100 56 TK - Background

Background

After World War II the primary fixed light coastal guns in Finland were older heavy anti-aircraft guns on fortification mounts that were obsolete in air defence duties and had been transferred to coastal artillery, primarily 76 ItK 16 V and 76 ItK 31 ss. These guns were inadequate for their role in firepower, range and survivability. The idea of using tank turrets as coastal guns was first raised regarding Charioteer and Comet turrets. In 1966 yliluutnantti Juhani Niska submitted a proposal to use modified 100 mm T-54 tank turret as coastal gun. The proposal compared also Swedish 75 mm Bofors turret gun and 76 ItK 31 ss as other possibilities. 100 mm T-54 turret was considered the most suitable solution, and after a T-54 turret was tested in Katajaluoto it was decided to purchase 56 T-55 turrets from Soviet Union and modify them as 100 56 TK coastal gun. As a cost-saving measure the turrets were ordered without stabilisers. This caused later some criticism from the Finnish Army, since while stabilisers are not needed in a fixed fortification, the Finnish Armoured Brigade could have used them as spare parts.