picture 186281

SU-76, 1440th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, 6th Guards Army, Voronezh Front. The Soviets formed their early production SU-76s (designated SU-12s until May 1943) into mixed regiments with SU-122 medium self-propelled guns. Reliability problems with the early SU-76 design and difficulties integrating the two very different SU designs together led to the formation of separate light SU-76 regiments, each with five batteries of four SU-76s and one in the regimental headquarters. Three of these regiments fought at Kursk, the 45th, 193rd, and 1440th. The 6th Guards Army suffered the full weight of the 4th Panzer Army attack, leading to heavy fighting and losses by the 1440th Regiment.