The M53/59 Praga Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun

-



The M53/59 Praga is a Czechoslovak self-propelled anti-aircraft gun developed in the late 1950s. It consists of a heavily modified Praga V3S six-wheel drive truck chassis, armed with a twin 30 mm AA autocannon mounted on the rear for which the vehicle typically carries 900 rounds of ammunition, each gun being gravity fed from distinctive 50 round magazines. The vehicle has an armored cabin.



In Czechoslovakia, it was known as Praga PLDvK vz. 53/59 - "Ještěrka" (PLDvK Model 53/59 - "Lizard"[2]). PLDvK stands for Protiletadlový dvojkanón = Anti-aircraft twin-gun.
This weapon proved to be very successful during the wars in the former Yugoslavia.

Modification Praga with missiles air - air.


Self-propelled gun the M-53 was created in Prague at the beginning of the fifties in Czechoslovakia, and the project cannon is under German control developed since the beginning of the Second World War, for the purposes of PA submarine defense. During the war was made a smaller quantity, but for the purposes of the Ground Army. After the war, Czechoslovakia Army was again interested in the project and finally in 1953, this weapon was introduced in weapons under the symbol Vs.53 / 59th.
For this vehicle became interested and former JNA, the first copies were delivered in 1969 and has been included in the armament under the designation the M-53 / 59th The total is up to the beginning of the eighties procured 789 vehicles.

An interesting conversion Prage in the self-propelled howitzer 122mm, the project company Yugoimport


Prage were part of mixed artillery rocket battalion of Anti-aircraft defense, would Usually this division was made up of 12 vehicles the M-53 and battery PA rocket Strela 1M.

M5359 Praga, selfe-propelled anti.aircraft gun of Serbian Army


The plan envisaged the modernization in three steps: In the period 1984-1990 to 720 vehicles were to be built, a new, stronger domestic engines. Then it beginning in 1985 to 350 vehicles was built system J171, With the implementation of the plan, was delayed. especially after giving preference to other projects, but only on a small number of installed new equipment. The disintegration of Yugoslavia, shortly thereafter, he put an end to any further attempt at modernization.

detail of 30 mm twin AA gun,


combat use

M53 / 59 Praga was intended for shooting low-flying aircraft and helicopters of up to 2500 meters it was used during the war in Yugoslavia and against infantry targets on land where they showed as well oružje.Ratna practice has shown that Prage is very reliable and efficient weapons. Delays and failures have occurred, especially in the initial stage of the war, due to lack of trained personnel.



Armament

Top the M-53, the full framework in which stops 50 shells of 30mm and cadence The 840 to 900 shells per minute. Problematic mobility off-road, and the list of shortcomings is completed and that it can not act at night and in bad weather conditions, no NBH subsystem, Marksman is an exposed to counteract, the vehicle is very challenging to drive ...



Sources
http://jugoslavenska-narodna-armija.blogspot.ba/2015/11/samohodni-pa-top-praga-m-535970.html
http://oklop2.tripod.com/praga/m53.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M53/59_Praga

http://www.paluba.info/smf/index.php?topic=20149.60

Comments

Post a Comment

POPULAR POSTS

14 things that every Yugoslav partisan wore at the beginning of World War II

-
Image
    1.  Partizan armed with a German submachine gun MP41 9mm, popularly known as "Schmeisser", today a rare example of the wooden butt. For a belt carrying a gun "Parabellum" P08 9mm and a hand grenade. Dressed in a civilian coat, the military jacket of unknown origin, the German military pants and cavalry boots. On the stroke has a partisan cap ("Tito hat") with a sewn red star. 2.       Three-pointed cap popularly called "Triglav cap" to the highest peak in Slovenia. Such as a cap made anti-fascist fighters of the Spanish Civil War and the first Junos Croatian partisans. Since 1944, it replaced the cap "Titov ka" a smooth edge. 3.       In September 1941, the partisan Supreme Headquarters ordered that the caps will wear red five-pointed star as a symbol of anti-fascist struggle. 3a. Since April 1942, stipulates that all elite Proletarian Brigade wear the star with a yellow hammer and sickle, the symbol of the int
Read more

JNA, the army that no longer exists: What is all possessed one of the most powerful European armies Part I

-
Image
Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), to its  decomposition , was one of the key pillars of the former Yugoslavia and was based on the doctrine of brotherhood and unity of all Yugoslav nations and nationalities and ideologically dependent on the League of Communists. Along with Tito and the Communist Party, considered to be one of the three pillars of Yugoslavia. Yugoslav People's Army, at its peak, was the fourth military power in Europe, behind the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France. For JNA specifically, because of its non-alignment and strategic importance, in its possession had weapons of American and Soviet production. The establishment and development Its roots JNA pulling out of the National Liberation Struggle and Yugoslav partisan (POJ). Soon form a volunteer army of Yugoslavia, which soon became the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia (NLA), and on 1 March 1945, the NLA has renamed the Yugoslav Army. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of
Read more

World War II Weapons: The Italian Carcano rifle

-
Image
Carcano Modello 1891 infantry rifle Carcano is the frequently used name for a series of Italian bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating military rifles and carbines. Introduced in 1891, this rifle was chambered for the rimless 6.5×52mm Carcano cartridge (Cartuccia Modello 1895). It was developed by the chief technician Salvatore Carcano at the Turin Army Arsenal in 1890 and called the Modello (model) 91 or simply M91. Successively replacing the previous Vetterli-Vitali rifles and carbines in 10.35×47mmR, it was produced from 1892 to 1945. The M91 was used in both rifle (fucile) and carbine (Moschetto) form by most Italian troops during the First World War and by Italian and some German forces during the Second World War. The rifle was also used during the Winter War by Finland, and again by regular and irregular forces in Syria, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria during various postwar conflicts in those countries. Carcano Model 1891 TS Carbine The Type I Carcano rifle was
Read more

The Underground Airbase Slatina

-
Image
Yugoslavia had about forty objects of strategic importance, including several underground airports which were the largest military secret. Nearly $90 billion have been spent for the construction of these objects. Željava was the most expensive and the largest underground airport in the former Yugoslavia. Around $4.5 billion were spent for the construction of this air base. According to experts, the only airbase that could rival Željava, although much smaller, was the air base Slatina near Pristina. These two air bases represented the first level of defense. The second level of defense were also airports with underground galleries and the conditions for protection against a nuclear attack. Such were underground galleries in Podgorica, Mostar, and Split. The third level of defense was reinforced concrete shelters for aircraft and people. All airports had them. Each plane had its own reinforced concrete shelter. The Yugoslav underground project represents the labyri
Read more