The SU-76 – Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 76 – was a Soviet light self-propelled gun used during and after World War II. The SU-76 was based on a lengthened version of the T-70 light tank chassis and armed with the 76 mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3). Its quite simple construction and multipurpose combat role made it the second most produced Soviet armoured fighting vehicle of World War II, after the T-34 medium tank. The SU-76M was the main production model. Photographed at The Tank Museum in Bovington, England 2017.
SU-76M Self-Propelled Gun – Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 76
The SU-76M was a Soviet self-propelled gun (SPG) developed during World War II, based on the chassis of the T-70 light tank. It was designed to provide direct fire support for Soviet infantry and tanks, as well as to engage enemy armored vehicles and fortifications. Introduced in 1942, the SU-76M became one of the most widely used self-propelled guns by the Soviet Army during the war.
Armed with a 76.2 mm ZiS-3 divisional gun, the SU-76M had decent firepower for its size, able to engage infantry, artillery, and enemy vehicles effectively. However, its armament was not as powerful as the larger Soviet SPGs, like the SU-85 or SU-152. The gun was mounted in an open-topped superstructure, offering a good field of view and relatively simple design for mass production.
Powered by a 1,000-horsepower V-2 diesel engine, the SU-76M had a top speed of 42 km/h (26 mph) and a range of 200 km (125 miles). Its relatively light weight of 12.5 tons made it highly mobile and suitable for maneuvering across varied terrain.
While the SU-76M was lightly armored, with protection ranging from 10 mm to 45 mm, it was well-suited for supporting infantry and tank units in fast-moving, fluid combat situations. Over 14,000 units were produced, and it saw widespread use on the Eastern Front until the end of the war.
