Help with IS-3 armament

[Agis]

Hi everybody,

I need some help with the Iosif Stalin 3 Tank.
According to my sources it was armed with the 122mm D-25 anti-tank gun and one Co-Axial MG. Sometimes with a pintle mounted MG.

Did it also had a rear mounted MG as the IS-2?

Thanks!

[Westfalia Chris]

I assume you mean in the rear wall of the turret? In that case, no - the IS-3 had a cast-steel curved turret which "only" sported the cannon, a coax MG and a DSHK on the turret top (commander cupola, IIRC).

[Agis]

Yup the rear of the turret.
Thanks for the answer, always bad if you have contradicting sources...

[Westfalia Chris]

Yup the rear of the turret.
Thanks for the answer, always bad if you have contradicting sources...

Hm, all the photos I have seen of IS-3s show the cast turret without a rear MG position, whereas the 1 and 2 variants had differently-shaped turrets (cast and welded, IIRC) WITH the MG.

Would you care to give the source that noted a rear MG? I *think* it might refer to a Machine Pistol firing port, which was probably included in the first batches of tanks, but I´m not sure about that.

[Agis]

All the photos I have seen support your observation, also most websites.
The "Urrah" suppleemnt for Disposable heroes however (which is normally very well researched) notes a "rear MG" as in some KV's and the IS_1 and 2.

[Westfalia Chris]

All the photos I have seen support your observation, also most websites.
The "Urrah" suppleemnt for Disposable heroes however (which is normally very well researched) notes a "rear MG" as in some KV's and the IS_1 and 2.

Strange. Maybe a "cut-and-paste" error. Definitely right for the IS-1 (which had a similar turret to the KV-85) and the IS-2.

[dadlamassu]

Every reference that I have gives the IS-3 armament as a 122mm with co-ax MG and an AA mounted DSHK HMG.

No reference at all to the turret hving either a pistol port or rear MG.