Equipment and sights of the Yugoslav army. Yugoslav stars

The armored vehicles of Russia and the world, photos, videos, watch online, were significantly different from all their predecessors. For large stock buoyancy significantly increased the height of the hull, and to improve its stability in cross section was given a trapezoidal shape. The required bullet resistance to the hull was provided by rolled cemented armor with an additionally hardened outer layer of the KO brand (Kulebaki-OGPU). In the manufacture of the hull, armor plates were welded on the inner soft side, and special stocks were used to facilitate assembly. To simplify the installation of units, the upper armor plates of the hull were made removable with a seal on fabric gaskets lubricated with red lead.

Armored vehicles of the Second World War in which the crew of two people was located near the longitudinal axis at the back of each other's heads, but the turret with weapons was shifted 250 mm to the left side. The power unit is shifted to the starboard side in such a way that access for engine repairs was possible from inside the tank's fighting compartment after removing the safety partition. At the rear of the tank, along the sides, there were two gas tanks with a capacity of 100 liters each, and directly behind the engine there was a radiator and a heat exchanger, washed by sea water when moving afloat. At the stern, in a special niche, there was a propeller with navigable rudders. The balance of the tank was chosen in such a way that when afloat it had a slight trim to the stern. The propeller was driven by a cardan shaft from a power take-off mounted on the gearbox housing.

Armored vehicles of the USSR in January 1938, at the request of the head of the ABTU D. Pavlov, the tank’s armament was to be strengthened by installing a 45-mm semi-automatic gun or a 37-mm automatic gun, and in the case of installing a semi-automatic gun, the crew was to be increased to three people. The tank's ammunition was supposed to consist of 61 rounds for the 45 mm cannon and 1,300 rounds for the machine gun. The design bureau of plant No. 185 completed two projects on the “Castle” theme, for which the Swedish Landsverk-30 tank was used as a prototype.

The Wehrmacht armored vehicles did not escape troubles with engine boost. To what has been said, we can only add that this crisis was actually overcome only in 1938, for which the tank received not only a forced engine. To strengthen the suspension, thicker leaf springs were used. Rubber tires made of neoprene, a domestic synthetic rubber, were introduced, the production of tracks from Hartfield steel by hot stamping began, and high-frequency-hardened fingers were introduced. But all these changes to the tank were not introduced simultaneously. The tank hull with inclined armor plates could not be manufactured on time. However, the conical turret with improved protection was submitted on time, and the tank with the same hull, reinforced suspension (due to the installation of thicker leaf springs), a forced engine and a new turret entered testing at the NIBT test site.

Modern armored vehicles went under the code T-51. It retained the process of transition from tracks to wheels, like the prototype, by lowering special levers with wheels without a person leaving. However, after adjusting the requirements for the tank, making it a three-seater (it was decided to retain backup control for the loader), and strengthening its armament to the BT level, it was no longer possible to implement the Landsverk-type wheel drive. In addition, the tank's wheel drive transmission was overly complex. Therefore, soon work on the “Castle” theme was carried out on the T-116 tank, in which the “change of shoes” was carried out according to the BT type - by removing the track chains.

The BA-10 armored vehicles experienced their baptism of fire during the conflict near the Khalkhin Gol River. By the beginning of fighting in this area, BA-10s made up approximately half of the entire fleet of medium armored cars (203 units). They entered the battle already in the early phase of the conflict. So, on June 20-25, the 3rd battalion of the 149th rifle regiment with the support of a company of armored cars of the 234th armored battalion of the 8th motorized armored brigade and a battery of the 175th artillery regiment, he fought with Japanese-Manchu units northeast of Khalkhin Gol in the Khalkhin-Sume and Debden-Sume areas. Moreover, the latter was already on the territory of Manchuria.

In the Debden-Sume area Soviet troops They discovered a Japanese military camp, in which there were up to a battalion of Japanese, a Manchurian cavalry regiment and two artillery batteries (75-mm field and 37-mm anti-tank guns). A battle ensued, during which the Japanese, sitting on the roofs of the barracks, pinned the infantry of the 149th regiment to the ground with fire.

The powerful armament of Soviet armored vehicles allowed them to fight Japanese tanks on almost equal terms. In this regard, the BA-10s from the 9th Motorized Armored Brigade operated most successfully. At 12 noon on July 3, 1939, Soviet search positions on the eastern bank were attacked by units of the 3rd and 4th Japanese tank regiments (more than 70 tanks). At the same time, up to 40 Japanese combat vehicles reached the positions of the company of the armored battalion of the 9th motorized armored brigade (12 BA-10), which first began to retreat. But when the brigade commander, Colonel S. Oleinikov, arrived in time, the company was stopped and “put in a position with an extended turret” (the armored cars stood behind a dune, above which only their turrets were visible). At this point, the Japanese tanks approached a distance of 800 - 1000 m and the armored vehicles opened fire. As a result of the two-hour battle, 9 tanks were knocked out and destroyed, while 6 BA-10s were damaged, but remained in service.

As a result of the battles it became clear:

"1. Armored cars are an excellent anti-tank weapon in defense on terrain with semi-closed positions.

2. The firing of Japanese tanks with a 57-mm fragmentation grenade (half of the Japanese tanks participating in this attack were Type 89) at armored cars did not defeat them and did not justify itself.

3. The attack of Japanese tanks without infantry and artillery preparation did not give them any results other than losses in tanks.

4. An armor-piercing 45 mm grenade easily penetrates the 22 mm armor of Japanese tanks.

5. If the infantry is defending with armored cars and there is a possibility of a massive attack by tanks, then it is imperative to prepare some of the armored cars for firing from semi-closed positions.”

By July 20, there were 80 BA-10 armored vehicles in units of the 1st Army Group. The total losses of vehicles of this type by the end of the operation amounted to 41 units.

In the final documents Soviet command it was noted that greatest losses armored cars carried anti-tank artillery and “bottle shooters” ( Japanese soldiers armed with bottles of gasoline) - up to 90%. From bottles of gasoline and hits from anti-tank guns, almost all armored cars burn and cannot be restored after this. We restored machines that had failed due to technical reasons, as well as those receiving damage from field artillery and aviation fire, although there were very few of the latter. Among the design flaws of armored vehicles, the following was noted:

“... A gas tank holding 108 kg of gasoline hangs above the head of both the commander and the driver’s mechanic, and when a PTO shell hits them, it pours onto their heads, causing everything inside to instantly ignite.”

Otherwise, the cars performed remarkably well:

1. There was not a single case where a second control sing (rear) was required. In the conditions of the Far Eastern and Mongolian theater, a second post is not needed.

2. The car showed good maneuverability and endurance.

3. Rifle and machine gun fire does not harm the Gusmatiks. A hit from a whole 37-mm shell does not disable the gun, but makes a neat hole and the machine continues to work.

The armor of the medium BA-10 armored car (the newest) cannot be penetrated by a heavy machine gun and is completely reliable protection crew on the battlefield.

BA-10s were widely used by the Red Army during the “liberation campaign” in Western Ukraine and Western Belarus And Winter War. From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, they took part in battles with German troops.

During the summer campaign of 1941, medium armored vehicles were used very actively, and often, along with reconnaissance, communications and combat security tasks, they were often used for attacks together with infantry and supporting their units directly on the battlefield, which led to unreasonably large losses. However, with proper use, Soviet armored cars could successfully fight against German tanks. Here is one example.

At 5.00 on June 22, 1941, the commander of the 5th tank regiment tank division 3rd mechanized corps Colonel Bogdanov assigned the task of conducting reconnaissance to a platoon of 6 BA-10 armored vehicles of Senior Lieutenant Surovtsev. The vehicles left the unit's location at 6.25. When approaching the town of L., the platoon commander organized an ambush in the forest, on both sides of the highway. The vehicles are camouflaged in such a way that it was difficult to notice them from a distance of 200 meters.

At 10.00 a platoon of German motorcyclists appeared, who were destroyed by BA-10 fire from a distance of 200 - 300 m. After 40 minutes, a light tank appeared on the road, moving with high speed. The commander of one of the armored vehicles set it on fire with the first shot from a gun. After 7 minutes, more bottoms of the tank approached the ambush, which were also destroyed by BA-10 fire. Ten minutes later, a column of 15 tanks and motorcyclists approached the place where the destroyed tanks and motorcycles stood. With their sudden fire, the BA-10 disabled 3 tanks and a large number of motorcycles, which forced the remaining German cars to turn back. With the approach to the town of L, the main forces of the 7th Panzer Division of the 39th tank corps Germans, the platoon of senior lieutenant Surovtsev retreated to their own. Thus, as a result of a well-organized ambush, 6 BA-10 armored vehicles knocked out and destroyed 6 German tanks and a large number of motorcycles.

But despite individual cases of successful use, in the first two months of the war most of the medium armored vehicles of the border districts were lost.

Due to the approach of the front directly to the Izhora plant, the production of BA-10 armored vehicles in September 1941 was transferred to the Baltic plant in Leningrad. At this enterprise, several dozen armored cars were produced from the remaining stock of the Izhora plant, which made up for the losses of the BA-10 and played a big role in the defense of Leningrad. They were also actively used in breaking the blockade.

On the morning of January 18, 1943, a Separate reconnaissance battalion under the command of L. Legeza moved into an attack on the city of Shlisselburg along with the infantry. Painted in White color 19 BA-10s rushed forward, grinding snow with wide Overall tracks mounted on the rear wheels. By 10 o'clock in the morning, three guns, several machine guns and over 120 German soldiers were destroyed by armored car fire. By noon the city was taken.

During the Great Patriotic War, these vehicles were used by the troops until 1944, and in some units until the end of the war. They have proven themselves well as a means of reconnaissance and combat security, and when used correctly, they successfully fought against enemy tanks.

BA-10 in the armies of other countries

Soviet-made medium armored vehicles were used not only in the Red Army, but also in other countries: sometimes they were exported, and more often they ended up there as trophies.

Mongolia. Starting from 1940, BA-10 armored vehicles were also supplied to the Mongolian People's Republic, but it has not yet been possible to find figures for the total supply of Soviet armored vehicles, but it can be assumed that before 1945 mongol army received at least 100 BA-6 and BA-10. It is known that during the fighting against Kwantung Army As part of a mixed Soviet-Mongolian cavalry-mechanized group, the 1st armored brigade of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Army operated, which included 58 Soviet-made medium armored vehicles. Judging by combat personnel, its organization corresponded to the staff of Soviet motorized armored brigades. The BA-6 and BA-10 armored cars were in service with the MPRA until the mid-1950s.

Finland. During the Winter War, the Finns captured ten BA-10 armored cars. After the start of the so-called Long War (as military operations against the USSR in 1941-1944 are officially called in Finland), their number increased - as of July 1, 1943, the troops had 24 vehicles of this type. In 1943, the armored cars were modernized - they were equipped with Ford V-8 engines with a power of 95 hp. As training vehicles, two BA-10 armored vehicles were used in Finnish army up to 1959. In 1962, one of the decommissioned armored cars was converted into a self-propelled crane and, under the designation BA-10N, was used in the technical center of the tank forces until 1978! Currently, Finland is the only country where a copy of the BA-10 armored car has been preserved. It can be seen in the tank museum in Parole.

Germany. During the first battles on the territory of the USSR, Wehrmacht units captured a large number of Soviet-made medium armored vehicles, many of which were in full working order. Judging by the photographs, the use of trophies began already during the first battles. However, it is very difficult to say how many medium armored vehicles were used by the Wehrmacht and SS units, since there are no statistics on this topic.

In the Wehrmacht, the BA-10 received the designation Panzerspahwagen BA 203(r) and was mainly used as headquarters and communications vehicles by the units that captured them. The Germans quite willingly used the BA-10 railway variant, since when moving on rails, such a disadvantage of the Soviet vehicle as limited cross-country ability no longer mattered. The German armored train No. 102 (Pz.Sp.Zug.102), for example, in August 1941 had four BA-10 armored vehicles.

Romania. By October 1941, during battles with Soviet units, the Romanian army captured 103 armored vehicles, of which approximately 60 were cannon. So far it has not been possible to find any details of their use by the Romanians, but it is reliably known that some of the captured vehicles were used.

Sweden. In 1942, the command of the Swedish army turned to the Finns with a request to sell several captured Soviet cannon armored vehicles for use as training ones. On October 26, a contract was signed for the supply of three BA-10 hulls at a price of 5,000 crowns each. In fact, the Swedes received only armored hulls with a turret - engines, transmissions, weapons and wheels were missing. However, the Swedes brought these vehicles to running condition and, under the designation "pansarbil m/31 F", they were supplied to equip the infantry school in Rosersberg, near Stockholm. Here these armored cars were used as training vehicles until the end of the 1950s.

In 1938, the Red Army adopted the BA-10 medium armored car, developed a year earlier at the Izhora plant by a group of designers headed by such famous specialists as A. A. Lipgart, O. V. Dybov and V. A. Grachev. The new vehicle was a further development of the line of armored vehicles BA-3, BA-6, BA-9 and was mass-produced from 1938 to 1941. In total, during this period the Izhora plant produced 3,311 armored vehicles of this type. Being the standard armored vehicle of reconnaissance units and individual tank brigades. The BA-10 remained in service until 1943.

The basis for the BA-10 armored vehicle was the chassis of a three-axle truck GAZ-AAA, with a shortened frame of 200 mm, was cut out from its middle part and the rear part was shortened by another 400 mm. The armored car was made according to the classic layout, with a front engine, front steering wheels and two rear drive axles. The BA-10 crew consisted of 4 people: commander, driver, gunner and machine gunner.
The completely enclosed riveted-welded body of the armored vehicle was made of rolled steel sheets of various thicknesses, which were installed everywhere with rational angles of inclination, which increased the bullet resistance of the armor and, accordingly, the degree of protection for the crew. 6 mm were used to make the roof. bottoms - 4 mm armor plates. The side armor of the hull had a thickness of 8-9 mm, while the frontal parts of the hull and turret were made of armor sheets 10 mm thick. The fuel tanks were protected by additional armor plates. To allow the crew to board the vehicle, the sides of the middle part of the hull had rectangular doors with small windows equipped with armored covers with viewing slots. To hang the doors, internal hinges were used instead of external ones, which eliminated the outer surface of the body from unnecessary small parts.
On the left in the control compartment located behind the engine compartment there was a driver's seat, on the right there was a gunner serving a 7.62-mm DT machine gun mounted in a ball mount in the beveled frontal plate of the hull. The driver's visibility was provided by a front window equipped with a hinged armored cover with a narrow viewing slot, and a small rectangular window of a similar design in the left side door. There was a similar window in the right door on the machine gunner's side.

Behind the control compartment there was a fighting compartment, the roof of which, which was a turret sheet, was located below the roof of the driver's cabin. Due to the stepped shape of the hull roof, the designers managed to reduce the overall height of the armored vehicle. Above the fighting compartment was mounted a welded conical turret of circular rotation with a large semicircular hatch, the lid of which folded forward. Through the hatch it was possible to monitor the area, as well as get into or out of the car. In addition, visibility in a combat situation was provided by viewing slots provided in the sides of the turret.

As the main armament, a 45-mm 20K cannon, model 1934, and a coaxial 7.62-mm DT machine gun, model 1929, were installed in a two-man turret in a cylindrical mantlet. The weapons were aimed at the target in the vertical plane in the sector from -2° to +20°. The transported ammunition included 49 artillery rounds and 2079 rounds of ammunition for two DT machine guns. The circular rotation of the turret was ensured by a manually driven rotation mechanism. To conduct targeted shooting, the gunner and commander of the armored vehicle had at their disposal a TOP telescopic sight, model 1930, and a periscopic panoramic sight, PT 1, model 1932.

In the engine compartment located in the front part of the armored vehicle, a four-cylinder carburetor in-line liquid-cooled GAZ-M1 engine with a displacement of 3280 cm3 was installed, developing a power of 36.7 kW (50 hp) at 2200 rpm, which allowed 5. A 12-ton armored vehicle can move on paved roads at a maximum speed of 53 km/h. When fully refueled, the vehicle's cruising range was 260-305 km, depending on road conditions. The engine was interacted with by a transmission, which included a single-plate dry friction clutch, a four-speed gearbox (4+1), a range, cardan drive, final drive, and mechanical brakes. The brakes were removed from the front wheels and a central brake was introduced into the transmission.
Access to the engine for the purpose of maintenance and repair was provided by a hinged armored hood cover, attached using hinges to the stationary part of the engine compartment roof, and service hatches in its side walls. The radiator installed in front of the engine was protected by a V-shaped armor plate 10 mm thick in cross section, which had two hatches with movable flaps that regulated the flow of cooling air to the radiator and engine. Improved ventilation and cooling of the engine compartment was facilitated by slotted blinds in the sides of the engine compartment, covered with flat armored boxes.
The three-axle, non-all-wheel drive (6x4) chassis, with the front axle beam reinforced with hydraulic shock absorbers and the rear axle suspension on semi-elliptical leaf springs, used wheels with GC tires of size 6.50-20. Single wheels were installed on the front axle, and dual wheels were installed on the rear axle. Spare wheels were attached to the sides of the hull in the lower rear part of the engine compartment and rotated freely on their axles. They did not allow the armored vehicle to sit on the bottom and made it easier to overcome trenches, ditches and embankments. The BA-10 easily overcame slopes of 24 degrees and fords up to 0.6 m deep. To increase maneuverability, light metal tracks of the “Overall” type could be put on the rear slopes. The front wheels covered streamlined fenders, the rear wheels - wide and flat - formed peculiar shelves above the wheels, on which metal boxes with spare parts, tools and other standard equipment were attached.

In front, on both sides of the front wall of the engine compartment, two headlights were mounted on short brackets, in streamlined armored housings, which ensured movement in the dark. Some of the vehicles were equipped with a 71-TK-1 radio station with a whip antenna; for crew conversations, there was a TPU-3 intercom inside the vehicle. All electrical equipment of the BA 10 armored car was shielded, which ensured reliable and more stable work means of communication.

Since 1939, production of the modernized model BA-10M began, which differed from the base vehicle in enhanced armor protection of the frontal projection, improved steering, external location of gas tanks and a new radio station 71-TK-Z. As a result of modernization, the combat weight of the BA-10M increased to 5.36 tons.
IN small quantities for armored train units, railway armored vehicles BA-10zhd with a combat weight of 5.8 tons were produced. They had removable metal tires with flanges that were put on the front and rear wheels (the middle ones were hung), and a hydraulic lift in the bottom for the transition from railway to normal and back.

Baptism of fire BA-10 and BA-10M took place in 1939 during the armed conflict near the Khalkhin Gol River. They made up the bulk of the fleet of armored cars of the 7th, 8th and 9th motorized armored brigades. Their successful use was facilitated by the steppe terrain. Later, BA-10 armored vehicles took part in the “liberation campaign” and Soviet-Finnish war. During the Great Patriotic War, they were used by the troops until 1944, and in some units until the end of the war. They have proven themselves well as a means of reconnaissance and combat security, and when used correctly, they successfully fought against enemy tanks. In 1940, a number of BA-20 and BA-10 armored vehicles were captured by the Finns, and later they were actively used in the Finnish army. 22 BA-20 units were put into service, with some vehicles being used as training vehicles until the early 1950s. BA armored cars -10 was smaller; the Finns replaced their native 36.7-kilowatt engines with 62.5-kilowatt (85 hp) eight-cylinder V-shaped Ford V8 engines. The Finns sold three cars to the Swedes, who tested them for further use as control machines. In the Swedish army, the BA-10 was designated m/31F.
The Germans also used captured BA-10s, and captured and restored vehicles under the designation Panzerspahwagen BAF 203(r) entered service with some infantry units, police forces and training units.

Development of wheeled armored vehicles in pre-war period much attention was paid in many countries of the world, the Soviet Union was no exception. The country has created great amount armored vehicles with the abbreviation BA in the title. One of the most popular and recognizable Soviet armored vehicles was the BA-10 (armored vehicle, model 10) - a Soviet medium armored vehicle of the 1930s.

The history of the average Soviet armored car BA-10 dates back to 1927, when a technical design of an armored vehicle under the symbol BA-27 (armored car of 1927) was prepared. The armored car was going to be produced at the Izhora plant, where in 1928 the first batch of BA-27 underwent a series of successful tests. Initially, the combat vehicle was produced on the basis of the Soviet AMO-F-15 truck, and from the summer of 1928 on the basis of the Ford-AA truck chassis, which was modern by those standards. By the end of 1931, the Izhora plant had assembled more than 200 armored vehicles. Due to the rather thin armor - 3-8 mm and weak weapons (37-mm Hotchkiss gun), these armored vehicles were very vulnerable on the battlefield and could not effectively fight enemy armored vehicles, so in 1934, modernization work began at the Izhora plant armored vehicles. Among other things, it was planned to increase the combat power of the armored car; the result of this work was the BA-3 armored vehicle, on which a turret from a T-26 light tank with a 45-mm gun was installed.

A year later, in 1935, the Gorky Automobile Plant began production of a new three-axle chassis for the GAZ-AAA truck. In the same year, a new three-axle armored vehicle BA-6 came out of the workshops of the Izhora plant, the armor of which had already been increased to 10 mm. As soon as serial production of the new armored vehicle was established, the design bureau of the Izhora plant began work on its modified version, designated BA-6M. The base from the three-axle GAZ-AAA truck was retained, but changes were made to the design significant amount changes. The main ones were aimed at reducing the weight of the combat vehicle. So the chassis frame in the middle part was shortened by 200 mm, and in the rear - by 400 mm. The front part of the armored car was strengthened by installing new springs, as well as two hydraulic shock absorbers from the GAZ M-1 passenger car, which were attached to the frame side members. Especially for the BA-6M armored car, a new conical turret was created, with a wall angle of 10 degrees, two viewing slots with Triplex glass on the sides of the turret, as well as two turret holes. At the rear of the turret there was a hatch designed for mounting and dismounting a gun with a revolver hole in the center. In the hatch on the roof of the turret there were openings for the PT-1 periscope sight, ventilation of the combat compartment and flag signaling.

In parallel with this, a version of an armored car was being developed, which was supposed to be armed with one large-caliber 12.7-mm DK machine gun. The machine gun was installed in the turret instead of a coaxial cannon-machine gun mount. This armored vehicle was designated BA-9 and was tested in the spring of 1937. The armored vehicle was planned to be used by cavalry units. But due to the lack required quantity production of large-caliber machine guns BA-9 was never established.

The BA-10 medium armored vehicle was a further development and modernization of the already produced BA-6M armored vehicles. The vehicle was created by a group of designers from the Izhora plant in 1937, and already in 1938 the armored vehicle was adopted by the Red Army. Its production was also established at the facilities of the Izhora plant, where from 1938 to 1941 3,413 BA-10A and BA-10M armored vehicles were produced, making it the most popular Soviet medium armored vehicle.

The hull of the BA-10 armored car was made of rolled steel sheets with a thickness of 10 mm, the bottom of the hull was made of sheets 4 mm thick, the rear and roof of the hull also had a thickness of 10 mm. The turret of the armored car had 10 mm all-round armor, and the roof of the turret had 6 mm. The steel sheets were attached to the hull by welding and riveting; they had rational angles of inclination, which was supposed to increase the bullet resistance of the hull and, accordingly, increase the degree of protection for the crew and important components and assemblies of the combat vehicle. The crew of the BA-10 cannon armored car consisted of 4 people: commander, driver, gunner and machine gunner.

The medium armored car was made according to the classic layout with a front-mounted power plant, front steering wheels and two rear drive axles. A 6x4 wheel arrangement was used. Behind the control compartment there was a fighting compartment, the roof of which was below the level of the roof of the driver's cabin. By using the stepped shape of the hull roof, the creators of the armored car managed to reduce the overall height of the combat vehicle. Above the fighting compartment there was a welded turret of circular rotation of a conical shape with a large semicircular hatch on the roof, the cover of this hatch was tilted forward. Through the hatch it was possible to get into or leave the armored car, as well as monitor the area. In addition, visibility in a combat situation was provided by viewing slits located on the sides of the turret.

To allow the crew to board the armored vehicle, rectangular doors with small windows equipped with armored covers with viewing slots were located on the sides in the middle part of the hull. To hang the doors, the designers used internal hinges instead of external ones, which was supposed to rid the outer surface of the armored vehicle body of unnecessary small parts. The driver's visibility was provided by a front window, which was equipped with a hinged armored cover with a narrow viewing slot, as well as a small rectangular window of a similar design located in the door on the left side of the car. There was a similar window in the right door, which was located on the machine gunner’s side.

In the front part of the armored car body there was a 3.3-liter GAZ-M1 liquid-cooled carburetor engine, which developed a power of 36.7 kW (50 hp) at 2200 rpm. Such an engine was enough for an armored car whose weight exceeded 5 tons to accelerate on paved roads to a maximum speed of 53 km/h. The engine worked in conjunction with a transmission, which included: a single-disc dry friction clutch, a 4-speed gearbox (4 forward speeds, one reverse), cardan transmission, final drive, range multiplier, mechanical brakes, which the armored car received from a GAZ truck. AAA. For its weight, the armored car had fairly good maneuverability. It could overcome a 20-degree incline, and thanks to the presence of low-hanging hulls on the sides and freely rotating spare wheels, it could even overcome trenches. The vehicle could wade through water obstacles up to 0.6 meters deep.

Access to the engine of the armored vehicle for the purpose of maintenance and repair was provided by a hinged armored hood cover, which was attached to the stationary part of the engine compartment roof using hinges, and special service hatches located in the side walls of the hull. The radiator was placed in front of the engine, it was protected by a V-shaped armor plate with a thickness of 10 mm in cross section; two hatches with movable flaps were located in this armor plate; they were designed to regulate the flow of cooled air to the engine and radiator. The lever for opening the armored radiator flaps was located in the driver's place. Improved ventilation and cooling of the engine compartment of the armored car was also facilitated by slotted blinds located on the sides of the engine compartment; they were covered with flat armored boxes.

To improve cross-country ability, the BA-10A medium armored vehicle was equipped with quick-release Overall-type tracks, which turned a wheeled combat vehicle into a half-track. On the BA-10A modification they were mounted on the sides of the fighting compartment above the rear wings; on the BA-10M modification they were located at the stern. The front wheels of the armored vehicle were covered by streamlined fenders, the rear wheels were wide and flat; they formed kind of shelves above the wheels, on which metal boxes with spare parts, tools and other standard equipment were placed.

A 45-mm turret was installed in the turret located at the rear of the armored car. tank gun 20K model 1932 with a barrel length of 46 calibers and a coaxial 7.62-mm DT-29 machine gun. The armored car's turret was rotated manually using a special two-speed gearbox. To search for targets, a PT-1 periscope sight, model 1932, and a TOP telescopic sight, model 1930, were used. The gun was aimed at the target in the vertical plane in a sector from -2 to +20 degrees. The gun's ammunition consisted of 49 rounds, as well as 2,079 rounds of ammunition for two DT machine guns. The 45-mm 20K gun was designed to fight tanks and other enemy armored vehicles. For the second half of the 1930s, the armor penetration of its shells was sufficient to combat most existing tanks and armored vehicles. At a distance of 500 meters, a 45 mm gun shell penetrated 40 mm armor located at a right angle.

On an early modification of the armored vehicle, designated BA-10A, the fuel tanks were attached to the roof; they were located almost above the heads of the driver and gunner, which was far from an optimal solution and seriously worsened the fire hazard of the combat vehicle and the survivability of the crew in combat conditions. Later, in the modification BA-10M, the production of which was launched in the USSR at the end of 1939, gas tanks of a new design with a capacity of 54.5 liters each were used. They were placed on the wings of the rear wheels and covered with additional armored casings. It is also worth noting that the gas pipelines were laid under the bottom of the armored vehicle in special armored strips. All this increased the survivability of the armored vehicle in combat conditions and in a positive way affected the survival of the crews. In case of damage in battle, fuel now poured out of the hull.

In addition to new gas tanks, the modernized medium armored car BA-10M was equipped with armor protection for the machine gun mount located in the frontal plate of the hull, a new turret rotating mechanism was used, the location of the muffler was changed, a standard box for spare radio tubes was installed, as well as a new spare parts box. The toolbox was now located under the floor, the crowbar was removed inside the body of the combat vehicle, the height of the seat backs in the turret was reduced and the mounting location for the rocket launcher and first aid kit was changed, and a bag designed for hand grenades. The weight of the armored vehicle increased to 5.5 tons, but this had almost no effect on the dynamic qualities of the BA-10. Some armored vehicles were equipped with 71-TK-1 or 71-TK-3 “Jackal” radio stations. The latter provided a communication range by telephone: on the go - up to 15 kilometers, from a standstill - up to 30 kilometers, by telegraph in a parking lot - up to 50 km. It is worth noting that a fairly large number of armored vehicles were radio-equipped. For example, in 1940, out of 987 BA-10Ms produced, 410 (41.5%) were radio-equipped.

In addition to the ordinary BA-10A and BA-10M, in 1939-1941, about 20 railway versions of the combat vehicle were produced in the Soviet Union, which were designated BA-10ZhD. Such vehicles were equipped with a jack for installing railway ramps on the front and rear axles. The weight of the railway version of the armored car increased to 5.78 tons, and the speed along the railway track increased to 90 km/h.

In the pre-war period, BA-10 armored vehicles became the most popular medium armored vehicle of the Red Army. Initially these combat vehicles were in service with the 7th, 8th and 9th motorized armored brigades, and were also part of the motorized and tank units. IN intelligence units These vehicles soon replaced the outdated BA-3 and BA-6. This armored vehicle was first used in combat conditions in 1939 in the battles of Khalkhin Gol ( irrecoverable losses amounted to 39 BA-10), while the armored car showed that it was able to fight Japanese tanks. They revealed their anti-tank properties especially well when operating from ambushes. Subsequently, BA-10 armored vehicles were used in all operations and military conflicts involving the Red Army.

So, by the time the Great Patriotic War began, the Red Army and the NKVD troops had about 2,870 BA-10 armored vehicles, of which approximately 2,800 combat vehicles were located directly in military units. The rest were either on the way or at the factory awaiting shipment. The BA-10 medium cannon armored vehicle was used throughout the Great Patriotic War, as well as during the war with Japan in August 1945.

During the first months of the war, a huge number of BA-10 armored vehicles were lost, while a large number of armored vehicles were abandoned by Red Army units during the retreat due to breakdowns or lack of fuel. Such vehicles became trophies of the Wehrmacht. The Germans captured more than 100 medium armored vehicles, which they actively used without any significant modifications under the designation Panzerspahwagen BA 203(r). Most of them were used in rear areas to maintain order in the occupied territories and conduct counter-guerrilla warfare.

At the first stage of the Great Patriotic War, Soviet troops quite actively used BA-10 armored vehicles. Because of big losses armored vehicles, primarily tanks, the Red Army often used them not only to solve their traditional tasks: reconnaissance, communications and combat security, but also for direct attacks together with infantry and supporting units with fire on the battlefield. Solving problems unusual for them led to heavy losses armored vehicle data. Moreover, with proper use, especially from ambushes and from well-camouflaged positions, they could fight German tanks. Beginning in 1943, these armored vehicles were used more and more sporadically at the front. By the end of the war, BA-10s were still retained only in security and communications companies. Probably the last of them were used in the Great Patriotic War in parts 2 Belorussian Front, which on April 14, 1945 included 17 cannon armored vehicles, including 14 BA-10M and 3 BA-3M.

Performance characteristics of the BA-10:
Overall dimensions: body length - 4450 mm, width - 2100 mm, height - 2470 mm, ground clearance - 230 mm.
Wheel formula - 6x4.
Combat weight - 5.1 tons.
Reservation - from 4 mm (hull bottom) to 10 mm (front and sides of the hull/turret).
Powerplant - 4-cylinder carburetor liquid-cooled GAZ-M1 engine with a power of 50 hp.
Maximum speed - 53 km/h (on the highway), 20 km/h (over rough terrain).
Cruising range - 260 km (on the highway).
Armament - 45-mm 20K cannon of the 1938 model and 2x7.62-mm DT-29 machine guns.
Ammunition - 49 rounds for the gun, more than 2000 rounds for the machine gun.
Crew - 4 people.

Yugoslav People's Army uniform

1950-60s.

K.S.Vasiliev, M.V.Razygraev

When studying uniforms in different countries of the world, it can be interesting to observe how the appearance of military personnel is influenced by certain trends of an economic and political nature. This is especially noticeable in the example of relatively small and recently formed states. Often, the uniform of the armies of such countries bears features not only national traditions

14. The emblem on the caps of the generals of the Ground Forces. At the end of the 1940s, contradictions between the leadership of People's Yugoslavia and the USSR, caused largely by the personal ambitions of their leaders I. Broz Tito and I. V. Stalin, led to a complete breakdown in relations between the fraternal communist countries. Yugoslavia chose an alternative the Soviet way

building a socialist society, and in foreign policy the path of non-alignment with military-political groupings competing in Europe.

Yugoslav People's Army since 1946 had a kind of uniform with insignia similar to those accepted in the Soviet Army.

As many examples show, changes in uniforms caused by political reasons most often begin with the system of personal ranks and insignia. A return to the insignia of the Royal Army was unacceptable for the communist leadership of Yugoslavia, especially since the insignia of the Royal Army was a combination of Russian and German traditional systems. .

Therefore, in introduced in 1955. uniform, a new, different system of insignia for the ranks of military personnel of the ground forces and air force/air defense was introduced Four categories of military ranks were established: soldiers, sub-officers, officers and generals. Particular attention should be paid to the ranks of generals. They were as follows: major general, lieutenant colonel general, colonel general and army general. For the person holding the post of Minister of Defense, the rank of “general” was established, on whose shoulder straps five stars were embroidered. The shoulder strap of the Marshal of Yugoslavia, a rank personally assigned to the lifelong President of the country Josip Broz Tito, repeated the shoulder strap of the Marshal Soviet Union

and, in spite of everything, it was embroidered on Russian general's galloon. Soldiers of the Ground Forces of the Yugoslav People's Army in 1955. the following types were installed military uniform

: official (for and out of formation), festive and ceremonial. The rank and file, who were entitled only to a service uniform, and on the service uniforms of sub-officers and officers, did not have any designation of the branches of the military and services. This uniform required the wearing of a cap - a “Titovka”, the style of which was personally designed by Marshal Tito in 1942. type Soviet caps

. Shoes were specially cut laced boots. On the open jackets of sub-officers and officers, buttonholes were worn in the color of the uniform with the insignia of the military branches and services. Colonels and generals had special buttonholes with the image of oak leaves. These tunics were worn in festive uniforms and service uniforms outside the formation. Dress uniform

officers and generals differed in color and cut.

	Given the mild Balkan climate, there was no provision for dividing the uniform into summer and winter, but in hot weather it was allowed to wear an outer shirt without a jacket, and for cold and rainy weather overcoats, coats and capes were worn.
	1, Festive uniform (without overcoat) of officers of the Ground Forces
	2. Service casual uniform (with a summer shirt) of female officers of the Ground Forces
	4. Service day off (in a summer shirt) uniform for soldiers
	5. Service casual uniform (without overcoat) of aviation officers
	1. Festive uniform in an overcoat of military students educational institutions
	2. Service casual uniform (with coat) of officers of the Ground Forces
	3. Service uniform for officers mountain parts in a cape.
	4. Service uniform for aviation officers (in a raincoat)
	5. Service for the formation of soldiers in an overcoat and helmet.

Sub-officers and officers of the Air Force wore the gray-blue color traditional for Western European aviators,

Non-combatant commanding staff was allocated to separate category military officials. They were distinguished by a silver metal device, in contrast to the combat personnel, whose device was golden, and a special shape of stars on the shoulder straps.

1. Summer service uniform for sailors		1. Service casual uniform for sailors in a pea coat.
2. Summer festive uniform for officers of the Navy		2. Service ship uniform for officers during the navigation period.
3. Summer holiday uniform for female sub-officers of the Navy		3. Service ship uniform for sub-officers during the navigation period.
4. Service casual uniform of sub-officers of the Navy in a summer shirt.
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The ranks of military personnel in the Navy were designated by both sleeve patches and shoulder straps. The ranks of sailors and sub-officers were the same as in Ground forces and the Air Force. It is interesting that the chevrons of sailors and sub-officers on shoulder straps were sewn at an angle up, and on the sleeves at an angle down.

The rank insignia of officers and admirals consisted of traditional gold braid on the sleeves. The same braids were sewn on officers' shoulder straps. The shoulder straps of admirals were embroidered like those of generals. The type of service of sub-officers and officers was indicated by a badge located above the braid.

Unlike the Ground Forces, the uniform of sailors had seasonal differences. It was divided into summer (white) and winter (dark blue).