SU-85 is a Soviet self-propelled gun (tank destroyer) of the Second World War and the first years of the Cold War. The first prototypes of this machine were produced in 1943, and serial production continued from 1943 to 1944. About 2,050 machines of this type were created during its course. The combat weight of this self-propelled gun in the basic version was up to 29.6 tons. The drive was provided by one V-2-34 diesel engine with a capacity of up to 500 hp. The machine's armament consisted of an 85-mm D-5T cannon. Two 7.62-mm PPS submachine guns were usually carried inside the car. The SU-85 self-propelled gun was developed on the basis of the SU-122, which in turn was structurally based on the T-34 medium tank. From the outset, the new self-propelled gun was primarily designed as a tank destroyer capable of engaging the German Pz.Kpfw V and VI. Compared to the SU-122, the new Soviet self-propelled gun also received new weapons - an 85-mm gun. SU-85 machines first entered service at the end of the summer of 1943 and served on the Eastern Front until the end of World War II. They turned out to be structurally successful machines, but their armament was insufficient to counter the Panther and Tiger tanks. Therefore, during the Second World War, the SU-100 was adopted. However, soon after its completion, most of the SU-85 was withdrawn from the Soviet Army and exported to socialist countries.
