Россия - большая страна, контактирует со всем the world. As a result, at almost every moment of time, military operations are taking place, in which the Russian military participate, or at least Russian weapons and armored vehicles. Having visited the Victory Parade in different cities, you can see how diverse the equipment is: artillery, tank, missile forces, trucks and cars for various purposes.
The names of their technique inventors giveunusual: the Swift and Mig airplanes, the Grad, Smerch, Peony installations and the whole deadly bouquet of howitzers - Acacia, Hyacinth and Tulip. Howitzer "Tulip" - one of the beautiful flowers of artillery, let's look at it in more detail.
Во времена Хрущева войска артиллерии в принципе were declared inadequate. Required the development of missiles. At that time, several promising samples were in the pilot test stage, which pierced the armor of any tank. But the order is accepted to be carried out, and the equipment was disassembled.
Something remained somewhere, someone didn’t raise a hand to disassemble their creation, and thanks to this, in the famous museum of armored vehicles in Kubinka, there is an anti-tank gun SU-100P Taran now.
Vietnam War clearly showed lagour artillery from the american. The United States used the M109, which hit the target at a distance of up to 14 km. They began to urgently recall old practices, catch up with the West in the development of artillery. Then the creation of an armor-piercing bouquet - “Acacia”, “Hyacinth” and “Tulip” - a howitzer, the photo of which is presented below, was started in the Urals. The deadlines were given tight, and already in 1971, the machines passed field tests and were put into service. Since then, they remain there, of course, with some modifications and modifications.
240 mm self-propelled mortarintended for the destruction of buildings and fortifications, which the enemy uses as a shelter for its manpower, equipment, command and communication points, artillery, etc., inaccessible to table fire artillery. There are no analogues in the world, howitzers and mortars of other countries have a smaller caliber and very different characteristics.
In addition to conventional shells, the Tulip howitzer canshoot nuclear charges, while remaining at a safe distance from the explosion. Up to the Tulip, the M-240 towed 240-mm mortar, used since 1950, was in service. In 1971, they had similar shooting and penetration characteristics, but the M-240 mortar is less mobile, less maneuverable, it needs more time to bring on alert, aiming and leaving the firing position.
"Tulip" - 240-mm self-propelledmortar installation. The installation design is original. The whole artillery unit is on the roof of the hull, the crew, ammunition and equipment are located in the chassis. On the left is the turret of the commander.
The ammunition includes 10 pieces of active-reactive and20 high-explosive mines A hydraulic system is provided for all mortar processes for firing. His ancestor M-240 was doing everything manually. Combat mechanized, drumming, loading is made from the breech side of the trunk. There is the option of manual loading with a crane.
Стандартная фугасная мина Ф-864 имеет массу 130,7 kg, there are five explosive charges that tell mine the speed of movement. In the Western press, there were reports that active-reactive mines with nuclear charges were developed and put into production for M-240.
Diesel engine installation "Tulip" B-59 allows you to reach speeds of up to 60 km / h on asphalt and up to 30 km / h on primer.
В соответствии с требованиями современной войны the Tulip howitzer is equipped with a protection system and can overcome contaminated terrain and act on it. The loading system and dimensions of the machine do not require special training position for shooting.
Mortar chassis was used from the facility305, which is very similar to the chassis of the Krug anti-aircraft complex. Tulip armor plates withstand bullets of 7-62 caliber type B-32 from a distance of 300 m. The 2B8 mortar itself cannot be used without a chassis, so the Tulip howitzer is arranged.
B-59 diesel engine has a power of 520horses and allows you to develop a maximum speed of 62.8 km / h. Overcomes a vertical wall of 700 mm and has a cruising range of 500 km. Also, a trench 3 m wide and a water barrier 1 m deep will not stop the Tulip.
Serves such a crew of 5 people.The self-propelled howitzer Tulip weighs 27,500 kg, is about 6.5 meters long, 3 meters and a quarter wide, and 3.2 meters high. In addition to the main tool of 240 mm, there is also an auxiliary weapon with a caliber of 7.62.
Установка может делать до 1 выстрела в минуту, а at an angle of guidance and elevation of 80-82 degrees, a declination angle of 50 degrees, a mortar can destroy enemy objects hidden behind obstacles, while at the same time remaining out of reach. Whatever the critics say, this effective weapon is the Tulip howitzer. The firing range of the main gun is 19 km.
All military equipment before putting into service passes a series of tests. Not bypassed this inheritance and artillery bouquet. One of the chief designers told the case about the test "Acacia".
An unexpected occurred during the control check.rocket launch in the launcher when it was in the launch position. Fortunately, there were no warheads in the rocket. Due to the start-up charge, she dragged the entire installation, until she rested against the wall, then pulled away and began to wag around the landfill, there were no casualties. Also, "Acacia" had a problem with the removal of powder gases, they accumulated in the crew compartment. It was necessary to create a pressure difference, so that the gases would fly out after the projectile through the gun.
Гаубица «Тюльпан» показала себя с лучшей стороны.Concrete fortifications were used as targets, they were shot at for many years, but due to their strength, they demolished everything. After the Tulip volley, only a funnel 10 meters deep and the same wide remained from them.
Mortars were modified, improved, andfor them were produced new shells. It is worth mentioning one of these, mine 1K113 "Brave". Developed it in the late 80s. Unlike a conventional mine, it has a limited opening time for the optics window for homing and turning on a laser for targeting.
Неподалеку от цели, на расстоянии от 200 до 5000 m, placed spotter with the designator. It highlights the target only when the mine is at a distance of 400-800 m. The enemy, even when the target designation is detected, does not have time to respond.
A shot with such a projectile hits a target with a radius of 2-3 m with a probability of 80-90%.
After field testing it was necessary to checkartillery in combat. Afghanistan became the first such point. "Tulip" was irreplaceable with its ability to hit the enemy in the shelter and on the other side of the mountain, to fill the caves with a single shell and to drop the morale with impressive destruction. Especially the advantages of "Tulip" were noticeable during the storming of fortresses, 122-mm shells stuck in the clay wall, while 240-mm destroyed everything. Thanks to the firing angle, you can put the installation 20 meters from the wall of the house, give the maximum angle and hit the enemy, hiding on the other side of the building, so that he knows what Tulip is. Mortar, howitzer or just a gun - a technical term does not matter when projectiles whistle overhead.
When using the “Daredevil” mine, the accuracy increased, they were beaten right into the entrances of the caves, where the enemy was hiding.
In their memoirs, the military often regrets thatThere were few artillery, because it is never enough. The heavy hooting of guns instills confidence in their own and presses the enemy, literally and figuratively, into the ground.
Installation "Tulip" is still in service. None of the countries have a mortar of this caliber. In Europe and the USA, the caliber does not exceed 120 mm.
