| Formerly 298TYR | 29 Aug 2016 8:36 a.m. PST |
Does anyone know if the 2S4 was ever deployed to GSFG / WGF in East Germany ? |
| Cold Warrior | 29 Aug 2016 8:41 a.m. PST |
Yes it was, as an army level asset. |
| Formerly 298TYR | 29 Aug 2016 9:01 a.m. PST |
You know, I've searched through the Lenski book and other sources and yet to find confirmation of that anywhere. In "Soviet Armour and Artillery Practices" by Zaloga / Hull and Markov they claim only 55 were in service to the west of the Urals prior to the break up of the soviet union. I'm trying to get some hard evidence of where in WGF they were deployed, if at all. |
| Cold Warrior | 29 Aug 2016 9:14 a.m. PST |
The source I have is a German/Russian book published shortly after the Russian withdrawal from Germany. Shows 2S4's as part of/attached to 8GTA at Jena. Beyond that, cannot help you with anything more concrete. Edit: Honestly would expect it to be a Front and not Army level asset IMHO. |
| Cold Warrior | 29 Aug 2016 9:25 a.m. PST |
Just re-checked, and FWIW, the section covers Zapad '81 in the GDR. Possible that the 2s4's were brought to the GDR temporarily and attached to 8GTA, though that seems doubtful. I cannot locate any other information on other units in GSFG. Only the 227th Artillery Brigade at Krasnodar Kray. link |
| Cold Warrior | 29 Aug 2016 9:38 a.m. PST |
303rd High Power Artillery? link Only lead Google came up with. Edit: Checking my 1989 GSFG/WGF order of battle shows the 303rd Guards Canon Artillery Brigade equipped with 72 2s5. This was the GSFG Front Heavy Artillery Brigade. My final guess would be that the 2s4 was present (in two battalions, with two battalions of 2s5) in the early 80's and replaced by two additional 2s5 Battalions in the mid-late 80's. Again this is merely going by what little evidence I have dug up. |
| Vostok17 | 29 Aug 2016 10:31 a.m. PST |
As I remember, 2s4 "Tulpan" not deployed in GSFG, only 2s5 "Giacint" (in 303, 308, 385 and 387 art. brigades). P.S. Probably 303 brigade re-armed with 2s7 "Pion" in 1981. |
| Formerly 298TYR | 05 Sep 2016 2:32 p.m. PST |
Well having done a lot more searching it appears the nearest 2S4 got to Germany were in High Powered Artillery Brigades in parts of the western USSR and Baltic states. Anyone know which trucks would have been the most likely ammunition carriers for resupply ? UsmanK maybe you can help ? |
| Vostok17 | 06 Sep 2016 1:34 a.m. PST |
Hello, Formerly 298TYR! Probably used ordinary Soviet army trucks ZIL-131, Ural-375D (most likely) or Ural-4320 . In Chechnya, as the ammunition carriers for the 2C4 used Kamaz's. Actually, 2C4 do not need any special transport and loading vehicle – this mortar have a special crane for lifting of ammunition:
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