SOVIET SU-152 SELF-PROPELLED HEAVY HOWITZER (early) - 1943

Description

The “Zveroboy”, or “beast-killer”, as it was popularly known in 1945, was certainly not intended as a tank-hunter. At the end of the battle of Stalingrad (Operation Uranus), it was realized that, unlike the Germans, the Russian infantry lacked some mobile heavy artillery support. The standard tracked 203 mm (8 in) howitzer was totally unprotected and certainly not suited for the kind of operations necessary in an open battlefield, dealing with direct fire against buildings, concrete fortifications, bunkers and pillboxes. And the mass-produced SU-76 was too light for the purpose. This need became more urgent after Kursk, when the Soviet Army was preparing for a series of massive counter-offensives. Production was assumed by Chelyabinskiy Kirovskiy Zavod (the Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant). The SU-152 was the last derivative based on the the KV chassis. According to its combat designation, the SU-152 could be either a heavy tank destroyer or a heavy assault gun, and indeed, in practice, it was discovered the 152 mm (5.98 in) muzzle velocity and the heavy high explosive rounds had surprising, unsuspected qualities against German armor. This was the origin of its popular nickname of “beast fighter” in reference to the German Tigers, Elefants and Panthers encountered at Kursk. (Scale : 1/72e)