85mm Type-72 (M-1939) KS-12

The 85mm M1939 (KS-12) was a Soviet anti-aircraft gun developed in the late 1930s, widely used during World War II and subsequently by numerous countries. It was effective against aircraft and later repurposed for anti-tank roles due to its powerful 85mm caliber.

Designed by the bureau of Factory No. 8 under Mikhail Krupchatnikov to counter high-altitude bombers, this weapon officially entered Red Army service in 1939 as the 52-K. During World War II, it formed the backbone of Soviet air defense forces, notably protecting Moscow and other vital industrial hubs from Luftwaffe raids. The gun's successful ballistic design directly led to the development of the D-5 and S-53 tank guns, which armed the iconic T-34-85 and IS-1 tanks. After serving extensively in the Korean and Vietnam Wars with communist forces, the weapon was phased out of active military service but remains in use today for civilian avalanche control in Russia and parts of Central Asia.