SU-100

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Preserved SU-100 in action at Bovington.
Photo provided by Chris Shillito


The SU-100 entered production at UZTM in Sverdlovsk in September of 1944, and started to replace the SU-85 in late 1944. It was the same vehicle as the SU-85, but it was now fitted with a 100mm D-10S L/56 gun. The 100mm gun were built on a naval gun design with formidable penetration. A raised commanders cupola improved the commanders sight around the tank. It was able to shoot both armour piercing ammunition and high-explosive shells, which made it able to take on the Panther and Tiger. But as on the SU-85, the SU-100 lacked a machine-gun, so close combat had to be avoided. It's sometimes hard to identify a SU-100 from a SU-85 on a photo, but the SU-100 differed from the SU-85 with a bigger gun, a different commanders cupola and double dome ventilators. When production ceased, a total of 1.534 SU-100 had been manufactured. The SU-100 remained in service well after the war, and was used by Warsaw pact armies until late 60s. Also used by minor countries to as late as the early 80s. One of the conversions of the SU-100, was the SU-101 which had a rear-mounted 100mm gun on a T-44 chassis.

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A prototype where a SU-100 chassis has been rearmed with a 122mm D-25T L/43 gun.


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