Hi all. I am in the process of trying to collect info, pics and drawings of the rear interior (motor compartment) of the ISU 152 or 122.
Would it be the same as the KVII interior?!? These tanks are new to me and I have some ref pics of a rusty ISU 152 that I have wanted to build for a year now. I don't have the Tamiya kit, but picked up an Eastern Express kit for $10 at a local model show this past weekend. I know the kit is dated, but for what I have in mind it will work. I checked Prime Portal for pics, but only found some of the fighting compartment, which also helps for my project.
Pics or drawings of the compartment without motor and tranny is what I need.
Any help will be most appreciated.

Rob
www.scratchmod.com

Your Eastern Express kit is probably the SU-152. EE did not make a ISU-152 that I know of. The SU-152 is based on the KV-1S hull, not the ISU hull.

There are 3 kits out there of the ISU-152: DML, Zvezda, and Tamiya. Zvezda's kit is also under the Italeri and Revell of Germany label.

The DML kit would be the best one for a economical "hulk" as the running gear and lower hull are incorrect. Zvezda's kit is good for a cheap ISU that you may want to scratchbuild or re-build to make a nice kit. Tamiya's kit is fabulous OOB.

The kit I have says KV-14 (SU i52) ?? Looking at the bow it does look like a KVII bow !! the kit no. is 35103 if that helps.

Here is a pic of the tank I want to model. As you can see the road wheels are all buried in the earth so that won't be too big of a problem.

FOR DISCUSSION ONLY



I still have time until I start this project so I may end up getting the Tamiya kit, if I can get it cheap enough.
Thanks again for the help.

Rob
www.scratchmod.com

I looked at the kit I have and yes you are correct. I noticed there are a lot of differences. I will be getting the Tamiya kit after all. The one I have now will still be used for a future rust bucket.
So can I assume I need to search for interior pics and drawings of the KV's lower hull ?!? What I'm after are the mounts for the tranny, motor and torsion bars as well as all the rods for steering/ breaking etc.

Thanks again and sorry for being a pain with this.

Rob
www.scratchmod.com

Hi Rob , drop me a email after the 20th Nov , I will scan the original workshop manual and send you the engine bay details . [email protected] cheers ian

Hey Ian thank you very much for the help, wow that is so cool and will help a lot. I'll work on getting a correct kit and barrel for this build. I'll keep searching and trying to educate myself on the tank.

Rob
www.scratchmod.com

Rob - The ISU in your picture is an ISU-152M post war. They had numerous modifications including new hatches, thicker armor over the mantlet, the removal of 1 internal fuel cell, IR equipment and it used the T-54s motor.

Chris

Thanks Chris for the info, it is a bit confusing as with any other tank.

I figured it was a late or post war tank. I have found some walk arounds of these tanks and have spotted some differences already. I am a bit confused however. This tank and others have a different hull and also superstructure than others. One is the type found on the JS tanks, while others have a KV lower hull !?!

I want to scratch build what would be left in the interior of the tank including the motor area, like what I am doing with my T-69.

Rob
www.scratchmod.com

Rob,
I figured thats what you were doing. I think the difference in the hulls was due to the later production, 1953 and 1959 used the IS-3M and IS-4 hulls with the rest accounting for rebuilds?
Im trying to think if its Cromwell or MR Models that does the ARV variant, but I think thats used with the DML IS-2/ISU kits.

Its funny that the Russians used this vehicle up to the 70s but it could only carry 21 rounds and you had to have a strong burly-man loader
I can just imagine how cramped it must have been inside.

Chris

That's an ISU-152. Yes, dug in like that the Dragon kit would be OK. These vehicles had roughly the same engines as KVs and T-34s, but the gear box was different.
If you can find a Zvezda kit, it's crude but relatively accurate dimensionally, you'll need the mod cons, naturally.

There is a fellow who posts regularly on Hyperscale (I think his name is Victor Kulikov) who's flogging really good Russian tank books. I think a couple of them may have exactly what you want but you'll have to contact him. Text will be in Russian, but who cares if the Tech drawings are good?

Chris and Kevin thanks a bunch for the info, I learned something new,again.
I'm not too worried about the accuracy as long as it isn't major, a mm here or there is good enough for me.
I will try and get the Dragon and the Tamiya kits, I don't plan on doing only one of these tanks.
Are there any good reviews or comparisons of the kits.

Thanks again.
Rob

[Are there any good reviews or comparisons of the kits.

Nothing on PMMS for either kit, but heres a review from Cybermodeller that has sprue shots......

Tamiya ISU-152

Its great just out of the box. The tracks are ace too! IF you want to you could add the various tie downs and bolts for the P/e engine screens along with drilling out the eye bolts all over the top and rear end. I beat the &^%$ of of mine - its done but unpainted. If you buy the Tamiya kit you won't be sorry -

Chris

Thanks for the link Chris, but I keep getting an error message.
I had checked PMMS for a review last night. Figured maybe they have a review, but nope.
I was hoping to gather enough info while waiting for the T-55 resin motor compartment to arrive. I like to work on a couple of things at once so I don't get bored with one build, then shelf it.


Rob

Guys, while the Tamiya ISU-152 builds very well out of the box, there are a few things that you need to do to the kit for accuracy.

The kit's upper rear hull plate lacks the rain gutter above the hatch which was fitted from the spring of 1944 onward. You can add this quite easily from strip styrene if you're modeling a vehicle built after the spring of 1944.

The kit includes the later pattern return rollers with large lightening holes, which were introduced in July 1944. You need to either fill the lightening holes for a late 1943 or early 1944 production example, or add the rain gutter as noted above.

The tracks represent the split-link type with a guide tooth on every second link, which were fitted to early production examples and were replaced in the summer of 1944 with an updated track featuring a guide tooth on every link.

The stowage bracket for the towing shackles on the left front fender is incorrect and should be replaced. I used a part from Aber's set for the Tamiya IS-2.

The eye bolts/lifting eyes need drilling out, but this is a bit of a pain since they're molded in situ on the upper hull and superstructure, and some of them are tough to reach with a drill.

There are numerous tie-downs that can be added. ET Model does an etched brass update set for the DML kits but most of the parts will fit the Tamiya kit too. I used a bunch of tie-downs from Aber's set for the Tamiya IS-2.

Rob, if you're still chasing diagrams of the ISU engine and transmission compartments, I can send you drawings from the TMs.

Cheers,

Neil

Wow that is a lot of great info, thanks Neil. I think the tank I'll be doing will be a post or very late war tank. The reference pic shows what looks like stowage boxes mounted to the sides !?! I definetely want to do an open motor comp on this one, as per the ref pic.
Neil any drawings of the motor comp and floor of the fighting comp would be awesome.
[email protected]

I have some walk around pics of the gun and mount and will scratch build that. I may also have it cast in resin for other SU 152's in the near future.

So the kit I have now I assume is an early SU 152 on the KV lower hull, right?!?

Man these big Russian beast are getting me hooked. First the T-55 and now this I'm lovin it

Thanks all for the super support I'm getting.

Rob
www.scratchmod.com

Hi Rob,

I'll dig out the drawings and e-mail them to you tomorrow.

For a late-war vehicle, use the DShK machine gun (included in the Tamiya kit) on the commander's hatch...they were fitted from the end of 1944 onward. For a post-war vehicle, you'll need to add another grab-handle on each side of the superstructure, on the forward side plate.

The reference pic you have is an ISU-152K, which was an upgraded variant from the mid-1950s, with a different engine and cooling system, therefore a different engine deck layout, and the stowage boxes on the sponsons. The superstructure roof was also very different from 'regular' ISU-152s, with an additional loader's hatch, modified gunner's hatch and a commander's cupola instead of the regular hatch. This would be a serious conversion project from a regular ISU. I've seen it done by a guy in Russia, but it was almost a scratch-build. I'd recommend going with a regular ISU.

The Eastern Express kit you have is an SU-152 based on the KV-1S chassis, as distinct from the ISU-152 which was based on the IS-1/IS-2 chassis. Not just the hull and running gear was different...the superstructure on the ISUs was taller and the roof layout was different.

Cheers,

Neil

All this info has be soldering my ABER IS-2 fenders tonight and buying for AM parts for my ISU-152.

Rob I can't wait for your build!

Neil thank you for all the valuable info you've provided so far. It's all making sense now. I think most of the details on this vehicle will be gone as per the ref pics. I will definitely be doing the SU 152 as well.
Here is a pic of the roof, I see what you are talking about.

FOR DISCUSSION ONLY


Looking forward to the drawings. I'm already planning the scratch building in my head, and once I get the kit I will start the actual build.

Thanks again.
Rob
www.scratchmod.com.