Jim Warford

Thanks for the clarification...

Interesting...I've always been interested in the IS-3 and its history. I think that most folks unjustly criticize the IS-3 even after the most important repairs/modifications were in place. For me, any evaluation of this tank must include what the Israelis thought of it after fighting Egyptian IS-3Ms in 1967...an important part of any evaluation of the IS-3. It's important to remember that Egyptian IS-3Ms were knocking out Israeli M48s using ammo from 1944/1945 and 1947.

Maybe so...but we're talking about continued work (at the time), on 152mm ammo. The 152 was always part of the plan and maybe, just maybe...there are a couple of 152mm-armed Armatas hidden away somewhere.

Interesting...but, yes they did want the 152mm main gun. They've been in love with the 152 ever since the SU-152 was knocking out German heavy tanks with HE ammo in WWII. Soviet tanks like the Object 477 and Object 195 were intended to fight WWIII with a 152mm main gun. The corruption/political factor is huge and probably more controlling than most folks realize...that said, why dedicate all the resources and effort required to turn away from traditional conventional turret designs, and go with low-profile or unmanned turrets and elevated main guns? Certainly not for the 125...an unmanned or almost unmanned turret was needed to make room for the 152mm gun and autoloader. You're right about the Object 195; its development was pretty far along with a 152mm main gun. The development of the Object 477 was also moving right along, again with its 152mm main gun. The Armata platform lends itself to the addition of a 152; the crew has been moved to the hull and the additional length gives new needed space for a larger autoloader. Maybe the plan was to field both a 125mm and a 152mm version of the Armata? The more powerful version could be organized into assault gun or tank destroyer companies...and we know they've done that before.

😃

Thanks for sharing this pic...excellent build! While the vehicle number is correct (the assault gun company(s) seen in Roznava did use the 500-series vehicle numbers), Operation Danube was actually conducted in 1968.

Haha...I wish I could build models... 😃

You may be right...the key to a 152mm-armed Armata variant may have been expected foreign investment. There's no doubt they want a 152mm-armed tank...they've always wanted a 152mm-armed tank. The list of proposed/prototype vehicles goes way beyond the three I included on this slide. I've always thought it was odd that they went with the Armata design that we all know so well and kept the 125mm main gun. Why move the crew to an armored capsule in the hull and stick with the 125mm? In any case, I wouldn't be surprised if there were one or two 152mm-armed Armatas behind the curtain somewhere. Before the renovation/upgrade at Kubinka, there was one vehicle hangar with no windows that wasn't open to the public...I've always been curious what was housed in that building.

Just for fun...

Stuart; thanks for posting that conversation...some of those guys are off by about a mile and a half. Here's the video clip on You Tube...

Apparently, the Soviets weren't that impressed with the M103...

The SU-122-54's cousin, the ISU-122S...still being tracked to at least 1973: