Unique combat vehicle “Katyusha. Weapon of Victory: Katyusha multiple launch rocket system

Publications in the Museums section

"Katyusha" came ashore

3 famous combat vehicle in museums, films and computer games.

July 14, 1941 near railway station In the city of Orsha, the famous battery of captain Ivan Flerov attacked the enemy for the first time. The battery was armed with completely new, unknown to the Germans, BM-13 combat vehicles, which the soldiers would affectionately call “Katyushas”.

At that time, few people knew that these vehicles would participate in the most important battles of the Great Patriotic War and, along with legendary tanks T-34 will become a symbol of victory in this terrible war. However, both Russian and German soldiers and officers were able to appreciate their power after the first shots.

Professor of the Academy of Military Sciences of the Russian Federation, scientific director tells Russian Military Historical Society Mikhail Myagkov.

First operation

Information about the number of vehicles in service with the battery varies: according to one version, there were four of them, according to another - five or seven. But we can definitely say that the effect of their use was stunning. At the station, military equipment and trains and, according to our data, a battalion of German infantry, as well as important military property, were destroyed. The explosion was so strong that Franz Halder, Chief of the General Staff ground forces Germany, wrote in his diary that the ground melted where the shells hit.

Flerov’s battery was transferred to the Orsha area, as information was received that a large amount of cargo important for the German side had accumulated at this station. There is a version that in addition to the German units that arrived there, there were also secret weapon USSR, which they did not have time to take to the rear. It had to be quickly destroyed so that the Germans did not get it.

To carry out this operation, a special tank group was created, which supported the battery as it moved towards Orsha through territory already abandoned by Soviet troops. That is, the Germans could capture it at any moment; it was a very dangerous, risky enterprise. When the battery was just preparing to leave, the designers strictly ordered that the BM-13 be blown up in the event of retreat and encirclement, so that the vehicles would never fall to the enemy.

The soldiers will carry out this order later. During the retreat near Vyazma, the battery was surrounded, and on the night of October 7, 1941, it was ambushed. Here the battery, having fired its last salvo, was blown up by order of Flerov. The captain himself died, he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, in 1942, and in 1995 he became a Hero of Russia.

The image of the BM-13 (“Katyusha”) is actively used in video games about the Second World War:

BM-13 (Katyusha) in computer game Company of Heroes 2

BM-13 salvo in the computer game “Behind Enemy Lines - 2”

Vehicle BM-13 (Katyusha)

Katyusha volley in the computer room game War Front: Turning Point

About the history of the creation of rocket launchers

The development of rockets began in our country back in the 20s of the 20th century and was carried out by employees of the Gas Dynamics Institute. In the 1930s, research continued at the Rocket Research Institute, headed by Georgy Langemak. He was subsequently arrested and subjected to repression.

In 1939–1941, the jet systems were improved and tests were carried out. In March - June 1941 there was a display of the systems. The decision to create batteries that included new weapons was made literally a few hours before the start of the war: June 21, 1941. The armament of the first battery consisted of BM-13 vehicles with a 130 mm projectile. At the same time, the development of BM-8 vehicles was underway, and in 1943 the BM-31 appeared.

In addition to machines, special gunpowder was also developed. The Germans were hunting not only for our installations, but also for the composition of the gunpowder. They never managed to unravel his secret. The difference in the action of this gunpowder was that German guns they left a long smoke trail that was more than 200 meters long - you could immediately understand where they were shooting from. We didn't have that kind of smoke.

These jet systems were being prepared volley fire at the Compressor plant (in Peaceful time it was a refrigeration equipment plant, which on the good side characterizes interchangeability in the field of heavy industry) and at the Kommunar plant in Voronezh. And of course, in addition to the first battery of Captain Flerov, at the beginning of the war, other batteries were created, armed with rocket systems. It seems to modern researchers that at the very beginning of the war they were sent to guard headquarters. Most of them were sent to the Western Front to prevent the Germans from suddenly capturing the headquarters in order to overwhelm the enemy with fire and stop their advance.

About the nickname

Flerov's first battery took part in the battles for Smolensk, Dukhovshchina, Roslavl, Spas-Demensk. Other batteries, there were about five of them, were located in the area of ​​​​the city of Rudni. And the first version about the origin of the nickname of these cars - “Katyusha” - is really connected with the song. The batteries fired a volley into Rudny Square, where the Germans were at that moment; one of the witnesses to what was happening allegedly said: “Yes, this is a song!” - and someone else confirmed: “Yes, like Katyusha.” And this nickname first migrated to the headquarters of the 20th Army, where the battery was located, and then spread throughout the country.

The second version about the Katyusha is associated with the Kommunar plant: the letters “K” were placed on the cars. This theory is supported by the fact that the soldiers nicknamed the M-20 howitzer with the letter “M” “Mother”. There are many other assumptions about the origin of the nickname “Katyusha”: someone believes that at the moment of the salvo the cars “sang” drawn out - the song of the same name also has a long chant; someone says there was a name written on one of the cars real woman, and so on. But, by the way, there were other names. When the M-31 installation appeared, someone began to call it “Andryusha”, and German mortar Nebelwerfer was nicknamed “Vanyusha”.

By the way, one of the names of the BM-13 among German soldiers was the nickname “Stalin’s organ”, because the guiding machines looked like pipes. And the sound itself, when the Katyusha “sang”, also resembled organ music.

Planes, ships and sleighs

Rocket launchers of the BM-13 type (as well as BM-8 and BM-31) were mounted on airplanes, on ships, on boats, even on sleighs. In the corps of Lev Dovator, when he went on a raid against the German rear, these installations were located precisely on the sleigh.

However, the classic version is, of course, a truck. When the cars first went into production, they were mounted on a ZIS-6 truck with three axles; when it was deployed into a combat position, two more jacks were installed at the rear for greater stability. But already from the end of 1942, especially in 1943, these guides increasingly began to be mounted on well-proven American Studebaker trucks supplied under Lend-Lease. They had good speed and passability. By the way, this is one of the tasks of the system - to fire a salvo and quickly hide.

"Katyusha" truly became one of the main weapons of Victory. Everyone knows the T-34 tank and the Katyusha. Moreover, they know it not only in our country, but also abroad. When the USSR was negotiating Lend-Lease, exchanging information and equipment with the British and Americans, the Soviet side demanded the supply of radio equipment, radars, and aluminum. And the allies demanded Katyusha and T-34. The USSR gave us tanks, but I’m not sure about the Katyushas. Most likely, the Allies themselves figured out how these machines were made, but you can create an ideal model and not be able to organize mass production.

Museums where you can see the BM-13

The museum is an integral and at the same time the main part memorial complex Victory on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow. On its territory there is an exhibition of weapons, military equipment and engineering structures (Victory weapons, captured equipment, railway troops, military highways, artillery, armored vehicles, air force, navy). The museum has unique exhibits. Among them are rare aircraft, one flying one - the U-2, the best tank of the Second World War, the T-34, and, of course, the legendary BM-13 (Katyusha).

The Center for Military Patriotic Education opened in 2000. The museum's collection includes about 2,600 exhibits, including historical relics and replicas on the history of Russia and the Voronezh region. Exhibition space - four halls and seven exhibitions.

The museum is located at mass grave No. 6. In May 2010, a stele was erected in front of the museum in connection with the awarding of the title “City” to Voronezh. military glory" On the square in front of the museum, visitors can see a unique exhibition of military equipment and artillery pieces.

The oldest military museum in Russia. His birthday is considered to be August 29 (new style) 1703.

The museum's exposition is housed in 13 halls on an area of ​​more than 17 thousand square meters. Of particular interest to visitors is the external exhibition of the museum, opened after reconstruction in November 2002. Its main part is located in the courtyard of Kronverk on an area of ​​more than two hectares. The external exhibition is unique in its completeness, historical and scientific value. About 250 pieces of artillery pieces are located in open areas, missile weapons, engineering technology and communications technology, including domestic and foreign tools - from ancient to the most modern.

The Rudnyansky Historical Museum was officially opened on May 9, 1975; today its exhibition occupies four halls. Visitors can see photographs of the first rocket launchers of the legendary BM-13 rocket launcher; photographs and awards of participants in the Battle of Smolensk; personal belongings, awards, photographs of partisans of the Smolensk Partisan Brigade; material about the divisions that liberated the Rudnyansky district in 1943; stands telling the visitor about the damage caused to the area during the Great Patriotic War. Yellowed front-line letters and photographs, newspaper clippings, and personal belongings resurrect before the eyes of museum guests the images of war heroes - soldiers and officers.

Museum of History and Local Lore named after N.Ya. Savchenko is a center for civic and patriotic education of youth. It consists of two parts: the main building and the demonstration area. It is on the site that all the military and rare equipment available in the museum is located. This is an An-2 plane, a T-34 tank and a steam locomotive.

A worthy place in the exhibitions is occupied by the famous “Katyusha” based on the ZIL-157, the GAZ-AA (one and a half truck), ZIS-5 (three-ton truck), GAZ-67, an armored personnel carrier, the DT-54 tractor, the Universal tractor, a soldier’s field kitchen and etc.

"Katyusha" in cinema

One of the main films with her participation was Vladimir Motyl’s melodrama “Zhenya, Zhenechka and Katyusha.” In this film, the BM-13 can be seen from almost all angles, general and close-up.

Barrelless field rocket artillery system, which received affectionate treatment in the Red Army female name“Katyusha”, without exaggeration, became probably one of the most popular types of military equipment of the Second World War. In any case, neither our enemies nor our allies had anything like this.

Initially, barrelless rocket artillery systems in the Red Army were not intended for ground battles. They literally descended from heaven to earth.

The 82 mm caliber rocket was adopted by the Red Army Air Force back in 1933. They were installed on fighters designed by Polikarpov I-15, I-16 and I-153. In 1939, they underwent baptism of fire during the fighting at Khalkhin Gol, where they performed well when shooting at groups of enemy aircraft.

In the same year, employees of the Jet Research Institute began work on a mobile ground launcher that could fire rockets at ground targets. At the same time, the caliber of the rockets was increased to 132 mm.
In March 1941, field tests of a new weapon system were successfully carried out, and the decision to serial production combat vehicles with RS-132 missiles, called BM-13, was adopted the day before the start of the war - June 21, 1941.

How was it structured?

The BM-13 combat vehicle was a chassis of a three-axle ZIS-6 vehicle, on which a rotary truss with a package of guides and a guidance mechanism was installed. For aiming, a rotating and lifting mechanism and an artillery sight were provided. At the rear of the combat vehicle there were two jacks, which ensured its greater stability when firing.
The missiles were launched using a hand-held electric coil connected to battery and contacts on the guides. When the handle was turned, the contacts closed in turn, and the starting squib was fired in the next projectile.
The explosive material in the warhead of the projectile was detonated from both sides (the length of the detonator was only slightly less than the length of the explosive cavity). And when two waves of detonation met, the gas pressure of the explosion at the meeting point increased sharply. As a result, the hull fragments had a significantly higher acceleration, heated up to 600-800 ° C and had a good ignition effect. In addition to the body, part of the rocket chamber also burst, which was heated from the gunpowder burning inside; this increased the fragmentation effect by 1.5-2 times compared to artillery shells of the same caliber. That is why the legend arose that Katyusha rockets were equipped with a “thermite charge”. The “thermite” charge was indeed tested in besieged Leningrad in 1942, but it turned out to be unnecessary - after the Katyusha salvo, everything around was burning. And the joint use of dozens of missiles at the same time also created interference of blast waves, which further enhanced the damaging effect.

Baptism of fire near Orsha

The first salvo of a battery of Soviet rocket launchers (as they began to call it for greater secrecy) the new kind military equipment) consisting of seven combat installations BM-13 was produced in mid-July 1941. This happened near Orsha. An experienced battery under the command of Captain Flerov launched a fire strike at the Orsha railway station, where a concentration of enemy military equipment and manpower was noticed.
At 15:15 on July 14, 1941, heavy fire was opened on enemy trains. The entire station instantly turned into a huge cloud of fire. On the same day, in his diary, the head of the German General Staff General Halder wrote: “On July 14, near Orsha, the Russians used weapons unknown until that time. A fiery barrage of shells burned the Orsha railway station and all the trains with personnel and military equipment of the arriving military units. The metal was melting, the earth was burning.”

The morale effect of the use of rocket mortars was stunning. The enemy lost more than an infantry battalion and a huge amount of military equipment and weapons at the Orsha station. And Captain Flerov’s battery dealt another blow on the same day - this time at the enemy crossing over the Orshitsa River.
The Wehrmacht command, having studied the information received from eyewitnesses of the use of new Russian weapons, was forced to issue a special instruction to its troops, which stated: “ There are reports from the front about the Russians using a new type of weapon that fires rockets. A large number of shots can be fired from one installation within 3-5 seconds. Any appearance of these weapons must be reported on the same day to the general commander of the chemical forces at the high command." A real hunt began for Captain Flerov's battery. In October 1941, she found herself in the Spas-Demensky “cauldron” and was ambushed. Of the 160 people, only 46 managed to reach their own. The battery commander himself died, having first made sure that all the combat vehicles were blown up and would not fall into enemy hands intact.

On land and sea...

In addition to the BM-13, in the SKB of the Voronezh plant. Comintern, which produced these combat installations, new options for placing missiles have been developed. For example, taking into account the extremely low cross-country ability of the ZIS-6 vehicle, an option was developed for installing guides for missiles on the chassis of the STZ-5 NATI tracked tractor. In addition, an 82 mm caliber rocket has also found use. Guides were developed and manufactured for it, which were later installed on the chassis of the ZIS-6 vehicle (36 guides) and on the chassis of the T-40 and T-60 light tanks (24 guides).

A 16-charging installation for RS-132 shells and a 48-charging installation for RS-82 shells for armored trains were developed. In the fall of 1942, during the fighting in the Caucasus, 8-round mining packs were manufactured for use in mountain conditions. launchers RS-82 shells.

Later they were installed on American Willys all-terrain vehicles, which came to the USSR under Lend-Lease.
Special launchers for 82 mm and 132 mm caliber rockets were manufactured for their subsequent installation on warships— torpedo boats and armored boats.

The launchers themselves received the popular nickname “Katyusha”, under which they entered the history of the Great Patriotic War. Why Katyusha? There are many versions on this matter. The most reliable - due to the fact that the first BM-13 had the letter “K” - as information that the product was produced at the plant named after. Comintern in Voronezh. By the way, the cruising boats of the Soviet Navy, which had the letter index “K,” received the same nickname. In total, 36 launcher designs were developed and produced during the war.

And the Wehrmacht soldiers nicknamed the BM-13 “Stalin's organs.” Apparently, the roar of the rockets reminded the Germans of the sounds of a church organ. This “music” clearly made them feel uncomfortable.
And from the spring of 1942, guides with missiles began to be installed on British and American all-wheel drive chassis imported into the USSR under Lend-Lease. Still, the ZIS-6 turned out to be a vehicle with low cross-country ability and carrying capacity. Most suitable for installation rocket launchers It turned out to be a three-axle all-wheel drive American truck Studebakker US6. Combat vehicles began to be produced on its chassis. At the same time, they received the name BM-13N (“normalized”).

During the entire Great Patriotic War, Soviet industry produced more than ten thousand rocket artillery combat vehicles.

Relatives of the Katyusha

For all their advantages, high-explosive fragmentation rockets RS-82 and RS-132 had one drawback - large dispersion and low efficiency when influencing enemy personnel located in field shelters and trenches. To correct this shortcoming, special 300 mm caliber rockets were manufactured.
They received the nickname “Andryusha” among the people. They were launched from a launching machine (“frame”) made of wood. The launch was carried out using a sapper blasting machine.
“Andryushas” were first used in Stalingrad. The new weapons were easy to manufacture, but installing them in position and aiming at the target required a lot of time. In addition, the short range of the M-30 rockets made them dangerous for their own crews.

Therefore, in 1943, the troops began to receive an improved missile, which, with the same power, had a greater firing range. An M-31 shell could hit manpower over an area of ​​2 thousand square meters or create a crater 2-2.5 m deep and 7-8 m in diameter. But the time to prepare a salvo with new shells was significant - one and a half to two hours.
Such shells were used in 1944-1945 during the assault on enemy fortifications and during street battles. One hit from an M-31 missile was enough to destroy an enemy bunker or a firing point located in a residential building.

Fire sword of the "god of war"

By May 1945, rocket artillery units had about three thousand combat vehicles of the most different types and many “frames” with M-31 shells. Not a single Soviet offensive since Battle of Stalingrad, did not begin without artillery preparation using Katyusha rockets. Salvos from combat installations became the “fiery sword” with which our infantry and tanks made their way through enemy fortified positions.
During the war, BM-13 installations were sometimes used for direct fire at enemy tanks and firing points. To do this, the combat vehicle drove its rear wheels onto some elevation so that its guides assumed a horizontal position. Of course, the accuracy of such shooting was quite low, but a direct hit from a 132-mm rocket would blow any enemy tank to pieces, a close explosion would knock over enemy military equipment, and heavy hot fragments would reliably put it out of action.

After the war, Soviet designers of combat vehicles continued to work on Katyushas and Andryushas. Only now they began to be called not guards mortars, but multiple launch rocket systems. In the USSR, such powerful SZOs as “Grad”, “Hurricane” and “Smerch” were designed and built. At the same time, the losses of an enemy caught in a salvo from a battery of Hurricanes or Smerchs are comparable to losses from the use of tactical nuclear weapons with a power of up to 20 kilotons, that is, with an explosion atomic bomb, dropped on Hiroshima.

BM-13 combat vehicle on a three-axle vehicle chassis

The caliber of the projectile is 132 mm.
Projectile weight - 42.5 kg.
The mass of the warhead is 21.3 kg.
The maximum projectile flight speed is 355 m/s.
The number of guides is 16.
The maximum firing range is 8470 m.
Charging time of the installation is 3-5 minutes.
The duration of a full salvo is 7-10 seconds.

Guards mortar BM-13 Katyusha

1. Launcher
2. Missiles
3. The car on which the installation was mounted

Guide package
Cabin armor shields
Hiking support
Lifting frame
Launcher battery
Sight bracket
Swivel frame
Lifting handle

The launchers were mounted on the chassis of ZIS-6, Ford Marmont, International Jimmy, Austin vehicles and on STZ-5 tracked tractors Largest number"Katyusha" was mounted on all-wheel drive three-axle Studebaker vehicles.

M-13 projectile

01. Fuse retaining ring
02. GVMZ fuze
03. Detonator checker
04. Bursting charge
05. Head part
06. Igniter
07. Bottom of the chamber
08. Guide pin
09. Powder rocket charge
10. Missile part
11. Grate
12. Critical section of the nozzle
13. Nozzle
14. Stabilizer

Few survived

The effectiveness of the combat use of Katyushas during an attack on an enemy fortified unit can be illustrated by the example of the defeat of the Tolkachev defensive unit during our counteroffensive near Kursk in July 1943.
The village of Tolkachevo was turned by the Germans into a heavily fortified resistance center with a large number of dugouts and bunkers of 5-12 roll-ups, with a developed network of trenches and communication passages. The approaches to the village were heavily mined and covered with wire fences.
Salvos of rocket artillery destroyed a significant part of the bunkers, the trenches, along with the enemy infantry in them, were filled up, and the fire system was completely suppressed. Of the entire garrison of the junction, numbering 450-500 people, only 28 survived. The Tolkachev junction was taken by our units without any resistance.

Supreme High Command Reserve

By decision of the Headquarters, in January 1945, the formation of twenty guards mortar regiments began - this is how the units armed with the BM-13 began to be called.
The Guards Mortar Regiment (Gv.MP) of the artillery of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command (RVGK) consisted of a command and three divisions of three batteries. Each battery had four combat vehicles. Thus, a salvo of only one division of 12 BM-13-16 PIP vehicles (Staff Directive No. 002490 prohibited the use of rocket artillery in quantities less than a division) could be compared in strength to a salvo of 12 heavy howitzer regiments of the RVGK (48 152 mm howitzers per regiment ) or 18 heavy howitzer brigades of the RVGK (32 152 mm howitzers per brigade).

Victor Sergeev

Among the legendary weapons that became symbols of our country’s victory in the Great Patriotic War, a special place is occupied by guards rocket mortars, popularly nicknamed “Katyusha”. Characteristic truck silhouette from the 40s with...

Among the legendary weapons that became symbols of our country’s victory in the Great Patriotic War, a special place is occupied by guards rocket mortars, popularly nicknamed “Katyusha”. The characteristic silhouette of a truck from the 40s with an inclined structure instead of a body is the same symbol of perseverance, heroism and courage of Soviet soldiers as, say, the T-34 tank, Il-2 attack aircraft or ZiS-3 cannon.

And here’s what’s especially noteworthy: all these legendary, glorious weapons were designed very shortly or literally on the eve of the war! The T-34 was put into service at the end of December 1939, the first production IL-2s rolled off the production line in February 1941, and the ZiS-3 gun was first presented to the leadership of the USSR and the army a month after the start of hostilities, on July 22, 1941. But the most amazing coincidence happened in the fate of Katyusha. Its demonstration to the party and military authorities took place half a day before the German attack - June 21, 1941...

Salvos of Katyushas. 1942 Photo: TASS Photo Chronicle

From heaven to earth

In fact, work on the creation of the world's first multiple launch rocket system on a self-propelled chassis began in the USSR in the mid-1930s. An employee of the Tula NPO Splav, which produces modern Russian MLRS, Sergei Gurov, managed to find in the archives agreement No. 251618с dated January 26, 1935 between the Leningrad Jet Research Institute and the Automotive and Armored Directorate of the Red Army, in which appears prototype missile launcher on a BT-5 tank with ten missiles.

A volley of guards mortars. Photo: Anatoly Egorov / RIA Novosti

There is nothing to be surprised here, because Soviet rocket scientists created the first combat rockets even earlier: official tests took place in the late 20s - early 30s. In 1937, the RS-82 missile of 82 mm caliber was adopted for service, and a year later the RS-132 missile of 132 mm caliber was adopted, both in a version for underwing installation on aircraft. A year later, at the end of the summer of 1939, the RS-82s were used for the first time in a combat situation. During the battles at Khalkhin Gol, five I-16s used their "eres" in battle with Japanese fighters, surprising the enemy with a new weapon. And a little later, already during Soviet-Finnish war, six twin-engine SB bombers, already armed with RS-132, attacked Finnish ground positions.

Naturally, the impressive - and they really were impressive, although to a large extent due to the surprise of the use of the new weapon system, and not its ultra-high efficiency - the results of the use of "eres" in aviation forced the Soviet party and military leadership to rush the defense industry to create a ground-based version . Actually, the future “Katyusha” had every chance to make it to the Winter War: the main design work and tests were carried out back in 1938–1939, but the military was not satisfied with the results - they needed a more reliable, mobile and easy-to-handle weapon.

IN general outline what a year and a half later would go down in soldiers’ folklore on both sides of the front as “Katyusha” was ready by the beginning of 1940. In any case, author’s certificate No. 3338 for a “rocket launcher for a sudden, powerful artillery and chemical attack on the enemy using rocket shells” was issued on February 19, 1940, and among the authors were employees of the RNII (since 1938, which bore the “numbered” name Research Institute-3) Andrey Kostikov, Ivan Gvai and Vasily Aborenkov.

This installation was already seriously different from the first samples that entered field testing at the end of 1938. The missile launcher was located along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and had 16 guides, each of which carried two projectiles. And the shells themselves for this vehicle were different: aircraft RS-132s turned into longer and more powerful ground-based M-13s.

Actually, in this form, a combat vehicle with rockets came out to review new models of weapons of the Red Army, which took place on June 15–17, 1941 at a training ground in Sofrino, near Moscow. Rocket artillery was left as a “snack”: two combat vehicles demonstrated firing on the last day, June 17, using high-explosive fragmentation rockets. The shooting was observed by People's Commissar of Defense Marshal Semyon Timoshenko, Chief of the General Staff Army General Georgy Zhukov, Head of the Main Artillery Directorate Marshal Grigory Kulik and his deputy General Nikolai Voronov, as well as People's Commissar of Armaments Dmitry Ustinov, People's Commissar of Ammunition Pyotr Goremykin and many other military personnel. One can only guess what emotions overwhelmed them as they looked at the wall of fire and the fountains of earth rising on the target field. But it is clear that the demonstration made a strong impression. Four days later, on June 21, 1941, just a few hours before the start of the war, documents were signed on the adoption and urgent deployment of mass production of M-13 missiles and a launcher, which received official name BM-13 - “combat vehicle - 13” (according to the missile index), although sometimes they appeared in documents with the index M-13. This day should be considered the birthday of “Katyusha”, which, it turns out, was born only half a day earlier than the beginning of the Great Patriotic War that glorified her.

First hit

The production of new weapons took place at two enterprises at once: the Voronezh plant named after the Comintern and the Moscow plant "Compressor", and the capital plant named after Vladimir Ilyich became the main enterprise for the production of M-13 shells. The first combat-ready unit - a special reactive battery under the command of Captain Ivan Flerov - went to the front on the night of July 1-2, 1941.

Commander of the first Katyusha rocket artillery battery, captain Ivan Andreevich Flerov. Photo: RIA Novosti

But here's what's remarkable. The first documents on the formation of divisions and batteries armed with rocket mortars appeared even before the famous shootings near Moscow! For example, the General Staff directive on the formation of five divisions armed new technology, published a week before the start of the war - June 15, 1941. But reality, as always, made its own adjustments: in fact, the formation of the first units of field rocket artillery began on June 28, 1941. It was from this moment that, as determined by the directive of the commander of the Moscow Military District, three days were allotted for the formation of the first special battery under the command of Captain Flerov.

Soviet jet system The Katyusha multiple rocket launcher is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Great Patriotic War. In terms of popularity, the legendary Katyusha is not much inferior to the T-34 tank or the PPSh assault rifle. It is still not known for certain where this name came from (there are numerous versions), but the Germans called these installations “Stalinist organs” and were terribly afraid of them.

“Katyusha” is the collective name for several rocket launchers from the Great Patriotic War. Soviet propaganda presented them as exclusively domestic “know-how,” which was not true. Work in this direction was carried out in many countries, and the famous German six-barreled mortars are also MLRS, albeit of a slightly different design. The Americans and the British also used rocket artillery.

However, the Katyusha became the most effective and most mass-produced vehicle of its class during World War II. BM-13 is a real weapon of Victory. She took part in all significant battles on the Eastern Front, clearing the way for infantry formations. The first Katyusha salvo was fired in the summer of 1941, and four years later the BM-13 installations were already shelling besieged Berlin.

A little history of the BM-13 Katyusha

Several reasons contributed to the revival of interest in rocket weapons: firstly, more advanced types of gunpowder were invented, which made it possible to significantly increase the flight range of rockets; secondly, the missiles were perfect as weapons for combat aircraft; and thirdly, rockets could be used to deliver toxic substances.

The last reason was the most important: based on the experience of the First World War, the military had little doubt that the next conflict would definitely not happen without military gases.

In the USSR, the creation of rocket weapons began with the experiments of two enthusiasts - Artemyev and Tikhomirov. In 1927, smokeless pyroxylin-TNT gunpowder was created, and in 1928, the first rocket was developed that managed to fly 1,300 meters. At the same time, the targeted development of missile weapons for aviation began.

In 1933, experimental samples of aircraft rockets of two calibers appeared: RS-82 and RS-132. The main drawback of the new weapons, which the military did not like at all, was their low accuracy. The shells had a small tail that did not exceed its caliber, and a pipe was used as a guide, which was very convenient. However, to improve the accuracy of the missiles, their empennage had to be increased and new guides had to be developed.

In addition, pyroxylin-TNT gunpowder was not very suitable for mass production this type of weapon, so it was decided to use tubular nitroglycerin powder.

In 1937, new missiles with enlarged tails and new open rail-type guides were tested. Innovations significantly improved the accuracy of fire and increased the missile's flight range. In 1938, the RS-82 and RS-132 missiles were put into service and began to be mass-produced.

In the same year, the designers were given a new task: to create a rocket system for the ground forces, using a 132 mm caliber rocket as a basis.

In 1939, the 132 mm was ready high-explosive fragmentation projectile M-13, it had a more powerful warhead and an increased flight range. Such results were achieved by lengthening the ammunition.

In the same year, the first MU-1 rocket launcher was manufactured. Eight short guides were installed across the truck, and sixteen missiles were attached to them in pairs. This design turned out to be very unsuccessful; during the salvo, the vehicle swayed strongly, which led to a significant decrease in the accuracy of the battle.

In September 1939, testing began on a new rocket launcher, the MU-2. The basis for it was the three-axle ZiS-6 truck, this vehicle provided combat complex high cross-country ability, made it possible to quickly change positions after each salvo. Now the guides for the missiles were located along the car. In one salvo (about 10 seconds), the MU-2 fired sixteen shells, the weight of the installation with ammunition was 8.33 tons, the firing range exceeded eight kilometers.

With this design of the guides, the rocking of the car during a salvo became minimal, in addition, two jacks were installed in the rear of the car.

In 1940, state tests of the MU-2 were carried out, and it was put into service under the designation “BM-13 rocket mortar”.

The day before the start of the war (June 21, 1941), the USSR government decided on the serial production of BM-13 combat systems, ammunition for them, and the formation special units for their use.

The first experience of using the BM-13 at the front showed them high efficiency and contributed to the active production of this type of weapon. During the war, "Katyusha" was produced by several factories, it was established mass release ammunition for them.

Artillery units armed with BM-13 installations were considered elite, and immediately after their formation they received the name Guards. The BM-8, BM-13 and other rocket systems were officially called “Guards mortars.”

Application of BM-13 "Katyusha"

First combat use rocket installations took place in mid-July 1941. The Germans occupied Orsha, a large junction station in Belarus. A large amount of enemy military equipment and manpower had accumulated on it. It was for this purpose that the battery of rocket launchers (seven units) of Captain Flerov fired two salvos.

As a result of the actions of the artillerymen, the railway junction was practically wiped off the face of the earth, and the Nazis suffered severe losses in people and equipment.

"Katyusha" was also used in other sectors of the front. New soviet weapons became a very unpleasant surprise for the German command. Particularly strong psychological impact Wehrmacht soldiers were affected by the pyrotechnic effect of using shells: after a Katyusha salvo, literally everything that could burn burned. This effect was achieved through the use of TNT blocks in the shells, which upon explosion formed thousands of burning fragments.

Rocket artillery was actively used in the battle of Moscow, Katyushas destroyed the enemy at Stalingrad, and they were tried to be used as anti-tank weapons on the Kursk Bulge. To do this, special recesses were made under the front wheels of the vehicle, so the Katyusha could fire directly. However, the use of the BM-13 against tanks was less effective, since the M-13 rocket was a high-explosive fragmentation projectile, and not armor-piercing. In addition, "Katyusha" has never been distinguished by high accuracy of fire. But if its shell hit a tank, all the vehicle’s attachments were destroyed, the turret often jammed, and the crew received severe concussion.

Rocket launchers were used with great success until the Victory; they took part in the storming of Berlin and other operations in the final stage of the war.

In addition to the famous BM-13 MLRS, there was also a BM-8 rocket launcher, which used 82 mm caliber rockets, and over time, heavy rocket systems appeared that launched 310 mm caliber rockets.

During Berlin operation soviet soldiers actively used the experience of street fighting they gained during the capture of Poznan and Königsberg. It consisted of firing single heavy rockets M-31, M-13 and M-20 direct fire. Special assault groups were created, which included an electrical engineer. The rocket was launched from machine guns, wooden caps, or simply from any flat surface. A hit from such a shell could easily destroy a house or be guaranteed to suppress an enemy firing point.

During the war years, about 1,400 BM-8, 3,400 BM-13 and 100 BM-31 units were lost.

However, the story of the BM-13 did not end there: in the early 60s, the USSR supplied these installations to Afghanistan, where they were actively used by government troops.

Device BM-13 "Katyusha"

The main advantage of the BM-13 rocket launcher is its extreme simplicity both in production and in use. The artillery part of the installation consists of eight guides, the frame on which they are located, rotating and lifting mechanisms, sighting devices and electrical equipment.

The guides were a five-meter I-beam with special overlays. A locking device and an electric igniter were installed in the breech of each of the guides, with the help of which the shot was fired.

The guides were mounted on a rotating frame, which, using simple lifting and rotating mechanisms, provided vertical and horizontal guidance.

Each Katyusha was equipped with an artillery sight.

The crew of the vehicle (BM-13) consisted of 5-7 people.

The M-13 rocket consisted of two parts: a combat and a jet powder engine. The warhead, which contained an explosive and a contact fuse, is very reminiscent of the warhead of a conventional high-explosive fragmentation artillery projectile.

The powder engine of the M-13 projectile consisted of a chamber with powder charge, nozzles, special grilles, stabilizers and fuse.

The main problem faced by the developers missile systems(and not only in the USSR), the accuracy of the rocket projectiles became low. To stabilize their flight, the designers took two paths. German six-barreled mortar rockets rotated in flight due to obliquely located nozzles, and flat stabilizers were installed on Soviet RSakhs. To give the projectile more accuracy, it was necessary to increase it initial speed, for this purpose, the guides on the BM-13 received a greater length.

The German stabilization method made it possible to reduce the size of both the projectile itself and the weapon from which it was fired. However, this significantly reduced the firing range. Although, it should be said that the German six-barreled mortars were more accurate than the Katyushas.

The Soviet system was simpler and allowed shooting over considerable distances. Later, installations began to use spiral guides, which further increased accuracy.

Modifications of "Katyusha"

During the war, numerous modifications of both rocket launchers and ammunition were created. Here are just a few of them:

BM-13-SN - this installation had spiral guides that imparted a rotational movement to the projectile, which significantly increased its accuracy.

BM-8-48 - this rocket launcher used 82 mm caliber projectiles and had 48 guides.

BM-31-12 - this rocket launcher used 310 mm caliber shells for firing.

310 mm caliber rockets were initially used for firing from the ground, only then self-propelled guns appeared.

The first systems were created on the basis of the ZiS-6 car, then they were most often installed on vehicles received under Lend-Lease. It must be said that with the beginning of Lend-Lease, only foreign cars were used to create rocket launchers.

In addition, rocket launchers (from M-8 shells) were installed on motorcycles, snowmobiles, and armored boats. The guides were installed on railway platforms, T-40, T-60, KV-1 tanks.

To understand how much mass weapons were "Katyushas", it is enough to give two figures: from 1941 to the end of 1944, Soviet industry produced 30 thousand launchers various types and 12 million shells for them.

During the war years, several types of 132 mm caliber rockets were developed. The main directions of modernization were to increase the accuracy of fire, increase the range of the projectile and its power.

Advantages and disadvantages of the BM-13 Katyusha missile launcher

The main advantage of rocket launchers was the large number of projectiles they fired in one salvo. If several MLRS were operating in one area at once, the destructive effect was increased due to the interference of shock waves.

Easy to use. “Katyushas” were distinguished by their extremely simple design; they were also uncomplicated sights this installation.

Low cost and easy to manufacture. During the war, the production of rocket launchers was established in dozens of factories. The production of ammunition for these complexes did not present any particular difficulties. The comparison between the cost of the BM-13 and a conventional one looks especially eloquent. artillery piece similar caliber.

Installation mobility. The time of one BM-13 salvo is approximately 10 seconds; after the salvo, the vehicle left the firing line without exposing itself to enemy return fire.

However, this weapon also had disadvantages, the main one being low shooting accuracy due to the large dispersion of projectiles. This problem was partially solved by the BM-13SN, but it has not been completely resolved for modern MLRS.

Insufficient high-explosive effect of M-13 shells. "Katyusha" was not very effective against long-term defensive fortifications and armored vehicles.

Short firing range compared to cannon artillery.

Large consumption of gunpowder in the manufacture of rockets.

There was heavy smoke during the salvo, which served as an unmasking factor.

The high center of gravity of the BM-13 installations led to frequent rollovers of the vehicle during the march.

Technical characteristics of "Katyusha"

Characteristics of the combat vehicle

Characteristics of the M-13 missile

Video about MLRS "Katyusha"

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

It is well known that on September 18, 1941, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 308, four rifle divisions The Western Front (100th, 127th, 153rd and 161st) for the battles near Yelnya - “for military exploits, for organization, discipline and exemplary order” - were awarded the honorary titles “Guards”. They were renamed the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Guards respectively. Subsequently, many units and formations of the Red Army that distinguished themselves and were hardened during the war were converted into guards units.

But Moscow researchers Alexander Osokin and Alexander Kornyakov discovered documents from which it follows that the issue of creating guards units was discussed in the circles of the USSR leadership back in August. And the first guards regiment was to be a heavy mortar regiment, armed with rocket artillery combat vehicles.

When did the guard appear?

While getting acquainted with documents about weapons at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, we discovered a letter from the People's Commissar of General Mechanical Engineering of the USSR P.I. Parshin No. 7529ss dated August 4, 1941 addressed to the Chairman of the State Defense Committee I.V. Stalin with a request to allow the production of 72 M-13 vehicles (later called “Katyushas” in our country) in excess of the plan with ammunition to form one heavy guards mortar regiment.
We decided that there was a typo, since it is known that the guards rank was first awarded by order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 308 of September 18, 1941 to four rifle divisions.

The main points of the GKO resolution, unknown to historians, read:

"1. Agree with the proposal of the People's Commissar of General Engineering of the USSR Comrade Parshin on the formation of one guards mortar regiment armed with M-13 installations.
2. To assign the name of the People's Commissariat of General Engineering to the newly formed guards regiment.
3. Please note that NCOM is producing equipment for the regiment with systems and ammunition in excess of the established assignment for M-13 for August.”
From the text of the resolution it follows that not only was consent given to produce above-plan M-13 installations, but it was also decided to form a guards regiment on their basis.

The study of other documents confirmed our guess: on August 4, 1941, the concept of “guards” was used for the first time (and without any decision on this matter by the Politburo of the Central Committee, the Presidium Supreme Council or Council of People's Commissars) in relation to one specific regiment with a new type of weapon - M-13 missile launchers, encrypted with the word "mortar" (inscribed personally by Stalin).

It is amazing that the word “guard” for the first time in the years of Soviet power (except for the Red Guard detachments of 1917) was introduced into circulation by People’s Commissar Parshin, a man who was not too close to Stalin and had never even visited his Kremlin office during the war.

Most likely, his letter, printed on August 2, was handed over to Stalin on the same day by military engineer 1st rank V.V. Aborenkov is the deputy head of the GAU for missile launchers, who was in the leader’s office together with the head of the GAU, Colonel General of Artillery N.D. Yakovlev for 1 hour 15 minutes. The regiment created by the decision taken that day became the first mobile regiment in the Red Army. rocket launchers M-13 (with RS-132) - before this, only batteries of these installations were formed (from 3 to 9 vehicles).

It is noteworthy that on the same day, in a memo by the chief of artillery of the Red Army, Colonel General of Artillery N.N. Voronov about the work of 5 rocket artillery installations, Stalin wrote: “To Beria, Malenkov, Voznesensky. Promote this thing with all its might. Increase the production of shells four, five, or six times.”

What gave impetus to the decision to create guards regiment M-13? Let's express our hypothesis. In June-July 1941, by decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, the system of strategic leadership was rebuilt armed forces. On June 30, 1941, the State Defense Committee (GKO) was created under the chairmanship of Stalin, to which all power in the country was transferred for the duration of the war. On July 10, the State Defense Committee transformed the Headquarters of the Main Command into the Headquarters Supreme Command. The Headquarters included I.V. Stalin (chairman), V.M. Molotov, marshals S.K. Timoshenko, S.M. Budyonny, K.E. Voroshilov, B.M. Shaposhnikov, Army General G.K. Zhukov.

On July 19, Stalin became People's Commissar of Defense, and on August 8, 1941, by decision of the Politburo No. P. 34/319 - “Supreme Commander-in-Chief of all troops of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and Navy" On the same day, August 8, the staff of “one guards mortar regiment” was approved.

We take the liberty of suggesting that initially there was talk, perhaps, of the formation of a unit intended to ensure the protection of the Supreme Command Headquarters. Indeed, the staff of the field Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army during the First World War, which was quite likely taken by Stalin and Shaposhnikov as a prototype, had heavy weapons, in particular, the aviation division of the Headquarters defense.

But in 1941, things did not come to the creation of such a field Headquarters - the Germans were approaching Moscow too quickly, and Stalin preferred to control the field army from Moscow. Therefore, the regiment of M-13 guard mortars never received the task of guarding the Supreme High Command Headquarters.

On July 19, 1941, Stalin, setting the task for Tymoshenko to create strike groups for offensive operations in the Battle of Smolensk and the participation of rocket artillery in them, said: “I think it’s time to move from petty struggles to action.” in large groups- shelves..."

On August 8, 1941, the regiments of the M-8 and M-13 installations were approved. They were supposed to consist of three or four divisions, three batteries in each division and four installations in each battery (from September 11, all regiments were transferred to a three-divisional structure). The formation of the first eight regiments began immediately. They were equipped with combat vehicles manufactured using the pre-war reserve of components and parts created by the People's Commissariat of General Engineering (since November 26, 1941, transformed into the People's Commissariat of Mortar Weapons).

In full force - with regiments of Katyushas - the Red Army first struck the enemy at the end of August - beginning of September 1941.

As for the M-13 Guards Regiment, conceived for use in the defense of the Supreme Command Headquarters, its formation was completed only in September. Launchers for it were produced in excess of the established task. It is known as the 9th Guards Regiment, which operated near Mtsensk.
It was disbanded on December 12, 1941. There is information that all of its installations had to be blown up when there was a threat of encirclement by the Germans. The second formation of the regiment was completed on September 4, 1943, after which the 9th Guards Regiment fought successfully until the end of the war.

The feat of Captain Flerov

The first salvo of a rocket launcher in the Patriotic War was fired on July 14, 1941 at 15.15 by a battery of seven (according to other sources, four) M-13 launchers at an accumulation of trains of military equipment at the railway junction of the city of Orsha. The commander of this battery (called differently in different sources and reports: experimental, experienced, first, or even all these names at the same time) is indicated by artillery captain I.A. Flerov, who died in 1941 (according to TsAMO documents, missing in action). For courage and heroism, he was posthumously awarded only in 1963 with the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, and in 1995 he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

According to the directive of the Moscow Military District of June 28, 1941, No. 10864, ​​the first six batteries were formed. In the most reliable, in our opinion, source - the military memoirs of Lieutenant General A.I. Nesterenko (“Katyushas are firing.” - Moscow: Voenizdat, 1975) wrote: “On June 28, 1941, the formation of the first battery of field rocket artillery began. It was created in four days at the 1st Moscow Red Banner Artillery School named after L.B. Krasina. This was the now world famous battery of captain I.A. Flerov, who fired the first salvo at the concentration of fascist troops at the Orsha station... Stalin personally approved the distribution of guards mortar units along the fronts, plans for the production of combat vehicles and ammunition...”

The names of the commanders of all six first batteries and the locations of their first salvos are known.

Battery No. 1: 7 M-13 units. Battery commander Captain I.A. Flerov. The first salvo was fired on July 14, 1941 at the freight railway station in the city of Orsha.
Battery No. 2: 9 M-13 units. Battery commander Lieutenant A.M. Kun. The first salvo on July 25, 1941 at the crossing near the village of Kapyrevshchina (north of Yartsevo).
Battery No. 3: 3 M-13 units. Battery commander Lieutenant N.I. Denisenko. The first salvo was fired on July 25, 1941, 4 km north of Yartsevo.
Battery No. 4: 6 M-13 units. Battery commander, senior lieutenant P. Degtyarev. The first salvo on August 3, 1941 near Leningrad.
Battery No. 5: 4 M-13 units. Battery commander, senior lieutenant A. Denisov. The place and date of the first salvo are unknown.
Battery No. 6: 4 M-13 units. Battery commander, senior lieutenant N.F. Dyatchenko. The first salvo was fired on August 3, 1941 in the 12sp 53sd 43A band.

Five of the first six batteries were sent to the troops of the Western direction, where the main blow of the German troops was delivered to Smolensk. It is also known that on Western direction In addition to the M-13, other types of rocket launchers were also received.

In the book by A.I. Eremenko’s “At the Beginning of the War” says: “...A telephone message was received from Headquarters with the following content: “It is intended to widely use “eres” in the fight against the fascists and, in connection with this, to try them in battle. You are allocated one M-8 division. Test it and report your conclusion...

We experienced something new near Rudnya... On July 15, 1941, in the afternoon, the unusual roar of rocket mines shook the air. The mines darted upward like red-tailed comets. Frequent and powerful explosions struck the ears and eyes with a strong roar and dazzling shine... The effect of a simultaneous explosion of 320 minutes for 10 seconds exceeded all expectations... This was one of the first combat tests of the "eres".

In the report of Marshals Timoshenko and Shaposhnikov for July 24, 1941, Stalin was informed about the defeat of the German 5th Infantry Division on July 15, 1941 near Rudnya, in which three volleys of the M-8 division played a special role.

It is quite obvious that a sudden salvo of one M-13 battery (16 RS-132 launches in 5-8 seconds) with maximum range 8.5 km was capable of causing serious damage to the enemy. But the battery was not intended to hit a single target. This weapon is effective when working across areas with dispersed enemy manpower and equipment with a simultaneous salvo of several batteries. A separate battery could fire a barrage, stunning the enemy, causing panic in his ranks and stopping his advance for some time.

In our opinion, the purpose of sending the first multiple launch rocket launchers to the front by battery was, most likely, the desire to cover the headquarters of the front and armies in the direction threatening Moscow.

This is not just a guess. A study of the routes of the first Katyusha batteries shows that, first of all, they ended up in the areas where the headquarters of the Western Front and the headquarters of its armies were based: the 20th, 16th, 19th and 22nd. It is no coincidence that in their memoirs Marshals Eremenko, Rokossovsky, Kazakov, General Plaskov describe precisely the battery-by-battery combat work of the first rocket launchers, which they observed from their command posts.

They indicate increased secrecy in the use of new weapons. IN AND. Kazakov said: “Access to these “touchables” was allowed only to army commanders and members of military councils. Even the chief of artillery of the army was not allowed to see them.”

However, the very first salvo of M-13 rocket launchers, fired on July 14, 1941 at 15:15 at the railway commodity hub of the city of Orsha, was carried out while performing a completely different combat mission - the destruction of several trains with secret weapons, which under no circumstances should was to fall into the hands of the Germans.

A study of the route of the first separate experimental battery M-13 (“Flerov’s battery”) shows that at first it was apparently intended to guard the headquarters of the 20th Army.

Then she was given a new task. On the night of July 6 in the Orsha area, the battery with guards moved west through the territory already virtually abandoned by Soviet troops. It moved along the Orsha-Borisov-Minsk railway line, loaded with trains heading east. On July 9, the battery and its guards were already in the area of ​​the city of Borisov (135 km from Orsha).

On that day, GKO decree No. 67ss was issued “On the redirection of transport with weapons and ammunition to the disposal of the newly formed NKVD divisions and reserve armies.” It demanded, in particular, to urgently find some very important cargo among the trains leaving for the east, which under no circumstances should fall to the Germans.

On the night of July 13-14, Flerov’s battery received orders to urgently move to Orsha and launch a missile attack on the station. On July 14, at 15:15, Flerov’s battery fired a salvo at trains with military equipment located at the Orsha railway junction.
What was in these trains is not known for certain. But there is information that after the salvo, no one approached the affected area for some time, and the Germans allegedly even left the station for seven days, which gives reason to assume that as a result missile strike some toxic substances got into the air.

On July 22, in an evening radio broadcast, Soviet announcer Levitan announced the defeat of the German 52nd Chemical Mortar Regiment on July 15. And on July 27, Pravda published information about German secret documents allegedly captured during the defeat of this regiment, from which it followed that the Germans were preparing a chemical attack on Turkey.

Raid of battalion commander Kaduchenko

In the book by A.V. Glushko “Pioneers of Rocket Science” shows a photograph of NII-3 employees headed by Deputy Director A.G. Kostikov after receiving awards in the Kremlin in August 1941. It is indicated that Lieutenant General of Tank Forces V.A. is standing with them in the photo. Mishulin, who was awarded the Gold Hero Star on this day.

We decided to find out why he was awarded the country's highest award and what relation his award may have to the creation of M-13 missile launchers at NII-3. It turned out that the commander of the 57th tank division Colonel V.A. Mishulin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on July 24, 1941 “for the exemplary execution of combat missions of the command... and the courage and heroism shown.” The most amazing thing is that at the same time he was also awarded the rank of general - and not major general, but immediately lieutenant general.

He became the third lieutenant general of tank forces in the Red Army. General Eremenko in his memoirs explains this as a mistake by the cipher operator, who took the title of the signer of the ciphergram to Eremenko's Headquarters with the idea of ​​awarding Mishulin the title of Hero and General.

It is quite possible that this was so: Stalin did not cancel the erroneously signed decree on the award. But just why did he also appoint Mishulin as deputy head of the Main Armored Directorate? Isn't there too much incentive for one officer at once? It is known that after some time General Mishulin, as a representative of Headquarters, was sent to the Southern Front. Usually marshals and members of the Central Committee acted in this capacity.

Did the courage and heroism shown by Mishulin have anything to do with the first Katyusha salvo on July 14, 1941, for which Kostikov and the workers of NII-3 were awarded on July 28?

A study of materials about Mishulin and his 57th Tank Division showed that this division was transferred to the Western Front from the South-Western. Unloaded at Orsha station on June 28 and became part of the 19th Army. The division's control with one motorized rifle guard regiment was concentrated in the area of ​​Gusino station, 50 kilometers from Orsha, where the headquarters of the 20th Army was located at that moment.

At the beginning of July, a tank battalion consisting of 15 tanks, including 7 T-34 tanks, and armored vehicles arrived from the Oryol Tank School to replenish Mishulin’s division.

After the death in battle on July 13 of commander Major S.I. Razdobudko's battalion was headed by his deputy, Captain I.A. Kaduchenko. And it was Captain Kaduchenko who became the first Soviet tanker to be awarded the title of Hero during the Patriotic War on July 22, 1941. He got it high rank even two days earlier than his division commander Mishulin for “leading 2 tank companies that defeated an enemy tank column.” In addition, immediately after the award he became a major.

It seems that the awards for division commander Mishulin and battalion commander Kaduchenko could take place if they completed some very important task for Stalin. And most likely, this was to ensure the first salvo of Katyusha rockets against trains with weapons that were not supposed to fall into the hands of the Germans.

Mishulin skillfully organized the escort of the secret Katyusha battery behind enemy lines, including the group assigned to it with T-34 tanks and armored vehicles under the command of Kaduchenko, and then its breakthrough from the encirclement.

On July 26, 1941, the Pravda newspaper published an article “Lieutenant General Mishulin,” which talked about Mishulin’s feat. About how he, wounded and shell-shocked, made his way in an armored vehicle through enemy rear lines to his division, which at that time was fighting fierce battles in the Krasnoye area and the Gusino railway station. It follows from this that commander Mishulin, for some reason, left his division for a short time (most likely, together with Kaduchenko’s tank group) and returned wounded to the division only on July 17, 1941.

It is likely that they carried out Stalin’s instructions to organize support for the “first salvo of Flerov’s battery” on July 14, 1941 at the Orsha station along trains with military equipment.

On the day of the salvo of Flerov’s battery, July 14, GKO decree No. 140ss was issued on the appointment of L.M. Gaidukov - an ordinary employee of the Central Committee, who oversaw the production of multiple launch rocket launchers, authorized by the State Defense Committee for the production of RS-132 missile shells.

On July 28, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued two decrees on rewarding the creators of the Katyusha. The first - “for outstanding services in the invention and design of one of the types of weapons that increases the power of the Red Army” A.G. Kostikov was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.

Secondly, 12 engineers, designers and technicians were awarded orders and medals. The Order of Lenin was awarded to V. Aborenkov, a former military representative who became deputy head of the Main Artillery Directorate for missile technology, and designers I. Gvai and V. Galkovsky. The Order of the Red Banner of Labor was received by N. Davydov, A. Pavlenko and L. Schwartz. The Order of the Red Star was awarded to the designers of NII-3 D. Shitov, A. Popov and the workers of plant No. 70 M. Malov and G. Glazko. Both of these decrees were published in Pravda on July 29, and on July 30, 1941, in an article published in Pravda, the new weapon was called formidable without specification.

Yes, it was a cheap and easy-to-manufacture and easy-to-use fire weapon. It could be quickly produced in many factories and quickly installed on everything that moves - on cars, tanks, tractors, even on sleighs (this is how it was used in Dovator’s cavalry corps). And “eres” were installed on airplanes, boats and railway platforms.

The launchers began to be called “guards mortars,” and their combat crews became the first guardsmen.

In the photo: Guards rocket mortar M-31-12 in Berlin in May 1945.
This is a modification of the “Katyusha” (by analogy it was called “Andryusha”).
Fired with unguided rockets of 310 mm caliber
(unlike 132 mm Katyusha shells),
launched from 12 guides (2 tiers of 6 cells each).
The installation is located on the chassis of an American Studebaker truck,
which was supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease.