Military Vehicles

In late 1942, the M-31 rocket was introduced to enhance the performance of the earlier M-8 and M-13 weapons.

These were deemed to contain too little explosive force, so whereas the M-13 had a 4.9kg (10.8lb) warhead, the M-31contained 28.9 kg (63.7lb) of explosive.

Mobile launchers for the M-31 did not emerge until March 1944.  The vehicles for the job were ZiS-6 6×6 or Studebaker US-6 6×6 trucks.

Twelve rockets were held in the rack mounted upon the rear.  While the US trucks received armoured shutters to protect the cab windows during firing, the Soviet vehicles tended to be naked against the backblast.

Over 1200 BM-31-12s were produced in 1944 alone, and another 600 in 1945.

Country of Origin    :Russia/Soviet Union
Crew                         :2
Weight                      :8900kg (19,600lb)
Dimensions              :Length: 6.55m (21.49ft); width: 2.24m (7.35ft); height: 3.2m (9.06ft)
Range                       :350km (220miles)
Armour :Not applicable
Armament                  :1 x M31 rocket-launcher system
Powerplant                 :1 x 6-cylinder petrol, developing 87hp (65kW)
Performance               :Maximum road speed: 70km/h (43mph);

The Birch Gun Mk II was the world’s first effective example of self-propelled artillery.

It was named after General Sir Noel Birch, Master General of the Ordnance, and it emerged from the Woolwich Arsenal as an experimental model in 1925.

The Birch Gun consisted of an unmodified Vickers medium tank chassis on which was mounted on 18-pounder (83.8mm/3.3in) field gun.

A second version the MK II of 1926, featured better elevation for the gun, allowing it to engage either ground or aerial target.

British high command response to the Birch Gun was not favourable mainly from prejudice rather than reasoned complaint, and after a third version in 1928, the project was abandoned.

Country of Origin    :United Kingdom
Crew                     :6
Weight                  :12,000kg (26,500lb)
Dimension              :Length: 5.8m(19ft); width: 2.4m(7.9ft); height 2.3m(7.6ft)
Range                    :192km (119miles)
Armour                 :6mm (0.24in)
Armament             :1 x 75mm (2.95in) gun
Powerplant          :1 x Armstrong- Siddeley 8-cylinder petrol, developing 90hp (67kW)
Performance         :Maximum road speed: 45km/h (28mph);