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IS-2 / JS-2 (Josef Stalin)

1943 COLD WAR WORLD WAR 2

History

After the invading Germans in the summer of 1941 lost much of their territory, the need for an increasingly powerful chain of firepower by the Soviet Army became prominent. 2) proved to be adequate, but only to a certain extent, as they lacked the battlefield mobility required by the fabled T-34 medium tank family when using similar weapons. The KV-1's F-34 76.2mm gun is more of a tank killer.

Equipped with a tank destroyer, the KV-2 is equipped with a 152mm howitzer and is more of a fire support vehicle. Although the T-34 was an evolving system, its base 76 lacked the required firepower. The 2mm main gun and armour protection are limited, especially against the newer German Panther and Tiger heavy tank series. Therefore, the Red Army strives to introduce newer and better systems to level the playing field.

Thus, such a development became the IS series of heavy tanks - often referred to as the "Joseph Stalin" series - the most powerful tanks in service with the Red Army throughout World War II. The IS family laid the foundation for the theory of Soviet tank development for decades to come.

The IS family was born from the "KV-85" tank and its 85mm main gun. New requirements for the Soviet Army called for a similar armor system with improved armor protection and 85mm weapons. The resulting designation "IS-85" marked the first 85mm heavy tanks, which became the "IS-85" shortly thereafter when Marshal Kliment Voroshilov politically fell out of favor with his government superiors. -1". Therefore, in honor of the Soviet leader, the new series of tanks was renamed "Joseph Stalin". The IS-85 prototypes appeared in the fall of 1943 and shared the same hull and landing gear as the KV series, but their armor protection was greatly improved thanks to a new welded turret.

In addition, Soviet engineers managed to create a lighter tank product than the KV-85, which required a less powerful engine while increasing the top speed on the road. The IS-85 then officially became the production-ready "IS-1".

As the war progressed, work continued on a new IS-series form that was continually improved. This eventually resulted in the "IS-100" prototype, armed with a 100mm BS-3 main gun. IS-100 is completed and assessed in relatively small numbers. Another weapon replacement soon appeared in the 122mm A-19 main gun, and both systems were directly tested. While the BS-3 performed better in terms of armor-piercing characteristics, it was insufficiently numerous and did not maximize the use of available HE (High Explosive) projectiles.

The A-19, on the other hand, can be used in large numbers while still having reasonable anti-tank characteristics, albeit capable of firing high-explosive ordnance with high efficiency. It was then approved that the A-19 would be the new main gun for the new IS tank variant. The pilot form of the new IS tank became "IS-122", a designation for the use of a 122mm barrel. The IS-122 became the "IS-2" as it entered mass production in October 1943. From 1943 to 1945, about 2,250 prototypes were produced at the Kirov plant, and UZTM Heavy Industries was also used for manufacturing to meet the needs of the Red Army.

The first combat action was recorded in April 1944, when IS-2 fought under the banners of the 11th and 72nd Independent Guards Tank Regiments, excelling against German Panther tanks - in every sense, Joseph Stalin The legacy of the tank begins.

The design of the IS-2 was typical of the Soviet approach to mechanized warfare - both in World War II and the subsequent Cold War years. A pair of track systems dominate either side of the vehicle, working with six wheels on one track side. The drive sprocket is at the rear, the chain idler is at the front, and three chain idlers guide the top of the chain. The armor plates are well sloped and covered with thick armor.

The top of the fuselage is relatively low, and a round, thickly armored turret is placed on top. The turret - placed further forward in the design - has a thick shroud for maximum forward protection in this vulnerable spot, and a long-barreled 122mm main gun. The gun protruded from the front end of the hull.

The engine is a 600-horsepower diesel-powered 12-cylinder V2 capable of a top speed of 23 mph and a range of 150 miles in ideal conditions. The engine is mounted in the aft compartment inside the fuselage. Additional fuel supplies can be carried externally along the rear of the hull. The vehicle weighs 51 tons, travels over 32 feet long, is over 10 feet wide and nearly 9 feet tall. It was piloted by a crew of four, including the driver, tank commander, gunner and loader.

The driver managed a position in the center of the front of the fuselage. Various fairings provide vehicle armor protection ranging from 30mm to 160mm. The original turret was welded, while castings were produced in May 1944. A 7.62mm DT machine gun was mounted coaxially with the turret. Another 7.62mm DT machine gun was mounted to the rear of the turret to counter enemy infantry trying to attack the vehicle from the vulnerable rear.

Only later IS-2 brands used the heavy 12.7mm DShK machine gun on top of the turret for anti-aircraft purposes.

The appearance of the production IS-2 remained virtually unchanged during the war. The original production form featured a stepped glacis plate with a smaller gun cover, but no gun choke.

In 1944, an improved production version appeared, with a smooth front baffle housing the 122mm D25-T main gun, covered by double-walled muzzle brakes. The new D-25T gun features a semi-automatic breech, which simplifies the loading/firing process and allows tanker crews to fire two rounds per minute. The mantle size was increased, and finally a travel fuse was installed at the rear of the fuselage.

It was not until late in the war that a heavy 12.7mm anti-aircraft gun was mounted on top of the turret to counter threats from low-altitude aircraft.

After entering service, the IS-2 proved to be an impressive addition to the Red Army's inventory and was delivered in large numbers, replacing the KV-85 tank formation. All IS-1 series tanks produced at that time were equipped with a 122mm main gun and were delivered under the IS-2 brand. These grade IS-100 tanks were also equipped with a 122mm main gun, which became the "IS-1B" designation. The IS-2 series subsequently became a clear hallmark of the IS series, especially in its 1944 camouflage, when key elements such as cast turrets were introduced to improve the entire series.

The IS-2 proved crucial to the Soviet Union's destruction of Berlin to end the war in Europe.

If the IS-2 retains any downside, it is its oversized projectile ammunition. The 122-mm projectiles are individually charged, increasing the reloading time for even the most experienced tanker crew.

As expected, the shell itself was large and heavy, providing an awkward shape for maneuvering within the tight confines of the turret. Since the storage space of each tank is limited at best, the size of the 122mm projectile is certainly a limitation, so only 28 rounds of 122mm ammunition were carried.

Relative to the available 122mm shells, the AP form (armor-piercing round) proved less suitable for frontal attacks against German Panthers, although still penetrating. It's worth noting that by the summer of 1944, the Germans had officially switched armor manufacturing from manganese steel to nickel-containing carbon steel, which basically caused them to become more fragile on impact. Combining this with the 122mm shells, the Soviets believed their projectiles played an important role.

The Panther, Tiger or Tiger II's vulnerability is still on the side, rear or near the turret. In fact, the IS-2's use of Soviet high-explosive rounds is the real highlight of the series. The high-explosive rounds proved quite capable of dispersing most of the German fortified concentration.

As such, the IS-2 was solid as an assault gun and its tank-killing capabilities, and the "cannon" approach to this operation was something the Germans admired and noticed even in their own post-war designs.

After the war, the wartime IS-2 would undergo some sort of modernization to make it a viable battlefield component during the Cold War. The modernization program resulted in the use of side skirt armor protection on the upper part of the track and added provisions for the installation of additional external fuel storage tanks in the rear of the fuselage. In this updated form, IS-2 became "IS-2M". Other countries allied with the Soviet Union also received powerful IS-2s, including Cuba, China and North Korea.

Soviet/Russian army formations entered service in 1995, although they originated in WW2.

The IS-2 was eventually replaced by the upgraded IS-3 series, which continued to address tanks based on World War II operations. This version features a new round cast turret that is overall lower. Deliveries began in 1944, but the model arrived too late to serve on the Eastern Front in WWII.

The IS heavy tank series peaked with the arrival of the IS-10, the last Joseph Stalin tank - later renamed the "T-10".