Студия масштабных моделей «Восточный фронт»

Egyptian IS-3M

This model was made for a customer, who ordered construcnion without painting.

As a basis for this model an old Trumpeter kit was used, obsolete but unalternative. A dozens of aftermarket items were added as well as almost a hundred of different improvements. A prototype for this tank is a captured by ZAHAL (Izraeli Army) an Egyptian IS-3M, a pair of which can be seen in Latrun and in Izraeli Defense Forces Museum.

Running gear.
The running gear was completely replaced by metal. Not so much to exact fit with drawings, as to obtain visual effect, we used metal tracks, road wheels and sprockets. Also spare tracks were replaced on front hull and on the rear. The profits of this replacement will be seen on painted model when the friction surfaces would be polished to real metal.

The Hull.
Welding seams were added for a bulwarks on the hull sides, while some wrong seams were removed. Cast armor imitation was applied with a glue. A lot of small exterior parts were substituted to a resin ones: handles, hooks, periscopes, side lights etc). Searchlight and klaxon received their wiring. An Egypt IS-3 had only one, portside searchlight and without mesh coating. We used “ELF” searchlight with fine mirror inside it.
Bulwark hatches were replaced with sratchbuilt ones (eigth pieces were cut out from Nescafe Classic coffee can) with a plastic locks. Beam collars were transferred upfront.

Rear deck.
The most considerable scratchbuilding awaited us on the rear deck. First of all, the seventh ventilating slots were cut out. It is a biggest Trumpeter error. Then the deck was grinded off for at least 7-8 mm, to make it thinner. Then the rods were added from the inside and louvre hoards were applied in “CLOSE” position.
Wires were added for a spare oil tanks, handles were made from wire and weld seams were added where needed. A pick was fixed on the rear deck.

The Turret.
We installed the metal 122mm gun barrel with resin muzzle brake and a gun cover. Torsions were made of brass rods and a resin DShKT MG with some PE parts was mounted.

Side screens.
We made scratchbuilt sidescreens with the same Nescafe aluminium foil and added needful resin bolt-heads on their edges.

Items used:
Modelist 303540 (Trumpeter) – IS-3М plastic model
Eduard 35571 – IS-3M TRU PE parts
Armorscale B35-050 – Gun barrel
5,45 Т-029 – Metal tracks
Friulmodel AWS-12 – Road wheels
Friulmodel AW-07 – Sprockets
Tank А-65 – MG
Modelpoint МРD315 – Metal towing cable
MIG MP 35-132 – Resin oil tanks
Hussar HSR 35009 – Metal 122mm shells and cartridges
Tank A-203 – Soviet tanks exterior
Elf – searchlight
Dragon – tools
Lion Roar – plastic rods, brass rods, brass tubes
Tamiya – plastic sheets
Nescafe  – Aluminium foil
MasterClub – Bolt heads

As a conclusion I would like to wish good luck to all who dare to built this beautiful monster! You’ll need it.

Pavel Cherepanov