One of the first combat vehicles of the Soviet Army to go into action during Operation Danube was the ASU-57: a small and light assault gun designed for use by the VDV, which entered service in 1959. Powered by a 50hp civilian car engine located at the front, it was protected by only 6mm of aluminium armour, had a completely open top, and weighted about 4,000kg. Its primary ‘protection’ was its high mobility: the ASU-57 could barely protect its crew from rifle-calibre bullets, but could reach a speed of 45km/h. Armament consisted of a 57mm Ch-51 (later Ch-51M) L/73 gun and one 7.62mm antiaircraft machine gun. 54 ASU-57s were assigned to each VDV division, with an anti-tank company of nine in each parachute regiment. Vehicles deployed by the 103rd Guards Airborne Division during Operation Danube were all painted in dark olive green overall and wore the large VDV-insignia and turret numbers in white on their sides. (Artwork by David Bocquelet)