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The development of the IS heavy tank series considered a huge number of dissimilar prototypes and could in itself fill a book. The IS-2 heavy tank series was first considered as early as 1941 with a group of prototypes developed under the designation IS-1, armed with a 76.2mm F-34 gun, a 122mm U-11 howitzer and mounted on the KV-13 hull. Development was postponed due to the outbreak of war which led to a concentration on the KV heavy tank which was already in series production. Development of the IS series was resurrected in 1943. Originally the IS-2 was conceived with V. G. Grabin’s 85mm D-5T85 gun as the IS-85, then as the Obiekt 247. Armed with a 100mm gun. In October 1943 N. F. Shashmurin fitted a 122mm D-25T gun on the new tank chassis and the definitive IS-2 heavy tank entered series production.
In 1944 the Russian Army captured an intact Panther and it was shipped to the Kubinka polygon for testing. The new IS-2 with its 122mm D-25T tank gun was tested against the Panther and at 1500m range the IS-2’s 122mm rounds were found to pass straight through the Panther hull from front to rear. The IS-2 was accepted for immediate production.
The IS-2 was originally to have been designated “Rodina” (Motherland), however the IS designation was already in common use and was therefore retained. The IS-2 was sometimes known as the “Victory Tank” due to its ability to engage all German armour at any range.
No original IS-1 tanks armed with an 85mm or 100mm gun remain today, though an attempt to depict the latter is displayed in Kiev, Ukraine, albeit mistakenly using the later IS-2 hull as a basis. There were two basic production versions of the IS-2, the original with a stepped hull front, produced in 1943, defined here as the IS-2 M-1943 and the more common IS-2 M-1944 production model with a sloped hull nose, often designated IS-2m in the West and defined here as the IS-2 M 1944.

Model Id:	2800
Manufacture:

1) Kubinka NIIBT Research Collection - Reserve Collection, Kubinka, Russia

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Unique ID:	621
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2) Muzeum Oreza Polskiego w Kolobrzegu, Kołobrzeg, Poland

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Unique ID:	2499
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3) Miejsce Pamieci Narodowej, Pyrzyce, Poland

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Unique ID:	2511
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4) Parku Chrobrego, Lębork, Poland

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Unique ID:	2531
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5) 1 Leborski Batalion Zmechanizowany, Lębork, Poland

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Unique ID:	2532
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6) Muzeum Pamiatek I Armii Wojska Polskiego, Stare Łysogórki, Poland

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Unique ID:	2539
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Other Identification:	“421” and Polish Eagle markings painted on turret sides.

Model 1943

The IS-2 M-1943 was the original series production model of the IS-2 series, developed as the Obiekt 240 and featuring the distinct step in the hull glacis armour. The early production model IS-2 is sometimes designated as the IS-1B in the West, while the later IS-2 with sloped frontal armour is was for many years referred to in the west as the IS-2B or I-2M, however, in Russia the tanks are distinguished by production year only. In 1954 both the original IS-2 M-1943 and later IS-2 M-1944 (with sloped glacis armour) underwent a capital rebuild programme which resulted in the tanks being fitted with new engines,radio,side skirts and the rear turret machine gun being replaced by a turret ventilator. All such tanks, both M-1943 and M-1944 production types, were known in servce as the IS-2M. Many early IS-2 M-1943’s survived the war and underwent modernisation. The early model is therefore as common as the later model in museum collections, particularly in Ukraine.

Model Id:	2802
Manufacture:	Chelyabinskiy Traktornyy Zavod (ChTZ), Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Ekaterinburg and Surrounding Regions, Russia (Sole manufacturer)

7) Muzeum Uzbrojenia, Cytadela Poznańska, Poland

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Unique ID:	439
Serial Number:	NC122402/25 (source: L. Delsing).
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Other Identification:	“415” (previously “431”, "069" and "631") and Polish Eagle markings painted on turret sides.

This is an early production model IS-2 with stepped bow and no post-war modifications. The tank is displayed with the gun facing over the engine deck. (Source: S. Zaloga, E. Muikku).

8) Liberty Park Oorlogsmuseum, Overloon, The Netherlands

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Unique ID:	1725
Serial Number:	12240334: “NC12240334” stamped into glacis.
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Other Identification:	“Ж – 7” and “97” cast into turret rear.

9) Muzeum Wojska Polskiego, Powiśle, Poland

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Unique ID:	412
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Other Identification:	“0247” and Polish People’s Army (PPA) Eagle marking previously painted on turret sides.

A relatively rare early production model IS-2 without post-war modifications. It has the more unusual machined pattern glacis.

Model 1944

The original IS-2 M-1943 production model was modified in early 1944,now featuring a sloped glacis plate which offered far greater ballistic protection than the original design. This became the definitive production model of the IS-2 series. A small number survived the war without being modified in 1954 to IS-2M standards.

Model Id:	2804
Manufacture:	Chelyabinskiy Traktornyy Zavod (ChTZ), Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Ekaterinburg and Surrounding Regions, Russia (Sole manufacturer)

10) Muzeum Broni Pancernej, Centrum Szkolenia Wojsk Lądowych, Poland

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Unique ID:	430
Serial Number:	240-412458 (source: L. Delsing).
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Other Identification:	Polish Eagle markings painted on turret sides.

This IS-2, without post-war modifications, is located within the museum buildings (source: E. Muikku).

11) Fort IX Czerniaków, Mokotów, Poland

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Unique ID:	393
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Other Identification:	“434” painted on turret sides. White stripe painted around turret. Turret numbers previously painted over and Polish Eagle markings previously painted on turret sides.

12) Kubinka NIIBT Research Collection - Reserve Collection, Kubinka, Russia

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Unique ID:	641
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13) Factory 185 Kirov, Saint Petersburg, Russia

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Unique ID:	1585
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IS-2M

The IS-2 underwent a capital upgrade programme in 1954 resulting in modified tanks receiving the designation IS-2M. The IS-2M had engine and transmission improvements, and a standard 12.7mm DShKM on the turret roof. The most noticeable external change was the provision of sheet steel extensions to the hull sides which incorporated storage panniers and dramatically changed the appearance of the tank hull. Although most IS-2’s upgraded to IS-2M standard were of the later IS-2 hull configuration with its sloped front glacis, a large number of early IS-2’s with the stepped hull front were also upgraded, particularly in Ukraine.

Model Id:	2806
Manufacture:	Chelyabinskiy Traktornyy Zavod (ChTZ), Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Ekaterinburg and Surrounding Regions, Russia (Sole manufacturer)

14) Snegiri Museum of Military History, Lenino, Russia

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Unique ID:	2361
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15) Poklonnaya Gora Victory Park, Moscow, Russia

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Unique ID:	2398
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Other Identification:	“555” (previously “314” and Guards insignia) painted on turret sides.

16) Kubinka NIIBT Research Collection - Reserve Collection, Kubinka, Russia

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Unique ID:	642
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Other Identification:	Turret number “025”.

17) Kubinka NIIBT Research Collection - Reserve Collection, Kubinka, Russia

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Unique ID:	643
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Other Identification:	Turret number “070” and Guards insignia.

18) Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Britain

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Unique ID:	1079
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19) Kubinka NIIBT Research Collection - Soviet Vehicles, Kubinka, Russia

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Unique ID:	352
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Other Identification:	Collection number 107 painted on left turret side.

[PTIR: #11]

IS-2 Tank

Model 1943

Model 1944

IS-2M