Burned-Out Soviet BM-13N “Katyusha” Rocket Launcher on Studebaker Chassis, 1943

November 2, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Burned-out Soviet BM-13N “Katyusha” rocket launcher on a Studebaker US6 chassis, 1943.

This photograph shows the remains of a Soviet BM-13N “Katyusha” multiple rocket launcher, burned out and abandoned after combat in 1943. The launcher is mounted on a Studebaker US6 truck — an American-made vehicle supplied to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program. The combination proved exceptionally effective, pairing the Studebaker’s reliable all-wheel-drive military chassis with the devastating 13-tube 132 mm rocket launching system of the Katyusha.

The BM-13N was known for delivering rapid, concentrated firepower, capable of saturating enemy positions with high-explosive rockets in a matter of seconds. Although highly effective in offense, the system was vulnerable once its position was revealed. Without armor protection and carrying highly flammable propellant and ammunition, Katyusha vehicles were susceptible to fire if hit by artillery, air attack, or even small arms damage to their fuel systems.

The scorched wreck seen in this photograph is a stark reminder of the intensity and brutality of mobile warfare on the Eastern Front. Despite such losses, Katyusha batteries became one of the symbols of Soviet firepower, feared by German troops who nicknamed them “Stalin’s Organ” because of the sound of their launch.

Technical Photo Data:

📍 Location: USSR
📅 Date: 1943
📝 Event: Destroyed BM-13N Katyusha rocket launcher
📷 Photographer: Unknown

• BM-13N Katyusha rocket launcher wreck
• Studebaker US6 Soviet artillery truck
• 1943 Eastern Front battlefield photos
• Soviet multiple rocket launcher history
• WWII Lend-Lease armored support vehicles