the RVGK, subordinate to the RVGK, and included many anti-aircraft artillery regiments and divisions in these new divisions.

During the same period, the formation of two new specialized types of anti-aircraft artillery regiments began. The first, formed in February to protect airfields, had twelve 37-mm guns, 12 Maxim machine guns and eight DShKs, differing from the 1942 model regiment only in that it had no vehicles, and the personnel consisted of only 270 soldiers. The second type of regiments for the protection of airfields was formed in April, these regiments were similar in structure to the regiments of anti-aircraft artillery divisions and had 420 personnel, twelve 37-mm guns, 12 Maxim machine guns and 12 DShK machine guns - not divided into two, and for four platoons. In 1943, the NKO formed 38 airfield protection regiments and 52 new independent anti-aircraft artillery regiments; of the latter, all but four were based on the previous 12-gun structure.

In April 1943, the formation of new separate anti-aircraft artillery divisions began. These divisions consisted of three batteries with four 76 mm or 85 mm anti-aircraft guns and one DShK machine gun each, with a total strength of approximately 380 personnel, twelve 76 mm or 85 mm anti-aircraft guns and three DShK machine guns. However, a shortage of 76 mm anti-aircraft guns forced the NKO to form only two such divisions, each consisting of two batteries with four 37 mm guns and one battery with 85 mm guns.

Thanks to these reforms, the NKO was able to place almost all anti-aircraft artillery forces of the Red Army under the leadership of the RVGK. Anti-aircraft artillery regiments and divisions protected the active troops of the armies and fronts, and medium-caliber anti-aircraft artillery divisions covered key targets in the rear. In addition, the Red Army in 1943 used more than 60 armored trains for air defense - for example, during Battle of Kursk Soviet ground forces were supported by 35 armored trains.