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Description:
Russian JS-III Stalin Tank Plastic Model Kit
In 1943 the Russians developed the famous T-34 tank which did much to help drive the Nazis from their homeland. The T-34 was heavily armored and mounted a large caliber gun in a single 360-degree traverse turret. This tank set the pattern for future Russian tank design and strongly influenced foreign designs including the world-famous Panther Tank produced by Germany during World War II. The Panther copied much from the T-34 and the Germans developed these ideas into an even better fighting machine. With the introduction of the T-34, the large gun, heavy tank race was on. The Russians, utilizing the experience gained with the T-34 design, came out with the KV-2, a 52 ton, 76mm gun tank which was quickly followed by the first of the Stalin Tank series, the JS-1. This new design was a 57 ton 122mm gun tank which first appeared in 1945 and was improved in the following years to produce the Joseph Stalin III. The JS-III Tank incorporated two conspicuous departures in armor design that were entirely new in tanks. The first is a prow-shaped front hull, technically called compound obliquity. A shell striking the front of the tank must, because of the sharply angled plates, penetrate a thicker section of armor than would be encountered in a flat vertical plate. The second radical feature is the turret, which is the first turtle-back design on a standard tank. Because it is cast in steel with varying wall thicknesses, this type of turret affords greater protection against high velocity anti-tank shells at a substantial savings in weight, while still being sufficiently protected on the top surface.
Features:
• 1/48 Scale model kit
• Elevating 122mm gun
• Flexible tank treads, traversing turret
• 12.7 MM machine gun
• Opening hatches
• 98 styrene plastic parts molded in soviet army-green
• Length 8" (230 mm)
• Assembly required paint and glue not included
• Recommended for ages 14+