The JS-II (Josef Stalin) was a development of the earlier KV series of Russian tanks. It was a lighter tank than the KVs with an improved transmission and suspension and a re-designed hull and turret. The first examples appeared in 1944, helping to exploit the strategic initiative which the Red Army had achieved by that stage of WWII on the eastern front. A massive vehicle, the tank was well-armed and armored, the only drawback of the early versions was a slow rate of fire using separate charges and shells. This was remedied by the time the JS-III entered production. Symbolically, Josef Stalin tanks were at the head of the advance to Berlin in 1945, and remained in production after the war being the world's most powerful tank for well over a decade.

Pictured here is a 1:48 scale Soviet JS-II heavy tank that was attached to the 7th Independent Guards Heavy Tank Brigade, then seeing action in Berlin during 1945. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 7-1/2-inches
Width: 2-1/2-inches

Release Date: June 2007

Historical Account: "Death Throes" - By April 1st, 1945, the rampaging Red Army had reached the outskirts of Berlin. Knowing full well that Berlin would be heavily defended, Russian commanders decided to delay their attack by two weeks in order to build up their strength before making a final attack. Meanwhile, the Western Allies had planned to drop paratroops near Berlin to take the capital, but decided against it. Eisenhower saw no need to suffer heavy casualties taking a city that would fall within the Soviet sphere of influence once the war was over.

Adolf Hitler, who never thought Berliners supported him the way he imagined, decided to remain in the city. Some think he stayed to punish the city for its lack of support in the early days of Nazism; more likely there was nowhere else for him to go once the Allies had begun closing in.

The offensive began with a tremendous barrage of artillery, which included "Stalin's Organs" - ground-launched rockets known for their hideous shrieking noise. On April 16th, the First and Second Belorussian Fronts, in conjunction with the First Ukrainian Front, attacked, striking from the north, west and south. By April 24th, the three army groups had completely encircled the city and began infiltrating the city proper. The next day, the Fifth Guards Tank Army linked up with the US First Army at Torgau, Germany on the River Elbe. On April 20th, Hitler ordered the Twelfth Army facing the Americans and the Ninth Army to break into Berlin to relieve the siege. Neither force was able to penetrate the Soviet defenses so the Berliners were on their own.

Although Berlin’s fate was sealed, the resistance continued. Fighting was heavy, with house-to-house battles oftentimes devolving into savage hand-to-hand combat. By battle's end, the Soviets had lost 305,000 dead; Germans casualties amounted to 325,000, including many civilians. On April 30th, Adolf Hitler married his mistress Eva Braun, took cyanide, then shot himself, refusing to be taken alive by the Allied powers. Berlin surrendered three days later on May 2nd and with it came the end of the Third Reich.