Artillery tractor KITZ-NATI (STZ-3). The hard worker of the Great Patriotic War. Kirindas A.M.

The main types of tractors produced in the USSR on the eve of the Great Patriotic War were the wheeled “universal” and “International”, as well as the caterpillar “Stalin” and STZ-NATI (STZ-3). The first three cars were mainly copies of American prototypes. KTZ-NATI, on the contrary, was created by Soviet designers as the first domestic construction of a caterpillar tractor for mass production. In addition to agricultural purposes, this tractor had to meet the requirements of the People’s Commissariat of Defense for mobilization use as an artillery tractor. It was in this capacity of STZ-NATI that were used in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. At the beginning of 1941, they made up almost a fifth of the general fleet of the mechanical thrust of the artillery of the Red Army. STZ-NATO was used to tow on guns weighing up to four tons, mainly in the artillery shelves of rifle divisions. By the number of this tractor made by this tractor on the most severe front -line roads and off -road, it can rightfully be called the real hard worker of the Great Patriotic War.

This book for the first time in all details tells about the history of creation, modernization, service in the pre -war and post -war periods, as well as the combat use of artillery caterpillar tractors of KTZ-Nati (STZ-3).

The publication illustrated by unique photographs and drawings, a significant part of which is published for the first time.