Tag Archives: zvezda

Russian Tank Destroyer ISU-152 (Zvezda)

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This is the Zvezda 3532 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Tank Destroyer ISU-152’.

Russian Tank Destroyer ISU-152

History

The ISU-152 marks its beginning on January 24, 1943. This was the moment of appearance of the first fighting vehicle of this family. It was designated Object 236 (Объект 236), using the same concept as the SU-152.

The Object 236 was completed in Factory No. 100 in Chelyabinsk, and on the same day, January 24, underwent trials on the Chebarkulski artillery range, 107 km from Chelyabinsk. By February 7, 1943 the trials were over, passed with success. On February 14 the vehicle was adopted and put on production under the KV-14 (КВ-14) designation.

In April 1943 was ordered KV-14 to be henceforth designated SU-152 (СУ-152). In time, the combat performance of SU-152, based on the KV-1S tank, made necessary the modernization of the vehicle, using the new IS tank as a base.

Source: Wikipedia

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German Panserkampfwagen IV, Ausf. E (Zvezda)

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This is the Zvezda 3641 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Panserkampfwagen IV, Ausf. E’.

German Panserkampfwagen IV, Ausf. E

History

The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.

The Panzer IV was the most widely manufactured German tank and the second-most widely manufactured German armored fighting vehicle of the Second World War, with some 8,500 built.

The Panzer IV chassis was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including the Sturmgeschütz IV assault gun, Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer, the Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, and the Brummbär self-propelled gun.

Source: Wikipedia

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Russian T-34/76, with mine roller (Zvezda)

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This is the Zvezda 3580 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Tank T-34/76, with mine roller’.

Russian Tank T-34/76, with mine roller

History

Fighting with mine barriers became one of the major problems of the Red Army attacks during WWII.

The supreme command ordered urgently the development of a mine clearing device.

At that time the T-34 and its variants were the most widely used tanks in the Soviet Army. So it was logical to adapt the T-34 as carrier. This combination was then successfully in service through the whole WWII.

Source: Zvezda

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Russian Tank T-34/76 (Zvezda)

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This is the Zvezda 3535 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Tank T-34/76’.

Russian Tank T-34/76

History

The T-34 had well-sloped armour, a relatively powerful engine, and wide tracks.

The initial T-34 version had a powerful 76.2mm gun, and is often called the T-34/76.

The T-34/76, like many other contemporary tanks, had a two-man turret crew arrangement. This required the tank commander to aim and fire the gun while having to coordinate with other tanks and potentially also being a platoon commander, and proved to be inferior to the three-man (commander, gunner, and loader) turret crews of German Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks, which allowed the tank’s commander to concentrate solely on that job.

Source: Wikipedia

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Russian Tank Destroyer ISU-122 (Zvezda)

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This is the Zvezda 3534 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Tank Destroyer ISU-122’.

Russian Tank Destroyer ISU-122

History

As the tanks of World War II grew bigger and stronger, the need for more powerful weapons to destroy them also grew. One solution was the so-called “tank destroyer”: basically a massive cannon mounted on tracks. While these vehicles offered more firepower than any tank, the fact that they did not have a turret left them vulnerable to more maneuverable vehicles and infantry attacks.

The ISU-122 was built on the proven chassis of the IS-2 heavy tank, which it shared with the ISU-152 self-propelled howitzer. When Soviet production of hulls exceeded their ability to produce the large ML-20S howitzers, the decision was made to install the smaller 122mm A-19S gun in the extra hulls, and the ISU-122 was born.

The new tank destroyer was equipped with a full-enclosed armored cockpit. The 122mm gun could be used to destroy both enemy tanks and fortifications. For this purpose, ISU-122s were supplied to special assault groups. Production of the ISU-122 ended as the war drew to a close. After the war, most of the surviving ISU-122s were refitted as rocket launchers.

Source: Zvezda Website

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German Personnel Carrier, Hanomag (Zvezda)

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This is the Zvezda 3572 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘German Personnel Carrier, Hanomag, Sd.Kfz.251/1, Ausf. B’.

German Personnel Carrier, Hanomag, Sd.Kfz.251/1, Ausf. B

History

In 1937 Hanomag was appointed by the German Wehrmacht to develop a medium semi-tracked armored personnel carrier, capable to accompany the tanks of the Panzer Divisions. Production started in 1939 and continued until 1943.

The 251 served as basis for many variants, over 4000 units were built in total. This is the basic version armed with two 7.92mm MG-34’s. The vehicle reached a maximum speed of 50km/h and had a range of 300km. It was able to carry 12 Panzer grenadiers.

Source: Zvezda website

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  • Hobbymesse 2014

Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2 (Zvezda)

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This is the Zvezda 3608 kit in 1/35 scale, of the ‘Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2’.

Russian Heavy Tank, KV-2

History

76-mm tank gun L-11, mounted on KV, didn’t prove to be sufficiently powerful to fight Pillboxes and other fortifications. A new KV-2 tank, fitted with the M-10 152-mm howitzer in the turret, was designed for the destruction of defensive military fortifi cations.

The production of the KV-2s started in 1940 and soon after the start of WWII in Russia the production of the vehicles was phased out as this single-purpose tank was an exorbitant luxury in the severe conditions of the initial period of the war.

Source: Zvezda website

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