43M ZRINYI II HUNGARIAN ASSAULT GUN WITH SIDESKIRTS

Zrinyi II 40/43. The M was a Hungarian self-propelled howitzer from the Second World War. The first prototypes of the vehicle were built in 1942, and serial production continued in the period 1943-1944, ending with the production of about 60-70 vehicles. The Zrinyi II was powered by a single engine Manfred Weiss V-8 H with 260 HP . It was armed with a howitzer MAVAG 40/43 M caliber 105 mm and 1 machine gun MAVAG 40/43 M cal. 8 mm. The Hungarian army, after the experience of fighting on the Eastern Front in 1941-1942, realized the need to implement a self-propelled howitzer for production. In order to save time needed for design and analytical works, a slightly modified chassis of the 40. M Turan I tank and the proven 105 mm MAVAG howitzer were used for this task. The tests of the new weapons of the Hungarian army were successful and in 1943 the Zrinyi II entered mass production. The Zrinyi II turned out to be a successful weapon - it was not very emergency, it had a low silhouette which facilitated concealment, and the 105 mm howitzer was sufficient to provide the necessary support to its own infantry. The Zrinya II vehicle entered the line in September 1943, and it was baptized into combat during the fighting in Ukraine in 1944. Later, vehicles of this type fought primarily in Slovakia and Hungary in the Balaton region and in the Battle of Budapest. A certain amount of these weapons was captured by the Red Army, which it used until 1945.