SU-57B
Contents
Description
The SU-57B is a rank II Soviet tank destroyer with a battle rating of 2.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea".
This tank destroyer uses a 57 mm ZIS-4 for its main gun. It features a low profile, good top speed (40 km/h in RB) and great penetration for its rank, but weak armour at all angles.
The overall design of the SU-57B allows for sneaky attacks, revolving around the 57 mm ZiS-4 gun that allows for engagement from medium range on unsuspecting enemies. Because of its low profile, this TD can use bushes and terrain to hide its approach. However, the trade-off is lacklustre mobility, so it compares with the ZiS-30 that provides better mobility and speed and can reposition much faster. Despite all these limitations, when played right the SU-57B can score good scores, but only when properly positioned and not detected.
General info
Survivability and armour
The SU-57B has the best armour on the front, weaker armour on the sides and on the rear. Regarding the crew protection, because of the number of crew members (4), the loss of 1 or 2 crew members is acceptable. But due to the thin armour, the SU-57B can take one or two shots maximum before being put out of order. It is much better protected than the ZiS-30 and can sustain MG fire.
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 25 mm (38°) Front glacis 25 mm (24°) Lower glacis 25 mm (0-90°) Gun mantlet 25 mm (37°) Cheeks |
16 mm (0-32°) | 16 mm (40°) Top 10 mm (45°) Bottom |
10 mm (72-85°) 5 mm (72°) Grille |
- Belly armour is 6 mm thick.
- Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
Mobility
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 44 | 6 | 9.5 | 148 | 198 | 15.58 | 20.84 |
| Realistic | 40 | 6 | 92 | 104 | 9.68 | 10.95 | |
The SU-57B is sluggish at backwards speed and will have a hard time countering an opponent attempting a flanking manoeuvre. The best bet is to retreat and relocate when spotted. Fortunately, thanks to its great forward speed (43 km/h maximum), the SU-57B can still move quite easily.
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
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Armaments
Main armament
The main gun is ridiculously powerful for its hull. It features a ZIS-4 57 mm that has a penetration rate similar to the ZiS-30 main gun. The position of the main gun is quite low and enemies will have a hard time detecting the silhouette of the tank. However, because of its long barrel, one must be careful not to stand out from cover or from the sides.
The recoil of the gun can be important and must be taken care of, as well as the dispersion effect. The relatively fast reloading rate of 5.6 seconds allows for a comfortable targeting and efficiency. Though, with the SU-57B able to hold a total of 72 rounds of ammunition, the SU-57B can shoot more freely without worry. However, keep in mind the 5.6 second initial reload time can feel quite long when facing an opponent at close range where some tanks can fire almost twice before you can shoot again
| 57 mm ZIS-4 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 72 | -5°/+14° | ±18° | N/A | 6.2 | 8.5 | 10.4 | 11.5 | 12.2 | 5.59 | 4.95 | 4.56 | 4.30 |
| Realistic | 4.2 | 4.9 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 7.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| BR-271 | APHEBC | 145 | 142 | 128 | 112 | 98 | 86 |
| BR-271K | APHE | 145 | 140 | 118 | 95 | 77 | 63 |
| O-271 | HE | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| BR-271 | APHEBC | 990 | 3.14 | 1.2 | 9 | 21.56 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| BR-271K | APHE | 990 | 3.14 | 1.2 | 9 | 27.72 | 47° | 60° | 65° | |||
| O-271 | HE | 700 | 3.72 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 220 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | 61 (+11) | 49 (+23) | 37 (+35) | 25 (+47) | 13 (+59) | 1 (+71) | No |
Usage in battles
The SU-57B is a lightly armoured tank destroyer, armed with a deadly 57 mm ZiS-4 anti-tank gun that is not a threat to take lightly for most enemy vehicles at its BR, though being a lightly armoured vehicle it can prove to be a very difficult vehicle to master at first. But even with its light armour it got a useful acceleration and top speed makes it a opponent to be wary against. A well placed or hidden SU-57B can with ease prove to be a great obstacle for the enemy armoured units.
A key element to the SU-57B being used successfully is distance to enemy targets and element of surprise, the ZiS-4 is a gun that can attack most vehicles at any distance on the field, with a powerful and fast firing 57 mm long barrel it can ambush from distance as from close range. Why distance is a key for the Su-57B is its lack of armour, being 25 mm frontally thick but at an angle that gives it an effective armour of 32 mm makes it an easy target for most vehicles it will face. At a distance it has a higher possibility to survive a hit and maintain a distance to enemy 12.7 mm machine guns, but the armor still should not be relied on at all.
Ground units are one of the SU-57B's least worries, enemy air units can easily target the SU-57B from above, having a light top armour makes most machine gun fire and cannon fire from planes a lethal threat. Lacking a anti-air machine gun on it, makes it hard for it to defend itself against air units. Hiding in forests or bushes are a way for it to defend itself form aircrafts. Protection against air can also be near allied SPAA vehicles.
Enemies to be aware of are mostly light tanks that can easily flank it such as the Sd.Kfz.234/2 and M5A1. SPAA like the M15 CGMC or Wirbelwind will have an easy time destroying the light armour. But most important of all is that it's extremely vulnerable to any air attack against it, you can with ease prevent ground units to get into a effective range, Air units can attack from anywhere and easily make scrap metal out of the SU-57B
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Decent top forward speed
- Excellent 57 mm ZIS-4 gun which provides the necessary firepower to deal with almost all ground vehicles at its battle rating
- Very low profile ideal for sneak attacks and sniper attacks, similar to ASU-57
- Relatively fast reload speed for a tank destroyer at 5.6 seconds stock and 4.3 seconds aced
- Low visibility percentage at 69% compared to most TDs at the battle rating (~88%)
- 38 degree frontal armor slope can somewhat hold off autocannon fire at range
Cons:
- Sluggish acceleration
- Very weak rear speed
- Poor turning ability, don't expect to be able to pivot quickly
- Weak armour susceptible to any type of damage, even heavy MGs can take it out with ease
- Crammed crew space will nearly guarantee atleast 2 crew members being knocked out from a single penetrating shot
History
In 1943 the MVTU USSR design bureau proposed an 11 ton tank hunter prototype with two main gun variants:
- The 75 mm S-1 main gun
- The 57 mm S-1-57 main gun
Both would be propelled with a diesel GMC-71 engine.
At the same moment, the GAZ design bureau was working on 2 designs. One named "GAZ-74b" which is the SU-57B with a long barrel, and an improved version with a 76 mm gun. The Su-57a was to be the tank hunter with the 76mm main gun. The Su-57B was not accepted for service because it was too costly pro produce and because of its newer diesel engine.
Later the GAZ-74d (SU-76d) would come out with a 76 mm S-1 main gun and a frontal armour of 60 mm. It will also be known later as "SU-80".
Media
- Skins
- Images
- Videos
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;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| USSR tank destroyers | |
|---|---|
| SU-76M | SU-76M · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A |
| SU-57B | SU-57B · SU-76D |
| T-34 Derivatives | SU-122 · SU-85 · SU-85M · SU-100 · SU-122P |
| Heavy Tank Derivatives | SU-100Y · ISU-122 · ISU-122S · SU-152 · ISU-152 · Object 268 |
| SU-100P and Derivatives | SU-100P · Object 120 |
| Wheeled | YaG-10 (29-K) |
| Airborne | ASU-57 · ASU-85 |
| Rocket | BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12 |
| ATGM | IT-1 · Shturm-S · Object 775 · Khrizantema-S |
| Artillery | 2S1 · 2S3M |
| Other | SU-5-1 · ZiS-30 · SU-122-54 |
| USA | SU-57 |
