Baranov SAM

Russian surface-to-air missile. First Soviet anti-aircraft barrage rocket, fired in limited numbers during siege of Leningrad, and downing two German aircraft.

In the fall of 1941, tests were antiaircraft rockets were conducted a the 4th Command of the 69th Battalion of the 14th Air Army by Junior Lieutenant N I Baranov. He completed eight SAM rocket launchers for the RS-82 and RS-132 rockets (these were 'Katyusha' 82 mm and 132 mm diameter surface-to-surface unguided missiles). These were mounted on a ZIS-5 automobile chassis and could be elevated to an 85 degree analogue. Two or more rockets could be launched at a time. Baranov developed special ballistics tables showing at 100 m intervals the firing time needed to achieve a given altitude. The barrage rockets were deployed near the city of Tikhvin and a Lake Ladoga. They managed to shoot down a Ju-88 bomber and Me-109 fighter.

Initial Operational Capability: 1941.