Polikarpov, Nikolai/Kinnear, James SU-100 Self-Propelled Gun

The "Red Machines" series is devoted to the hardware of the Red Army. Each book offers in-depth information, much of it new to the west, as well as a large number of photos, of which most are unpublished. Each book includes blueprints, drawings, colour profiles and data tables, to describe the development and production variants of each vehicle. The SU-100 was the Red Armys most powerful medium tank destroyer of World War 2 and was developed for anti-tank fire support to the T-34/85 in the same way as the SU-85 had complemented the original T-34. As with the SU-85 before it, the SU-100 was delayed in entering service. Although introduced late in the war, the SU-100 was heavily engaged in the final push into the Axis countries, with major combat engagements in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and in the assault on Berlin. The SU-100 proved a particularly potent Zveroboi or animal hunter in that it could easily dispatch Tiger, King Tiger and Panther tanks at medium range. The vehicle had no secondary armament, however, and proved vulnerable when engaged in close fighting without infantry support as occurred during some of these late war battles. Post-war, the SU-100 remained in Soviet Army service for many years, being subject to several capital repair upgrades over the decades. The SU-100 was also exported in large numbers, particularly to the Middle East, and was produced under licence in Czechoslovakia as the SD-100.

As the SU-100 lacked secondary armament, this vehicle was quite vulnerable in close combat without infantry support. After the Second World War, the Red Army continued to use the SU-100, whereby the vehicle underwent a series of improvements. This armoured fighting vehicle was also exported on a large scale, especially to countries in the Near and Middle East.