One of the key problems with using foreign tanks is keeping a steady supply of spare parts and ammunition. This problem is not exclusive to captured tanks. A similar situation often took place with vehicles that were sent willingly. For example, a lack of ammunition delayed the arrival of American tanks on the battlefields of the Eastern Front by several months. These shortages happened more than once. It is not surprising that arming foreign tanks with domestic guns was a frequently suggested solution.
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| S-1 (SU-76I), the first design of the TsAKB. The bureau had some experience in re-arming foreign chassis. |
It just so happened that the best results in rearming foreign tanks were achieved by the design bureaus of factory #92 and factory #592. The first only offered experimental solutions, but the latter built a small batch of SG-122 SPGs. Specialists from both bureaus were later united in one organization: the Central Artillery Design Bureau (TsAKB). Their first project, the S-1, was a part of rearming a foreign tank (SU-76I). It’s not surprising that new rearmament projects followed, including grassroots proposals.
