The Third release from Italeri using the IS chassis, this time it is the 122mm version and this time there is no simple version included. The kit uses the same hull as the ISU-152 kit with a new gun housing for the 122mm gun

The main sprue contains the hull, gun mounts and hatches, suprisingly all the hatches are moulded open, (of sorts) although the drivers is moulded as an open space the visor is designed to be posed closed, but with a bit of effort could also be made open

A closer look at the upper and lower hull

the nose has some fine cast texture as has the gun mount

The suspension is simplified in parts but is still a passable representation

The only real problem lies with the half a shovel, although when compared to the Dragon Panthers half shovels the Italeri one is fully formed around the blade but is missing half the handle.

The Track sprues are the same as used in the IS-2 and ISU-152 kits, the tracks are nicely detailed and the wheels are prehaps the best IS wheels in 1/72 having all the details but suffering slightly in depth.

Decals are provided for 5 vehicles 2 from Berlin 1945, 2 from Poland 1944-45 and 1 from summer 1944, no unit identification is given for any of the options.

References

• Russian Tanks of WW II by Tim Bean and Will Flower
• IS-2 Heavy tank 1943-73 by Stephen Zaloga Osprey New Vanguard
• Tank IS By ? Russian Print book
• Soviet Postwar tanks - Bronekollekchiy
• Soviet/Russian Armour and artillery design practices 1945 to present - Hull,Markov and Zaloga