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44M Zrínyi I

(Redirected from Zrinyi I)

The 44M Zrínyi I was a Hungarian assault gun/tank destroyer of the Second World War. Developed from the successful 43M Zrínyi II, it was armed with a long 75 mm gun that was more suited to anti-tank warfare.[2][3] This was the same 75 mm 43.M gun that was used on the 43M Turán III medium tank.

44M Zrínyi I
The Zrínyi I tank destroyer (without the rocket launchers). A Zrínyi II can be seen in the background.
TypeAssault gun/Tank destroyer
Place of originKingdom of Hungary
Service history
In serviceUnknown – possibly 1944–1945
Used byKingdom of Hungary
WarsWorld War II
Production history
DesignerManfréd Weiss
Designed1942–1943
ManufacturerManfréd Weiss, Ganz
Produced1944
No. built1-4[1]
Specifications (Zrínyi I)
Mass22 t
Length7.35 m (24 ft 1 in)
Width2.99 m (9 ft 10 in)
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Crew4

Armour13–75 mm (0.51–2.95 in)
Main
armament
75 mm 43.M L/43 tank gun
Secondary
armament
6 rocket launcher tubes for 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 rockets
EngineManfréd Weiss Z-V8H-4 8 cylinder
260 hp
Power/weight12 hp/t
Fuel capacity445 l
Operational
range
220 km (140 mi)
Maximum speed 40 km/h (25 mph)

The Zrínyi series were named after Nikolaus Graf Zrínyi, a Hungarian national hero who died in 1566.[4]


Development

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The Hungarian army saw the value in assualt guns as early as 1940, and by 1942 the ministry of defence had started to look into acquiring some. Initally the Hungarians wished to either purchase German assualt guns outright, or to acquire the production licenses. A Hungarain delegation may have gone to Italy in 1942 to look at the Semovente assualt gun.[5]

The Hungarian military leadership commissioned Manfréd Weiss to design and manufacture an assualt gun. The hull of the Turán tank was used for this production. It was widened by 40cm and a superstructure was developed to replace the turret. The sides of the superstructure were angeled at 80 degrees. [6] To combat the heavier armoured Soviet tanks it was decided to produce the Zrínyi with a 75mm gun.[7]

The Hungarian General Staff decided in May 1943 to phase out the production of Turán tanks by the Spring of 1944 and switch the production to assault guns as part of the Szabolcs Plan. The Szabolcs Plan called for the production of 168 44M Zrínyi assualt guns. However, due to allied bombing no more than four 44M Zrínyi assualt guns could have been produced; with only one known to have been fully completed.[1]

In late 1943 the Military Technology Institute of the Hungarian Army looked into the possibility of mounting the German 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 on the Zrínyi hull. The rockets had a practical range of seven kilmoeters, and the idea was for them to be used to destroy Soviet anti-tank gun positions before the Zrínyi would be in danger. the rockets were mounted to the 44M Zrínyi prototype for testing.[7]

See also

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Related development

Vehicles of comparable role, performance, and era


References

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  1. ^ a b Niehorster, Leo W.G. (1998). The Royal Hungarian Army, 1920-1945, Volume 1: Organization and History. Axis Europa Books. pp. 101–102. ISBN 978-1891227196.
  2. ^ Eduardo Manuel Gil Martinez (2019). Hungarian Armoured Fighting Vehicles in the Second World War. Pen & Sword Military. p. 49. ISBN 978-1526753816.
  3. ^ "44M Zrínyi I : Hungary (HUN)". Armedconflicts.com.
  4. ^ Martinez, Eduardo Manuel Gil (2023). Hungarian Armoured Units During The Second World War Vol. 2:1944-1945. Soldiershop publishing. pp. 89–91. ISBN 9791255890362.
  5. ^ Mujzer, Péter (2024). Hungarian Tanks: Zrínyi & Csaba. Soldiershop publishing. pp. 5–6. ISBN 979-1255890843.
  6. ^ Mujzer, Péter (2024). Hungarian Tanks: Zrínyi & Csaba. Soldiershop publishing. pp. 6–8. ISBN 979-1255890843.
  7. ^ a b Mujzer, Péter (2024). Hungarian Tanks: Zrínyi & Csaba. Soldiershop publishing. pp. 17–21. ISBN 979-1255890843.