Small Scale Military Headquarters

I found this while browsing through E-bay. Not a bad price, could use some detailing, unfortunately, I'm dead broke at the moment. But some of you guys might be interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-18-Scale-JS-III-S ... dZViewItem

'Experience with building resin model kits will be helpful', read: this kit is a real 'dog' to build!

not a bad price?!?

I remember when those first came out a few years ago. Everyone balked at them for the price and the questionable subject matter. Why pick a tank that saw virtually no combat at any point in time when there are so many other Soviet tanks that could have been done in this scale? (The only combat usage was that maybe a few went to Manchuria at the end of WWII to be used against the Japanese. In modified form a few were used by Egypt in combat as well.)

And now to find out it's a tough build too? Yike.

Interestingly emough, according to FAS, the JS-III (or IS-III as it should really be called), remained in Soviet service until the 1960s (I guess none of the Generals had the nerve to stop using a tank called 'Iosef Stalin'), and it was in service with North Korea, China, Cuba, and some Arab countries.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/is-2.htm

$200 is a little too steep for me right now, but if it were a T-62/64/72, I'd be all over it...

Gotta admit, I'm tempted...

the post war IS III had many detail differences from the one that was produced at the end of WWII, which i believe is what this kit represents. So there'd be some mods needed to represent a post war version accurately, depending on how particular one is.

I got all this info from missing-lynx so i assume it's accurate.

Had this kit been a t-34, kv-1 or IS-II i would have jumped on it years ago when it first came out. Like i said, i don't know why the maker decided on an IS III with all the choices available..

If I remember correctly, it cost over $300 when it was new. For the resin and mold its not an unusual price especailly at $200. But like you all have said, why an IS-3? If it was an IS-2 I would have bought at least one.

I don't have anything Russian so I might have to get this one. I passed on it the first time too. An IS-2 would have been better subject matter.

Mark

Well I bought it guys. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Mark

I got my tank today and I can't wait to put it together.

Mark

I AM SO JEALOUS!

Nice catch

Kamikaze, give a review!!! How's the kit itself? Does the resin needs alot of clean up, what about the white metal track links, etc. Are you planning on doing it straight postwar Soviet tank, or are you gonna do an Arab tank?

I was up in my attic a few days ago and found a model kit I built when I was a kid (70's). Its a JS III in what I think is 1/24th scale, some parts are missing and the detail is poor and I don't know the kit maker. Take a look
http://community.webshots.com/photo/495 ... 6119BjDkSc
After I finish some other projects I may rebuild this one.

The tank itself is not bad. The castings for the hull and turret are very good with very little clean-up. The drive sprocket and the fuel tanks need a little filing to take off excess resin. Tracks are the best part although each track piece will have to be glued one at a time and are not designed to move. Also the boggie wheels are glued onto pegs on the side of the hull with no guides. If you attempt this build you better have some good
diagrams of the subject. An excellent one is provided with the kit. Overall I would spend the money again because I'm a tank freak!

Mark

For some reason I've never warmed up to this tank. Who can account for taste, I guess?

Mike

hey manikaze....got any pics of the js3 built? what is the manufacturer name? was it a good kit??

any answers por pics would be greatly appreciated..

sorry...kamikaze not manikaze

aferguson wrote:not a bad price?!?

I remember when those first came out a few years ago. Everyone balked at them for the price and the questionable subject matter. Why pick a tank that saw virtually no combat at any point in time when there are so many other Soviet tanks that could have been done in this scale? (The only combat usage was that maybe a few went to Manchuria at the end of WWII to be used against the Japanese.

Why can a tank only be cool if it has seen combat? I've read this sentence more than once here. I remember someone posted this when a thread were about the Leopard II. This tank has never been in combat, but for me it's one of the coolest (if not THE) coolest tank in the world. Is a tank only cool if people got killed by it? Sorry, but I have really a problem understanding this. For me a tank is an impressive machine and a pretty design - I don't care if it has seen combat or not.

Because tanks are tools of war. Comparing technical stats isn't really a good way of determining what's good or bad in terms of war machines, because the only real test is in the battlefield.

If that's the case, then Arab Soviet-made T-55s and T-62s should have overwhelmed Israeli Shermans and Centurions during the Yom Kippur war...

But I guess "cool" is in the eye of the beholder. What I don't get is when people put tanks that has never seen actual combat in a pedestal , and they're only relying on technical specs and "look" of the tank to hail which is the best. *cough* Leopard II *cough*

Which boggles me why there are more Leopard II models out there than a Challenger II.....

GooglyDoogly wrote:Because tanks are tools of war. Comparing technical stats isn't really a good way of determining what's good or bad in terms of war machines, because the only real test is in the battlefield.

If that's the case, then Arab Soviet-made T-55s and T-62s should have overwhelmed Israeli Shermans and Centurions during the Yom Kippur war...

But I guess "cool" is in the eye of the beholder. What I don't get is when people put tanks that has never seen actual combat in a pedestal , and they're only relying on technical specs and "look" of the tank to hail which is the best. *cough* Leopard II *cough*

Which boggles me why there are more Leopard II models out there than a Challenger II.....

Agree on all counts.

Hey, Kamikaze, how'd this guy turn out? Any photos, comments?

Nothing yet I'm afraid. I have however been looking over the chassis in more detail and I am considering turning it into an ISU-152. I haven't had much time because I have a new baby boy around the house. I will be turning out some customs this year to show everyone.

Mark

Thanks, I just got one (meaning ~20 minutes ago) that I'm waiting to arrive so I was just wondering what you run into.

Thanks Much

Congrats on das kinder

That's great! Now you have something to work on this winter. Let me know what you think of the kit. You definately have something that I doubt will ever be made
by one of the big 3!

Mark

i was wondering if anyone from the board was going after that one on ebay. Congratulations chunks. Those kits are a pretty penny but certainly unique.

Kamikaze, if you're thinking of an ISU-152, here is a link to a paper model kit. You could enlarge it and use the parts as templates. These kits are very accurate, so it might be a big time saver for you.

http://www.papermodelstore.com/product_ ... ts_id=2024

That's a good idea Aferg. I have a paper kit that is 1/25th scale for a Hummel. I just have'nt had the nads to attempt the conversion yet. Gary1930 has been giving me some pointers and assembly advice and I think I'll be completing some customs soon.

Mark