USV-BR 76-mm Gun Mod.1941 w/Limber & Crew
The 76-mm divisional gun M1936 (F-22) was a Soviet divisional semi-universal gun, adopted for Red Army service in 1936. This gun was used in conflicts between the USSR and Japan on the Far East, in the Winter War and in World War II. Many F-22s were captured by the Wehrmacht during Operation Barbarossa. Modernized and redesignated as the Feldkanone 296(r), captured guns were used against their originators.
Soviet Union: According to the organization of 1939, each rifle division had two artillery regiments - the light regiment (a battalion of 76 mm guns in three batteries of four guns; two mixed battalions with one battery of 76 mm guns and two batteries of 122 mm howitzers) and the howitzer regiment, totaling 20 76 mm guns per division. In June 1940 the battalion of 76 mm guns was removed, and only 8 guns remained. In March 1942 a third mixed battalion (a battery of 76 mm and a battery of 122 mm) was added, which brought the number of 76 mm guns to 12. Motorized divisions had two mixed battalions (a battery of 76 mm guns, two batteries of 122 mm howitzers), totaling 8 76 mm guns. Cavalry divisions until August 1941 also had 8 76 mm guns, then the divisional artillery was removed. The F-22 was also used by anti-tank artillery brigades (24 pieces), from 1942 by tank destroyer brigades with 16 pieces, and by light artillery brigades (60-72 pieces). The F-22 saw combat for the first time in the Battle of Lake Khasan in 1938. The gun was also used in the Winter War. On 1 June 1941, the Red Army possessed 2,844 F-22s. Many were lost, but a limited number remained in service until the end of the war. For example, two artillery regiments (40 pieces) took part in the Battle of Kursk. It was mostly employed as a field gun, sometimes as anti-tank gun and was apparently never used as anti-aircraft weapon.
Other operators: In 1941-42 the Wehrmacht captured hundreds of F-22s. Initially they were adopted as field guns, designated FK 296(r). In late 1941 it was decided to rebuild the gun as an anti-tank weapon, 7.62 cm PaK 36(r). The modifications included rechambering for a bigger cartridge, a modified recoil system, elevation controls that were moved to the left side of the barrel where the sights resided. Additionally the elevation was limited and most of the guns received a muzzle brake. New ammunition was produced for the gun. The PaK 36(r) reached the battlefield in the spring of 1942. 560 pieces were converted and some of them were used to arm Marder II and Marder III tank destroyers. Nine F-22s in the original configuration were mounted on Sd.Kfz. 6 halftrack tractors, resulting in the Sd.Kfz. 6 mit 7.62 cm FK 36(r).
In Romania, some captured F-22s were mounted on a T-60 light tank chassis to create the TACAM T-60 self-propelled gun. 34 units were built.
The Finnish Army captured 29 guns and bought an additional 47 from German surplus stocks during World War II. The gun was called 76 K 36 in Finnish service. The gun was in active service until the 1960s and was stored until the 1990s.
