Difference between revisions of "ZiS-43"
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| − | {{Specs-Card|code=ussr_zis_43}} | + | {{Specs-Card |
| + | |code=ussr_zis_43 | ||
| + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}} | ||
| + | }} | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
| − | The | + | <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> |
| + | The '''ZiS-43''' is a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun prototype developed by the Soviets during World War II to improve anti-air capability against enemy aircraft. In 1942, a 37 mm 61K autocannon was mounted and tested on a half-track. Thin armour plates were installed throughout the vehicle to provide minor protection for the crews. It never progressed beyond the prototype stage. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Introduced in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]], the ZiS-43 is a mediocre vehicle that takes a lot of practice to master. Despite its potent main armament, it is poorly armoured, tall, slow, and unstable. While the 37 mm 61K autocannon can penetrate most enemy ground targets from the side, it is too slow to perform any effective flanking manoeuvres. Due to the slow rate of fire requiring precision hits and accurate target leading, engaging enemy aircraft requires a steep learning curve as well. | ||
== General info == | == General info == | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === Survivability and armour === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Armour}} | ||
| + | <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' --> | ||
| + | The ZiS-43's armour is nonexistent and can barely withstand 12.7 mm machine gun fire. Thus, much like the rest of SPAA in the game, it is really fragile and the armour should not be relied on. Every plane is a threat that has to be taken seriously as the turret is open and only has a small 15 mm shield which barely provides protection against 7.62 mm machine gun fire. Almost all bomb fragmentation is able to penetrate and damage crew members. Some bombs, depending on the explosive power and fragmentation radius, may not knock out crew members. However they will often damage them and leave them in a yellow-orange status. | ||
| + | |||
'''Armour type:''' | '''Armour type:''' | ||
| − | |||
* Rolled homogeneous armour | * Rolled homogeneous armour | ||
| − | * Wood | + | * Structural steel (Gun mount) |
| + | * Wood (Truck bed) | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | !Armour | + | ! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof |
| − | !Front!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof | + | |- |
| + | | Driver's cabin || 10 mm (20-82°) <br> 7.5 mm ''Hatches and Doors'' || 10 mm (14-27°) || 10 mm (6°) || 10 mm | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | | Turret || 15 mm (2-32°) || 10 mm (4-6°) || N/A || N/A |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | | Cargo bed || 10 mm || 10 mm || 10 mm || 10 mm |
|} | |} | ||
'''Notes:''' | '''Notes:''' | ||
| − | *Due to the vehicle hurried construction, it is mostly a patchwork of | + | * Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 7 mm, wheels are 2 mm thick. |
| + | *Due to the vehicle hurried construction, it is mostly a patchwork of 10 mm steel plates welded onto the underlying chassis. | ||
*The turret crew have their heads visible from the front and sides. They are fully exposed in the rear and above. | *The turret crew have their heads visible from the front and sides. They are fully exposed in the rear and above. | ||
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
| − | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | {{Specs-Tank-Mobility}} |
| + | <!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=128|rbMinHp=80}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | Similar to the [[M16 MGMC|M16]] SPAA, being a halftrack is a mid-point between wheel speed and track traction. It is far from being the fastest halftrack in game. However, it does provide increased traction when it comes to rough terrain, is not comparable to full tracked vehicles but is better than fully wheeled vehicles seen at the battle rating. Being a halftrack leaves it with a "semi tank turn" capacity, meaning tracks are able to help steer but will not do so completely as the steering is given from the frontal wheels. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Modifications and economy === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Economy}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Armaments == | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | ||
| + | === Main armament === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}} | ||
| + | <!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' --> | ||
| + | {{main|61-K (37 mm)}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | The ZiS-43 is armed with a quick firing 37 mm which is more than capable to deal with both aircraft and ground targets, but just like other low rate of fire SPAA it requires the player to shoot accurately in order to do well. Since it has a slow traverse speed, it is tricky to aim with the ZiS-43 when it comes to short distances between aircraft and SPAA. This can be countered by engaging enemy aircraft at distances. However, this is a game changer when it comes to ground fight. Turret rotation speed is the difference between life or death for various reasons: exposed crew, not being able to counterattack quickly, tank traverse is painfully slow. At least unlike previous SPAAs, the driver's cabin no longer gets in the way of the gun allowing you to shoot ground targets right in front of the vehicle. | ||
| + | |||
| + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! colspan=" | + | ! colspan="6" | [[61-K (37 mm)|37 mm 61-K]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds) |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer |
| − | ! | + | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced |
| − | + | ! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | |
| − | ! | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | rowspan="2" | | + | ! ''Arcade'' |
| + | | rowspan="2" | 260 (5) || rowspan="2" | 160 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 26.4 || 36.6 || 44.4 || 49.1 || 52.2 || rowspan="2" | 0.65 || rowspan="2" | 0.58 || rowspan="2" | 0.53 || rowspan="2" | 0.50 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | ! ''Realistic'' | |
| − | + | | 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0 | |
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| − | == | + | |
| − | === | + | ==== Ammunition ==== |
| + | |||
| + | * '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - These rounds work well until the others are researched and offer the same performance as both other belts to the detriment of a halfed rate of fire. | ||
| + | * '''UO-167:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - These are absolutely devastating in the AA role. A couple of direct hits will take down smaller planes and while large bombers can soak up more shots, they are not fast enough to survive their bombing run while you're shooting at them with this belt. | ||
| + | * '''BR-167:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}} - These are best against enemy tanks at close range. It has enough penetration to go through all medium tanks from the sides when up close and some more vulnerable ones can even be penetrated from the front (such as [[Pz.IV F2]] ). It does not have any explosive filler, but rate of fire is enough that you can simply spray multiple shots around the target's sides. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Since every bullet is a tracer, firing makes you easily detected by enemy airplanes and tanks. | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{:61-K (37 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T*, AP-T}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ||
| + | [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] | ||
| + | <!-- '''Last updated: 1.101.1.16''' --> | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Full<br>ammo |
| − | + | ! 1st<br>rack empty | |
| − | + | ! Visual<br>discrepancy | |
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|- | |- | ||
| − | + | | '''52''' || 1 ''(+51)'' || No | |
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|- | |- | ||
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|} | |} | ||
| + | ''Note'': | ||
| + | |||
| + | * The ammunition is modeled as a single big box containing clips. | ||
| − | == Usage in | + | == Usage in battles == |
| − | ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' | + | <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> |
| + | |||
| + | Despite the vehicle potent armament, it is not built for direct front-line combat. It is poorly armoured, tall, slow and unstable. If necessary, it is possible to penetrate most vehicles sides or rear but sticking to anti-aircraft duty will yield the best results. Do not stay in spawn however, most planes will attack your teammates busy fighting instead of you. Similar to previous seen SPAA, they have really good capabilities for both anti-air and anti-ground duties. However, despite being a higher calibre than the previously seen 25 mm and 14.5 mm, it lacks the rate of fire to engage targets as fast as the other SPAAs. | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| − | '' | + | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> |
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | * | + | * 37 mm is deadly to anything it penetrates, planes or tanks |
| + | * The gun is able to shoot targets directly in front of the vehicle, unlike some of the previous AA trucks | ||
| + | * Most vehicles can be engaged at close range if needed | ||
| + | * Low armour means APHE won't always fuse | ||
| + | * Most light machine guns will struggle to penetrate | ||
| + | * Fairly high penetration (70 mm) | ||
| + | * Full turret rotation | ||
| + | * Driver and commander are protected in an enclosed driving compartment, which is well protected against small calibre machine gun rounds | ||
| + | * Four crew members allow you to continue with only two after taking damage | ||
| + | * Half-track mount gives better cross-country movement than previous trucks | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * | + | |
| + | |||
| + | * Very tall for self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle | ||
| + | * Slow rate of fire allows planes to fly between shots | ||
| + | * High recoil causes the entire chassis to wobble, making continuous fire extremely inaccurate | ||
| + | * Sluggish manoeuvrability | ||
| + | * Thin-skinned vehicle, HE rounds will destroy it | ||
| + | * Open turret configuration, open to machine gun fire | ||
| + | * Extremely vulnerable to 12.7 mm machine guns | ||
| + | * Armour protection is not sufficient to stop aircraft fire | ||
| + | * Vulnerable to artillery strikes | ||
| + | * Can be destroyed by overpressure | ||
| + | * Slow turret traverse | ||
| + | * Needs to move forward in order to turn | ||
| + | * Has a rather unusual tendency to wobble side-to-side when driving, making it harder to fire on the move | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| − | ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the | + | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> |
| + | |||
| + | The GAU (Russian: Главное артиллерийское управление, English: Main Artillery Directorate) set forth a requirement for an anti-aircraft vehicle using a 37 mm AA gun on a ZiS-42 half-track on 14 November 1942. The requirements stated that it was to have armour protection for the engine and cabin, and also was to have an armoured shield for the gun mount. The requirements also gave a maximum weight of 6.5 tons; the vehicle was developed by the ZiS factory in Moscow and was given the designation ZiS-43. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The ZiS-43 utilized the ZiS-42M half-track chassis with a 37 mm 61-K anti-aircraft gun mounted on the flat bed at the rear. The front half of the weapon mount was protected by armoured shields, the engine compartment was uparmoured, and so was the cabin. All the added armour protection gave the vehicle a weight of 8.75 metric tons. In addition to the weapon system and increased armour, the vehicle included other minor changes in comparison to the ZiS-42 including redesigned grills for increased engine cooling. The sides, as well as the top, of the engine compartment received armoured hatches for ease of maintenance. The cabin was redesigned in order to give the driver more comfortable working conditions, as on other models the driver's position was known to be incredibly uncomfortable. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The prototype went to trials on 15 December 1942 after driving 380 km to Gorohovets Artillery Proving Grounds from the factory. From the 19th to the 23rd of December, the ZiS-43 prototype was driven over five hundred km. Problems arose with the cooling of the vehicle, with the engine overheating twice during trials and the cabin getting as hot as 50°C. Due to the weight of the ZiS-43, a maximum speed of 35 km/h was achieved on roads and only 19.5 km/h on dirt roads. The average speed was 29.3 km/h on roads and the fuel consumption was as high as 110 litres per 100 km on dirt roads and still a low minimum of 90 litres per 100 km on more favourable terrain. During firing trials a number of other issues were revealed; the headlights would shatter upon firing due to changes in pressure and the high center of gravity caused accuracy issues due to instability. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The ZiS-43 never entered service thanks to its disappointing performance during trials, leaving production at only one prototype. For an anti-aircraft vehicle such armour was seen as an unnecessary burden, and the program was subsequently cancelled. After the cancellation of the program the armour of the ZiS-43 prototype was removed, returning it to its original state as a ZiS-42M. | ||
== Media == | == Media == | ||
| − | '' | + | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> |
| − | + | ;Skins | |
| − | |||
| + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_zis_43 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
| + | |||
| + | == See also == | ||
| + | <!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ||
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | * ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | ||
| − | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' | + | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> |
| − | + | ;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role | |
| − | + | * [[Sd.Kfz. 6/2]] | |
| − | + | * [[CCKW 353 AA]] | |
| + | * [[Lvtdgb m/40]] | ||
| + | == External links == | ||
| + | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
| − | * ''other literature.'' | + | * ''other literature.'' --> |
| + | |||
| + | * [[wt:en/news/4383-development-zis-43-when-you-need-a-bigger-bang-en/|[Devblog] ZiS-43: When You Need a Bigger Bang]] | ||
| + | * https://warspot.net/124-halftrack-experiments - Halftrack Experiments on warspot.net | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}} | ||
| + | [[Category:Half-tracks]] | ||
Latest revision as of 16:04, 20 November 2023
Contents
Description
The ZiS-43 is a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun prototype developed by the Soviets during World War II to improve anti-air capability against enemy aircraft. In 1942, a 37 mm 61K autocannon was mounted and tested on a half-track. Thin armour plates were installed throughout the vehicle to provide minor protection for the crews. It never progressed beyond the prototype stage.
Introduced in Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai", the ZiS-43 is a mediocre vehicle that takes a lot of practice to master. Despite its potent main armament, it is poorly armoured, tall, slow, and unstable. While the 37 mm 61K autocannon can penetrate most enemy ground targets from the side, it is too slow to perform any effective flanking manoeuvres. Due to the slow rate of fire requiring precision hits and accurate target leading, engaging enemy aircraft requires a steep learning curve as well.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armourfront / side / back
Hull10 / 10 / 10
Turret15 / 10 / 0
Crew4 people
Visibility88 %
The ZiS-43's armour is nonexistent and can barely withstand 12.7 mm machine gun fire. Thus, much like the rest of SPAA in the game, it is really fragile and the armour should not be relied on. Every plane is a threat that has to be taken seriously as the turret is open and only has a small 15 mm shield which barely provides protection against 7.62 mm machine gun fire. Almost all bomb fragmentation is able to penetrate and damage crew members. Some bombs, depending on the explosive power and fragmentation radius, may not knock out crew members. However they will often damage them and leave them in a yellow-orange status.
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
- Structural steel (Gun mount)
- Wood (Truck bed)
| Armour | Front | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver's cabin | 10 mm (20-82°) 7.5 mm Hatches and Doors |
10 mm (14-27°) | 10 mm (6°) | 10 mm |
| Turret | 15 mm (2-32°) | 10 mm (4-6°) | N/A | N/A |
| Cargo bed | 10 mm | 10 mm | 10 mm | 10 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 7 mm, wheels are 2 mm thick.
- Due to the vehicle hurried construction, it is mostly a patchwork of 10 mm steel plates welded onto the underlying chassis.
- The turret crew have their heads visible from the front and sides. They are fully exposed in the rear and above.
Mobility
Speedforward / back
AB39 / 9 km/h
RB and SB35 / 9 km/h
Number of gears4 forward
1 back
Weight8.7 t
Engine power
AB172 hp
RB and SB90 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB19.8 hp/t
RB and SB10.3 hp/t
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 39 | 9 | 8.7 | 128 | 172 | 14.71 | 19.77 |
| Realistic | 35 | 9 | 80 | 90 | 9.2 | 10.34 | |
Similar to the M16 SPAA, being a halftrack is a mid-point between wheel speed and track traction. It is far from being the fastest halftrack in game. However, it does provide increased traction when it comes to rough terrain, is not comparable to full tracked vehicles but is better than fully wheeled vehicles seen at the battle rating. Being a halftrack leaves it with a "semi tank turn" capacity, meaning tracks are able to help steer but will not do so completely as the steering is given from the frontal wheels.
Modifications and economy
Repair costBasic → Reference
AB911 → 1 172 
RB697 → 897
SB1 067 → 1 373
Total cost of modifications10 340 
13 960
Talisman cost750 
Crew training6 300
Experts22 000
Aces210
Research Aces220 000
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
60 / 60 / 80 %
124 / 124 / 124 %
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
Ammunition260 rounds
Belt capacity5 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
0.6 → 0.5 s
Fire rate160 shots/min
Vertical guidance-5° / 85°
The ZiS-43 is armed with a quick firing 37 mm which is more than capable to deal with both aircraft and ground targets, but just like other low rate of fire SPAA it requires the player to shoot accurately in order to do well. Since it has a slow traverse speed, it is tricky to aim with the ZiS-43 when it comes to short distances between aircraft and SPAA. This can be countered by engaging enemy aircraft at distances. However, this is a game changer when it comes to ground fight. Turret rotation speed is the difference between life or death for various reasons: exposed crew, not being able to counterattack quickly, tank traverse is painfully slow. At least unlike previous SPAAs, the driver's cabin no longer gets in the way of the gun allowing you to shoot ground targets right in front of the vehicle.
| 37 mm 61-K | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 260 (5) | 160 | -5°/+85° | ±180° | N/A | 26.4 | 36.6 | 44.4 | 49.1 | 52.2 | 0.65 | 0.58 | 0.53 | 0.50 |
| Realistic | 17.9 | 21.0 | 25.5 | 28.2 | 30.0 | |||||||||
Ammunition
- Default: AP-T · HEFI-T* - These rounds work well until the others are researched and offer the same performance as both other belts to the detriment of a halfed rate of fire.
- UO-167: HEFI-T* - These are absolutely devastating in the AA role. A couple of direct hits will take down smaller planes and while large bombers can soak up more shots, they are not fast enough to survive their bombing run while you're shooting at them with this belt.
- BR-167: AP-T - These are best against enemy tanks at close range. It has enough penetration to go through all medium tanks from the sides when up close and some more vulnerable ones can even be penetrated from the front (such as Pz.IV F2 ). It does not have any explosive filler, but rate of fire is enough that you can simply spray multiple shots around the target's sides.
Since every bullet is a tracer, firing makes you easily detected by enemy airplanes and tanks.
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | ||||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| HEFI-T* | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |
| AP-T | 70 | 68 | 56 | 45 | 36 | 29 | |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| HEFI-T* | 866 | 0.73 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 56.98 | 79° | 80° | 81° | ||||
| AP-T | 868 | 0.77 | - | - | - | 47° | 60° | 65° | ||||
Ammo racks
Ammo racks of the ZiS-43
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | 1 (+51) | No |
Note:
- The ammunition is modeled as a single big box containing clips.
Usage in battles
Despite the vehicle potent armament, it is not built for direct front-line combat. It is poorly armoured, tall, slow and unstable. If necessary, it is possible to penetrate most vehicles sides or rear but sticking to anti-aircraft duty will yield the best results. Do not stay in spawn however, most planes will attack your teammates busy fighting instead of you. Similar to previous seen SPAA, they have really good capabilities for both anti-air and anti-ground duties. However, despite being a higher calibre than the previously seen 25 mm and 14.5 mm, it lacks the rate of fire to engage targets as fast as the other SPAAs.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 37 mm is deadly to anything it penetrates, planes or tanks
- The gun is able to shoot targets directly in front of the vehicle, unlike some of the previous AA trucks
- Most vehicles can be engaged at close range if needed
- Low armour means APHE won't always fuse
- Most light machine guns will struggle to penetrate
- Fairly high penetration (70 mm)
- Full turret rotation
- Driver and commander are protected in an enclosed driving compartment, which is well protected against small calibre machine gun rounds
- Four crew members allow you to continue with only two after taking damage
- Half-track mount gives better cross-country movement than previous trucks
Cons:
- Very tall for self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle
- Slow rate of fire allows planes to fly between shots
- High recoil causes the entire chassis to wobble, making continuous fire extremely inaccurate
- Sluggish manoeuvrability
- Thin-skinned vehicle, HE rounds will destroy it
- Open turret configuration, open to machine gun fire
- Extremely vulnerable to 12.7 mm machine guns
- Armour protection is not sufficient to stop aircraft fire
- Vulnerable to artillery strikes
- Can be destroyed by overpressure
- Slow turret traverse
- Needs to move forward in order to turn
- Has a rather unusual tendency to wobble side-to-side when driving, making it harder to fire on the move
History
The GAU (Russian: Главное артиллерийское управление, English: Main Artillery Directorate) set forth a requirement for an anti-aircraft vehicle using a 37 mm AA gun on a ZiS-42 half-track on 14 November 1942. The requirements stated that it was to have armour protection for the engine and cabin, and also was to have an armoured shield for the gun mount. The requirements also gave a maximum weight of 6.5 tons; the vehicle was developed by the ZiS factory in Moscow and was given the designation ZiS-43.
The ZiS-43 utilized the ZiS-42M half-track chassis with a 37 mm 61-K anti-aircraft gun mounted on the flat bed at the rear. The front half of the weapon mount was protected by armoured shields, the engine compartment was uparmoured, and so was the cabin. All the added armour protection gave the vehicle a weight of 8.75 metric tons. In addition to the weapon system and increased armour, the vehicle included other minor changes in comparison to the ZiS-42 including redesigned grills for increased engine cooling. The sides, as well as the top, of the engine compartment received armoured hatches for ease of maintenance. The cabin was redesigned in order to give the driver more comfortable working conditions, as on other models the driver's position was known to be incredibly uncomfortable.
The prototype went to trials on 15 December 1942 after driving 380 km to Gorohovets Artillery Proving Grounds from the factory. From the 19th to the 23rd of December, the ZiS-43 prototype was driven over five hundred km. Problems arose with the cooling of the vehicle, with the engine overheating twice during trials and the cabin getting as hot as 50°C. Due to the weight of the ZiS-43, a maximum speed of 35 km/h was achieved on roads and only 19.5 km/h on dirt roads. The average speed was 29.3 km/h on roads and the fuel consumption was as high as 110 litres per 100 km on dirt roads and still a low minimum of 90 litres per 100 km on more favourable terrain. During firing trials a number of other issues were revealed; the headlights would shatter upon firing due to changes in pressure and the high center of gravity caused accuracy issues due to instability.
The ZiS-43 never entered service thanks to its disappointing performance during trials, leaving production at only one prototype. For an anti-aircraft vehicle such armour was seen as an unnecessary burden, and the program was subsequently cancelled. After the cancellation of the program the armour of the ZiS-43 prototype was removed, returning it to its original state as a ZiS-42M.
Media
- Skins
See also
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
External links
- [Devblog] ZiS-43: When You Need a Bigger Bang
- https://warspot.net/124-halftrack-experiments - Halftrack Experiments on warspot.net
| USSR anti-aircraft vehicles | |
|---|---|
| GAZ-AAA | GAZ-AAA (4M) · GAZ-AAA (DShK) |
| BTR-152 | BTR-152A · BTR-152D |
| Wheeled/Half-tracked | GAZ-MM (72-K) · ZiS-12 (94-KM) · ZiS-43 |
| Radar SPAAG | ZSU-23-4 · ZSU-37-2 |
| SAM | ZSU-23-4M4 · Strela-10M2 · 2S6 · Pantsir-S1 |
| Other | ZSU-23-4M2 · ZUT-37 · ZSU-37 · BTR-ZD · ZSU-57-2 |
| Czechoslovakia | M53/59 |
| North Vietnam | ▂Phòng không T-34 |
