Check out the latest announcement from Rye Field.
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/js-2-with-upgrades-announced
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/js-2-with-upgrades-announced
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How unfortunate that we still don’t have correct ISU-152 tracks, including these. Any 3D designers want to step up?
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What’s wrong with these tracks, please?
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I will give you about five seconds to research them and the problem will be immediately evident. The you can report your findings back to us. I’ve already contacted RFM.
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I only build German so I’m no expert but there does seem to be some small differences that I notice. It appears the real track has a hole in the guide tooth while I don’t see that on the kit CAD pic. Also looks like the ground-facing side has some small differences. Am I right at all? Missing anything?
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Hell, if you noticed more than the missing hole in the guide teeth your eyesight is better than mine. But yes, the hole is missing from every kit’s tracks, and AFAIK, every aftermarket set as well, This is too easy to add since they’re 3D printed. As I said, I’ve let them know - we’ll see…
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You are correct…it only took seconds. It appears that aside from the obvious difference between track sets that have guide teeth on every other link and those that have them on every link, there is another minor difference. Astoundingly, some guide teeth do have perforations in them. And guess, what? Some do not. Is the mystery solved yet, Mr. Holmes?
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Partially. I know that there can be alternating links with guide horns, then without; track links with all guide horns; or a mix, as they were not like T-34 track that had to alternate.
However, I cannot recall seeing any without the hole. For me it won’t matter - I’m doing this one:
They’re easy enough to drill out, but It’s not something many modelers even bother with. Certainly not model companies up to this point.
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I just like how they misspelled Workable, for the tracks, on the kit box, Workabel?? Maybe it’s akin to a Supper Sherman? Sorry, not the grammar police but still….
Walter
Lost in Ohio
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18bravo, it only took me a few seconds to find images of the tracks without the holes. But then again, I have an extensive library and just completed the Tamiya IS-2, with after-market Friulmodel tracks. They do not have holes in the guide teeth, which bothers me naught. You could indeed say that I have done the research.
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As with the KV tank, the tracks with alternating links are the so-called split-link tracks, as the links without guidehorn consist of two parts each. Starting with the KV-1S, the width was reduced from 700mm to 650mm.
These tracks were also used on the KV-85, the SU-152, the IS-1, and the early IS-2 and ISU-152.
Later in the war, they were gradually replaced by the track without split links.
Another type was experimented with:
It’s sometimes seen on Berlin pictures of the IS-2. The picture above of the ISU-152 also has these tracks, as can be seen even from the side.
That said the RFM tracks are not wrong, it’s only that they were less common in late 1944 / 1945. The tracks that I’ve showed are non-standard, but an alternative design.
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Is this a significant improvement over the Tamiya JS-2?
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Good deal. You are now promoted, Watson. I did not look for them at all because I settled on that one photo right off - it was the first one that pooped up when I searched ford the walkarounds I looked at showed the same holes, I guess the model companies have been getting it right after all. Still, odd that with the technology available now that they wouldn’t do the other kind,
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This is going to be a great kit. The engineering and fit will be equal to Tamiya but the detail will be superior.
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The RFM model has raised strips all around the aft machine gun bulge. The Tamiya model does not have them.
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FWIW, I’m glad you called attention to it. Being aware of variants is always a plus. I’ve now found the old 4bo website in the wayback machine (I wonder why it hasn’t come back?) which was my other source of noticing details on these vehicles.
Maybe next year we should have a kitty killer campaign? things built to kill tigers? probably too vague….
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The owner of the 4BO site ha had issues with his service provider for quite some time. He is a friend and I will see if I can get an update.
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Quick tracks also offers the later war type with the hole in the teeth:
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OK, so this particular track I mentioned is also available from QuickTracks.
The first to release it was MasterClub (MTL35199) if I’m not wrong.
But is this really the only “correct” track for a late-war IS-2 / ISU-152 / ISU-122 ? I doubt that. The ordinary 650mm track without split links seems much more common to me.
The hole in the guide horns is not a viable criterion, BTW! You have to look at the side extensions if you only have a side view.
AFAIK, ordinary 650mm tracks with holes in the guide horns are a post-war variant, for example on the IS-2M.
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It is if you’re modeling a specific vehicle from 1945 - which I am. 
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