Is 3 when it was released. Military Review and Politics
The development of the IS-3 tank, or as it was also called “Kirovets-1,” began in the summer of 1944. Part of this tank, namely the turret, was designed at the design bureau of the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant, chief engineer and designer M.F. Balzhi.
A special feature of the tank from Balzhi was a non-standard design solution, based on a study of damage to destroyed Soviet IS-2 tanks, in the design of the turret, namely its low silhouette and shape, which, in combination with strong frontal armor, was a very formidable weapon. Initially, the hull of the IS-3 tank was different from its successor. To this day, only one photograph of the tank designed at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant has survived.
Now let's move to Experimental Plant No. 100, headed by Zh.Ya. Kotin. As soon as Kotin learned that a new tank was being created at ChKZ, a decree was issued on his behalf to prepare a project for an experimental tank that could compete with ChKZ.
It was decided to make the body of the future tank from the top two plates of rolled, homogeneous armor at an angle of 56° and a rotation of 43°, and in the middle it was covered with a small roof, triangular in shape (yes, we are talking about the body) at an angle of 73°, in The driver's hatch was located there. The lower armor plate was located at an angle of 63°. Then this arrangement of armor plates began to be called “pike nose” because of their similarity.
Unfortunately, information about the tower produced by Experimental Plant No. 100 has not been preserved; no samples were built.
So, two projects were sent for approval to the People's Commissar of the Tank Industry V.A. Malyshev. After reviewing both, it was decided to take the tower from the design of M.F. Balzhi, and the body from the design of Zh.Ya. Kotin. It should be noted that the director of ChKZ I.M. Zaltsman, when writing a decree on the construction of a prototype, called the tank “Pobeda”, but this name was rejected in favor of the name of the IS-3 tank.
The tests took place under the supervision of Marshal of the USSR Tank Forces P.A. Rotmistrov. At the end of the tests, he personally got into the tank and said the words:
This is the kind of car the army needs!
After the tests, Marshal Zhukov and Vasilevsky presented the project to I.V. Stalin, who signed a document on its adoption and production at ChKZ.
Tank armament
The IS-3 tank was equipped with a D-25T gun of the 1943 model with a 122mm caliber and a coaxial DT machine gun. The gun had a muzzle brake. The initial flight speed of the armor-piercing projectile was 781 m/s.
With the help of a telescopic sight, the aimed shooting range could be 5000 meters.
The gun's rate of fire was approximately 2 rounds per minute, and with a trained crew it reached 3 rounds per minute. The gun's ammunition consisted of 18 high-explosive fragmentation shells and 10 armor-piercing shells, which made a total of 28 (interestingly, for ease of training of loaders, the armor-piercing shell was painted black, and the rest were painted steel gray.)
The first batch of tanks rolled off the assembly line in May 1945.
Service record of the IS-3 tank
IS 3 heavy tanks did not take part during the .
The IS-3 was first shown at the Berlin WWII Allied Forces Parade on September 7, 1945. The IS-3 shown then against the backdrop of American Pershings was simply magnificent; the Red Army then made it clear that they were not fools and could once again march around Europe. 
The IS-3 heavy tank was actively used by Soviet troops during the suppression of the Hungarian uprising of 1956.
The IS-3 was also used by Egypt in the six-day war against Israel, but even then the IS-3 was inferior in terms of performance characteristics to such tanks as the M48 and Centurion.
IS-3 modifications
Despite the fact that the tank was produced for only one year from 1945 to 1946, several more upgrades of this tank were produced:
IS-3K - Usually in Soviet and Russian armored forces the letter K indicates that the tank is a command tank. In the case of the IS-3K, it is supplemented with the R-112 radio station.
IS-3M - This is a more serious modernization, in which parts were replaced and some errors of the previous version were corrected, namely:
- Strengthened the commander's (rotating) hatch
- Night vision device for the driver
- Replacing the engine with another, more reliable one. Engine power has not been changed.
- The support roller and idler wheel assemblies are reinforced.
- “Electrification” of the tank, from the emergency lighting circuit to the electric heater.
- Replaced the DShK machine gun with the DSh KM, and the DT machine gun with the DTM
- Installation of radios with IS-3K and new intercoms.
IS-3MK - supplemented with another radio station R-112
Vehicles developed on the basis of the IS-3
Object 704, also known as ISU model 1945, was developed on the basis of the IS-3, but did not go into production. 
Also, based on the IS-3 heavy tank, a missile tank called “Object 757” was developed. The tank did not pass the test; preference was given to another tank, the Object 772, but it was also not built. Subsequently, it was decided to abandon the concept of creating a heavy missile tank.
A total of 2,311 IS-3 tanks and its modifications were produced. The tank was in service with the regular armies of some countries until 1993 
Soviet researchable heavy tank of the eighth level of World of Tanks - IS 3. According to its tactical and technical parameters, the IS-3 is considered a heavy breakthrough tank.
For a more in-depth understanding of the Soviet heavy aircraft IS-3, it is necessary to fully analyze all the capabilities. IS 3 has good dynamics for a heavy weapon, devastating damage per shot - 390 units, excellent armor and shielded sides.
These features allow you to feel comfortable in any situation on the battlefield. Depending on the position in the team's list, the tank can be used in different ways. With classmates - the IS-3 can break through a direction, confidently taking damage.
With high-level opponents, the tank can support the attack of teammates. In addition, the heavy can quickly change flanks, performing the function of a medium tank. 
Of course, even the famous “pike nose”, which is the hallmark of the third IS, is not without its drawbacks. When placed in a diamond shape, the risk of breaking through the VLD increases. In addition, criticism is caused by the safety margin, the small viewing radius - 350 meters and weak vertical pointing angles of the gun.
The crew of the IS 3 tank consists of 4 people. The choice of pumpable perks for the IS-3 is typical for any heavy tank in the game. For personal skills, you can use the following set:
Sixth Sense is a must-have skill for a commander.
“Smooth rotation of the turret” - useful for the gunner.
“The King of Off-Roads” will help the driver-mechanic.
“Non-contact ammo rack” is ideal for the loader.
Among the required perks, the following skills are pumped out: “Repair Speed”, “Combat Brotherhood”, “Disguise”. Please note that the choice of skills should be a recommendation.
For example, instead of “Disguise” for a driver, you can pump out the “Off-Road King” perk. This will make the tank more noticeable, but will increase the cross-country ability on difficult soils.
To hide the shortcomings of the machine, it is necessary to choose the right additional equipment. The main task of IS-3 players is to maximize the damage dealt, which, by the way, is 390 units per shot.
In addition, we must not forget about mediocre accuracy, not the best convergence and stabilization times. Therefore, the optimal set of modules will look like this:
- Rammer.
- Ventilation.
- Stabilization of vertical guidance.
It should be clarified that some players prefer to use strengthening the aiming drives, reducing aiming time, against improving all the characteristics of the vehicle. However, such a choice is often unjustified.
The fact is that ventilation gives an additional bonus to all characteristics, including convergence speed. If you level up the “Combat Brotherhood” skill for all crew members, you get a full-fledged bonus, equivalent to using an additional ration. In addition, this reduces the reload time of the gun, which allows you to feel confident in close combat.
Equipment selection
Here, too, everything looks pretty standard for this class of equipment. In particular, the choice for the IS-3 will be as follows:
- Fire extinguisher (manual).
- Repair kit (small).
- First aid kit (small).
Instead of a fire extinguisher, you can opt for an additional ration to get an additional bonus to the skills of tankers.
The most important question for beginners is where is the easiest way to break through IS 3 in battle. Everything is very simple, a pike nose can easily be penetrated if you know the penetration values of your weapon; the image below shows a detailed designation of the penetration zones of IS 3. 
Main places, lower armor plate, shooting in the VLD is advisable only if penetration is more than 205 mm. And the main thing is not to get into the fixed caterpillar track, because it adds 20 mm of armor.
How to play on IS 3
To determine combat tactics on IS 3, you should start with the fact that the machine is very easy to master even for inexperienced players. In addition, let’s not forget that the “troika” is a first-line vehicle, so there is no need to shoot damage at someone else’s light while hiding in the green.
The tank should be in front, making maximum use of the power of its gun. At the same time, it’s clearly not worth throwing yourself into a pile of enemies in splendid isolation: fireflies and sts will easily “peck” any heavy enemy. In addition, the low accuracy and long aiming times characteristic of the “Soviets” are not conducive to firefights at a distance. Therefore, the ideal conditions for the IS-3 are city maps.
To fully enjoy the high potential of a vehicle, you need to learn how to play armor wisely: stay in cover, substitute a turret, and tank with side screens. By the way, the screens absorb hits not only from classmates, but also from high-level opponents.
If there is a need to leave cover, you should not drive out in a diamond pattern, hoping for a rebound. In this position, the VLD becomes flat, so if it hits, there is guaranteed to be a penetration.
The IS-3 is one of the few tanks in the game that catches ricochets at right angles: the “pike nose” fulfills its function. At the same time, one should not forget about dancing: tilting the body from side to side at angles of 5-10 degrees. This technique makes it difficult to target weak points, increases the likelihood of non-penetration and gives time to reload the weapon.
The IS-3 feels good in the clinch, but only with opponents of equal silhouette. When meeting tall vehicles, the IS exposes the roof of the turret, which has only 20 mm of armor. Always remember one important nuance: any tank tanks well with a full safety margin. Therefore, sitting out in the bushes in such a car with 100% health would be simply the height of madness.
IS 3 video
IS-3 is a Soviet heavy tank developed during the Great Patriotic War, which was put into mass production in its last days and did not have time to take part in it. Therefore, this combat vehicle is often considered one of the first post-war Soviet tanks. The abbreviation IS means “Joseph Stalin” - the official name of the series of Soviet heavy tanks produced in 1943-1953. Index 3 corresponds to the third production model of the tank of this family. Due to the characteristic shape of the upper frontal part of the hull, it received the nickname “Pike”.
Tank Is-3 - video
The creation of a project for a new heavy tank, code-named “Kirovets-1,” began in the late summer of 1944. The first experimental batch of IS-3 heavy tanks left the factory floor in May 1945. The gun was equipped with a two-chamber muzzle brake and a horizontal wedge breech with semi-automatic mechanical type. Rate of fire 2-3 rounds/min. The gun's ammunition consisted of 28 separately loaded rounds, including 18 with high-explosive fragmentation shells and 10 with armor-piercing shells. On the roof of the turret, on the turret, there was an anti-aircraft 12.7-mm DShK machine gun. Power reserve - 340 km. The IS-3 tank was in serial production until mid-1946 (in 1945, for some time, together with the IS-2). The IS-3 entered service with the heavy self-propelled tank regiments of the Soviet Army.
When developing the project for the IS-3 tank, the conclusions of the commission were taken into account, which examined combat damage received by tanks during the Battle of Kursk in front-line conditions. The massive damage to the frontal elements of the hull and turret was noteworthy. Therefore, it was decided to develop a new design for the turret and hull on the basis of the IS-2 tank to give them a streamlined shape and sharply differentiate the armor protection. As a result of the design work, the inclination of the welded sheets, especially in the front part of the hull, was brought to the maximum possible. Thick 110-mm plates of frontal armor were positioned in such a way that a three-slope, cone-shaped, elongated forward bow was formed, called the “pike nose.” The hatch was placed in the roof above the driver, which was not the case in the IS-1 and IS-2 tanks. There was no longer a need for a through viewing slit in the frontal armor in front of the driver - it was replaced by periscope viewing devices. New structural forms of armor provided better protection against projectiles. The new, flattened turret design was subsequently used in both the IS-7 and T-10, and also provided significantly better projectile resistance compared to previous turret designs installed on Soviet tanks.
Modifications
IS-3M- modernized version of IS-3.
IS-3K- command version of the IS-3 tank, equipped with an additional R-112 radio station and an AB-1-P/30 charger.
IS-3MK- command version of the IS-3M tank with the same equipment as on the IS-3K.
Design
The IS-3 had a classic layout, with the engine and transmission compartment located in the rear, the control compartment in the front, and the combat compartment in the middle. The tank's crew consisted of four people: a driver, a gunner, a loader and a commander.
Armored hull and turret
The IS-3 had powerful and highly differentiated armor protection (for its time in 1945), located at optimal angles of inclination and designed, first of all, to protect against fire from the most powerful modern tank and anti-tank guns in the frontal plane and from fire from most tank guns. and anti-tank guns - primarily from the German 88-mm rifled tank guns 8.8 cm KwK 43 and 7.5 cm KwK 42, and at the same time provided virtually complete protection from the most common towed 75-mm anti-tank guns 7.5 cm Pak 40.
The armored hull of the tank was assembled by welding from rolled sheets of homogeneous armor steel with a thickness of 20, 30, 60, 90 and 110 mm. The frontal armor of the tank was made of armor plates 110 mm thick according to the pattern known as the “pike nose”, and consisted of two left and right upper plates that converged like a wedge, located at an inclination of 56° to the vertical and with a turn of 43°, a lower plate located at an angle 63°, and the roof of the control compartment, located at an angle of 73°. Each of the sides of the hull consisted of two armor plates 90 mm thick: the upper one, located at an angle of 60° and forming a side niche, and the vertical lower one. In addition, the upper part of the sides was covered with 30-mm screens located at an angle of 30°, along with unarmored fenders, which formed additional side niches, accessed from outside the tank. The rear part was assembled from 60-mm armor plates: the lower one, located at an angle of 41°, and several upper ones, which had an angle of 48°. The roof of the hull was made of several 20 mm armor plates. The bottom of the hull, flat in the area of the transmission compartment and “trough-shaped” in the rest of the hull, was stamped and also made of 20-mm armor plate.
The IS-3 turret was a one-piece shaped casting made of homogeneous armor steel and had a nearly flattened hemispherical shape, teardrop-shaped in plan. The thickness of the turret walls at the sides and rear ranged from 220 mm at the bottom to 110 mm at the top, while in the frontal part it reached 255 mm. In general, the tilt angles, ranging from −8° to 35°, were selected in such a way that at any point on the tower walls their horizontal thickness was at least 160 mm. In the front part of the turret there were embrasures for a gun and a coaxial machine gun, covered by a cast armored mask attached to the gun barrel, the thickness of which reached 250 mm.
Armament
The main armament of the IS-3 was a 122-mm rifled tank gun D-25T model 1943, which had a barrel length of 48 calibers / 5852 mm and an initial armor-piercing projectile speed of 800 m/s. The D-25T gun had a horizontal wedge breech with semi-automatic mechanical type, electromagnetic and mechanical triggers. The gun's recoil devices consisted of a hydraulic recoil brake and a hydropneumatic knurler, located above the gun barrel on the left and right, respectively. The gun was mounted in the front part of the turret on trunnions in a coaxial installation with a machine gun, which allowed it to be aimed in a vertical plane using a sector-type mechanism in the range from −3 to +20°.
The twin installation was aimed at the target using a telescopic articulated sight TSh-17, which had a magnification of 4× and a field of view of 15°. In addition, for firing from closed positions, the gun was equipped with a side level and an azimuth indicator.
The gun's ammunition consisted of 28 rounds of separate-case loading with armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation cannon steel long grenades. Of the shells, 25 were placed in trays on the sides of the turret, another 3 were on stands in the fighting compartment. Of the cartridges, 6 were placed in stowages on both sides of the driver, 4 were placed on the upper sheets of the hull fender liners, 5 were placed in stowage on the floor of the fighting compartment, the rest were placed in clamp stowages: two - on the partition of the engine compartment and another one - on the starboard side housings. Since high-explosive fragmentation shells were larger in size, only armor-piercing shells could be placed in 11 of the ammunition stowage locations.
The mount paired with the cannon housed a 7.62 mm DTM machine gun. The machine gun's ammunition capacity was 2,000 rounds: 1,200 with a light bullet, 200 with an armor-piercing incendiary bullet, and 600 with a tracer. Of these, 756 rounds were in 12 disc magazines of 63 rounds each, the remaining 1244 were stored in standard closures, not loaded into magazines.
On the roof of the turret, on a ring turret, there was a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun DShK or DShKM, which had all-round fire at vertical angles from −4 to +84°. The machine gun was equipped with a K-8T collimator sight, designed to fire at air targets moving at speeds of up to 400 km/h at an altitude of up to 400 m. The machine gun could also be used for shooting at ground targets, but its use was associated with a significant risk for the shooter , which for this purpose had to rise waist-deep from the hatch from under the protection of the armor. In the stowed position, the machine gun was removed from the turret and secured on the right side of the turret. The machine gun's ammunition capacity was 300 rounds in 6 belts of 50 each. Of this number, 225 rounds were equipped with B-32 armor-piercing incendiary bullets, and 75 with BZT armor-piercing incendiary tracer bullets. Also in the crew compartment there were 25 F-1 defensive grenades or RG-42 offensive grenades and two 7.62 mm PPS-43 submachine guns and 1000 rounds of ammunition for them.
Surveillance and communications equipment
In non-combat conditions, the driver monitored the terrain from his hatch, but in combat he used the MK-4 periscope viewing device - a copy of the British Mk.IV, which gave all-round visibility. The device was designed to be easily removable and had to be removed before opening the driver's hatch cover. Tanks upgraded to the IS-3M standard also had the TVN-1 passive night vision device, which could be installed in place of the MK-4 or on a separate stand when driving with the hatch open. The driver's viewing instrument has also been redesigned, eliminating unnecessary all-round visibility from the driver's seat. The tank commander, gunner and loader also each had one MK-4 device, which was placed on the roof of the turret. When upgrading to the IS-3M standard, the commander's MK-4 was replaced by the TPK-1 binocular device, which was more suitable for this purpose, providing 1x or 5x magnification.
For external communications, the IS-3 had a simplex telephone-telegraph radio station 10RK-26, located in the tank turret to the left of the gun and equipped with a whip antenna 1 to 4 m long. 10RK-26 provided telephone communications at a range of up to 35-40 km from a standstill and 20-25 km on the move. For internal communication, a TPU-4-bis-F telephone tank intercom was installed on the tank for all crew members, connected to a radio station.
IS-3 tank rear view on Shikotan Island. Kuril Islands, Cape "Edge of the World"
Engine and transmission
The IS-3 was equipped with a V-shaped 12-cylinder four-stroke liquid-cooled diesel engine model B-11, which developed a power of 520 hp. With. The engine power system included four fuel tanks with a total capacity of 425 liters, located in the engine compartment on the sides of the engine and in the internal fender niches, as well as four external cylindrical fuel tanks located on the roof of the engine compartment, with a capacity of 90 liters of fuel. The engine cooling system consisted of two plate-tubular radiators located in a semicircle above the main clutch, on the shaft of which the fans were mounted. To facilitate starting in the cold season, the engine was equipped with a heating device.
The IS-3 transmission included:
— multi-disc main dry friction clutch (ferodo steel) with servo drive;
— mechanical four-way four-speed gearbox with reduction gear;
— two onboard turning mechanisms, consisting of a planetary gear set, stopping drums, a multi-disc dry friction clutch (steel on steel) and a band brake;
— two planetary final drives.
IS-3 tank front view on Shikotan Island. Kuril Islands, Cape "Edge of the World"
Chassis
The IS-3 chassis on each side consisted of a drive wheel, an idler, six twin cast non-rubberized support rollers with a diameter of 550 mm and three twin rubber-coated cast support rollers with a diameter of 385 mm. The suspension of the road wheels is individual, torsion bar, without shock absorbers.
IS-3 caterpillar - 650 mm wide, steel, fine-linked, pinion gear, with an open metal hinge. The caterpillar of each side consisted of 86 tracks, at first - of 43 ridge and 43 flat, but since 1947, tank tracks began to be assembled only from ridge tracks.
Vehicles based on IS-3
- ISU-152 model 1945 (Object 704; should not be confused with ISU-152 model 1944, created on the basis of the IS-2) - an experimental self-propelled gun, with a 152-mm howitzer-cannon ML-20SM as the main weapon. 1 prototype produced.
Contrary to popular belief found in outdated sources, IS-3 tanks were not used in combat operations of the Second World War, but it was these combat vehicles in the amount of 52 that on September 7, 1945 took part in the Berlin Parade of the Allied Forces in honor of the victory in the Second World War in part of the Red Army, where they made a strong impression on the Western allies of the USSR in the anti-Hitler coalition. There is also an opinion that the IS-3 could have been used during the fighting against Japan in August 1945 as part of combat testing. IS-3s were used in the suppression of the Hungarian uprising of 1956. There were only a few vehicle losses. The Hungarian events became the only episode of the IS-3’s participation in combat operations as part of the USSR Armed Forces.
Other countries
IS-3s were practically not supplied to the USSR's allies under the Warsaw Pact. Two tanks were transferred to Poland in 1946 to familiarize themselves with the design of the vehicle and train instructors. Subsequently, the tanks were used in parades and as training tanks until the 1970s. Another tank was transferred to Czechoslovakia in 1950.
— The largest number of IS-3s was delivered to Egypt, which received a total of 100 vehicles of both the basic modification and the IS-3M. The first of them arrived in the late 1950s, but the bulk of the tanks were delivered in 1962-1967. As part of the Egyptian army, the IS-3 was used during the Six-Day War of 1967. The IS-3 did not achieve significant success during that war, being, as a rule, in the hands of poorly trained crews and operating in a highly maneuverable war against more mobile and generally modern enemy tanks, which also had a much higher rate of fire, such as the Centurion. or M48, although the last few IS-3s were still knocked out. During the retreat, the Egyptian troops simply abandoned their tanks, including the IS-3; in total, the Egyptians lost 72 tanks of this type in that war, more than half of which were abandoned in good condition. By the Yom Kippur War of 1973, the Egyptian army still had one regiment equipped with the IS-3, but there is no information about its participation in that war.
A number of vehicles knocked out or abandoned by the Egyptians in 1967 were captured by the Israel Defense Forces and operated as part of their own armored forces until the early 1970s, both as combat vehicles and tank tractors. At the same time, some of the tanks received B-54 diesel engines removed from T-54/55 tanks instead of their own worn-out engines, and often the roof of the engine and transmission compartment was also transferred. The Israelis did not use the IS-3 as tanks in combat, but several vehicles with the engine and transmission removed, in place of which additional ammunition was placed, were used in 1969-1970 during the War of Attrition as fixed firing points, two of them After the ammunition was used up, they were recaptured by Egyptian troops.
A significant number of IS-3s were transferred to the DPRK; in the 1960s, the Korean People's Army had at least two regiments armed with them.
Performance characteristics of the IS-3
Crew, people: 4
Developer: KB ChTZ
Years of production: 1945-1946
Years of operation: 1945-1969
Number of issued, pcs.: 1555
Layout scheme: classic
Main operators: USSR, North Korea, Egypt
IS-3 weight
IS-3 Dimensions
— Case length, mm: 6900
— Length with gun forward, mm: 9850
— Case width, mm: 3150
— Height, mm: 2450
— Ground clearance, mm: 450
IS-3 armor
— Armor type: Cast and rolled steel
— Body forehead (top), mm/deg.: 110 / 72°
— Body forehead (middle), mm/deg.: 110 / 55°+43° (Double tilt)
— Body forehead (bottom), mm/deg.: 110 / 63°
— Hull side (top), mm/deg.: 90 / 60° +30 / 30°
— Hull side (bottom), mm/deg.: 90 / 0..60°
— Hull stern (top), mm/deg.: 60 / 48°
— Hull stern (bottom), mm/deg.: 60 / 41°
— Bottom, mm: 20
— Housing roof, mm: 20
— Tower forehead, mm/deg.: 250
— Gun mask, mm/deg.: 250
— Tower side, mm/deg.: 110…220 / 0…60°
— Tower feed, mm/deg.: 110…220 / 0…60°
— Tower roof, mm: 20 / 82…90°
Armament of the IS-3
— Caliber and brand of gun: 122 mm D-25T mod. 1943
— Gun type: rifled tank gun
— Barrel length, calibers: 48
— Gun ammunition: 28
— Angles VN, degrees: -3…+20°
— GN angles, degrees: 360°
— Firing range, km: about 15
— Sights: telescopic articulated TSh-17, Hertz panorama, side level
— Machine guns: 1 × 12.7 mm DShK, 1 × 7.62 mm DTM
IS-3 engine
— Engine type: V-11-IS3
— Engine power, l. p.: 520
IS-3 speed
— Highway speed, km/h: 40
— Speed over rough terrain, km/h: 16 on virgin soil
— Cruising range on the highway, km: 315
— Cruising range over rough terrain, km: 150 on virgin soil
— Specific power, l. s./t: 11.2
— Suspension type: individual torsion bar
— Specific ground pressure, kg/cm²: 0.85…0.87
— Climbability, degrees: 32
— Wall to be overcome, m: 1.0
— Overcoming ditch, m: 2.5
— Fordability, m: 1.4
Photo IS-3
The Soviet heavy tank IS-3 appeared at a time when the end of World War II was getting closer and could become a formidable weapon if it had time to fight. But all he got was a victory parade in Berlin, where the tank made a strong impression on spectators from Western countries.
Its fate turned out to be quite difficult; the IS-3 fought, but in unsuitable conditions and with more advanced enemies. It is worth adding that both the T-10 and the IS-7 inherited the shape of the frontal armor, and on many pedestals the IS-3 is installed as a symbol of victory over fascism.
Creation
Experience in collisions with enemy equipment has shown that the IS-2 has pronounced shortcomings that need to be corrected.
Therefore, the development of the IS-3 began, designed to replace its predecessor.
This program was approved in April 1944, and development was carried out at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant under the leadership of Balzhi.
In parallel, work on the creation of the tank was carried out at plant No. 100, which later proposed an unusual externally frontal part, called the pike nose.
The first batch was created in May 1945, and in the same year, September 7, IS-3s marched in formation along the Charlottenburg Highway, participating in the Victory Parade, and exactly a year later they marched along Red Square in Moscow.
Design and layout
Analyzing the destroyed vehicles, it became clear that most of both the IS-2 and T-34-85 were destroyed or damaged in the frontal part of the turret, which was subject to change first. Also, the cast frontal part of the hull was not able to withstand hits from German guns, and the fuel tanks in the fighting compartment did not contribute to the fire safety of the crew.
But the transmission, chassis and power plant turned out to be successful and should have remained unchanged.
We can say that the main task was to create a tank that remained within the same weight limits, but at the same time had much better protection.
The IS-3 was created according to a classic layout scheme, similar to the IS-2. The building was divided into four sections.
The driver's place was in the first of them - control. Along with the change in the shape of the frontal part, a hatch for the driver appeared on the roof of the hull and a periscopic observation device MK-4.
Behind the partition, which contained removable sheets with round hatches designed to remove powder gases from the tank, was the engine compartment. Inside there was an engine with all additional units and internal fuel tanks.
The transmission, the last one, was located at the back. A friction clutch, gearbox, gearboxes and planetary turning mechanisms were installed in it.
Due to the dense layout, it was necessary to additionally place detachable fuel tanks on the outside.
Frame
The primary goal when creating a new tank was to increase protection while maintaining the same weight. The IS-3 was not supposed to be penetrated by Tigers and Panthers from any distance. At first glance, this might seem like an impossible task, however, the solution turned out to be quite simple and original at the same time.
The armor was located at strong slopes and was highly differentiated, assembled using welding. The 110 mm thick front plates were installed at a double inclination of 56° and 43° to the vertical, thus creating a striking unusual hull forehead, called the pike nose.
This form of armor made it possible to provide protection against most modern guns, for example, 8.8 cm Pak 43 or 7.5 cm Pak 40, which was confirmed at the test site when the German 88 mm and Soviet 122 mm guns left only dents on the hull.
The sides of the IS-3 also had a complex shape and consisted of two parts 90 mm thick - the upper one with an inclination of 60° and the lower vertical one. Additionally, the upper part was covered with screens 30 mm thick and an inclination angle of 30°.
Tower
The IS-3 received a new teardrop-shaped turret, manufactured using casting and providing excellent protection. Its thickness gradually changed from 255 mm in the frontal part to 220 mm on the sides at the bottom and 110 mm at the top. All armor was located at an angle - from 42° to 59°.
There was also a gun mantlet 250 mm thick, which additionally protected the weak point.
Despite the powerful armor, during testing one of the shots fired from an 88 mm cannon pierced the forehead of the turret when fired from a distance of 300 meters.
For the crew, a hatch with two covers was placed on the roof of the turret, on the right of which a viewing device for the MK-4 loader, similar to that of the gunner, was installed, and on the left there was a commander’s hatch along with the TPK-1 observation device.
An interesting feature was the automation of turret rotation, which allowed the commander to aim the gun at the target in his sight with one press of a button.
The rotation mechanism itself was planetary, with electric and manual drive.
Armament
The main gun D-25Ts with a two-chamber muzzle brake and separate loading migrated to the IS-3 from the IS-2, since it fully met the requirements.
The main drawback of the gun was inherited - the low rate of fire, at best reaching a little more than 2 rounds per minute.
The ammunition load was 28 shells. 18 high-explosive fragmentation, stacked in gray, and 10 armor-piercing, stacked in black. This division by color was used to speed up the work of the loader.
In the mask, along with the gun, a DT machine gun with a caliber of 7.62 mm and an ammunition load of 756 rounds was installed, and on the roof there was an anti-aircraft DShK with a caliber of 12.7 mm with an ammunition load of 250 rounds.
Engine and transmission
For the power plant, we chose a V-12 V-11-IS-3 diesel engine, developing power up to 520 hp. It had a volume of 39 liters and was cooled by a closed liquid cooling system, which received a boiler for heating the coolant using a blowtorch when using the tank in low temperature conditions.
An electric ST-700 was used as a starter, which was duplicated by a starting system using compressed air.
A mechanical transmission was installed on the IS-3, which received a four-speed gearbox and a range-shifter, thanks to which the tank had 8 forward gears and 2 reverse gears.
The rotation was carried out due to two planetary mechanisms.
This design allowed the IS-3 to accelerate to 40 km/h, having a specific power of 11.2 hp/t.
The internal fuel system consisted of 4 tanks with a total capacity of 450 liters, it was supplemented by 4 external tanks with a capacity of 360 liters.
The range was approximately 185 km on the highway.
Chassis
The tank's chassis was borrowed from the IS-2; the only differences were in the track tensioning mechanism.
In front on each side there was a guide wheel along with a new tension mechanism, behind it were six support and three support rollers, and at the back was a drive gear.
Each of the road wheels had its own independent torsion bar suspension unit; on the sides of the body there were balancer stops that limited the movement of the suspension while driving on an uneven surface.
Modifications
It soon became clear that the IS-3 had quite a lot of flaws and shortcomings, so in 1946 a commission was convened to analyze them, and from 1948 to 1952, all IS-3 design flaws were corrected.
At the end of the 50s, they decided to raise the level of the tank to a more modern one, and as a result the IS-3M appeared.
It received an increased rigidity hull, a V-54K-IS engine, new DShKM and DTM machine guns, a TVN-2 night vision device, VTI-2 air purifiers, reinforced suspension units, new electrical equipment and radio communication devices.
Although such a comprehensive improvement significantly increased the performance characteristics and reliability, its time had already passed, so the IS-3M after modernization was placed in long-term storage.
Based on the Is-3, 2 original vehicles were created - Object 704 and Object 757.
Object 704 had a record low height and powerful protection for heavy Soviet self-propelled guns, but the cramped layout and long recoil length turned out to be too unfortunate for the crew, and therefore this experimental vehicle was never put into service. Another name for this self-propelled gun was ISU-152 model 1945.
Object 757 was manufactured in 1952 and fired Rubin guided anti-tank missiles at a range of up to 4 km. Due to the shortcomings of the missiles, the appearance of Object 772 and the obsolescence of heavy tanks, it remained in a single copy.
Epilogue
The IS-3 was able to fight as part of the Soviet troops only in Budapest in 1956.
In 1967, during the Six-Day War, the Israeli M48A2 Patton literally defeated the Egyptians with the IS-3M, since the heavy Soviet tanks lacked mobility, rate of fire, modern fire control systems, and crew training.
The IS-3 performed best at the parade in Berlin, even though it sounds funny. But you shouldn’t blame the tank or its designers for anything. The time of heavy tanks was slowly coming to an end, missile weapons appeared and the view on the use of armored vehicles changed.
The IS-3 was created as a highly improved version of the IS-2, and not a fundamentally new tank. And he did an excellent job with this role.
This tank was the last Soviet heavy vehicle accepted into service and put into mass production during World War II. While maintaining the armament of the IS-2 tank, the IS-3 has a new design for the armor of the bow, a manhole has been introduced above the driver's seat, and inspection slots in the upper frontal plate have been eliminated.
The original design of the welded hull and cast turret significantly increased armor protection compared to the IS-2, from which many components and assemblies were borrowed into the IS-3 modification. A 12.7-mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun, a 10-RK-26 radio station, a TSh-17 tank sight and means for setting up a smoke curtain MDSh were installed. Between 1945 and 1946, more than 2,300 combat vehicles of this type were produced.
Performance characteristics
| Combat weight |
46.0 - 46.5 t |
| Dimensions: | |
| length |
6900 mm |
| width |
3150 mm |
| height |
2450 mm |
| Crew |
4 people |
| Armament |
1 x 122-mm D-25T cannon 1 x 12.7 mm DShK machine gun 1 x 1.62-mm DTM machine gun |
| Ammunition |
28 rounds 250 rounds of 12.1 mm caliber 156 rounds of 1.62 mm caliber |
| Reservations: | |
| forehead of the body |
120 mm |
| forehead of the tower |
250 mm |
| Engine type |
V-11-ISZ |
| Maximum power | 520 hp |
| Maximum speed | 40 km/h |
| Power reserve |
340 km |
From the history of creation
The IS-3 heavy tank was created as part of the IS-2 modernization program adopted in April 1944. The design of the new vehicle was carried out by ChKZ designers under the general leadership of N.L. Dukhov, M.F. was appointed project manager. Balzhi.
The main requirements were to increase security. It was necessary to replace the cast structure of the bow with a welded one, “ensuring that in the operating position of the tank it is impenetrable with armor-piercing and sub-caliber shells from the guns of the Tiger and Panther tanks from all distances.” The turret, as the most vulnerable point of the IS-2, also needed improvement.
From December 18 to December 24, 1944, state tests of the IS-3 (“Kirovets-1”) took place at the NIBT test site. The tests were carried out by running and firing from the Shershen and ISU-122 self-propelled guns with an armor-piercing projectile from a distance of 600-800 m. While moving, the tank behaved satisfactorily; during shelling it showed that the upper frontal plate of the hull was not penetrated by an 88-mm armor-piercing projectile from 350 m ( the shell left a dent 28 mm deep), and a 122 mm armor-piercing shell from a distance of 690 m (the shell left a dent 35 mm deep). But the forehead of the turret was pierced by an 88-mm armor-piercing shell from a distance of 300 m, and the side and stern from 1000 m.
The test report stated:
“The IS-3 tank passed field tests for 500 km, but failed to pass warranty tests for 1000 km due to fan failure at 810 km. In terms of performance and reliability, the IS-3 tank is equivalent to the IS-2 tank. Shelling of the hull showed clear advantages in terms of armor penetration compared to the IS-2 hull. The upgraded model of the IS-3 tank is recommended for adoption with the elimination of the shortcomings noted in the report."
.
When developing the IS-3 project, the findings of a commission that examined combat damage received by tanks during the Battle of Kursk in front-line conditions were taken into account. Attention was drawn to the massive nature of the destruction of combat vehicles in the frontal part of the hull and turret. It took some time to arrive at the optimal shape of the hull and turret. The IS-2 modernization project was also developed by plant No. 100. It was its designers who proposed the gable “pike” bow that later became famous.
On the vehicle developed by the ChTZ design bureau, the nose of the vehicle was straightened, like the T-34, but the tank received a new turret, which was a single casting in the form of a spherical segment, the thickness of which in the frontal part reached 230 mm. For a number of reasons, development was delayed. After a long consideration of both projects, it was decided to combine both projects and instruct the Kirov Plant to develop a heavy tank based on them, using the advantages of both designs. All these proposals made it possible to create a vehicle similar to the weight of the IS-2 and at the same time increase its armor resistance by more than two times.
Taking into account the experience of military operation of IS tanks, the design of the chassis, power plant and transmission on the IS-3 was left unchanged. The hull was welded from rolled armor plates and did not have cast armor parts. The design of the gable inclined nose made it possible to resolve the issue of placing the driver's hatch (on previous models of IS tanks there was no hatch), significantly improve visibility from the driver's seat in the "stowed" position and ensure high armor resistance of the frontal part of the hull. During testing, the 88-mm armor-piercing projectile did not penetrate the frontal part of the hull even from a distance of 100 m. To reduce the fire hazard, the fuel tanks were moved from the fighting compartment to the engine compartment.
The tank's armament remained the same: a 122-mm D-25 cannon and a coaxial 7.62-mm DT machine gun; a 12.7-mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun was installed on the roof of the turret. The forward and stern machine guns were missing.
Interestingly, the IS-3 had a turret rotation mechanism. The electric drive was equipped with a commander's control system. The commander could, keeping the target in the field of view of his viewing device, press a button mounted on the device and turn the turret in a given direction along the shortest path. When the line of sight coincided with the axis of the gun barrel, the turret stopped.
The plant was able to send the first IS-3 for testing only in February 1945. Based on their results, the tank was recommended for mass production after the identified deficiencies were eliminated.
On December 30, Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin gave the go-ahead to the creation of a new heavy tank in the weight category with IS-122 armament and with doubled armor protection so that the hull of the new tank would not be penetrated by the most powerful 88- mm anti-tank gun mod. 1943 at heading angles up to 60°.
On February 20, 1945, the reference model IS-3 (“Object 703”) No. 2 went for state tests, which took place at the NIBT test site, from March 23 to April 12, 1945. The IS-3 N9 3 tank arrived at the test site on March 26, and On May 21, the head of the technical department of the GBTU of the Red Army, Blagonravov, signed a set of technical documentation for the IS-3 tank, thus initiating mass production of the said tank, the real life of which began after the Victory.
By May 1, 1945, ChKZ had produced only 25 units. IS-3, some of which were still undergoing factory testing.
The IS-3 tank was late for the war. By the time the Act of Surrender of Germany was signed, all tanks were still at the factory and did not take part in hostilities. They also did not participate in the battles in the Far East in August - September 1945. Only on September 7, 1945, the tank regiment, which was armed with these combat vehicles, took part in the parade of Red Army units in Berlin.
