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JSU-203


BryanKrueger

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This is a what-if build but based on actual documents and plans.

The idea comes from a drawing I found in the WOT book on the development of the SU-152. Apparently 152mm wasn't enough and they wanted to jam a 203mm howitzer into the fighting compartment. Crew comfort and ammo stowage with the 152 was bad enough so yeah, cram something bigger in there.

su-203.jpg

This is all well and good but I don't have a Su-152 in the stash but I do have a Tamiya JSU-152.  It's partially started kit I received as a gift.

tam-152.jpg

I used the drawings found in the WOT book and created the 203mm barrel in SolidWorks. The part is designed to fit the Tamiya JSU-152 kit. This is the layout I sent to Shapeways.

203_build.jpg

 

Edited by BryanKrueger
typo
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There is a little explanation about the 203 here:  http://tankarchives.blogspot.com/2013/09/soviet-heavy-assault-guns.html


Another attempt at a 203 mm gun was undertaken at Perm in 1943, indexed SU-203. A "SU-14 type" SPG was equipped with a 203 M-4 mortar, based on the B-4 howitzer. The ammunition used by the two was the same. 20 100 kg shells were stored inside the tank.


The gun mechanisms were so massive, that the driver had to be moved to the right. The fighting compartment  got much smaller, pushing out the gunner. His position, as on the T-34, was filled by the commander.
As for mass, the M-4 was previously used on the ML-20 mount with no modifications, as corps level artillery. The resulting SPG would not have been significantly heavier. However, bigger is not necessarily better. Due to the short barrel and low velocity, the M-4 could only penetrate 80 cm of concrete, where the ML-20 could penetrate 140 cm. The Br-2 that engineers tried to cram into a ZIK-20 could penetrate 2 meters of concrete.

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The Tamiya JSU was partially started when I acquired it so assembly was pretty straight forward. Fortunately the road wheel arms were not attached so I was able to pose the tank nose heavy.

I had Shapeways print the barrel. The part arrived with more build lines than what I am use to from a Form2 print so a couple of rounds of Tamiya primer and wet sanding were needed to toke care of the build lines. The muzzle brake has a light cast texture added with Mr Surfacer 500.

The Tamiya kit came with an old Eduard set for the Dragon JSU. I should have sprung for a proper set as most of the Eduard PE was just wrong or too simplified. I spent two days soldering up the fuel drum holders only to find out they were wrong. :roll: Maybe some stowage and damage can hide the errors.  I used Voyager set for the fenders and MasterClub tracks. The model is also detailed with Eureka tow cable and an ET Models bucket. I al;so added brass wire for the grab handles and brass tube for the cleaning rods.

jsu-203_07.jpg

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jsu-203_05.jpg

jsu-203_06.jpg

Still lots to do.

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Final details and ready for primer.

The busted wheel and spare track stowage are based on ref photos.


jsu-203_11.jpg

jsu-203_12.jpg

jsu-203_13.jpg

jsu-203_14.jpg

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The damaged headlight is the kit part carefully thinned with a motor tool cutter, softened with liquid cement and dented with a finger nail.

jsu-203_17.jpg

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Great work with this monster Bryan!, I love those details with photoetched!

Regards!
Rodolfo

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