"To the People's Commissar of Armament, comrade Ustinov
To the People's Commissar of Tank Production, comrade Malyshev
June 16th, 1942
RE: production of installation parts and cradle for the 76 mm ZIK-7 gun
In accordance with the decision of the Artillery Committee plenum and NKV and NKTP orders, factories #8 and #37 designed a 76 mm light assault gun with the ZIK-5 tank gun on a chassis made from T-70 components.
In order to install the ZIS-5 gun in the hull of an SPG, an altered cradle and a number of new installation parts must be manufactured.
The chassis of the SPG is already finished, but the final tuning of the prototype is held up due to the refusal of the director of factory #8, comrade Fratkin, to produce the aforementioned parts.
Due to the absence of necessary tools, factory #37 cannot produce the parts.
Due to the urgency of the tuning of the experimental prototype of the assault gun, I ask you to order the director of UZTM, comrade Muzrukov, to case a cradle and the necessary installation parts, and factory #8 director, comrade Fratkin, to finish them and pass them on to factory #37.
Inform me of your decision.
GAU Chief, Colonel-General of Artillery, Yakovlev
GAU Military Commissar, Divisional Commissar, Novikov"