Sunday, April 22, 2012

The Katyusha BM-13

The Katyusha rocket launcher was an invaluable tool of the Soviets in WWII. It allowed for massive rocket volleys that were capable of large-scale destruction. The base of the vehicle was a truck, so it was agile and could be readily pulled from a position depending on how close the Nazi advance was getting and how fast they were approaching. The launcher on the back of the truck consisted of 16 rail guides, which could each hold one missile. This capability to hold a vast number of rockets that all could fire simultaneously. For instance in the image above it is hard to tell but there appears to be approximately six launchers, which adds up to 96 rockets. Although, it did take longer to reload these artillery pieces they were capable of mass destruction through the sheer number of vehicles that were located at a given location. Along with this, the Katyusha was cheap to produce because it was basically just a truck with a steel frame mounted on to the back for the missiles. Overall, the Katusha's capabilities were a significant factor in helping the Soviets achieve victory in the war and were one of the most effective tools to suppress the Nazis.

Below are some of the features of the Katyusha BM-13 and facts regarding its development 
(If the image is too small, click on the link below it for a much larger version)


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