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The BTR-152 was one of the first Soviet attempts at an armoured infantry vehicle based on a truck chassis, with the engine located in the front, the crew behind the engine, and an open-topped troop compartment in the rear. It is of all-welded steel construction with sloped armour, and the windscreen is protected by twin armoured shutters with integral vision blocks. There are doors on each side of the crew compartment where the driver and commander enter and exit the vehicle. Both crew members can have a side view due to the upper part of the doors that can be opened without opening the entire door. The driver and commander can also view the battlefield using periscopes mounted over the doors.The armour of between 9mm and 15mm provides modest protection from small arms fire and small shell fragments, but does nothing against larger artillery fragments or heavy machinegun fire. The tires are particularly vulnerable to puncture from gunfire of all kinds. It can tow heavy guns, transport 1.9 tonnes of cargo, or a half platoon of infantry in the APC role. Individual weapons can be fired from the relative protection of the vehicle. Infantrymen can exit through the rear doors or by jumping over the sides. Later versions have an enclosed troop compartment. There are three firing ports on each side of the hull, and a further two in the rear. The driver and gunner are the only ones that have overhead protection. |
FAPLA BTR-152 Armoured Personnel Carrier
1/300th scale miniature supplied and painted by Johan Schoeman of the Peninsula Wargames Group
| Specifications |
| Weight |
9.91 tonnes |
| Length |
6.55 m |
| Width |
2.32 m |
| Height |
2.04 m (without the mg)
2.36 m (with the mg)
|
| Crew |
2 (+18 passengers) |
|
|
| Armor |
welded steel
15 mm front
9 mm sides and rear
10 mm roof
4 mm bottom
|
| Primary armament |
7.62mm SGMB light machine gun (1,250 rounds)
(12.7 mm DShK 1938/46 heavy machine gun (500 rounds) can be used instead) |
|
| Secondary armament |
2x7.62mm SGMB light machine guns (1,250-1,750 rounds) on side pintel mounts (optional) |
|
| Engine |
6 cylinder in-line petrol
82 kW at 3,000 rpm.
|
|
| Power/weight |
8.3 kW/tonne |
| Suspension |
wheeled 6×6
|
| Operational Rnge |
650 km |
|
| Speed |
75 km/h |
For more detail on the BTR-152, see Wikipedia.com |