203 mm howitzer model 1931 (B-4)

In November 1920, under the Artillery Committee (Artcom), which was headed by R. A. Durlyakhov, the Artillery Design Bureau was created under the leadership of F. F. Lender . It was in January 1926 that he was entrusted with the development of the project "203-mm howitzers of great reach." After the death of F. F. Lender, the project was transferred to the Bolshevik plant . On December 11, 1926, at a meeting of the Artkom, the decision was made: “To instruct the Artkom Design Bureau to develop a project of a 203-mm long-range howitzer within 46 months ...” By letter No. 51225 / 12Я5 of March 22, 1927, AK ordered Artkom Design Bureau to draw up general projects 122- mm hull gun, 203 mm howitzer ARGK and 152 mm guns ARGK. The howitzer project was completed on January 16, 1928 in two versions: with and without a muzzle brake. The bodies of the guns and ballistics in both versions were the same. Preference was given to the barrel without a muzzle brake. The working drawings of the swinging part of the howitzer were developed by Design Bureau Artkoma, and the working drawings of the cantilever carriage machine design bureau of the Bolshevik plant. The first prototype of the 203-mm howitzer B-4 was made at the Bolshevik factory in early 1931. In July - August 1931, firing was carried out at the NIAP in order to select charges for the B-4. After lengthy field and military tests in 1933, the howitzer was adopted by the Red Army under the designation 203-mm howitzer arr. 1931

Production was organized simultaneously at two plants (Bolshevik and Barricades). The greatest difficulties arose at the Barricades factory . In 1933, this plant presented for delivery only one howitzer, but they could not be delivered by the end of the year. The first two howitzers B-4 factory "Barricades" passed in the 1st half of 1934. Nevertheless, by the end of the year, the plant was able to deliver 15 howitzers, after which the production of the B-4 was stopped until 1938. This was connected, in addition to difficulties with the development of production, with the transfer in 1935 to the plant of the plan for the production of 122-mm guns A-19. However, due to the fact that the production of howitzers on the Bolshevik went extremely slowly (104 systems were commissioned in 1932–36, and 42 in 1937), the B-4 production was returned to Stalingrad. Already in 1938, 75 howitzers were fired there, 181 were released there. In 1940, 165 howitzers were handed over at the Barricades, in 300 300. The last 3 howitzers were handed over in Stalingrad already in 1942 from the remaining backlog. In 1938-39 Novokramatorsky plant was involved in production. Together with the "Bolshevik" in 1938 they produced 49 howitzers, in 1939 - 48, 3 in 1940 and 26 - in 1941. Of the 326 B-4s released in 1941, 221 were handed over in the first half of the year. Production ended in October 1941 - 9 were handed over guns.

In total, from 1932 to 1942, 1,011 B-4 howitzers were fired.

The howitzer working drawings were changed at each plant, adapting to technological capabilities. As a result, almost two different howitzers began to come into service. In 1937, single drawings were worked out not by a design change, but by the layout of individual parts and assemblies already tested in production and operation. The only innovation was the setting on a caterpillar track, which allowed firing directly from the ground without special platforms. But a complete unification of howitzers produced by the Bolshevik and Barricades plants was not achieved. In addition, in 1938, the third plant, Novokramatorsky , joined the production of B-4. By March 6, 1933, the troops had 7 B-4 howitzers. By January 1, 1937, 119 howitzers were made.

According to the mobilization plan approved in August 1939, it was supposed to have 17 howitzer artillery regiments of high power (h / m) with 36 howitzers of 203 mm caliber in each Artillery of the Reserve of the High Command, with 1374 personnel in each. Of these, 13 regiments were to have double deployment. Distribution of regiments by district as of 04.04 . 1940 looked like this:

• LVO - 2 gap b / m
• BOVO - 1 gap b / m
• KOVO - 4 g / b
• OdVO - 4 gap b / m
• MBO - 1 gap b / m
• SKVO - 1 gap b / m
• ZakVO - 2 gap b / m
• SibVO - 1 gap b / m
• ZABVO - 1 gap b / m
• 1 OKA - 2 gap b / m
• 2 OKA - 2 gap b / m

The total need for guns (612 units) was fully covered (on June 22, 1941 in the Red Army there were 849 howitzers B-4), to cover the needs of wartime it was planned to produce another 571 howitzers.

Howitzer B-4 took part in the Finnish war . As of March 1, 1940, there were 142 B-4 howitzers on the Finnish front. Lost or failed 4 B-4 howitzers. Soviet soldiers dubbed it a "Karelian sculptor" (when firing at Finnish bunkers, B-4 shells turned these structures into a bizarre mishmash of pieces of concrete and iron reinforcement).

By the beginning of World War II, howitzers B-4 were only in howitzer artillery regiments of high power RVGK.

On the evening of June 25, 1941, the 11th Wehrmacht tank division broke into Dubno , where they captured 23,203-mm howitzers B-4 artillery regiment of the RGK.

From June 22 to December 1, 1941, 75 B-4 howitzers were lost, while 105 howitzers were received from the industry. After the outbreak of World War II, howitzer artillery regiments of high power RVGK were withdrawn to the rear. They entered the fighting on November 19, 1942, when the strategic initiative began to gradually pass into the hands of the Red Army. In the Red Army, howitzers B-4 until the end of the war were only in the artillery of the RVGK .

Several B-4 howitzers were captured by the Germans. Some of them entered the arsenal of the German army under the name 20.3-cm N.503 (r). By March 1944, on the Eastern Front, the Germans had 8 howitzers 20.3-cm N. (r), shots to which were completed with Soviet 203-mm concrete-piercing shells G-620 and German charges.

B-4 shells were a significant threat not only to the enemy’s fortifications, but also to his armored vehicles, including heavy ones. During the Battle of Kursk, one of the Ferdinands operating in the Ponyry station area was destroyed by B-4 fire. Direct hit of a 100-kilogram high-explosive shell in the upper armor plate of the cabin led to the complete destruction of the heavily armored vehicle.

Direct fire from B-4 howitzers is not provided for by any firing rules. But precisely for such shooting, the commander of the 203-mm howitzer battery, Captain I. Vedmedenko, was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Shelves

1. 108th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
2. The 110th howitzer artillery regiment of high power . K. E. Voroshilova
3. 137th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
4. 318th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
5. 330th howitzer artillery regiment of high power (46 B-4s on 06.22.1941)
6. 400th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
7. 402th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
8. 403rd howitzer artillery regiment of high power
9. 406th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
10. 409th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
11. 420th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
12. 515th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
13. 519th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
14. 529th howitzer artillery regiment of high power
15. 229th corps heavy artillery regiment (one division) (from 1936 to 1939 - the 56th corps heavy artillery regiment of high power)

Brigades

1. 101st howitzer artillery Vladimir-Volyn Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky II degree brigade of high power RGK.
2. 102nd howitzer artillery order of Kutuzov II degree brigade of high power RGK. Formed on April 23, 1943 on the basis of the 1020th and 1191th howitzer artillery regiments. Commander - since June 1944, Colonel Pavlikov Victor Grigorievich . She was awarded the Order of Kutuzov of the 2nd degree for breaking the enemy’s defense near Riga on October 22, 1944. Thanks were announced to the Supreme Commander on June 27, 1944 for the capture of Orsha and October 8, 1944 for breaking through the enemy’s defense near Šiauliai.
3. 103rd howitzer artillery order of Suvorov II degree brigade of high power RGK.
4. The 104th howitzer artillery Prague Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree brigade of high power RGK . Formed in April 1943. Commander - from September 1944 Colonel Solomienko Pavel Mamontovich. Granted in 1944 the honorary name Prague for the capture of the suburbs of Warsaw, Prague. She was awarded the Order of the Red Banner in March 1945 for breaking through the enemy’s defense on a bridgehead on the Vistula River. She was awarded the Order of Suvorov of the 2nd degree in 1945 for the destruction of the enemy southeast of Berlin.
5. 105th howitzer artillery Sivash Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree brigade of high power RGK . Formed in April 1943 on the basis of the 1021st and 1154th howitzer artillery regiments. Commander - from November 1943, Colonel Lupakov Nikolai Fedorovich (wounded in battle on February 12, 1945, died of wounds on February 25, 1945). In 1944 he was awarded the honorary name Sivashskaya and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the liberation of Crimea. Participated in the capture of Zaporozhye and Szekesfehervar. She was awarded the Order of Kutuzov of the 2nd degree for the capture of Budapest on April 5, 1945.
6. 108th howitzer artillery Tarnopol Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree and Bogdan Khmelnitsky brigade of high power RGK.
7. 109th howitzer artillery Budapest brigade of high power RGK.
8. 112th howitzer artillery Elbing Red Banner Order of Kutuzov II degree brigade of high power RGK. Formed in 1944. Commanders - from March 1945, Colonel Kuleshov Georgy Petrovich, Lieutenant Colonel Semenov. Kursk region. The brigade had 13 howitzers, formed in June 1943 on the basis of the 318th and 1022th howitzer artillery regiments. The honorary name Elbing for the capture of Elbing was awarded. Participated in the capture of Danzig.
9. The 120th howitzer artillery Grudzyand Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree and Kutuzov II degree brigade of high power RGK.
10. The 121st howitzer artillery Novgorod Red Banner Order of Suvorov II degree, Kutuzov II degree and Alexander Nevsky brigade of high power RGK. Formed in 1943 on the basis of the 430th and 1197th howitzer artillery regiments. Commander - since January 1944, Colonel Soloviev Vasily Petrovich. Assigned in 1944 the honorary name Novgorod for the capture of Novgorod. Participated in the capture of Grudziadz and Danzig.
11. 124th howitzer artillery Prague Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky brigade of high power RGK. Formed in 1943 on the basis of the 350th and 1150th howitzer artillery regiments. Commanders - from September 1943, Colonel Lyaske Georgy Konstantinovich and (since September 1944) Colonel Gutin Grigory Lvovich. ^[1] . Granted in 1944 the honorary name Prague for the capture of the suburbs of Warsaw, Prague. Participated in the capture of Novorossiysk, Kyustrin and in the assault on the Reichstag.
12. 163rd howitzer artillery order of Kutuzov II degree brigade of high power RGK. Formed in 1944. Commander - from January 1945, Colonel Rakovich Stanislav Vladislavovich. She was awarded the Order of Kutuzov of the 2nd degree in 1945 for the capture of the city and the Glogau fortress. Participated in the capture of the city of Khmelnik.

Separate Divisions

1. 34 separate art. OM RGVK division (battles for Berlin)

• Charging: separate cap, it was planned to use full and 11 variable charges. The mass of the full charge was 15.0-15.5 kg of gunpowder, and one variable - 3.24 kg.
• Ammunition Nomenclature:
  • HE shell F-625D
  • High-explosive shell F-625 (with screw head)
  • Concrete projectile G-620
  • Concrete projectile G-620T
  • A shell with a nuclear charge. Weight is 150 kg. Firing Range 18 km. Still in service.
• Muzzle velocity of a projectile, m / s:
  • High-explosive F-625 (D): from 288 to 607
  • Concrete Slaughter: 607
• High-explosive shell mass F-625 (T), kg: 100
• Mass of concrete-piercing projectile G-625 (T), kg: 100-146

•   USSR - switched to Russia
•   Russia - 40 B-4M units in storage, as of 2016 ^[2]

In the Museum of Military Equipment of the UMMC in the city of Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Sverdlovsk Region, two units of arr. 1932: production of the factory No. 221 "Barricades" and the factory No. 223 "Bolshevik" ^{[3] [4]} .

In Chita in the park of the House of Officers at the exhibition "Walk of Fame". In Krasnodar, in the park of the 40th anniversary of the victory.

There is also one unit at the Central Museum of Artillery and Missile Forces in St. Petersburg.

На Украине имеется одна единица на территории бывшего Сумского высшего военного артиллерийского училища в очень хорошем состоянии.

В городе Коломна МО в Мемориальном парке.

• 203-мм гаубица Б-4М
• СУ-14
• S-51

После введения правительством СССР буквенных индексов для машиностроительных производств изделия, разработанные на этих предприятиях, получили эти индексы в наименованиях. Заводу «Большевик» (г. Ленинград) был присвоен индекс «Б», а изделия, разработанные на этом заводе, названы Б-4, Б-10 и т. д. ^[5]

• Шунков В. Н. Оружие Красной Армии. - Mn. : Харвест, 1999. — ISBN 985-433-469-4 .