Misplaced Pages

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104-621: While the IS-2 tank proved to be capable of dealing with most German threats, largely anti-tank teams armed with Panzerfausts , Panzerschrecks , and PaK 40s since the Soviets used the IS-2 to break through areas weakly supported by tanks. The Soviets nonetheless conducted studies on tank losses, with engineers concluding that most of the hits occurred on the turret followed by hits on the frontal hull. In late 1944, two tank design bureaus, one headed by Josef Kotin and his chief assistant A. S. Yermolayev from

208-570: A 1 kW generator feeding four accumulator batteries. For observation from the interior, all roof hatches had periscopes and there were two gun sights: telescopic ST-10 (СТ-10) and panoramic. For crew communication a TPU-4-BisF intercom was fitted, and for inter-vehicle communication there was a single 10R or 10RK radio. These were better than Soviet equipment at the start of the war but still inferior to German equivalents. The crew were given two PPSh submachine guns with 1491 rounds and 20 F-1 grenades for short-range self-defence. The ISU-152

312-457: A 50:50 mixture of TNT and hexogen explosives, and had armour penetration of 200 millimetres (7.9 in). The Panzerfaust often had warnings written in large red letters on the upper rear end of the tube, the words usually being " Achtung. Feuerstrahl. " ("Beware. Fire jet."). This was to warn soldiers to avoid the backblast . After firing, the tube was discarded, making the Panzerfaust

416-442: A 95-gram (3.4 oz) charge of black powder propellant. Along the side of the tube were a simple folding rear sight and a trigger. The edge of the warhead was used as the front sight. The oversize warhead (140 mm (5.5 in) in diameter) was fitted into the front of the tube by an attached wooden tail stem with metal stabilizing fins. The warhead weighed 2.9 kilograms (6.4 lb) and contained 0.8 kilograms (1.8 lb) of

520-492: A crude aiming device similar to the one used by the Panzerfaust was added to the design; it was fixed at a range of 30 m (98 ft). Several designations of this weapon were in use, amongst which Faustpatrone 1 or Panzerfaust 30 klein ; however, it was common to refer to this weapon simply as the Faustpatrone . Of the earlier model, 20,000 were ordered and the first 500 Faustpatronen were delivered by

624-472: A declassified CIA report, the Hungarian rebels used Molotov Cocktails against Soviet tanks roaming through the streets of Budapest , killing their crews and when other tanks came in to help, the insurgents would often place a Hungarian flag or a white flag on the turret. These tanks were then fired on by other Soviet tanks. During the late 1950s, all IS-3s were modernized as IS-3M models. According to Zaloga,

728-540: A diameter of 3.3 cm (1.3 in) (early models reportedly 2.8 cm (1.1 in)). Fitted to the warhead was a wooden shaft with folded stabilizing fins (made of 0.25 mm (0.0098 in) thick spring metal). These bent blades straightened into position by themselves as soon as they left the launch tube. The warhead was accelerated to a speed of 28 m/s (92 ft/s), had a range of about 30 m (98 ft) and an armour penetration of up to 140 mm ( 5 + 1 ⁄ 2  in) of plain steel. Soon

832-516: A maximum penetration of 125 millimetres (4.9 in) of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) at 90° at a range of 500 metres (547 yd). The rate of fire was 2-3 rounds/min. The ISU-152 carried 21 rounds of two piece (shell and charge) armor-piercing and high explosive ammunition. Later ISU-152 versions had a newer gun with a slightly longer barrel, up to over 4.9 metres (32.3 calibers), with a maximum range of fire of up to 13,000 metres (14,217 yd). The ISU-152 had different versions, with changes in

936-463: A medium range of fire and a slow speed of reloading. The Soviet army had not developed specialized vehicles for this purpose. Their tank and mechanized units were well equipped with towed artillery, but the towed guns were very vulnerable while moving and they could not support tanks and motorized infantry during rapid advances into enemy positions, especially when they lacked the armored fully enclosed design of vehicles like ISU-152. The internal stowage

1040-484: A meter of air gap was required to substantially reduce the penetrating capability of the warhead, so sideskirts and sandbags, along with other improvised armor, were virtually ineffective against both the Panzerschreck and Panzerfaust. Moreover, the added weight from add-on armor overburdened the vehicle's engine, transmission and suspension. Later on, each Soviet heavy tank ( IS ) and assault gun ( ISU-152 ) company

1144-432: A muzzle velocity of 655 metres per second (2,149 ft/s). The rate of fire was 1-2 round/min. Object 704 had four hatches at the superstructure roof and one emergency hatch at the bottom of the hull behind the driver's seat, which had an armoured cover. The self-propelled gun carried two external 90-litre (19.8 imp gal; 23.8 US gal) fuel tanks, not connected to the supply system. The secondary armament of

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1248-556: A muzzle velocity of 880 metres per second (2,887 ft/s). Object 704 (Объект 704) was the factory designation for a prototype self propelled gun developed in 1945. Also known as the Kirovets-2, it was developed on the chassis of the Kirovets-1, the initial prototype of the project that became the IS-3 . The overall height of the vehicle was reduced to 2,240 millimetres (7.35 ft), which

1352-505: A new commander's cupola, and also new sights. The running gear used many elements of the T-10 . The mantlet had additional armor ring protecting the sight. Some of the ISU-152Ks received an additional 15 mm armour plate welded on top of the 60 mm armour plate covering the mantlet above. Also, some of them received an additional armour plate welded on the upper mantlet front. The modernisation

1456-411: A number of powerful (shell and charge) ammunition. Some of these ammunition had a 43.56 kg high-explosive shell, or a 48.78 kg armour-piercing shell, or the heaviest of all, the 53-G-545 (53-Г-545) long-range concrete-piercing ammunition with a 56 kg shell. The ISU-152 was used for infantry and tank support in attacking fortified enemy positions in a direct-fire role, for artillery support on

1560-660: A practice target at the Manjača firing range. In 1955, the Soviet Army moved out from Dalian in northeastern China, officially ending 10 years of military occupation. All weapons and armaments left behind by the Soviet Union were sold to the Chinese People's Liberation Army , including 67 ISU-152s; 45 were given to the newly created 1st Mechanized Division of the PLA. During and after

1664-436: A single Panzerfaust , plus any type of obsolete pistol or rifle. Some only had a Panzerfaust. That led several German generals and officers to comment sarcastically that the empty launch-tubes could then be used as clubs in hand-to-hand combat. Many Panzerfäuste were sold to Finland, which urgently needed them, as Finnish forces did not have enough anti-tank weapons that could penetrate heavily armoured Soviet tanks like

1768-448: A total length of 98.5 cm ( 38 + 3 ⁄ 4  in); its projectile had a length of 36 cm ( 14 + 1 ⁄ 4  in). The 10 cm (3.9 in) diameter of warhead was a shaped charge of 400 g (14 oz) of a 50:50 mix of TNT and tri- hexogen . The propellant was of 54 g (1.9 oz; 830 gr) of black powder , the metal launch tube had a length of 80 cm ( 31 + 1 ⁄ 2  in) and

1872-618: A very low rate of fire compared with specialised tank destroyers such as the German Jagdpanther or the Soviet SU-100 , which could manage a brief burst of five to eight rounds per minute. However, prior to the introduction of the SU-100 it was the only Soviet armored vehicle capable of tackling the German heavy tanks with any kind of reliability, and its ability to satisfy multiple roles meant it

1976-454: Is a Soviet self-propelled gun developed and used during World War II . It was unofficially nicknamed Zveroboy ( Russian : Зверобой ; "beast killer") in response to several large German tanks and guns coming into service, including Tigers and Panthers . Since the ISU-152's gun was mounted in a casemate , aiming it was awkward, and had to be done by repositioning the entire vehicle using

2080-409: The Panzerfaust forced Allied tank forces to wait for infantry support before advancing. The portion of British tanks taken out of action by Panzerfäuste later rose to 34%, a rise probably explained by the lack of German anti-tank guns late in the war and the increased numbers of Panzerfäuste that were available to defending German troops. During urban combat in eastern Germany later in

2184-456: The Panzerfaust made an entry hole 2.75 inches (7 cm) in diameter, whereas the Panzerschreck made an entry hole at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. By contrast, the bazooka made an entry hole that was only 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) in diameter). Much of that can be attributed not only to the size of the warhead of the Panzerfaust , but also its horn-like shape, as opposed to

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2288-499: The 75mm KwK 40 gun of the ubiquitous Panzer IV and StuG family at all but the closest ranges, while also forcing the original Tiger I, with its vaunted 88 mm KwK 36 gun, to close to medium ranges in order to successfully penetrate the vehicle, negating its traditional long-range superiority and putting it within effective range of the Soviet T-34-85 medium tanks. The ISU-152 was not a true purpose-built tank destroyer. It had

2392-591: The Allied victory parade on Charlottenburger Straße in Berlin, with the heavily reinforced 71st Guards Heavy Tank Regiment of the 2nd Guards Tank Army . Less than 30 tanks were built before the end of WWII, but by mid-1946, more than 2,300 tanks were built. Starting in 1960, the IS-3 was modernized as the IS-3M. On paper the IS-3 was an improvement of the IS-2, with Western observers noting

2496-556: The Battle of Berlin between April and May 1945. Post-WWII, ISU-152s remained in service with the Polish military until the early 1960s. As part of the Soviet Union's military assistance to friendly or pro-Soviet countries around the world, a few ISU-152s were transferred to the Czechoslovakian military after World War II , which operated them until the end of 1950s. For several decades it

2600-704: The Government of National Unity (Hungary) also used the Panzerfaust . Several RSI army units became skilled in anti-tank warfare and the Hungarians themselves used the Panzerfaust extensively, especially during the Siege of Budapest . During this brutal siege, an arms factory, the Hungarian Manfred Weiss Steel and Metal Works, located on Csepel Island (within the city) kept up production of various light armaments and ammunition, Panzerfäuste included, all

2704-681: The Korean War , ISU-152s were operated by the Korean People's Army of the DPRK . North Korea reportedly still uses ISU-152s in both active and reserve units, however, the actual number is unknown. In the early 1960s the Egyptian military received at least one regiment of ISU-152s. They were used during the Arab-Israeli conflicts between 1967 and 1973. They proved mostly ineffective and several were captured by

2808-469: The Second World War . However, the radical incline of the superstructure walls combined with the increased recoil of the gun, due to the lack of a muzzle brake, significantly complicated the work of the crew, and for this reason it was not adopted. Object 241K (Объект 241К) was the factory designation for a modernised variant of the wartime ISU-152, developed in 1956. It used a new engine, that of

2912-608: The T-34 and IS-2 . The Finnish experience with the weapon and its adaptability to Finnish needs was mixed, with only 4,000 of 25,000 Panzerfäuste delivered expended in combat. The manual that came with the weapon upon delivery to the Finns included depictions of where to aim the weapon on the Soviet T-34 and US Sherman tank (which also saw service with Soviet troops from US Lend-Lease-supplied stocks). The Italian Social Republic (RSI) and

3016-504: The T-54 , with a cooling system and a heater. The capacity of the main internal fuel tank was increased to 920 litres (202 imp gal; 243 US gal), which added 500 kilometres (311 mi) more to the vehicle's range on a road. The ammunition capacity was increased to 30 rounds after the removal of an additional internal fuel tank placed in the crew compartment. The gun had a maximum range of 13,000 metres (14,217 yd). It received

3120-404: The " pike nose ", which later would give the IS-3 the nickname "Shchuka" ( pike ). This design would receive several interim designations including Object 240, 240M, 244, 245, and 248. The Dukhov team on the other hand, opted for a new cast turret that resembled an inverted frying pan. This design was called by engineers as the "Pobeda" (victory) and given the factory designation Object 703. The IS-3

3224-403: The 10R radio set was upgraded to a 10RK and the fuel capacity was increased. Some ISU-152s were equipped with even larger external fuel tanks, two tanks on the rear hull deck, in addition to the four external fuel tanks — 90 litres (20 imp gal; 24 US gal) each, maximum — or with two smaller additional external fuel tanks, on the hull rear. This option was probably available for

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3328-498: The 12.7 mm machine gun, which was replaced by the improved DShKM , and internal automotive improvements. It had the same new commander's cupola and sights as the ISU-152K. It also had the same main internal fuel tank capacity, 920 litres (202 imp gal; 243 US gal), adding 500 kilometres (311 mi) more to the vehicle's range on a road compared to the ISU-152, and an increased ammunition capacity to 30 rounds due to

3432-599: The 1967 war. Surviving tanks were regrouped into a single regiment which served as a reserve force during the Yom Kippur War . Most of the tanks captured by the IDF were converted into pillboxes (after having their engines removed) to reinforce the Bar-Lev Line , while a few vehicles were briefly put into service in the late 1960s. The IS-3M engine was poorly suited for the hot climate which made it unpopular with Israeli tankers; after

3536-602: The 1st Polish Tank Corps (which operated both T-34-76 and T-34-85 tanks), the regiment took part in combat action along the River Nysa , located in southwestern Poland in March 1945. In the early months of 1945, the Polish command began to form another ISU-152 regiment, but with too few vehicles, the newly-formed 13th Polish self-propelled artillery regiment received two ISU-152s and two batteries comprising SU-85s . This regiment took part in

3640-457: The 43.56-kilogram (96.0 lb) high-explosive shell which had a muzzle velocity of 880 metres per second (2,887 ft/s). The overall length of the gun was over 8 metres (26 ft), with a barrel length of 7,620 millimetres (300 in) (50 calibers). The armor-piercing round, weighing 48.78 kilograms (107.5 lb), had a muzzle velocity of 850 metres per second (2,800 ft/s). During test firing at armour plates with different thicknesses,

3744-582: The Egyptian Army acquired about 100 IS-3M tanks from the Soviet Union, while Sewell gives a figure of 120 tanks. During the Six-Day War , a single regiment of IS-3M tanks was stationed with the Egyptian 7th Infantry Division at Rafah and the 125th Tank Brigade of the 6th Mechanized Division at Kuntilla was also equipped with about 60 IS-3M tanks. Israeli infantry and paratrooper units had considerable difficulty with

3848-523: The Germans' own heavier 88 mm Panzerschreck tube-type rocket launchers based on the American ordnance piece, the Panzerfaust did not have the usual trigger. It had a pedal-like lever near the projectile that ignited the propellant when squeezed. Because of the weapon's short range, not only enemy tanks and infantry, but also pieces of the exploding vehicle, posed dangers to its operator. Consequently,

3952-486: The IS-2 due the steeply sloped sides of turret. Developments in High-explosive anti-tank rounds and guided missiles during the late 1940s and 1950s rendered the heavy tank concept obsolete. By the late 1960s an AT-3 Sagger missile or a T-54B tank using HEAT rounds could knock out any tanks that IS-3 or the T-10 could. Three pre-series vehicles were assigned to an independent Guards Battalion, but they arrived after

4056-678: The IS-3M when it was encountered due to its thick armor, which shrugged off hits from normal infantry anti-tank weapons such as the bazooka . Even the 90 mm AP shell fired by the main gun of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) M48 Patton tanks could not penetrate the frontal armor of the IS-3s at normal battle ranges. There were a number of engagements between the M48A2 Pattons of the IDF 7th Armored Brigade and IS-3Ms supporting Egyptian positions at Rafah in which several M48A2s were knocked out in

4160-399: The ISU-152 crew and supporting infantry allowed them to achieve their goals with minimal losses, but if such tactics were not adhered to, the attacking vehicles were easily attacked and destroyed, usually through the weaker armor on the roof or rear compartment. The ISU-152 could also operate as an effective heavy tank destroyer . Though it was not designed for the role, the vehicle inherited

4264-518: The ISU-152BM successfully penetrated a maximum of 203 millimetres (8.0 in) of RHA at 90° at ranges of up to 2,000 metres (2,187 yd). However, during trials in July 1944, the gun showed some deficiencies, such as being difficult for the crew to operate, unreliability of the muzzle brake and the breech block , and unsatisfactory performance of the shells. In addition, the gun, protruding far forward of

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4368-631: The Japanese went with a different design, the Type 4, loosely based upon the American bazooka. Examples of the American weapon were captured by the Japanese at Leyte in 1944. ISU-152#ISU-152K ISU-152 model 1945 ISU-152M ISU-152 model 1945 The ISU-152 ( Russian : Самоходная установка на базе танка ИС с орудием калибра 152мм, ИСУ-152 , romanized :  Samokhodnaya Ustanovka na baze tanka IS s orudiyem kalibra 152mm , meaning " IS tank based self-propelled installation with 152mm caliber gun")

4472-506: The July 1943 Battle of Kursk , armour-piercing ammunition was developed, with an eye towards giving the howitzer a more traditional anti-tank capability. However, these rounds were expensive, in short supply, and only moderately more effective than the standard non-penetrating high-explosive round. As a howitzer the ML-20S exchanged velocity and accuracy for throw weight and distance, and was not intended to compete with true anti-tank guns. Sometimes

4576-678: The Netherlands during Operation Market Garden . They captured an ammunition dump of Panzerfäuste near Nijmegen and used them through the Ardennes Offensive toward the end of the war. The Soviet Red Army only incidentally used captured Panzerfäuste in 1944, but from the beginning of 1945, many became available and were actively used during the Soviet offensives of 1945, mostly in street fighting against buildings and protective covers. In February 1945, such use of captured Panzerfäuste

4680-507: The Object 236, and eventually the SU-152, which concept was later continued and further developed with the ISU-152. The ISU-152 followed the same design as most other Soviet self-propelled guns. The fully armoured hull was divided into two compartments: fighting compartment for the crew, gun and ammunition in the front of the hull, and engine and transmission in the rear. The gun was mounted slightly to

4784-518: The People's Republic of Donetsk claimed it was able to fire at a military outpost, killing and wounding several soldiers, before retreating and being abandoned. Panzerfaust The Panzerfaust ( German: [ˈpantsɐˌfaʊst] , lit. ' tank fist ' or ' armour fist ' , plural: Panzerfäuste ) was a development family of single-shot man-portable anti-tank systems developed by Nazi Germany during World War II . The weapons were

4888-699: The Yom Kippur War, surviving tanks were turned into stationary defensive pillbox emplacements in the Jordan River area. After retiring their IS-3M tanks, the Soviets used most as targets for gunnery practice, while remaining vehicles and T-10 tanks were dug as static defensive positions in the Russian Far East region. Some of these tanks were still in running condition as late as of 1994. As late as of 2002, some of these pillboxes were still manned by machine gun artillery units according to Sewell. In 2014, an IS-3

4992-446: The ballistic shape of the turret and the thickness of the frontal armor, in reality the tank was considered by tank commanders as less reliable than its predecessor, with the IS-3 suffering from flexing and cracking of the hull welds, road wheels ball bearings that wore out prematurely, forcing the Soviets to upgrade and modernize the tank several times during its service life. The interior was also considerably more cramped in comparison to

5096-413: The barrel strength and the angle of horizontal guidance were unsatisfactory. The gun was sent for further improvement, but it was not completed before the war ended. The vehicle was never adopted. After the war, the final and most improved, third modification of ISU-152-2 was completed. The gun had a maximum range of 19,500 metres (21,325 yd), using a 48.5-kilogram (107 lb) high-explosive shell with

5200-429: The battlefield in an indirect-fire role and for engagement against armored vehicles in a direct-fire role. As a heavy assault gun, the ISU-152 was an extremely valuable weapon in urban combat operations such as the Battle of Berlin , Budapest and Königsberg . The vehicle's excellent armour protection finally provided the 152.4 mm gun with good protection from most German anti-tank guns, allowing it to advance into

5304-525: The bottom of the hull behind the driver's seat, which had an armored cover. Later versions had a fourth, round hatch in the superstructure roof on the right, next to the rectangular hatch on the left. ISU-152BM (ИСУ-152БМ), sometimes referred to as ISU-152BM-1 or ISU-152-1, with the factory designation Object 246 (Объект 246), was a single prototype developed in April 1944 in Factory No. 100 in attempt to increase

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5408-448: The common infantry man, being issued as a single unit of ammunition meant to be operated by a single soldier. Firing was done from under the arm at an upward angle as the effective firing range was barely beyond that of hand grenades (30–60 m (98–197 ft) max). After use the launcher was discarded. Development of the Panzerfaust started in 1942. The initial design was dubbed Faustpatrone ( lit. "fist-cartridge") and

5512-402: The concrete-piercing ammunition was used for the anti-tank role. A primitive shaped charge ammunition, with a 27.44-kilogram (60.49 lb) shell, was also developed. It had a maximum penetration of 250 mm of RHA at 90°, but it was not used during the war. The ISU-152's 90 mm of sloped frontal armor, in contrast to the SU-152's 65 mm, provided excellent frontal protection from

5616-399: The development of assault guns for support of the infantry was discussed, the necessity of also developing assault guns capable of destroying fortified positions was acknowledged. It was intended these assault guns would be armed with a 152.4 mm gun-howitzer and used for penetration of the enemy defence in the offensive operations planned for 1942–1943. This resulted in the development of

5720-597: The even heavier long-range concrete-piercing shells. The usual complement of ammunition was 13 high-explosive and 7 armour-piercing or concrete-piercing. The armor penetration can vary between ammunition batches and different rolled homogeneous armour . In June 1944, during the Continuation War , a captured ISU-152 was used by the Finnish military . It was abandoned during the counter-attack at Kärstilänjärvi after receiving numerous shots from Soviet T-34-85 medium tanks. This

5824-410: The face of direct anti-tank fire, while the huge, low velocity, high-explosive rounds were excellent at blasting open even the most heavily fortified and reinforced enemy strongpoints. Such actions would be much more dangerous and much less effective for a conventional towed artillery piece, with their high crew exposure and low mobility, or even a tank, with their smaller main guns. When supporting tanks,

5928-469: The fighting vehicle consisted of two 12.7×108 mm DShK machine guns, one anti-aircraft and one co-axial. The protection was increased by placing thicker armour at more radical angles. In the area of the gun, where the mantlet combined with the hull front behind it and the housing of the recoil mechanism, the armour thickness was 320 millimetres (13 in). Object 704 was the best protected of all experimental or production Soviet self-propelled guns of

6032-468: The fighting. The IS-3M slow rate of fire and rudimentary fire controls proved to be a problem during direct tank engagements; poor handling of the tanks by Egyptian crews also played part for the dismal overall performance of the tank in the war. Zaloga notes that Israeli tankers were usually able to overcome the IS-3M through superior tactics and training and that Egyptian tanks were most dangerous when firing from ambush positions. About 73 IS-3s were lost in

6136-534: The firepower of the ISU-152. The "BM" ("БМ") in the designation stands for "High-Powered" ("Большой Мощности"). The main purpose of the ISU-152BM was to fight against heavily armored tank destroyers such as the Elefant and the Jagdtiger . It was armed with the 152.4 mm BL-8 (БЛ-8) long-barreled gun, which unlike the ISU-152's gun was not a gun-howitzer. The gun had a maximum range of 18,500 metres (20,232 yd), with

6240-401: The first disposable anti-tank weapon. The weapon, when correctly fired from the crook of the arm, could penetrate the armour of any armoured fighting vehicle of the period. To use the Panzerfaust , the soldier removed the safety, tucked the tube under their arm, and aimed by aligning the target, the sight and the top of the warhead. Unlike the original American M1 60 mm bazooka and

6344-454: The first single-use light anti-tank weapons based on a pre-loaded disposable launch tube, a weapon configuration which is still used today (a modern example being the AT4 ). The Panzerfaust -design consisted of a light recoilless launcher tube outfitted with a single pre-loaded high-explosive anti-tank warhead protruding from the muzzle. It was an inexpensive, easy-to-use anti-tank weapon for

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6448-470: The gun (later versions), the number of hatches, or the hull (based on the hull of the IS-1, IS-2 or IS-2 model 1944 tanks). The IS-2 based versions had a thicker gun shield and larger fuel tank. Until May 1944, the main armament was the 152.4 mm ML-20 model 1937 gun-howitzer. The ISU-152 had a rate of fire of 2-3 rounds/min. The early versions had three hatches in the superstructure roof and one emergency hatch at

6552-481: The heavy regiment had 21 guns, divided into four artillery batteries of five vehicles and the commander's vehicle. For support, these heavy regiments had some supplementary unarmoured vehicles such as trucks, jeeps, or motorcycles. In December 1944, Guards Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Brigades were formed, to provide heavy fire support to the tank armies. They were organized along the model of tank brigades, each with 65 ISU-152 or ISU-122 self-propelled guns. To minimize

6656-448: The hull as well as injuries caused by blast concussion. Due to the brittle nature of German tank steel during the latter stages of the war, it was common for impacted armor plates to shatter from the concussive blast, or for weld lines to break, allowing the entire armor piece to fall away. Surviving crew were often left with an immobilized vehicle which had to be hurriedly abandoned before being destroyed. For anti-tank operations following

6760-579: The hull front, limited the maneuverability of the vehicle. The self-propelled gun carried 21 rounds of two-piece (shell and charge) ammunition, and had a rate of fire of 2 rounds per minute. It used the engine, transmission, running gear, and electric equipment of the ISU-122 . In August 1944 the BL-8 gun was replaced with the improved 152.4 mm BL-10 (БЛ-10) long-barreled gun, with a slightly shorter barrel of 7.392 metres (24.25 ft) (48.5 calibers). This vehicle gun

6864-486: The loading was carried out by the lockman. The suspension consisted of twelve torsion bars for the six road wheels on either side. The drive sprockets were at the back, and the front idlers were identical to the road wheels. Each track was made up of 90 links. There were three internal fuel tanks, two in the crew area and one in the engine compartment. These were usually supplemented with four unconnected external fuel tanks. 12- and 24-volt electrical power supplies came from

6968-456: The main fuel capacity. The initial variant was developed in 1943. The factory designation was Object 241 (Объект 241). It was armed with the 152.4 mm ML-20S (МЛ-20С) model 1937 gun-howitzer, with a barrel length of over 4.2 metres (27.9 calibers). This gun had a maximum range of 6,200 metres (6,780 yd). The armor-piercing round, weighing 48.78 kilograms (107.5 lb), had a muzzle velocity of 600 metres per second (1,969 ft/s) and

7072-511: The manufacturer, HASAG, Werk Schlieben, in August 1943. Development began in 1942 on a larger version of the Faustpatrone . The resulting weapon was the Panzerfaust 30, also known as Panzerfaust Gross ( lit. "tank-fist big") and the like, with a total weight of 5.1 kilograms (11.2 lb) and total length of 104.5 centimetres (3.4 ft). The launch tube was made of low-grade steel 44 millimetres (1.7 in) in diameter, containing

7176-399: The massive blast effect from the heavy high-explosive warhead was capable of blowing the turret completely off a Tiger tank. A direct hit usually destroyed or damaged the target's tracks and suspension, immobilizing it. While the low-velocity 152mm high-explosive shell did not generally penetrate heavy armor, it frequently killed or severely wounded the crew through spalling (splintering) inside

7280-580: The nickname Zveroboy ("beast killer") from its predecessor, the SU-152, for its ability to reliably kill the best protected German fighting vehicles; the Panther tank , the Tiger I and Tiger II tanks, and even the rare Elefant and Jagdtiger tank destroyers. The sheer weight of the 152.4 mm shells resulted in an extremely low rate of fire, only two to three rounds per minute, and were not as accurate at long range as high-velocity tank and anti-tank guns. However,

7384-502: The old Factory No.100 in Leningrad, and Factory No.185 at Chelyabinsk led by N. L. Dukhov and M. F. Balzhi worked on designing a new tank to replace the IS-2. Both bureaus took different approaches, with the Kotin team using a turret similar to the IS-2, but with a radically redesigned hull, using welded plates to form what the engineers called the "eagle's beak", but referred to by the military as

7488-561: The post-war ISU-152 variants. Between December 1943 and May 1945, 1,885 ISU-152s were built. Mass production ceased in 1947, with 3,242 vehicles produced in total. Post-war ISU-152 modernisation included installation of night vision sights, replacing of the V-2IS engine with the V-54K, the 12.7mm machine gun was replaced by a newer variant, the ammunition capacity increased to 30 rounds, additional armor, automotive improvements and significant increase of

7592-506: The removal of an internal fuel tank. The gun had a maximum range of 13,000 metres (14,217 yd). The ring protecting the sight was present, and the armour of the upper mantlet front was further increased with a thicker additional armour plate. The ISU-152M had the same V-54K engine with a heater, but lacked the cooling system. The ISU-152 self-propelled gun combined three battle roles: heavy assault gun , heavy tank destroyer and heavy self-propelled artillery . The 152.4 mm gun used

7696-410: The right of centre with a limited traverse of 12 degrees left and right. The crew consisted of four or five men placed in the superstructure. Three of the crew were to the left of the gun: driver to the front, then gunner and last the loader. The vehicle commander and lockman (who operated the gun breech) were to the right: commander to the front and the lockman behind. When the crew consisted of four men,

7800-551: The risks of being knocked out by Panzerfaust -equipped units during urban operations, the ISU-152 usually acted in one- or two-vehicle detachments alongside infantry squads for protection. The infantry squad would include a specialist sniper (or at least a sharpshooter), some submachine gunners and sometimes a flamethrower . The ISU-152's heavy-calibre DShK machine gun was also useful for targeting Panzerfaust gunners hiding on upper floors of city buildings or behind protective cover and defensive barricades. Effective teamwork between

7904-470: The shape of the turret limited gun depression. Wartime production resulted in many mechanical problems and a hull weldline that had a tendency to crack open. According to Sewell, the IS-3 went through three major rebuilds and upgrades between 1949 and 1959 to correct these flaws. The IS-3 came too late to see action in World War II . The first public demonstration of the IS-3 came on 7 September 1945 during

8008-456: The stiffness of the hull, a flaw which would plague the IS-3 throughout its service life; and "folding" the upper part of the hull into a keystone shape providing extra protection without increasing weight: it was disguised with a flat sloped steel plate that joined the top of the hull to the edges of the fenders. The IS-3 chassis and turret gave it a low profile, but it also made difficult for the tank to take advantage of hull down positions since

8112-575: The surrender documents were signed . They took part in the September 7, 1945, victory parade in Berlin under the 71st Guards Heavy Tank Regiment of the 2nd Guards Tank Army . Plans of using IS-3s in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria were shelved due the tank problems. The IS-3 was used in the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary , where a number of them alongside some ISU-152K assault guns were destroyed. According to

8216-535: The tracks. Therefore, it was used as mobile artillery to support more mobile infantry and armor attacks. It continued service into the 1970s and was used in several campaigns and countries. The beginnings of the ISU-152 came on 24 January 1943, when the first prototype of the SU-152 was unveiled. This was a fully enclosed 152mm gun-howitzer on the KV-1S tank chassis. It was designated Объект 236 ("Project 236") . Project 236

8320-408: The traditional cone-shaped warheads of rockets used in the bazooka and Panzerschreck . The design was later copied in the modern-day AT-4 anti-tank weapon, producing the same effect against modern main battle tanks. In the Battle of Normandy , only 6% of British tank losses were from Panzerfaust fire, despite the close-range combat in the thick bocage landscape. However, the threat from

8424-448: The use of a Panzerfaust required a degree of personal courage. The backblast from firing went back around 2 m behind the operator. When used against tanks, the Panzerfaust had an impressive beyond-armour effect . Compared to the bazooka and the Panzerschreck , it made a larger hole and produced massive spalling that killed or injured the crew, due to burns and shrapnel, and destroyed equipment. One informal test found that

8528-543: The usual tactics of the ISU-152 were to be used in the second line of the attack order, 100 to 200 metres (110 to 220 yd) behind the attacking tanks, which were usually IS tanks with equal mobility. The ISU-152, like the earlier SU-152 and contemporary ISU-122 , was employed by Independent Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Regiments. Between May 1943 and 1945, 53 of these regiments were formed. Many of them were re-formed tank regiments, and employed similar direct fire tactics as used by tanks when supporting infantry. Each of

8632-420: The vehicle necessary, using the new IS tank chassis. On 25 May 1943 the administration of Factory No. 100 ordered the modernisation of the SU-152, which included increased armour protection and other improvements. Development began in July 1943, under the supervision of Josef Kotin , the chief designer of Soviet heavy tanks, and G. N. Moskvin as the main designer. The new design, designated IS-152 ( ИС -152),

8736-439: The war, about 70% of tanks destroyed were hit by Panzerfäuste or Panzerschreck s. Soviet and Western Allied tank crews modified their tanks in the field to provide some protection against Panzerfaust attacks. Defensive measures included the use of logs, sandbags, track links, and concrete and wire mesh, along with bed frames with springs (bedsprings), similar to expanded metal-type German tank sideskirts . In practice, about

8840-527: The way until the very last moment, when attacking Soviet troops seized the factory by the first days of 1945. The US 82nd Airborne Division captured some Panzerfäuste in the Allied invasion of Sicily and later during the fighting in Normandy. Finding them more effective than their own bazookas, they held onto them and used them during the later stages of the French Campaign, even dropping with them into

8944-482: Was a compromise, combining the Kotin chassis with the Dukhov turret while retaining the Object 703 factory designation. However the tank could not exceed the weight of the IS-2 tank (46 metric tons ), requiring some redesigns to decrease the new tank weight. To solve this problem, the engineers cut the lower hull between the suspension torsion bars mountings and replacing with angled plates decreasing weight, but also weakening

9048-559: Was a direct result of the Finnish crew's lack of experience and training with the ISU-152. Another captured one was repaired in Varkaus , Finland, but never saw combat. In 1944, more than 30 ISU-152s were delivered to the People's Army of Poland . Shortly afterwards, the Polish military created the 25th Polish Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, which consisted of 10 ISU-152s and 22 ISU-122s . As part of

9152-577: Was abandoned by units of the Soviet Red Army 's 2nd Ukrainian Front in 1944. In 1946, members of the Yugoslav 2nd Tank Brigade's first battalion, led by technical officer Stojimir Ilijevic – Guerrilla, recovered the self-propelled gun after five days of work. As a unique vehicle it was used by the Army's Tank School at Bela Crkva . After it was withdrawn from service, this single Yugoslav ISU-152 ended up as

9256-474: Was armed with the same gun as the SU-152, but it used the hull of the IS-1 tank instead of the KV-1S. Later in the war the ISU-152 was further improved. It used the hull of the IS-2 or IS-2 model 1944 tank, the armour of the mantlet was increased, the gun was replaced by newer variants, a 12.7×108 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun was installed by the right forward hatch and later its ammunition capacity increased,

9360-489: Was assigned a platoon of infantry in urban battles to protect them from infantry-wielded anti-tank weapons, often supported by flamethrowers. That order remained intact even during 1950s, including during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 . During the last stages of the war, due to the lack of available weapons, many poorly-trained conscripts , mainly elderly men and teenage Hitler Youth members, were often given

9464-462: Was captured by the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the city of Donetsk from pro-Russian rebels. Footage of the tank being reactivated by the rebels circulated online, showing the tank being successfully started and driven off its plinth at a memorial in the city of Kostiantynivka , Donetsk Oblast. The D-25T gun was non-operational, so the rebels installed a NSV machine gun on the turret. Sources from

9568-644: Was carried out in the Leningrad Kirov Plant . ISU-152M was the final variant of ISU-152, developed in 1959. The work was now transferred to the Chelyabinsk Kirovsk Plant. This modernisation was parallel to the IS-2M program and the ISU-152M used many elements of the tank. The factory designation was Object 241M (Объект 241М). The innovations included night vision sights, increased ammunition stowage for

9672-495: Was compensated with an increased width of the superstructure. It was armed with the 152.4 mm ML-20SM model 1944 (МЛ-20СМ обр. 1944 г.) gun-howitzer, with a barrel length of over 4.5 metres (15 ft) (29.6 calibers) and no muzzle brake. It had a maximum range of 13,000 metres (42,651 ft). The self-propelled gun carried 20 rounds of two-piece (shell and charge) armour-piercing and high-explosive ammunition. The armour-piercing round, weighing 48.78 kilograms (107.5 lb), had

9776-512: Was completed in Factory No. 100 in Chelyabinsk , and was tested successfully from 24 January to 7 February 1943. On 14 February the vehicle was adopted and put into production under the KV-14 ( кв -14) designation; in April 1943 the designation was changed to SU-152" ( СУ -152). Although the SU-152 was successful in combat, production of the KV-1S tank chassis was ending, which made the modernisation of

9880-486: Was designated ISU-152-2 (ИСУ-152-2). The factory designation was Object 247 (Объект 247). It was also equipped with external fuel tanks. The gun had a modified muzzle brake and a semi-automatic breech block. It had a rate of fire of 3 rounds/min. The BL-10 had a maximum range of 18,000 metres (19,685 yd), with the 43.56-kilogram (96.0 lb) high-explosive shell. In December 1944 the ISU-152-2 underwent trials, revealing

9984-402: Was limited to only 20 or 21 rounds of ammunition, with extra rounds often stowed on the rear deck. Replenishing the vehicle's ammunition supply took over 40 minutes and required a very strong loader, due to the large size and weight of the shells - over 40 kg (88 lb). The ST-10 telescopic sight used for direct fire was graduated up to 900 m (3,000 ft). A second, panoramic, sight

10088-400: Was produced in far greater numbers than the SU-100. Attention to camouflage, quick relocation between firing positions, and massed ambushes of four or five vehicles firing in salvo at a single target's flanks reduced the disadvantage of the low rate of fire. The ISU-152 was also sometimes used as self-propelled artillery for support on the battlefield and preparatory bombardments, though it had

10192-612: Was recommended in a directive by Marshal Georgy Zhukov . Similarly, they were used by the Polish People's Army . After the war, some 4,000 Panzerfäuste were adopted by the Polish Army in 1949, which designated them as PG-49. Plans and technical materials on the Panzerfaust were supplied to the Empire of Japan to assist with their development of an effective anti-tank weapon. However,

10296-433: Was smaller than the later designs. Later dubbed Panzerfaust Klein ("tank-fist small"), it entered service in 1943, the larger design being named Panzerfaust Gross ("tank-fist big") and entering service in mid to late 1944. All types were used by Germany until the end of the war, with the design remaining in use in other countries for a number of years after the war. The Faustpatrone ( lit. "fist cartridge")

10400-469: Was tested from September to November 1943. Testing revealed a large number of deficiencies, which sent it back for further improvement. On 6 November 1943 an order was issued for adoption of the improved variant, under the ISU-152 ( ИСУ-152 ) designation, and in December production began at the Chelyabinsk Kirovsk Plant, replacing the SU-152 . On 15 April 1942, at the plenum of the artillery committee, where

10504-457: Was that of a recoilless gun ; in the Faustpatrone and the Panzerfaust , a propellent charge pushed the warhead out the front of the tube while the blast also exited the rear of the tube, balancing forces, and therefore there was no recoil force for the operator. The following weapon, the Faustpatrone Klein , 30 m ("fist-cartridge small") weighed 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) and

10608-634: Was the heaviest armoured vehicle in the Czechoslovak People's Army , which used these to test newly developed anti-tank obstacles . One captured during World War II. The Romanian Army had received 20 ISU-152s during the 1950s; these were assigned to the artillery units of the 6th, 7th and 57th tank divisions of the Romanian Army. They were known as T-152 in Romanian service. The Yugoslav Army had only one ISU-152 in its inventory. This sole vehicle

10712-499: Was the initial development of what eventually became the Panzerfaust -family. The Faustpatrone -design was much smaller than the later Panzerfäuste -designs. Development of the Faustpatrone started in the summer of 1942 at the German company Hugo Schneider AG (HASAG) with the development of a smaller prototype called Gretchen ("little Greta") by a team headed by Doctor Heinrich Langweiler in Leipzig . The basic concept

10816-401: Was used for direct fire up to 3,500 m (3,800 yd) range no direct fire. However, it was problematic for the gunner to switch between the two. To compensate it was simpler to concentrate the fire of several vehicles onto the target, sacrificing accuracy for volume of firepower. The high-explosive shells were large enough to take out even a heavily armoured vehicle, or a fortification with

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