Bronco Models 1/35 SU-152 Russian Self-Propelled Gun Kit First Look
By Dave Manter
| Date of Review | October 2012 | Manufacturer | Bronco Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | SU-152 Russian Self-Propelled Gun | Scale | 1/35 |
| Kit Number | 35109 | Primary Media | Plastic, Photo Etch |
| Pros | Detailed engine, workable suspension, detailed drivers compartment, cast texture on casemate, one piece gun and muzzle brake, individual track links | Cons | Radiator intake screens molded solid |
| Skill Level | Advanced (due to number of parts) | MSRP (USD) | $69.95 |
First Look
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The Red Army entered WWII with most of its heavy artillery drawn by horses, making its movement slow and vulnerable to attack. The KV-2 assault gun was built to address the need for mobile artillery, but it was unsatisfactory as a fighting vehicle because of its large and overweight turret. It was therefore decided to replace the KV-2 with a new vehicle based on the KV-1S chassis. But instead of a turret, the 152mm ML-20S gun-howitzer would be mounted in a low profile casemate.
Several designs were put forward, but the KV-14 showed the most promise and was further developed into the SU-152 by February 1943.This self-propelled gun weighed in at 45.5 tons and had frontal armor up to 75mm thick. It was powered by a 600bhp V-2K diesel engine with a top speed of 43km/h. It was built at the Chelyabinskiy Kirovskiy factory until replaced in production by the ISU-152 in December 1943. Though designed as an assault gun, the SU-152 gained a reputation as a "Tiger Killer", due to the huge explosion of the HE shells knocking the turrets off of the German tanks.
Bronco's Russian SU-152 kit contains 391 olive colored plastic parts, 16 clear plastic parts, 754 plastic track parts and 29 photo etch detail parts. The plastic parts are all molded to the highest standards and the detail is fantastic. Seam lines are minimal and there is no flash present.
The cast texture on the casemate is really nice and will look great under paint. The kit is detailed inside and out and features a full engine and driver's compartment. The torsion bar suspension is fully workable. The individual track links do not have any knockout pins on them, so clean up and assembly will be faster than normal.
Key features of the kit:
- Full engine
- Detailed drivers compartment
- Workable torsion bar suspension
- All hatches can be modeled open or closed
- One piece gun barrel
- One piece Muzzle Brake
- Individual track links
- Highly detailed main gun and mounting system
Decals are included for 5 different vehicles. They are:
- SU-152, Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, Summer 1944, overall green
- SU-152, Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, Spring 1944, overall green
- SU-152, Captured German, Eastern Front, February-March 1944, White Wash
- SU-152, Unidentified Unit, Kharkov, September 1943, Overall green
- SU-152, Unidentified Unit, Eastern Front, March 1944, Green with white camo
This is a very highly detailed kit and will build up nice. Based on my experience with Bronco Models, this one should present no problems.
My sincere thanks to DML for this review sample!