SU-152 Assault Howitzer
Roskopf 1:100 Scale Vehicle Review
This Roskopf 1:100 scale Soviet SU-152 “Zveroboy” assault howitzer has had its damaged Dushka machine gun repaired with a section of 1 mm polystyrene tubing and 0.5 mm piano wire. The M.1946 muzzle brake is incorrect for the WW2 version of the machine gun, but it will have to do until we discover a simple technique for modelling the earlier M.1938 muzzle brake.
In 1965, Roskopf released 1:100 scale models of the Soviet KV-1, KV-2, and KV-85 heavy tanks, as well as the SU-152 self-propelled heavy howitzer, and the ISU-122 self-propelled gun, all of which share the same KV heavy tank chassis. This simple conversion – mating an armoured casemate with an existing tank chassis – works for the SU-152, but there are large gaps which need to be filled prior to painting.
Contents
- SU-152 Assault Howitzer
- 12.7 mm DshK Heavy Machine Gun
Evaluation
Sold fully assembled, ready to play. The model comes with toy-like carpet rollers which need to be removed to make the assault howitzer sit on its tracks convincingly. Cover the resulting holes in the underside with free 0.25 mm polystyrene sheet taken from a yoghurt cup.
The section of tank track on the front drive wheel has come out of the mould as a flat piece of plastic joined to the fender above it. This damage may be fixed by engraving a dividing line between the fender and the track, and glueing track cleats to the flat section of track. While similar damage on the rear drive sprocket is less pronounced, three track cleats need to be added here, too.
The Dushka machine gun is a relatively robust, simplified and oversized rendition of the real thing. Many antique Roskopf models are auctioned with bent or broken machine gun barrels which may be repaired using 0.5 mm piano wire and 1 mm PS tubing. Scratch-building the DShK machine gun is an option even in this small scale.
Compatibel with Battlefront Miniatures (Flames of War, Team Yankee), Essex Miniatures, Eureka Miniatures, Forged in Battle, Irregular Miniatures, Old Glory, Peter Pig, Plastic Soldier Company, Skytrex (Command Decision), Wargames Factory, Quality Castings, Quick Reaction Force (QRF), Zvezda, and similar 15/18 mm or 1:100 scale miniatures.
Possible Conversions
- KV-1 Armoured Recovery Vehicle without Casemate
The Roskopf model of the SU-152 assault howitzer is best suited for wargamers looking for a cheap and robust, ready-made model for simulation games. While this antique assault gun is no longer in production, it can be found in large numbers at flea markets, model railway shows, and auctions.