35303 Russian Heavy Self-Propelled Gun JSU-152

Tamiya: Russian Heavy Self-Propelled Gun JSU-152

In order to counter German tanks such as the Tiger I and Panther, the Russian army used the JS-2 heavy tank’s chassis to create the JSU-152 heavy self-propelled gun. It was a development of the KV-1S-based SU-152 that first saw action at Kursk in the summer of 1943, featuring improved armour protection and a simple superstructure which housed a massive ML-20S 152mm howitzer.

This gun could fire the same ammunition as another widely-used field gun, provide direct fire from ranges within 700m and indirect fire up to a range of 15km, and its heavy shells could penetrate 120mm of armour at a distance of 1km or destroy pillboxes with concrete walls up to 300mm thick. Its V-2-JS diesel engine and sturdy suspension, both from the JS-2, gave it the mobility to tackle various missions. The design was finalized in September 1943 and mass production began within the year, with most examples assigned to independent heavy self-propelled artillery regiments. They officially entered combat in the summer of 1944 during Operation Bagration, where Russian soldiers gave it the nickname Zveroboy (beast killer) due to its ability to destroy Tiger I and Panther tanks. The JSU-152 proved its effectiveness against both tanks and fortifications all the way to the Battle of Berlin and greatly contributed to the Russian victory. 4,075 examples, including variants armed with a 122mm gun, were built during the war and over 5,000 were produced after WWII to pose a threat to the West until the 1970s.

35303 Russian Heavy Self-Propelled Gun JSU-152

About the Model

* This is a 1/35 scale assembly kit of the Russian Heavy Self-Propelled Gun JSU-152.
* The model features realistic cast metal surface texture on mantlet, steel plates, and other hull features.
* Intricate DShK machine gun parts and photo-etched engine grilles provide the model with greater realism.
* Belt and assembly type tracks included.
* 1 commander and 1 loader figure included.
* Four kinds of markings included.