- Yes
- No
- As a Tech-Tree Vehicle
- As a Premium Vehicle
- As a Squadron Vehicle
- As an Event Vehicle
- N/A
Credit to OstrichKnight for first discovering SU-88 from the newsreel.
After the discovery of T-34-88 was published, people found out a German Captured SU-85 (timestamp 5:44) equipped with a gun with the same unique features: an 85/88 mm Flak 39 (r) anti-aircraft gun-style muzzle brake and a two-piece built-up tapering barrel from the same Latvian Newsreels ( Nacistiskās Vācijas armijas kapitulācija Kurzemē, “Padomju Latvija” Nr. 5/6 ), from which T-34-88 was discovered. After a thorough investigation, that SU-85 was almost certainly rearmed with an 88 mm cannon.
Designation
There is no known historical designation of this tank destroyer in either German or Soviet documents. The SU-88 (r), SU-85/88 (r) and SU-85-88 (r) are the earliest designations given to the vehicle. It is designated as StuG instead of Jg.Pz., because it was designated as Beute-Sturm-Gesch. in the 16th Army 5/3/1945 TOE.
SU-88 Features
In the footage, it was painted with a German iron cross insignia, repainted with German camouflage (together with the gun), and a penetration hole is visible on the left side of the gun shield. It is very likely that SU-88 was pushed into combat. As the SU-88 has the frontal bulges and a box-shaped cupola, it can be determined that the SU-88 was originally a SU-85 instead of a SU-85M or SU-100. Given that only the gun tube was altered, while the gun shield remained unchanged, the D-5S recoil system would most likely remain intact, but its gun breech would be bored out to fire German 88 mm shells.
The penetration hole on the left side of the gun shield
Side shot of SU-88:
How do we know it was not rearmed with an 85 mm 52-K gun tube?
Firstly, the tapering shape of T-34-88's and SU-88's gun was different from that of other Soviet tapered 85 mm guns. Therefore, Germans did not just replace the D-5S and S-53 gun tubes with captured Soviet 85 mm gun tubes. The conversion of both guns was most likely done through the Umgeseelt method.
D-5S
KS-12
KS-12A
The conversion of both guns was most likely done through the Umgeseelt method.
According to “Documents of the Quartermaster General of Army Group Courland: Organizational charts of the Army Group’s supply units and the subordinate AOK (General Local Health Insurance Fund) and associations, etc. ”, there was no Soviet 85 mm ammunition in any unit’s or any stockpile’s inventory.
Germans repaired the vehicle, replaced the gun, repainted it with German camouflage and insignia, and most probably pushed it into battle. Logistically, the probability that they rearmed the SU-88 with an 85 mm gun that they had no 85 mm ammunition to fire was close to zero.
Not to be confused, Army Group Courland did use 85/88 Flak (r) in the Courland Pocket. Here is a photo of those guns from the newsreel, along with a page from the document that mentions their combat effectiveness.
Source: Russisch-deutsches Projekt zur Digitalisierung deutscher Dokumente in den Archiven der Russischen Föderation | Akte 50. Unterlagen des Höheren Artillerie-Kommandeurs 315 (HArko 315): KTB des HArko 315, 1.1.-31.3.1945, samt Anlagen – Fernschreiben, Erfahrungsberichte, Befehlе u.a.
Main Gun
Converting 85 mm guns into 88 mm was not a one-time thing. The Germans had been converting hundreds of captured Soviet 76.2 mm and 85 mm anti-aircraft guns into 88 mm anti-aircraft guns and issuing them to air defence units. However, the supply of their original 76.2 mm and 85 mm ammunition was limited. Since the characteristics of the captured guns were very similar to those of the German 88 mm AA Gun, Germany decided to convert the Soviet AA guns so that they could use German 88 mm AA ammunition.
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Reaming the gun tube to 88 mm; and (Ger. Aufgebohrt)
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Boring out the gun jacket, reinforcing the springs of the equilibrators, and inserting an 8.8 cm Flak 18 gun tube into the gun jacket. (Ger. Umgeseelt)
Source: Waffen Arsenal So39 - Beuteflak bei der Wehrmacht 1939-1945
By comparing the muzzle brake’s calibre of the SU-88 and T-34-88, we can tell that the SU-88 gun was shorter than that of T-34-88. It was most likely to be a rebored 85/88 mm 52-K gun tube (4,380 mm) instead of an 88 mm Flak 18 gun tube (4,930 mm), the one installed on the T-34-88.
Ammunition
Since there are no known German documents indicating that Germany had the practice of converting Soviet 85 mm anti-air guns into Kw.K. configuration, the main gun on the SU-88 would most likely have used the percussion-primed 88×571 mmR Flak shell, rather than the electrically primed 88×571 mmR KwK 36 shell.
SU-88 should be able to fire all ammunition available for 8.8 cm FlaK 18.
Service History
SU-88 in German Service
In the final months of the Courland Pocket, the only German unit using captured tanks was 16 Armee Panzer Abteilung (Beute) (A.Pz.Abt.16 (Beute)).
Source: Panzer Tracts 19-02 page 19-96
According to the Deployed Units Overview Table from “Unterlagen der Operationsabteilung IIIb des Generalstabs des Heeres bei OKH: Lagekarte der Heeresgruppe Kurland, einschließlich Übersicht der eingesetzten Kräfte.” from 11 March to 28 March 1945.
On 5 March 1945, A.Pz.Abt.16 (Beute) had only an operational captured tank and two operational captured assault guns.
By 25th March 1945, it lost all the operational captured assault guns in the Sixth Battle of Courland Pocket.
According to the newsreel footage “Padomju Latvija Nr. ⅚”, the SU-88 was set with other inoperable AFVs.It is very likely that it was one of the assault guns lost in the Sixth Battle of Courland Pocket.
Another view of SU-88 from another newsreel footage named “Nacistiskās Vācijas armijas kapitulācija Kurzemē” filmed in May 1945, from the National Archives of Latvia. We know it was another view, though the location of the Sharman tank a few seconds later.
SU-88 – Specifications
(Click to show)
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Designation | SU-88 |
| Origin | Nazi Germany/Soviet Union |
| Crew | 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver) |
| Combat Weight | ~29.6 metric tons |
Dimensions
-
Hull Length: ~6.10 m
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Width: 3.00 m
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Height: 2.30 m
Mobility
| Engine | V-2-34 V12 Diesel (T-34 engine) |
|---|---|
| Horsepower | ~500 hp @ 2,000 rpm |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Top Speed (Road): | ~55 km/h |
| Operational Range: | ~400 km (with external fuel drums) |
| Power-to-Weight Ratio | ~16.7 hp/ton |
| Suspension: | Christie |
| Tracks: | T-34 standard tracks |
Armament
Main Gun: 8,5/8,8 cm L/50 canon (D-5S)
Ammunition Types: (Same as Flak 18/36/37 in 1945)
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APCBC-HE (Pzgr. 39)
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APCBC (Pzgr. Patr. 41),
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HE-TF (Sprgr. Patr. L/4.5 (Kz))
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HE (Sprgr. L/4.5)
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Incendiary Shrapnel (Gr. Br. Schr. Flak.)
Source: OP 1666 Volume 2
Horizontal Guidance: -10/10.0°
Vertical Guidance: -5/25.0°
Ammo Capacity: ~45 rounds
Armor Protection
Hull Front (Upper Glacis): 45 mm @ 50°
Hull Front (Lower Glacis): 45 mm @ 45°
Hull Sides: 45 mm (vertical)
Hull Top Sides: 45 mm
Rear Armor: 45 mm
Roof/Floor: 20 mm
Gun Manlet: 60 mm
