ROD-701

IS-3, a heavy tank, devised at an experimental plant No. 100 under leadership of M. F. Balzha in 1944-45, was the latest Soviet tank devised in the course of the Great Patriotic War.
To analyze reasons of bad losses suffered by Soviet tank military units in the course of Kursk Battle (6064 machines during 38 days of battle), a special commission was formed in 1943. Based on its proceedings and on IS-2, a new heavy IS-3 breakthrough tank was designed. Its body, welded from some rolled steel armour plates with maximally; possible slope on the front side, and provided with moulded gun turret, having, the shape of flattened hemisphere, became more streamlined. Thickness of the front armour was increased considerably owing to reduction of the armour thickness in any other less vulnerable places. Thus, front armour plates of the body were 120 mm thick, while from the part of gun turret was 230 mm thick. Having the same full weight, the tank had area of frontal projection 1.5 times less. For the first time this tank was equipped with a commander's system for automatic control over the gun turret rotation. Its series production was started in May 1945 and continued up to mid-1946. The end of the War produced 29 tanks, with their total number amounting to 2311.
IS-3 was not used in any military actions during the World War II, but on 7 September 1945 a tank regiment had taken part in the parade of Red Army Units in Berlin, dedicated to the victory over Japan.
IS-3 was modernized by the end of 1950s and it was named IS-3M.
The tank was not exported almost. Two machines arrived to Poland in 1946, while another machine arrived to Czechoslovakia with the purpose of familiarizing and training instructors. A considerably larger number of tanks were sent to Northern Korea, which had two IS-3 operational regiments in 1960s. 100 heavy tanks of IS-3 and IS-3M makes were delivered to Egypt from 1956 to 1967.

Performances
Curb weight - 45.8t
Crew - 4 persons
Length - 9850 mm
Width - 3200 mm
Height - 2440 mm
Clearance - 435 mm
Engine's power - 520 hp
Maximal speed - 40 km/h
Cruising range along a roadway - 190 km
Armament;
122 mm D-25T+28shells
Machine guns;
- DShK 12.7 mm + 945 cartridges
- DTM 7.62 mm + 945 cartridges