The IS-1 and IS-2 are Soviet heavy tanks. The name of which stands for Joseph Stalin.
History of creation.
IS-1
The beginning of work on the IS-1 tank is associated with the appearance at the front in the winter of 1942-1943. heavy German tank “Tiger”, with which the KV-1 , T-34 and KV-1S could not cope, that is, they simply did not pierce it. As a result of the decree No. 2943ss, the Chelyabinsk plant No. 100 was required to provide two samples of the IS tank for state tests.
In the construction of the samples, some parts from the KV-13 were used. The first sample (IS-1) was equipped with the classic 76-mm ZiS-5 cannon, and the second sample (IS-2, but has nothing to do with the serial IS-2) was equipped with a 122-mm howitzer from the KV-9. IS-1 received the factory name “Object 233”, even later it will be called the IS-85. Why? Let’s consider a little later.
IS-1 Heavy Tank
The tests lasted a little less than a month. And they showed that the tank has a very good layout, good speed and maneuverability. But at the end of the tests, accurate data was obtained on the armor of the “Tiger”, and on April 15, a decree was issued on the creation of powerful tank guns and their installation in new tanks.
In June, four 85mm tank guns (two S-31s and two D-5Ts) were ready for installation in tanks. However, there was a problem with the tower. The new guns did not fit into the old turret, so it had to be enlarged, and as a result, the hull length was also increased by 420 mm. It is worth noting that the tower now looked the same as that of the past IS-1. By the end of the tests, it turned out that IS # 2 with the D-5T gun showed itself better. Further tests took place at the test site in Kubinka, at the same time a new KV-85 arrived there with the same D-5T cannon. Both vehicles successfully passed all tests and were adopted by the Red Army on September 4.
IS-2
It is worth noting that the same decree, which refers to the adoption of the IS-1, spoke about the creation of the IS-2 with a 122-mm cannon caliber, it also spoke about the creation of the ISU-152. Why did you choose the 122mm caliber? Why not 100mm? Not 115 mm? The fact is that Zh. Ya. Kotin, having analyzed the Battle of Kursk, noticed that the 122-mm A-19 corps guns fought the Tiger tank most successfully. Design Bureau No. 9 made a blueprint for a new cannon in the IS-85 turret as soon as possible, and Kotin personally presented the project to I.
Stalin, who approved the project and ordered the tests to begin as soon as possible. Therefore, literally two weeks later, the prototype was ready for testing. The IS-2 was given the factory name “Object 240”. The tests were very fast and successful. However, during the tests, with one of the shots, the T-type muzzle brake exploded – it was necessary to install a German one. In 1944, by the way, a new muzzle brake was developed for the IS-2.
Later, the shape of the frontal armor plate also changed, tk. German guns of the 43rd of the 44th years easily penetrated the armor of the IS-2 (and the IS-1, respectively). Thus, the frontal sheet was straightened over the entire surface, and it became “straight”. This made it possible not to increase the thickness of the frontal armor while increasing the armor protection.
By the way, the IS-1 was discontinued in January 1944, 4 months after the start of production. At the end of the story, it is probably worth noting that the names IS-1 and IS-2 were awarded only from March 1944, before that they were called IS-85 and IS-122, respectively.
Armament
Consider both the 85mm and 122mm cannons. Their characteristics will be recorded side by side, 85mm / 122mm.
- Mass of the gun, kg – 2480 / Unknown
- Ammunition, sn. – 59/28. It is worth noting that only armor-piercing shells were produced for the D-25T (122-mm) cannon.
- The initial flight speed of an armor-piercing projectile, m / s, – 792/800
- Sighting range, m, – 2000/3000
- Vertical guidance angles, city.: -5 ° + 22 ° / −3 ° … + 20 °
Armor penetration:
Inclination degrees are measured in relation to a horizontal surface.
- Armor-piercing, at a distance of 500 m, mm / deg. – 105/90 ° / 155/90 °
- Armor-piercing, at a distance of 1 km, mm / deg. – 100/90 ° / 145/90 °
- Armor-piercing, at a distance of 2 km, mm / deg. – 85/90 ° / 125/90 °
- Rate of fire, rds / min – up to 8 / up to 1.5, later up to 2.
Additional weapons:
Three 7.62 mm DT machine guns: a course one, paired with a gun, and a stern one, mounted in the rear of the turret / Similar. Since 1945, the DShK heavy machine gun has been installed on the roof of the tower.
Tactical and technical characteristics
The comparison of combat characteristics will take place in the same way as when comparing weapons.
- Weight, t – 44/46
- Crew, h – 5. Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver-mechanic, Radio operator-gunner / Similar.
- Body length, mm – 6770/6770
- Case width, mm – 3070/3070
- Height, mm – 2735/2630
Reservation
- Degrees are measured in relation to a vertical surface.
- Body forehead (top), mm / deg. – 120/30 ° / 120/60 °
- Body forehead (middle), mm / deg. – 60/78 ° / Did not exist
- Body forehead (bottom), mm / deg. – 90/30 ° / 100/30 °
- Hull board (top), mm / deg. – 90/0 ° / 90/15 °
- Hull board (bottom), mm / deg. – 90/0 ° / 90/0 °
- Body feed (top), mm / deg. – 60/49 ° / 60/49 °
- Body feed (bottom), mm / deg. – 60/41 ° / 60/41 °
- Bottom, mm – 20/20
- Hull roof, mm – 30/30
- Weapon mask, mm / deg. – 100/100
- Tower forehead, mm / deg. – 100 / Boar head / 100 / Boar head
- Tower board, mm / deg. – 100/15 ° / 90/20 °
- Tower feed, mm / city – 100/15 ° / 90/30 °
- Tower roof, mm – 30/30
Driving performance
- Engine power, hp from. – 520/520
- Maximum speed, km / h – 37/37
- Cruising on the highway, km – 240/240
- Specific power, hp s./t – 11.8 / 11.3
- The overcome rise, hail. – 36 ° / 36 °
Modifications and machines based on the IS-1 and IS-2:
- IS-2M – “Modernized”. The engine was replaced, while its power did not change, there were changes to the chassis, the size of the turret was increased, due to which the ammunition load was increased to 35 shells, the machine gun was removed, and there were a few more minor changes. The vehicle was removed from service in the Russian Federation only in 1995. At the moment, the IS-2M are in service with Cuba in the amount of 12 pieces and serve as fixed combat points of the coast guard.
- ISU-152 is a self-propelled artillery gun developed on the basis of the IS-1 in October 1943.
- ISU-122 is a self-propelled artillery gun developed on the basis of the IS-2 in December 1943. It carries the same weapon as the IS-2.
Combat use
During the Great Patriotic War, the IS-1 and IS-2 tanks took an active part in battles from 1943-1944, and almost all of them reached the end of the war. After the Second World War, only IS-2 tanks took part in hostilities. There is information that they took part in the Korean War, but no evidence has been found to support this.
Tanks in culture
The IS-1 can be found in a number of computer games: World of Tanks, War Thunder, etc.
The IS-2 is much more popular in culture than the IS-1. These tanks are found in many films:
Memory of tanks
Not a single IS has survived to this day, but today the IS-2 can be seen in the Armored Museum in Kubinka, in the panorama museum “Battle of Stalingrad”, in the “Fire arc”, in the Museum of Military Glory of Omsk, and in a number of museums Russia.
