Hi guys,
Can anyone here identify if JS-2 “44” (painted over 133) is Factory 200 or UZTM hull? I want to see if Tamiya 35289 Chkz is appropriate for this vehicle.
Thanks for helping.
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It’s from Factory no.200 ChKZ (Chelyabinsk Kirov Plant) - casted front hull.
UZTM (Ural Heavy Machine Tool Plant) used a welded front hull
Better photo
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Thank you for helping Macias, your pictures helped a lot!
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So new RFM kit is suitable for that.
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I dont know if you already know this but in the other photos you can see that the js-2 has a tight track comparing to the others and is missing its 2 from the front outer road wheel.
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Hi, yes I saw the missing wheels. Thanks for the heads up.
I believe this vehicle belongs to the 50th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment. Two other vehicle that belongs to this unit are 188 & 222. 188 commander was awarded “Hero of the Soviet Union”. Too bad I can’t determine what factory hull these vehicles are.
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The 44th (ex. 133) has a hull produced by Factory No. 200 (cast nose) and a turret also cast at Factory No. 200. The tank itself was produced between December 1944 and February 1945 – it already has a DShK mount on the turret, but lacks smoke grenades on the rear (they were installed starting in February 1945).
The 188th has a hull produced at Factory No. 200 (cast nose) and a turret cast in Mariupol. The tank itself was assembled no earlier than March 1945 – it has a DShK mount and smoke grenades on the rear.
It’s hard to say anything definite about 222.
So new RFM kit is suitable for that.
Without reworking the rear plate of the turret roof, installing a DShK, and working on the rear plate of the hull, he won’t fit
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Hi Holger, thank you for your input. Looks like No. 44 (ex.133) is the correct decal for Tamiya 35289 since both turret & hull is from Factory 200.
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Will you out the remnants of the original number underneath?
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The turret doesn’t show the characteristic joint between the halves of the mold—it’s just an average. But this is fairly easily corrected.
In addition to many simplifications and errors in the Tamiya model (they are also in the RFM model), to build tank number 44, it will also be necessary to change the rear plate of the turret roof, install the DShK (brackets on the side of the turret, the support of the machine gun mount, the machine gun mount itself), adjust the hinges of the folding rear plate and correct the support plates of the gun bracket for travel.
Will you out the remnants of the original number underneath?
Worldwide number 133
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Thanks. I got the Colibri decals of 50th Guards from a friend & was hoping to build something requiring less work (maybe just add the turret machine gun). Do you have any suggestions that fit the Tamiya kit out of these markings? I tried google for info but no luck.
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It all depends on the level of authenticity you want.
The Tamiya model is based on a tank produced in September 1944 (the prototype is currently in development in Poland, near Fort Chernyakhovsky in Warsaw).
Tank 99, and likely 211 and 177, have UZTM armored hulls and are not suitable for the Tamiya.
The remaining tanks of the 50th Guards TTP (except 111 and 33) were produced between December 1944 and March 1945.
Starting in December 1944, this roof was installed (on the turrets of Plant 200 and Mariupol, which were loaded at Plant 200).
And these hinges on the rear plate, from early December 1944, were installed at the 200th factory.
And, of course, the DShK—brackets on the side of the turret—
and installation on the commander’s cupola—
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Wow, that’s really comprehensive knowledge Holger, thank you for taking precious time to list out the changes & shared the photos.
I will try to fabricate the required parts, if not I stick with the included Tamiya decals. I just don’t like the air identification stripes on the 7th & 88th tanks it’s distracting.
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Welcome to the forum.
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Thank you. Good to be here. 
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Hi guys, I found out that the included decals from Tamiya isn’t correct for the kit with the exception of “424” of4th Polish Heavy Tank Regiment, according to Holger’s post on a Russian forum here: ИС-2 Звезда 3708
Besides the Polish unit, is there any Soviet unit also received the Sep '44 batch of JS-2? Specifically allowing to build OOB of the Tamiya kit with very minor mods?
I highly doubt my ability not to screw up trying to fabricate the faceted roof top of the “44”.
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You won’t know until you try. It’s only plastic.
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Thanks for the encouragement 18bravo.
I think I’ll try to build the “434” from the 7th Separate Guards Heavy Tank Brigade. It has a Factory 200 hull, the turret is Mariupol.
The Tamiya kit should be appropriate for it. I need find out if it requires dshk gun mount on the cupola & if it needs the roof top be faceted at the rear.
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Hello!
Must, yes.
All tanks received by the brigade (I know their serial numbers from archival documents) were produced in the second half of December 1944 and the very beginning of 1945. On tank 434, you can see the DShK mounts on the right side of the turret, and a platform for mounting a machine gun on the commander’s cupola. The DShK itself is located on the roof of the engine compartment.
The roof should be faceted on all tanks with cast nose pieces, starting in December 1944.
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This evening I’ll give you some materials on the ISs of the autumn of '44.
There’s very little of it, unfortunately…
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