SKIF 1/35 D-30 122mm HOWITZER

A 122 mm howitzer was adopted in the Armed Forces in 1960. Its design pattern was a new one it had three trails instead of the usual two trails; the running gear was installed on the upper mount and there was a lifting jack for lifting and lowering the gun when shifting it from one position to another. The method of transporting the howitzer is also unusual. It is transported with its barrel looking forward. The time of shifting the gun from the transportation position to the firing one is 1,5-2,5 min. The muzzle brake of the howitzer consumes up to 50% of the recoil energy. The kingbolt beam in the lower part of the muzzle brake is used for connecting the gun with the tractor. A wedge-shaped vertically moving lock safely locks the barrel bore when shooting and throws out the case after the shot. The counter-recoil system is placed in a gun cradle above the barrel. The upper mount complete with all the necessary mechanisms, systems and the running gear rests on the lower mount and can turn round in the horizontal plane. The vertical fire angle is 70°. The separation angle of the two movable trails with regard to the immobile one can be 120° in the firing position. The movable trails are fastened to the immovable one for transportation. It is then connected to the barrel at its muzzle part with a special frame. The shots are of a separate quick-firing loading type. The D-30 is a very compact howitzer with small dimensions and weight. It is an unsurpassed type of the army artillery even nowadays.