SOVIET A-19 122mm GUN MODEL 1931/1937

Description

122 mm corps gun M1931 (A-19) was a Soviet field gun, developed in late 1920s and early 1930s. In 1939 the gun was replaced in production by an improved variant, M1931/37. The piece saw action in World War II with the Red Army. Captured guns were employed by Wehrmacht and the Finnish Army. From late 1920s the Red Army sought to upgrade its First World War era artillery pieces. In January 1927 the Main Artillery Directorate (GRAU) initiated development of a new 122 mm gun for corps artillery. The development was initially entrusted to GRAU design bureau (led by F. F. Lender until its death in September 1927), and from June 1929 - to the design bureau of All-Union Ordnance Trust, with assistance from GRAU designers. On 17 June 1929 a prototype piece, along with technological documentation, was ordered from Motovilikha Plants. The piece underwent trials starting in October 1931, with two barrels of different construction, both fitted with muzzle brake. In May 1932 the gun was sent for improvements to the No 38 Plant, and it received that plant’s designation A-19. In 1933, three more prototypes were ordered from the Barrikady Plant in Stalingrad and were completed in March 1935. The gun reached trials again in November 1935. After successfully completing the trials, it was adopted by RKKA on 13 March 1936 as 122 mm corps gun M1931. The A-19 was originally intended for corps artillery. Together with ML-20 it formed a so-called "corps duplex". (Scale : 1/35e)