Trumpeter 05583 Soviet S-51 Self-Propelled Gun

The S-51 (sometimes referred to as the U-19) is a Soviet prototype self-propelled gun from the Second World War. Only one prototype of this weapon was created, and it was tested in 1944, but the car did not enter mass production. The drive was probably provided by a single, 12-cylinder V-2K engine with a power of up to 550 HP. The length of the car's hull was about 6.7 meters, with a width of about 3.4 meters. The S-51 self-propelled gun was developed in the design office of Vasily G. Grabin based on the chassis and many mechanical components of the KW-1s tank. The main armament of this vehicle was a powerful 203 mm M1931 howitzer. The gun crew was protected from the front by armor plate up to 75 mm thick. It can be assumed that the weapon was designed as a weapon in the fight against enemy fortifications and permanent points of resistance. It is unlikely to be used against enemy armor. Despite the undeniably high firepower, the vehicle was not very successful. First of all, it was very heavy and was the best in the field. What's more, it turned out to be highly reliable, and the weapon used had a limited rate of fire. Finally, the project was canceled.