CZK - vz. 53 (100mm protitankový kanon)

100 mm anti-tank gun vz. 53


The development of this artillery weapon was started in 1948 in Skoda Pilsen. The design work was carried out under the name "A 20". The new weapon was to replace the vz. 18 N cannon in the Czechoslovak army's arsenal. After overcoming the problem, production finally got under way and the first guns were introduced to anti-tank regiments and brigades from 1953. The vz. 53 guns were used in Czechoslovakia until the early 1990s.



The cannon is a semi-automatic anti-tank gun on a two-arm breech and serves simultaneously as a field gun. It has a wedge-shaped horizontal breech. The ammunition is uniform, i.e. the projectile is pressed into the cartridge case.
The complete barrel consists of a muzzle, barrel butt, clamping screw and muzzle brake. The cradle is constructed as a spindle body. The internally mounted breech block has two lengths of slide. Two spring balancers are located on either side of the cradle. The aiming and metering controls are manually operated from the left side of the gun. The upper receiver carrier is pivotally mounted on the upper receiver arms. The axle is supported by torsion bars with self-supporting rubber wheels.
Motorised transport in one unit in a direct hitch behind the towing vehicle.
It was introduced to the Czechoslovak army in 1956.


A few more data:


weight of the anti-tank grenade 14,74 kg
weight of the impact grenade 15,6 kg
initial velocity of the anti-tank grenade 955 m/s
initial velocity of the impact grenade m/s 930 m/s
muzzle energy 6850 kJ
maximum range with impact grenade 21 000 m
maximum gas pressure 300 MPa
barrel length (without muzzle brake) 64/6 407 r/mm
firing height 1250 mm
length of slide 1 500/95 mm
Wheelbase 1 980 mm
clearance 370 mm
shield thickness 5 mm

100 mm ptk vz.53 in the závese for P V3S.


Source : Pleskot Záboj, Under víťěznou arrest - Our troops, Prague 1961.

S infra ? Zaujímavé je evidenčné číslo.

Zápisník, ročník 1966/67

manufactured in 1958

100 mm cannon vz.53


In decembri 1952 bol made the first prototype. Skúšky prebiehali in time from januára in maya 1953.
In závodoch To.J.Voroshilov in Dubnici nad Vahom v rokoch 1956 to 1960 bolo produced about 600 pcs kanónov vz.53. Koncom 80. years 20. day sa it started with ich gradual vyraďovaním of equipment prvosledových útvarov.



Source : Turza Peter "Cannon of Považia" Defense no 11 2012


Photo : Mihálik Miroslav VHM of the military history institute.

Originally, the A 20 gun was developed together with the AK 1 tank gun and R 11 anti-aircraft gun projects. The ammunition used was to be of Czechoslovakia's own manufacture, which was more powerful than the Soviet ammunition, to which the development was later switched as part of unification. In 1948, the production of a pair of prototypes was commissioned, the first with mechanical firing on a cross-launcher and the second with electric firing on a two-armed launcher. If Czechoslovak ammunition was used, an extremely powerful gun of world-class quality would be produced. The subsequent unification of ammunition led to the development of the vz. 53.

Mgr. Martin Dubánek - Od bodáku po tryskáče - Nedokončené Československé zbrojní projekty 1945-1955, Mladá fronta 2011, ISBN : 978-80-204-2515-7