Tankopedia
WW2Tank DestroyerSoviet Union

SU-76M

In service 1942 - 1950s

The second most-produced Soviet armoured vehicle of the war - infantry's own gun, open at the back and hated for it.

Built byGAZ, Factory No. 38, Factory No. 40

SU-76M
SU-76M at Bovington — LordHarris, via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5

Development history

Built on a lengthened T-70 chassis with the standard divisional 76 mm gun in an open-topped compartment, the SU-76M was cheap, light enough for marshy ground and produced in enormous numbers. Crews nicknamed it unkindly for its exposed fighting compartment, but it was exactly what rifle divisions needed: direct fire against strongpoints, indirect fire when required, and enough anti-tank capability to handle most targets. It served long after 1945 with Soviet allies including North Korea, China and Vietnam.

Variants

One canonical record, 3 recorded variants.

  1. SU-76

    1942

    Original coupled-engine layout, closed compartment, unreliable

  2. SU-76M

    1943

    Redesigned drivetrain, open-topped fighting compartment

  3. SU-76i

    1943

    Captured Panzer III chassis with 76 mm gun in a casemate

Notable actions

  • Battle of Kursk
  • Operation Bagration
  • Battle of Berlin
  • Korean War