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Armored trains of World War 2. History of armored trains (59 photos)

Armored trains have been used since the times Civil War in the USA, when guns were placed on railway platforms. Typically, an armored train included an armored locomotive (an armored steam locomotive or an armored diesel locomotive), several armored cars (armored platforms) with small arms, artillery, and anti-aircraft weapons (most often the weapons are combined), from two to four control platforms (cover platforms). Their main armament was, as a rule, 76 mm guns.

Armored trains were actively used during the First World War and the Civil War in Russia. On the eve of the Great Patriotic War all armored trains of the Red Army were in service with the armored forces. In total, more than 200 armored trains of the Red Army took part in battles during the Great Patriotic War. They were an important weapon primarily for protecting railway lines. Soviet Union- one of the main means of transportation and transfer of troops. It was by rail that the most important industrial enterprises of the Union were evacuated. Armored trains could effectively fight German armored vehicles, aviation, and Wehrmacht parachute troops. How strengths(powerful weapons, mobility), armored trains also had weaknesses:

1) having destroyed the locomotive, the enemy could shoot the entire train as a stationary target;

2) enemy aircraft, having destroyed the railway tracks, actually blocked the armored train.

Soviet armored train

“Our commander was a front-line soldier, and he began to gather his guys. Then an officer from an armored train runs up to us; he could not take the armored train out because he was driven to a place where there are no second tracks. It was him that the “frame” photographed, and then the Germans bombed us, but they didn’t notice us, we disguised ourselves in corn and hemp,” recalls veteran Alexey Arkhipov.

I will cite some of the most striking pages of battles involving armored trains of the Red Army with Wehrmacht troops.

On June 26, 1941, armored train No. 331 in the battles for the city of Ostrog destroyed over 150 Wehrmacht soldiers and officers, 5 armored vehicles, and two tanks.

Armored train No. 15 in the battles of July 13–31, 1941 in the area of Korosten, Novograd-Volynsky, Zhitomir destroyed 4 tanks, 8 artillery pieces. On September 31, 1942, an armored train under the command of Captain P. Fanday entered the battle with 80 German tanks and an infantry regiment for the Ardon station. German troops called for help from aviation, which managed to destroy the armored train. In a fierce battle, the armored train knocked out 22 German tanks and 5 armored personnel carriers. On October 11, 1942, the trains of the 42nd ODBP destroyed 14 tanks, 7 mortars, 9 guns and about 300 Wehrmacht soldiers in battle.

The crew of the artillery turret of an armored train of the 53rd division fires
from a 75-mm French cannon model 1897. North Caucasus Front, August 1942.

On February 21, 1942, the 31st separate special Gorky division of armored trains was formed in Gorky. This was the world's first division of armored trains, which soon after its formation received rocket artillery in the form launchers for M-13 missiles. It is because of this that the division received the adjective “special” in its name. The division included the Gorky and Murom armored trains “Kozma Minin” and “Ilya Muromets”, the black steam locomotive S-179, the armored railcar BD-39, as well as special cars: headquarters, first-aid post, workshop, kitchen-bath and residential. A special feature of the division's armored trains was the use of rocket artillery and guns located in tank turrets. The division was in the active army from May 1, 1942 to May 9, 1945, traveling from the Volga to Berlin. He was responsible for the destroyed German armored train "Adolf Hitler", 42 artillery and mortar batteries, 24 individual guns, 14 bunkers, 94 machine gun emplacements, 15 German aircraft. The division was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky, receiving the name 31st separate special Gorky-Warsaw Order of Alexander Nevsky division of armored trains.

During the Great Patriotic War, for various reasons, about 89 armored trains were lost, 1082 soldiers and more than 100 officers from the armored train crews were killed. But the armored trains also managed to really annoy the Wehrmacht. In 1941–1945 armored trains destroyed about 370 tanks, 344 guns and mortars, 840 machine guns, 115 aircraft, and more than 700 vehicles.

Armored train "For the Motherland". North Caucasus Front, August 1942

The state of armored trains in the 1920s

During the Civil War, more than 400 different armored trains were manufactured and used in battle on the territory of the former Russian Empire - a kind of world record. True, some of them were of primitive designs; as a rule, they were built in railway depots or in small factories, often without even drawings. A smaller number of armored trains were manufactured at large engineering enterprises European Russia on several developed projects. Such armored trains were manufactured in batches of 5 to 20 units. The following main types are found in documents of the 20s and early 30s.

Sormovo armored trains, the production of which was carried out at the Sormovo plant of the Society of Iron, Steel and Mechanical Plants in Nizhny Novgorod. In total, more than 20 of them were made from 1918 to 1920.

Armored train built by the Sormovo plant in Nizhny Novgorod, later known as the "Sormovo type"

Bryansk armored trains were produced at the Bryansk Machine-Building Plant in the city of Bezhitsa, Bryansk province in 1919-1920. In total, the Bryansk plant produced about 20 armored trains.

Armored train built by the Bryansk plant (the so-called “Bryansk type”)

Sevastopol armored trains included materiel manufactured at Crimean enterprises in 1919-1920. In total, about 15 armored trains were built here.

Dnieper armored trains were built in 1918-1919 at a plant in Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk). A total of 10 armored trains were manufactured here.

Izhora armored trains were produced since the fall of 1918 at the Izhora Admiralty and Mechanical Plant in Kolpino near Petrograd. In total, about 15 armored trains were manufactured in Kolpino between 1918 and 1920.

Two-turret armored platform of the Izhora plant

Novorossiysk armored platforms, developed by Artillery Colonel of the Volunteer Army Golyakhovsky, were built mainly at the Sudostal plant in Novorossiysk. In total, about 20 such armored platforms were manufactured in 1919.

By the end of the Civil War in Russia (February 1922), the Red Army had 123 armored trains, not counting the trains in warehouses.

Equipment of armored trains in the 1930s

The situation with the state of the armored train fleet in the USSR has changed radically since 1929. As a model for modernization, we chose materiel manufactured at the Sormovsky plant back in 1920 - armored steam locomotive Ov No. 3707 and armored platforms No. 356 and 357, work on the modernization of which began in December 1929. The primary task, in addition to repairing armor and weapons, was to develop an electrical and communications circuit to facilitate personnel control in battle.

Sormovo type armored platform No. 357 from a modernized armored train

Heavy armored platforms

Work on the creation and production of heavy armored platforms began at military warehouse No. 60 in 1930. By this time, the Red Army had 7 heavy armored trains, converted back in the 20s. from type B armored trains.

Due to a lack of materials and funding, suitable, often single-turret, Civil War-era armored cars were used as the basis for the production of new heavy armored platforms.

Armored platform PL-37, the armor of which was strengthened during the war by installing additional armor plates on the sides of the hull. Winter 1942

Heavy armored train, equipped with armored platforms like military warehouse No. 60, manufactured in 1931-1932, during firing training

Mortar armored platforms

The design of these samples began in January 1940, simultaneously with anti-aircraft railway batteries. The impetus for their design was the formation of separate rifle companies of armored trains, which included a mortar company.

The project for an armored mortar platform was developed at the Krasny Profintern plant in a short time, and by the beginning of March 5 such platforms were manufactured.

Anti-aircraft armored train, destroyed during the battles near Borisov. July 1941

Armored diesel locomotives

Along with the use of Ov armored steam locomotives, in the 1930s in the USSR attempts were made to design a new means of traction for equipping armored trains - an armored diesel locomotive. The first such attempt was made at the end of 1933.

It was planned to equip the diesel locomotive with a 300 hp engine, which was supposed to provide the armored train with a speed of up to 55 km/h in both directions, protect it with 16 mm armor and arm it with one Maxim machine gun in a rotating turret.

The design and manufacture of the BTV was entrusted to the Kolomna plant named after Kuibyshev, which submitted a preliminary design for consideration in July 1940. After its consideration, a decision was made to manufacture the BTV in 1941, however, due to a lack of allocated funds and the outbreak of the war, the BTV remained on paper.

Armored trains in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945.

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army had 34 light and 13 heavy armored trains in service. Each of them included an armored locomotive of the Ov or Op series and 2 armored platforms (one- or two-turret), made on the basis of 50 or 60-ton 4-axle cars.

Kyiv armored trains

In the first month of the war, Kyiv enterprises became one of the centers for the construction of armored trains. Unfortunately, detailed information about the combat strength of Kyiv-built armored trains has not yet been found. But, based on the short construction period, their design was most likely very primitive. They were probably made using metal gondola cars for transporting coal, purchased in America during the First World War.

Odessa armored trains

Odessa enterprises became another center for the construction of armored trains. Their construction began in August 1941 through the joint efforts of workers from the January Uprising plant and railway workers from the Odessa-Tovarnaya and Odessa-Sortirovochnaya depots. A large number of problems arose in the manufacture of armored trains: there was a lack of materials, oxygen necessary for welding armor plates, and tools.

Tallinn armored trains

During the defense of Tallinn in August 1941, 2 armored trains were equipped in the arsenal workshops. Their peculiarity was the use of narrow-gauge (750 mm) locomotives and wagons for armoring. The fact is that in the vicinity of Tallinn there was an extensive network of railways with a 750 mm gauge.

One of 2 narrow-gauge armored trains built during the defense of Tallinn.

August 1941

Armored trains of Crimea

The armored trains built at Crimean enterprises in the summer and autumn of 1941 were quite curious in design. In total, 6 of them were formed, and some of them were subordinate to the command of the Black Sea Fleet.

Crimean armored platform without weapons with a handrail for supporting the upper flap

Leningrad armored trains

During the battles for Leningrad, city enterprises provided the army and navy with 8 armored trains. To their characteristic features This can be attributed to the widespread use of naval guns and turrets from KB-1 tanks. The initiative to build armored trains near Leningrad belonged to the sailors. This is understandable - after all, the main base of the Baltic Fleet was nearby.

Armored trains in battles

Armored trains have powerful artillery and machine gun armament, armor protection, constant combat readiness and speed of movement. They are in combined arms combat effective means defeating enemy personnel, technical and firepower in the railway area. Only the dependence of armored trains on the railway limits their use in combined arms combat.

The tasks assigned to armored trains are:

1. In assisting infantry and cavalry in battle (especially in defense) by engaging enemy troops with fire;

2. In the capture, together with the landing force, of nodes and points (stations, bridges) that are operationally important and holding them until friendly troops arrive;

3. In the protection of important stations, railway structures, stages and the coast;

4. Accompanied by the most important military echelons;

5. In the fight against airborne troops and enemy aircraft.

The actions of armored trains in the Great Patriotic War showed that they found their application in all types of combat and were a reliable means of fighting the enemy in the railway zone.

The last armored trains of the Soviet Army

The events on Damansky Island in March 1968 brought the USSR and China to the brink of open military conflict: the fighting that lasted two weeks cost our country a lot of blood. Required mobile and effective remedy– and then they remembered armored trains. The Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant named after. Malyshev, who shortly after the events at Damansky received a government task to develop an armored train.

Armored train at the ZabVO storage base

To speed up the work, the design widely used standardized and mass-produced units - a locomotive, platforms, bogies and wheel sets of cars, artillery weapons from tank guns in standard turrets (this decision fully justified itself during the war years). Turrets with guns and sights were borrowed from the T-55, anti-aircraft weapons should include a pair of Shilka turrets with quadruple anti-aircraft guns and a radar. A powerful diesel locomotive was clearly adopted as the locomotive.

The production of the armored train was completely completed by 1970. The main combat unit of the train was “armored vehicles” consisting of a pair of open 55-ton platforms with T-62 tanks (any other types of vehicles that were at hand could be used, including those that had lost their mobility - as long as their “fire” capabilities were preserved) and an armored shunting diesel locomotive type TGM14.

After the disbandment of armored trains, only armored locomotives remained in storage. The first in the coupling is a traction diesel locomotive TG16

The fully equipped train looked like this: In front is a cover platform, which served as insurance in case the track was blown up (rails and sleepers loaded onto the platform and served as ballast were intended for its repair, and a team of track restorers followed with the train), a diesel locomotive, and behind it were two tank “armored vehicles.” The middle of the train was formed from a headquarters armored car, a platform anti-aircraft installations and platforms with PT-76. The train was completed by three more armored vehicles and a covering platform. In addition, if necessary, the train could include carriages for personnel (heated cars or passengers), as well as field kitchens provided for military echelons.

It was decided to use the armored train for its intended purpose in January 1990 to eliminate the anti-government rebellion in Baku and the nationalist rebellion in Sumgait.

It is noteworthy that in the difficult 1990s for the army, when hundreds of combat aircraft and tanks were written off and scrapped without regret, all four trains were kept in proper condition, fully staffed and equipped. Ultimately, the only armored trains left in storage were the traction locomotives and diesel locomotives of the armored vehicles.

Modern armored trains

In the Chechen Republic, at the end of 2002, the Joint Group of Forces used three special trains to carry out service and combat missions: “Kozma Minin”, “Baikal” and “Terek”.

;

· a covered carriage with equipped embrasures for firing from small arms and machine guns and even various kinds of turrets on the roof for firing from automatic grenade launchers ( AGS-17) and machine guns (including large-caliber ones);

·covered wagon with supplies of necessary material resources;

·1-2 passenger cars for rest of train crew personnel (at bases and at guarded stations);

·2-3 platforms with ballast (sandbags) – cover from landmines with contact fuses;

·1-2 platforms with radio stations installed on them (on a car chassis);

·locomotive.

Armored car of the special train "Baikal"

During the periods between departures to carry out combat missions, armored trains are located at a specially equipped, guarded base in Khankala, where there is everything necessary for rest of personnel and maintenance of equipment and weapons.

The command of the Russian railway troops refused to purchase new armored trains to arm their units. The existing special trains “Baikal” and “Amur”, which are in service in the Southern Military District, will be removed from combat duty by 2015.

The military leadership explains the decision to “bury” combat trains by the inexpediency of developing railway weapons. In the state armament program until 2020, the formation of combat railway trains is not planned. Thus, the era of railway weapons, which thundered during the First World War and the Great Patriotic War, ends, and the railway troops stop destroying the enemy and focus on repairing and clearing mines of tracks and bridges to ensure the passage of trains.

For some unknown reason, the general public knows almost nothing about armored trains during the Great Patriotic War. Perhaps this was caused by the fact that the main types of equipment that “sustained” the entire war were tanks and airplanes. Or maybe the specifics of using armored trains did not allow them to gain the same fame as during the Civil War. But regardless of the reasons for their lack of popularity, armored trains were more or less actively used throughout almost the entire war.

Question of materiel

On June 22, 1941, there were over fifty armored trains in the Red Army, and two dozen in the NKVD troops. Their qualitative composition was far from homogeneous. The troops even had a number of armored trains that had fought during the Civil War. Naturally, since then the material part of these “old people” has been significantly updated. This fact was one of the reasons that a considerable number of armored trains of the Great Patriotic War included steam locomotives of the O series, which began in late XIX century. The structure of an armored train that was modern for the start of the war had already been formed by the beginning of the 30s: it included one or two locomotives, several armored platforms, platforms with weapons for air defense and control platforms. The armor on different armored trains differed, but for the most part the metal sheets had a thickness of 10 to 20 millimeters. They tried to install more solid armor. However, the increase in the mass of the armored platform directly affected the driving performance of the entire train, and sometimes even required its modification: either add another armored locomotive, or remove the “extra” platform.

Let's take a closer look at the material part of armored trains. Their basis is an armored locomotive. In fact, this is the most common serial locomotive, on which armor was installed in factory or even homemade conditions. A locomotive of any modification could be used as an armored locomotive, but most often in the USSR, late modifications of the O series steam locomotives were adapted for these needs. The reason is simple: at that time it was the most widespread type of such equipment. The armor of the locomotives, as already mentioned, had a thickness of up to 20 millimeters. During the period between the world wars, it was considered sufficient to protect the crew and train components only from small-caliber guns and small-caliber guns. The armored locomotive was usually located in the middle of the train or close to it. Thanks to this, the armored train had less chance of losing a steam locomotive due to explosives planted on the tracks. Sometimes weapons were installed on armored locomotives. Almost always these were Maxim machine guns.

Artillery armored platforms were specially modified two- or four-axle railway platforms. An armored “box” was installed on the reinforced platform, on which gun turrets were mounted. Most often, there were two towers on one armored platform. Based on the composition of their weapons, armored vehicles were divided into two main groups: heavy and light. The heavy ones were equipped with guns with a caliber of up to 107 mm, as well as five Maxim machine guns. The thickness of the walls of the armored hull of such platforms often exceeded the “standard” 20 millimeters. However, despite solid protection and powerful weapons, heavy armored platforms were already outdated by the end of the 30s. At that time it was proposed as the main platform with weapons for an armored train new light platform of the PL-37 model. With armor two centimeters thick, it had two turrets armed with 76-mm guns of the 1902/30 model. There were six Maxim machine guns in the embrasures of the hull. The total ammunition of the weapon was 560 shells for cannons and almost thirty thousand rounds of ammunition for machine guns. The armored hull was assembled from 20 mm steel plates. The PL-37 platform had an intercom system, steam heating and fairly large boxes for various property located under the floor of the fighting compartment.

Anti-aircraft armored platforms were somewhat similar in design to artillery ones, with the difference that they had weapons for attacking air targets. The armament was very diverse: quad Maxim machine guns, DShK heavy machine guns and 37-mm automatic cannons were installed on various types of anti-aircraft platforms. By 1942, 76-mm guns also began to be installed on anti-aircraft platforms.

At the beginning and at the end of the composition, the so-called control platforms. These were the most ordinary railway platforms, loaded with ballast. As the latter, sandbags or even spare rails with sleepers were used. Thanks to the presence of control platforms, pressure mines laid under the tracks did not harm the warhead of the armored train. The mine damaged only the platform with ballast. The tracks damaged by the mine could be repaired by the crew of the armored train. Finally, armored trains had the so-called. base. It consisted of one and a half to two dozen freight and passenger cars. The base included a staff car, a kitchen car, a workshop car, an ammunition car, etc. In the “stowed position” of the armored train, the base was transported to general composition, and when the train went into battle, the base was left in safe place, for example, at its railway station in the rear.

Soviet BEPO No. 695 type BP-35 (PR-35 + 2 x PL-37) together with BA-20zhd and BA-10zhd

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the most popular domestic armored train was the BP-35. It included two PL-37 artillery platforms (not long before they were replaced by outdated PL-35) and one SPU-BP anti-aircraft gun with quad Maximums. Overall, it was a good armored train. However, the experience of a real war soon showed all its advantages and disadvantages. The cannons and machine guns were quite a good striking force, but the air defense and armor were insufficient. In the second half of 1941 alone, four (!) new types of armored trains, artillery and anti-aircraft, were created. All of them were released in different quantities, and the “record holder” in this regard was the anti-aircraft armored train of the 41st model - more than a hundred of them were made.

However, the real crown of the domestic construction of armored trains went into service only in 1943, when the capabilities of industry already made it possible to focus on more promising equipment, such as tanks. The BP-43 armored train became to some extent a “hybrid” of a classic armored train and a tank. The fact is that turrets from T-34 tanks, armed with 76-mm F-34 cannons and a coaxial DT machine gun, were installed on the PL-43 artillery platforms. In addition to the tank turret, the PL-43 had two DT machine guns in embrasures. The ammunition load of one armored platform was 168 shells and 4,500 rounds. Thanks to the installation of a tank turret on the armored platform, the combat potential of the train increased. This happened due to a more effective gun, new sighting devices and the ability to fire in all directions. As a result, the BP-43 armored train could successfully fight most German tanks that time. Two PVO-4 anti-aircraft platforms were armed with two 61K automatic cannons of 37 mm caliber or two DShK heavy machine guns. When creating armored platforms for the BP-43, several interesting know-how were used. Thus, the PL-43 and PVO-4 were made on the basis of two-axle platforms, thanks to which it was possible to place one tank turret per platform. Among other things, this increased the survivability of gun crews - if one turret was hit, the neighboring platform suffered almost no damage. In the case of installing two guns on one armored platform, almost always one hit from a shell of sufficient caliber would put both crews out of action. Also, instead of the usual armor in the form of a “box” the size of a standard carriage, only the required volume was protected at the new sites, which made it possible to reduce the weight without loss of protection. Moreover, as a result, the protection did not deteriorate one bit - the new design made it possible to install thicker armor sheets (in some places up to 40 mm).

Armored train "Salavat Yulaev" type BP-43

In battle

The main, and sometimes the only, task of armored trains throughout the war was to support units operating close to the railway tracks. Also, sometimes armored trains helped to take stations or even conduct counter-battery combat. Sometimes armored trains also became a means of transporting troops, but such tasks were not posed very often. However, even such “banal” work as fire support for units clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of armored trains. In October 1941, the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR ordered the creation of 32 divisions of two armored trains each by the end of next year. The home front workers did not disappoint - within the allotted time, not 64, but 85 trains were built!

The crews of armored trains were also role models. During the war years, all armored trains in total destroyed almost four hundred enemy tanks, about 350 guns, 840 machine guns, over seven hundred cars, 160 motorcycles, 115 aircraft and two enemy armored trains. And this takes into account the fact that an armored train can only operate where there is a suitable railway track. However, the losses were also considerable. During the 41st year, the enemy managed to destroy 21 of our armored trains. The following year, twice as many armored trains died - 42. At the same time, in 1943 the Germans were able to deal with only two armored trains, and since then a similar domestic technology did not receive fatal injuries. During 1944-45 we did not lose a single armored train.

The main reasons for the large losses at the beginning of the war are seen to be the peculiarities of the battles of that time. Often the railway soldiers remained to cover the retreat of the Red Army and were actually suicide bombers. In addition, German tanks and aircraft in the first two years of the war were too great a force for the pre-war armored trains to fight on equal terms. Accordingly, when it became possible to build a sufficient number of tanks and strengthen the armament of armored trains, the losses of the latter were significantly reduced. And even the attachment of trains to railway by this time it had ceased to pose an indirect threat to the rolling stock and crew.

Victories and defeats

Throughout the Great Patriotic War, armored trains actively participated in battles and performed feats. Unfortunately, to list them all would require writing a rather voluminous book, so we will limit ourselves to only a few heroic episodes.

Ukraine, Zhulyany, August 1941. The Germans captured the station, which contained several wagons with ammunition and equipment for aviation. Fearing a possible counterattack and the loss of a valuable trophy, the Germans dismantled the tracks and blew up a small bridge leading to the station. At this time, not far from Zhulyan there was an armored train “Litera A” (commander A. Tikhokhod), which was tasked with recapturing the valuable cargo from the enemy. Under the cover of darkness, a detachment of Red Army soldiers restored the tracks and the blown-up bridge that had been dismantled by the Germans. At four o'clock in the morning, an armored train burst into the station along freshly laid rails and began to fire at all targets that came into view. The invaders suffered heavy losses, but there was no way to finally recapture the station. Therefore, wagons with cargo for aviation were hooked up to an armored train and taken away.

On November 4, 41, the armored train “Zheleznyakov”, or more officially, BP No. 5 of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet, left the gates of the Sevastopol Marine Plant. Later, the Germans would come up with the nickname “Green Ghost” for him, and for good reason. “Zheleznyakov” was to some extent an improvised armored train. But this did not deteriorate its fighting qualities one bit, because armored train No. 5 had five 100-mm guns, eight mortars and a dozen machine guns. In addition, in addition to the main armored locomotive, Zheleznyakov had an additional locomotive that significantly improved its performance. Already on the Day October revolution“Zheleznyakov” made his first “gift” to the Germans: he fired at the infantry position near the village of Duvanka and destroyed an artillery battery on the slope of the Belbek valley. By the end of 1941, the final appearance of the Zheleznyakov armored train had been formed. One of the 100mm guns was replaced with two automatic anti-aircraft guns, and half of the 82mm mortars were removed to make room for three 120mm ones. Finally, the train received three more machine guns. In addition to weapons, BP No. 5 also received a new appearance - the crew applied camouflage paint to all surfaces of the train. According to eyewitnesses, the armored train blended into the terrain even at a relatively a short distance. This is probably why the Germans were unable to detect Zheleznyakov until mid-forty-two. More precisely, they attempted to fire at the supposed position of the Soviet armored train and raised aircraft. But all attempts were in vain - the commanders of Zheleznyakov, Lieutenant Tchaikovsky, and then engineer-captain M. Kharchenko skillfully thought through their attacks, and the train managed to shoot back and take cover much earlier than the first German shells fell on the train’s former position. For almost one and a half hundred trips, the “Green Ghost,” as the Germans called him for his elusiveness, destroyed about five to seven enemy tanks and armored cars, two and a half dozen machine gun nests and pillboxes, half a dozen dugouts, three aircraft, one heavy artillery battery and up to one and a half thousand enemy soldiers and officers. In June 1942, Zheleznyakov even entered into battle with a column of German tanks and emerged victorious, destroying three armored vehicles.

The end of the famous armored train began on June 26, 1942. “Zheleznyakov” stood in the Trinity tunnel and was preparing for the next departure to the position. The German command somehow learned about its location and sent more than fifty bombers there. The raid turned out to be partly successful: one entrance to the tunnel was blocked, and the collapsed structures inside buried one of the train's armored platforms. However, the second site was withdrawn from the remaining tunnel exit and began shelling enemy aircraft. The capabilities of the damaged locomotives were only enough to drag the platform back into the tunnel. The soldiers never received help. A second raid the next day led to the collapse of the second entrance. In August of that year, the Germans began clearing the tunnel through which their trains would pass. The Zheleznyakov armored platforms were restored; the new armored train was named "Eugen". The German “version” of the Soviet armored train failed to compare with the Zheleznyakov in terms of performance, and in May 1944 the Eugen was destroyed by the retreating Germans.

At the beginning of 1942, Murom and Gorky railway workers, on their own initiative, assembled and handed over to the Red Army the same type of armored trains “Ilya Muromets” and “Kozma Minin”, respectively. Both trains were included in the 31st separate special Gorky division. These trains can rightfully be called the direct ancestors of the BP-43 project trains, because it was on the Muromets and Minin that tank turrets were first installed. It should be noted that, unlike the BP-43, the armored platforms on the Murom and Gorky trains were equipped with two towers and had four axles. Also, the armored trains of the 31st division had a very significant armor thickness for the beginning of the 42nd, in some places it reached 45 millimeters. Soon after the start of operation, the Ilya Muromets and Kuzma Minin became the first armored trains in the world to receive rocket artillery in the form of launchers for M-13 shells. It is because of this that the division received special status.

Armored train "Ilya Muromets"

The 31st separate special division operated successfully throughout the war, so there were a great many remarkable combat episodes during this time. Perhaps the most interesting of them occurred in May-June 1944. There were difficult battles for the Ukrainian city of Kovel, and the 31st Division was sent to help the advancing Red Army soldiers. In the last days of May Soviet positions were subjected to three minutes of artillery fire. Reconnaissance approximately calculated the location of the enemy battery, after which an aircraft was sent to the area in order to clarify the location of the enemy guns. The flight did not produce any results - there was nothing in the indicated area. The next day at the same time the shelling was repeated. For several days at the same time, the Germans fired at our positions. Analysis of terrain maps showed that the guns could only be located next to the railway or even on it. The next day after this withdrawal, early in the morning, scouts set out for the intended area. It was a few minutes to nine when the clouds of smoke appeared in the distance. That’s right, our positions were fired upon by an armored train. In a short time, the headquarters of the 31st division developed a plan for the upcoming duel. A place was found from where the Soviet armored train could successfully hit the Germans. On June 4 at eight o'clock in the morning, "Ilya Muromets" was already in this position and prepared to open fire. The Germans were let down by punctuality for the second time: they fired from the same place at the same time every day. As a result, immediately after the first shot from the German armored train, the Ilya Muromets also began firing. It should be noted that an artillery duel between armored trains in closed positions is an interesting, but rather complicated matter. The first salvo failed to destroy the German train. The Germans managed to deploy the towers and tried to respond to “Ilya Muromets”. But they did not know where exactly the Soviet railway workers were. 15-20 minutes after the start of the duel, “Muromets” fired rockets. It was all over. Not a single shell hit the Soviet armored train, but the German one was completely destroyed. By an evil (for the Germans) irony of fate, the train that died was called “Adolf Hitler.” Like this historical fact with small notes of epic.

The 31st separate special Gorky division reached Frankfurt-on-Oder. Probably, “Ilya Muromets” and “Kuzma Minin” could have reached Berlin, but they were prevented by the destroyed bridge over the Oder River. The locomotives of both armored trains were permanently parked after the war. They became monuments to themselves and their less fortunate brethren.

Based on the results of combat operations during the Great Patriotic War, two armored trains of the Red Army and three armored trains of the NKVD troops were awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Battle. Ten divisions received honorary titles for their services.

Armored train "Zheleznyakov" - armored train No. 5 of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet "Zheleznyakov", nicknamed by the Germans "Green Ghost"

The end of the era of armored trains

Already by the end of the Great Patriotic War, it became clear that artillery had reached a level of development at which even seriously protected armored trains can be conditionally equated to lightly armored vehicles. In addition, the train is tightly tied to the railway tracks, which significantly reduces mobility. Aviation did not stand still either, for whose weapons armored trains were no longer a difficult target. At the same time, the anti-aircraft weapons of the trains could no longer provide reliable protection against air attacks. It became clear that the time of armored trains had passed. The development of new systems and the modernization of existing armored trains at the very least continued almost until the mid-50s, and in 1958 all such equipment was removed from service due to hopeless obsolescence. But the experience of placing weapons on trains has not been lost. At the end of the 80s, the so-called. combat railway missile systems (BZHRK). In appearance they are almost indistinguishable from civilians. At the same time they transported strategic missiles and had the opportunity to launch them on any part of the route. But this is a new technique and a completely different story.

The life of domestic armored trains began in Tsarist Russia and ended in the USSR. It was short, but very intense. Armored trains managed to take part in the First World War, then were actively used by the warring parties during the civil war. But still, armored trains were used most massively during the Second World War.

Much less is known about the actions of armored trains on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War than about the actions of tanks and artillery. However, despite the fact that in the middle of the 20th century the era of armored trains was coming to an end, they had many glorious exploits to their credit.

Unfortunately, the actions of armored trains during the Great Patriotic War have received rather modest attention in Russian literature compared to other types of weapons. Articles by A.N. Manzhosov spoke about the participation of armored trains in the battles for the Motherland, G.A. Kumanev wrote about the exploits of railway workers in 1941-1945, and in 1992 the collective work “Armored Trains in the Great Patriotic War” was published. Technical descriptions The monograph and articles of M.V. Kolomiets are also devoted to armored trains.

Armored locomotives

On one refueling with fuel and water, the armored train could cover up to 120 km per second. maximum speed 45 km/h. Coal or fuel oil was used as fuel. Moreover, each armored train had two locomotives. An ordinary locomotive was used for long journeys, and an armored one was used during hostilities.
Combat trains appeared not much later than the railways themselves and steam-powered trains. Already during the American Civil War (1861−65), guns were installed on railway platforms. This allowed the northerners to quickly, by the standards of that time, deliver guns directly to the positions of the enemy, who did not expect such a surprise from the rail track.
Real armored trains appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. and were actively used in the Anglo-Boer War, which, as is known, became a technological rehearsal for future world wars. Even then this the new kind military equipment demonstrated its vulnerability. In 1899, an armored train, on which, in particular, the young war correspondent Winston Churchill was traveling, fell into a Boer ambush and was captured.
Armored trains took part in almost all the major conflicts of the first half of the 20th century, but they were most in demand during the Civil War in Russia (1918-1922). In this conflict, where high-speed maneuver often gave the decisive advantage, about two hundred armored trains were used on all sides.
Gradually losing their importance as a means of fighting an enemy armed with heavy equipment, armored trains still retained their effectiveness in operations against lightly armed militants. In this capacity they have survived to this day, and in a modernized version they took part in both Chechen wars as a means of patrolling railways.

Meanwhile, the interest of the general reader in armored trains is quite high. Around the armored steam locomotives and armored platforms of armored trains displayed in honorary parking, there are always a lot of people who are interested in the same questions. What was the general design of an armored train during the Great Patriotic War? What feats did the crews of armored trains accomplish? How many armored trains were lost in battle and for what reasons? Brief answers to these questions are contained in this article.

How does an armored train work?

The material part of domestic armored trains usually consisted of an armored locomotive, two to four armored platforms, air defense platforms and four (less often two) control platforms.

Soviet armored tire D-2. It was used both independently and as part of armored trains.

Typically, armored trains were driven by O series locomotives of various modifications. They were the main freight locomotives of the 1920s and could drive a train weighing up to 700 tons - quite enough for an armored train. The armor of the locomotive ranged from 10 to 20 mm on different armored trains. The armored locomotive was usually located in the middle of the armored train behind the armored platform.

The armored platform was a reinforced four-axle or two-axle railway platform. The platform had a steel hull and had one or two artillery turrets. The artillery armament of these towers was very different. The armored trains were armed with 76-mm guns of the 1902 model, 76-mm guns of the 1926/27 model, 107-mm guns, etc.

Armored platforms, depending on the caliber of the guns installed on them, were divided into light and heavy.

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army had several types of light armored platforms. The newest armored platforms at the start of the war were the PL-37 model with an armor thickness of 20 mm and artillery armament of two 76-mm cannons of the 1902/30 model. and machine guns. The ammunition load of this armored platform was 560 shells and 28,500 rounds of machine gun ammunition. PL-37 was improved compared to PL-35 and armored platforms more early years the buildings. The armored platforms of the PL-37 were also more convenient for the crew of the armored train. They had steam heating, internal lighting and communications, and had storage for various property under the floor.

“Ilya Muromets” and “Kozma Minin” fully lived up to the hopes placed on them. During the war, they suppressed 42 artillery and mortar batteries, shot down 14 aircraft, destroyed 14 pillboxes, 94 machine gun points, a train and an ammunition depot, as well as one enemy armored train. The geography of participation of these armored trains in battles included not only the territory of the Soviet Union, but also Western Europe.

If necessary, all PL-37 armored platforms could be transferred to railways with a gauge of 1435 mm, that is, ready for operations in Western Europe.

The heavy armored platforms were armed with 107-mm guns and five Maxim machine guns, as well as quite powerful armor compared to light armored platforms. But by the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, these armored platforms were already considered obsolete.

It should be noted that in addition to the armored platforms and the armored locomotive itself, the armored trains had at their disposal a so-called base. The “base” served for economic and official purposes and consisted of 6-20 freight and class cars. On the way, the “base” was attached to the combat unit of the armored train, and during combat operations it was located in the rear, on the nearest railway section. Typically, the “base” had a headquarters car, an ammunition car, a car for storing supplies, a workshop car, a kitchen car, a club car, etc.

In addition to the armored locomotive, the armored train included armored platforms and “base” cars.

Fire from tank turrets

By June 22, 1941, among the armored trains of the Red Army, the BP-35 type was considered the most popular. However, it had a number of disadvantages, one of which was the small thickness of the armor. Taking into account the experience of the battles of the first months of the war, a new type of armored train was developed - OB-3, which was armed with four artillery platforms and an air defense platform. The most common and advanced type of armored train in the second half of the Great Patriotic War was the BP-43 model armored train developed in 1942.

As a rule, the BP-43 consisted of an armored steam locomotive PR-43, located in the middle of the train, four artillery armored platforms PL-43 with turrets from T-34 tanks (two armored platforms on both sides of the armored steam locomotive), two armored platforms with anti-aircraft weapons PVO-4, which were located at both ends of the armored train, as well as control platforms.

Armored trains of the BP-43 type had a number of advantages compared to their predecessors, the main one of which was more powerful weapons. The guns in the turrets of T-34 tanks had a high muzzle velocity and in 1941-1942 could confidently fight any type of German tank, including at long combat distances. In addition, they had a circular firing sector, which dramatically increased their combat capabilities, and had more advanced sights than other guns mounted on armored trains. Anti-aircraft weapons were also more powerful. The PVO-4 armored platforms were usually armed with two 37-mm automatic cannons and armored chassis, which distinguished them favorably from the air defense platforms of armored trains of earlier production.

It should be noted that in reality, armored trains of even the same standard series differed significantly from each other in terms of appearance and booking.

Combat missions of armored trains

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Union had 78 armored trains in service, 53 of which were in service with Red Army units, and 23 were part of the NKVD troops. Armored trains were used by Soviet troops throughout the Great Patriotic War, but they were used most intensively in the period 1941-1943. Their main task was fire support for rifle units operating in the railroad zone. In addition, armored trains were used to defeat enemy troops in the area of important railway stations and conduct counter-battery warfare.
Sometimes, to strengthen and consolidate the success achieved, some armored trains were assigned special airborne detachments and airborne companies. Organizationally, they were assigned to the armored train and were subordinate to the commander of the armored train.
Anti-aircraft armored trains armed with armored platforms with 25-mm and 37-mm rapid-fire rounds made a great contribution to the protection of railway stations from enemy air strikes. anti-aircraft guns and 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine guns. Organizationally, they were part of the air defense forces.
The leadership of the USSR positively assessed the activities and role of armored trains in the first months of the Great Patriotic War, especially when the losses in tanks and artillery of the Red Army were great. For example, this is evidenced by Directive No. 022ss of the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR, issued on October 29, 1941, classified as “top secret.” It prescribed the creation of 32 divisions of armored trains, each of which, in turn, had two armored trains. Fulfilling this directive, Soviet home front workers built by the end of 1942 not 65, but 85 armored trains!
The armored trains did not disappoint the hopes placed on them. According to published data, during the Great Patriotic War, armored trains destroyed and knocked out 370 tanks, 344 guns and mortars, 840 machine guns, 712 cars, 160 motorcycles and two enemy armored trains! In addition, the armored trains also have 115 enemy aircraft shot down.
For participation in hostilities in the Great Patriotic War, two armored trains of the Red Army and three armored trains of the NKVD troops were awarded the Order of the Red Banner, ten separate divisions of armored trains received honorary names.

Battle with the landing force

Armored trains not only participated in fire support for units of the Red Army, but also transported valuable cargo. Sometimes they combined both when performing a combat mission. For example, in August 1941, a German landing force in Ukraine managed to capture the Zhulyany station. Taking advantage of the surprise, the German paratroopers not only occupied the station building, but also took possession of several carriages containing equipment for the needs of the Red Army aviation. To protect themselves, the Germans dismantled the rails at the entrance to the station and blew up a small bridge. However, this did not stop the crew of the Liter A armored train. This armored train consisted of an armored locomotive (a typical armored locomotive of the Ov series) and three armored platforms, which were armed with 4 guns and 24 machine guns. Armored train commander A.S. Slow moving sent a team of repairmen and a group of fighters at night to restore the railway track. After the railway and bridge were restored, the armored train burst into the station at full speed at 4 a.m. and opened heavy fire on the stunned enemy. As a result of the actions of the armored train, the station was liberated from the German landing. Taking advantage of this, the crew of the armored train attached wagons with valuable cargo and took them to Kyiv to the location of the Red Army units.

NKVD armored train enters battle

In addition to the armored trains of the Red Army, during the Great Patriotic War, armored trains that were at the disposal of the internal troops of the NKVD also fought with the enemy. These armored trains usually fought not as part of divisions, but independently. An example is the actions of the armored train of the internal troops of the NKVD No. 46 on the Transcaucasian front.

From August 30 to September 6, 1942 alone, this armored train carried out nine fire raids and fired 337 shells. As a result of the fire from the armored train, the Germans suffered significant damage. A tank and an armored vehicle were hit, a heavy machine gun and three observation posts were destroyed. With the help of armored train fire Soviet troops were able to occupy the Teplovodny crossing, forcing the Germans to retreat. During this period, the armored train was subjected to mortar and artillery fire six times, but the Germans were unable to achieve direct hits.

The German Wehrmacht also used armored trains Eastern Front. Sometimes they entered into duels with Soviet armored trains. On the picture - soviet soldiers inspecting a defeated Nazi armored train in liberated Gomel (November 1943).

On September 10, armored train No. 46 supported with its fire the advance of the 10th Guards Rifle Corps on the Pervomaisky farm. During the day, the armored train carried out five fire raids, during which an armored vehicle, three mortar batteries and the enemy headquarters were destroyed. In addition, six tanks and two armored vehicles were also hit by fire from the armored train. Thanks to the support of the armored train, the Soviet infantrymen managed to occupy the Pervomaisky farm and Terek station by the end of the day.

In total, from August 24 to November 29, 1942, armored train No. 46 carried out 47 fire raids on the Transcaucasian Front. As a result of his actions, 17 tanks, 26 cars, six armored vehicles, four mortar and two artillery batteries, one gun, six motorcycles and a large number of enemy infantry were destroyed. In addition, the fire of the armored train suppressed the fire of six mortar and two artillery batteries, as well as two separate guns and 18 machine guns. Behind fighting In the North Caucasus, the armored train was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Hunting for the "green ghost"

For eight months, the Zheleznyakov armored train operated as part of the Sevastopol defensive region, and it went on missions in conditions of complete superiority of German aviation in the air and the presence of a powerful enemy artillery group, which methodically destroyed railway tracks. Despite these circumstances, the armored train regularly made rapid forays, during which it fired at the enemy for several minutes, and then suddenly disappeared into the tunnels of Sevastopol.

“Ilya Muromets” and “Kozma Minin” were manufactured in Gorky in February 1942. The design took into account the experience of fighting armored trains in 1941. Each armored train consisted of an Ov armored steam locomotive protected by 20-45 mm armor, two artillery armored platforms and two air defense armored platforms, as well as a “base”.

In total, Zhelyaznyakov managed to make 140 combat missions. With his unexpected appearance on the battlefield, he caused a lot of trouble to the German troops, constantly keeping them in suspense. The Germans set up a real hunt for the Zheleznyakov: they regularly sent aircraft, specially allocated artillery units to destroy it, but for more than six months the armored train managed to deceive the enemy. The Germans dubbed him the “green ghost.” Unfortunately, on June 26, 1942, the legendary armored train was nevertheless destroyed: under air strikes it was buried in a tunnel, the arches of which could not withstand another powerful air raid.

Heroic Division

During the Great Patriotic War, armored trains usually operated as part of divisions (ODBP). The division organizationally included two armored trains and workshop cars. In addition, armored tires and armored vehicles (usually BA-20) were included in the divisions of armored trains for reconnaissance.

In the battles of the Great Patriotic War, a bright mark was left by the 31st separate special Gorky division of armored trains, which included two powerful armored trains of the same type, “Ilya Muromets” and “Kozma Minin”. It is worth saying more about these armored trains, because they themselves, their actions on the battlefields, and their awards were truly special. Without exaggeration, these were one of the most advanced and powerful armored trains in the world!

Everlasting memory

In any war there are no losses. The armored trains also suffered losses. For a long time this topic remained closed. According to archival information published by M.V. Kolomiets, in the period from June 1941 to May 1945, the losses of the Red Army amounted to 65 armored trains. These official data do not include the losses of armored trains of the NKVD troops.
The saddest year was 1942: during this period 42 armored trains were lost, exactly twice as many as in 1941 (!). Often armored trains died while simultaneously repelling enemy attacks from heaven and earth.
The large losses of armored trains in 1941-1942 can be explained by a number of reasons. Firstly, armored trains operated actively during this most difficult period for the Red Army in conditions of enemy superiority in the air and in tanks. Secondly, armored trains were often assigned the role of a kind of “suicide bomber”: they were left alone to cover the withdrawal of Soviet units in order to delay the enemy for several hours.
With the increase in the number of armored vehicles in the Red Army units, the participation of armored trains in combat operations began to decline, which had a positive effect on the loss statistics. In 1943, only two armored trains were lost, and in 1944-1945 there were no armored train losses.
Analysis of combat operations indicates that the main reasons for the vulnerability of armored trains were attachment to the railway, difficulties in camouflage during combat operations, as well as the weakness of anti-aircraft weapons on most armored trains.
The trend of increasing the caliber and power of guns in the period 1941-1945 made the armor of armored trains insufficient to reliably protect the mechanisms and crew from enemy artillery fire. The increasing role of aviation in combat operations against enemy ground forces, the improvement in the quality of aircraft sights and the power of aircraft weapons made armored trains very vulnerable to air attacks.
The experience of the Great Patriotic War showed that, despite achievements achieved and widespread use in 1941-1945, the time of armored trains was already coming to an end. Which, of course, does not in any way detract from the significance of the feats performed by the railway workers for the sake of victory over the enemy.

The artillery armored platform of armored trains of the Kozma Minin and Ilya Muromets type was armed with two F-34 cannons in the turrets of the T-34 tank and six DT machine guns. Compared to other armored trains, the armored platforms of the Kozma Minin and Ilya Muromets armored trains also had more powerful armor - 45 mm on the sides. It is noteworthy that the armor was located at an angle, which sharply increased its resistance.

The 31st ODBP received the word “special” in its name because for the first time among all Soviet armored trains, “Kozma Minin” and “Ilya Muromets” received armored platforms with the latest and secret weapons at that time - rocket launchers M-8−24, better known as "Katyusha".

The geography of participation in the battles of the 31st division included not only the territory of the Soviet Union, but also Western Europe. For example, in the battles for the liberation of the Warsaw suburb of Prague, the division carried out 73 artillery and mortar raids. As a result of the fire from the armored trains, 12 artillery and mortar batteries, six separate guns and 12 machine guns were suppressed and destroyed, not counting large quantity enemy infantry. The division ended the Great Patriotic War in Frankfurt an der Oder.

"Ilya Muromets" vs. "Adolf Hitler"

It should be noted that not only the Red Army, but also the Wehrmacht had armored trains. Therefore, the armored trains of the warring sides, although rarely, still had to meet each other on the battlefield. As a result, armored train duels occurred. In the spring of 1944, the Red Army liberated the territory of the Volyn region of Ukraine with stubborn battles. Heavy battles broke out for the city of Kovel, which Soviet troops were unable to capture immediately. The 31st separate special Gorky division of armored trains under the command of Major V.M. was sent to help the advancing Soviet infantrymen. Morozova.

One morning, scouts spotted a German artillery battery. She fired for three minutes and then stopped firing. The terrain and crowns made it difficult to find out its exact location. tall trees. The infantry contacted aerial reconnaissance but were told that no battery had been found. The next morning at 9 o'clock an unknown battery again opened fire for three minutes. And spot her again Soviet soldiers failed. This went on for several days until the Germans were let down by their inherent pedantry. The scouts, sitting at a pre-prepared observation post in the crown of a tree, noticed plumes of smoke at exactly 9 o’clock. It dawned on them that it was an enemy armored train. The headquarters of the 31st division developed a plan to destroy the enemy armored train. The main task was to be carried out by the armored train "Ilya Muromets": to find a suitable place for an ambush, destroy the railway track with artillery fire from its cannons and thereby cut off the escape route for the enemy, and then destroy the German armored train.

On June 4, 1944, at exactly 9 o’clock in the morning, a duel of armored trains took place. The battle was fleeting. Shots from both sides rang out almost simultaneously. The gunners of “Ilya Muromets” showed high skill. The German armored train was covered by the first shots. However, he managed to turn the muzzles of the guns towards the Ilya Muromets and fire a return salvo. But the shells missed the Soviet armored train. A salvo of "Katyusha" from the armored platforms of "Ilya Muromets" completed the defeat of the enemy armored train. Soon it was all over for him. It is symbolic that the destroyed German armored train bore the name “Adolf Hitler.”

Question of materiel

On June 22, 1941, there were over fifty armored trains in the Red Army, and two dozen in the NKVD troops. Their qualitative composition was far from homogeneous. The troops even had a number of armored trains that had fought during the Civil War. Naturally, since then the material part of these “old people” has been significantly updated. This fact was one of the reasons that a considerable number of armored trains of the Great Patriotic War included steam locomotives of the O series, which began at the end of the 19th century. The structure of an armored train that was modern for the start of the war had already been formed by the beginning of the 30s: it included one or two locomotives, several armored platforms, platforms with weapons for air defense and control platforms. The armor on different armored trains differed, but for the most part the metal sheets had a thickness of 10 to 20 millimeters. They tried to install more solid armor. However, the increase in the mass of the armored platform directly affected the driving performance of the entire train, and sometimes even required its modification: either add another armored locomotive, or remove the “extra” platform.

Let's take a closer look at the material part of armored trains. Their basis is an armored locomotive. In fact, this is the most ordinary serial locomotive, on which armor was installed in factory or even home-made conditions. A locomotive of any modification could be used as an armored locomotive, but most often in the USSR, late modifications of the O series steam locomotives were adapted for these needs. The reason is simple: at that time it was the most widespread type of such equipment. The armor of the locomotives, as already mentioned, had a thickness of up to 20 millimeters. During the period between the world wars, it was considered sufficient to protect the crew and train components only from small-caliber guns and small-caliber guns. The armored locomotive was usually located in the middle of the train or close to it. Thanks to this, the armored train had less chance of losing a steam locomotive due to explosives planted on the tracks. Sometimes weapons were installed on armored locomotives. Almost always these were Maxim machine guns.

Artillery armored platforms were specially modified two- or four-axle railway platforms. An armored “box” was installed on the reinforced platform, on which gun turrets were mounted. Most often, there were two towers on one armored platform. Based on the composition of their weapons, armored vehicles were divided into two main groups: heavy and light. The heavy ones were equipped with guns with a caliber of up to 107 mm, as well as five Maxim machine guns. The thickness of the walls of the armored hull of such platforms often exceeded the “standard” 20 millimeters. However, despite solid protection and powerful weapons, heavy armored platforms were already outdated by the end of the 30s. At that time, a new light platform of the PL-37 model was proposed as the main platform with weapons for the armored train. With armor two centimeters thick, it had two turrets armed with 76-mm guns of the 1902/30 model. There were six Maxim machine guns in the embrasures of the hull. The total ammunition of the weapon was 560 shells for cannons and almost thirty thousand rounds of ammunition for machine guns. The armored hull was assembled from 20 mm steel plates. The PL-37 platform had an intercom system, steam heating and fairly large boxes for various property located under the floor of the fighting compartment.

At the beginning and at the end of the composition, the so-called control platforms. These were the most ordinary railway platforms, loaded with ballast. As the latter, sandbags or even spare rails with sleepers were used. Thanks to the presence of control platforms, pressure mines laid under the tracks did not harm the warhead of the armored train. The mine damaged only the platform with ballast. The tracks damaged by the mine could be repaired by the crew of the armored train. Finally, armored trains had the so-called. base. It consisted of one and a half to two dozen freight and passenger cars. The base included a staff car, a kitchen car, a workshop car, an ammunition car, etc. In the “stowed position” of the armored train, the base was transported as a whole, and when the train went into battle, the base was left in a safe place, for example, at its railway station in the rear.

Soviet BEPO No. 695 type BP-35 (PR-35 + 2 x PL-37) together with BA-20zhd and BA-10zhd

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the most popular domestic armored train was the BP-35. It included two PL-37 artillery platforms (not long before they were replaced by outdated PL-35) and one SPU-BP anti-aircraft gun with quad Maximums. Overall, it was a good armored train. However, the experience of a real war soon showed all its advantages and disadvantages. The cannons and machine guns were quite a good striking force, but the air defense and armor were insufficient. In the second half of 1941 alone, four (!) new types of armored trains, artillery and anti-aircraft, were created. All of them were produced in varying quantities, and the “record holder” in this regard was the anti-aircraft armored train of the 41st model - more than a hundred of them were made.

However, the real crown of the domestic construction of armored trains went into service only in 1943, when the capabilities of industry already made it possible to focus on more promising equipment, such as tanks. The BP-43 armored train became to some extent a “hybrid” of a classic armored train and a tank. The fact is that turrets from T-34 tanks, armed with 76-mm F-34 cannons and a coaxial DT machine gun, were installed on the PL-43 artillery platforms. In addition to the tank turret, the PL-43 had two DT machine guns in embrasures. The ammunition load of one armored platform was 168 shells and 4,500 rounds. Thanks to the installation of a tank turret on the armored platform, the combat potential of the train increased. This happened due to a more effective gun, new sighting devices and the ability to fire in all directions. As a result, the BP-43 armored train could successfully fight most German tanks of that time. Two PVO-4 anti-aircraft platforms were armed with two 61K automatic cannons of 37 mm caliber or two DShK heavy machine guns. When creating armored platforms for the BP-43, several interesting know-how were used. Thus, the PL-43 and PVO-4 were made on the basis of two-axle platforms, thanks to which it was possible to place one tank turret per platform. Among other things, this increased the survivability of gun crews - if one turret was hit, the neighboring platform suffered almost no damage. In the case of installing two guns on one armored platform, almost always one hit from a shell of sufficient caliber would put both crews out of action. Also, instead of the usual armor in the form of a “box” the size of a standard carriage, only the required volume was protected at the new sites, which made it possible to reduce the weight without loss of protection. Moreover, as a result, the protection did not deteriorate one bit - the new design made it possible to install thicker armor sheets (in some places up to 40 mm).

Armored train "Salavat Yulaev" type BP-43

In battle

The crews of armored trains were also role models. During the war years, all armored trains in total destroyed almost four hundred enemy tanks, about 350 guns, 840 machine guns, over seven hundred cars, 160 motorcycles, 115 aircraft and two enemy armored trains. And this takes into account the fact that an armored train can only operate where there is a suitable railway track. However, the losses were also considerable. During the 41st year, the enemy managed to destroy 21 of our armored trains. The following year, twice as many armored trains died - 42. At the same time, in 1943 the Germans were able to deal with only two armored trains, and since then similar domestic equipment has not received fatal damage. During 1944-45 we did not lose a single armored train.

The main reasons for the large losses at the beginning of the war are seen to be the peculiarities of the battles of that time. Often the railway soldiers remained to cover the retreat of the Red Army and were actually suicide bombers. In addition, German tanks and aircraft in the first two years of the war were too great a force for the pre-war armored trains to fight on equal terms. Accordingly, when it became possible to build a sufficient number of tanks and strengthen the armament of armored trains, the losses of the latter were significantly reduced. And even the attachment of trains to the railway by this time ceased to pose an indirect threat to the rolling stock and crew.

Victories and defeats

On November 4, 41, the armored train “Zheleznyakov”, or more officially, BP No. 5 of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet, left the gates of the Sevastopol Marine Plant. Later, the Germans would come up with the nickname “Green Ghost” for him, and for good reason. “Zheleznyakov” was to some extent an improvised armored train. But this did not deteriorate its fighting qualities one bit, because armored train No. 5 had five 100-mm guns, eight mortars and a dozen machine guns. In addition, in addition to the main armored locomotive, Zheleznyakov had an additional locomotive that significantly improved its performance. Already on the Day of the October Revolution, “Zheleznyakov” made his first “gift” to the Germans: he fired at the infantry position near the village of Duvanka and destroyed an artillery battery on the slope of the Belbek valley. By the end of 1941, the final appearance of the Zheleznyakov armored train had been formed. One of the 100mm guns was replaced with two automatic anti-aircraft guns, and half of the 82mm mortars were removed to make room for three 120mm ones. Finally, the train received three more machine guns. In addition to weapons, BP No. 5 also received a new appearance - the crew applied camouflage paint to all surfaces of the train. According to eyewitnesses, the armored train blended into the terrain even at a relatively short distance. This is probably why the Germans were unable to detect Zheleznyakov until mid-forty-two. More precisely, they attempted to fire at the supposed position of the Soviet armored train and raised aircraft. But all attempts were in vain - the commanders of Zheleznyakov, Lieutenant Tchaikovsky, and then engineer-captain M. Kharchenko skillfully thought through their attacks, and the train managed to shoot back and take cover much earlier than the first German shells fell on the train’s former position. For almost one and a half hundred trips, the “Green Ghost,” as the Germans called him for his elusiveness, destroyed about five to seven enemy tanks and armored cars, two and a half dozen machine gun nests and pillboxes, half a dozen dugouts, three aircraft, one heavy artillery battery and up to one and a half thousand enemy soldiers and officers. In June 1942, Zheleznyakov even entered into battle with a column of German tanks and emerged victorious, destroying three armored vehicles.

Armored train "Ilya Muromets"

The 31st separate special division operated successfully throughout the war, so there were a great many remarkable combat episodes during this time. Perhaps the most interesting of them occurred in May-June 1944. There were difficult battles for the Ukrainian city of Kovel, and the 31st Division was sent to help the advancing Red Army soldiers. In the last days of May, Soviet positions were subjected to a three-minute artillery bombardment. Reconnaissance approximately calculated the location of the enemy battery, after which an aircraft was sent to the area in order to clarify the location of the enemy guns. The flight did not produce any results - there was nothing in the indicated area. The next day at the same time the shelling was repeated. For several days at the same time, the Germans fired at our positions. Analysis of terrain maps showed that the guns could only be located next to the railway or even on it. The next day after this withdrawal, early in the morning, scouts set out for the intended area. It was a few minutes to nine when the clouds of smoke appeared in the distance. That’s right, our positions were fired upon by an armored train. In a short time, the headquarters of the 31st division developed a plan for the upcoming duel. A place was found from where the Soviet armored train could successfully hit the Germans. On June 4 at eight o'clock in the morning, "Ilya Muromets" was already in this position and prepared to open fire. The Germans were let down by punctuality for the second time: they fired from the same place at the same time every day. As a result, immediately after the first shot from the German armored train, the Ilya Muromets also began firing. It should be noted that an artillery duel between armored trains in closed positions is an interesting, but rather complicated matter. The first salvo failed to destroy the German train. The Germans managed to deploy the towers and tried to respond to “Ilya Muromets”. But they did not know where exactly the Soviet railway workers were. 15-20 minutes after the start of the duel, “Muromets” fired rockets. It was all over. Not a single shell hit the Soviet armored train, but the German one was completely destroyed. By an evil (for the Germans) irony of fate, the train that died was called “Adolf Hitler.” Here is a historical fact with a few notes of epic.

Armored train "Zheleznyakov" - armored train No. 5 of the Coastal Defense of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet "Zheleznyakov", nicknamed by the Germans "Green Ghost"

The end of the era of armored trains

Already by the end of the Great Patriotic War, it became clear that artillery had reached a level of development at which even seriously protected armored trains can be conditionally equated to lightly armored vehicles. In addition, the train is tightly tied to the railway tracks, which significantly reduces mobility. Aviation did not stand still either, for whose weapons armored trains were no longer a difficult target. At the same time, the anti-aircraft weapons of the trains could no longer provide reliable protection against air attacks. It became clear that the time of armored trains had passed. The development of new systems and the modernization of existing armored trains at the very least continued almost until the mid-50s, and in 1958 all such equipment was removed from service due to hopeless obsolescence. But the experience of placing weapons on trains has not been lost. At the end of the 80s, the so-called. combat railway missile systems (BZHRK). In appearance they are almost indistinguishable from civilians. At the same time, they transported strategic missiles and had the ability to launch them on any part of the route. But this is a new technique and a completely different story.

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Armored trains of World War 2. History of armored trains (59 photos)

Armored locomotives

How does an armored train work?

Fire from tank turrets

Combat missions of armored trains

Battle with the landing force

NKVD armored train enters battle

Hunting for the "green ghost"

Heroic Division

Everlasting memory

"Ilya Muromets" vs. "Adolf Hitler"