The ISU-152 was the first of the Soviet heavy self-propelled artillery carriages of World War II, entering service in 1943, just in time to take part in the Battle of Kursk in July. It was intended for a dual role as an antitank weapon and heavy assault gun. The vehicle was in the vanguard of the Soviet advances in 1944 and 1945, and the vehicles were amongst the first to enter Berlin at the end of the war. The ISU-152's major drawback was a lack of internal stowage space for ammunition, and each vehicle thus required constant supply by ammunition carriers, which was hazardous and affected tactical mobility. Nevertheless, the ISU-152 remained in service after the war, being used during the crushing of the 1956 Hungarian uprising.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a Soviet ISU-152 self-propelled gun that participated in the Battle for Berlin during 1945. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 4-inches
Width: 1-1/2-inches

Release Date: November 2020

Historical Account: "For May Day" - The Battle of Berlin was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II and was designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union. Starting on January 16th, 1945, the Red Army breached the German front as a result of the Vistula -Oder Offensive and advanced westward as much as 40 kilometers a day, through East Prussia, Lower Silesia, East Pomerania, and Upper Silesia, temporarily halting on a line 60 kilometers east of Berlin along the Oder River. During the offensive, two Soviet fronts (army groups) attacked Berlin from the east and south, while a third overran German forces positioned north of Berlin. The Battle in Berlin lasted from late April 20th, 1945, until the morning of May 2nd and was one of the bloodiest battles in history.

The first defensive preparations at the outskirts of Berlin were on March 20th, when the newly appointed commander of the Army Group Vistula, General Gotthard Heinrici, correctly anticipated that the main Soviet thrust would be made over the Oder River. Before the main battle in Berlin commenced, the Soviets managed to encircle the city as a result of the smaller battles of the Seelow Heights and Halbe. During April 20th, 1945, the 1st Belorussian Front led by Marshal Georgy Zhukov started shelling Berlin's city center, while Marshal Ivan Konev's 1st Ukrainian Front had pushed in the north through the last formations of Army Group Centre. The German defenses were mainly led by Helmuth Weidling and consisted of several depleted, badly equipped, and disorganized Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS divisions, as well as many Volkssturm and Hitler Youth members. Within the next days, the Soviets were rapidly advancing through the city and were reaching the city center, conquering the Reichstag on April 30th after fierce fighting.

Before the battle was over, German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler and many of his followers committed suicide. The city's defenders finally surrendered on May 2nd. However, fighting continued to the north-west, west and south-west of the city until the end of the war in Europe on May 8th (May 9th in the Soviet Union) as German units fought westward so that they could surrender to the Western Allies rather than to the Soviets.