Trumpeter 09529 Soviet 2A3 Kondensator 2P 406mm Self-Propelled Howitzer

The 2A3 Kondensator 2P was a Soviet 406 mm self-propelled howitzer from the Cold War period. Its first prototypes were built in 1956, and small series production started shortly after. The vehicle was powered by a single 750hp W12-6B engine. The total length of the wagon was as much as 20 meters, with a width of 3.08 meters. It was armed with a single 406 mm SM-54 howitzer with a maximum range of up to 25,600 meters.

The 2A3 2P capacitor was developed as a Soviet response to the American M65 Atomic Annie field gun. Like its western counterpart, the Soviet howitzer was capable of firing both conventional and - especially! - missiles with a tactical nuclear warhead. Work on the 2A3 self-propelled howitzer started in 1955 and was led by Ilya Ivanov. In order to shorten the research and development works and reduce the cost of the project, it was decided to use the chassis of the T-10M heavy tank. Despite its impressive size and quite good - for those times - range, the 2A3 2P capacitor turned out to be not very useful due to the very low rate of fire, considerable weight exceeding 60 tons and technical underdevelopment of the gun. Ultimately, the 2A3 Capacitor 2P was replaced by missile systems in the Soviet Army by the mid-1960s.