Soviet development of solid fuel rockets began in the 1920s, when some were used as boosters for aircraft take-off. By WWII, they had developed a number variants as weapons. The Studebaker US6 truck was proven to be so reliable and effective over rough terrain that it became the standard platform for Red Army rocket launchers. The standard mounting for these trucks was the BM-13N-16 ( the one depicted in this model.) Between 1943 and the end of the war more than 1,800 of these launchers were installed on the US6 trucks.
The M-13 rocket of the BM-13 system was 80 cm (2 ft 7 in) long, 13.2 cm (5.2 in) in diameter and weighed 42 kg (93 lb) (Wikipedia.) While the BM-13 system was less accurate than conventional artillery, it was highly effective at covering wide area such as railyards or logistic centers with a maximum range of 8,740 m (9,560 yd). A battery of four BM-13 launchers could deliver 1.4 tons of high explosives over and area of 40 ha (99 ac) in 7 to 10 seconds. Crews then practiced a “shoot-and-scoot” tactic to avoid reciprocal attack.
The rockets were marked with the letter K for the Komintern
factory where they were made. This inspired the crews to nickname the weapon
after a popular song about a woman, “Katyusha”, who is pining for here lover
who is away in the army. The name is an affectionate diminutive for Yekaterina
(Catherine).
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