When Panthers rolled alongside Tiger tanks on the Eastern Front,
eyebrows were certainly raised at the Soviet High Command. How to
overcome these mechanical beasts, whose firepower was only surpassed by
their armor?
Well, by introducing one of the heaviest self-propelled artillery pieces of the war―the famous ISU-152
Nicknamed “The Beast Killer,” it featured a 152.4 mm gun with a
multi-role purpose of knocking out heavy tanks, destroying enemy
fortifications, and providing artillery support for more mobile units
during offensive operations.
An ISU-152 displayed at Karlshorst, Berlin, Germany.Photo Franco Atirador CC BY-SA 3.0Following
the development of its predecessor―the SU-152―which was fitted on the
chassis of the already outdated KV-1 tank, the ISU used the platform of
the newly-developed IS tank series. This gave way to a vehicle
practically immune to most of the German anti-tank arsenal.
Provided with a tracked platform, its offensive role proved pivotal
during battles in urban areas such as Berlin, Budapest, and Königsberg,
where it often clashed with well-fortified last stands manned by fierce
resistance fighters. Front view of ISU-152.Photo Petar Milošević CC BY-SA 3.0After
first rolling off the factory tracks in December 1943, it went into
mass production, eventually leading to 1,885 units manufactured by the
end of the war. By 1947, when production ceased, there had been 3,242
vehicles produced in total.
After the Battle of Kursk, the ISU-152 was provided with
armor-piercing rounds as its tank-killer potential was fully
acknowledged.
At medium range, the Beast Killer was capable of knocking out the
heaviest of German armor, including the rarely-fielded Elefant and
Jagdtiger tank destroyers. ISU-152, in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel.Photo Bukvoed CC BY 2.It
was usually equipped with 13 high-explosive and 7 armor-piercing or
concrete-piercing rounds per vehicle, as its internal stowage could hold
only 20 or 21 rounds of ammunition.
The size and weight of each round, lack of storage space, and fairly
difficult loading process were disadvantages that were reflected in the
rate of fire.
The other thing that plagued the ISU-152 was the use of two visors,
telescopic and panoramic, depending on the distance of the target.
It proved rather difficult for the gunner to switch between the two, resulting in a lack of accuracy. ISU-152, Kubinka Tank Museum.Photo Сайга20К CC BY 2.5After
WWII, the ISU-152 was mostly exported to the countries of the Eastern
Bloc, as well as Egypt, North Korea, China and other traditional allies
of the USSR.
The ISU-152 was reportedly last used in combat as part of the Iraqi forces during the First Gulf War in 1990. ISU-152. Photo 270862 CC BY-ND 2.0ISU-152.. Photo 270862 CC BY-ND 2.0ISU-152K, Victory Park, Moscow, Russia
Assault gun ISU-152 and soviet trucks Assault gun ISU-152 in Lvov July 1944 Assault gun ISU-152 Romania 1944 Captured ISU152 code 1212 Finland 1944 Heavy assault guns ISU-152 ISU-152 “1161 in Berlin 1945 ISU-152 “Dosenöffner” captured by German forces ISU-152 “White 01” 1944
ISU-152 “White 336” ISU-152 “Zveroboy” July 1944 ISU-152 “Зверобой” in Königsberg 1945 ISU-152 and T-34 85 1945 ISU-152 coded 343 ISU-152 Czechoslovakia May 1945 ISU-152 destroyed in Finland 2 ISU-152 destroyed in FinlandISU-152 Germany 1945 ISU-152 guns, East Prussia April 1945 ISU-152 in Berlin 1945 ISU-152 of the 1st Guards Tank Army passing a pontoon bridge ISU-152 of the 2nd Ukrainian Front ISU-152 of the 396th Guards SPG Regiment June 1944 ISU-152 Poland February 1945 ISU152 guns from 374yh Guards Heavy Self-propelled Gun Regiment Lvov 1944 Soviet self-propelled gun ISU-152
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