ISU-152 questions

[Geo1966]

As the title says i have a couple of questions about the ISU-152.

 

Firstly what is the square thing on the front left of the fighting compartment?

 

 

And secondly there is what i think is a strap on the front right of the fighting compartment. Tamiya say to paint it Khaki. This only seems to be present on about half of the historic photos i have seen.

 

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

George

[Bozothenutter]

Square thing looks like the mount for a hydraulic pump, usually seen on the front of its SU predecessor.

[Geo1966]

Thanks Bozo. What was the pump used for? Have you any photos?

 

George

[Bozothenutter]

Pump fluid into the gun recuperators.

Same can be found on the ML20 artillery pieces.

Will try and find some pics 

[Crayons]

The ISU 152 was produced at two factories, Factory No. 200 and UZTM. And as such both churned out vehicles with fittings that differed to some extent as well as plate layout (the rear plate and access hatches differed from No. 200 to UZTM with the shape of the hinges being different and the lifting eyes in different locations). The bracket on the front of the superstructure you are asking about was the mount bracket for a hydraulic fluid container and was fitted/moved from mid 1944 onward. I have a few photos of vehicles showing the same bracket mounted between the tow hooks on the bow plate. The strap was a very simple arrangement of two metals loops welded directly to the armour with the strap passed through the loops and secured. Several photos I have seen show the canvas cover that was used for the main gun mantlet rolled up and carried in that location.

 

Hope this helps. And incidentally, the Tamiya model is based on a Factory No. 200 built machine. Thus if you are producing an early 1944 or prior vehicle, that hydraulic fluid container bracket needs to be mounted on the bow plate on both No. 200 and UZTM produced vehicles. Spare track block mounts and track were fitted on the bow plate mid 1944 hence the reason for the bracket relocation.

[Bozothenutter]

pics of pump, this is the pump for the artillery version. (it was indeed the bracket for canister, not the pump)

 

 

 

 

 

[Geo1966]

Thanks Crayons and Bozo, excellent information, which is much appreciated.

 

George

[Crayons]

1 hour ago, Bozothenutter said:

pics of pump, this is the pump for the artillery version. (it was indeed the bracket for canister, not the pump)

 

 

 

 

Looking at this photo and the shape of the bracket, it is conceivable that it could fit that bracket, flanged sides with a slot cut into the base. Very plausible it was designed to take both the hydraulic fluid container and/or the pump. Now, having said that, given its original location being the bow of the tank, I doubt that the risk would have been taken to mount a mechanical pump which requires skilled labours and such to make would have been mounted on a section of the vehicle that would have potentially been used for knocking over trees thus damaging a pump. Easier to make a tin can and put it there and safe guard the pump in another location, hence the steel box in your photos. My references only make mention of the hydraulic fluid container, no pump is mentioned, but your photos present a possible option of universal design.

 

Just a thought.

[Bozothenutter]

2 hours ago, Crayons said:

Looking at this photo and the shape of the bracket, it is conceivable that it could fit that bracket, flanged sides with a slot cut into the base. Very plausible it was designed to take both the hydraulic fluid container and/or the pump. Now, having said that, given its original location being the bow of the tank, I doubt that the risk would have been taken to mount a mechanical pump which requires skilled labours and such to make would have been mounted on a section of the vehicle that would have potentially been used for knocking over trees thus damaging a pump. Easier to make a tin can and put it there and safe guard the pump in another location, hence the steel box in your photos. My references only make mention of the hydraulic fluid container, no pump is mentioned, but your photos present a possible option of universal design.

 

Just a thought.

next time read the text with the pics....

[Crayons]

Maybe next time you should properly read and comprehend the subject of a post before replying.

 

But I will save you the effort as interpreting my post seems a bit of a trial for some. I was merely suggesting the possibility that the bracket was of a universal design and could be used for both a container and the pump.

[KRK4m]

If we're already at the ISU-152, tell me what are the three seven-foot rods stacked across the casemate roof  just behind the hatches and the fan dome?

Radio antenna rods, howitzer barrel cleaners or something else? Unfortunately, the vehicles in the walk-around photos do not have these on the roof ...

Cheers

Michael

[Geo1966]

I presumed they were barrel cleaning rods, but could well be wrong.

 

George 

[Crayons]

10 hours ago, Geo1966 said:

I presumed they were barrel cleaning rods, but could well be wrong.

 

George 

You presume correctly. Segmented rods for cleaning the 152mm howitzer.

[Geo1966]

@Crayons what colour would the cleaning rods be? Were they metal or wood do you know?

 

Thanks, George

[Crayons]

The poles themselves were timber with threaded and socketed metal caps on each end for assembly. I have a few copies of wartime photos of the artillery piece having its barrel cleaned. The pole appears quite dark, almost matching the dark colour of the gun suggesting that it may have been painted. But that is merely a theory of mine.

[Geo1966]

Ok, thats very helpful thanks.

 

George

[Dmitriy1967]

I managed to find only a few color photos with a strap on the right side. But the color is still unclear.

Yes, as already mentioned here, this is a belt for holding the gun mask when it is removed.

In the last photo ISU-122, for example.

 

 

 

 

 

[Geo1966]

9 hours ago, Dmitriy1967 said:

I managed to find only a few color photos with a strap on the right side. But the color is still unclear.

Yes, as already mentioned here, this is a belt for holding the gun mask when it is removed.

In the last photo ISU-122, for example.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Dmitriy, great photos.

 

George

[Crayons]

Just be weary of using photos of currently running/museum ISU152's as reference material, especially if you are trying to model an accurate representation of a wartime example. LKZ in 1953 modified roughly 100 vehicles into ISU152K's. And then ChKZ from 1959 to 1962 modified most of the other vehicles into the ISU152M.