The 85mm divisional gun, Model 1944, was developed between 1943 and 1944 at Plant No. 9 (“Uralmash”) in Sverdlovsk, under the leadership of the Design Bureau chief, F. F. Petrov. Its creation was prompted by combat experience, which revealed that the standard 76.2mm tank and anti-tank guns then in service were incapable of effectively engaging new German tanks and self-propelled guns. Following the rectification of defects identified during testing, the gun was adopted for service and entered production in 1945 as the D-44. It was designed to engage enemy tanks and other vehicles, personnel, field fortifications, and firing positions, utilizing a variety of ammunition types, including high-explosive fragmentation, armor-piercing (pointed-head, blunt-head, sub-caliber, and shaped-charge), and flash-and-smoke rounds. The D-44 was primarily employed at the divisional or regimental level. A total of 10,800 units were produced.
An interesting variant was the SD-44, which featured an integrated propulsion system—powered by an engine from an M-72 motorcycle—allowing the gun to rapidly reposition itself independently.
Technical specifications:
Caliber: 85 mm
Barrel length: 4685 mm
Breech mechanism: semi-automatic, wedge-type
Crew: 6–8 soldiers
Weight in combat position: 1725 kg
Length in transport (towed) position: 8.34 m
Rate of fire: up to 20 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity: 793–1050 m/s (depending on the projectile)
Armor penetration at a 90-degree angle at a distance of 1000 m: 95–110 mm
Maximum range: 15,650 m
