Trumpeter has such a kit, but where and how was the vehicle actually utilized? I saw the Wikipedia article but found little information on it.

ASU-85 was used in Russian and Polish airborne units. It was POSSIBLE to air drop, but never was. Brought in on aircraft or helicopter. There were even some in Afghanistan (pictures of them at the Kabul airport are just now surfacing). Google ASU-85 and click on the b/w pics that show up, they often lead to pages discussing the use of it.

BTW, the Trumpeter ASU-85 kits, either one, both need a mantlet cover. They were almost never without it (only 1 photo I know of with a m1956 version without the mantlet cover).

Hi;

They are Excellent kits IMHO !


CHEERS; MIKE.

Accurate Armour has an excellent resin replacement mantlet with cover. I used it on my build, hardly any cleanup and it looks great. Along with Afghanistan, they were also used during Operation Danube(1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia).


Erik

Afghanistan :

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/201432&page=1

Prague Spring 1968

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/182427

H.P.

Without going into too much research, what is the difference between the two Trumpeter kits?







Jeff

Maybe this...

All ASU-85s were provided with an R-113 radio and the R-120 intercom system. In the early 1970s, some vehicles were fitted with a DShK-M 12.7mm heavy machine gun with 600 rounds. These vehicles had a reduced combat load of 39 main gun rounds and received the NATO designator ASU-85 M1974. The original designation was SU-85M or ASU-85M. The ASU-85 could also be equipped with smoke generators BDSh-5.

As you can see:

No MG mount here



And it's here:

Another problem with trumpeter kits is the lack of the holed teeths of the tracks used to lighten the vehicle for air drop and transport.
Some pics show display vehicles at museum with solid guide teeth coming from PT-76 light tank but operational tanks had light ones.