Tanks/Vehicles SU-122-54 as top tier Soviet TD

[_Firefly 800]

Hello everyone,

 

I'd like to post a suggestion to include the SU-122-54 as a top tier Soviet tank destroyer. I haven't been able to find any threads about this in the suggestions forum. It was only mentioned in a few posts scattered across various threads, hence my decision to post more information here. 

 

 

What is it?

 

The SU-122-54 was a self-propelled gun (rus. samokhodnaya ustanovka) based on the T-54 chassis. It had a 5-man crew and was armed with a 122 mm D-49 gun, a derivative of every Soviet player's old favourite, the D-25. Additional armament included two 14,5 mm KPVT machine guns - one mounted coaxially with the main gun, and the other one on top of the vehicle for anti-aircraft duties. The main gun was placed in fixed casemate with up to 100 mm of armour sloped at 51 degrees. First concieved during the latter part of 1940s, it was approved for service in 1952 and went on to serve in a variety of roles. Owing to the versatility of the chassis (it's compatible with the T-54 in almost all respects), engineering vehicles based on the SU-122-54 remained in service long after the T-54 itself was retired in the Soviet Union. One was even spotted at a military parade as late as 1995! 

 

 

What makes it special? 

 

As a relatively light vehicle based on the T-54 chassis, the SU-122-54 was a nimble tank destroyer for its size. Its armour was nothing special and almost anything built around its date of introduction would be able to kill it easily. However, it did have a few aces up its sleeve. From the information I've been able to gather its practical rate of fire was around 4 to 5 rounds per minute, which is exceptional for a 122 mm gun with two-piece ammunition (I imagine it must've used some form of a mechanical rammer pioneered on IS tanks). One source I found says it was able to fire up to 6 rounds a minute, which would give it a practical reload time of about 10 seconds (!). Secondly, the D-49 had a slightly longer barrel than the D-25, which - I imagine - would have given it superior armour penetration compared to the latter, particularly if the correct BR-471D shells were to be used. Last but not least, as a low-profile tank destroyer with good mobility it would've been able to perform flanking manoeuvres with relative ease, further enhancing its killing potential in War Thunder. 

 

Does it fit in the game's timeframe?

 

Yes and no. The vehicle was officialy first conceived in 1948 in a USSR Council of Ministers resolution instructing the No. 174 Plant in Omsk to design and manufacture a 122 mm self propelled gun using a T-54 chassis. The resulting vehicle, called the Ob'yekt 600, was tested in 1950-52 and approved for full-scale production thereafter. However, because the D-49 cannons were in short supply and the state factories were in no hurry to manufacture them, the first vehicles left the production lines in 1955. Therefore the vehicle could be considered as being in service with the Soviet army before the cut-off date of June 1953. This of course assumes that the timeline isn't pushed any further from the current end date, which, given the highly anticipated introduction of the Leopard 1 and the T-62A, is not certain by any means. 

 

 

What would it bring to War Thunder?

 

Given the aforementioned capabilities of this SPG it's safe to assume it's a combination until now not found in War Thunder. If I were to liken it to any vehicles we have in the game now, I'd probably call it a much-improved SU-122P with a gun befitting a high-tier vehicle. I'm sure it would find its fans in the game. I, for one, would be happy see it introduced alongside the existing T-54s and the IS-4. If the developers were to go really wild there's an option for another vehicle - the SU-122-54 was planned to be upgunned with the 122 mm M-62 gun, but these plans were scrapped following Khrushchev's raketomaniya and the subsequent development of tank destroyers carrying anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). 

 

Basic specification of the vehicle:

 

Production run: 1954 - 1957

Total production: 77 vehicles

Crew: 5 (commander/radio operator, driver/mechanic, gunner, two loaders)

Combat weight: ~36 tonnes

Front hull and superstructure armour: 100 mm at 50-51 degrees

Front corner armour: 80 mm at 40 degrees, angled 25 degrees to the sides

Side armour: 80-85 mm at 0 to 26 degrees

Rear armour: 30-45 mm

Roof armour: 20 mm

Bottom armour: 20 mm

Main armament: 122 mm D-49 rifled gun

Barrel calibre length: 48,7*

Ammunition: 35 shells

Shell types used: BR-471D (APCBC), OF-471 (HE)

Vertical traverse: -4 to +16 degrees (20 degrees total)

Horizontal traverse: 8 degrees to the left or to the right (16 degrees total)

Additional armament: 2x 14,5 mm KPVT machine guns, one coaxial, one on casemate roof on a rotating mount

Machine gun ammunition: 600 rounds fed from box magazines

Engine: V-54 vee-twelve, watercooled diesel developing 520 HP

Top speed (road): 48 km/h

Top speed (rough terrain): 20-25 km/h

Suspension: torsion bar with hydraulic shock absorbers

Ground pressure: 0,81 kg/cm²

Maximum inclination: 30 degrees

Maximum fording depth: 1,4 metres

 

* Compare to 46,3 calibre length of the D-25. 

 

Detailed walkaround of the SU-122-54 in a museum in Russia:

 

http://www.dishmodels.ru/wshow.htm?p=457

 

I'll post a few links if the thread is approved for further discussion. I'd be happy to share my knowledge on the subject. 

Kind regards,

Firefly. 

[Smin1080p_WT 60,444]

Open for discussion  :salute:​ 

[_Firefly 800]

Cheers Smin!  :salute:

[mistomaxo 446]

sounds a bit more practical than the 152mm monster guns of the current soviet td high-end, at the cost of some uniqueness

Edited February 22, 2015 by mistomaxo

[Tzalafim 695]

I am waiting for this tank destroyer to be added soon.

[zuegma 1,546]

While this is outside of the Airplane timeframe, Ground forces don't have such a hard deadline for introduction so the 1953 mark isn't as important as evidenced by the proported introduction of the Leopard 1 and T-62.

 

Also I think that the Dev's have said the su-122-54 is planned to be the top tier TD for the soviets.

[Tzalafim 695]

Yes I heard this too, but should not be priority to give Germans more tank for Tier V first? I'd like to see a T-54 from East Germany and a M-48 from West Germany in the german tree. As many german faction players feel themselves as underpowered , this would be a very good idea so they can play and try both tanks.

[Abgeschossene 10,084]

SU-122-54 is a WIP according to devs.

[_Firefly 800]

Thanks for the info lads, I'm happy to hear the devs are working on it. I'd better get going with my Soviet tree, I still need to research the ISU-152... 

[JEI2 5,766]

Interesting TD

[ValkyrieLitewing 1,659]

I don't see why not. I like fast tanks, and I like big derp guns. Sounds fun to me +1

[piritskenyer 1,514]

I like the idea, this is a verrry sexy vehicle. I would like other nations introduced first though.

[NinjaWJ 11]

sounds good. there really should be something above the ISU-152

[sabaton_ 3,821]

+1

Looks very good!

[BaddogKelevra 430]

Yeah, they already confirmed that this will likely be the top tier TD.

[Tzalafim 695]

I hope it will be in-game for 1.49

[Querulous1 3,276]

1.51 my guess

[wotertool 5,062]

Most beautiful soviet tank .... maybe next to IS-2. Gib!!

[sollitdude 734]

according to this webpage

 

http://www.militaertechnik-der-nva.de/Waffensysteme/Artilleriesysteme/Artillerie/SU122-54/122-mm-SU122-54.html

 

there were only 100 of them built between 1952 and 1956 and they were already out of action by 1960 because of the change in doctrine where the russians were moving more to medium/main battle tanks.

 

could you please provide us with the source that gave you the information you are telling us here?

Edited March 21, 2015 by sollitdude

[_Firefly 800]

could you please provide us with the source that gave you the information you are telling us here?

 

Sorry for replying so late, didn't realise anyone else posted in the thread. It's pretty late now, but I'll try to find the sources I used. I'll list them either tomorrow or during the weekend. 

Edited April 17, 2015 by _Firefly

[_PabloSniper_ 2,142]

+1 !

Edited April 17, 2015 by _PabloSniper_

[Fifty_Calories 619]

Isn't this already in the "Passed to Development"? 

[Ahjian 500]

The current ISU line is garbage, making the Soviet tank destroyer line something people pass on.  This  would make the Soviet tank destroyer tree line viable again at Tier V.

[_Firefly 800]

Isn't this already in the "Passed to Development"? 

 

Judging by the fact that it's listed under new vehicles to be released in 1.49 then I think it's been passed to development a long time ago. ;-)

 

The current ISU line is garbage, making the Soviet tank destroyer line something people pass on.  This  would make the Soviet tank destroyer tree line viable again at Tier V.

 

True, but then again this won't be a top-tier vehicle. I imagine it's going to sit around the same level as the T-54s, I just don't think it belongs with the T-62s. 

[Smin1080p_WT 60,444]

Moved to implemented  :salute: