Cromwell Models CA79 ISU-152 mod. 1945
Andrew Dextras
History
One of the more successful assault gun designs of the second world war was the Russian ISU
series. These simple
and effective machines were simply square superstructures mounting 122 or 152mm guns on
the proven IS-2
chassis. However, the threat of larger German tanks such as the Tiger II forced the
Russian tank designers to
develop some prototypes with the intent to combat these larger, heavily armoured vehicles.
Experiments were
conducted with both long barreled versions of the 152mm gun as well as a high velocity
130mm gun. Both these
designs proved impractical due to the extremely long gun overhang which would have impeded
the
maneuverability of the vehicle. In either case, the Tiger II was encountered in very small
numbers and were dealt
with by existing designs. The designers did recognise that some improvements could be made
to the ballistic shape
of the ISU series and developed a prototype based on the radical IS-3 hull design. This
resulted in the ISU-152
model 1945, a well sloped, heavily armoured superstructure with an enormous cast mantlet.
Unlike the previous
ISU-152 model the 152mm main weapon did not have a muzzle break. In spite of the much
superior armour
protection afforded to the crew, the design was not approved for mass production, instead
it was deemed
preferable to perform minor updates to the existing design for post war service. The only
example of the ISU-152
model 1945 in existence today sits in the Kubinka museum in Russia.
The Kit
The Cromwell Models ISU-152 mod 1945 kits comes packaged in a sturdy box filled with
plenty of foam
peanuts to ensure the safety of the contents. The kit instructions are very clear and
contain line drawings showing
parts placement, but there are so few parts in the conversion that they don't really need
to be overly complicated.
The kit is cast in a light cream resin and is very crisply molded. The main components are
the massive
superstructure and the engine deck. The superstructure is a very impressive piece and
captures the aggressive
look of the vehicle very well. If you have never seen a picture of this vehicle, turn to
page 37 of Steve Zalogas
IS-2 heavy tank in the New Vanguard series and be prepared. Many would call this an ugly
tank, but personally I
think its the meanest design Ive ever laid eyes on. The superstructure
requires some minor cutting to the Tamiya
IS-3 donor kit, but this is very simple. The engine deck section then fits on top of the
Tamiya hull, mated up to the
superstructure. The cast mantlet is a very nice casting and includes some particularly
nice detail around the lifting
lugs. The huge resin barrel was perfectly straight in my kit. Other than adding the fuel
tanks and some minor
fittings, that is all that is required in this conversion.
In summary, this kit in combination with some aftermarket tracks would make an impressive
addition to anyones
collection and will most certainly appeal to fans of Russian armour who would like to add
some "presence" to their
display shelf.
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